One of my favourite restaurants in downtown Toronto is Earls Restaurant so I was excited to be invited to the grand opening party of the new Earls at Yorkdale Shopping Centre! Earls Yorkdale is the company’s 59th Canadian location and there are two more Earls locations scheduled to open in Toronto in the next year: one near King and Bathurst and one at Manulife Centre.
The decor at Earls Yorkdale is relaxed yet upscale in calming black and white textiles with ocean green tones. Artwork from local artists adorns the walls while plenty of plants add warmth. The lounge features spacious, comfortable seating for cocktails. The design concept is to provide a relaxing escape for guests after shopping at the busy Yorkdale Shopping Centre. A patio which runs the length of the restaurant will soon be open for guests. Windows overlooking the patio will open to create a fun, interactive experience for those sitting inside and on the patio.
One of the specialty cocktails served at the party was the Grapefruit Hibiscus Paloma. A fellow media guest said the drink was so refreshing and she could barely taste the Tequila, which was a bonus for her as Tequila is known to dominate other flavours!
Chef David Wong created a wonderful introduction to the Earls Yorkdale menu for the opening party. Passed appetizers included Street Corn with Avocado Dip; Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes; Angry Lettuce Wraps with Chicken or Tofu; Sushi Tacos and Kale & Mushroom or West Coast Prawn Pizza.
I had a chance to try the Angry Lettuce Wraps with Chicken: Delicious crispy chicken sits in a bed of fresh butter lettuce with puffed rice, shredded carrot and cucumber. The heat from the chili-based Angry sauce gives these wraps their kick! They’re perfect for low-carb eaters like I am!
The seafood station included Freshly Shucked Merasheen Bay Oysters, Prawn Cocktail featuring jumbo shrimp, Yuzu Tuna Tataki, Crispy Prawn Sushi Roll and Lobster.
All of the seafood was super fresh! I had never had Merasheen Bay Oysters before. These fresh tasting oysters are not large, but they are meaty and have a slight seaweed flavour. Delicious! The Crispy Prawn Sushi Roll offered a contrast of textures from soft, chewy rice to the crunchiness of a batter-coated shrimp. Due to a lobster allergy (yes, I drew an unlucky genetic card!), I had to pass on that delicacy, but I was informed that they were meaty, sweet and fresh.
Yuzu Tuna Tataki is a delicate, non-fishy tasting tuna paired with pickled shimeji mushrooms, which add a nutty flavour. The flavours are enhanced by a delicious avocado purée.
I also could not get enough of the Jumbo shrimp, which were fresh and meaty. Yes, that’s me above, looking adoringly at my shrimp.
Exclusively available at the Yorkdale location for the launch are new menu items, including:
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- Yuzu Tuna Tataki, a Seafood Tower, and Angry Chicken Lettuce Wraps;
- Cucumber Jalapeno Ranch Water, Grapefruit Hibiscus Paloma and the Passion Fruit Chili Margarita, and;
- The spring wine feature being Post Malone’s Maison No9 Rose, exclusively offered at Earls.
Have a look at the grand opening party of Earls Yorkdale on my Instagram:
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What a wonderful addition to Yorkdale! Earls Yorkdale is sure to be a busy spot for lunch, dinner and/or drinks and I know that patio will be packed when the warmer weather arrives soon.
Thank you so much for inviting me! The food was outstanding!
Earls Yorkdale is located just east of The Bay and The Cheesecake Factory at Yorkdale Shopping Centre, 3401 Dufferin Street, Toronto, 437-780-3228. Park at Lot A2.
You may be interested in reading “Diptyque Opens First Canadian Store at Yorkdale Shopping Centre“.
