Toque has been on my dining checklist for the longest time, since high school. Can you believe that? Why would a teenager even think of fine dining? I guess I am meant to be a foodie! I remembered I was touring Montreal for educational purpose, of course, and my geography teacher talked about Toque as some prestigious place to dine, one you cannot wear normal clothes – they have to be fancy. Ever since then, I promised myself that once I become successful, I would go buy a fancy dress and dine there with my friends. I am now the definition of success according to my teenage self.

Toque has by far the best service. Every detail is looked after. The staff makes you feel special, like a VIP. I did not feel out of place.

My friends and I went there for their Menu Jeunesse, a tasting menu at a discounted price with 3 glasses of wine. It is a fantastic deal. This event goes until April and only applies for 30 years old and under. I know, it is a bit ageist but the event encourages young people to experience a fine dining experience at Toque that they usually would not consider.

The tasting menu is a 5 course service with 2 treats at the beginning and the end of the meal. I cannot go through every detail of each service because I do not have the best memory recalling what the staff has described. Preview of the menu is unavailable and each course comes in as a surprise (mostly).

The first 3 dishes (2nd service has a choice between fish or foie gras, only fish pictured) were savoury. But I think they were quite disappointing. No explosive flavor, just mediocre. I was expecting a creative culinary show case. The cooking was exquisite but lack of oomph. The same quality can be found easily at other good Montreal French restaurant at a much affordable price.

The final 2 dishes (4th service has a choice between salty or sweet, they would describe it as “worked cheese” and “before dessert”) were the highlight of the evening. I was marvelled. They did not look like much, but the play on texture was phenomenal. This was exactly what I was seeking.

Is Toque worth it? It is not a straight answer. It is in between the lines of yes and no. It would depend on what you are looking after. Did I regret it? No. Is it an unforgettable experience? Not really. It is somewhere I would recommend out of the thousand restaurants at our disposal? No. Should I skip it? Not really either. That’s exactly my feelings about Toque.

Zuuchini