Mideastro Yorkville

I visited this place on a Friday night with a party of 5. When we got there the place was empty. Possibly because we were there for a late seating.
The ambiance here was nice. It had a modern feel. The dimmed lights set a romantic vibe ;)
I ordered the trout and avacado ceviche to start. It wasn’t anything special (lacking in acidity if anything). I followed that up with the paella which I wouldn’t recommend. The sauce overpowered everything. I prefer to be able to taste the subtle saffron flavor in paella. Even the old fashion I ordered was a let down.
The reason for the low rating was due to the service more than anything else. I could tell that our server was not happy about accommodating a late seating (9:30). He mentioned multiple times that the kitchen was closing soon and he was anxious to take our order. I would have preferred it if he simply refused to seat us. There are many options in the neighborhood.
There are two lamb shank offerings on the menu. Someone from our table ordered the lamb shank without specifying. The server didn’t even clarify (probably because he was in a rush to get us fed and out the door). It was only when the fish came out that we realized it wasn’t what was expected. At this point the waiter became visibly upset and started uttering what seemed like cuss words. This was totally unacceptable and unprofessional.
We were willing to take part blame for the confusion and didn’t want to further aggravate the server so we settled with the dish that came out. But to be fair there is no garauntee that a patron will read the menu from front to back or even realize that there are two similar offerings. A more accomplished restaurant would attempt to rectify the situation. That was not the case here.
This experience left a sour taste in my mouth. I will definitely not be returning here.

Went back to Mideastro Yorkville after an absence of at least a year. While the food is still quite good, the cuisine has changed. It used to be oriented to the Middle East. It was delightful and inventive. Now it is part Middle Eastern and part Italian. If you want that you’ll enjoy Mideastro. (Though you’ll pay Yorkville prices for it.) If you want pure Middle Eastern go to Byblos for high end and Tabule for mid level.

We happened to be there when Summerlicious was taking place. We are not even sure if we could have ordered from the regular menu since it was never offered.
My calamari app was actually very tasty even though very tiny. Literally 3 bites. My husband’s ceviche was too salty which took away from his enjoyment.
The short ribs were very disappointing. The flavor was decent but what an awful quality of meat. All pieces were full of fat, which meant that for most of the bites, you were mostly tasting fat.
The Israeli cheesecake was okay except it was literally two bites.
Definitely would not recommend Summerlicious but not sure I want to go back to try their regular menu.
Our waiter was nice, but he was absent most of the time. Not sure if they were short staffed that night.

Expensive without being impressive. The atmosphere was also a bit sterile with odd lighting.

3.5 stars.
The food was above average, but not great. The portions were small and overpriced. The ambiance was OK, but nothing special either.
Try Tabule for a better experience and food.

Unlike most other restaurants, mideastro had a great cross section of their full menu in their winterlicious selection. Great service and great food! The cerviche fetoush is highly recommended.

Spent my birthday at this restaurant. Food was extravagant. Service was impeccable. Very friendly. Good prices compared to similar yorkville restaurants. Highly Recommend.

Went early on a Saturday night — the ambience is stellar and I love the washroom — very classy.
The new menus weigh a ton — but have lights inside of them which is nice and I’m sure pleases the older crew — but they are beefy, and not in a good way.
There were 5 of us for dinner. I ordered the caprese salad and the tuna special — both were stellar. I heard from my friend that the paella was awesome and I was happy that my dad got it — but upon tasting it I wasn’t super impressed — it was ok — just not amazing.
My sister /​mom /​and wife all had either the vegetarian couscous or the seafood couscous — one of them came out cold so we sent it back and the other two — were very expensive for what you got — the vegetarian one is essential a few winter root vegetables on a bed of couscous with a sauce nothing creative or amazing here. They did give us some delicious cookies to make up for the wait for my sister’s dish —
all in all A-​ok — but expensive if you are a vegetarian…

The service was courteous, efficient and friendly. Our waiter went to great lengths to describe all the specials in detail along with his recommendations. The wine, appetizers and entrees were all 5 star. A truly wonderful experience. We’ll be back

Had some FANTASTIC food here: we ordered the Carpaccio for starters, the Kufta and Risotto for mains, and Fig pastry and mint tea for dessert. It was ALL delicious, a real food adventure.
Service was prompt and the dark environment and table spacing is very posh and comfortable. Definitely coming back for more.

Summerlicious dinner #2 this year. Never been here before and liked the location so thought we’d give it a try. We were a party of 3 and by the time we were all seated it was 7pm. The wait staff were attentive and we had beverages and menus within 10 minutes of being seated, and the first course arrived in reasonable time; however it was a full hour before we got our mains. The food was tasty, but not super memorable. I ordered the steak, and it was served in little cast iron pans still sizzling, so even though I ordered it medium rare it was medium well by the time I cut into it because it was still cooking in the pan it was served in. My friend ordered the ceviche tilapia and it was completely raw instead of seared on the outside. She still enjoyed the meal. It was an hour after the mains before we got our desserts, and it was after 9:30pm by the time we finished. The service was friendly, but very slow, so I wouldn’t recommend this place if you have other plans for the evening. The prix fixe was only $ 35, which I felt was about right, but they had a very limited wine selection (no merlot or malbec), and it was $ 11 for a 5oz glass of their cheaper Red, so we ended up paying about $ 60 a person when all was said and done.

FatCat suspecting that Mr. Owner of restaurant is ex-​military. FatCat Explain.
— Mr. Owner is very big tall man with clear cut way of speaking — remind FatCat of drill sergeant from movie Full Metal Jacket.
— Mr. Owner like to have control over everything. To point where only he is allowed to take customer orders while other waiters /​waitresses just standing around most of time trying to look busy.
— He imposing very structured regimented way of running restaurant on customer — make FatCat a little uncomfiortable — but maybe some people like. FatCat not know.
Things FatCat Like
— Enjoy quality of rib eye steak — very good. Better than lamb dish.
— Lamb sausage appetizer was very very delicious.
Things FatCat not like
— Orders taken very late after arriving and food take some time to come. FatCat notice he lose his appetite before food come. Not enjoy food as much.
— FatCat not able to keep track of specials that Mr. Drill Sergeant sound off at table… Way too many specials spoken verbally. Mr. Owner. Please write down so customer can really understand options and take time to make decisions. Thank you.

Came on valentine’s day and was amazed by the décor and environment. However the food was I would say quite average. The bread dipping sauces were amazing but other than that and the dessert the entrees did not live up to the hype. The fish sauce was quite sweet, which I would say takes away a lot of potential from the fish. I would say a but too expensive for the food.

The presentation here is really nice. It may not be as nicely decorated as a few of the other places down the block, but it’s still has a very posh atmosphere. The interior is on the darker side with a modern earthy look. Seating here is also extremely comfortable. There are numerous booths, so request one if you make a reservation. Candles are on every table, but don’t worry about reading the menu. When I first opened it, I thought it was two tablets that opened up. The menu really gives you the appearance of an iPad, but it’s a cleaver design with back light paper.
The service here comes with more than just a smile. I live in New York City, and I experience fine dining quite a bit, but this is one of the best experience I have ever had with service. That alone makes it worth the price on the menu. I don’t know what normal prices are for fine dining in the area, but compared to NYC, the prices here are not bad. A couple will get out the door for about $ 140 CA ($ 125 USD). I ate solo so my math is based on that. It would be cheaper with one app between two people.
The drink selection is plentiful with wines, but the liquor list is limited, and the beer list us non existent with one beer. If you ask though, they hide Guinness behind the bar. I spoke up about it, and a few minutes later the waiter came back explaining they had it. Not certain if it’s the Yorkville area, as other restaurants in the vicinity are also lacking a beer selection. I suggest broadening your liquor and beer selection. Perhaps make a few house specialty cocktails.
For an app I had the Baladi, which was artfully prepared. It was good, but not as good as it looked. I thought it was a little bland for Mediterranean. I would try something else next time I come in.
For an entrée I ordered the lamb duet. I posted a picture, so take a look. It’s gorgeous, on the petite side, but as good in taste, if not better than it looks. It’s seasoned perfectly, and I really appreciate the way it was caramelized with the sauce with a pink inside. Definitely try this dish, but load up on apps is you come starving. Also, as a suggestion to other patrons, dip the lamp in the artichoke purée for an additional kick.
I didn’t order dessert, but I did look at the menu. It all looked delicious, and I wished I tried some of it.
I will definitely come back here again. For those who use open table, check it out. They had a thousand point bonus tonight. Worth the trip!

First off their service was top notch from the moment we walked in till the end. Ambience is soothing, lots of booths, spacious, beautiful décor, almost feels like your in a spa or a zen garden.
From coat check, and friendly staff to the impressive knowledge about the restaurant and culinary knowledge of the menu, I was in love with yorkville’s hidden gem.
Mideastro’s chef incorporates mediterranean, european, and african flavors which in turn pack’s tons of flavors.
Here’s the scoop!
Quail Pastilla ⁴⁄₅
coconut cream sesame paste complimented to filo dough that cradled the quail. The pistacchios, pine nuts, and dried fruit complimented this dish.
Baladi Eggplant ⁵⁄₅
reminded me of babaganoush served in a small skillet, a medely of mediterranean flare with bruschetta cherry tomatos, and feta, minced garlic and tahina crème… just lovely
Lamb Kufta ⁵⁄₅
served with sprinkled oregano naan, the lamb kofta isnt overpowering which is perfect! balanced spices incorporated in the dish compliments the israeli cous cous served on the side. GREAT presentation!
Black Truffle Risotto. 4.5÷5
Beautiful rich, mushroom crème, with small pieces of asparagus and green peas, a delight!
Fig Kataiv: ⁵⁄₅
wow!!! just like Baklava! pistachios and mascarpone cheese in the center of it all creates a smooth, yet sweet and savory experience tucked into the crispy kataiv pastry.
Overall this place is great! the staff is extrememly polite, and even my server provided me a sample wine to compliment my appetizer even though I already had a glass of vino in hand. They provided us a lot of extensive culinary knowledge about their menu, and various food events they host. Great experience and i will definitely be back pronto!

It was another girls night out and this couldn’t have been a more perfect venue. Intimate, spacious and almost spa-​like is how I would describe the interior of Mideastro.
I am totally a booth girl and this restaurant has plenty of it. First star! They were very comfortable and spacious.
When I opened the menu, I thought it was my crazy eyes playing tricks on me, but the pages light up! What a thoughtful gesture as how many times have people complained they can’t read the menu because it’s too dark… Second star just for that!
The food is simple, but very good. I ordered the Israeli Salad which basically is diced tomatoes and cucumbers with a sprinkling of cheese chunks, but was it oh so good. The combination and light sauce just made it the perfect appetizer. For mains, I had the Tagine which came in a mini Tagine pot. I thought the accompanying dish was more the highlight (the Israeli Couscous). Delectable, light, mini-​pearls that had just the right bite — that with the sauce in the tagine was so yummy. I would rather have that as a main dish! (My tagine featured Red Grouper and it was okay — I was expecting something softer, like melt-​in-​your-​mouth pieces of fish, but I am thinking the fish had to be firm in order to hold up in the dish).
My two other girlfriends had the Spring Risotto which looked small, but the portion was actually very big.
All three of us were so stuffed, we didn’t get to try their dessert (one of the dishes, the fig, was recently featured in Toronto Life).
Overall, great restaurant and I would definitely come back. Service was super, super. We even got free dessert wines on the house at the end, which was a very lovely gesture (by the owner? Thanks by the way!) The entire evening was perfect and I couldn’t ask for anything more.
They have a great cocktail list (some with Middle Eastern ingredients such as Rose syrup). I had a chance to try a glass of Shiraz from Isreal which was super delish. I loved it so much that I ordered a second 8oz glass…
If you get a chance to come here, I would highly recommend it. There are two locations uptown, and my friend said that it was such a different atmosphere: more family oriented and chaotic. The menu is also very different, and far more extensive. But I am sure the food would equally be good.

Mideastro Two: Lime, Jalapeño, Aperol, Soda, Sparkling Red Wine
At the celebratory anniversary dinner, a bunch of lucky media and VIPs were treated to a round of hors d’oeuvres and a fabulous tasting menu. Here’s an overview of what we had:
Tuna, Halibut & Seabass Kabob with Guacamole, Tzatziki and Endive
A little hard to be lady like with this one, but the fish was pretty moist and tasty so I didn’t mind diving in.
Foie Gras with Lemon, Chili and Halvuh on Pecan Pastry
I enjoyed the balance in textures between the buttery foie and the crispy pastry.
Beef Carpaccio with Parmesan and Arugula Pesto
My favourite bite of the day, this here was packed with savoury salty Mediterranean flavours. Addictive.
Asparagus and Pea Risotto
A stunning green hue and a nicely cooked risotto. More please.
Appetizer Trio
Persian Grape Leaves (Stuffed with Dried Mint Rice, Tenderloin, Tomato Hearts, Lemon, Mint, Pine Sap on Lebanese Sumac Tahina and Red and White Quinoa Tabule)
Duck Confit Pastilla (Coconut Cream Mash, Date Honey, Sesame Paste, Pomegranate Reduction, Pistachios)
Shrimp Falafel (Tzatziki Feta, Pickled Vegetable Tartate, Hummus Masabaha, Aji Panka, Herb Tahina)
Hard to pick a favourite, but I loved the duck pastilla. I remember having a very similar dish in a Moroccan restaurant in Jerusalem and I loved the combination of savoury and sweet. Imagine a baklava but with meat. Awesome.
Mains Trio
Halibut (Whipped Fennel Cream, Quinoa Tabule, Spanish Almonds, Sweet Arisa, Lemon Pesto, Syrian Olives, Baby Artichokes, Oka, Lemon Raki)
Crispy Quail (Mung Bean Pods, Mango, Chili, Candied Garlic, Root Veg Tartare, Pineapple Reduction)
Miami Ribs (Ginger, Garlic, Mint, Date Honey, Orange Juice)
Yum, there is not many things more delicious than Miami ribs, especially when glazed with sticky sweet aromatic goodness.
Mini Nutella Parfait (Frozen Nutella Cream, Caramelized Banana, Crème Anglaise, Salted Pecan Brittle, Tuile)
My biggest complaint was that the portion was too small! The nutella cream was lusciously silky and when contrasted with the salty crunch of the brittle, I was in absolute #foodporn heaven.
Fig Kataiv (Crisp Kataiv Pastry Layered with Spiced Mascarpone, Figs and Pistachios)
Another amazing dessert– it’s actually hard for me to pick which I preferred. Here, the crispy light pastry caught a generous serving of honey like a web, while the layer of creamy mascarpone helped balance its sweetness.
I am so glad I gave Mideastro Yorkville a well deserved second chance where I got a better glimpse into why its so well liked. Mideastro Yorkville is located at 27 Yorkville Avenue (between Bay and Yonge Streets) and is open Sunday to Thursday 5:00pm — 10:00pm and Friday and Saturday 5:00pm — 11:00pm. Check them out here or follow them on Twitter @MideastroTO.

I had dinner at Mideastro tonight. WOW. I am thoroughly impressed. The service was prompt and friendly, the décor was attractive — nothing over the top, nothing offensive. but THE FOOD…
WOW.
My boyfriend and I shared: the fish kabob appetizer which was served on endive lettuce with yogurt and dill sauce and several other flavour enhancing sauces. I really enjoyed this dish.
I had: The lamb duo. OMG, it was heavenly! A perfect blend of sweet and savoury, with tender succulent lamb, caramelized beets, pureed jerusalem artichoke — simply divine! A 5 star dish
He had: the beef tenderloin — I had a bite. it was cooked to perfection!
Dessert: Fig Kataiv — YUM. This is unlike anything I’ve tasted. TRY IT.
Nutella parfait — I loved the salty nuts in this!
I had a glass of the Barolo with my meal. Perfection.
This was a truly unique dining experience. I’ll definitely be back.

I went there last night for dinner and it was fabulous. The restaurant itself has a nice upscale décor with light up menus… yes I said light up menus. The wine list had one of my hard to find favs so that alone is worth 1*. The dips that they bring with the house made bread were amazing.
Food
Burrata salad– ⁵⁄₅
bison carpaccio– ⁶⁄₅ totally not what I was expecting
tagine– ⁴⁄₅ the spicy yogurt on the side is yummy
rack of lamb– ⁵⁄₅

A restaurant that tastes different than anywhere else in downtown.
Tables sufficiently spaced apart you can have your own conversation.
Well worth the money at something under $ 300 for two.