Located on Bloor, just east of Yonge, Peridot Resto.Lounge (above), with its high, two storey ceilings and cozy-esque ambiance is a great place to have dinner on a Friday or Saturday evening. If you’re looking for a place that is current without being overtly trendy, doesn’t play loud music or is too dark, then this is the place to go. The style of cuisine is modern with a bit of Italian/mediterrean influence. The standard menu boasts a variety of different pastas as well as meats. There are some vegetarian options, mostly in the pastas (according to their dinner menu, the egg white omelette is the only dish that is meat-free. It is, however, not vegan). For the meat lover, the braised beef short ribs are a great item to try.
Braised beef short ribs
Peridot not only is a cozy restaurant, but is also a great place to hold events. For those interested in holding outdoor-indoor events when the weather is warmer, the second floor, which has two service bars as well as a gorgeous patio overlooking Bloor Street, can be booked. Hors d’oeuvre platters include chicken skewers, a vegetable platter, vegetable and lentil samosas as well as bruschetta.
Ontario trout filet from the Winterlicious menu
Peridot is also participating in this year’s Winterlicious. The prix fixe menu, which consists of three courses, is $25 per person before taxes and gratuities. There are, as with most other Winterlicious menus, three choices for each category (appetizer, main, dessert). Most of the starters are fairly standard (potato soup and salad), though they have also included mussels. The mains include a chicken dish, pasta with lamb sausage and trout. Note that there is no vegetarian main available, a little unusual compared with other Winterlicious menus. Dessert includes Greek baklava (fairly decent, taste-wise, but it was fairly difficult to cut), pound cake with pistachios as well as a flourless chocolate torte. The lunch menu is $15, is slightly different and like the dinner menu, does not have a vegetarian main course. Hurry up if you’d like to try this as Winterlicious ends on Thursday.
Peridot Resto.Lounge is located on 81 Bloor Street East. Reservations can be made by telephone at 416-515-7650 or via their website. The site takes same day reservations. A typical dinner for two without wine will be around $65-70 before taxes and gratuities.
