La Plume is a neighbourhood brasserie and speakeasy serving up southern French fare at The Well. 

The restaurant is from Oliver & Bonacini, the same hospitality group behind Toronto restaurants like Auberge du Pommier and Canoe. 

Brought to life by Solid Design Creative, La Plume's interior design pays homage to French architecture, with its 14-foot high ceilings adorned with stacked classic moulding and three-tiered chandeliers. 

You'll definitely want to grab a seat at the central bar, which lies in the heart of the first floor of the restaurant, and is complete with a custom birdcage-inspired back bar and bespoke mural. 

Inspired by his time spent cooking in the south of France, the restaurant's seasonal menu was crafted by Executive Chef John Horne (Auberge du Pommier, Maison Selby) with support from Chef de Cuisine Navinder Saini (Parcheggio). 

Described as a "love letter to southern France," the restaurant features a tartare bar, a whole bird rotisserie program, and several variations of steak frites. 

All tartare dishes are served with grilled bread, house pickles, and crisps, as well as the option to upgrade to a main with a side of frites.

Sure to be a crowd favourite, the traditional beef tartare ($20) is delicately interlaced with dijon mustard, shallots, capers, parsley, and harissa. 

"Our intent was to showcase what it is at its raw form, and not to camouflage it with a million different things on the plate and to enhance its simplicity," Saini told blogTO.

If raw meat isn't your cup of tea, you can opt for the mushroom tartare ($20) instead, featuring braised portobello, cremini, and dreamy truffle cream. 

The pièce de résistance of the restaurant is its eight-hour-brined Giannone chicken ($36 for half) seasoned with a signature spice blend and dry-aged for two days before being roasted on an in-house rotisserie spit. 

Made to share, the juicy chicken is accompanied by your choice of thick russet potato wedges or pomme purée, smoked mustard aioli, and rich gravy. 

All steak frites on the menu are served with green beans and frites, with a choice of creamy béarnaise sauce or shallot jus, including the 24-ounce côte de boeuf ($99). 

To wash it all down, I highly recommend the Plume Star ($17), a sweet, tart, and effervescent cocktail featuring Dillon's Selby berry bliss, sparkling, passion fruit and rosemary syrup, and lemon. 

If you need a pick-me-up, try out the Bon Bon ($17), a dark and decadent cocktail that's a twist on a classic espresso martini with Captain Morgan Spiced Rum, Cassis, Kahlúa, cocoa white, cold brew, and bitters.

As its name suggests, the energizing drink is capped off with a Lindt chocolate treat. 

Head up to the restaurant's upstairs dining room, and you'll find checkerboard flooring, playful wallpaper, a large open kitchen, rustic brass tables, as well as a greenery-filled terrace overlooking Wellington Street. 

Stumble into the far left washroom stall on the second floor, and you'll find yourself in the middle of a moody boudoir-inspired speakeasy dubbed Bonne Nuit, open Thursday to Saturday after 6 p.m. 

Hawk-eyed diners will notice all of the subtle bird motifs nestled throughout the space, a nod to the restaurant's name, which translates to "feather" in English. 

Aside from daily happy hours, La Plume is also set to host spritz brunches, featuring many classic French breakfast options, including airy croissants, omelettes, and crêpes.

La Plume is located at 453 Wellington Street West.