Parquet

Delicious meal from start to finish — we loved every dish! The seared shrimp with risotto made a fantastic opener. The steak frites were cooked perfectly medium and incredibly tender, with hot, crispy fries and a wonderful aioli that took the fries to next level. The duck confit, with duck-fat potatoes for a gluten allergy, had a crispy skin and flavourful meat, and paired beautifully with the smashed potatoes. Had to note that both the fries and duck fat potatoes were so good, they really know how to perfect the potatoes. Broccolini was tasty. For dessert, the Earl Grey panna cotta was a nice sweet finish. Service was attentive and water glasses were refilled frequently. It’s rare that a restaurant nails every dish, this one clearly earned its Michelin guide spot!

Had a group date night here and just was a fantastic experience. The drinks were on point and service was as well. Chef Nic thank you and kudos to an extraordinary experience through your amazing dishes. Definitely a place to enjoy a relaxing meal with great company. Great not just good because this place deserves a great crowd.

What a nice vibe at Parquet. Nicky the head chef really knows what he's doing! The food was very comforting and even though we had a massive spread we felt super at ease after..probably the most moist hen I have ever had in my life. And to top it off the desserts were immaculate. Each dessert had a unique touch that really will make parquet memorable!!

Oh my goodness, this place is such a nice vibe. The neighbourhood around Parquet is so nice and quaint so it makes dining here really lovely. You’re in Toronto but not in stuck in the craziness of it. I’ve never had French food but I visited with my friends and the chef Nicky was extremely kind and helpful and even took time to visit our table and help us make some choices. Everything we had was really lovely and we can’t wait to come back. The wait staff was really attentive and kind as well. Thank you again Chef Nicky!! Everything was amazing. 100% recommend!!

The food was okay. Nothing particularly memorable or exciting. While the presentation was nice, the dishes lacked depth and complexity. Service could definitely be improved. We waited around 40 minutes for our main course. Although we chose to be patient, I was surprised that no one checked on us during that time. Cups were refilled throughout the meal, which was appreciated, but there was no communication about the delay until the very end. While they did apologize and offered a complimentary dessert, a simple explanation earlier would have gone a long way. I’ve been to other fine dining spots in the city, and unfortunately, this experience fell short. I don’t think the price matched the quality of the food or the level of service.

I ordered a glass of Chardonnay from the male server, but he brought me a pink sparkling wine instead. When I told him, “I ordered the Chardonnay,” he replied, “Yes, this is the Chardonnay.” However, the wine-by-the-glass menu clearly shows only two sparkling options: Xinomavro, or Chardonnay/Chenin Blanc. There is no way a Chardonnay/Chenin Blanc sparkling would be such a bright pink color, so it was almost certainly the Xinomavro. It felt like he assumed we didn’t know anything about wine and tried to brush it off with an excuse. The female server was very kind and professional, but because of this male staff member, my impression of the restaurant dropped significantly. Unfortunately, I won’t be returning.

The food was delicious. Thankfully we asked if the Cornish hen was enough for two, because if I had just gotten it for myself it would have been way too much. Why not 5 stars for service? Our friend at the table ordered the side smashed potatoes as a side. Strangely, they came out with the appetizer… so by the time mains came his potatoes had been sitting there for 15 minutes.

Just had my first experience at Parquet last night and I already can't wait to go back. Everything was perfection, from the ambiance, service, to the food itself. I love everything so much that I couldn't understand the 4.4 score so I scrolled through the comments and realized the restaurant had taken in some of the feedback about food and made changes to improve it, which is very admirable. Our servers were helpful, attentive and professional throughout our dinner: water cups were always filled at the right time, table was wiped out and cleared between courses, etc. The food itself was phenomenal. I highly recommend getting the liver paté (now accompanied by soft and buttery Japanese style milk buns instead of sourdough), the shrimp and crab risotto, the steak tartare, and you have to order "bone and cheek". I would've skipped it but boy was I glad I didn't. One bite of the bone marrow, beef cheek butter and mustard can bring heaven to you. The trio compliments each other exceptionally well. For dessert, their coconut sorbet is to die for; if you are full by dessert time like we were, you should still at least get it. A sharable dessert item, however, is the banana cake. It's huge and a fun take on traditional banana bread with the addition of peanut butter mouse. The restaurant has a cute patio but we were seated inside, which I have no complaints about. The interior is classy and elegant. The booth is comfortable to sit on, and tables are sectioned off which gives you a lot of privacy. Overall a 10/10 experience. I can't recommend this place enough

A Michelin guide restaurant serving French bistro food. Came with a reservation on a weeknight and the spot wasn't too busy at all. Indoor ambiance was nice and quiet, great for dining with some girlfriends. Food was good overall and drinks were even better. Here's what we got: House made pain au lait with chicken liver mousse 3/5 - The chicken liver mousse was okay. It's paired with sherry gelee and cracked pepper. The house made bread however, was fresh and tasty. Steak tartare 3/5 - Didn't quite enjoy this as much as I thought I would. It came with a garlic aioli, pickled shallot and baguette. Good for sharing though. Hamachi crudo 4/5 - Can never say no to a crudo. Served with pickled kohlrabi, radish, red onions and blood orange. A refreshing start to the meal. Grilled shrimp 3.5/5 - This is listed under the smaller plates but definitely a larger portion than expected. It came served on a bed of rice and lobster butter. Grilled broccolini 4/5 - Served with an anchovy compound butter and herb bread crumbs. Definitely a must get. Steak frites 5/5 - Always a classic and must get. It's an 8oz hanger steak served with frites and garlic aioli. Really good for sharing with the table. Mushroom linguine 4/5 - Creamy, mushroomy pasta that had a hint of truffle and herbs. Overall a great dish. The spot was a good dining experience, although some of the dishes weren't particularly my favourite, some were definitely hits.

Great environment to have friends/family gatherings. We order small plates and large plates and they were all delicious! Our servers were friendly introduced different foods and tastes. Highly recommend! Good patio to sit during summer time.

Parquet's oysters are a tad pricy at $24 for six, but there's something about oysters and champagne that made for an ideal starter. Flown from the East Coast, the oysters were fresh and cleanly presented, but what really impressed was the mignonette - made with aged vinegar, it was mellow and added tanginess without the sting. We could still taste the oyster's natural brininess, just enhanced with a sweeter finish. The salt cod beignets ($17 for 3; additional $4 for extra piece) were crispy but not airy enough. Nonetheless, there was adequate amounts of salt cod used in the batter so that it was evident, giving the fritters a savouriness without being too salty. Watch out for your tongue during the first bite of sablefish ($38), mine arrived scorching hot - the way I like it. Being well roasted, it had the look of a miso black cod, so much so that I expected a sweet taste. Yet, the sauce Americane, a buttery bell pepper and vegetable concoction, has a much fresher and savoury flavour that goes nicely with the cod. The sablefish built the foundation of a good dish if the sides weren't so bland and forgettable: dry roasted gai lan leaves (where is the actual stalk, which would have at least added some sweet crispiness?) and boiled turnips. I guess it's Parquet's way of making diners add on a $20 side dish, except these were also all mainly more vegetables. It wouldn't be a French restaurant without steak frites ($52 for the striploin) and Parquet's was good, cooked to the ideal medium rare with a caramelized crust. The silky red wine au jus was a great addition (and you really did need it to give the beef flavour), the dish just needed way more of it for the fries as the parsley aioli was too liquorice heavy for my liking.

Part of a longer review... Most of Parquet's dishes emphasize accessibility over inventiveness--from the Digby scallop cru ($24) to the cassoulet ($42). My eyes zero in on a few items pour partager: Robinson's sourdough with salted butter ($9), the tartine ($19), and the radicchio blanco salad ($19). I can say with certainty that the sourdough is well worth its modest $9 price tag-bubbly and slightly chewy on the inside with a slight tanginess. With a culinary resume like Dennis's there is no way the food could be bad. But it is. For a menu this concise, weak points are commonplace. The tartine resembles a garlic cheese toast and is far too salty to enjoy. One bite confirms that it has been sitting at the pass for far too long. The toasted bread has soaked up the gruyere Mornay sauce, rendering it the kind of soggy mess you don't want to pay $19 for. The salad, while I give credit to its presentation, is lacking in taste. Crisp leaves of radicchio mingle with zesty grapefruit and sweet brioche. It sounds delightful, but I wouldn't have wanted more due to its overwhelmingly acidic dressing. There are, however, some redeeming qualities with the entrees. While Parquet didn't strike a chord with me (and I tried really hard), it drew a lively crowd patrons and achieved an ambiance and level of consistent service that any diner would long for.

Given that this restaurant is on the Michelin guide, I was probably expecting too much. But this place is ok/solid. But nothing jumped out at me. Service was good. Waitress was well versed in the menu and nuances of it. Decor is traditional French bistro and it was beautiful. We shared the following: Digby scallop cru - fresh and delicious. Was a favourite among the table Tartare - excellent. My favourite Smashed beets - very interesting take and delicious Sablefish- good portion but mediocre to me. My brother loved it though Lamb shoulder - unctuous and heavy. This dish is seriously hearty. Cassoulet- my favourite main. Duck was delicious as was pork belly Dry aged ribeye - mediocre. Sauce and steak were pedestrian.

AVOID. AVOID. AVOID. Even the food cannot save you from the rudeness of the male waiter. Gives the impression of believing women are meant to be seen and not heard. Pathetic middle ages throwback experience in customer treatment. Dinner there left alot of food for thought, as in run as far from it as possible!!

Everything was delicious and perfect at my first experience at Parquet. We started with the endive that looked like it could have been eggplant- carmelized to perfection. We also had the cassoulet and Mai take glazed with Calvados. It was so delicious. Calvados is def. a star on the menu as we also ate ice cream drenched in the fine liquor. Service was fast and very attentive- my napkin was folded every time I left the table. I appreciated that everything was so comfortable. Very nice choice of furniture and finishings. They also have a nice wine list- our wine was only available for the night. I would definitely be back to this place! Love the attention to detail and thoughtfulness of their choices.

Great food and great service. IMHO, they should add some entry level wine bottles in the $60 or less range. Just know that you are paying ~3x to enjoy a bottle.