All the best tables in all the best restaurants are already booked, so don’t bother. That little number in Scaramouche with the perfect view of the city skyline? Gone. The corner table in Auberge? History. Colborne Lane? Now that’s just silly.
You’d be hard pressed to find a decent table at a popular fine dining establishment this weekend, period, unless you enjoy eating dinner after 10 p.m. It is, after all, Valentine’s Day.
There has been plenty of notice on this one, so excuses will not be tolerated. Fear not procrastinators, there is still hope. Here are some simple tricks of the trade that might be off the radar of the average Torontonian.
Just opened: There are restaurants opening in Toronto every week. In the last few weeks a treasure trove of potentially romantic tables have come online for those willing to do a little leg work.
Here are just a few: Paese opened on King Street West, Jamie Kennedy’s Gilead Cafe has been serving dinner for two weeks, Salt Wine Bar (416-533-7258) in Yorkville is new, Globe Earth on Yonge in Rosedale has been opened a month, and the list goes on.
No reservations: Some very cool, and romantic eateries don’t take reservations, even for Valentine’s Day! Crazy as that seems, and as annoying as it can be any other time of the year, this is a real bonus for the late-planning set. For instance, Gio Rana’s Really, Really Nice Restaurant out in Leslieville is fair game, as is Seven Numbers on Eglinton (no reservation policy on Fridays and Saturdays).
Another fine possibility is Foxley on Ossington Avenue. It is a fair bet that the locals might shy away over the weekend, so now might be your chance. If it doesn’t work out, look around, Pizzeria Libretto is close by, also a no-reservations policy.
Beat the rush: Okay, it might not work, but one option could be to dream up an excuse to make Friday night your own, personal Valentine’s Day. One suggestion: invent a romantic scenario for the actual day, Sunday, that involves some sort of stay-at-home pursuit. Surely, one could think of something to do indoors on such an occasion. Heading out to dinner on a Friday evening opens up most restaurants in your favour. Auberge du Pommier: Back in play at publishing time. Take your pick, you’ll have better luck.
Gourmet to go: Know your significant other’s favourite meal at her dream restaurant? Booked right? The next best thing might be to order a gourmet feast to take home, set a beautiful table, dim the lights, put a log in the fireplace and the magic will happen. And without the ridiculous wine markup to boot. Scaramouche, for instance, offers takeout, which includes their legendary coconut cream pie. Same for many top restaurants. One caveat: consider timing.
Go old school: Restaurants that have been around for years, are sometimes forgotten when special occasions roll around. But, in times of desperation, a good stand-by is likely the best option. Take Romagna Mia, for example, a classic Italian restaurant. It has romance, it has delicious food, and a cute St. Lawrence Market location for post-risotto strolling. And, yes, they still had room late in the game. But there are many others that fit into this category: Biff’s, Prego Della Piazza, for example. Both very romantic, and both with room for romance, though not likely for long.