Impossibly bronzed and gorgeous, these stunners aren鈥檛 archetypes of beauty 鈥斅爐hey鈥檙e chickens elevated beyond their humble reputation by local chefs with serious cooking chops. True comfort food, roast chicken is enjoying a renaissance at some of Toronto鈥檚 top tables thanks to upgrades that make the dish feel new without ever pushing it too far. Plump and tender, these birds are a welcome sight 鈥斅爋ften for a fraction of the price that other dishes demand. 鈥淩oast chicken kind of represents a rebellion against overly complicated and expensive food,鈥 says head chef at Martine鈥檚 Wine Bar, Luke Haines. 鈥淚 think with the economy the way it is, diners want to eat simpler and get more bang for their buck. Roast chicken is the perfect dish for that kind of eating.鈥
Arbequina Restaurant
Roast chicken at Arbequina Restaurant.
SuppliedIf you鈥檝e never spent three days pampering poultry to coax out maximum flavour, it鈥檚 unlikely your roast chicken has approximated the incredible specimens served at this stylish Levantine space. 鈥淩oast chicken is an underrated dish,鈥 exclaims executive chef and co-owner Moeen Abuzaid, adding that his aim is to treat guests to 鈥渃hicken how it should be.鈥 That process begins with smallish (鈥渘o more than 2.5 pounds鈥), free-range, grain-fed, halal birds that are rested, brined, dried and lightly smoked. Patted down with house spice blend, then roasted, orders are served with chicken glaze aioli, hot sauce, pickles and lettuce. 鈥淧eople say it鈥檚 the best chicken they鈥檝e ever had in their lives,鈥 he muses.聽325 Roncesvalles Avenue,
Frenchy Bar et Brasserie
Roast chicken at Frenchy Bar and Brasserie.
SuppliedHilton Toronto鈥檚 recent addition, Frenchy lures guests with its sophisticated setting and menu of timeless Gallic fare. Chief among them is roast chicken slicked with aromatic herbs de Provence butter and wild-honey laced truffle gastric. 鈥淲e use techniques such as brining and dry-aging to enhance the flavour and tenderness of our chicken,鈥 says executive chef Aaron Chen, adding that the team focuses 鈥渙n taking humble ingredients and elevating them with each step.鈥 Served with beurre noisette mash and silky chicken jus, it鈥檚 a dish that Chen believes is a 鈥渃omforting option for guests that showcases the restaurant’s culinary skills.鈥澛145 Richmond Street West,
Abrielle
Roast chicken at Abrielle.
SuppliedSimilar to its fictional namesake, this restaurant inside the Sutton Place Hotel 海角社区官网is effortlessly elegant, with an irresistible Mediterranean accent. In addition to dishes like whole sea bream resting atop paprika-licked Spanish sofrito, the team transforms Giannone chickens from Quebec into burnished beauties thanks to a cooking process described as 鈥渃arefully calibrated鈥 by chef de cuisine, Andr茅s Jaramillo. Marinated in brown butter, miso, garlic and herbs, the poultry is steamed then roasted until succulent and crisp. 鈥淢any diners comment that they usually find chicken to be boring, dry, and lacking in flavour, but Abrielle鈥檚 roast chicken defies these expectations,鈥 he adds.聽355 King Street West,
La Plume Brasserie
Roast chicken at La Plume Brasserie.
SuppliedAt this comfortable Southern French go-to, the team wanted its roast chicken to be humble and simple, yet devastatingly chic: 鈥渢he gourmet equivalent of Coco Chanel鈥檚 little black dress,鈥 explains chef de cuisine, Navinder Saini. To that end, they source organic chickens from Quebec, which are brined then air dried. 鈥淲e rub the chicken with our in-house spice mix which is based around Espelette, giving it the Southern French 鈥榡e ne sais quoi鈥,鈥 adds Saini. The birds are 鈥渞oasted at the start of each service in the Rotisol rotisserie and it takes 45 minutes for the most perfectly moist flesh and caramelized skin.鈥澛453 Wellington Street West, l
Martine鈥檚 Wine Bar
Roast chicken at Martine’s Wine Bar.
SuppliedFed by the profusion of seasonal veg coming from co-owner Grant Van Gameren鈥檚 Prince Edward County farm, the menu at this new spot is as changeable as the weather. One constant? The roast chicken. It鈥檚 an entr茅e that takes on its significant allure in the homey restaurant鈥檚 wood oven, which imparts what head chef Luke Haines describes as, 鈥渁 certain amount of specific character and kind of 鈥榯erroir鈥 that you can only get at Martine’s.鈥 Brined and marinated, heritage birds are served classic style or daubed in a marinade Haines says is 鈥渁 hybrid between Nashville hot chicken and Sinaloa street chicken.鈥澛293 Palmerston Avenue,
The Chase
Roast chicken at The Chase.
Supplied鈥淭here鈥檚 nothing more seductive than a perfectly roast chicken,鈥 declares Cory Vitiello, director of concepts, development and culinary for LFG Growth Partners, the company that oversees The Chase. 鈥淐hicken is something that we鈥檙e not trying to elevate,鈥 he adds, explaining that the team鈥檚 Sicilian take on the standby is a way 鈥渢o celebrate the humble nature of it.鈥 Seasoned with a cumin- and paprika-laced dry rub, spatchcocked organic birds are flattened 鈥渢o maximize surface area,鈥 says Vitiello. Moist with golden, cracker-crisp skin, each order nests in a verdant ring of Castelvetrano olives brightened with Myer lemon, oil, vinegar and herbs.聽10 Temperance Street, FL 5,
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