Amuse

This place is doing it right ! Great food, atmosphere and service. Highly recommend!

I have absolutely nothing bad to say about this restaurant. A friend and I went last night for meal. As soon as we walked in we were greeted with warmth, and given the choice of where to sit. We chose to sit up at the kitchen… when we sat down, the chef said hello and welcomed us.
The food was INCREDIBLE — i started with the seared scallops, cooked to perfection… then salmon for a main (beautifully cooked and seasoned). I don’t normally have dessert, but opted for the Vanilla Crème, which was the perfect ending to a perfect meal.
Portion sizes were exactly as they should be — enough so that you were filled, but not too much that you couldn’t enjoy three courses. The atmosphere was incredible — it looks quite fancy, but it’s not at all intimidating. The gentleman that took our order had the perfect balance of good service with sense of humour.
Food, atmosphere, service — all get a 10 out of 10. I will be back very very soon!

In between the Firkins, Gabbies and St, Louis, this little restaurant is a little gem. Gorgeous interior, amazing staff, intimate atmosphere. It’s only a few tables so make sure you make your reservations in advance. You will not be dissapointed. Best place for dinner in the beaches.

I have to thank my mom for introducing Amuse to me. During our many walks on Queen St. E., we have always passed by this quaint little house. My mom always looked at the menu and made a mental note to try the place out. Well, we tried out the place and have been there 3 times already! The food and ambiance is excellent!
Intro. It’s like walking into someone’s home… there is a lovely bar area, and you turn right into a cozy dining room. You can see the chef at work and there are places to sit right where the chef is working, but my parents and I love sitting by the window. Yesterday was especially nice as a soft breeze wafted through, and the one that sits facing the window has a great view.
Food. As with every other review of the Scallop dish, it IS amazing — Two plump and juicy scallops served with fresh mango. A perfect introduction to Amuse. For the main, I had the salmon which I requested to be cooked a little rare — the result was a perfectly moist piece of fish. Just right. And for dessert, if you want something light and summery, you HAVE to try the Pavlova which comes in the most magnificently coloured blue-​purple crème and with the right amount of crunch.
My parents had the iron steak which was also cooked to their perfection. We had nothing to complain about.
The menu is quite small, and rightfully so, as there is only one chef manning the kitchen. Service is very home-​y and warm as it is a husband and wife couple who serve the locales of The Beaches. Wine menu is appropriate and ranges from $ 30 — $ 90 so it will fit all tastes and wallets.
I think this is a charming edition to The Beaches area — casual, yet warm dining that is much needed from the Lick’s and brunch diners of Queen Street East.
Reservations are HIGHLY recommended as the place is so small. Very romantic too so if you’re looking for a unique date place, then definitely try Amuse.

Very cute ambiance in a house just off Queen St. E in the Beach neighbourhood.
Food was ok. The salad was pretty plain and disappointing. The steak was tasty. The spinach that accompanied the steak was good. The pork tenderloin was ok. The parsnip purée wasn’t that great. The descriptions make them sound delicious – with the apple and rosemary flavours – but for some reason these didn’t really shine and weren’t as good as they sounded. The drink my friend ordered called «Metrosexual» tasted mainly of vodka. It had cassis in it. I wonder what makes it metrosexual…
Service was somewhat rushed-​feeling, and I also felt pressured to order a dessert. It was also somewhat impersonal. Everything seemed to be timed right though, and she was very good at filling the water.
Lots of older and middle-​aged clientele there. We were probably the only ones under 30 (or 50 for that matter).
The building is very nice inside and out. It has a very romantic feel. A good place to eat in the beaches for sure. I would recommend giving it a try.

Went here over Christmas with my family — we go to a nice restaurant as a Christmas gift to each other — last year was Canoe, so Amuse had some big shoes to fill.
Amuse is tucked just off Queen street and is actually a house; when we arrived we were ushered into a room towards the back (what may have been a dining room originally). While Amuse isn’t a large place, its not crowded with tables. There were only two other tables in the room, another 4-​seater and one 2-​seater. I have to say, the cozy nature of Amuse and the ambiance was fantastic for a very nice quiet family dinner out. From where I sat, I was able to see right into the kitchen and watch the Chef and Sous Chef create our meals.
I started with the scallops with roasted cauliflower and they were to DIE for. I don’t think I’ve ever had scallops that tasted that delicious and I was a tad skeptical about the flavor pairings when I ordered it. From the time they were put in front of me to the time I finished, I savored every single bite. Absolutely wonderful starting note to our meal.
I chose the crispy skinned boneless cornish hen as my main and was rather pleased overall. The portion was perfect (this is not the kind of restaurant that I would come to simply for a main) — the hen was perfect and the grilled vegetable lasagna was a wonderful side. The rapini was a tad too bitter for the dish, which was well balanced, but aside from that, I had no complaints.
For dessert, I had the sticky toffee walnut cake which was on par with the rest of the meal. Overall, the dessert was the least impressive part of the meal but it was well executed and a rather appropriate ending to a very decadent (but not overly rich) meal.
I would absolutely recommend Amuse for a special occasion out or for a night where you want to have wonderful food and a very nice atmosphere to relax, have a drink and eat a nice meal in. You can’t go wrong with the gem in The Beach.

Finally!
Somewhere good to eat in the Beaches if you want higher end.
I know the location has been, round for a while, but time to visit again after a mediocre visit a couple of years ago.
My partner and I had a valentines day meal and were delighted.
You won’t find over the top creativity and experimentation here, but the dishes they serve, are really well executed.
My wife had the fish and I had the duck — just beautiful. Waitress suggested wines well paired by the glass.
Cheese desert plate kinda ordinary (cheese types) figs, nuts, prunes etc was just OK. but — For the most part a super welcome of quality to the Beaches.
Lets build on this in the community!

Great food, cozy atmosphere. Had the scallops, duck, and chocolate cake — all were exceptional. The chef cooks in an open kitchen, with about four bar seats facing the kitchen. The service was excellent, neither pushy not neglectful. Will definitely go back.

My wife and i enjoyed our meal here. The service was excellent and attentive, and the ambience is nice. My only quibble is that the appetizers seem a bit overpriced. The seared scallop app was nice but only had two scallops. For $ 14, I would expect a bit more. Also, the soup portion seemed a bit skimpy. The portions for the entrees, however, were ample.
Overall, it was a nice experience but i think there many other TO bistros that are a better value.

Okay gang, let’s not have anymore great reviews for this place. It’s our beach secret! Stumbled on this place by accident recently and loved it. Had to check my gps a few times to convince myself that I was really in the beach. No better restaurant this side of Leslieville.

Unique atmosphere, great service and fantastic food.
Most other restaurants with small, seasonal menus like Amuse’s tend to fill their menu with pretentious food that would limit my options even further, but not here. The options all sound delicious and relatively speaking, are reasonably priced. For comparison, a strip-​loin at Milestones is $ 28, I ordered one at Amuse for $ 30, and that was the most expensive item on the menu. Was it worth the extra $ 2? Well, I can tell you I don’t think I can ever warrant spending $ 28 on a steak at Milestones again. It was fresh, melt in your mouth, and perfectly cooked.
I also appreciate the minimal amount of bread left on the table before the mains arrived. Just a couple of slices of fresh, crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside bread was enough to tide me over without leaving me stuffed for the main course. And it wasn’t about Amuse being stingy; the server was quick to ask if we wanted more. But I simply don’t have the self control to stop eating the vast amount of bread put on the table by other places and often leave my entrée half finished. What a waste!
It’s also a nice way of pointing out that the food will be quick enough to get to your table that more bread would be unnecessary anyways.
Will be back for certain, but I would still probably call ahead for reservations again. They only have a few tables so I can imagine they fill up quickly.

I was surprised to find a Unilocal review for Amuse, as the previous review mentions it’s just off of Queen St, so unless you know it’s there…
And I am definitely glad to be «in the know»…
Have had the pleasure of the food/​staff at Amuse at least 4, maybe five times since they opened, never a disappoint except the one time they were full…
Which is a point, if you don’t live in the area and are hoping to have dinner here, it might be worth calling ahead, they only have a limited number of seats, but that helps with the atmosphere…

This is a gem of a restaurant that many people in the Beach do not know about, because it is just off Queen Street. It is located in a beautifully redone house, and the ambiance is really nice: romantic, yet clean and spare. They seem to take great care in sourcing the ingredients, and the menu is adventurous enough to be interesting, but highlights the ingredients without overwhelming them. The prices are really reasonable for this level of food (mains around $ 20), and the service is attentive but unobtrusive.