On-line reviewers are effusive in their praise for this Little Italy love letter to simple, honest, handmade food, where everything is prepared with fresh ingredients and love. It's mostly Canadian comfort fare that tumbles from the kitchen onto grateful tongues at Woodlot, but there's enough here for non-meat-eaters to make it clear their interests were not an afterthought (a dedicated menu caters to vegetarians). Dishes like a foie gras crème brulée starter and russet potato gnocchi are unassuming and filled with flavour. Service is thoughtful and prompt. The ambiance here is equal parts elegant and hip. Woodlot takes reservations - another reason it's a standout on the Toronto restaurant scene. A charm-filled outdoor patio with a tree trunk for a table seals the deal.more...See more text
Woodlot is Canadian comfort food at its finest. The combination of local and imported ingredients makes for a rich and unique take on Canadian cuisine. Woodlot prepares its dishes in the famous wood-burning oven, giving a smoky flavour to a delicious meal.
Vegetarian restaurants are few and far between. Sure, there are the mainstays like Fressen and Annapurna, but really in a city with more than 8,000 eateries, it is truly surprising that, in spite of our collective interest in healthier living, more haven't popped up like woodlot fungi. But now there's Woodlot, a tree-hugger's paradise which offers as much flesh on one menu to satisfy any bloodthirsty carnivore, but caters to the righteous herbivore with a whole other menu. Longtime friends and co-owners Robyn Donio and David Haman are clearly slow food movement converts, putting out labour intensive dishes that highlight local ingredients. No stranger to inventive culinary fare, chef Haman (formerly of Czehoski) has created an ambitious if unusual suite of selections. Where most restaurants with only one menu fail on focus, Woodlot handles two with competency and cohesion in earnest. Its matchbook says it all: "Honest. Simple. Handmade." But they forgot to add damn tasty.
Woodlot has selected wines that are "individual" and list them "simply as they are known, as categorization doesn’t quite seem to fit."
So chances are, not only have you not tried them, you’ve probably never heard of them. And that’s a very good thing.
So while you tuck into Braised Ham Hock & Fresh Ricotta Cavatelli or Wild Lake Erie Pickerel with spring herb emulsion, fiddleheads, green beans and pomme puree, enjoy a wine adventure – by the glass or bottle - you’ll likely to never forget.