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Restaurant Comings & Goings

Chef Anthony Rose is closing the Grand Elvis on Dupont (near Davenport) in the Annex area, and turning it back into the Big Crow BBQ restaurant concept:

www.blogto.com

Toronto restaurant from beloved chef closes after only a few months

A Toronto chef that's been known for his restaurant empire across the city including restaurants like Fat Pasha and Schmaltz Appetizing has had to bi…
www.blogto.com www.blogto.com
 
Towered said:
That strip of Queen by Trinity-Bellwoods seems especially hard hit recently.
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The common issue is that they're mostly smaller units which aren't naturally suited for dining patios. And the delivery/takeout model could only get them so far, perhaps even operating at a loss. The bars will especially suffer during these times.
 
AlbertC said:
Canis Restaurant at 746 Queen St W (near Trinity Bellwoods Park) has closed:

www.blogto.com

Toronto restaurant known for its tasting menus permanently closes

A Toronto restaurant known for its contemporary tasting menus and prix fixe menus that highlighted seasonal, local ingredients has announced its door…
www.blogto.com www.blogto.com
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Oh no! Canis was one of the top rated restaurants in the country. The food was stunning and the wine paired with every dish was perfect. The dishes were works of art, even the chef came to the table to explain the dishes. It was quite an experience. These high-end small intimate restaurants are all in danger of closing during these Covid times. 😟
 
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gabe said:
Oh no! Canis was one of the top rated restaurants in the country. The food was stunning and the wine paired with every dish was perfect. The dishes were works of art, even the chef came to the table to explain the dishes. It was quite an experience. These high-end small intimate restaurants are all in danger of closing during these Covid times. 😟
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Unfortunately, I was never able to try Canis but I have been to "Three Monks and a Duck" just half a block east of here and quite enjoyed it. Small intimate space with friendly knowledgeable staff and really personable chef that wanted to see his customers enjoy the experience.

Definitely a huge shame seeing all these interesting independent restaurants increasingly at risk. Especially with all the progress towards building up our culinary scene for the greater part of the past couple decades. Streets like Queen W, Ossington, and Dundas W would've been almost unrecognizable when compared to the amount of restaurants and bars (and boutique shops) that have opened up from then to now.
 
AlbertC said:
Moo Frites in Kensington Market, which specializes in Belgian-style fries, has closed:

www.blogto.com

Toronto restaurant known for its Belgian-style fries has permanently closed

A fry spot that's been in Toronto since 2014 is now permanently closed. "The End is Here," reads grim text on the Moo Frites website above …
www.blogto.com www.blogto.com
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I liked their fries.

I would have thought they would have done well in the pandemic, being primarily a takeaway place.

But apparently not.

I actually wanted to go down there and get some fries, maybe 3 weeks back, and their website said they were closed at the time.

They had some very original condiments.
 
Northern Light said:
I liked their fries.

I would have thought they would have done well in the pandemic, being primarily a takeaway place.

But apparently not.

I actually wanted to go down there and get some fries, maybe 3 weeks back, and their website said they were closed at the time.

They had some very original condiments.
Click to expand...

The owner mentioned that they took a major hit with no tourism and substantially lower number of pedestrians in Kensington Market. They've apparently had weekdays where they were open but not one customer came in, and they couldn't even support the utilities for that day. They tried the delivery app model but the issue was that fries and poutine don't hold well while being delivered.
 
Northern Light said:
I liked their fries.

I would have thought they would have done well in the pandemic, being primarily a takeaway place.

But apparently not.

I actually wanted to go down there and get some fries, maybe 3 weeks back, and their website said they were closed at the time.

They had some very original condiments.
Click to expand...

Their fries were good, but I stopped going about 2 years ago because the premises were filthy. Sorry, but I'm not inspired to eat at an establishment when there's a layer of grime everywhere and they're too lazy to clean. I find it disrespectful to me as a customer.
 
Towered said:
Their fries were good, but I stopped going about 2 years ago because the premises were filthy. Sorry, but I'm not inspired to eat at an establishment when there's a layer of grime everywhere and they're too lazy to clean. I find it disrespectful to me as a customer.
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TBH, I'd only been in 3 times, I think.

Its nothing I'd travel for.

I went once, determined it was decent, that was shortly after it opened, then took my niece once or twice.

I love cooking, and a have a deep fryer at home; and I'm always making aiolis.

But it did have a neat hook.

Certainly, all businesses, but especially hospitality and food, and healthcare should have superior hygiene.
 
AlbertC said:
Unfortunately, I was never able to try Canis but I have been to "Three Monks and a Duck" just half a block east of here and quite enjoyed it. Small intimate space with friendly knowledgeable staff and really personable chef that wanted to see his customers enjoy the experience.

Definitely a huge shame seeing all these interesting independent restaurants increasingly at risk. Especially with all the progress towards building up our culinary scene for the greater part of the past couple decades. Streets like Queen W, Ossington, and Dundas W would've been almost unrecognizable when compared to the amount of restaurants and bars (and boutique shops) that have opened up from then to now.
Click to expand...


I love Three Monks and a Duck! What a cute little place. I love all these little weird unique hole in the wall bars all over the city. it would be a huge blow to Toronto's dining /nightlife scene to lose them.

I worked in the restaurant business for 10 years. It's heart breaking to see what my friends in the restaurant biz are going through right now. But I think if had a bar or higher-end restaurant i'd already be closed or tried to cancel my lease and walked away with what money i have on hand. It's not worth throwing your life savings down the drain. Walk away and try to re-open in a few years. I simply can't see how these businesses will ever be able to make a profit until at least a year or more from now. The only places that i can see are worth staying open are the ones built around take out, like pizza, Chinese, "Ready To Go" meals and burger joints. We aren't going back to normal until we have a cure. These businesses work on very thin margins. Owners will have some difficult decisions to make in the weeks, months to come when rents are due and leases need to be renewed.
 
Interesting move here, and one I support.

Restaurant Richmond Station is moving (immediately) to a no-tipping model.

They've raised menu prices by 18% on average and replaced all the income wait staff or tipped kitchen staff used to earn through tips with either salary for F/T 'ers or higher hourly wages for P/T earners.

They noted a need to do this, in part, because in the midst of Covid; employment insurance reimbursed only salaried and hourly wages, not tips.

So it was an even more severe hit for laid off staff than would otherwise be the case.

They also observed (or implied) that there was unfair variation in tips between women and men and between wait staff w/different ethnicities.

As of now, those people all earn the same income relative to each other.

I think that's a great move, and I applaud it.

www.blogto.com

Toronto restaurant raises prices and bans tipping

The owners of a Toronto restaurant have decided there will be no tipping allowed at Richmond Station. The Financial District restaurant known for its…
www.blogto.com www.blogto.com
 
Northern Light said:
Interesting move here, and one I support.

Restaurant Richmond Station is moving (immediately) to a no-tipping model.

They've raised menu prices by 18% on average and replaced all the income wait staff or tipped kitchen staff used to earn through tips with either salary for F/T 'ers or higher hourly wages for P/T earners.

They noted a need to do this, in part, because in the midst of Covid; employment insurance reimbursed only salaried and hourly wages, not tips.

So it was an even more severe hit for laid off staff than would otherwise be the case.

They also observed (or implied) that there was unfair variation in tips between women and men and between wait staff w/different ethnicities.

As of now, those people all earn the same income relative to each other.

I think that's a great move, and I applaud it.

www.blogto.com

Toronto restaurant raises prices and bans tipping

The owners of a Toronto restaurant have decided there will be no tipping allowed at Richmond Station. The Financial District restaurant known for its…
www.blogto.com www.blogto.com
Click to expand...
In general, I approve of no-tipping policies but if they are introduced the staff must be paid a LIVING WAGE and, ideally, there should be some way to reward or commend exceptional service. The problem with universal tipping is that it becomes the norm to leave 15-20% unless service is exceptionally bad when one might leave a very small tip (rather than none, as that can be rationalise as 'oh, they forgot'). Of course, forbidding tips and folding them into wages makes them a clearly seen part of 'taxable income'.
 
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