Travel To Wellness Inc.

Heads up when you drive along Wellington Street in downtown Toronto or you just might miss the city’s newest hotel. Signage at the front of the new Ritz-Carlton Hotel Toronto was oddly minimal when I visited. Staff seems to think more visable signage is coming. Parking in downtown Toronto can be a hassle so if you’re a visitor you’re best to take advantage of the valet parking. At $15, the valet price is actually less than what you can expect to pay at nearby public lots for anything over two hours.

Inside the sleek and modern hotel, gleaming wood panels help give it that “upscale Canada” feel and large sparkling chandeliers pump up the glam.

Climb a wooden staircase to the second floor and you’re in TOCA by Tom Brodi, formerly with Toronto’s high-end Canoe, part of the Oliver/Bonacini collection of restaurants.

Love the fact that the restaurant team offers complimentary multigrain bread from ACE instead of the traditional (read unhealthy) white bread. Another gold star for offering tiny bowls of sea salt instead of a shaker. And, after perusing the menu I come to the quick conclusion that TOCA was the perfect choice for today’s lunch with two of my BFFs.

Shortly after being seated I asked wine director Taylor Thompson (as equally charming as the chef) if Chef Brodi is in today and if he is I’d love to meet him. A short time later the two drop by our table.

Chef Brodi is one of those people you like immediately. Personable, warm, passionate about his first restaurant and anxious to talk about it. TOCA, he tells us, is an abbreviation of Toronto and Canada. Clever. It’s the first TOCA, but he hints there may be more down the road. The cuisine is Canadian with the emphasis of sourcing locally. He admits that people say he’s jumped on the “local” bandwagon but “as much as I talk about it, I live it,” he says. He grew up with chickens and pigs in his back yard and apple trees and berry patches nearby. He prefers “naturally raised” to organic.

He kindly took me and two friends into the kitchen to show us the 8-seat Chef’s Table situated in a semi-private space smack in the middle of all the culinary action. Impressive way to entertain for a special occasion.

The menu seems to represent Canada coast to coast – from West Coast Fish Cakes to Naturally-Raised Cumbrae Farm Beef Tartare (Ontario) to Nova Scotia Lobster and Turkey Pie (with a light lobster bisque instead of a heavy cream sauce.) The Chef recommends the Fancy Fish & Chips featuring lobster deep fried in Mill Street beer batter and sends over a sampling. We don’t recommend anything deep fried for those who like to make healthier food choices but I did have a taste and I can see why they are one of the more popular items on the menu. I tried the Ingersoll (Ontario) Burrata – pressed melon, macadamia nut pesto topped with Burrata cheese followed by the Daily Cheese Cave Quiche served with a salad of baby greens and both were meticulously presented and delicious. Appertizers range between $9 and $21. The average price for main courses is $24

TOCA is the only restaurant (we know of) in Toronto with a Cheese Cave. Right there in the centre of the restaurant, glassed in on two-sides and large enough to facilitate a small group for a tasting guided by the restaurant’s affineur – a cheese sommelier.

Chef Brodie says there are about 2,000 varieties of cheese in Canada – mostly from B.C. Ontario, Quebec and Prince Edward Island - and artisanal cheeses are gaining in popularity.

A selection of Temperance Cocktails – the likes of Cucumber Ginseng, Raspberry Tonic and Strawberry Grapefruit with ElderFlower Water - are a healthy alternative to a Gin & Tonic on a hot summer’s day.

More on TOCA at The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Toronto