92: Tati Bistro, Toronto

Sweet, somewhat romantic, and not outrageously expensive, Kensington Kitchen was always a little hidden gem. With KK now gone (RIP), the rickety space on Harbord Street now houses yet another semi-secret jewel. Retaining most of KK's attributes, Tati Bistro is more of an update than an overhaul. French and fabulous, the fare includes the Filet Mignon (the most expensive item on the menu at $32), accompanied by a zesty béarnaise sauce, a generous pile of frites (as we had requested), and a side of grilled vegetables (the kitchen's favourite finishing touch). Teatro diners will remember that Chef Laurent Brion likes to add vegetables to anything and everything: not just a mere garnish, but a generous mix of green beans with roasted garlic, grilled zucchini, and crisp (yet cooked) carrots. Enjoy. -D.E. 124 Harbord Street, Toronto, ON. 416-962-8284
101 Essential Restaurants: Complete Guide

91: Capo, Calgary

“Capo” is a very interesting name for Giuseppe di Gennaro’s restaurant. On the one hand, “Capo” could be referring to the way Gennaro’s cuisine takes it to the next level like the capo brings the tune of a guitar up to a higher key. On the other hand, “Capo,” which is also a word for mob boss, could be a hint to the way Gennaro runs his kitchen. Or perhaps it is a clever double entendre. Whatever his secret is, guests never leave Capo unsatisfied. On an average weekday evening the space is packed wall to wall with young trading-up types grazing on Cal's gustatory riches. J.T. #4, 1420 9 Avenue SE, Calgary, Alberta. 403-264-2276
101 Essential Restaurants: Complete Guide

90: Shore Club, Vancouver

Overseen by steakhouse mogul, David Aisenstat, the Shore Club's executive chefs, Armand Savet and Jay Perera, certainly know their way around the kitchen. All of the prime beef comes from Alberta and ranges from a $36 filet mignon to a $50 porterhouse. Sides are not included in the price, but items such as creamed corn, fries, onion rings and mushrooms can be purchased for between $7 to $11. It's a pricey affair but it has the right ingredients to stand out from the rest of steakhouses littered throughout the city. Oh, and it's near the shore (did I mention that?). – L.D. 688 Dunsmuir Street, Vancouver, BC. 604-899-4400
101 Essential Restaurants: Complete Guide

89: Splendido, Toronto

Splendido is a tried-and-true Toronto favourite. Chef de Cuisine David Lee keeps his guests returning year after year by constantly updating the menu to encompass the latest and greatest in modern cuisine the world over. The main plates centre on gourmet game and seafood selections like caribou, lobster, rabbit saddle, and boneless lamb shank. There are plethoric reasons why Splendido has captured the limelight of Toronto’s culinary world so, if you haven't yet made it out to the Harbord resto, now is as good a time as any. –J.T. 88 Harbord Street, Toronto, ON. 416-929-7788
101 Essential Restaurants: Complete Guide

88: Spice Room and Chutney Bar, Toronto

The Spice Room, in every aspect, is really about Greg Couillard. By repeatedly challenging his skills and never exhausting his curiosity, the chef - in a somewhat negligible way - has influenced the way other professionals cook more dramatically. If nothing else, this chef is certainly being watched. In his fiery quest, Couillard has come up with a menu that is surprisingly small, with six appetizers and four mains, with flavours that are fueled by high-octane spices and sauces that have a larger role than mere accents. Those who aren’t into very spicy food need not apply: the spicy cuisine isn’t for Tums-poppers. –B.J. 55 Hazelton Lanes, Toronto, ON. 416-935-0000
101 Essential Restaurants: Complete Guide

87: Sanafir, Vancouver

Sanafir Restaurant and Lounge is an exercise in opulence. Its forty-foot ceilings are scattered with chandeliers that overhang the chic collection of silk-upholstered beds and harem-style draperies that lie amongst the dining tables. And the food is no less impressive. With items like Seared Coho Salmon Medallion wrapped in smoked bacon and sitting upon a mound of monad lentils and candied carrot, you may have to make use of one of the extravagant beds to digest before you head home. This exotic spot draws its inspiration from Arabia, Egypt and the West, staying true to Vancouver’s tendency to make everything a combination of Eastern and West cultural values. But the trend has retained popularity because it works and Sanafir is no exception. –J.T. 1026 Granville Street, Vancouver, BC. 604-678-1049
101 Essential Restaurants: Complete Guide

86: Chez Victor, Toronto

The darkness is what greets you first. Walk into Chez Victor in the Hôtel Le Germain and a quiet shade of black envelopes you - it would suggest an old-school steak house, were the decor not so slick. Chez Victor brings in Chef David Chrystian at the helm, doling out his French-Canadian cuisine with the occasional dose of home-spun fusion. Harmony is key to Chrystian’s plates, which gravitate toward French cooking traditions. Earthy, robust flavours are staples of French cooking, but Chrystian seems right at home with lightness and subtlety. His menu offers a few beef options in different iterations. The French frou-frou attitude is brushed aside, with flavourful dishes speaking for themselves. –S.B. 30 Mercer Street, (Hôtel Le Germain), Toronto, ON. 416-883-3431
101 Essential Restaurants: Complete Guide

85: So.cial at Le Magasin, Vancouver

This bar and grill with hipster undertones is more like an oyster bar/charcuterie/butcher shop. If you’re confused (or intrigued), read on. Chef Sean Cousins butchers his own meat, creating delectable dishes that are not only flavourful, but are also fresh. The fish, filleted by the chef, includes the maple-seared salmon with glazed baby beats. If this is causing you to drool, I’ll only make it worse. The air-dried beef served with bordelaise sauce is borderline perfect. A lot of the fare is organic so, for all you health-freaks, this is your ideal resto. The polished and blindly shiny ceiling features pressed-tin, creating an exotic and glam look. Mosaic-tiled floors, plush red chairs, and glass chandeliers are perfect for creating that ritzy dining experience usually reserved for celebrities (i.e. not you). Finally, you can be treated like royalty; just don’t take it too far and ask to take the back exit out. The paparazzi you’re hiding from are in your mind. –S.B. 332 Water Street, Vancouver, BC. 604-669-4488.
101 Essential Restaurants: Complete Guide

84: Senses, Toronto

Senses was built with the intention of pampering loyal and well-heeled patrons with a reasonably priced menu. The owners are clearly more concerned with long-term relationships than short-term profitability. Henry Wu owns the Senses chain, but the key figure here is Chef Patrick Lin who reinvented his predecessor's menu to create a sense-ual (sorry) experience. It’s the place to eat before every performance at Roy Thompson Hall and not a bad choice for post-performance cocktails service either. – J.R. 328 Wellington Street West, Toronto, ON. 416-935-0400
101 Essential Restaurants: Complete Guide

83: Salt Tasting Room, Vancouver

Tucked away in Blood Alley, the Salt Tasting Room has garnered a level of hype that is unknown to basement joints without kitchens; but I dare say the spot deserves everything it gets. General Manager and big man on campus, Kurtis Kolt, has crafted an excellent machine of a menu that requires little preparation and packs a lot of taste. The select wine list features ten reds, ten whites, and ten sherries that are sold by the glass, bottle, or flight of three which is accompanied by the appropriate cheeses. The food menu consists of a varying selection of charcuterie that is listed on the menu board daily. Customer’s get their pick of a meat, a cheese and a condiment for $15, the contents of which sometimes include Piccadilly Relish, Wild Boar Chorizo, and thin slices of English Procuitto. The cement floors, brick walls and hefty wooden seating arrangements evoke the feeling of a real meat-curing plant; the kind this hidden gem is named after. –J.T. 45 Blood Alley, Gastown, Vancouver, BC. 604-633-1912
101 Essential Restaurants: Complete Guide