La Banane

This is a must try place for anyone that likes French cuisine or is looking to explore it. Really stunning options in the menu, we had the crab from raw bar, the mushroom from kitchen followed by the sea bass and basque cake and every dish was exceptional. Their cocktails and also dessert pairings are very good. Because it was our first time we went with the recommendations from the server and I have to thank him because every recommendation was spot on! Also try louiseville slugger if you are a fan of whiskey (thank me later 😜). Another great option is taking the tasting menu some people around us went with that option and I think it’s the kind of restaurant where it makes sense to explore chef’s choice.

The poulet farci was just salty reconstituted chicken while my heirloom tomatoes was one slice of tomato (I believe that slice was $18). Their signature mashed potatoes was way too cheesy, to the point that it wasn't even tasty. Not going back

Had an amazing experience last night. Service was top tier and the food was delicious. Our server Renee was so sweet, attentive and knowledgeable. Overall a great choice for a nice night out!

Upscale French. They have beautiful seafood platters, which you can customize to your liking, the scallop crudo is always delicious made in a brown butter, lots of fresh seafood- oysters, lobster crab and shrimp, nice wines and unique cocktail, they have a changing menu w/ certain classic dishes always on the menu. It’s intimate, classy and romantic, nice spot to celebrate a birthday, go on a date, or just go in for a nice dinner.

Atmosphere and service are great. We had the mussels as a starter and while the flavour was good, they were served cold, which we weren’t expecting/would’ve gone for the oysters had we known. Also, a few of the mussels I ate had a slight crunch of sand in them. The pommes aligot was amazing and lived up to the hype. We also shared the tenderloin in peppercorn sauce, which was absolutely delicious but at $75 for the rather small piece of beef, it didn’t feel satisfying enough to warrant such a steep price. Would still come back for the cocktails, potatoes and service.

Overall it was a decent experience. However for a fine dining experience, the whole thing felt kinda mid. The food was pretty good, but not amazing. Portions were predictably small. It was funny because the tables are pretty close to each other and we could hear the conversations the waiter would have with other tables. It was the same conversation they just had with us except they were a bit more friendly and would say a few more friendly words than when they brought out the food to us. Hard not to compare experiences when you are so close you can't help but to overhear. At the end of the night, the waiter said oh you don't have coat check. But when we were seated no one offered coat check in the first place so we had no idea this was an option.

★★★★★ Stunning food and a very experienced service team at La Banane. Love the vibe when walking in - relaxed with an aesthetic, beautiful interior. Highly recommend the scallops, steak tartare, seared foie gras, and the wagyu eye (3.5 oz is perfect for one person to taste without feeling too oily). The Eurobass is surprisingly good in both flavor and presentation. Please get the Pommes Aligot as your side, sooooo good. Don't miss the Banane cake with salty caramel ice cream; it's the best dessert I've tasted in a while, truly divine. The bill is on the expensive side, but all five of us left very satisfied. If you dine here often, lucky you!

This was for an anniversary dinner with my husband, so it was a treat. They greeted us with free champagne which was nice, and service was great. I will say the food very rich. And, keep in mind this is a high end restaurant. Everything was great.

This is a must try place for anyone that likes French cuisine or is looking to explore it. Really stunning options in the menu, we had the crab from raw bar, the mushroom from kitchen followed by the sea bass and basque cake and every dish was exceptional. Their cocktails and also dessert pairings are very good. Because it was our first time we went with the recommendations from the server and I have to thank him because every recommendation was spot on! Also try louiseville slugger if you are a fan of whiskey (thank me later 😜). Another great option is taking the tasting menu some people around us went with that option and I think it’s the kind of restaurant where it makes sense to explore chef’s choice.

The poulet farci was just salty reconstituted chicken while my heirloom tomatoes was one slice of tomato (I believe that slice was $18). Their signature mashed potatoes was way too cheesy, to the point that it wasn't even tasty. Not going back

Had an amazing experience last night. Service was top tier and the food was delicious. Our server Renee was so sweet, attentive and knowledgeable. Overall a great choice for a nice night out!

Upscale French. They have beautiful seafood platters, which you can customize to your liking, the scallop crudo is always delicious made in a brown butter, lots of fresh seafood- oysters, lobster crab and shrimp, nice wines and unique cocktail, they have a changing menu w/ certain classic dishes always on the menu. It’s intimate, classy and romantic, nice spot to celebrate a birthday, go on a date, or just go in for a nice dinner.

Atmosphere and service are great. We had the mussels as a starter and while the flavour was good, they were served cold, which we weren’t expecting/would’ve gone for the oysters had we known. Also, a few of the mussels I ate had a slight crunch of sand in them. The pommes aligot was amazing and lived up to the hype. We also shared the tenderloin in peppercorn sauce, which was absolutely delicious but at $75 for the rather small piece of beef, it didn’t feel satisfying enough to warrant such a steep price. Would still come back for the cocktails, potatoes and service.

Overall it was a decent experience. However for a fine dining experience, the whole thing felt kinda mid. The food was pretty good, but not amazing. Portions were predictably small. It was funny because the tables are pretty close to each other and we could hear the conversations the waiter would have with other tables. It was the same conversation they just had with us except they were a bit more friendly and would say a few more friendly words than when they brought out the food to us. Hard not to compare experiences when you are so close you can't help but to overhear. At the end of the night, the waiter said oh you don't have coat check. But when we were seated no one offered coat check in the first place so we had no idea this was an option.

★★★★★ Stunning food and a very experienced service team at La Banane. Love the vibe when walking in - relaxed with an aesthetic, beautiful interior. Highly recommend the scallops, steak tartare, seared foie gras, and the wagyu eye (3.5 oz is perfect for one person to taste without feeling too oily). The Eurobass is surprisingly good in both flavor and presentation. Please get the Pommes Aligot as your side, sooooo good. Don't miss the Banane cake with salty caramel ice cream; it's the best dessert I've tasted in a while, truly divine. The bill is on the expensive side, but all five of us left very satisfied. If you dine here often, lucky you!

This was for an anniversary dinner with my husband, so it was a treat. They greeted us with free champagne which was nice, and service was great. I will say the food very rich. And, keep in mind this is a high end restaurant. Everything was great.

Sooo yummy! Best French food I've had so far in Toronto. Seared fois gras was phenomenally fatty and the petit pois side (must get) was so good (it is fresh peas + crab + dried egg yolk). The liver anolini was alright but everything else was a solid 9.5/10. Service was also incredible except if you're a party of two you might get seated in the back which is less desirable than the fun booths on the side if you're a party of 3-4.

La Banane will only get 3-stars from me because of the uncomfortably inflated cost for food that, in my opinion, wasn't worth it. I ordered the Roasted Maitake Mushroom ($24) and the Eurobass-en-Crust ($64) while my husband ordered the 18oz Rib Steak ($175) and the Roasted Cabbage ($13). We shared a Banana Cake ($16) for dessert and our total after taxes and tip was just shy of $400. Realistically, I expected to pay a bit of a premium here given the accolades but I think charging $175 for an 18oz is just a little bit unreasonable. It certainly wasn't an exceptional piece of meat and in fact, they served it in a way that didn't retain heat well so we ended up with a cold steak halfway through. Instead of just tossing the cooked steak on a room temp serving pan, they should've served it on a sizzling hot pan and layered it ontop of an intermediary such as onions so it wouldn't continuously cook the steak but allows the customer to sear and heat it as they wish (they do this in Japan for Kobe steak). It's the least they could do for $175. Otherwise, the eurobass, cabbage, and banana cake were tasty but the portion of eurobass was a bit small. The salted crust (not meant for consumption) is quite thick so it makes the dish look larger than it actually is. Unfortunately, I found the maitake mushroom dish tasted too greasy and made me queasy after a couple of bites. Overall, I left feeling unsatisfied with the cost of the meal for what it was worth.

Located on Ossington, this French restaurant has a nice ambiance. The highlights of the meal were the warm bread, the inventive cocktail, the scallops served on a seashell, the potato accompaniment and the banana cake. The chicken was good, but was not a standout; I found it too salty for my liking. I enjoyed the meal, and was glad to have tried it.

Came here for Valentine's Day dinner and was very impressed by the food and service! Given that it was a special night, I was only able to reserve bar seating but they were really nice about giving us a table instead due to a last minute cancellation. I've been to places where they don't allow that despite there being available tables. The ambiance of the place is dark and hip; I loved that there were different seating areas with nice comfortable cushions. Service was very friendly and interactive; each dish was presented with a little description by the server. I like how the service was attentive but not too stuffy and in your face. Water was always filled. Onto the most important part: the food! Everything was honestly a hit. My partner and I opted to share a bunch of apps and mains: -Hokkaido Scallop; raw scallops dressed in a brown butter sauce. My FAV dish of the night. The flavours and freshness of the scallops were incredible. -Beef Tartare; very tasty but I would have preferred it served with regular crackers instead of the potatoe sticks (tasted like hickory sticks) -Seared Foie Gras: SO GOOD. If you're a fan of foie gras you must get this! The pineapple and duck jus really balanced the strong flavors of the foie gras -Maitake Mushrooms: a very popular dish, it has a really unique and savory flavour and worked so well with the other meat-heavy apps we had -Eurobass: The fish was melt in your mouth and so tender! The yuzu sauce gave it a light tarty flavour. I loved loved loved this paired with some a glass of Chardonnay -Roasted cabbage: a little too charred and oily for my liking but goes well with the fish -Pommes aligot: potatoe and cheese, can't go wrong with this if you need some extra carbs Their menu online isn't updated and a few of the dishes were a little pricier than what was stated online. They also don't serve the popular duck breast dish anymore. I'd say everything was honestly delicious and surpassed our expectations. Only negative thing would be the value is a little low and the dishes are quite pricy for the serving size. For example the pommes aligot was $23 which is a little hard to justify for a small bowl of mashed potatoe and cheese. With this being said, I'd def come back for a special occasion or date night!

Beautiful interior and great staff! This is definitely a special occasion restaurant. Portions could be bigger, especially with their chocolate cake. It was literally a cube smaller than the palm of my hand. Also sad that they don't have the Ziggy Stardust Disco Egg anymore. Also the salade vert was a letdown...literally a head of lettuce with dressing. Don't order that if you go here. If you're into complex, more *interesting* dishes, I wouldn't recommend coming here as La Banane seems to specialize in more simple dishes. This is a place better suited for the vibes, drinks and if you want something simple for a meal. +1 star for the ambiance and staff

It has been a while since we had dinner at La Banane. We ordered a dozen of oysters and Hokkaido scallop to start. Oysters are fresh and decent size. For main courses, we had duck breast, seabass and beef tenderloin (rossini). A lot of review said the seabass is too salty, but definitely not for me. Beef tenderloin with foie gras and black truffle is a very good combination. I never tried the tenderloin and foie gras together, I am surprised with the texture in my mouth. However, it is a bit pricy for the 6oz steak. Finally finish up with the banana tart and chocolate cake. Both dessert comes with ice cream. The banana tart is a must try, it is their signature dessert. Overall very good experience!

Great place for special occasions. Service was impeccable. The wait staff suggested the order of how the dishes should be served, which is important. We went here for our holiday special dinner and it did not disappoint. Everything was rich and flavorful. Loved the steak with the cheesy potatoes. Didn't think the maitaki mushroom was worth it. The steak tartare was amazing. Best one I've had. I loved my cocktail with bourbon and passionfruit. A bit tart and refreshing. Loved the sweet dessert wine pairing with the banana cake. What a treat. Wish it was a bit less salty; that's why I took off one star. Would love to come back but it was expensive, so it would have to be in the far future.

One of the first things they asked when we got to the table was whether anyone had any allergies/dietary restrictions, so I felt really safe here. The entire meal was excellent, and we felt very taken care of the whole time. My personal favourite was the trout, my family really enjoyed the cabbage and the duck as well. We got in at around 7pm and it was a bit busy, though I had no trouble having a conversation at a reasonable volume. It was noticeably busier around the time we left (9 I think?). Not a criticism but my dad couldn't really read the menu because it was a little too dark at the table for him, so he had to turn the flashlight on on his phone (it was a harrowing experience).

My fave restaurant that I went to during my birthday week last month (anyone else just use their bday as an excuse to cross restaurants off their menu?) I loved the ambiance, service, and ofc food at this place so much I brought my mom back for her bday the week after It was my first time having fish served this way with literally every little bone deboned and it was amazing for my fear of fish bones. We also got to try the 18 day dry aged steak (sourced from Jacobs Co) from their carte Blanche and was perfectlyyy cooked As for the sides, I thought the pommes aligot was very unique (sort of like mashed potatoes with tons of Gruyère cheese) and gave the potatoes the stretchiest, smoothest texture I'd also recommend oysters as always cuz they've got an amazing red wine mignonette! on our menu: Eurobass en Croûte (9/10 ) Dungenness Crab Tonnarelli (7.5/10) Yuzu brown butter Hokkaido Scallops (7.8/10 ) Dry Aged Rib Steak w Truffle (9/10 ) Oysters (9/10 ) Salt Spring Mussels (9/10 ) Pommes Aligot (9.5/10 ) Grilled Little Gems (7/10 ) Brown butter roasted cabbage (8/10 ) Tartare de Boeuf (7/10 ) Roasted Maiitake Mushroom (8.5/10 )

Booked via Google/SevenRooms for a weekday dinner. The place fills up during dinner time so I'd definitely recommend booking in advance. Ordered the East Coast Oysters (24) which included 2 from each of: P.E.I., Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. They were fantastic, also paired with a lemon and 3 different sauces. We also got the Eurobass-en-croûte (54), Roasted Cabbage (12), and the Beef Tenderloin Au Poivre (55). I really liked the Eurobass, it had some hints of yuzu and was presented in quite a unique way, I'd say it's a must order here. The Roasted cabbage had tons of butter and had a strong charred taste, definitely a strong taste, it was decent. I thought the tenderloin was honestly just OK, I kind of expected it to come with something else along with it maybe some veggies and whatnot. But the overall beef was good. A pricey spot but well worth it for the eurobass and those oysters!

After a terrible non-experience at a restaurant where we reserved but were ignored until we left, we ended up walking into La Banane. We were treated with respect even though we were a walk-in. For example, they promptly filled our water. They smiled and said hello. The service throughout was actually jovial and everyone seemed to be having a good time. Both of the mocktails we had (tomato and cucumber) were refreshing and tasty. I wish more places did cocktails/mocktails based on tomato that weren't just a Caesar. First, I'm glad their brioche is still as buttery and fluffy as it used to be even though it looks different (see my 2019 pic). The luscious flesh of the butter-poached trout was delectable paired with a tangy dill sauce. The perfect gooeyness of the pommes aligot was accented with the right balance of gruyere flavour. The roasty notes of the maitake complimented the rich garlic sauce, which was then cut by the herbaceous green oil. The tartare was also quite good, though it got to be a bit too rich/salty by the end. This may have benefited from some type of crostini or other more neutral-tasting thing to accompany. We will definitely be back to La Banane.

Handsdown best meal I have ever had. Starting with something as simple as the bread and butter. The butter, fresh whipped REAL Butter. You know if they care enough about the bread and butter, you are in for a treat! The steak was prepared to perfection, and what on earth are those potatoes?!! I will definitely be returning. What an incredible dining experience!

Celebrated my birthday here. Our waiter was very friendly. We did the tasting menu, everything was delish. The brioche buns are to die for they're SO good. Seafood platter was fresh, scallop were sweet. This is a great place for date. Cocktails are good.

Been here twice and highly recommend. Great fresh seafood and also their bread is to die for. Only thing i dont recommend is their shrimp cocktail - for the price it is not worth it. The mushroom and flat iron steak is delicious! Cute bar right next door as well

Great Service, Food was delicious we got the Tartar (excellent combination of ingredients) and mussels for starters and finished off with the medium rare steaks and creamy mash potatoes. I also highly recommend espresso martini's. Our server was also excellent remembered all our names, very impressed. We'll definitely be back.

Really good service and atmosphere! Came here one night in November and made reservations in case. The oysters were so fresh, we ordered two dozen of a variety of types of oysters. Had the bass en croute which was wrapped in a salted dough, not recommended for eating because it was salty, I didn't try it but it looled good. I thought that the yuzu butter was amazing and added so much flavor to the fish. I enjoyed the presentation experience where they brought it out first showing it encrusted then bringing it back with it cut opened. Steak Au Poivre just melted in your mouth, tender pieces but the presentation didn't look like that exciting. Overall, this fine dining experience was really good and 9/10 would recommend.

Alex is a superior waiter and took great care to explain the menu in detail and suggested particular dishes. Massive curved leather banquettes and a clean glass and steel bar and counter with raw-bar facing into the restaurant made the entrance attractive and inviting. I went with shellfish to begin with - The Hokkaido scallops was by far the most memorable item on the menu. I started with the seafood sampler platter. Crab, Argentine beer infused shrimp, 12 x selection of three different oysters. Foie-gras over chestnuts and citrus was a great middle course (it's a small Dish and the waiter suggested another "main" dish and he was absolutely right. So I went with a plain white fish - i chose the Steelhead Trout served over celeriac- and I loved the simple clean presentation of all. Sides of baby tomato salad (skins peeled which was a nice touch) over a creamy pesto sauce with fresh dill. And Gruyère whipped potatoes clogged my arteries happily Vodka Martinis and a Muscadet for the fish and ended the evening with a fine glass of Calvados. Memorable meal and I look forward to returning- I almost forgot to mention the home baked brioche - which reminded me of school in France - so fluffy and hot and creamily delicious. It's a joy to tear them apart and see the butter greasing your fingers as you eat happily!

Been eagerly awaiting the day that I get to try the eurobass en croûte with yuzu beurre blanc and zucchini from La Banane and the day finally came! OVERALL: 4/5. For the price, you're getting quality meat and seafood, cooked perfectly, but lacking flavour.Everything was the PERFECT texture, but I found that a lot of the dishes were NOT that FLAVOURFUL. The dishes I had seemed to be lacking herbs, spices and flavours other than salt and butter. EUROBASS EN CROUTE: The eurobass is cooked inside a pastry that you actually don't eat because it is meant to be purely part of the cooking technique! It keeps the fish extremely tender and moist. The dish is brought to the table fresh from the oven, then served after the top layer of pastry is removed and the fish is deboned. The sauce that accompanies the fish is decadent and buttery. Very yummy! There aren't a whole bunch of flavours in this dish, but I imagine this is so that you can taste the purity of the succulent fish (with lots of butter sauce)! ZIGGY STARDUST DISCO EGG: What a pretty dessert! Apparently it takes 3 days to make. It consists of a dark chocolate egg that has been elaborately decorated, which you smash using a spoon. Inside are apricots and hand rolled truffles! I believe they said the chocolate is Peruvian chocolate, but I can't remember 100%. I have to say, this dessert is prettier than it is tasty, but perhaps it's because it's strange to eat that much dark chocolate in one sitting (even splitting it with many friends). If I could take it home to munch on over the span of a week, I might have enjoyed it more. FRIED CHICKEN: The chicken was extremely tender and the batter very crispy. I found that it was not extremely flavourful, even with the decadent sauce. SEAFOOD PLATTER: The shrimps were INCREDIBLE. I could eat 20 of those myself. The oysters were great too!

good food presentation and tastes. But not many options to choose on menu, like appetizers only have 4 options which is too little.

Came here for my birthday dinner! Service was excellent! However, on this particular night, our food was EXTREMELY salty which was disappointing since our friends have been here previously and said the food was really good.

I can't wait to return! If you live in TO or are planning to visit, don't miss a dinner out at La Banana!! Service, food and atmosphere are all excellent! This was my second time at La Banana in the past month and I can't wait to return! I was introduced to this establishment by a friend who lives in TO. I was there a few weeks ago on a business trip so we dined here. It was so great that when I returned to TO on another business trip this week, I invited another friend (who lives in TO) to dine with me at La Banana. From our greeting by the hostess, to our servers and every part in between, I can't say enough about how great this restaurant is! We were seated in a lovely velvet banquette and were promptly greeted by Sylvain, the sommelier. What a fantastic asset to this restaurant! Sylvain is friendly, knowledgeable, personable, professional and just the best personality to have in this establishment! Our server, Alexis, was also very friendly and personable, offering us suggestions and various choices to best suit our needs. We started with a few items from the raw bar, the scallops and 6 oysters. I had these starters previously and had to have them again because they were so delicious. We were not disappointed!!! My friend, who was not a raw oyster lover, decided to trust me on these choices and she loved the raw scallops and oysters too. Then we both had the grilled steelhead trout and salad verte. Both were again exceptional! Done to perfection, light and delicious! From start to finish, everything was perfect! Thanks again to everyone at La Banane for another memorable and absolutely fantastic dinner! Will definitely be back!

Our server Vicky was phenomenal. So knowledgeable, personable and capable. Her suggestions were spot on and delicious. The mushroom dish in particular was fantastic. Vicky was a perfect blend of attentive without being intrusive. We had a very special night because of her.

I would high highly recommend coming to this wonderful restaurant. We came for my friends birthday and were so glad we chose to come! The service is great, the food was so delicious and the restaurant is warm and inviting. The timing of the food was also great but expect an experience when you go. We had the server Tyler who gave wonderful recommendations and we were perfectly full when we left. The seafood is a MUST!

Raw marinated scallops - garlic buttermilk ($23) Sauce is spicy, scallop texture is way better than the slight fishy taste Albacore tuna - brown butter, capers, dill ($16) Loaded with capers. Perfect tuna taste & texture Seared foie gras - hazelnut, passionfruit gastrique ($28) Sharp passion fruit sauce Fried chicken - buttermilk, Cayenne ($18) Juiciest fried chicken. Ranch sauce is heavy in flavour Smoked sweetbreads - endive, mushrooms, sauce blanquette ($28) With pickled onions. Sweetbreads were probably the thymus gland. Soft and seared exterior. Best sauce. Like mushroom parsnip cream soup. Gateau a la Banane ($12) add salted caramel icecream ($6) Overly ripened bananas. Really good dessert. Perfect crust. Salted caramel goes well with it.

Seafood galore! Our server suggested the 'petit plateau' with oysters, mussels, shrimp, Dungeness crab, lobster, scallops and king crab. This platter serves about 3 or 4 people NOT 2. It was good but way top much (cold) seafood for our liking. The 'eurobass en croute' was wrapped in salted dough and baked with a yuzu butter. The fish was light but didn't stand out, flavor wise. Additionally, the 'tartare de beuf' was served different than what we were used to, paired with a side of fried potatoes that looked like hickory sticks. It didn't have great flavor and the oiliness of the fried potatoes were overpowering. Heard great things about this restaurant but was let down.

Simply lovely , I always loved this room even before La Banane took it over . Lovely execution of seafood tower the petite plateau was fresh and more than enough for 2 , the maitake mushroom we perfect lovely balance . Onward to main course of enc route and steel head trout , encroute was cooked perfect and executed very well , steel head I prefer more under cooked than it was but still delicous surrounded by sauce that has mussels in it but you can't taste any of them . Dessert some sort of apple tart with caramel ice cream . Would go back again inspite of it being on ossington which tries so hard to be hip and it's a tad painful . But I would go again

The food not surprised me, however the environment was good. Service was great! But I won visit the restaurant again. Price was high.

Managed to make a last minute reservation here for 2 at 9pm and we were so excited to come. It was really packed by the time we got there and they took us to the end of the restaurant in a little corner seating area - the area was quieter and away from the bar so I liked how intimate it was. We decided to get their tasting menu with the additional request of their Eurobass en Croûte and oysters from their raw bar. The raw bar did not disappoint... their oysters were incredibly fresh and the Argentinian shrimps were to die for - super meaty and fresh. My favourite dish was the Albacore Tuna with Smoked Brown Butter. It legit blew me away because of how good it was so I would say that it's a must get. The Eurobass was an interesting twist to the traditional Brazino and I enjoyed that I could taste how fresh the fish was. Was it as good as the tuna? Perhaps not, but I recommend ordering it. A little less underwhelming dishes were the Bibb Salad and the Lamb. The Bibb salad was too tangy since they overdressed the red wine vinaigrette and the Lamb was too salty and unimpressive in all aspects. Last but not least, get the chocolate egg just for the sake of it.

Amazing dinner last night. We had a late reservation but the restaurant was still hopping. It was very quaint with booths and tables in the front and the back. Menu was not extensive but enough to make it easy to choose what you wanted. We started out with warm brioche buns lightly topped with a sprinkle of salt. They were sooooo good. Very light and buttery and just melted in your mouth. We had a second round because they were so good. I could have eaten then all night! We ordered the tartare de boeuf as the appetizer and the eurobass en croute and the French turbot as our main course. The eurobass was baked in a salt-based pastry-like coating which they brought out to the table for pictures before bringing it back to the kitchen to remove the top layer and deboning before bringing it back out. They had a yuzu based sauce for the fish which was very light and complimented the fish beautifully. The fish was amazing as it was cooked perfectly and was so tender and juicy. They don't recommend eating the pastry outer layer as it is very salty. The French turbot came with lobster and mushrooms and it was really good as well - seasoned perfectly and was tender and juicy. We also ordered the asparagus and butter roasted cabbage as sides. Both were amazing. The sauce for the asparagus was very light with a hit is citrus and was perfect for a summer evening. For dessert we had the gateau a la banane. It was really good and hit the spot after an amazing meal. It was warm with a layer of banana on the bottom. Definitely worth going back many times.

I love love loved this restaurant. Came here for my birthday dinner, as it's a bit pricier and you need reservations, but it was awesome. Everything was so delicious and I see why the hype. I was with a group of 3, and we ordered the following: - shrimp cocktail - chilled lobster - eurobass en croute - lobster pasta Everything was a 5/5. The portions were perfect, and it was pricey, but that was to be expected!

We wanted to try a good French restaurant and decided on la banane. The crowd is a bit older and this seems like a special occasion restaurant. We were served bread as an appetizer while we waited for our mains. I ordered the euro bass, which was a fully cooked fish wrapped in pastry dough. You're not supposed to eat the dough which seemed strange to me. The 2 sauces that came with the fish were amazing! For dessert we ordered the gateau a la banane, and it was delicious. Try this place if you're looking for a special occasion French restaurant!

I hate French food. I've been to France twice and have never found the palate for it, so I was very hesitant before going to La Banane. First, they've done wonderful things with the space. It doesn't look like The Saint with a new coat of paint. However, not all tables are created equal, and it's obvious where you fall in the "cool" category based on where you are seated. You can interpret that as you want. Hostess was friendly and helpful, taking our coats right away. Now, I can't dock them any points for friendliness. But, sadly, the one star off of a 5-star experience for me was that everything was TOO friendly and TOO efficient. We hadn't sat down 15 seconds when we were asked if we had questions. Plates and drinks were always attempted to be cleared before we done, causing me to rush and to feel embarrassed when I said I wasn't done yet. And not to suggest we were taking a long time - by the time the bill came, we had been there 90 minutes total and had over 6 courses and 6 drinks. So....they 100% rushed us, and for no reason. We were the late seating, so they weren't even hoping to flip the table. A good way to solve this problem would be to read the table. If we tell you not to clear plates, realize we are not in a rush. This restaurant is indulgent, and it's meant to be enjoyed, and it's romantic, and it feels like an atmosphere of savouring. I didn't walk away feeling like they were on the same page. The food was amazing, however, and will be the saving grace in these trying first months. Rich, decadent but somehow subtle at the same time? Drinks and wine selections were excellent as well. Little touches (like the banana bread candle burning in the basement) are appreciated. I will definitely return to indulge again, and hopefully this time, the restaurant will let me.

For once, I didn't look up the restaurant on yelp before going and was pleasantly surprised. Came to this restaurant on a Monday (dec 2018) for a bffs birthday at opening time. We were on time and were the first group in the restaurant. La Banane was completely full shortly after we settled in (on a Monday!!). It was this moment that I realized we were about to have an awesome meal with an excellent service. Food: Grand plateaus $200.00 - And a grand plateau it was! Scallops, oysters, lobster, crab claws, shrimp galore. Did I miss anything? Mussels? Maybe on the other side and I didn't have any of them. I can't rmb. This tower was worth it for us seafood lovers. I enjoyed each mors throughly. Quality seafood tower done right. My favorite was the marinated scallops, droooooling as I write about it. Pave $13.00 - Potato dish with creme fraiche and salmon roe. We had a baby with us and wanted French fries. This was the closest we could get since they don't serve fries. Fancy, but good substitute. Cod brandade $16.00 - yummy fish cakes. At first I thought it was a bit salty, but you really need to grab each item and have it all in one mouthful to balance it out. Steak tartare $18.00 - This was different from other tartares I'm used to. Is it bad if I say the crispy potatoes were the stand out item on this dish? Bass en croute $42.00 (each) - Got two of these. My favorite entree from the restaurant. The fish were thicker than I expected. They told us how they prepare this and it sounded complicated. You don't eat the salty dough that the fish is baked in. The fish absorbs the flavour from that salty dough while it's being cooked. I would def get this again. Fried chicken $18.00 (each) - Got two of these. It was really good, but you can get a lot of good fried chicken in Toronto. If you really like fried chicken, it's still worth getting. Otherwise, I would stick to the other dishes. Seared foie $28.00 - it was good. I might be doing this dish a disservice because I don't rmb too much about it. I do rmb it being really soft and melty in your mouth. Duck breast $32.00 - We had two pregnant guests with us, so we needed this to be well done. We sent it back once to be cooked a bit more to be safe, but it still came back pink. I don't know if this was just because the meat looks this way even after it's well done or if it was still a bit raw. To be safe, the pregnant ladies did not eat this and I got to eat more of it.... it was delicious. Charred zucchini $12.00 - we needed some veggies. Banane a la mode $18.00 - The waiter recommended this to us last (after we already told him we were getting the disco egg and we were completely stufffffed). Wow, this was a great impulse addition to our meal. It was the perfect dessert to end the meal and I'm STILL thinking about the salted caramel ice cream and the warm banana goodness. 100% recommend that everyone get this dessert. Disco egg $50.00 - Bday girl wanted this. Cool item to order. Would not order it again for myself. If it was a special occasion and someone else I was with wanted this a different time, I wouldn't be opposed. Service: Servers were very informative about the food they were preparing, presenting and serving to us. They changed our plates after each dish came out and made sure we had water or drinks as needed. I don't know if they hated us for taking photos of all of our food, but they didn't say anything and were very nice about it. I mean.... I had to be overly annoying and take some flash photos to post for my fellow yelpers right? Sorry to anyone who hates this, but we were in the back and I hope we didn't disturb the mood/vibe for anyone. This is would be a nice date spot that I would come back to. I'll make sure not to take any flash photography and just enjoy the food, atmosphere and service next time. Five stars. Thank you for the meal and the service.

Curious to try the "hot new spot" around town my friends and I managed to get a reservation at this restaurant for a Monday night. It was still packed!We decided to grab a few items and just share amongst ourselves so we could try a variety of dishes. I'm a bit surprised about all the glowing reviews but here's my 2 cents: The Good - great spot I think for drinks/apps/desserts. They have a seafood bar which I think would be a fun place to sit and absorb in the vibe of this restaurant. - I think this is a great pre-drinking place - it's fun, the drinks are good and the apps are pretty nice. For apps we ordered some oysters and the albacore tuna with brown butter, dill and caper. This was quite nice - the cold of the tuna with the warm of the sauce was a little party in my mouth. I won't lie - it certainly didn't look appetizing, but don't let that fool you. The Bad - honestly none of us particularly liked any of the mains. We ordered the duck breast with charred endive and they had a special that night for fish (trying to remember the name but just can't at the moment). We ordered a side of Pommes Aligot. Let's start with the duck. It came out looking like a shriveled sausage and it was lukewarm at best. We ate this right away (it wasn't sitting on the table while we talked) so I know it wasn't anything to do with us waiting to eat it. Was not impressed at all. Lacked any flavor. The fish - it was ok, covered in a sauce. It was ok until we saw the bill and noticed it cost us $45. Yes this is totally our fault for not asking about the price beforehand. !00%. But it was still $45 I will never get back. Ok - the star of the night for me was the Pomme Aligot - this is a dish where cheese is blended into the mashed potatoes - umm....I had no shame in literally trying to scoop out all this deliciousness. This little bowl of relatively simple potatoes saved the night for me - I'm still dreaming about it today. The highlight of this restaurant is their Ziggy Stardust dessert (google it). I really wanted to try it (hence the main reason that I wanted to come here) but then saw on the menu it was $50. Sorry, had to pass. I would get it if I was here just for a drink and dessert (a group of 4-5 people to share is doable for the price just for the experience) Overall a great starting off date spot but I don't think I would come back here for a full meal. Pass the banana on the left hand side....

This place is amazing. Great service. Raw bar is fantastic- we had Dungeness Crab. Mistake mushroom- wow. And wonderful fish main courses. The service is understated and incredibly attentive.

Amazing! At first we were impressed with the kind and attentive staff... they were all knowledgeable, professional and friendly at every turn. THEN we got our food... BLOWN AWAY. 5 stars all around, we will be back in Toronto in 2 weeks and it's on the top of our list.

Awesome. Food beautifully prepared and presented. So tasty, so delicious, that you'd come back every day if you could afford it. Superb atmosphere. Bustling, but not noisy. Not to be missed.

La Banane is a restaurant for a special occasion, or a place to impress that special someone. The prices are steep for this stretch of Ossington. But, if you are willing to splurge, you will have a wonderful dinner here. The fare is pretty traditional French, with some modern flare, but don't expect unique flavours of fusion influences. Still, they serve tasty dishes, well executed, it an attractive setting, with flawless service. Here's the rundown: Albacore Tuna Appetizer $16 Rating: 4/5 A tasty serving of fresh tuna with tangy capers sauce Traditional bouillabaisse Rating: 4/5 Tasty bouillabaisse, cleanly executed, but too light on the safron. Served in an attractive presentation with puff pastry on top. Eurobass en croute $39 Rating 4/5 One of their staple dishes. Beautiful fish, elegantly crusted. Rainbow Trout Rating: 4/5 Beautiful, traditional French sauce. Accompaniment: Mushroom Confit - $10 Rating: 2/5 Skippable.

This is my favourite celebration spot. My boyfriend and I have came here for our anniversary as well as Valentine's Day. The shrimp is the freshest and best I've ever tasted. Nothing can compare. We literally order 3+ rounds of it every time we go. There is also a great carrot curry side dish that you must order. The servers are also soooo nice and attentive and great communicators. I love this place.

Ah, I absolutely loved La Banane. We came here for my husband's birthday and had a fantastic meal. We sat at a table at the front - it was a half booth half chair set up and the seats were quite far from the table. It was a bit uncomfortable. But, everything else was amazing! For cocktails, I had the time after thyme (or thyme after time). It was so good that I had two! My husband had a gin sour, and he really liked it too. I thought the cocktails were top notch for decent prices - $13-15. Rather than having something from the raw bar, we started with the steak tartare. This was so so good. It was served with little potato crisps. Next we had the seared foie gras. The flavours were delicious, but I thought the serving was a bit small for $28. For our entrees, we had the euro bass en croute served with the beurre blanc, and this was absolutely fantastic. The fish was so tender and flavourful. Highly recommend the duck and the pommes aligot. The sauce in the duck dish was so delicious, I was practically licking it off the plate. For a special occasion, we walked away having two appetizers, two entrees, a side and four cocktails for $215 without tip.

The environment is classy, and great for dinner and chatting. Some of the menu items were rather unique ie. bacon pate with grape mustard, eurobass wrapped with pastry and paired with yuzu sauce. Other than the eurobass, the other items we tried: bacon pate, potato pave, pommes aligot, crispy chicken...were just okay in my opinion - very strong flavours. Another friend liked all the items we orders (minus the crispy chicken), so its really down to your personal preference. Service is 5/5. They actually got our order wrong and gave us a new dish free of charge without us asking. Overall, had a good experience here and would come back to try some of the other menu items.

Great service, great food. Get the scallops! If you want to splurge even more get the tasting menu so you can get a bit of whatever you want on the menu. They will curate with you. A great experience!

The food is very good. We had the seafood platter appetizer minus the crabs legs. Very fresh and good. We also had the pate. For the mains, my party shared the fried chicken and whole fish. The fried chicken was one of the best I have had. Crispy skin, and tender and juicy. Dish was light and butter. Side dishes of mushrooms and charred brocolini were good. We had the disco egg. It us just a novelty and looks great but the taste is just ok. Service was quite good but for some reason it felt like there was a disconnect between the servers and us although they quite friendly. I will go back.

Fabulous! Turly the benchmark of a fine dine experience. Great service. I personally recommend the oysters. So far the best I've had in town. We were in a large group and tried most of the menu. The staff seek perfection and it's very visible in every aspect of the food and service. Definitely worth a visit.

Loved this place! Heard wonderful things and a friend requested this restaurant for her birthday so we made reservations for a Friday evening. The decor is so cute! I enjoyed sitting near the front of the restaurant. Seats were very comfortable. Servers came by and made some recommendations on drinks. We also asked the server for recommendations and she was great (the one with the accent). Gave us different options. We decided to do a tasting menu, cause why not? It's fun to get a surprise. We felt it was pretty good value as we tried quite a few of their dishes for a decent price per person. Some notable items: Fresh Seafood - Oysters and Scallops, Veal Tartare, Grilled Squash (seasonal menu item), Charred Brocollini (one of my favourites and totally recommend), Whole Fish, and Fried Chicken. Everything was great but we really wanted to try the duck breast and mentioned it but it didn't come with the tasting. Overall, excellent service and delicious food. It's a bit steep, so I would totally recommend trying La Banane for a nice occasion or dinner with friends!

Loved my dining experience here. Service was excellent and food was phenomenal. Every dish was delicious. A wonderful restaurant for a special occasion or when you're looking to impress. Starters: The Raw Marinated Scallops ($23) were extremely fresh and sweet and melted in my mouth. The garlic buttermilk sauce was rich and creamy and the herb flavour in it was an interesting touch. The Albacore Tuna ($16) was absolutely delicious. Topped with brown butter, dill and capers, the flavour was bold and the warm toppings were a nice contrast to the cool tuna. Highly recommended. Mains: I can see why everyone raves about the Eurobass En Croûte ($39). A whole Mediterranean seabass is done in a Branzino style which is baked in a salt dough which seals in the juices. The fish is first presented at the table in its pastry crust and then taken back to the kitchen where it is carved, skinned and deboned to reveal the fish filet inside. The result is an incredibly moist and tender fish with great fresh sea flavour. The beurre blanc had a strong yuzu flavour and the acidity really helped to balance out the heaviness of the sauce. The zucchini were pared down beautifully and added a nice crunch and freshness to the dish. The Duck Breast ($29) was also delicious but less innovative than the seabass. The lean Muscovy duck is cooked to a perfect medium rare. It was super juicy with a crisp skin and had a perfect balance of fat and an interesting reduction. The charred endive and prune on the side paired really well with the sweetness of the prune balancing the bitterness of the endive. Dessert: It's a bit of a splurge, but the Ziggy Stardust Disco Egg ($50) is a pretty fun way to end the evening. Coming from Olsen's CXBO line, each egg is splattered by hand so that every egg is unique. It is then filled with hand rolled single-origin Peruvian dark #chocolate #truffles, dried apricots, ancho chillies and coffee beans. To eat the egg, you're given a spoon which you use to smash the egg and then you can eat the chocolate shell as well as the yummy treats inside. The concept is pretty unique and the egg is extremely Instagrammable. But over and above that, I really liked how the tiny pieces of apricot added a little bit of chew and acidity to the rich chocolate. Similarily, the flecks of chilli and coffee beans gave the chocolate that added oomph in flavour.

This restaurant is excellent and the service is great! It's a perfect date night and a place to go on a special occasion because the food is pricey. I had the Eurobass en croute. You get to see how they cook the fish prior to plating. The fish is deboned and fantastic. My husband mention that La Banane is the best restaurant he has been to in Toronto.

Pros: - Comfortable seating - Good service - Albacore tuna and fois gras dish was delicious Cons: - Dishes are overly salty - Omelette with no filling (or also known as plain eggs) is $14... for someone who can appreciate a french-style omelette, personally not for me - Overpriced for what its worth

Fantastic service. Art Deco decor. Fine attention to detail. Great place for a date, business dinner, or just to catch up with family or friends. The raw bar offers a great assortment of seafood. We really enjoyed the oysters. The bouillabaisse vol e vent was so good. The piece de resistance is the artisanal chocolate selection made by CXBO. Looking forward to my next visit.