Arthur's Restaurant
Arthur's is an elegant suit-and-tie destination for flashy power lunches during the work week and decadent brunch spreads on weekends.
Sitting on the first floor of the stoic-looking Weston Centre, this high-ceilinged restaurant is yet another luxe affair from the Chase Hospitality Group, a brand that's no stranger to executive-friendly spaces.
Unlike other endeavours in their portfolio (like Kasa Moto, Planta, or The Chase) there's more of a personal element to this midtown endeavour, given that it's named after Arthur Salm, the late father of Chase president Steven.
As a New Yorker who had an appreciation for classic Big Apple dining, this 7,000 square-foot restaurant feels like an apropos ode to bigwig eateries.
Separated in two sections, the dimly lit Bar & Lounge is equipped with leathery green booths for more intimate head-to-heads, where walls are covered in newspaper clippings and old momentos from Arthur's life.
Adjacent is the octagonal Crystal Dining Room, a glamorous, naturally-lit room with Arthur's impressive piece de resistance: a custom three-dimensional ceiling meant to resemble the bottom of a crystal cocktail glass.
If you're heading here for weekend brunch, the most popular order is Arthur's Tower ($36.15), a three-tiered platter with tuna and egg salad served on lettuce.
Expect lots of capers and dill atop in-house smoked B.C. salmon and Acadian sturgeon.
To go with your smoked fish: a tower of fresh-baked bagels and Eastern European cream cheese.
A pastrami sandwich ($22.05) is another everyday staple, served with marble rye from Petite Thuet, pastrami brined in-house, mustard, and some Russian dressing on the side.
Lasagne ($23.95) is an impressive vegan creation. As with all Chase restaurants, a minimum quarter of the menu here is plant-based. This dish subs dairy for cashew mozzarella and an almond-based bechamel.
A crab cake ($38.95) is tasty but small for the cost, justified by the fact that more than 90 per cent of the cake is comprised of real Dugeness crab, according to Culinary Director Tyler Shedden. The rest is egg, mayonnaise, and bread crumbs.
The matzo ball soup ($12.05) is made from a double-fortified chicken stock, and hearty for the price.
As for drinks, there's a number of cocktails to be had here, including an ultra boozy Lady Day ($18) made with lillet blanc, sassafras, olmeca altos plata and apertivo rosaro.
It's not 100 per cent necessary to be wearing your cuff links at this restaurant, but if you're trying to match the grandeur of the Crystal Dining Room, you may want to at least comb your hair.
Herman Wong