Resto Ambiance: Good Vibes/Bad Vibes

[juno]

Now that we've all presumably finished venting about Winterlicious, let's get on to a more significant subject. Namely: restaurant ambiance.

A few recent posts about ambiance got me thinking about it. All hounds will doubtless agree that the quality of the food is the most important thing about a restaurant. But then there's its ambiance, its feel, its vibe, its mood. Not nearly as important as the cuisine, perhaps, but still contributing to a good night out. Ambiance is everything else after the food: its location, layout, seating, background music (if any), lighting, its color scheme. Also the style of the owner, and the personality of the staff - a great server can ALMOST make you forget that the food isn't up to much. Then there's the crowd in the joint (especially if they're mainly carbon copies of you, wonderful you). It all contributes to the soul of a place. It makes you feel, as soon as you walk in, that this is the place for you this night, and you will have a good, satisfying time. Good food helps, naturally, but if it's not so good, at least let it be palatable.

So let's hear from you about whatever restos, bistros, trattorias, diners, dives, luncheonettes and/or fast-food joints that you think, whether by design or happenstance, capture an ambiance that defines the place and gives it personality, and those that don't even know to spell "ambiance" (I THINK I have it spelled it right). And to start it off, I'll give my choices. I've been to just about every Israeli/Russian resto in Toronto (sometimes called Mediterranean, or Middle Eastern), and most have pretty much the same menu, prices and food quality (usually good). But of ambiance, they know little. The worst offenders: Halleluia, on Eglinton Ave. west of Bathurst St., and Mr. Combo, in a dreary plaza on Sheppard Ave. W. Both remind me of Soviet feeding stations. Bleak, bleak. Owners who look like they'd rather be in another line of work, where the profit margins are better. Servers who look like they're working off a major gambling debt. Tables that haven't been cleared yet, amid other indiscretions. Depressing, despite decent food. Similar heaviness envelops Meron and Anton near Steeles Ave. and Bathust St. Even the popular Me-Va-Me, in the same neighborhood, has a chilly bleakness about it, even when it's busy, as it usually is. The only such joint that has some bounce to it is Mashu-Mashu, on Spadina north of St. Clair Ave. The food's only slightly better than a dozen other similar joints. But as soon as you walk in, you just know this is your kind of spot. Maybe it's just the sight of lotsa people happily eatin', and at modest prices (in the middle of Forest Hill yet!). Whatever it is, whenever I'm hungering for Middle Eastern, Mashu-Mashu is where I usually go, dropping in on the others only if I'm in the neighborhood.

So what are your nominations for joints with the best/worst vibe. And it'd help if you also offer a sentence or two (or more) about why you think these places work or don't, the better to inform those of us who don't know the spots you're talking about.

[juno]

No bites?

Well, I guess chowhounds - probably wisely - don't give much of a damn about restaurant ambiance, carefully manufactured or otherwise. That the only thing worth considering is the quality of the menu's execution. In short, to start the grub's gotta be good. All else is inconsequential.

[Splendid Wine Snob]

I'll bite Juno!

To start, what a great idea for a post!

After dining extensively across the city for almost 5 years now, these are my picks:

Best atmosphere:

Le Paradis

Yes, its a little dingy and a little rough around the edges, but the first time I walked in I felt at home. I especially like it when the staff argue (affectionately?!) in French. I particularly enjoy the bustling energy the place has and have found that vibe quite rare in Toronto.

Worst atmosphere:

Nota Bene

While I HIGHLY respect David Lee's and Geoff O'Connor's cuisine this place has it all wrong for me. The design reminds me of 1980's Miami Vice-too slick and with the feeling of trying too hard. Its too "sceney" for me-all the beautiful vapidity that I hate so much about TO (that speaks more to the clientele than the design). The bathrooms are just about the best thing in the place. And the service style doesn't make me feel comfortable despite being correct in many ways. Let me end it by saying that it does indeed work for its target market-I just ain't in it.

SWS

[phoenikia]

Good vibes:
Caribbean Bistro- W.I. music playing in the background, and friendly service.
Caffe Latte- service with a smile, and newspapers ready to be read.
Patrician Grill- friendly (sometimes gruff) service, down-to-earth atmosphere
Coca- friendly service, warm vibe
Irie- warm vibe, happy music
Gamberoni- warm atmosphere

Unexpected good vibes:
Holt's Cafe- our server made our meal so enjoyable.

Good vibes that changed to so-so vibes
Harbord Room- enjoyed sitting at the bar, eating the best cheeseburger I can remember ordering, sipping a cocktail, chatting with the staff, and listening the music from 9- 11 pm one Friday night, then the blonde brigade showed up. Almost instantly the vibe changed inside the place- people seemed to become objectified (some seemed to want to be objectified NTTAWWT). Not sure I would have noticed a vibe change if I was sitting a table with more people.

Not so good vibe (for me):
Lobby- meat marketty
C5- cold
Brassai- cold (not sure if it's the interior design or the clientele)
Brant House- amateur servers insisting that we order a minimum of $25 of food per person, even if we were ordering a $60 bottle of wine, and then telling us to hurry up, since the table had to be moved to make room for the dance floor- the table never ended up being moved-has slipped from what it was 5 years ago)
Spice Route- haven't eaten there, but I don't like the creepy meatmarket atmosphere from when I've gone there for drinks
Remy's
Hemingway's- the atmosphere creeps me out
Auberge du Pommier- too much pretense for me

[CoffeeAddict416]

Agreed on Brasaii
That room feels very cold... I think it's all the exposed concrete in there
It;s the same sort of feeling i got from Archeo and Boiler House in the distillery district.

I thought Auberge du Pommier was a great feeling place when I went there a couple years ago.

[phoenikia]

The bad vibe may have been a result of the person I was dining with at Auberge du Pommier:)

[LemonLauren]

I am vibe person for sure.

In recent memory, i have loved Harbord Room for the sweet music selection and the not-too-loud buzz. Nearby 93 Harbord also always lends a nice romantic feel. For the louder side of vibes, but still my speed, I'll take Coquine or Five Doors North. And Granite Brewery always has a nice neighbourhood feel on the patio in the back.

for how good the food is, i wish Momo's on Harbord and Mezetta on St. Clair West had any vibes to speak of. I feel like I'm in someone's grandma's dining room in those places - decor is so kitschy, mishmash of people and music just doesn't lend itself to sitting and lingering. But the food is so good and affordable! Dammit all. The patio at Butler's Pantry can be nice in the summer if you get a non-smogy day on Markham, likewise the victory cafe. And Pauper's rooftop patio is always a hot spot.

Not sure if that's what you were going for, but those are my thoughts.

[Splendid Wine Snob]

Ooooh, I totally forgot about the patio at Victory! That is my go-to spot when the weather gets warm-its got a great vibe and I've heard some fantastic musicians there!

[auberginegal]

i agree with coquine and five doors north (though lately not that impressed with the food at FDN). i've always liked the ambiance at kalendar, and at times, il gatto nero (usually dependent on the service). when a decent non-shouting conversation can be had, i also like beerbistro.

[phoenikia]

I also like the vibe at Kalendar (especially on the patio in the summer) and II Gatto Nero.

[LemonLauren]

agreed on the food at FDN of late - no bang for the buck, there

[racheljenna]

Sorry to bump this from forever ago, but I just found out that Anton has closed and figured I'd share that. It has transformed into a kosher Mediterranean restaurant called HaMizrach GlatKosher.