All The Details Count at Sassafraz

Another weekend in Yorkville for us! On Friday we finally tried Sassafraz, known famously in Toronto for it's glitzy celebrity crowd during film fest. We walked in on Friday night happy to find there was room for us - and not just room but a lovely, romantic corner bench seat at the back of the restaurant. Being my first time there, I have to say I was surprised how large the restaurant truly was! Its vaulted ceilings and living wall give the right air of esteem for the restaurant.

Our waiter brought old school charm to service - he was soft spoken and pleasant. He was softly encouraging of the items we chose on the menu. We started with a clean, crisp tuna tartare topped with papaya, a nice refreshing flavour addition. For mains, Tony had rabbit ravioli scented with rosemary. While delicious, the 3 large ravioli pockets wasn't quite enough to be filling. Lucky enough, I opted for the cornish hen stuffed with....you got it...foie gras! Although I have to confess the cornish hen was calling my name even before I realized it was stuffed with foie gras, that was really just a bonus! My meal was delicious, filling, and satisfying for my meaty craving. Our ends were chocolate cake (huge!) with raspberry mousse and an apple selection with green apple panna cotta, cider ice cream and an apple gyoza (my favourite). The BEST was our sample of riopelle, a lovely unpasteurized artisan cheese - hand crafted. It was probably the best $5 we spent for the night! Next time we will likely skip dessert and opt for more cheese samples. And finally, our bill came with a lovely hand made chocolate, which was absolutely delicious, I wish I had asked our waiter where it was from...am tempted to go back just for another bite!

We were pleasantly surprised by Sassafraz after having heard mixed reviews, but we were very happy with our meal, and although a bit of a splurge, not at all unreasonable. It is surely a grand experience - the dining room is stunning! Every little detail from the way my strawberries were muddled in my drink, to the hand crafted cheese and chocolates made the restaurant an exceptional experience.