Address: 33 Yonge Street
Type of Meal: Lunch and Dinner
Too often the
restaurants in the heart of Toronto’s Financial District (Yonge to University
and Wellington to Adelaide) are somewhat expensive so visits generally only
involve drinks unless expense accounts are available. Houston Avenue Bar and Grill
defies this stereotype by offering reasonably priced mains despite its location
and “trendy” environment.
On a recent
visit, I tried the half-rack of ribs ($16) which were the expected
fall-of-the-bone tender and well glazed with BBQ sauce. Indeed, it wasn’t smoked beforehand (on
account on the missing smoke ring and barque), but it was decent quality and
quite a substantial portion for a half rack. The coleslaw was vinegar based
like I enjoy but still a bit too heavy on the sugar for my taste. The shoe string fries, although not
house-made, were satisfying arriving hot, crispy and well-seasoned.
Previously, I
visited during lunch where they have a 2-course special, the steak frites ($21)
I ordered included a salad to start. For
the price, I was pleasantly surprised with the quality; it was tender, cooked
well and a good portion. A red wine
sauce added some flavour and the fries were the same as what accompanied the
ribs.
My suggestion
if you do visit is to stick with beef – think steak and ribs. My co-worker ordered the chili lime glazed
chicken ($19) and it was dry and overcooked. Additionally, despite asking if
the chicken was breaded and being told no that it was only lightly “dusted”
with flour; the poultry arrived with a pretty thick coating. I recall the flavour was decent – hint of
spicy, ginger and citrus and wouldn’t have been so horrible if it weren’t so
tough.
Unlike some
restaurants, I’ve found Houston is usually accommodating with large group
reservations and last minute changes. If
you’re visiting on a Thursday or Friday after 4pm, service can be slow as they
tend to be a popular after-work drinks location. Overall, Houston isn’t the
most delicious restaurant, but is a reasonably priced choice if you’re looking
for somewhere to eat in the Financial District.
Overall mark - 7 out of 10
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Gastro World's Grading System
- Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
- 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
- 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
- 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
- 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
- 10 - absolute perfection!
