An Evening in Paris

Today was Mark's birthday and so I treated him to dinner at La Societe, one of Toronto's most opulent French bistros.

Opened last June, the restaurant evokes a Parisian bistro of the 1920s, with a stunning stained glass ceiling, beautiful milled wood details and brass ascents. The tile floor is absolutely gorgeous.

We both opted for the prix fixe, beginning with an incredibly creamy and flavourful duck liver terrine. We also had the same main, a 24-hour slow-cooked flat iron steak. A recent butchery discovery, the flat iron steak comes from the cow's shoulder and is the second tenderest cut of beef. It was perfectly prepared and presented; a succulent medium rare with a gentle pepercorn sauce. For dessert I had the cherry clafoutis tart while Mark opted for the milk chocolate chantilly cream. Both were simply fantastic.

Our only complaint was that the bistro is quite loud. It's a large space, and with all of the tile, wood, and high ceilings, it was tough to hear ourselves talk at times as there is a constant din. Thankfully, the place was only about 75 percent full, so we were not as overwhelmed as we might have been on a packed night.

The din aside, our server was outstanding, and we were impressed with the courteous and professional welcome by the hosts upon our arrival. It was easy to pretend we were in Paris, even if only for a couple of hours.