Located in the heart of Yorkville, in the Hazleton Hotel, this glamorous restaurant offers a very diverse menu. I have to give it to Mark McEwan; the ambiance and location is perfect for those who want to “see and be seen”, so to speak. The rich and fabulous as well as tourists looking to soak up the Yorkville scene flock to One, and as a result, a reservation is almost always required to get a table.
Money is key at this fine dining establishment. A full meal for two, including alcohol, is on the pricy side, at easily 250 dollars. I must say, however, that the food is impeccably presented and (almost) perfectly cooked. My only complaint is that main courses do not come with side dishes and must be chosen (and paid for) separately. The menu contains everything from caviar (Wild Canadian or Petrossian), to lobster, to oxtail soup (with bone marrow crostini!) to amazing cheeses and many others.
I was with 3 other friends when we came to One during TIFF and sat on the patio. I’m not sure if the waiter was occupied with more important diners, but the service was slow and it kind of ruined the ambiance. This may simply be due to timing (TIFF is hectic for this particular restaurant and hotel), or the fact that we were all 19, because other friends that frequent this restaurant have never complained about the service.
The food was, for the most part amazing. The 14 Oz ribeye with shallot and garlic confit was cooked to perfection and the seared dayboat scallops were absolutely amazing. The meatballs in the pasta dish, on the other hand, were crumbly and slightly overcooked. The frites with citrus garlic aioli were by far the best French fries I have ever tasted in my life; both crispy and not greasy…it was heaven. Dessert was the highlight of the meal (this isn’t just my sweet tooth talking), with the Chef’s Desert Platter containing a Banoffee pie, a strawberry shortcake and a chocolate and peanut butter tart. Diners can customize their own Chef’s Platter with any trio of scrumptious desserts, which adds a fun twist to the evening.
Overall, I would probably come back to One just to try more items on the menu, because for once in my life, I have encountered a restaurant where nothing that they can offer me seems to be unpleasant. I feel that this restaurant is a place where everyone needs to go at least once and truly get the alluring Yorkville experience and great food. After all, everyone wants to feel like a movie star sometimes…
