Richmond Station is an upscale farm-to-table restaurant offering Canadian dishes using fresh ingredients. It is helmed by the winner of Top Chef Canada (Season 2), Chef Carl Heinrich, who opened the restaurant in late 2012.
As you walk into the restaurant; there is a chalkboard to the
left displaying the specials for the night. The specials for that Tuesday were
Honey Glazed Duck Breast $$27) and Braised Rabbit Pappardelle ($25).
The restaurant was simply decorated with wine bottles to the side of the bar; with wooden accent furnishing. There are two floors available for dining which I will mention a little later in the blog.
For those who aren't too hungry; there is also a bar at the front of the restaurant. Unfortunately, I don't drink alcohol (and know nothing about it), so I can't comment on the available wine choices.
The menu is a simple one-pager, and categorized under share, appetizers, and mains. They also provide customers with a wine list.
The restaurant was modern, and simply decorated with wooden accent
furnishing and a high ceiling. There are two dining areas; one in the
front and as you walk up the steps, there is another dining area in the
back. We were seated in the back area which I enjoyed, as the space had a
view of the open kitchen.
We started off with an order of 6 pieces of oysters on the half shell ($3.50 a piece) [house condiments, horseradish, lemon]. The oysters were absolutely fresh and the provided condiments added extra spices to them.
The scallion polenta fries ($8) were served on a rectangular serving board glazed with truffle aioli, Asiago cheese, and chives. I heard a lot of great reviews from friends so I had to order it to see for myself. I loved it as the polenta fries had a very crispy
exterior, yet really soft on the inside. I highly recommend getting this
this as a starter.
For my main course, I opted for the Station Burger ($20). I would have to say that the quality of the burger was excellent. The braised short rib was served medium rare on topped of a fresh milk bun, and was really juicy. There was a lot of flavor in the burger; thanks to the beet chutney. Additionally, the burger was dressed with lettuce, lettuce, beet chutney, and aged cheddar
which, and served with a side of rosemary fries. The accompanied fries were pretty decent, but a couple of pieces were really hard.
I tasted a bit of the chili & fennel sausage pasta $23) and liked it as well. The pasta is hand made orecchiette, and contains toscano cheese, fennel, pickled peppers, and basil. There was also a good amount of sausages in the dish which is always nice.
Overall, I enjoyed my dinner at Richmond Station. The dimly lit restaurant provides a casual ambiance without pretentiousness. It's perfect for either dinner with family, friends, or even for dates. Reservations are highly recommended for dinner though; unless you don't mind the wait.
RATINGS:
Quality of Food: 4.5/5
Service: 4.3/5
Overall Dining Experience: 4.5/5
Price: $$$ || Online Menu
Address: 1 Richmond Street W, Toronto, ON, M5H 1W2