Batifole French Restaurant

[LvilleLocal]

Wow, wow, wow!! French cuisine is my all time favorite and this is currently where I go for reasonably priced french food and french wine. Both Quebec and European influences. The service really tops it all off. Seems to be the same two guys working the floor, and the younger one remembered our names and squeezed us in without a reservation on our second visit! Fall/winter menu is out....le cassoulet c'est fantastique!

[bigos70]

I live very close to Batifole and finally made it there last year - personally I don't know what all the fuss is about?? The frites with tarragon mayo were average, as were the mains - boyfriend had liver, I had some baked pork dish with gruyere. Service was great, but I would not rush back for the food at all. I wanted to love it and heard so many great things, but in this case it didn't live up for me.

[millygirl]

I have to agree bigos70. I think the bread and frites are very good and even some of the apps. But for me, the mains are just okay. Nothing really calls out to me and I've had the skate quite a few times. Just okay. I would love to see some changes to the menu and really really miss his crepes. For me, that was the highlight. In fact last time we went, we said no more. That we could get a much better meal at Pastis for almost the same cost, maybe a few bucks more but much better in terms of quality.

[rsvp7777]

Went with three friends the other night and have to disagree strongly about the mains.
The Sweetbreads (special of the day) were among the best I've had anywhere! The duck and the cassoulet were also ace. Only the steak was a bit gristlier than it ought to be.

Bit for service, price, food, attitude, it remains one of my fave places in this city. If ONLY the chairs were a bit more comfortable!!!!!!!!!

[JamieK]

+

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Batifole
744 Gerrard St E, Toronto, ON M4M1Y3, CA

[watt]

Can someone tell me the price range for mains?

[Mila]

Ridiculously cheap for what you get. Most mains are $16 and two are $24, the steak and the duck breast. Appetizers are $8. You can also order salad, fries with tarragon mayo and vegetables in bowls for the table which is more than enough for four persons.

I may be off by a dollar or so based on the rather copious quantities of wine we had last Friday. Great wine list with lots of interesting choices especially the black wines from Cahors.

[vorpal]

I was waiting for them to change the menu before going back (simply because I'd eaten the previous menu too often, and not because it wasn't good). Thanks for letting us know that that's happened! I can't wait to treat myself.

[kawarthagirl]

One of the best places for casual fun I've been to in a long while...

[Helen]

I thought the food was great when I went but I just couldn't tolerate the noise level.

[Full tummy]

My husband had the cassoulet when we were last there, and I had a few spoonfuls, too. It was very good. I had the flank steak with porcini mushrooms which was memorable, as well.

Oh, and the escargots. Never had them so yummy.

[Webdude]

Anything for the vegetarians in the crowd?

[LvilleLocal]

For a veggie that eats fish - lots of options, for those veggies that don't, I can't quite remember, I think there was a risotto and pasta option, at least one veg salad and soup. They are so great there, I am sure a special request for something to be done veggie would be honoured.

I suggest when you make your reservation, ask them to come up with something extra to choose from. (in fact try this anywhere, with a little notice this is not an unreasonable request!)

[embee]

I'm sure they would gladly accommodate, but this isn't a veg-centric kind of place.

[wordsworth]

Their cassoulet is abysmal and obscenely overpriced.

[pinstripeprincess]

agree, only utter disappointment i've had from the menu so far. it was dried out, mixed in with the meats at the end, poor portioning and rather expensive. the escargots are to die for and i'm trying to get them to tell me who makes their addictive baguettes!

[Full tummy]

Well, I have noted some variation in the dishes from night to night. Went one evening, think it was a Wednesday, with a friend. The lobster soup was deep red and very flavourful. The following Saturday evening, with my husband, the soup was a pale pink (much more cream) and barely tasted of lobster. The second time, the escargots had a whole bunch of chopped scallions mixed in, which were definitely not there the first time. The cassoulet was a large portion, in my opinion, and my husband and I didn't feel gouged at all.

As far as I could tell from the evenings, one chef was at the helm one night and someone else the second night.

[phantastik]

I heard a rumor somewhere that the baguettes are from Brick Street. I have no idea if its true, but its worth a shot!

[pinstripeprincess]

you are a saviour.

i'm going to have to grab a brickstreet and do a batifole run within days of each other to confirm this. at batifole though they did make it sound like it was a small manufacturer who didn't sell to the public... maybe they're just trying to keep it all a secret!

[embee]

The baguettes that Brick Street sells at retail, while okay, do not have the irresistible quality that leads me to eat way too much bread at Batifole.

[HarryLloyd]

i hear ya sister!


Chow!
HL.

[pinstripeprincess]

well darn, another lost lead.

i'm a bit embarassed to admit this... but their generous doling out of such delicious bread leads me to eating it right until dessert is set down in front of me. i'll even take the rest of my meal to go as long as the bread keeps arriving at the table.

[Full tummy]

Ordering the escargots and then using the bread to mop up the remaining sauce (which is quite a bit) is truly divine.

[phantastik]

Glad I could help. Keep us posted!

[Mila]

Love that you love it. Me too. :-)
Get the older guy to do some recs from the wine list. Great suggestions.