Skin+Bones

Wow — I cannot say a negative thing about this restaurant I had such an incredible experience.
I left tonight feeling inspired to get in the kitchen and attempt to create all the dishes I had tonight.
One of the best decisions my friend and I made tonight was choosing the Four Course Family Style Menu ($ 38 per person). WORTH EVERY PENNY.
3 Appetizers to start: Rapini Croquettes (soft and melted in your mouth), Roasted Beets (perfect blend of sweet with a hazelnut cream) and Charred Green Beans (these beans blew my mind)
2^nd Course house made gnocchi (really lovely mix of flavours, the basil and stracciatella were such wonderful touches)
3^rd Main course was the Bavette Steak with wild mushrooms and salsa verde. COOKED TO PERFECTION and just exploding with amazing flavours with every bite.
4^th Dessert the Sticky Toffee was just so moist and that chantilly cream was so good!
Clearly I sound crazy, with all the ALL CAPS and exclamation marks but really this is a standout meal for me and it was accompanied by excellent service and a lovely atmosphere. Would go back tomorrow, and the day after and the day after. But seriously I HAVE to try the brunch here!
So happy this place is in my neighbourhood :)

This is one of my traditions with my mom. We come here, I admire the waiters and we both salivate at the menu, and we have a delicious meal of exactly what our subconscious’ (subconcii?) wanted — crunchy, fresh and sinful simultaneously, fabulously prepared food.
It helps that she picks up the tab because it’s plus cher than I like to pay, but it is always an amazing meal that leaves us pleased, and more contented with the world.

Came here for my girlfriend’s birthday. The whole vibe of the place is really nice but there aren’t a ton of tables so you might want to make a reservation online.
All the staff were great and attentive and were always happy to explain menu items.
Now, what made this place special is how well they do simple food (I don’t mean easy but how much flavor is present with what seems like very few ingredients). My girlfriend had the gnocchi which was SO soft; like a freakin’ pillow. I had the steak and ordered a side of crispy potatoes with some kind of aoli and woo-​whee, it was amazing! So much flavor for a simple piece of meat. It came with sauteed mushrooms and salsa Verde, which just put everything over the edge… I’m not usually impressed by most steaks I get in a restaurant but my girl was jealous of my dish and I think I’ll have the exact same thing when I come back.
The other highlight of the night was the buck a shuck oyster deal. I’ve never tried oysters in my life but we were feeling like something new and I’ll definitely be coming back for them. The oysters were served with a shallot oil and fresh lemon to drizzle over them and they were damn delicious, which was a surprise as I’m a little picky with seafood. Try this place if your looking for a special night out, it won’t disappoint and the prices are very reasonable for the quality.

I came here over the weekend and had the 4 course family style dinner for two people, a very popular choice to order. The chef prepared us 6 spectacular dishes, which included:
Charred green beans — so good, but they could have relaxed on the sea salt and gave us a few more green beans.
Roasted beets with whipped mascarpone– loved this dish, very refreshing
Croquettes — nothing special
Pork steak with baby kale — the piece of meat was very fatty but it was nicely seasoned and juicy.
House made gnocchi — my fav of the night, the gnocchi taste like pillows, I wish they gave us more though.
Pumpkin sticky toffee cake — I didn’t really taste the pumpkin flavor, it tasted more like a regular sticky toffee pudding, BUT, it was delicious and not overly sweet.
Here comes the negative points — the portions are small and not really filling. I could have had a few extra apps or an extra dessert. The cost to order each item individually cost exactly the same as ordering the 4 course family style dinner, so there are no cost savings. Next time I would just order a la carte.

My partner and I tried couple of appetizers and we were blown away by all of the dishes. Can’t wait to be back and try their main courses
And so we went back for a proper dinner and the quality was consistent. For mains we had the pork and gnocchi which were both just mouth watering. We also had a repeat of the lengua and tried the croquets and the beans. All were hmmmm.
Service was very attentive… and crazy how it seems that they remembered us!

I was excited to try Skin + Bones again. I visited on a Wednesday evening with a special gentleman. We were in the mood for fun and decided on the chef’s menu. It didn’t disappoint. We shared a lovely bottle of an intelligent 2009 Grevey Pinot Noir. Chicken liver mousse with
fried dough, charred green beans, melt-​in-​your-​mouth
rapini croquettes, steamed mussels in an exquisitely light sauce. I could not eat the main course pork and when I raised it as an issue, the manager dealt with it with grace. Our waitress, Meghan, was funny and attentive. They accommodated my food allergies without making me feel high maintenance. Service was beautifully timed, friendly and exceptionally warm. We sat in the more intimate front section and it was a perfect place and pace for a mid-​week date. Even the lighting was great for its flattery factor. Thank you.

I loved every aspect of this restaurant — aside from its food. The concept, atmosphere and staff were wonderful, but the meal simply did not deliver.
My three dinner companions and I shared the family style meal at 38 dollars a pop. The first course was two small plates of flavoured green beans — simple, underwhelming, but we were still hopeful. The next round were a peanut tinged beet salad, which also small, was more flavourful but ultimately minimalist. The next dish of deep fried cheese balls were the most satisfying of the night — but with only 4 on a dish, we desired more. Lastly, the meal was rounded out with gnocchi and some steak. All of the food was passable, but not exciting, and, because the portions were small, we were left feeling a little ripped off. Two of us had to buy snacks AFTER the meal to satiate ourselves.
It pains me to write this because the staff were so lovely but the food just didn’t represent.

We stumbled upon this restaurant after unsuccessfully trying to get a table at both Bonjour Brioche and Lady Marmalade (even though we still ended up waiting over 20 minutes for a table to free up for us). Well, it is what it is and it’s expected that’s why it’s call brunch and not a quickie (for all those who complain about brunch service at restaurants being slow: P)
Anyhow, let’s get down to business. This place is downright delicious! The flavours are a creative mix of the modern and classic cuisine. You will find your classics like eggs benedict, hash, pancakes. etc But they are all paired with new age twists; such as corn hash with duck confit for example. The flavours are just harmonious.
Food aside, I have to give huge shoutout to their coffee. Great coffee from Pilot Roasters! As a self proclaimed caffeine connoisseur, I really appreciate establishments that pay attention to their drinks — after all, it is half your meal!
The atmosphere is cool and inviting with a rustic vibe. The service is attentive and polite.
The only quibble I have is the portion size in relation to their price. You don’t exactly get what you pay for but then again I think I have just been spoiled by so many other brunch places in the area with mammoth portions.
Definitely a worthy brunch place among the many elite brunch establishments in the area.

I absolutely love it here! My husband and I have been and ordered the chef’s menu which proved great on many levels: we are too tired to make decisions being one and second, the food was absolutely incredible.
They also were wonderful in helping me plan a moms night out with 13 women (an ever-​evolving number). We had an incredible feasting menu which proved to be insane value for money. We were absolutely stuffed by the time the mains came out as each course was delicious and we ate every morsel. Seriously — we scarfed down so much beef tartar that it was hard to fit in the whole fish and steak that came next (I may have finished off three of the plates because it is seriously so good) Service was fabulous and attentive. Great restaurant for a big group!

If you go here know the wine isn’t cheap but very nice and you MUST do the $ 35 blind menu
They basically just feed you
It’s great value, everything is fresh
You of course can tell them your allergies but probably easiest if you have none
It was supposed to be 3 courses but felt like much more! The appetizer course was broke down into many small plates of stuffed peppers, little sausages etc
The main was a hen or poultry on fresh peas in jus. It was awesome, I don’t even like peas but I liked theirs.
The dessert was lovely too.
You get full and happy without having to ask a million questions about the menu. No worrying what to order. Very cool. I’ve been several times, anywhere with prosecco or cava, I’m there.

We loved it so much the first time, we decided to bring the family this next time to celebrate his birthday. We had the feasting menu and boy was it a feast. Everything we had was so delicious and everyone was impressed. There were 7 of us and there was so much food that we had leftovers the next day.
Every review seems to rave about the food because it’s great. I would like to also point out how attentive the staff was during our time there. Someone out of our group is allergic to shellfish so she couldn’t have the oysters we ordered for the table, The team at S+B made a special appetizer just for her without our request. Another thing I remember was how we never felt rushed. There was a lot of food but the timing was just so we had enough time to digest, have a some drinks and chat before the next course arrived. And each time the servers arrived with food, the group got excited and were wowed by the dishes that were laid before us :))
Thank you Chef and Skin+Bones team for another memorable night.

I’m so happy to be the 100^th review!
I had such an amazing dinner Saturday night I returned for brunch the next morning with a new set of friends. No lie!
The food is incredible but so is the service.
Our water glass was never empty, our cutlery changed 3 times, we had table cleaning between each course and our server was so quite — it was like having a personal tidy ninja!
We had the following between 4 on Saturday for dinner.
APPS:
— Chicken Liver Mouse (AMAZING)
— Grilled Octopus (Simple & Delicious)
— Rapini Croquettes (Savoury and Scrumptious)
— Cheese plate (small, but delicious selections!)
ENTREE:
All were FANTASTIC!
— Pork Steak
— Cornish Hen
— Branzino
— Bavette Steak Medium Rare
DESSERT:
— Sticky Toffee Pudding is warm and a hearty fall desert — amazing
— Lemon Posset Was sort of like a fancy lemon yogurt — delicious!
Brunch the next AM was a totally different vibe — I had the peas on toast — which is likely the best version of eggs Benedict I’ve ever had.
The other girls had the classic eggs Benny with pastrami.
We all shared in mimosas which were poured generously :)

We went here for brunch based on some top ten lists and reviews I read and frankly because they took reservations. It was one of those weekends that I just didn’t feel like standing in line. Ends up we wouldn’t have needed a reservation anyway because there were a few tables available when we walked in.
First they have good coffee so they won me over immediately. They also were quickly on hand when refills were needed. We also ordered the pastry plate to share. I hesitated because I don’t eat that much pastry and it was only two of us. I did not regret the decision (although we did just take almost the whole thing home). I tried the buffalo yogurt granola for breakfast and was not super taken with it. My dining partner had the chicken and waffles, which he declared delicious (but perhaps a bit heavy on the 5-​spice powder). The side of bacon we ordered was fine. It was just bacon so you can’t go wrong, but somehow I thought they would have extra good bacon …
With so many brunch options in the city (or even in this neighborhood), it wouldn’t be my first choice but it is a good decent brunch.

Gnocchi to die for!!!
Omg. This was my first visit here to this relatively new restaurant. And boy, did it NOT disappoint.
They have an extensive wine list with a great diversity. I had a cab sauv 2009 Napa valley wine that was perfectly balanced and a bit earthy. Just delightful!
The star of the night was gnocchi entrée. I forgot the details but just know it’s damn good!!! The best gnocchi I’ve ever had to be honest.
Also tried the sticky toffee pudding. Was alright, a bit too sweet for me but I think that’s how toffee pudding is supposed to be so I can’t complain.
I definitely suggest you visit Skin and Bones.

Great restaurant with some outstanding dishes and other very good dishes. It’s pretty trendy inside without being scene-​y. It’s at the end of the stretch of Queen East that’s lined with restaurants and bars… so it avoids being overcrowded.
As you can imagine from the name, the place is stripped down but stylish. Rustic, industrial, dressed in neutrals and candlelight. The front dining room is quite small with a few windowside tables. The bar connects the restaurant to the rear dining room, and is quite long and very romantic-​appearing. In the summer, the front dining room is quite preferable because the breeze and light are inspiring, but in the winter I can imagine the darker and more cozy dining area in the back (away from the door!) being more appealing. I’d go here just to sit at the bar. The collection of spirits and wine were impressively showcased in a beautiful wooden display shelf.
We went with the chef’s tasting menu for $ 38 pp, which is kind of fun on one hand, but maybe not on the other hand if there are certain things on the menu you definitely want. Everything is priced reasonably. The tasting started out with the croquettes and kale + smoked salmon salad. Both were phenomenal. The croquettes could have used a tad more flavor, but the salad was remarkable. The amount of flavor that was infused into each bite of kale blew me away; slightly tart and also salty. Perfectly complemented the salmon. The charred green beans were next, and they probably were the highlight of the meal for me. The beans were done to perfection, with some sea salt and a small amount of smoky char on the surface. They lay on top of a romesco sauce that puzzled me with its deliciousness. Typically made from red tomatoes, Romesco has never been on my radar as a fave, but this purée was different: roasted green tomatoes, olive oil, almonds and bread crumbs were combined into a a thick sauce that was just bursting with flavor. I couldn’t get over it! Definitely order this! Our next dish was the pork and ricotta meatballs. They were good. I wasn’t ready to wet my pants over them like the green beans, though. The biggest letdown was the main dish — the cornish hen with serrano peppers, chorizo and corn. The chorizo and corn mix was AWESOME. The cornish hens, meh. Kind of bland themselves. I wish they’d offered us two entrees for the Chef’s tasting instead of one. Dessert was sticky toffee pudding.
In all, this restaurant excels on many levels. I was excited by how unique some of the flavors were. The atmosphere hit my «date night» ideal on the head: casual, stylish, relaxed and full of air + light. The service was the best I’ve had in a long time. With a little tweaking, this place could be really awesome. Looking to go back!

One of the most satisfying casual restaurant experiences we’ve had in the city.
A truly perfect combination of food and wine. Ashley, our sommelier, suggested a fantastic Bordeaux bottle that we hadn’t heard of. In order to allow us to compare a few options, she prepared blind tastings that allowed us to hone our selection to something perfect. It didn’t hurt that the price point ended up being awesome.
Everything that we ordered was superb. It’s not a word I use lightly. We expected very little, and were totally blown away.
This was 5-​star service and excellent unexpected takes on modern cuisine. Amongst the dishes we particularly enjoyed were the Pork Steak and the Zucchini Salad.
The unstuffy atmosphere and chill ambiance really helped make for an excellent evening in the neighbourhood.

Delicious!!! I am soooo happy on a cold Saturday night, in desperate need of food and far from home… I did a quick Unilocal search and for this place. I’ve come across it before but didn’t think much to try it… But tonight it was like faith.
We got a table by the window. The setting is intimate but the atmosphere is very casual and full of locals. It was a really comfortable and the wait staff was friendly and helpful when we asked for directions for something.
The food… We started with the prosciutto croquette which was like dangggg… I wish we got two orders as i was hoping Dave wouldn’t like it. Dave had the Cornish hen. It had like a citrus glaze to it, it was moist and crispy skin which equals delicious. I had the gnocchi, it was different from what I’m used to. This was light and fluffy. Usually the gnocchi I’ve had is dense and fills you up. This wasn’t a heavy dish and I finished it in no time. It was lightly sauced and had mushrooms and rapini. Very tasty dish.
It was a great eating experience. I wish I got to look around at the space some more. The bar was cool and the back of the restaurant had bookshelves. Will be back to tell you more about it :)
Looking forward to try the brunch menu!

Just had the most perfect evening at this restaurant and had to come home and immediately review which my happy-​glow was still there :)
1) So easy to make reservations online. Love that.
2) They called to confirm my reservation the day before. Love that.
3) When I got there (15 minutes early), they let me choose from 4 great table options. Love that.
4) They treated me with respect and patience while I waited for my two guests. Love that.
5) They humoured us while we took thirty minutes to pick a drink option. When we were finally ready for to pick, we needed some help, and their advice was spot on and helpful. Love that.
6) The ambiance of the room was great — a gentle hum, lots of space between tables, comfortable chairs, correct temperature, and clean+nice bathrooms. Love… well, okay, you get the idea.
7) Maple bourbon sour drink was AMAZING! Smiles all around.
7.5) I had a gift card and I asked them to check how much was on it. The waitress came back to the table and discreetly whispered to me the amount. I love when servers are clearly seasoned and ‘get it’. Thank you.
8) We opted for the «chef feeds you» mystery meal. $ 38 per person. I told my friends I thought it was about 4 courses… I was very wrong. They treated us like princesses. We had course after course of delicious, well thought out, perfect dishes. Highlights for me were the pork steaks (OMG), the pumpkin ice cream, the peppers, the… who am I kidding. There were no real misses. The value of this meal was off the charts. This was a $ 75 meal easily, for $ 38 a head.
9) I was there for FOUR HOURS. They pace the courses so you have a real, true, fun evening with your friends. They never rushed us. They wanted to make it a «night out», and they did.
10) I live downtown. I came all the way East (for me, quite east!) for this evening. They went above and beyond, for no reason other than being true hosts. Because of these ten reasons, I would go out of my way to be back. Thank you so much Skin + Bones! I hope you read Unilocal reviews so you know how great you are!

This review of Skin+Bones is based on my brunch experience.
Poached eggs over French lentils and mushrooms — Good
Fried Chicken — meh I found the batter a little too heavy for my liking but the side potato salad was really good!
Ploughman’s buffet did look good! And for a few dollar extra on top of the main, great option if you are a bigger eater.
Service here was excellent and attentive. I just wish I enjoyed the food a little more.
Maybe I need to come back for dinner and give Skin+Bones another try. The «Let Us Feed You» does sounds good! And of course Sunday Oysters ($ 1) and Drink Special!

I contacted Lisa Clarke by e-​mail about my interest in booking a reservation and she quickly got back to me. This was an awesome first start because I am really not a fan of the telephone (once upon a time I used to work as a clinical counselor and I had to speak to clients on the phone – had enough phone interaction to last me a life time!) Lisa stated that for groups of 8 or more we had to go with their Brunch Feasting Menu. Further, all the menu items were going to be served on boards and platters, shared by the whole table. The menu would cost $ 25/​adult plus $ 3 if we wanted to add the Ploughman’s Buffet.
So how was it?
Phenomenal! I was worried that there would not be enough food. Yes, I know that the Ploughman’s Buffet was all-​you-​can-​eat, but from the pictures I had seen online, it did not seem like there were a lot of options. Wrong!
Here is the breakdown of the awesomeness (ok, cheesy – but it was awesome!):
The service was impeccable. They never let our coffee or water reach the 25% mark. They were always on point refilling our drinks. I forgot how nice it feels to not have to chase staff down for more coffee or water.
Our table did not lack food. They did not want any of us to get up and walk over to the buffet table (which at first annoyed me to be honest), but they made sure they brought it all to us in platters to pass around among us. The staff would come around and ask, «is there anything else you would like me to get for you? Would you like more cold cuts? I see you are low on cheddar, would you like some more?»
We were not rushed. I thought we would have a limited time with the buffet before we got our hot dishes, but no, they let us lead and choose the pace. So we did what most people want to do when they are having brunch on a Sunday afternoon – have a chill leisurely experience with friends while enjoying good food. In this case, an array of delicious food options.
The food options seemed endless. Specially when you discovered that certain cheeses went great with certain jams. I am certain I annoyed my guests with all my experimentation, but seriously, after I shoved some of my experiments in their mouths, they agreed! It was good!
Before the mains came out, the staff asked what they could take away. This was huge for me because I hate when we are still eating, and plates are removed without permission or inquiry. This happens a lot when it is all-​you-​can-​eat. Not here. I got to hold on to some cheese and the bread pudding – aww that sinfully good bread pudding (I took a piece home with me. Shhh don’t tell anyone).
Holy mother of God! The mains! They weren’t kidding when they called it a FEAST! We did not know where to put the platters! We had to make «Tetris-​like» moves to make it all fit.
Fried chicken: moist, tender, well-​balanced spices, crispy exterior, a little too fatty in some parts, but then that is what some of my guests loved about it. Overall, it was pretty damn good.
Potato salad: not many people had it because it was under the chicken, which was great for me because I took it home as left-​overs and I just ate it for dinner. It was delicious. I specially liked the dill.
Pancakes: Lisa was not kidding when she said that they make some of the best pancakes in Toronto. The pancakes were served with Chantilly cream, strawberries and butter. Heavenly.
Pulled Porchetta eggs Benny: someone remarked on how perfect the Hollandaise sauce was. The only flaw was that I thought the pork needed a little bit more seasoning.
Bacon: someone stated that it was the best bacon they have ever had. Hard to disagree.
Crispy potatoes: I ate a whole bowl (there were several thank God!). No joke. Crispy exterior with a fluffy interior and homemade ketchup. Oh yeah, I devoured them.
Dropping one star because…
ADDENDUM: Returned to Skin+Bones for brunch, but this time we did not do the feast, but instead we ordered from the menu. This is how the experience differed…
1. Your meal does not come with a side.
2. The Ploughman’s buffet will change for every brunch. I was really looking forward to the bread pudding which they had the last time I was there, and this time it was not available.
3. In less than two weeks they changed the price from $ 3 to $ 5. However, if you do not add the Ploughman’s buffet, I really doubt that you will get full on just the main.
BREAKDOWN:
$ 12 FOR PANCAKES (ONE OF 2 CHEAPEST ITEMS ON THEIR MENU)
$ 6 FOR POTATOES
$ 3 FOR COFFEE
$ 5 FOR THE PLOUGHMAN’S BUFFET
_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​
$ 26 BEFORE TAXES AND TIP (SUBTOTAL)
$ 33.28 WITH TAX AND TIP (IF YOU WERE TIPPING 15%)
The food is still awesome, but just keep the differences in mind. :)