Chase Fish & Oyster is the more casual of the two restaurants at the corner of Yonge and Temperance in the historic Dineen Building. The atmosphere is airy and relaxed; there are large plants on wood planks on the walls and the colour scheme of blue and white chair covers and textiles gives the vibe that you are dining in a beach side oyster bar. The background music and noise are minimal; the music plays at the perfect level allowing for good conversation with friends while enjoying a menu of dishes that are meant for sharing. Although the upstairs is more of the fine dining experience both restaurants are aimed to please the deep-pocketed dwellers of the Financial District.
The Chase Fish and Oyster, Lower Level
Address: 10 Temperance St, Toronto, ON M5H 1Y4, 647-348-7000, thechasefo.com
Chef: Felicia De Rose
Hours: Monday to Friday, 11:30 a.m. – 11 p.m., Saturday, 5 p.m. to 12 a.m., Sunday, 10:30 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Reservations: Yes
Wheelchair access: No
Price: Steep, appetizers and dinner plates range btw $15 – $130
The menu is focused on sharing plates of raw seafood. The only non-surf items on the menu are two salads, mac and cheese, fried buttermilk chicken and a burger. The restaurant offers twenty-two by-the-glass wine options ranging between $12 and $25 with the option of purchasing a bottle. Cocktails are $10 – $20 and are themed with ocean names such as the one I enjoyed. Known as the Shipwreck, the cocktail is a refreshing combination gin, lemon, cucumber and mint.
For dinner on a Saturday night my friends and I decided to go all out and taste the menu. We started with oysters from New Brunswick; Caraquet, St Simon and Beau Soleil. They were served on a platter arranged beautifully with six garnishes – fresh grated horseradish, a tangy hot sauce, rhubarb-lime mignonette, lemon juice, vinegar, and thin sliced pickled hot peppers. We then shared four appetizer plates; the salmon tartar, tostones, warm shrimp dip, and warm mushroom salad. The salmon tartar is a smooth and light combination of horseradish beets, dill and mustard seed. The tostones a flash fried white fish on a thin crisp fried tostada topped with mango salsa and fresh guacamole. The warm shrimp dip was too creamy and rich for my taste but was a favourite around the table. It was filled with pureed shrimp, cheddar cheese and spinach and baked in the oven and served with tortilla chips. The Warm Mushroom salad had crisp green beans and sautéed oyster mushrooms cooked in xo sauce giving it a sour, salty flavour.
For mains we shared the buttermilk chicken and we ordered the special, which was a grilled New Zealand Tarakihi (NZ Pacific bream). The Buttermilk Chicken was boneless chicken breast that was crispy on the outside and moist and juicy on the inside. It was cooked perfectly and was not at all greasy which was surprising. Paired with a hot sauce butter it melted in your mouth. It also came with a side of creamy coleslaw and buttermilk biscuits that were warm and fluffy. The fish was grilled whole and served atop a plate of crispy vinegary chard and whole baked fingerling potatoes. It was marinated in olive oil and lemon and was cooked to have crisp skin and the inside was delicate and meaty.
For dessert we ordered the Banana Split. The Neapolitan ice cream was placed atop two bananas that were cooked and carmelized in a bourbon caramel sauce. The ice cream was drizzled with the warm bourbon caramel sauce and topped with peanuts. It’s an exquisite take on a common dessert and if you’re a fan of the banana split it’s a must try.
The Chase Fish & Oyster is a great place for going out in a group allowing you the opportunity to try and share many things on the menu. The food, the service and the atmosphere was memorable, I think I will be returning to dine here again.
