We’re always hungry at Team ELLE, and we’re guessing you are too. Here’s where we fill you in on where we’ve been snacking and sipping lately.

The restaurant: Entice Culinary Lounge (1036 Queen St W, Toronto ON)

The occasion: One of our regular ELLE team dinners

The vibe: You enter via a door that has a gold, hand-shaped doorknob, and that’s a pretty good introduction to the luxe-with-a-twist-the-unexpected style of this spot. 

The food: Sometimes you just get a hankering for well-done, uncomplicated-but-not-basic fare, and for that, we’d recommend Entice Culinary Lounge. It’s elevated comfort food—think classics like perfectly cooked lamb and creamed spinach served with a perfectly paired Rioja—but done with a little extra something that makes you feel like it’s definitely not dialled in.

The standout: The vegetarians at our table were super into Entice’s take on tofu (trust us, they’ve seen it all when it comes to that soy-based staple). It was a pistachio-encrusted “steak” served with an avocado salsa we’re still talking about. The menu is seasonal, so we can’t guarantee this option will be around when you drop by, so…hurry?

The bar: We sampled some great cocktails while at dinner, but honestly, it was the literal bar itself that stuck in our memory afterwards. It was an image of Lake Superior projected via an LCD screen, and worth perching on a stool for. It also paired nicely with the art on the swanky room’s wall, all of which are from a local Queen West gallery. 

We recommend it for: This feels like a “grown up” restaurant—elegant but not stuffy, a little bit fancy but still chill—so it would be a nice venue for a second date, perhaps, or for taking your parents out when they come to town. 

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