Reviewing Whatever

Richtree Market Restaurant
BCE Place
42 Yonge Street
Toronto, ON

You should know
I mentioned before that I went to Canada and that some related reviews would follow. I went with my previously-mentioned boyfriend, Chris, plus a friend of ours from college and our friend’s girlfriend. The day we went to Richtree, it was just me and Chris.

So?
Richtree is like a high-class cafeteria. When you enter, they give you a card. Then, you can select virtually any kind of food you want, made to order. You hand the person behind the counter your card, and they log your dish. You then pay when you leave.

Chris had a slice of Milano bread (like a large, three-cheese bruschetta) (C$2.99), a quarter garlic chicken(C$4.49), a soda(C$1.99), and a glass of Leffe Brune, draft(C$5.98). I had a quarter rotisserie chicken with fries(C$5.79), tomato salad(C$4.99), and a soda(C$1.99). We then split a slice of chocolate swirl cheesecake(C$5.29) and a serving of strawberry mousse(C$5.29).

The setup was a little confusing to us as first-timers. I had a really hard time finding the pasta station, for instance.

There was definitely something for everyone to eat. Meat, fish, poultry, sushi, stir-fry, pasta, potatoes, omelets, crepes, waffles, soups, salads, and desserts – and that’s just what I noticed. I’m sure I missed something, despite the amount of time I spent circling the different stations. As for beverages, there were full bars for wine and beer, coffee and tea, smoothies, juice, and soda.

The décor was as eclectic as the menu. The tables and chairs were tastefully mismatched, both from table to table and between the uniquely-themed sections. In the bathroom, each stall had the names of members of the opposite sex on the doors, as well as a series of mismatched sinks with styles that ranged from antique porcelain to tile mosaic.

Rating
Go – if you have time
It’s definitely not designed for a quick lunch, unless you know exactly what you want and exactly where it is, though apparently they have take-out options.

That said, the food was incredible. Both chickens tasted amazing -- we kept stealing bites from each other. I wasn’t impressed with the Milano bread; it was good, but not particularly memorable. Likewise the fries. The tomato salad was excellent. The desserts were a perfect end to the meal, with portions that made them nearly impossible to finish and flavors that made us go the extra mile (or kilometer, if you will) and finish them anyway. Chris was thrilled with his beer, as he never sees Leffe Brune in the States, especially not on tap, and hasn’t had it draft since he spent a semester abroad and visted Brussells.

I highly recommend it, so long as you can devote a full hour or so, and $20-30 (don’t forget to account for taxes), to lunch.