We prepare a melange of specialties with French, Italian and continental origins. Fresh daily specials and features including wild game and a variety of seafood.
Start on a good note..Atmosphere was the only half decent thing about this god awful restaurant.
When we sat down we were promptly offered drinks d they were served quickly. When I looked at what the menu had to offer I was getting the feeling this would not be a very good experience. After reading one unappetizing selection after another I decided on portobello and wild mushroom stuffed raviolis in a Gorgonzola cream sauce. They were served in theses way over the top ridiculous looking pasta bowls. First bite was weird tasting and it progressively got grosser the more I ate it-- the pasta tasted over cooked and slimy, the sauce tasted like there was something wrong with it. For 25$ I would have rather been eating Kraft dinner. My girlfriend ordered and 'heirloom' tomato and boccochini salad. I put heirloom in quotations because they were flavorless hot house tomatos...this was terrible .
The food is always excellent at this restaurant, and they were quite gracious in accommodating our very last minute reservation. The service was disorganized at first, but it got better as the meal proceeded. My only complaint would be on the drink side. Prices on the cocktail menu would be helpful, since there can be huge price swings for the same drink at different restaurants. Also, $55 for a $15 Niagara wine seems like an excessive mark up. We had the same bottle at a fine restaurant in Mississauga for $42.
Myself and a large group of friends had made a reservation for NYE. Fortunately, we were lucky enough to have the basement of the bistro due to our number of people. This being the only plus to the evening. So many disappointments throughout the night. Firstly, our one or two waiters would take some drink orders but not all. Personally, my drink was AWFUL and for $12 you could imagine my dismay. I ordered a whiskey sour and received a glass of pure lemon juice. A friend of mine ordered a lemon drop martini and her drink tasted identical to my WHISKEY based drink. Our bread baskets didnt arrive on our tables until all of our orders had been placed. We werent asked if "things were ok" or if any one of us needed service at any time. Once our meals came, it took quite a long time for our servers to figure out who was eating what. At one point a friend of mine was given a meal, thus he began eating it. He realized that the pasta dish he was offered was in fact the wrong pasta that he had ordered. One of the waiters came in bearing two plates of food, stopped, looked confused and then turned around and left. No ones food came at the same time. My husband ordered the beef short ribs with potatoes and veggies. He and other people with this meal were served raw potatoes. Another friend had ordered a veggie pasta dish. When the dish arrived at the table the PUNGENT smell of olives was SO strong that she couldnt eat the meal. Again, no one asked us if things were ok or if anyone needed service. At the end of the dinner our plates were taken, none of us were offered coffee or dessert. When the bill finally arrived 45 minutes after our meals had been taken away, we noticed the 18% gratuity that was added to each bill. Awful from start to finish.
On January 5, 2012 we decided to try 1010 Bistro for the first time. Only one other table was occupied upon our arrival for lunch so it was very quiet. The aromas were inviting and we looked forward to a fabulous lunch. Service was friendly, unobtrusive and quick although not engaging. The bread was warm and delicious. The appetizers were very tasty and plated well. My guest enjoyed the salmon however disliked the risotto as it tasted odd to her. The Lobster Frittata was cold, soggy/watery and what little lobster was in it was chewy. How do make a bad frittata? I suspect the lobster was frozen hence the reason it was so cold, chewy and tasteless and made the egg mixture weep. The egg mixture in the frittata was truly the worst I've ever had and I should have returned it. Definately will not return.
I organized a departmental lunch at 1010 Bistro for December 3, 2010 to celebrate the holidays. We were overcharged by almost $200 for the luncheon. I have made numberous phone calls to the establishment to rectify the situation, but no one will call me back. This is very frustrating, as McMaster University has been a very good customer over the years.
Susan Munro
