Henry's Restaurant: The vibe
Every time I visit Henry's Restaurant and wine bar on West Queen West, I fall in love all over again. In addition to being featured on the Michelin Guide, Henry's is one of our picks for the best restaurants in Toronto. In the summer months, it's their gorgeous, relaxed back garden patio that draws me in to linger all night as the sun goes down. When the temperature calls for eating indoors, it's their elegant and inviting dining room, bathed in cream, white and soothing shades of green, accentuated with pops of detail like the eye-catching marbled bar and arched backbar.
The service is excellent, and exactly what you would expect from a fine dining restaurant — if everyone took a big sigh first, expelled all of the pretension and let their shoulders drop. It's homey, and guests are well-cared for with accuracy and precision. Henry's Restaurant has become my go-to spot for a wonderful evening, whether I'm bringing a date, a friend or my mom — or recommending it to folks from out of town. It's a shining example of this part of the city: polished, cool and down-to-earth.
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Henry's Restaurant: The Table experience
Available every Tuesday evening for $40 per person, The Table menu is an exceptional fine dining experience for a great price. The family-style meal offers convivial dining for a group of friends, or the opportunity to play fork footsy with your date. Dinner starts with fluffy house-made sourdough and St. Brigid's butter that's so delectable, I have to resist licking my fingers clean. Pink radicchio, kabocha squash and pickled carrot comes in the form of a large, refreshing salad with bright, zesty flavours.
The main course is an incredibly juicy, crispy-skinned half-chicken (for two) or whole chicken (for four) that comes swimming in an irresistible jus. On the side, a crunchy potato pavé is served with pickled chanterelles and an indulgent leek hollandaise, while broccoli is given the star treatment, topped with a delicious beurre blanc and savoury trout roe.
We're stuffed, but there's always room for dessert, so we add on the delicious dulce de leche flan with a coffee biscuit crumble that balances out the sweetness.
Henry's Restaurant: What's on the drink menu
There are a couple of cocktails on the menu, but Henry's Restaurant is a wine bar, so this is your chance to try interesting glasses from home and abroad. If you're not sure which wine to order, the knowledgeable, courteous staff will recommend the perfect pair for your palate and your meal. With The Table experience, we're encouraged to order an easy drinking Closson Chase chardonnay from Prince Edward County, and its an excellent match.
I'll come back to Henry's Restaurant and wine bar again and again for the stellar food, wine and service, and now The Table experience offers a reason to shake things up and have date night on a Tuesday.
The Table menu and drinks for two: around $120 before tax and tip
