I am a huge fan of the Chantecler lunch, but unfortunately it is not available during the winter, so I have to figure out how to survive without it until they bring it back. Lucky for me they serve one of my favorite lunch items for dinner. Thank God that my beloved fish lettuce wrap is also on their dinner menu. After hyping this restaurant up for months, I decided to show my friends why I think Chantecler is so awesome.

Besides the fish lettuce wrap, these are other reasons why I ♥ them….

• They take online reservations
• Every dish except for one is under $12 (Lettuce Meal is $21)
• The food sounds deceptively simple, but the flavors pop in your mouth – delish!
• The ambiance is hip, but not snobby
• The staff is professional and efficient – I specially love management
• They are incredibly accommodating. Although the space is not massive, they offered to accommodate myself and 11 guests
• They remember your name! I would like to believe that they remember my name not because I can be a pest.
• The food is so damn delicious! I always order a couple of the fish wraps, and I made all my friends do so as well, and I could hear them all moaning in sheer satisfaction when they took their first bite. I am not kidding! The freshness of the lettuce and radish, the creaminess of the mayo, the kick of the tartar sauce, and perfectly cooked fish makes this dish a must try at least once in your life. Though I promise you that once you take your first bite, you will come back for more!
• The calamari is tender, juicy and packed with flavor! I shared a couple of pieces with a few friends, and they regretted not having ordered a plate for themselves. They were cooked to perfection.
• Those that ordered the lettuce meal could not stop talking about how perfectly cooked the braised beef was. Several people proclaimed that it literally melted in your mouth, and that they had never eaten braised beef cooked so perfectly before. Needless to say, if we could have ordered everything from the menu, we would have – and probably will at our next visit.

In sum…

Chantecler is one of those special restaurants that when people ask me what my top five restaurants in Toronto are, without hesitation I name Chantecler as one them. As a food blogger and regular restaurant diner that has traveled around the world trying some amazing dishes, it is comforting to know the select restaurants in my city that without a doubt put a smile on my face.

Now go and make a reservation to Chantecler! You can thank me later! 🙂