An excerpt from a longer review... "Alo is known exclusively for its tasting menu, consisting of 10 blind courses that change with the seasons. While the food is contemporary French, it draws inspiration from Japanese cuisine and is best complemented with a distinctive wine tasting that explores both familiar and little-known regions and producers. We left everything in Alo's capable hands, and chéri, we were not disappointed! Pour commencer, we sipped on a complimentary glass of Champagne and enjoyed the convivial and uplifting vibe that made us forget the hustle and bustle at street level. The amuse-bouches were served on a mirrored plate that reflected the contemporary light fixtures. The dainty bite-sized pastries were meticulously prepared and scrumptious. Mon amuse-bouche preferé had a layer of silky foie gras..." read more

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For a restaurant that charges $135 per person (standard tasting menu), while I might not expect to leave completely full (it's been said I'm a big eater) I most certainly do not expect to leave hungry. They placed me near a window and the whole time I was craving at that Burger King sign across the street. We came here Sep 2018, after finally getting a reservation and reading all the rave reviews about this place. If this is the top restaurant in Canada, the food scene is in a sorry shape indeed. In terms of food, none of the dishes had the "wow" factor you'd expect from a top 10 restaurant. The dishes were unoriginal and the flavours predictable. The service was polite but not what you'd expect from a high end place. The courses seem disjointed and it seemed like they could have served them in any order. Overall the experience was a serious disappointment. read more

The $185 tasting menu was full of creamy and sweet courses. Our server offered to "switch" our lamb for wagyu beef, but he failed to mention there would be an extra $65 charge. Be prepared to spend $400 per person for an OK meal. This was an extremely disappointing and overpriced experience at one of Canada's "top" restaurants. P.s. Christopher the Sommelier was fantastic. read more

Alo was a flawless dining experience. No wonder this restaurant is ranked as the best in Toronto and one of the top in Canada and the world! Upon being greeted by name, I felt welcome as a guest. I was truly impressed by the professionalism but yet non-pretentious atmosphere. The attention to details is unparalleled. The staff moved around as if they were in a choreographed dance. Choice of napkin, dark or white? Choice of complimentary water, sparkling or still? Each member of the staff had a role and there was never any overlap. Perfection. For drinks... We didn't opt for the wine pairings. (You should!) I ordered the berries and crushed ice (how does something so simple taste so good?) and my husband ordered an old fashioned (amazing). Moving on to the food... 4 bites for the amuse bouche. Each had a balance of taste and texture. Were they petite? Yes. But those small morsels just left me wanting more! At this point, I knew the actual dishes would be impeccable. If I were to describe every single dish, this review would never end. They were all hits, there were no misses. That aged beef ribeye tartare was out of this world. Agnolotti were pockets of flavour explosions. Everything was presented beautifully, cooked perfectly, and seasoned well. We were definitely full by the end of the tasting menu. My only regret is that I didn't come to this restaurant sooner! It was well worth the two month wait! I will most definitely book again for the fall to try a different menu. Alo deserves 5 stars and nothing less. I loved it! read more

Alo Restaurant - Aged beef ribeye with quail egg. Beautiful! - Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Gorgeous tasting menu and services! N1 in Canada, contemporary French Cuisine. August tasting menu is down below read more

We can understand as to why this restaurant is rated in the top best restaurants in the world for the last 3 years. This restaurant overtook Le Toqué in Montréal which had been on this list previously. Located near Chinatown minutes from Kensington Market, this eatery is discreetly displayed in a Victorian building on the 3rd floor on Spadina near Queens. Located on the first floor is the offshoot is Alouette which caters to lunch crowds and easy dining. Also need reservations but you can do this on the same week or do a walk up with an easy wait time of 2 hours. Need to book months in advance for Âlo though. Their online reservation gets updated in the beginning of each month but it is in high demand, it is usually already booked by the time you get on your computer. They don't accept walk ups. Also regardless how you get in you do need to makes prepayment to keep your reservation: from $50 per person for fine dining in the dining room or $165 per person sitting bar style facing the kitchen. The later is an extended fine dining! There is a very long waiting list. The dining room's fine dining is a 9 course French extravaganza. You can also have a wine accompanying your meals with different wines and cocktails but this is extra. We opted for the Czechoslovakian red wine, there most affordable :( The service was impeccable. We've been to a lot of exclusive restaurants but this one was oceans apart especially the service. From the receiving host at the front bus persons , wine experts, maitre'd, waiters. We were celebrating our birthdays and all employees knew about it and greeted the celebrants. If you asked for their names, they would say their whole name. Say what? The unisex washrooms are situated near the bar (yes there is a bar section for bar flies only more easily accessible- fun fact) one of the employees would run ahead of you to open the sliding door for the toilet for each patron. Say what? When the server's give you each course or removes them once you're finished, it is synchronized with another server like synchronized swimming. Say what? Âlo Olympics. Great for romantic dinners and a small group! Just hard to get in. $$$$ read more

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Alo is one of the finest dining experiences in Toronto, a solid 9.5/10 in my books with impeccable service. Note the culinary experience will take a full 3 hours to enjoy, so I hope you're not in a rush! My 10 course tasting menu was a seemed like an endless stream of wonderful dishes. My tasting menu had several highlights for me including the east coast lobster, dover sole, muscovy duck, milk fed veal tenderloin, and the Kumamoto A5 Wagyu beef! The veal tenderloin was spectacular, absolutely the best tenderloin I've had in my life! Wonderful texture and moist; I actually found it tasted better than the wagyu, which is crazy! The dishes were beautifully crafted, and the small portions added up as I was stuffed towards the end! Also, the bread is AMAZING! Oh so fluffy, light, and delicious! I love bread and it did not disappoint! Finally, the chocolate spread at for dessert was massive and to die for! A great way to end off the meal! read more

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tl dr; Great food, superb service and overall experience. Expensive, but good value compared to its American counterparts. I've been super excited to try Alo, a tasting menu French restaurant using seasonal ingredients in downtown Toronto. Winner of Canada's 100 best for the last 3 years in the row meant that I had high expectations going in. I booked around a month ahead on Tock to sit at the kitchen counter for 165 PP. Location, Ambiance: The location is actually very obscure. You enter directly through the elevator and are taken to the restaurant. The entrance is kind of hidden since the sign is quite difficult to find. The interior is classy, with very attentive wait staff. I loved our counter seats since we were able to watch what the chefs were doing the whole time. We had a great view of the dessert, raw fish, and meat stations. Food: We had around 15 courses, depending on how you count. The cooking style is definitely French, but you could tell that there were Japanese influences due to the use of raw fish and Japanese ingredients. The menu is seafood focused and had only a couple of meat items. Despite stating on Tock that they do not accomodate dietary restrictions, they actually had two other options for my partner who did not eat lamb which was served as one of the mains. Some highlights were: Kampachi prepared raw, lobster, pork belly. A really amazing peach dessert, showcasing peach used in several different ways. My only complaint was that I do wish there was less duck, especially foie gras. Our first bite was a small pastry of foie gras which I enjoyed, but one of the mains was quite a large portion of foie gras, which was just too rich and strong for me. We left stuffed, and one of the staff even gave us a complementary Canele which was delicious. The service was spectacular. Our waitress struck an excellent balance of being attentive but not overbearing. I loved how different members of the staff, including the chefs helped introduce each of the dishes. Although we wolfed down almost every plate, they noticed that we didn't finish the foie gras and immediately checked to make sure things were ok. All in all, Alo was an extremely memorable meal. After tip, tax, and a couple of glasses of wine, the total was around $190 USD, so definitely not cheap and a once in a while splurge. However, I would say that it is absolutely worth it if you are looking to try something new and exciting. read more

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We went to Alo tonight and sat at the kitchen table tasting. Overall, I say their dishes were on point and I did enjoy the evening. If there was only one negative, it would be the wine service. I ordered an old fashion to start the night, then I choose to order a Pinot from burgundy off the menu, instead of doing their wine pairing. Since I prefer red wine over white, and the wine pairing was predominantly white. I enjoyed the wine that I did get, but it was unfortunate that I didn't get the bottle opened till we were already 3-4 course into our meal. Their 'famous' sommelier, Christoper, nice guy, maybe too friendly, seems to focus too much on diners doing the wine pairings, and totally negated peeps that order bottles. I still have like 1/3 of the bottle when we got to dessert, since it was opened so late into our service. At least they packed the bottle up for take home. I found out later that do they allow corkage at $80 a bottle. If that is their usual wine service for ordering bottles, I should've just brought my own bottle from my cellar. read more

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First off, the best service ever. loved how they got the elevator, opened the washroom doors without lingering outside, got my crumbs, and even put on my coat (with coat readily waiting as I made my way towards the exit). My cup was always filled magically and my napkin sharply mysteriously folded neatly. They were friendly and awesome and couldn't be any better. They only serve the tasting menu at $105 with wine pairings $75; and also have a comfortable walk-in bar area (booths). The good: overall loved the food; each dish was presented like a masterpiece that I can't even describe; think it was nine courses or so; with a choice between two over four courses in between (but of course, we got one of each and shared) which I LOVED this extra variety; we had a good filling as I felt incredibly stuffed at the end. The bad: a good amount of dishes I found were surprisingly too salty (and I grew up on salty food); the 2nd and 3rd dish or so were meh (felt like it was the flavour of every palette for me-sweet, salty, bitter), weirded me out; also some dishes hinted towards chinese cuisine (e.g. chicken mushroom jus course); I wanted it to feel more.. French.. Overall: wish I was able to terrain all the fancy places to compare; but this place was top notch for me! read more

Alo Restaurant - Slightly in order from top left counter clockwise; includes the 2 options available for some courses; - Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

If there is one undisputed king of restaurants in Canada right now, it's Toronto's Alo. Located on Queen West at the iconic corner of Queen and Spadina, Chef and owner Patrick Kriss has created an empire to say the least. Now with three different restaurants on the go, each one receiving tons of praise, Alo is truly the jewel atop his crown. Most notably, Alo has been the #1 restaurant in Canada for the past three years in a row on Canada's equivalent to the Michelin Guide (Michelin does not come to Canada, however if it did, I am certain that Alo would be awarded three stars). #7 on Canada's 100 Best Restaurants 2016, #1 on Canada's 100 Best Restaurants 2017, #1 on Canada's 100 Best Restaurants 2018 and #1 on Canada's 100 Best Restaurants 2019. They've accomplished a pretty explosive entry onto the fine dining scene if you ask me. blogTO also named them #1 Best Tasting Menu and Toronto Life listed them as #1 on The City's 100 Best Restaurants 2018. What more is there to say? We've brought out the big guns with Alo. I am extremely fortunate to be able to say that I have eaten at Alo three times now, all within one year. This is almost a feat within itself because getting a reservation is nearly impossible and somewhat terrifying. They open two-month reservation blocks at a time, and if you are not refreshing your browser like a madman at the exact minute that tables become available, you can kiss your Alo experience goodbye. It's like buying concert tickets. On my most recent visit, we managed to get in for a 9pm seating on a Friday night. Located atop a heritage building downtown, they do not offer any parking. However we've always been lucky at grabbing street parking nearby. Entering though their fairly nondescript door, you're first met by the hostess at a desk next to an elevator door. Once you've given your name, you ride the slow elevator up to the 3rd floor. (It might even be slow on purpose, to build suspense.) The elevator door opens and you've arrived in foodie heaven. The hostess upstairs will offer to take your coat and she'll usually remember you from previous visits. On this occasion, our table was not ready for us yet and we were offered a window seat next to the bar. The bar area itself is gorgeous, with incredible wallpaper on the far wall. It's the height of the cosmopolitan world and you can feel it. A server came to take our drink order while we waited and I selected a cocktail called a Pine to Palm (Tanqueray Gin, Campari, Pineapple, Lemon-Lime. Refreshing with a fruity, bitter-sweet kick - $15.00). This expertly-mixed cocktail hit it on the nail for me and was everything that I wanted it to be. Sweet, bitter, light, tart. It felt simple and playfully sophisticated. Perfect sips to kick off the evening. It took quite a bit longer than usual for us to be seated, at least half an hour past the time of our reservation. We received several apologizes, however I honestly didn't mind the opportunity to hang out with a cocktail before the entire feast began. Before long we were transported into the dining room and seated at our table, kitchen adjacent. On all three of my visits, I have been seated directly next to the kitchen and have always enjoyed the view of the incredible proceedings that take place. The dining room is quite small, with no more than 15 tables available. The vibe is downtown-chic. The details are subtle and impactful. Bench seating is wrapped in grey leather and the curtains dress the room in deep teal. Gold accents can be found all around you, from the lighting to the cutlery rest. One of the first things that happens is a server will come over to offer you your choice of napkin, producing a tray of linens. I always take the same grey napkin each time. Next is the offering of sparkling or still water, to which I took sparkling. Unfortunately, on this particular visit, the servers seemed unable to keep my table's water preferences straight. My glass was refilled with still water on several occasions, and then again with sparkling, to the point of having a complete mix of both types of water. My co-diners who had chosen still water kept getting sparkling water poured into their glasses as well. I didn't bother mentioning it, and nothing like this had occurred on my previous visits. Apart from the mix-up with the water, the service at Alo is second to none. The whole thing operates at such an elevated level of hospitality, that just watching the machine in action is impressive and entertaining in itself. The servers are endlessly professional yet friendly and unpretentious. Each step of the meal is orchestrated to perfection, from each person's plate arriving at the exact same moment, to the delivery of brand new cutlery for each individual course. From the precision culinary artistry taking place in the kitchen to the choreographed dance of the wait staff, the entire spectacle is a sight to behold. Chef Patrick Kriss himself is almost always on hand, overseeing the ent read more

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Lots of hype around Alo right now. This was not a bad experience but definitely not my number one. Positives: A few of the dishes were very tasty and expertly prepared to be sure. Stand outs for me were venison and Wagu beef and the basil ice cream. The cocktails were good. Nostalgic feel to the presentation although if they want to throw it all the way back to 1983 Nouvelle Cuisine, the white plates that the bite sized portions come on should be much, much bigger. The service was for the most part friendly. The washrooms were clean. On the negative side: Some of the courses were perhaps a bit over cooked, over seasoned and not the ideal serving temperature. There was a lack of continuity in the menu. I didn't understand the grits course in the midst of all the Japanese inspired courses. Overall presentation was not very creative for this level of restaurant. Some of the staff seemed a teense pretentious. Good news for those who want to give Alo a try: making a reservation just got a little easier because I won't be going back. You can judge for yourself but I think you can get a lot better for the same money in many other Toronto restaurants. read more

Alo Restaurant - Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I echo Wes' comment below - verbatim. I had the unfortunate experience of having to send back one of our six course menu items due to a dish that was gritty. This dish was quickly swished away and exchanged returning this time - overly salted. Oye! I'm my view, try George Restaurant on Queen St. Same dollar spent, much better food and ambiance. Michelin star ought to be rewarded to George. Sadly..Alo? au revoir! read more

Chef's table (13 courses) at 160$ pp+ 1 bottle of Etna bianco+ 2 glasses of Pearl Morisette chard + 1 glass of Greek red+ tax n tip = almost 630$ for two Pros Service: Exemplary in TO. Very obliging, and no expense spared e.g. zalto wine glasses. Nice ambience, and given we chose chef's table (abt 7 seats), we sat at the kitchen counter. Cons: Food is good, but not omg good with the exception of 1-2 dishes in the 13 course meal. Value: as my partner put it, when it comes down to taste, it is no better than many restos in Ont's wine country and TO for around 2x the price. But if you're vying for the 100 best restos or Michelin stars as a fine dining resto I guess service and visuals are just as important as taste....or perhaps more? Great there is corkage with advance notice, but at 80$, you better be taking a 100$ + to make it worthwhile. Repeat: Likely not. Would I recommend this resto? I think if you travel around, there are fine dining Michelins which do lunch specials for less before you consider investing $$$ at those establishments. And they're much easier t read more

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After a strong recommendation over the holidays, we began our process in trying to get reservations. The first day I tried in the evening, and did not find any resos on Open Table, however the next morning I was able to make a reservation for 2 on a Tuesday at 10 pm 2 months down the road. Before your dinner service, alo will contact you via phone or e-mail to remind you of your reso and to ask if you have any allergies or dietary restrictions. Located on the third floor in the building on the south east corner of Spadina and Queen, making it a unique location, away from other higher end restaurants. Our journey began in an elevator, which really added to the mystery of our reservation. The staff were very friendly, and the service was impeccable. We opted for the tasting menu, with one drink each. My boyfriend and I are the types to want to try everything, and our server recommended that we choose different dishes between the two of us. This was probably the best advice ever, because we were able to try everything on the tasting menu that night. Usually we like to deduce how the food was cooked and the technique used, but we were stumped with some of the plates. The meal was absolutely delicious and filling. I thought we were finished, until our server told us there was still coffee cake to be served. I did find some of the dishes a bit salty, but because they were small dishes it was not a big deal. Before we went, we saw that many Yelp reviewers post pictures of their pain au lait. We found this kinda funny because there were more photos of the bread compared to any of the dishes. Let me tell you, the bread was so soft, and dipping it in the chicken jus made it even better! Between the two of us, it was about $310 with drinks and tip. The experience, food, and especially the bread was worth the experience and lived up to its hype! read more

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We went to Alo when it first opened many years ago. Back then the reservation process was so easy, and the tasting menu was a steal. Much has changed this second time we went (for our anniversary), especially since it joined the ranks of World's 50 Best. Relative to Michelin starred restaurants, it's still a steal. But, if I compare it to some incredibly memorable meals like Eleven Madison Park and Osteria Francescana, it has a ways to go. I tanked on the reservation release date for the period we wanted, but my husband did well on the other end. Tag-team or group tackling the system is the best way to go. They gave us bubbly for anniversary which was a nice gesture. For me, compared to the first time we went, the dishes felt smaller, and there was too much foam and gels. Thank goodness for their blessed bread. Even the desserts are ice creams, and no pastry. So admittedly, I wasn't that full when we left. But, everything still tasted great. It's still pretty creative, the service is good and friendly without being stiff, the decor is beautiful, and it's just the place to spoil yourself in Toronto. read more

Alo Restaurant - Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Ambiance was phenomenal. Food was what you'd expect with the title of Michelin star. Service was unreal. Crisp, rehearsed and punctual. Pacing of dishes was also on point. Not too slow not too fast read more

Definitely my favourite restaurant in Toronto! Extremely hard to get a reservation and you need to do it at the first Tuesday every other month. Next round starts on Feb 5 at 10am. I was lucky to score a reservation on new year's eve. The menu doesn't disappoint with 10 dishes including venison, wagyu beef, scallops etc. I really enjoy the bold flavours of every dishes and feel very full after the meal. The cocktails are amazing as always and Alo is a must try! After all this is the #1 restaurant in Canada and #94 best restaurant in the world for 2018. read more

Simply the best. There's nothing much more to say. The praise is well deserved. There is nothing pretentious about this place; inspired food cooked perfectly. We went in for in person dining before COVID with high expectations, and we were blown away. When Canada gets its first Michelin star, this should be the place that nabs it. Cant wait to return. read more

Exquisite and out of this world service. Going there was a remarkable and unforgettable experience. Not only the chefs make sure everything is up to par, but so does the staff. You are treated like royalty to the point where you wonder and ask yourself what you did to deserve it lol. It's absolutely lovely to see people doing what they love and what they do best. It was in the hundreds in term of price, for two, both for food and the wine pairing. You get what you pay for... we paid for quality and got excellence! Thank you, Alo! Merci beaucoup. read more

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So apparently it's a big deal to eat here. They take reservations 2 months at a time starting on a given day and time. On the first Tuesday in June at 10 am reservations opened for July and August. I was online right at 10 am as I wanted to book a dinner for my hubby's 50th bday. Every day/time I selected was "sold out" when I clicked it?!? Crazy Finally, I was able to secure a Friday night Rez for 9:30pm. All the earlier time slots were taken. They only offer 6:30 or 9:30 and with only 36 spots in the dining room, tables go quickly! They take $50pp upon reserving a table. We arrived 15 minutes early and found street parking. As we entered the building, someone at a desk asked if we were going to Alo. They asked if we had a reservation and took our names. Then they sent us up the elevator to the 3rd floor. When we got off the elevator, they greeted us by name. We sat at a table in the bar area to wait for our table. We could have sat at the window and waited so we wouldn't spend more money on drinks.....note to self for next time. Others at the bar tables were there to eat and have drinks, which is an option if you don't have a dining room reservation. I believe you order off a menu here. In the dining room, there is also counter seating with the chef's tasting menu, but they do not accommodate dietary restrictions there. The seating at tables does accommodate dietary restrictions and they happily gave hubby the regular courses while I had vegetarian, gf, and dairy free courses. The portions were tiny but there were 9 courses and we did not leave hungry. The wait between courses was a bit long so hunger did set in between courses....especially since we had the later seating. The 9 courses took us from 9:30pm to 1 am which is waaaayyyy too late for me. The food was very good and at one point the server said there was a cheese course that my hubby could have but I could not. We did not clue in that it was an extra course with an extra charge..nor was it explained too clearly. That course cost $10 extra and the wine pairing for it was $14 extra. Hubby had already requested the wine pairings for the other courses which was $85pp. I do not drink so only he got it. It was too much wine over a short time and he could not drink the last 2 glasses, as he was already tipsy. Since one was poured, they did not reduce the price for that but since the last glass was not poured, they reduced his $85 charge for wine pairings to $77. They brought out a little mini cupcake with candle with final dessert for hubby. Overall cost was $125pp for food, $23 at bar, $77 for wine pairings, plus tax and tip. Thank goodness you only turn 50 once! The staff were friendly, nice and informative. Our main server was Jessica and sommelier was Christopher. Very professional! The washrooms are near the bar behind a sliding doindividual and clean. Just had our second experience.....a gift from friends for our birthdays. Another excellent experience with amazingly wonderful staff. I love that they were able to accommodate veg, gf and dairy free for me, veg and gf for one friend, pescatarian for another friend and regular for hubby. read more

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We went for Sunday brunch and it was amazing! Incredible food and great service all wrapped in a charming, high-end "diner" atmosphere. I got the burger, my wife got the chicken and waffles and the kids got the crepes. I'm not good at describing food but they were all unbelievable (I made sure to sample everyone's plate!). Can't wait to try the dinner menu. read more

There's so much hype around this restaurant as reservations are so limited and hard to get. Make sure if you're looking to experience Alo to check their website to see when bookings become available. I've gotta say that dining at Alo is one of the most memorable experiences that I've ever had. Not only is the food incredible, but the attention to detail, the professionalism, the knowledge of the staff just wow'd us. You can tell that a lot of thought went into creating a unique experience starting from the moment you step into the restaurant. I came here to celebrate an anniversary and from the very moment that we stepped in. We were greeted warmly even though it was bone chilling outside and wished a happy anniversary. Ride the elevator upstairs we were greeted by two other hostess who also mentioned that they heard we were celebrating a special night. They took our coats and walked us over to our seat. When we were seated, our server came by and again wished us a happy anniversary. I swear we were there for only 5 minutes since entering the door and we were already greeted by 4 members of the Alo staff. We got complimentary bubbly and an incredible app to go with it. I honestly don't even know what it was but it was incredible. It was a bite size wafer that was delicious. The oyster was topped with olive oil, dill, and some kinda mayo. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. Our favourite dish of the night was the green curry, kanpachi, mango, lemon verbena. Who would have ever thought that kanpachi would go so well with green curry. It was so refreshing. The cuttlefish was also a big hit with us. The texture was so perfect, almost scallop like. There was a brush of pistachio purée that complimented the fish. I've never had anything like it. The wagyu ribcap was out of this world. You can never go wrong with wagyu dressed with some truffle butter. I'm getting so hungry right now! Honestly, it is a bit pricey at Alo, however it's well worth the price for special occasions. It's an experience that you must try at least once in your life. The food is beautiful, like works of art. The drinks are good, the old fashion is a must get by the way. The service is top notch. I think that's what really separates good restaurants from great restaurants. It's all about the customer experience. As you can tell now, Alo really left a lasting impression on me. I left an essay of a review. read more

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Possibly my favorite tasting menu in Toronto yet (either this place or George... the two are very close). I'm surprised it only has just over 20 reviews, although not surprised at all by the 5 star rating. Came here for an anniversary dinner. First of all, the service here is excellent. I'm usually not too picky about service, but it really has to be acknowledged in this case. I believe the only option at the restaurant is the tasting menu. Its a "4 course" menu for $89 (wine pairing is an additional $65). I read online that there's an option to do an extended tasting menu at the chef's bar, so you can see the chefs at work. May return to try this (this would need a reservation well in advance). But the regular tasting menu is a decent amount of food. Each course of the tasting menu has 2 choices. So my wife and I selected differently each time, and shared. Everything was delicious, and also the plating (including the plates themselves) was interesting. In addition to the 4 courses, there is a "bread" course that comes with this really buttery bread, as well as an amuse bouche, 2 "rounds" of desserts, and an "amuse bouche" for the dessert!. I'm not a big wine drinker, but decided to do the wine pairing. Would definitely recommend that. Each wine did compliment its course well. And each course (including the bread course and amuse bouche), except for the dessert amuse bouche had a pairing. So it's a fair amount of wine. The whole experience takes about 2.5-3hrs, but I did feel that time went a lot quicker than it did at George, where it seemed like we were waiting forever between courses. The only suggestion would be perhaps to add on something a little extra for the special occasions. The menu said "Happy Anniversary" on the back, but that was about it. That being said, I was very happy overall. read more

Alo Restaurant - Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

This place is ridiculously hard to book!! Bf tried to book the tasting menu for my birthday but the reservations were all sold out within minutes... he had to resort to buying a reservation off of someone on Kijiji! The overall experience was very good... probably the top 3 dining experiences in my life. They are so hyper attentive that they replaced my bf's napkin for him apparently because he dropped it but he didn't even notice he did! They replace your utensils after every course and never fail to scrape every last crumb off your table. The staff are very friendly and polite except for this one male waiter that had condescending vibes. Whatever. The washroom was spotless at alllll times. I almost feel like there's someone waiting outside to clean it after every use lol! Everything was delicious until the course with mussels. Now I normally love mussels and would be ecstatic to be served mussels anywhere else. However knowing the amount of money he's paying here for this tasting and that I can get a whole pound of mussels for 7 bucks at whole foods got me pretty disappointed to be having it at Alo! Anyway, I liked George restaurant's tasting menu a lot more. Alo's portions are too small!! By the time I've swallowed my food I've already forgotten what it tasted like but at the same time I realize I've already finished the dish lol does that even make sense..... read more

Alo Restaurant - Bars Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Flew to Toronto just to try Alo. Thankfully it was worth it as we found Alo to be better than many 3 Michelin Star establishments (in the States)!! Alo's only three years old but we discovered it because it's on the World's Top 100 Restaurants list and it truly deserves to be there, and should in fact be ranked higher. The tasting menu was solid and strong all the way through, with every dish being tasty and well-balanced with interesting flavor combinations. Though nothing was edgy or highly creative--including presentation, the dishes were definitely not boring or one-dimensional, just don't expect Alinéa or Blue Hill at Stone Barns level of innovation or theatrics. Alo simply focuses on serving good food and that's perfectly fine. Ambience is contemporary and trendy, with a noise level that's higher and more casual than a quiet and formal restaurant. Attire reflected that, with most in slightly dressy outfits but nothing too fancy. You're in the middle of a metropolitan city, and it feels that way (which we liked). Service was excellent and attentive, on par with other fine dining places. No complaints. I noted that they only have 1 beer on their drink menu though, so my husband (a beer connoisseur) didn't have much of a selection. I had a cocktail, which the bartender customized for me, and it was delish. If you're considering dining here, I'd totally recommend it! read more

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Alo is easily my fav spot as i can not get enough of it. They only do tasting menu ($89), in my opinion, this is so good in value as the quality of food, creativity and service is excellent. I had been a few times, all the menu are different and A+++. Wine choices are fab too, a la carte or a choice of $40 for all the main courses or $65 for all the courses, at this point, u might wanna get a cab home as you will b in heaven. No pun intended. The only beef is if u had a date in mind, book early as it is always full. I book my res 2 months in advance each time. read more

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Finally after all the hassle of continuously trying to book early on first Tues of the month at 10am sharp for 6 months, I was able to secure a booking of table of 5. It was a struggle as the reservation require a deposit and the mental commitment of dropping like $800 for a dinner with family. At one point, I was thinking should I ditch them and just go with my mom? But then family is family, oh well. That's where a portion of my pay check will go to instead of to Lululemon or something that month. Finally the wait of 2 months was over, and it's the big day. I remembered I was excited the night before and reading most of the yelp review ahead of time, specifically for the low ones so I don't expect too much. The service was nice. Just nice. Comparing their service with Edulis, the latter is better. Don't get me wrong. The hostess downstairs greet you warmly. You have the perks to choose your dinner napkins color to start with. They aced on keep changing your utensils at every course. They are cheerful and did explain every course, though not as good as Edulis (you can barely hear them). Your cup was never left empty. What set the difference between them and others, was basic placement. The utensils have to be on the left for everyone. It is awkward to have one guests set on the left, and other on the right, when everyone is right handed. Also they did not follow the one side rule. As in if you serve one guest from the left, every guest should follow the same. To me that is a weird pattern throughout the whole dinner that just makes the service awkward and far from any fine dining expectation. The beverage? We got the crushed cranberries juice. It was pretty good, tones of crushed ice, and not good enough for me to miss it. We did not get any alcohol. The food? It is OK. The ingredients are fresh. Was there any dish memorable? Nope. I have high expectations on the bread as other reviews says it was divine. I love the bread in NYC Bouley so much better. The presentation is fancy, but it was just as nice as any other NYC restaurant like Eleven Madison Park, or even a typical western restaurant in Japan. The (no gender) bathroom is clean and nice. Some special flowers inside. No automated Japanese toilet or fancy decoration. Old worn towels that should change. No wow factor beyond it was hidden behind a sliding door like behind a wall. Nothing more special than Morimoto in NYC. For Canadian restaurants fine dinning, I'd prefer Canoe or Edulis. The former with nice view and I won't go hungry (unless you sign up for summerlicious or Winterlicious). The latter at least there is that one scallop dish I will die for. I doubt I will return with that price tag. read more

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Overall: Extraordinary dining experience for a reasonable value! Worth the 3 month wait of getting a reservation. The reservations are taken up very quickly. Look online to see when they open and call right when it opens. Location: At the corner of Queen and Spadina. Slightly hard to find due to dark paint around the door and the name of the restaurant is engraved into a dark sign. Price: Tasting menu in the dining area $135/person. Deposit for reservation $50/person. Paid 3 months in advance when reservation is made. Mixed drink ranges from $10-20. Wine pairing is ~$80/person. We had the option to upgrade our main course to wagyu beef for $65/person. Food: Every dish was amazing. The amount on each plate was small but the food was elegantly made with so much care. Each sauce or garnish was bursting with flavour. They were also very creatively plated, so it was like eating delicious art. Service: The service was also exceptional. Two servers would come to our table of four, and use coordinated motion to set the plates. It was like watching a performance. Another waiter would fold our napkin if we went to the bathroom. They were all very polite and helpful. read more

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Just as everyone else has mentioned, Alo is amazing! Rated the #1 restaurant in Canada's top 100, everything from the food, ambiance and service were excellent. I was literally jumping up and down when my husband told me he was able to get us a 6:30 reservation on a Saturday to celebrate our 5 year wedding anniversary. I was extremely impressed that as soon as we entered the restaurant, everyone from our hostess to the waiters were all super friendly yet professional. The pace of our dinner was perfectly timed and every single dish that came out was unimaginably delicious (except one dish). The taste, flavour and presentation were all perfectly executed. The one dish that I didn't like was the tortellini dish. The pasta imo was bland and tasted like dough and the broth was way too salty. I didn't say anything because everything else was so great and my husband happily ate it up for me. Every other dish tasted absolutely delicious! I love that you could taste the flavour of each ingredient and that they all complimented each other well. Each plate came with a new set of utensils and every time you got up from your seat, they would come and fold up your napkin. This was one of the most memorable meals I have ever had and I highly highly recommend everyone to try Alo at least once in their life. We know we'll definitely be back again :) read more

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After hearing all about Alo and how impossible it was to get a reservation there, we were lucky enough to get a last minute spot through the DINR app. Alo did truly live up to its hype as many reviewers have already said here. When you arrived, they first took you to the bar for some drinks and led you after a while to their dining room. There are two kinds of menus - the Chef's Table (which is extremely hard to get into) and the dining area (which is also hard to get into). Alo features a prix fixe 8 course meal (with an extra course at the Chef's Table) and the menus change completely every season. They do change 1-2 items weekly. Everything we tasted danced in our mouths with bursting flavours and we were in heaven the few hours we were in there. It is a slow meal so definitely be prepared to be there for a couple hours. Reservations open 2 months in advance on the first Tuesday of every other month. They just finished the May June ones but will likely open again in July for July/August reservations. Go go go! Seize the day and have this meal. Updated: May 18, 2018 visit: The food was just as fantastic this time and our service was good up until the very end when my server emphasized to me that I had put a deposit on and that my total had deducted the deposit and therefore, I would have to adjust my tip accordingly and that there's a guideline there. Ok Captain Obvious. Thanks. Was it because I'm young or Asian or female that you felt compelled to point that out? In any case, that was a bit rude to assume that I would not have tipped accordingly otherwise. I was definitely going to do my usual 20% tipping but because he pointed that out and it irked me completely the wrong way, I gave him less. To that server out there, I'm coming back in June. Please don't do that again. It was uncalled for and plain rude. read more

Sometimes it makes no sense to write a review on such a frequently rated restaurant, knowing your own is only going to be one of hundreds. Mathematically it doesn't even matter what my rating is. Based on how fast new reviews come in, it's futile. But I actually did not love Alo to bits. To set the stage, we were in the dining room for their tasting menu, I did not personally get the wine pairings but did sample a few along the way. My first impression was only average. The process of getting the reservation was far too stressful and I never wish to do it again. It was difficult to find the restaurant in the dark. They sent me a lovely survey and even called to confirm my reservation, but my server never did acknowledge the new job we were trying to celebrate. Service was very attentive, as was expected, and delivery met expectations. There's lots of staff that will keep your water glasses full, your table clean, and be awaiting your requests. They'll serve you and your party mostly in a synchronized fashion, which is very pleasing. Each plate is given its own introduction, and guidance on cutlery is provided where necessary to make the experience comfortable! Service wins a huge amount of points with me. The wine pairings were similarly introduced with attempts to bring story to the experience - it didn't do much overall but did give some cohesion. The tasting menu is literally that - bite-sized morsels of food that showcase a variety of things, spanning textures, temperatures, flavours...but it was always just a bit. Some plates were confusing. Some plates were not exciting. Some plates were amazing! The sashimi was memorable in its freshness and multi-layer of flavour. The mushroom rice was rich and buttery, and veal was very tender and the sauce complemented well. We actually loved the bread and butters a lot! But I didn't fall in love with anything in particular. So many points lost - I simply was not wowed. Near the end of the meal I did order a cappuccino - I loved my coffee! A highlight, and a very reasonable price. The final chocolates were also delicately presented and very satisfying - I'm a huge chocolate lover. Then the bill came - and I was reminded how much this evening was just an occasion. Reality hits - and I think, all the places in town that have much to offer that I can go back to monthly or even weekly - for the price of one meal. read more

My husband Matt B. and I started dating on 10/14/09, and we happened to be in Toronto for the first time on 10/14/17. It was a quick trip, so we decided to make the most of our one night in town, pinning an epic meal at Alo to the semi-special occasion of our eighth dating anniversary. This took a bit of planning, namely a calendar reminder to get on OpenTable at 10AM PST on the first Tuesday of September, when reservations opened up for the whole month of October. I was ready and waiting when the clock turned, and this still felt like a crap shoot. I snagged a 9:45 reservation and felt lucky to have it. We showed up a few minutes late, but fortunately, this wasn't a problem. We checked in downstairs and were led into an elevator, which we shared, incidentally, with chef and co-owner Patrick Kriss. The restaurant was on the third floor, and it felt kind of nice and tucked away from the rainy city outside. We were greeted immediately, our jackets and umbrellas whisked away. We waited for a couple minutes in the bar area before being led into the lovely main dining room. It was a great space, comfortable and sleek, with an open kitchen and a relaxed but upscale ambiance. Service was flawless all the way through. Both our waiter and our sommelier were friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive, and the sizable staff made sure every possible need was anticipated and met. I must've mentioned this was an anniversary date, because we were welcomed with complimentary glasses of sparkling rose. Alo is tasting menu only, at least in the dining room, so we had few decisions to make. One of these was whether we wanted a wine pairing with our meal. We went for it, and it definitely enhanced the experience. The wines were all great and the pairings considered and well presented. Also, wine pairings are super fancy and fun. The food was exquisite. We started with a quartet of beautiful little bites: warm gougeres with aged cheddar and apple purée; foie gras with candied maple and bourbon; foie gras rolled in tiny rice crispies. Then a trio of larger amuse bouches, served with a splash of brut. Toro tartare with toasted nori emulsion and yuzu kosho, served on a shiso leaf to form a bite-sized green taco; a brothy, umami-rich dish of baby white shrimp with jellied dashi, kombu, and fermented bamboo shoot; salty, silky Ibérico lomo draped over fragrant musk melon and field tomatoes. The next few courses brought seafood and pasta, leading us into the meat of the meal. Delicate Hokkaido sea scallop sashimi came with green tomato and Himrod grape, dressed with brown butter, lemon verbena oil, and edible flowers. Light but decadently flavored, served with Chenin Blanc from Vouvray. We had a Greco Di Tufo, an Italian white wine, with our grilled Lamèque oyster with pomme purée, smoked butter, and nasturtium. This was a nice dish with some good contrasting textures, the oyster and a sprinkle of bread crumbs layered with the rich, creamy potato. The pasta was superb--substantial, pliant packets of ricotta agnolotti in a buttery, cheesy parmesan chanterelle sauce, served with chanterelle mushrooms, Piedmont hazelnuts, pickled endive, and a robust Piedmont white wine. Then, the fish and meat. Alo was exceptional through and through, but the Ora King salmon was the high point of our meal. This was the best piece of cooked fish I've ever had. It was cured with shio koji and finished in the oven, and it was phenomenally buttery and flavorful, just unreal. Served with Japanese sweet potato purée, maitake mushroom confit, honshimeji mushrooms, and wakame, along with a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. The 60-day dry-aged ribeye was also superb, a tender-to-melting piece of beef with sunchoke, spinach brown butter purée, braised pearl onion, and sauce Choron, a tomato-spiked version of Béarnaise. This came with our first red of the night, a hearty Rhône blend, as well as some pain au lait--soft, fresh milk bread with fleur de sel and house cultured butter. We said yes please to the optional cheese course, a gorgeous round of creamy, lightly tangy Délice du Bourgogne layered with cured plum, pistachio, and tarragon, served with toasted baguettes and a Tuscan Cabernet Franc. A crisp palate cleanser of cucumber lemon purée and sorbet with juniper, kaffir lime, and champagne took us into dessert. There was apple purée with yeast caramel crumble, caramelized sheep's whey ice cream, and Granny Smith apple, a nice, lightly fruity dessert paired with a French dessert wine. Then, to end this incredible meal, a delicious assembly of macadamia purée, caramelized white chocolate crumble, coconut ice cream, macadamia espuma, and finger lime, with a sweet, strong apertif wine. Alo is #1 on Canada's 100 Best Restaurants list for 2017. I've eaten at maybe ten restaurants in Canada, but I believe this wholeheartedly. This was a marvelous, extraordinary dinner. If you're visiting Toronto (or feeling fancy in your own city), plan ahead and book your table. read more

Alo is located at the corner of Spadina and Queen where it hidden in plain sight as the restaurant is located on the 3rd floor of a non-flashy building. One can walk pass by it without even knowing that it exists above. My party of 4 and I were lucky enough to make reservations in December 2017 to dine at Alo in February 2018. It is required that a $50 per person deposit be paid upfront when reserving (tasting menu was $125 per person). Having heard so many rave reviews about Alo, I knew I would be in for a night to remember. And a night it truly was. My party and I know generally what to expect at fine-dining restaurants but we were still blown away by the attentive service and detail that made the overall dining experience truly memorable. Upon arrival at the restaurant, we quickly rode the elevator to the third floor and was personally greeted by the host and also offered a coat check. We were led to our seats and our waiter informed us that the meal would be a blind tasting menu as well as double checked any dietary restrictions that we may have. Looking around the dining room, it made sense as to why Alo is such a hard place to book reservations, there were only around 11-13 tables available. We were also offered a napkin service in which we could choose our own coloured napkins (a first for me!). We also asked the sommelier about wines in order to choose the perfect bottle of wine to accompany our meal. The dishes of our blind tasting menu started off light and progressively went heavier. We were also given an envelope with the description of the dishes of our tasting menu at the end of the meal. These are the dishes we got served that night: - Amuse bouche - 4 bite sized delicious hor d'oeuvres. I don't remember what all of them were but there was foie gras pate involved. Each one had amazing flavour and texture. - Hokkaido sea scallop with barley miso, tangerine lace, grapes - The freshness of the scallop is what made this dish. The flavours of the sea were not lost and the other ingredients in the dish did not overpower the true flavour of the scallop. Delicate and fresh start. - Ora King Salmon with apple, wasabi, ginger shoots - Again, the quality of the ingredient is what made the dish shine. The other elements on the plate balanced and did not overpower the protein. - Scrambled eggs with dungeness crab, Hokkaido sea urchin, and Lomo Iberico. This was by far probably the favourite of the table. A very simple looking dish with so much flavour. The balance of each component worked so well with one another. My party joked that we wanted to lick our plates. - Chestnut scarpinocc (pasta) with fontina, butternut squash, and celery. This was probably my least favourite dish. The butternut squash was amazingly smooth though! - St. Canut Pork Belly, Carolina Gold rice, brussel sprouts, huitlacoche - I've had a lot of pork belly in my life (comes with being Asian), but how this pork belly was cooked was amazing. The pork skin was crispy yet light (not heavy as we were used to), and the protein was succulent and moist. - Veal ribeye, baby gem lettuce, olive gastrique, capers - The quality of the veal was melt in your mouth and the other components of the dish were very unique and worked so well together. We were also given bread and butter during this dish and both the bread and butter were to die for. Very delicious! - Palate cleanser - meyer lemon, bay laurel, honey. - Dessert # 1 - Apple, yeast, caramelized whey; like a deconstructed apple pie/apple crumble. Very light and delicious. - Dessert # 2 - Coconut, caramelized white chocolate, yogurt Service was amazing. Waiters were very attentive and catered to our requests. Water and wine was always refilled without asking. As expected, waiters moved aside if you decided to walk to the washroom. Napkins were folded every time you left the table. Dishes were carefully and quietly placed and taken away in sync by two different waiters. Cutlery was replaced after every dish based on what we would be eating next and waiters would explain each dish and answered any questions we would have. As we were leaving and made our way to the elevator, the hosts already had our coats and jackets out for us, ready to help us into our winter gear. I was expecting to ask the host for our coats as we left but the fact that they already knew made the experience much more special. Three of the hosts wished us farewell as we made our way into the elevator all mind-blown from this dining experience. That, truly, is service that goes above and beyond. Overall, amazing service and food. This is definitely a dining experience to remember from beginning to end, one of the best in the city for sure. From the moment you step into Alo, be prepared to be blown away by the whole entire experience. We were taken on a food journey as we savored the complexity of flavours that harmoniously worked together. What left a lasting impression is the attentive and detailed service. read more

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4.6 Super duper nice restuarant I can see why it's on the 100 best list, everything from the ambience to the food presentation not to mention the service was superb. It was a long dinner with too many course to count although one course seem to take a little longer to come out but I won't count that against them. I enjoyed all the courses especially the pork belly and wagyu beef and the Alo bread was a dream I just loved the texture of that bread. The dining area is not that big which gave it a cozy relaxing environment. Our seat by the corner with window was especially nice with the vantage point of the open kitchen and view to the streets below from behind. Totally recommend this fine restaurant to anyone who enjoys exceptionally good food and good service. read more

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Highly sought out & rated restaurant. Seems almost impossible to book a reservation here. Luckily I was treated here for a birthday celebration back in 2015 prior to the extreme hype! This tasting menu did not disappoint! We sat at the bar & watched the chefs do their magic. Service was impeccable & each dish was so well presented with an explanation. Must say it was an experience I will never forget. Fresh, decadent & mouthwatering dishes one after another. Would love to come back again if reservations were possible! read more

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Alo is reputed to be one of the top restaurants in Toronto (even all of Canada) and it's super difficult to get a reservation for their tasting menu. It requires camping in front of a computer each month. Luckily they have a bar area that is walk in only, and serves select dishes from their regular menu. The bar area is quite cute as well! Another option is Aloette downstairs, which is more like a relaxed bistro/diner vibe. I went to Alo's bar area to try out their food and drinks. Their cocktail menu is quite detailed and expansive, so we just asked the bartender for some recommendations. The service is excellent! The servers are very friendly and knowledgeable. Their recommendations are super honest, and made sure to keep us reminded of the kitchen close time so we could place our orders on time. We tried scallop and tamachi(yellow fin) as appetizers. Both are very light and refreshing. These are definitely the highlights of the meal! For main, we had the salmon and fried cauliflower. The salmon was just the right amount of raw for us to taste the fat. Dessert was cheesecake, and Chateau de Bourgogne (sweet cheese) and grilled sourdough bread. Both are quite interesting! I totally loved the place and will definitely try to get reservation for their tasting menu next time! read more

Booked a reservation at the bar about a week prior. For two, spent about $350 tip included but $100 of that was on alcohol. The house old fashion was $48 due to top shelf brand used which was a very good old fashioned but I'd probably rather drop that kind of dough at bar chef for one drink. Skip the Japanese whisky selection, didn't find it that great. For food, pretty much tried 80% of the food available in the ala carte menu. Sun chokes, octopus, scallop, sour dough bread and off the menu A5 wagyu were good but will not get the oysters again. Service was great. They were attentive and very kind. Not sure I would come back here bc I wasn't blown away by the food or drinks. Just wanted to give one of Toronto's top rated restaurant a try bc of what people say online. read more

Review based on visit from July 28, 2017 at 5:30pm Having trouble making an RSVP on Opentable because it is such a stupid gimmick? Let me tell you how to book: If today's date is July 29, then you can only receive slots up until September 27 (only allowed to book 60 days in advance). Stake out the site; as soon as 12am strikes, refresh your browser and you shall see new time slots. Make sure you decide on a time first i.e. 6pm & have your credit card ready--they go like hotcakes. Think of it as bidding. Service: Exemplary! Choice of complimentary distilled or sparkling water offered and even a choice in the colour of your napkin; white or light blue. Server was always there ready and waiting to fill our glasses; never had to ask for anything. They even made an effort to pull out your chair to sit down; so charming. The tasting menu we opted for costed $105 per person (no wine pairing which would had been an additional $75)--I was happy they were able to accommodate my pescatarian diet and emailed me to ensure they've covered all my dietary restrictions. Each plate of food was presented in a beautiful and exquisite way. ====Menu==== [Very good] Hamachi Canapé: Bite-sized which clean and natural flavours [Ok] Sturgeon Caviar Puff: It was tasty, but the puff was an empty shell of air. [Good] Foie Gras Champagne Jelly: Light champagne flavours and nutty foie gras flavour combined. [Meh] Brown butter radish: Bland and less impressive than other items. That being said, it still doesn't take away from the experience. [REALLY GOOD] Truffle Gougère: At least we think it was truffle...not sure since it wasn't on our menu list. But wowzers!! It was so tasty. At first bite, the filling was warm and just oozes into your mouth. Loved it! [Ok] Toro, Coconut Chili: The cool coconut was refreshing with the toro. Taste was a bit bland, but the natural flavours were really noticeable. [Good] Baby White Shrimp, Sturgeon Caviar, Cherry Tomatoes: Came out in a dainty bowl with an exquisite spoon made of shell. Again, all natural flavours from each seafood melded with the tomatoes. Tasty indeed. [SOOO GOOD] Hokkaido Sea Urchin, Corn, Yellow Plum: This was soooo good! The chilled corn purée on top complemented the sea urchin so well. [LIKE FALLING IN LOVE] Medai, Sudachi, Myoga, Ice Plants: No salt on the Medai fish aka Bluenose Sea Bass so you can savour it in its freshest form along with citric notes of sudachi on your tastebuds. Didn't find that the ice plants nor the black crunchy herbs had any flavour, but it gave the dish some nice texture [Too salty] Pain au lait topped with a bit of seasalt and house-made churned butter: Bun was too buttery and even saltier eaten with the chanterelles potato. [Good] Agnolotti, Beaufort Cheese, Australian Black Truffle & Brown Butter Sauce: Delicious with cheese oozing out at each bite from the agnolotti. Not sure why, but really couldn't taste the truffle even though it was on top. The addition of croutons gave it some nice texture. [THE BEST!] King Ora Salmon, Buttermilk, Meyer Kosho, Cincinatti Radish: Best dish of the evening! Salmon poached just right. Flesh was cooked just right [Delicious meat option] Steak, Shitake Mushrooms, Umeboshi, Ponzu Jus: Steak was about 36mm in size. Friend described it as tender & not over-seasoned. [Pretty good] Ocean Trout, Shitake Mushrooms, Umeboshi, Ponzu: Crispy pan-fried trout in a bed of delicious buttery sauce. Flesh peeled off and cooked just right. [Ok] Cucumber Champagne de Juniper (Pre-dessert): Never heard of pre-dessert in my life, but it was the size of a chinese ceramic spoon and very refreshing. Can be consumed in 1 bite. [Meh] Strawberry, Chamomile, Orange Blossom: It was good where the whipped cream and cake was not overly sweet. The red strawberry decorations were just ok--nothing too special. [Ok] Toasted Cocoa, Hazelnuts & icecream: Nothing much to say other than it was good, and the icecream was extra creamy. ==== Note that the card terminals does not allow you to calculate tip before tax which is quite perplexing because it means you are being taxed for your tip. Paid around $140/person for the whole meal without alcohol which is very expensive but you get the quality you pay for. I've tried it once--liked it, but probably wouldn't come back again anytime soon. read more

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I visited Alo for twice in 2018. One time in the bar when it was still walk-in only, another time in the dining hall for the tasting menu. Overall I'd like to give this place 3.5 stars but Yelp doesn't allow half...Anyways, here is the review. The bar experience was what made me tempted to try out the full tasting despite the difficulty of making reservation: each dish we ordered tasted great though the portion was small, but this was a bar after all...just get a second order if something is too good. Cocktail was pretty tasty even though I was later less of a fan for alcohol. After a month we were sitting in Alo again, this time the dining hall. We arrived at 6, not too late a time for dinner. Then the dinner started, amuse-bouche, cold and warm appetizers, vegetable dish then some fish...but each dish was small and I started to notice a problem: I was feeling hungry, so hungry that I couldn't focus on tasting the food...Where is the bread?! Bread came right before the last meat course (wagyu beef) but it was too late already. Most of the meal has passed and I was only thinking of how to swallow the food faster to fill my stomach. I still don't understand why the meal was arranged that way, even a small piece of bread to tackle the hunger would have helped greatly. From what I could remember, some dishes tasted good but nothing being mind blowing delicious. Some dishes had element that I didn't understand (what's the point of having those white colored, tomato flavored foam?). Desserts were too sweet and dense to my liking. Service was not the type I liked the most - staff cleaned the table frequently but sometimes too frequent that made me felt interrupted during conversation. Ironically the dish I enjoyed the most was the buffala cheese platter. But for cheese platter I'd give the credit to the quality of ingredient itself more than to the cooking staff. Hopefully what I experienced was an occasional miss as they do change their menu seasonally. But if this was indeed a true reflection of the standard of the "#1 restaurant in Canada", then I'll have to call it a disappointment. read more