.2634	Luce		Complete list
emember the hubub over Rain when it opened a few years ago? Anybody and everybody wanted to be there, whether for dinner, cocktails or just to show their freshly scrubbed faces in the neo-modernist lounge space. The blush may have worn off that rose, as such happens when a venue that was created for Wow appeal grows thin. But this fickleness is the fault of the owners for training 'The Fabulous' crowd to treat Rain like a nightclub as opposed to the restaurant that it is. The Rubinos learned heavily from that casualty of war, and moved forward - very carefully - with the introduction of their latest darling, Luce. So carefully, in fact, that there was never as much as an introduction; It just opened. Luce was released so quietly the hotel guests had it to themselves for a while. After a year-long wait (the project suffered delays in a courtroom, ongoing design delays, implementation changes - as there was to be an adjoining Yellow Lounge) luce clearly has a good grasp of the boutique hotel strategy, should there be one. Quiet, dark and serious (there’s not a Phillipe Starck item in sight) the restaurant that covers much of the lobby-level of Hotel Le Germain describes itself as old school Italian. The menu offers small plates unimagined even in an Italian phrasebook - Carciofo, ‘Roman Style’? - but they work well, sometimes dramatically so. Small pasta offerings such as squares of sautéed ravioli gilded with pumpkin orange and with ‘espresso chestnut’ can make you feel as though you've wandered into an episode of "Made To Order." The oxtail tortellini is unexpected and creative, with nutmeg giving a new shell, but it's also skillful approach - light, plump and not oily. The aura extends to a half-dozen other, more predictable, pasta servings, from cannelloni and gnocchi. A skillful hand is behind an extensive range of sanctioned Italian dishes, from pungent pot stickers to a dish of glazed quail - crunchy and juicy with a thick fig reduction. Guinea fowl arrives hot and crusted with hints dates and lemon, with all the flavour from a pool of ice wine reduction. The boys have brought their beloved cod over to Luce, in the offering of ‘Cod Three Ways,’ baccalla croquetta, cacciatore and the third, poached in olive oil - albeit without the scalding rock. All in all, Luce has a dark woody atmosphere with a fresh take on hotel-lobby decor (llXlV Design) with a lot of unusual food to watch. Its most striking design element is the centre barrier which is the vessel for hundreds of candles, which add much warmth to the space. The place has aspirations for a late-evening identity, and the lounge area is tiny and kept away from the diners. Servers are engaging and enthusiastic and can tell you with some passion what you absolutely have to have. Luce is entertaining but never lets its imagination run away, and much of what it creates is impressive. A worthy addition to a very competitive local dining scene will cultivate fans from throughout the area... for the long term. - Aaron Jacobs Review this Place Reader Reviews Word of mouth can a very dangerous wouldn't go back. Lois Line, Toronto, December 2, 2004 Arrived at 7:30pm...Ordered the 'tasting menu', but the time between servings was extremely slow....50 minutes for the last entree and now it was 11:00pm and we didn't even have dessert yet. Had to complain twice to get a nominal discount...wouldn't go back. sharon, toronto ontario November 19, 2004 $800 later for 4 people...the service was awful. Our server was very rude...The food and presentation was OK ...you can not compare it to "Rain " at all ....where I would give them 5 stars. I consider myself a foodie ...all of my friends are high paid professionals who enjoys going out on the town and consuming good wines and foods..Word of mouth can a very dangerous means of advertising.			Luce WHERE 30 Mercer St. (Hotel Le Germain) Toronto, ON PHONE 416 . 599 . 5823 AREA John & Mercer CUISINE Italian COST $$$$ HOURS Monday - Sunday 5:30 pm-10:30 pm PAYMENT INFO American Express MasterCard Visa