coquine - not the drug

without further adieu, i give you 'coquine':

i had my own reservations after weeks of hearing about this place and its nearly inappropriate name. nonetheless, i was excited to attend a dinner there after hearing it was a casual slash french bistro spot with an unpretentious style. and whoever told me this was right. the seating was curious (they put us in the back room because we had a large group), but the food, price point, and wait staff definitely made up for it. teamed with a busy and lively atmosphere, i thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

the food was great and reasonably priced. the same with the wine selection. if you are looking to check out a place that has great food, great staff, and budget pricing, i strongly suggest this place. some stand-outs from the meal were the steak / frites (a staple, i know, but i upgraded mine from a flat iron steak to a 6 oz new york strip for an additional 2 bones if my memory serves me correct), and the house 'coquine salad'. the salad had all the elements i drool over: arugula, figs, prosciutto, walnuts...jeeez, it was amazing. i opted to forego dessert (just got back from mexico, felt a little bloated), but was extremely jealous as those who did choose to have desert had clearly made the better choice. i tried some of my mate's vanilla creme brulee, and it hit the spot. definitely was the cherry to top off an enjoyable experience. i will definitely be back.

check out coquine's website for the menu and additional info at: http://www.coquinerestaurant.com/

coquine is located at 2075 yonge street at the corner of manor and yonge just south of eglinton av.