When eager, helpless diners shuttle to the city and request a restaurant recommendation, how many times have you suggested an eatery on the water? I'll answer first. Zero.
If the greening of Toronto's waterfront is the most politicized where-land-meets-lake issue, the dining along the waterfront should be the dark-horse concern en route to all citizen hearts (our stomachs). Isosceles slices and tepid cart-dogs are the standard shoreline fare, followed closely by thick cardiac fries from the chippy van. Save for the occasional Harbourfront festival offering ethnic delights, nothing reputable comes to mind.
Am I simply unaware of the lake's hidden gems, or are the best chefs in Toronto afraid of the water? I visited six restaurants that boast immediate proximity to Lake Ontario to investigate their options. At each I sat as close to the water as possible; patio trumped dining room, south-facing view trumped north.
Although this isn't a comprehensive list of waterfront dining options, your reporter braved a league of choppy waters with the hope we may all one day dine like the court of Triton, or, at least, find decent eats near gentle waves.
Snug Harbour
14 Stavebank Rd. S.,
Port Credit
I drove to Port Credit with the intention of brunching at the ambitiously named Waterside Inn. However, the clearest views from its Breakwater Restaurant are of a parking lot and the east side of Snug Harbour, a comfortable seafood bar and grill, so a last-minute change in course was made.
A 20-minute wait for a table at the Snug Harbour bar was spent in the company of a petite Caesar, served in a rocks glass. The sun- and gin-kissed yachtsman to my left asked the price. I replied, "$7.50."
He whistled and exclaimed, "For that?" Aye, Captain.
The simply decorated pale yellow and blue interior matched the small-town charm of the restaurant's exterior and surrounding boardwalk. Rocky landscaping along the harbour waterway made for a pleasant stroll; the only blemish on the idyllic view of the mast-marked lake was an apartment to the near west.
I tried the Scallops Nantucket, three large sea scallops served in a shell-shaped dish with a single leaf of purple cabbage for garnish. They were chewy - overcooked or frozen - and dominated by the slippery cheese the menu promised. The affable and attentive wait staff were prepared to replace the dish, but the cloth napkin on my lap with the loonie-sized yellow stain urged me to forgo an attempt on the Pan-Fried Rainbow Trout.
Quality of waterfront view: Handsome
Quality of food: Throw it back
Crowd: Pensioners, families, part-time skippers
Casa Mendoza
2161 Lake Shore Blvd. W.,
Etobicoke
A hard turn off the Lake Shore deposits you at the gently sloping entrance to Casa Mendoza, immediately fetching in its guise as a Spanish villa. Although the main-floor dining area was well appointed, I walked up to the second floor and sat on the terrace to maximize the view.
The city skyline is clearly visible in the southeast, and a grand expanse of grass below, populated by frolicking groundhogs, stretches to a service road at the edge of a Lake Ontario cove. Tall, thick greenery on either side of the estate isolates the terrace, completely drowning out the buzz of the Lake Shore, as well as the loud nostalgic exteriors of Casa Mendoza's neighbours.
The lobster gnocchi was delicious: perfectly puffed with a rich and restrained sauce, then tossed with generous pieces of lobster meat and a few lengths of fresh dill. I adored the meal, but I couldn't help feeling a pang of ordering jealousy when my neighbour's table was presented with an epic seafood platter - a treasure chest of tails and claws and legs and shells.
Service was polite; food arrived quickly. The view was so pleasant I hardly minded the 45-minute wait for the bill.
Quality of waterfront view: Surprising serenity
Quality of food: Catch of the day!
Crowd: Small parties of those in the know
Pier 4 Storehouse
245 Queens Quay W.
If you enjoyed the film franchise but have yet to visit a Pirates of the Caribbean theme restaurant, you can fudge the trip to Disneyland at the Pier 4 Storehouse. Statues of sea icons worthy of Madame Tussauds populate the main room, complemented by a giant shark and nets filled with barrels (rum? gunpowder?) hanging from the ceiling.
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