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Oh Alder! So this is what a Michelin Starred restaurant looks (and tastes) like. An excellent example of what a restaurant can do with great ingredients and great vision. We had dinner here after a long day of business meetings. Each dish was awesome but it starts with cocktails and mocktails that set the mood. The good vibes only one had a kick to it without the after bite of alcohol. The sea bream is a classic here. Its plating is so unusual. But it tastes even better with the poblano. I had a lamb rack that was the perfect way to take advantage of the wood fired grill. And the coconut cream pie was huge. Good to share for three people but at the next table over they each ordered one. Four people four pies. Service was excellent and the downstairs felt airy without feeling like you're in the basement. Bravo.
Alder's first dish was a hit. The Hokkaido sea scallop and sea urchin featured two barely cooked through poached scallops, shaved in half and served with smoked buttermilk that had a tartness that's like adding lemon to seafood but finishes with a rich creamy touch. The uni was flown out the day before for the dinner, balancing the dish with sweetness. Fat Rabbit's beef tartare included honey and golden raisins, which gave it a sugary taste. The addition of pickled vegetables helped bring out some acidity, but it was the mint and cilantro blossoms that added a brightness that impressed. I can see why they left the tartare less salted as the breaded and deep-fried Guernsey Girl cheese it sat on top was savoury. It was just a waste as it wasn't hot, so the dairy felt hard and rubbery. A great idea to feature local ingredients from the Upper Canada Cheese Company, just not showcasing it at its best. Alder's lobster raviolo was so good. The bisque-like sauce was bit salty, but the pasta was cooked to perfection and stuffed with large chunks of lobster, each bite bursting with flavour. While the roasted pork collar was meaty and almost like a pork loin, it was a tad tough and likely would be better cooked as slices rather than a huge steak. Perhaps Fat Rabbit wanted something that would hold up against the spicy aji amarillo sauce? We all agreed the pancetta wrapped shrimp stole the show and would have been happy with two of these served with more vegetables. A generous slice of coconut cream pie finished the meal; its crust made from toasted coconut meringue so it's crumbly and a bit nutty. Despite not being able to finish my pork, I happily consumed the entire slice.
Really nice restaurant. Beautifully renovated, great service and the food is quite nice. Nothing stood out as super memorable but everything was really good and I would come back for an intimate dinner.
Love Love Love! This spot deserves all the hype for Toronto's Michelin Guide! A must try restaurant for all things amazing service, food and drinks! Made a reservation in advance to celebrate an anniversary. Alder is known for their wood-fired grill that is used to cook all their food on. This requires such skill as they are only relying on the smoke and open flame to cook, without any adjustments on a stove top. Upon arriving, I got a little confused of where to go, but quickly was greeted by someone who came up the stairs towards us. They let us know that the restaurant Alder is down the stairs. I wasn't aware that Alder was attached to the Ace hotel. They took our coats for coat check and was quickly brought to our seats. Our server was amazing throughout our entire meal. He knew that we were celebrating an anniversary and brought us complimentary champagne to start - such a sweet gesture! We ordered our drink in addition to this, an espresso martini and a raspberry cocktail which were both amazing, well balanced and perfect for our palettes. Our server was super helpful when we were ordering as well and recommended their mushrooms which blew me away with the char. Here's what we got with everything being perfectly cooked, seasoned and delicious: Seabream 5/5 - Absolutely loved this dish and it's a must get! It comes deboned and with a bright orange habanero sauce. The skin top has an amazing crisp and char flavour, which the inside is juicy and flakey. This was phenomenal! Grilled short rib 5/5 - Couldn't decide between the steak frites or the grilled short rib. Our server surprised us between the two and we got the short rib. It's cooked to a perfect medium rare, with a delicious au jus drizzled on top. Came with shishito peppers which we loved. Mushrooms 5/5 - This dish blew me away as it had this char to it with a delicious flavoured butter on top. It was a great pairing to our seabream and short rib dish. Another must get! Coconut cream pie 5/5 - I'm usually not a huge fan of coconut but this dessert was a good one. Comes with a macaroon crust and caramelized white chocolate. Not too sweet but packed with flavour. Overall, I had the most special and amazing time here. Our server really made our experience over the top! I can't wait to come here again to try their other food items. This spot's definitely have my heart!
We had amazing service and delicious food! From the Hamachi Crudo to Burrata to the Octopus to the Côtes de Boeuf, we were delighted at every presentation. Highly recommend!
Heard great things about Alder and their wood grilled mains and finally was able to try during Summerlicious. Ambiance is cozy and intimate and has lots of wood elements. I enjoyed their open view kitchen so you could actually see the wood grill working its magic. All three courses were amazing, especially loved the grilled fish and see why they're known for it. Service was top notch as well with staff explaining each dish to us and providing an overview of recommendations. Would definitely come back!
We came here for a team dinner and I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the food! However, do be warned... the plates are a bit on the smaller side and quite expensive for what they are. We started off with a plethora of small dishes. The crudo was nice and light, but the octopus salad stole the show with the bright flavours. The tomato salad, which was composed of only a few slices, was a bit disappointing. Similarly, the gem salad had good taste, but was literally just a fifth of a lettuce head. The baked clams were surprisingly delicious - bold and tangy flavours, almost like a Rockefeller oyster but better. For the main course, we shared the sea bream (seared to perfection), steak, braised short rib, and the ricotta agnolotti (very yummy!). For sides, we got the charred cabbage (I personally found this too buttery and oily) and wood fired beets. The beets were too over-charred... it literally felt like I had inhaled a cloud of charcoal smoke upon biting into it. They were also rock-hard. Would not recommend. Finally, to round off with dessert - we got one of each. The blueberry flan, tiramisu, and coconut cream pie. My favourite was the tiramisu - it's not your typical take but I'm a sucker for tiramisu. Would I come again? Probably - but perhaps not on my own dime any time soon.
I thoroughly enjoyed the ribeye and the seabream which are mains. The hamachi (fish) with jalapenos were not bad although I wouldn't order it again considering its price. Drinks were nice and the ambience was delightful. Our server was friendly and attentive. I had a great time at Alder, just a bit expensive.
The moment you go down the stairs to the Alder, you know it's an elegant place. It's very good for celebrations. The service was very good. Everyone was very attentive and knowledgeable. I ordered the "server's choice" which is a prix fixe menu. First of all, I was surprised with the amount of serving; which was quite heavy. Nonetheless, everything was so good. The bread was simply amazing, the fluffiness and warmth was perfect. The ravioli had great texture with some crunch to make it more complex. The sea bream was cooked perfectly and the habeñero sauce gives it just the right amount of kick. I would definitely recommend going.
Came here for a lovely Sunday brunch while visiting Toronto. I'm always a lover of eggs benedict so I chose the Veggie Eggs Benedict - which had spinach, seasonal mushroom, tomato, sorrel hollandaise. The green hollandaise was a fun delicious touch! The vibe was set with the live female singer accompanied by an acoustic guitar. When they took a break, chill beats were played. Service was attentive, friendly, and knowledgable. When I return to Toronto, I hope to visit again for dinner/drinks!
Sunday brunch was enjoyable with live musicians entertaining diners. Alder is beautifully decorated with modern accents and open concept kitchen. The service was a bit delayed to begin with but that may have to do with timing. Once we were served the server ensured beverages were always filled and wiped the table between dishes. The dishes we ordered were standard flavour, nothing over the top. The Shakshouka tasted like plain tomato puréed. The fried chicken was delicious.
If you're looking for a new brunch spot, I would recommend visiting Alder on Sundays between 11:30 am and 1:00 pm for their Sunday Gold, midmorning melody experience. Here you'll be treated to Mediterranean inspired dishes (designed by Patrick Kriss), and live musical performance from Toronto artists. Alder, is located on the lower level of the Ace hotel, and was recommended by the Toronto Michelin Guide in 2023. The atmosphere is sleek but cozy, with a warm colour scheme. Plus complimentary coat check is offered upon arrival. The food was good, but not at the level of Alo and Aloette, which I enjoyed more. My favourite dish was the Prawn Choron. The crossant, was nicely toasted, buttery and flaky, and the prawns were cooked nicely in a creamy choron. I would have preferred my eggs soft poached, as opposed to the hard poach it arrived as though. Ordered: - Coconut cream pie - Hokkaido scallop crudo - Brown butter waffle - Prawn Choron - Ginza breakfast martini
As part of the Alo group, you'd expect nothing but Michelin quality food and service from Alder. Well the food lived up to the hype, but the service was dismal. A few notes on service: - when ordering drinks, they would take either a few minutes or up to 30 minutes to arrive - my biggest pet peeve - one server would steal away the cocktail glasses despite there being maybe 20-25% of the drink left, the rest would ask first which was fine - mains took over an hour to come - we ordered bread with the mains and it didn't come. the server said they'd bring the bread right over so we could dip it in our short rib. the bread failed to arrive in time for that. as we sat there with empty plates waiting for our bread, the server said they'd bring the bread to dip quickly. another server came and cleared our plates. finally the bread comes - the main server notices our plates are gone and promises to bring some jus for the bread, but it never comes. pretty brutal all around. Besides the service, the food and drinks were excellent. I loved the cocktail "la reformista" and the "on the field" was pretty good too. The food was good, standouts included the cucumber salad, bread and butter, braised short rib, and sticky toffee pudding. I'd come back for the food, but I've heard similar stories from friends about the service which gives me pause.
5 months ago
Went for Mother's Day brunch and it was 3-course prix fixed $60 per person which was a great price for what we got. Food and service was top notch. Their coffee is also very good. read more
We visited Alder for Sunday brunch and really enjoyed the experience. Located inside the Ace Hotel, Alder is known for its modern, Mediterranean-inspired menu and stylish, cozy atmosphere. The space feels warm and thoughtfully designed, making it a great spot for a relaxed brunch or a casual date. We had Cappuccino, "Tiramisu French Toast", and the "Dutch Baby Pancake". Everything tasted fresh and nicely prepared. The French toast had a rich dessert-like flavour, and the Dutch Baby was soft, slightly crispy on the edges, and very satisfying. The service is friendly and attentive. Reservations are highly recommended. read more
I have been here twice and really wanted to like this place but I don't know... it just didn't hit the spot. The ambiance is really nice, a perfect date night spot with an open kitchen. The service for most part was really good. They are attentive, friendly and do give the fine dining experience. The food really gave me mixed thoughts. There are some dishes that are good but some that I really thought was average given the price point. Starting with the appetizers, I got the hamachi and it didn't have a lot of flavours to it, it was a little spicy but that was it. I had a bite of my friend's braised lamb and it was good and flavourful. For the mains, I got the sea bream and the iberico pork collar. They were both perfect cooked - the pork was tender and the fish was soft with a crispy skin. The pork sauce was a nice pairing, but the fish sauce had a very strong green pepper and olive flavour which I did not enjoy. I had the coconut cream pie and basque cheesecake to finish. The coconut cream pie is big and perfect for sharing. It is very strong coconut and creamy, it wasn't my favourite pick for dessert but I can see why it's popular. I enjoyed the basque cheesecake. It was dense and creamy as expected. Maybe I had high expectations for Alder but sadly I just don't think anything was outstanding. Dinner came to around $200 for two people, not including drinks. Portions decent for the most part. There's a cake cutting fee of $10/pp if you bring your own cake. read more
Oh Alder! So this is what a Michelin Starred restaurant looks (and tastes) like. An excellent example of what a restaurant can do with great ingredients and great vision. We had dinner here after a long day of business meetings. Each dish was awesome but it starts with cocktails and mocktails that set the mood. The good vibes only one had a kick to it without the after bite of alcohol. The sea bream is a classic here. Its plating is so unusual. But it tastes even better with the poblano. I had a lamb rack that was the perfect way to take advantage of the wood fired grill. And the coconut cream pie was huge. Good to share for three people but at the next table over they each ordered one. Four people four pies. Service was excellent and the downstairs felt airy without feeling like you're in the basement. Bravo. read more
Alder's first dish was a hit. The Hokkaido sea scallop and sea urchin featured two barely cooked through poached scallops, shaved in half and served with smoked buttermilk that had a tartness that's like adding lemon to seafood but finishes with a rich creamy touch. The uni was flown out the day before for the dinner, balancing the dish with sweetness. Fat Rabbit's beef tartare included honey and golden raisins, which gave it a sugary taste. The addition of pickled vegetables helped bring out some acidity, but it was the mint and cilantro blossoms that added a brightness that impressed. I can see why they left the tartare less salted as the breaded and deep-fried Guernsey Girl cheese it sat on top was savoury. It was just a waste as it wasn't hot, so the dairy felt hard and rubbery. A great idea to feature local ingredients from the Upper Canada Cheese Company, just not showcasing it at its best. Alder's lobster raviolo was so good. The bisque-like sauce was bit salty, but the pasta was cooked to perfection and stuffed with large chunks of lobster, each bite bursting with flavour. While the roasted pork collar was meaty and almost like a pork loin, it was a tad tough and likely would be better cooked as slices rather than a huge steak. Perhaps Fat Rabbit wanted something that would hold up against the spicy aji amarillo sauce? We all agreed the pancetta wrapped shrimp stole the show and would have been happy with two of these served with more vegetables. A generous slice of coconut cream pie finished the meal; its crust made from toasted coconut meringue so it's crumbly and a bit nutty. Despite not being able to finish my pork, I happily consumed the entire slice. read more
Love Love Love! This spot deserves all the hype for Toronto's Michelin Guide! A must try restaurant for all things amazing service, food and drinks! Made a reservation in advance to celebrate an anniversary. Alder is known for their wood-fired grill that is used to cook all their food on. This requires such skill as they are only relying on the smoke and open flame to cook, without any adjustments on a stove top. Upon arriving, I got a little confused of where to go, but quickly was greeted by someone who came up the stairs towards us. They let us know that the restaurant Alder is down the stairs. I wasn't aware that Alder was attached to the Ace hotel. They took our coats for coat check and was quickly brought to our seats. Our server was amazing throughout our entire meal. He knew that we were celebrating an anniversary and brought us complimentary champagne to start - such a sweet gesture! We ordered our drink in addition to this, an espresso martini and a raspberry cocktail which were both amazing, well balanced and perfect for our palettes. Our server was super helpful when we were ordering as well and recommended their mushrooms which blew me away with the char. Here's what we got with everything being perfectly cooked, seasoned and delicious: Seabream 5/5 - Absolutely loved this dish and it's a must get! It comes deboned and with a bright orange habanero sauce. The skin top has an amazing crisp and char flavour, which the inside is juicy and flakey. This was phenomenal! Grilled short rib 5/5 - Couldn't decide between the steak frites or the grilled short rib. Our server surprised us between the two and we got the short rib. It's cooked to a perfect medium rare, with a delicious au jus drizzled on top. Came with shishito peppers which we loved. Mushrooms 5/5 - This dish blew me away as it had this char to it with a delicious flavoured butter on top. It was a great pairing to our seabream and short rib dish. Another must get! Coconut cream pie 5/5 - I'm usually not a huge fan of coconut but this dessert was a good one. Comes with a macaroon crust and caramelized white chocolate. Not too sweet but packed with flavour. Overall, I had the most special and amazing time here. Our server really made our experience over the top! I can't wait to come here again to try their other food items. This spot's definitely have my heart! read more
11 months ago
We had amazing service and delicious food! From the Hamachi Crudo to Burrata to the Octopus to the Côtes de Boeuf, we were delighted at every presentation. Highly recommend! read more
Heard great things about Alder and their wood grilled mains and finally was able to try during Summerlicious. Ambiance is cozy and intimate and has lots of wood elements. I enjoyed their open view kitchen so you could actually see the wood grill working its magic. All three courses were amazing, especially loved the grilled fish and see why they're known for it. Service was top notch as well with staff explaining each dish to us and providing an overview of recommendations. Would definitely come back! read more
We came here for a team dinner and I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the food! However, do be warned... the plates are a bit on the smaller side and quite expensive for what they are. We started off with a plethora of small dishes. The crudo was nice and light, but the octopus salad stole the show with the bright flavours. The tomato salad, which was composed of only a few slices, was a bit disappointing. Similarly, the gem salad had good taste, but was literally just a fifth of a lettuce head. The baked clams were surprisingly delicious - bold and tangy flavours, almost like a Rockefeller oyster but better. For the main course, we shared the sea bream (seared to perfection), steak, braised short rib, and the ricotta agnolotti (very yummy!). For sides, we got the charred cabbage (I personally found this too buttery and oily) and wood fired beets. The beets were too over-charred... it literally felt like I had inhaled a cloud of charcoal smoke upon biting into it. They were also rock-hard. Would not recommend. Finally, to round off with dessert - we got one of each. The blueberry flan, tiramisu, and coconut cream pie. My favourite was the tiramisu - it's not your typical take but I'm a sucker for tiramisu. Would I come again? Probably - but perhaps not on my own dime any time soon. read more
9 months ago
1 year ago
I thoroughly enjoyed the ribeye and the seabream which are mains. The hamachi (fish) with jalapenos were not bad although I wouldn't order it again considering its price. Drinks were nice and the ambience was delightful. Our server was friendly and attentive. I had a great time at Alder, just a bit expensive. read more
The moment you go down the stairs to the Alder, you know it's an elegant place. It's very good for celebrations. The service was very good. Everyone was very attentive and knowledgeable. I ordered the "server's choice" which is a prix fixe menu. First of all, I was surprised with the amount of serving; which was quite heavy. Nonetheless, everything was so good. The bread was simply amazing, the fluffiness and warmth was perfect. The ravioli had great texture with some crunch to make it more complex. The sea bream was cooked perfectly and the habeñero sauce gives it just the right amount of kick. I would definitely recommend going. read more
Came here for a lovely Sunday brunch while visiting Toronto. I'm always a lover of eggs benedict so I chose the Veggie Eggs Benedict - which had spinach, seasonal mushroom, tomato, sorrel hollandaise. The green hollandaise was a fun delicious touch! The vibe was set with the live female singer accompanied by an acoustic guitar. When they took a break, chill beats were played. Service was attentive, friendly, and knowledgable. When I return to Toronto, I hope to visit again for dinner/drinks! read more
2 years ago
Sunday brunch was enjoyable with live musicians entertaining diners. Alder is beautifully decorated with modern accents and open concept kitchen. The service was a bit delayed to begin with but that may have to do with timing. Once we were served the server ensured beverages were always filled and wiped the table between dishes. The dishes we ordered were standard flavour, nothing over the top. The Shakshouka tasted like plain tomato puréed. The fried chicken was delicious. read more
6 months ago
If you're looking for a new brunch spot, I would recommend visiting Alder on Sundays between 11:30 am and 1:00 pm for their Sunday Gold, midmorning melody experience. Here you'll be treated to Mediterranean inspired dishes (designed by Patrick Kriss), and live musical performance from Toronto artists. Alder, is located on the lower level of the Ace hotel, and was recommended by the Toronto Michelin Guide in 2023. The atmosphere is sleek but cozy, with a warm colour scheme. Plus complimentary coat check is offered upon arrival. The food was good, but not at the level of Alo and Aloette, which I enjoyed more. My favourite dish was the Prawn Choron. The crossant, was nicely toasted, buttery and flaky, and the prawns were cooked nicely in a creamy choron. I would have preferred my eggs soft poached, as opposed to the hard poach it arrived as though. Ordered: - Coconut cream pie - Hokkaido scallop crudo - Brown butter waffle - Prawn Choron - Ginza breakfast martini read more
As part of the Alo group, you'd expect nothing but Michelin quality food and service from Alder. Well the food lived up to the hype, but the service was dismal. A few notes on service: - when ordering drinks, they would take either a few minutes or up to 30 minutes to arrive - my biggest pet peeve - one server would steal away the cocktail glasses despite there being maybe 20-25% of the drink left, the rest would ask first which was fine - mains took over an hour to come - we ordered bread with the mains and it didn't come. the server said they'd bring the bread right over so we could dip it in our short rib. the bread failed to arrive in time for that. as we sat there with empty plates waiting for our bread, the server said they'd bring the bread to dip quickly. another server came and cleared our plates. finally the bread comes - the main server notices our plates are gone and promises to bring some jus for the bread, but it never comes. pretty brutal all around. Besides the service, the food and drinks were excellent. I loved the cocktail "la reformista" and the "on the field" was pretty good too. The food was good, standouts included the cucumber salad, bread and butter, braised short rib, and sticky toffee pudding. I'd come back for the food, but I've heard similar stories from friends about the service which gives me pause. read more
My girlfriends and I went here for our holiday dinner and overall it was a great experience. Though I got lost as I entered. The restaurant is downstairs where they offered coat checks for this cold weather. We were there early so it was nice to enjoy ourselves. We did family style dining and ordered the hamachi crudo and beef carpaccio to start. The crudo was interesting and good while the beef carpaccio was hands down amazing with all of the flavours and creaminess. For our mains, we ordered the sea bream, roasted short ribs, roasted cauliflowers and fresh bread. The short ribs were good but I found it a bit too salty for me. The fish was delicious with the sauce. The cauliflower was crispy and full of flavours, some parts were a bit salty. The bread was fresh and fluffy. We ended with the coconut cream pie. The filling was more like gelatin-ish/pudding texture than what I had before. Though it was still delicious with pieces of meringue, toasted coconuts and chocolate. Service was amazing too! read more
Excellent appetizers and desserts, pretty good mains, amazing service. Stopped by for dinner and got: - Housebread: If you've been to any Alo restaurant, you know this is a must. Best bread in the city. - Beef Carpaccio: This appetizer was the standout dish of the night. Melt-in-your-mouth slivers of beef that were mindblowingly tasty with the chive, aioli and mustard seed. - Baked Clams: Clams with brown butter, nudja, lemon, croutons. Sounded tastier than it did. Small portion size for the price. - Yellowfin Tuna: Good cook, good quality. The sauce on top was tasty though a bit overpowering. - Braised Short Rib: Good quality, really tender. Though taste wasn't differentiated. - Coconut Cream Pie: Simply put, best coconut cream pie in the city. The macaroon crust is divine. - Opera Cake: Nice and spongey, would've liked a darker chocolate taste. Service was amazing: great advice, really attentive, prompt with refilling (water and even the lemon we asked for the water). Kitchen was quick for a place like this. Space is beautiful. Reservations recommended for peak periods as it gets packed. read more
1 year ago
On a stay at the ACE hotel in Toronto we had both dinner & brunch at Alder the hotel restaurant. Alder is a new spot from renowned Canadian chef Patrick Kriss. The restaurant focuses its menu around its wood-fired grill and hearth offering various meat and fish dishes. Everything we ordered was very good. For dinner we had; Bread & Butter - very soft, delicious, parker house style pull apart bread. Scallop Ceviche - good, but you may want to stick with dishes that come from the grill or hearth as that's what really shines. Seabream - a good, large portion of fish that can easily be shared. 16oz Steak Frites - the steak was excellent. Flavorful, perfectly cooked medium rare, and you get that special smokiness taste that only wood fire provides. The fries were crispy and delicious. Grilled Asparagus - a good option if you want to get some veggies in. Dinner on a Friday was pretty crowded, reservations recommended. When we went for brunch it was much quieter but the food was still great. We had; French Toast - this is more of a dessert style French toast and was very good. Smoked Pastrami Sandwich - perfectly smoked pastrami on a piece of bread with the same excellent crispy fries as the steak frites. A must order for brunch. Service was excellent. This is a hotel restaurant worth visiting and definitely booking if you're staying at the property. read more
Really enjoyed the food here. I brought my cousin this time with me to try this place out. I've always been out of luck when it comes to reservations as it's either way too early for dinner or way too late. Luckily I snagged a spot for 6:15pm. We ordered the potato flat bread, beef carpaccio, short rib , half chicken and fried spinach. The flat bread and beef carpaccio was really good and I highly recommended trying it. I would say the potato flatbread is a little hard to chew( warning here) otherwise its delicious. The mains- the short rib was really good. The flavour and the taste was perfect. I tried my cousins chicken dinner and it was really good as well and chicken was not dry at all. Lastly, we had the drinks called good vibes only, recommended by our server which was 0% alcohol as we had to drive back uptown. It was delicious, it was like a pineapples flavour with 0% tequila? drink with some a bit of salt. Highly recommended that drink for nonalcoholic foodies! read more
I have had very good experiences with the Alo restaurant group, so I decided to celebrate my birthday with them again this year by trying Alder. Located in the basement of the Ace Hotel, Alder gives off a warm, cozy vibe with friendly servers and modern furniture. We started off with the beef carpaccio and Hokkaido scallop crudo and some cocktails. We loved the appetizers, especially the beef carpaccio, which was an explosion of flavor. For the mains, we got the Grilled Octopus and the Grilled Sea Bream. While we enjoyed the mains, we felt it was not as impressive as the appetizers. Especially compared to the fish we previously had at Alobar. The Grilled Octopus was very tender, but I would've preferred a little more char and crunch to it. Overall, we had a great experience at Alder, the food and especially the appetizers were great, but for the main, I definitely prefer Alobar. Would definitely recommend for cocktails and apps. read more
i was visiting toronto for a week with my mom and it was also my bday weekend coming up. met up with my b and she was VERY stoked that she was able to celebrate my bday in person; normally we do cards and gifts via canada post finding the place wasn't hard at all, and i immediately loved the restaurant concept. open kitchen as you come down the stairs and the high ceilings - all things that i like at a restaurant. there was a def hubbub but it was still cozy enough to have a decent conversation without shouting. laurin (then michaela at the end) was our wonderful server - she made a note to wish me happy birthday and she was attentive and knowledgeable thruout. she helped out with serving size questions and how many things we should order for the two of us. i neglected to take pictures of the drinks as i was too busy trying to catch up with my b. she had the la reformista, which was on the sweeter side. i had my go-to g&t and french 75s - all done well by the bartender. now onto food! we had the beef carpaccio to start - to get all the flavours and textures of the dish, be sure to roll everything up into a bite. you get an explosion of everything that the dish has to offer - the crunch of the crispy onions on top, the creaminess of the aioli, and the tang of pickled mustard seed. then came the mains - the grilled octopus and grilled half chicken. the plating of the grilled octopus was spectacular and so was the taste! the octopus was charred perfectly, yet the flesh stayed soft; the shisito peppers added a nice kick to the dish. we both found the grilled chicken to be lacking, compared to the octopus. not that it was bad, we preferred the octopus more. the chicken was juicy and tender, and b loved the harissa jus that was on the side. the only downfall was the skin of the chicken was grilled perfectly but the marinade on it made the skin stick to our teeth when we ate it. we ended the night off with a dark chocolate tart that came with a candle. ofc i forgot a picture of it but the portion was perfect - we shared the piece and i found the vanilla chantilly to be the highlight of the dessert. very cute place for either a date, girl's night out or just cuz! i'll be sure to drop by again when i'm at the 6ix! read more
As a huge fan of Alo and Aloette, I was super excited to try out chef Patrick's new restaurant located in the Ace Hotel. The vibe of this place is upscale casual and it's definitely a mixed crowd. I went here for a Valentine's dinner (not day of) and it was packed for a week night at 9PM. Service was a little slow initially and they were about 15-20mins behind on our reservation time and had us wait at the bar. It did pick up eventually and food arrived quite fast. Our server was friendly and made sure that water was always filled. Onto the food, we tried a bunch of things: -Citrus & Burrata: very light and balanced flavours here, although I wish it was just a little more sour -Beef Carpaccio: MUST GET! This was my favorite dish of the night and had the perfect amount of crunch from the garnishes and chewiness from the beef -Octopus: perfectly cooked and a surprisingly big portion, loved the potatoes too -Lamb: flavours were pretty basic but the lamb was cooked really nicely and was tender -Baked clams: pretty small (4 clams) for the price but I enjoyed it, only get it if you love clams -Bread & Butter: nothing needs to be said about this famous bread -Jangle Pop cocktail: super light and tasted great Overall, we enjoyed the apps more than the mains but everything was definitely well-presented. Nothing really blew us away but the beef carpaccio was a highlight. Prices are generally fair and I would recommend going for the great ambiance and solid food. read more
Highly recommend for good food and date night! It reminds me of Alobar - I feel like they used a similar music playlist. I got: - sea bream crudo (if you get raw fish dishes from Alobar, then you'll like this) - cucumber salad (very flavourful with Egyptian spices, I wasn't anticipating that!) - ricotta ravioli (this was my favourite main surprisingly since I don't expect much from pasta usually) - Lambchops (very tender but the sauce was a bit too salty for me) - potato flatbread (skip this in my opinion, it's quite small) - bread and butter (I love Alo's bread so much, we got two orders because we are bread fanatics) All the dishes were packed with a lot of flavour and you could taste the char/flavour from their grill. We also order their mocktail with 0 proof tequila that had this very delicious smokiness to it. read more
Alder, located inside the Ace Hotel Toronto at the corner of Camden/Brant, is Patrick Kriss' new Mediterranean-inspired restaurant that focuses on wood-fired cooking. If you are familiar and have dined at his other restaurants (Alo, Aloette, Alobar), you are in for a treat as well at Alder. The restaurant space is located downstairs when you enter the hotel. The large windows and high ceilings give the space some natural light where the focal point is their open kitchen. In terms of capacity, room can accommodate up to about 60 diners or so. Reservations were tough to book and are definitely recommended! I believe I reserved a month before my actual dining date and I went on Tues evening at around 6pm. If you're wanting a later dinner time, they definitely may have 9-9:30pm slots available if you keep checking from time to time. Either way, this restaurant is definitely popular the later it gets! My friend and I arrived at our reserved time (6pm) and we were promptly seated and greeted. We ended up getting a nice big circular table just for the 2 of us. The server explained the menu and also went through the cocktail list with us. The menu is meant to be shared. Throughout the night service was friendly and attentive and our waiter made sure we were satisfied with our meal. The pace of the meal was also well thought out and we never felt rushed where we had time to enjoy each set of dishes that were brought out. Cocktail wise my friend opted for an espresso martini while I opted for a cocktail called "Be Like Water" which consisted of Ketel One vodka with pink-peppercorn-and-verjus syrup, basil, and a mix of lime and lemon juices. Food wise, we ordered the following items: - Baked clams with crouton, brown butter, 'nduja, lemon - Big eye tuna with charred poblano aioli, radish, pearl onion - Potato flatbread (tomato & white anchovy) - Grilled sea bream with saffron vinaigrette, caper, cerignola olive - Suckling pig with charred corn relish, watercress - Coconut cream pie (macaroon crust, caramelized white chocolate) Overall, food tasted great. Definitely would recommend the big eye tuna, grilled sea bream, and the coconut cream pie! The big eye tuna came carpaccio style but with thicker cuts of tuna. The aioli, radish and pearl onion added to the complex flavours of the dish but did not overpower the main star. They actually complemented the tuna very well. The grilled sea bream is a definite must get if you love fish. The way the skin of the fish was cooked was mindblowing! It was light and crisp from the char where the fish was cooked beautifully. Also, it was completely deboned as well. Lastly, you cannot finish your meal without the coconut cream pie. It was extremely light and airy with lots of coconut! Overall, delicious food and attentive and great service. Lovely ambiance. Definitely recommend checking out Alder for a nice meal out. read more
If you're a fan of Alo and Aloette, you know this is your next destination. Located in the newly opened Ace Hotel, the dining space is beautifully welcoming. Reservations were not easy to find. We got lucky. We tried 2 different cocktails. Both were delightful. Our food favourites of the night were the tempura shishito peppers and beef carpaccio. We also tried the suckling pig and the grilled octopus. Both were cooked very well but missed the "wow" factor in flavour. Beautifully presented seabream crudo but again, didn't have that "oomph". We couldn't resist and ordered bread and butter. Fresh and hot out of the oven. You can tell some staff are still in training mode. Ours was lovely. Extremely knowledgeable. I'd come again in the future to give the menu another try. (I do think I prefer Aloette. Shhh...) read more
9 months ago
4 years ago
Worth a visit for fans of Alo Group! We entered the waitlist a week prior and lucked out on a table for 2 on a Thursday night. I'd definitely recommend calling or booking through their online portal to secure a spot as they seem to be fully booked for the next couple of weeks. Black pepper ravioli - 9/10 Really enjoyed this. Grilled octopus - 8/10 Cooked to perfection. Very tender but the flavours didn't stand out to me. Baked clams - 8/10 Appreciated the restaurant accommodating to my diet and removing the 'nduja for me. Coconut cream pie - 10/10 Pleasantly surprised. Did not expect this to be the star dish of the night. This was sweet, decadent and not overwhelming. I'd definitely reorder this. Overall had a great time! Our server was attentive and thoroughly explained the menu and his recommendations to us. The only downside was that the restaurant has a 2 hour limit and we were rushed near the end of our meal. No seats available at the bar for us but I guess next time we could always continue at the hotel bar and lounge. read more
Alder brings a simple menu of classic modern city cuisine and delivers consistent strong flavours with every dish. The beef short rib gets especially high praised - succulent and tender without overcooking, paired with smoky mushrooms and a sweet parsnip puree that balances the dish in flavours and textures. The other dishes pictured do not fail to disappoint. The hokkaido scallop crudo brings out the freshness of the scallop through simple use of corn and shiso, though it was a little odd to see crudo served in large cuts rather than thin slices. The beef carpaccio was well executed with crisp onions and garlic atop, served in a gentle creamy sauce. The cauliflower was perfectly cooked and seasoned with an assortment of flavourants. And finally the coconut cream pie showcased the individual flavours of each ingredient, harmonizing them without fail. Alder also had fun cocktails to boost the menu. The restaurant had a modern look with quality wood elements and dim lighting. The service was quick and attentive, they've hired a good amount of staff to ensure your table is clean and cleared. read more
This was a top shelf dining experience from start to finish, soon as you walk through the door. Inside the Ace hotel, this restaurant gets it right. The dining room is large and well laid out - with a great mix of dark brick floors, wood finishes and huge windows. We arrived a bit early and sat at the bar and had a cocktail while we waited for our table. The bartender was excellent - friendly and knowledgeable - and made an exceptional spicy Margarita (used a jalapeño infused Tequila). We were a group of four and ate family style. We sat at a table close to the open kitchen, and could hear the "yes chef... heard chef" just enough to know this place is the real deal :) For our appetizers, we shared oysters, shishito peppers and an endive salad - all of which were delicious. But the real knockout appetizer was the beef carpaccio - it was perfect... the grilled chive and pickled mustard seed balanced it so well. For our mains we shared the steak (a 20 oz bone in prime strip loin cooked and sliced exquisitely), the grilled seabream (our servers top recco), the ricotta ravioli which was served with summer squash and pine nuts and also the braised short ribs. Everything was truly excellent. For dessert we shared the coconut cream pie with a peppermint tea. This was easily one of the best meals I've had in a long while. read more
My favourite food group of all: Alo Food Group. I've been dying to try Alder since its opened but its been tough getting a reservation and we're often spontaneous diners. Thankfully we had a super late dinner on a Friday night and ended up coming at 10pm when the dinner rush ended We Had: Hamachi Crudo: This was good. I liked the slight spiciness of the jalapeno vinaigrette and the crunch/aroma from the pine nuts. Beef Carpaccio: One of the best carpaccio's I've ever had. The beef was so tender and the different layers of flavors and textures had creaminess, crunch and tanginess. Would come back just for this Ricotta Ravioli: Essentially a creamy dumpling. It was good but not excellent Grilled Octopus: The octopus was tender and had a good amount of char, but I think flavorwise was missing something Braised short rib: I was really looking forward to this but I found it to be too salty and didn't have much dimension Baked clams: I had low expectations for this but was so surprised at the amount of flavor these little clams had Mille-Feuille: That was pretty good! The dark chocolate, peanut and vanilla flavors meshed well together Overall the service was fantastic, the ambiance and interiors were sleek but inviting and I loved watching the open fire kitchen. All of the starters and sharables were fantastic so I have high hopes I'll enjoy a different selection of mains next time we visit. Ps. I would say their olive brine for the classic martinis needs to be reassesed (way too watered down), and if you want a drink, to just choose one of their cocktails instead read more
4 years ago
Came here with 2 friends for dinner and we definitely over ordered but somehow managed to finish everything! Our server was a slow through the night, we waited a while for water, cocktails, water refills, and almost 20 mins after we ordered a bottle of wine. The food came out in decent time from the kitchen and other servers checked in on us occasionally when they noticed we were looking around for ours. 4 stars only because of the slow and scarce service. Beef Carpaccio Baked Clams Heirloom Tomato & Burrata Sea Bream Crudo East Coast Oysters Endive Salad Black Pepper Ravioli Grilled Octopus Braised Short Rib Mille fuille I loved so many dishes that we ordered but the top favorites were absolutely the burrata, crudo, Carpaccio, octopus and short rib. The baked clams were very tasty but a little salty. I can't wait to come back and try the rest of the menu! I think I liked the menu better than Alo Bar. read more
3 years ago
4 years ago
I will give this place 5 star for the service. The food was just ok. Food wise. I would order the Octopus Potato flatbread. Sea bream app Drinks - cocktails Food I tried and wouldn't recommend Big Eye tuna - raw (non blue fin) has very little taste. The vinegary taste with it just wasn't great. Imagine tuna sushi thinly sliced with vinegar sauce. Short rib - I prefer juicer fatter cut ( closer to the bone) but this dish was extremely salty. Short rib could be more moist. Service was awesome. They refold ur napkin if you get up. Fresh dish and cutlery when going through the food rounds. Waiter was really friendly and recommended good drinks The restaurant is downstairs but they have a lounge upstairs with drinks and snacks. I would consider the lounge more read more
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