French

Clafouti

915 Queen W, at Strachan, 416-603-1935. Since its arrival opposite Trinity Bellwoods Park back in 03, ex-Parisian patissier Olivier Jensen-Reynaud’s too-chic café has been home to arguably Toronto’s best croissants. No wonder there’s a lineup out front before the joint opens. Cramped quarters and a few tiny tables guarantee a near-perpetual mob scene. Best: the house croissant, warm from the oven, available plain, almond crusted or filled with chocolate or figs; superb croissant-wiches like turkey, Brie, arugula and saskatoon berry or Dijon chicken salad with raspberries; flaky fruit-topped custard tarts such as Pomme Normande or strawberry ’n’ rhubarb; mini tourtière; steak and kidney pie; key lime pie. Complete meals for $12 per person, including all taxes and an Illy coffee. Average main $6. Open Monday 8:30 am to 5 pm, Tuesday to Saturday 8 am to 6 pm, Sunday 9 am to 5 pm. Closed some holidays. Unlicensed. Cash only. Access: three steps at door, washrooms on same floor. Rating: NNNN

Jules Bistro

147 Spadina, at Queen W, 416-348-8886. Now in its ninth year, Eric and Mahasti Strippoli’s laid-back brick-lined bistro is always a zoo at lunch. But come back at dinner and find a relaxed room lit by chandeliers that encourages romance. Bonus: from 4 to 6 pm daily, steak frites – a seared 8-ounce flank strip peppered with herbes de Provence sided with sea-salted fries, house-made mayo and mixed greens in apple cider Dijon vinaigrette – goes for $12.95. Best: traditional thin-crusted quiche with Swiss cheese, bacon ’n’ broccoli or eggplant ratatouille and chèvre; foot-long sandwiches on Portuguese pada, like Le Parisien with Black Forest ham, Swiss cheese and tart cornichons, or creamy Brie with tomato and greens, all with puréed soup, mesclun or fries; oven-roasted chicken breast with the same sides; for dessert, house-baked tarte aux pommes. Open Monday to Saturday 11:30 am to 9 pm. Closed Sunday and some holidays. Licensed. Access: one step at door, washrooms on same floor. Rating: NNNN

Le Petit Gourmet

1064 Yonge, at Roxborough, 416-966-3811. When Christian and Linda Boniteau’s Summerhill patisserie first opened its doors in 1970, Toronto thought croissants were something the Pilsbury Doughboy whipped up from the freezer case. Since then, this Old World Parisian takeaway has delivered honest Gallic grub with genuine hospitality. Bonus wall decoration: an autographed photo of hockey great (and singer of Honky The Christmas Goose) Johnny Bower! Best: curried chicken salad – shredded chicken breast in yellow mayo with ripe strawberries, apple and melon; slow-roasted chickens dusted with thyme sold by the kilo; salads and sides like green beans with cauliflower, broccoli and chunked avocado in a lemony egg dressing; scalloped-style potatoes in basic white béchamel sauce; to finish, Gateau Basque, a rustic vanilla-custard-filled tart. Complete meals for $15 per person, including all taxes, tip and a Perrier. Average main $9. Open Monday to Friday 7:30 am to 7 pm, Saturday 7:30 am to 6 pm. Closed Sunday. Unlicensed. Access: two steps at door, washrooms in basement. Rating: NNN

Le Select

432 Wellington W, at Spadina, 416-596-6405. The famous hanging bread baskets were left behind at its original Queen West storefront, but most of Jean-Jacques Quinsac and Frederic Geisweller’s venerable Parisian-style brasserie’s original flavour – zinc-covered bar, art nouveau posters, gas-burning fireplace – remains virtually intact. Deep wine cellar, too. Best: nightly $19.95 two-course prix fixe – steak frites, duck confit or mushroom risotto – with salad or dessert; Oreille de Cochon, crispy sow’s ears sided with lentils du Puy; Crêtes de Coq, braised cockscombs with mushrooms, pine nuts and artichoke tortellino; specials like Boudin Noir blood sausage with rosti. Complete dinners for $60 per person (lunches or brunches $35), including all taxes, tip and a glass of wine. Average main $25/$18. Open Monday to Wednesday 11:30 am to 11 pm, Thursday and Friday 11:30 am to 11:30 pm, Saturday 11 am to midnight, Sunday 10:30 am to 10:30 pm. Brunch Saturday and Sunday till 3:30 pm. Licensed. Access: one step at door, washrooms in basement. Rating: NNN

La Palette

256 Augusta, at College, 416-929-4900. Launched nearly 10 years ago, Shamez Amlani’s charmingly chic Kensington bistro has been a magnet for francophiles who enjoy exceptionally executed comfort food accompanied by imported brews from one of the most thorough beer cellars in town. Best: not for the squeamish, Quack & Track, pan-seared duck confit coupled with grilled horse tenderloin – yes, fillet of filly – and sided with seasonal veg ’n’ fingerlings in citrus demiglaze; duck liver pâté with pickled cornichons and onions; garlic-butter-drizzled escargots in mushroom caps; triple A Black Angus strip loin with Yukon Gold frites and sun-dried tomato and herbed brandy butter to finish, classic lemon tart. Complete dinners for $55 per person (brunches $25), including all taxes, tip and an imported beer. Average main $22/$10. Open for dinner Sunday to Thursday 6 to 10 pm, Friday and Saturday 6 to 11 pm. Brunch Saturday and Sunday 11 am to 4 pm. Licensed. Access: three steps at door, washrooms in basement. Rating: NNNN

Petite Thuet

1 King W, at Yonge, 416-867-7977. Though his similar Atelier flopped, TV chef Marc Thuet’s latest upscale cafés/takeaways benefit from far more accessible digs. Bonus: many of the inexpensively priced take-home soups and stews show up on the menu at pricier Conviction. Also: 1162 Yonge, at Price, 416-924-2777. Best: the tastiest lobster salad sandwich in town laced with house mayo and served on house-baked pretzel baguette; impossibly flaky croissants and pain au chocolat; 50s-style macaroni and cheese casseroles; double-smoked bacon and Asiago quiche; Les Halles-style onion soup by the litre. Complete lunches for $15 per person, including all taxes, tip and a soda. Average main $8. Open Monday to Friday 8 am to 7 pm, Saturday and Sunday 8 am to 5 pm (downtown); Tuesday to Saturday 8 am to 7 pm, Sunday 8 am to 5 pm (Summerhill). Closed Monday (Summerhill). Unlicensed. Access: one step at door, washrooms on same floor (downtown); one step at door, no washrooms (Summerhill). Rating: NNNN