ith a royal reputation on the line, Epic aims to serves diners meals of - well – epic proportions. Situated in a hotel that has hosted English and Hollywood royalty, the plush décor and lavish accents exude wealth and reflect the cosmopolitan lifestyle many guests lead.

Executing each dish with military precision (thanks to a brief stint as a Corporal in the French military), Chef de Cuisine Jean-Charles Dupoire commands the kitchen with authority and consistently demands perfection. After a literally epic lifestyle of traveling the French Polynesian Islands and working in the exotic vacation destination of the Virgin Islands, Chef Dupoire’s inventive menu is directly inspired from these forays in the culinary world. Dishes such as the Vanilla Roasted Ostrich Loin and Lobster Tortellini with a Roasted Yam Puree, Morel Mushrooms Fricassee and Marjoram Jus challenge the taste buds of cosmopolitan travelers that wander the halls of the Royal York relic.

Despite his penchant for the unusual, the menu also reflects many dishes integral to Canadian culture. Much like how Toronto is a multi-cultural city full of Canadians that descend from around the world, this menu reflects the merge of native ingredients with worldly techniques. The Canuck East Coast Crab Cake is accompanied with a tangy cilantro and mango salad (we sure don’t grow those in Canada but moving on…) and the supremely tender Cumin-Pinenut Crusted rack of Ontario Lamb is flavoured with delicious Medjool Dates, Kalamata Black Olives, and a Fig-Balsamic Jus. Finish off dinner with something sweet like the Ontario Maple and Coffee Crème Brulee and you’ll never doubt why royalty can’t stay away from Epic. - E.J.