Animl Steakhouse Toronto

420A Wellington St W, Toronto, ON M5V 1E3

(416) 764-6094

http://www.animlsteakhouse.com/

Over all: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Service: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Food: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Atmosphere: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A Stunning Atmosphere with Standout Service and High-Quality Fare

Animl, another project by INK Entertainment, delivers a truly beautiful and intimate dining experience, tucked away in a small lane way between Wellington Ave and King St West. The restaurant shines with its professional staff and high-quality, inventive dishes, making it a great choice for a special occasion, despite the high price point.

The atmosphere is immediately captivating due to the beautifully designed space. The staff were universally friendly and professional, ensuring a comfortable visit. Our waiter, Giacomo was a clear standout. He was attentive, knowledgeable, and provided excellent recommendations, including the shared steak course, and was accommodating in comping the French Onion soup. The Sommelier and Manger Oleksii also provided a solid wine recommendation. Overall, the service was excellent and truly elevated the meal.

Appetizers & Small Plates Highlights

The menu presented several inventive and delicious starters:

Japanese Milk Bread with Whipped Quebec Honey Butter (10/10): 

An absolute must-try. The bread was wonderfully soft and fluffy, perfectly complemented by the well-balanced honey butter.

Signature Pastrami (9/10):

Giacomo's recommendation of Wagyu pastrami with pickles, mustard, and bergamot aioli was beautifully presented. The bergamot offered a refreshing and beautiful counterpoint to the rich meat.

Caesar Salad (9/10):

 A simple, delicious take. The innovative, batonnet-cut croutons were a clever way to allow diners control over their consumption.

French Onion Soup (5/10): 

While presented beautifully with Gruyère and Brioche, the broth was too dense, strong, and heavy—to the point that it was difficult to finish. While this may be a deliberate style, a slight dilution would, in my opinion, improve the balance.

Main Course Steaks (Sharing Selection):

Following Giacomo's advice to sample different cuts, we appreciated the quality of the beef and seasoning. We ordered three cuts: 

The 10 oz Strip Loin, which was well-seasoned, cooked well, tender, and most importantly, arrived hot.(8/10):

The 6 oz Petite Filet (8/10) 

and the 16 oz Bone-in Ribeye (7/10)

 were also nicely cooked, well-seasoned, and delicious, but both unfortunately arrived warm, not hot. The steaks were well-prepared, but the consistent issue of the Filet and Ribeye arriving only warm was a minor detractor from an otherwise excellent course.

Side Dishes: 

Creamed Corn (10/10): 

This was a personal favourite. The addition of Aleppo chili and crème fraîche gave the dish beautiful spicy and fruity notes.

Potato Gratin (9/10): 

Well-made with layered potatoes, béchamel, and Gruyère. The caramelization on top was perfect, though it was slightly difficult to cut without disrupting the dish's structure.

Seasonal Mushrooms (7/10): 

As a mushroom enthusiast, this dish was underwhelming. Cooked with garlic, jalapeño, and Marsala, the texture and flavour felt somewhat braised, and the overall presentation was only adequate.

Desserts: An Impressive Finale

The dessert menu concluded the meal on a high note with impressive presentations and complex flavours:

Coconut Cream Pie (9/10):

 Visually stunning. The combination of coconut rum Panna Cotta, pastry cream, cocoa sable, and a pineapple-like gel was smooth and velvety with amazing, sweet flavours. For some reason, I tasted Tonka bean in the profile, though I wasn't 100% sure. Overall, it was sweet and delicious.

Gold Bar (9/10): 

A visually appealing, well-plated dessert featuring palate forward calamansi, lime mousse, and a nice textured lime cake.

Chocolate Sticky Toffee Pudding (8/10): 

While the chocolate cake was slightly rubbery, the accompanying chocolate tuile and ice cream were lovely, and all the elements worked together well for a delicious outcome.

 ‌Animl is an overall great restaurant for an intimate night out. The beautiful design and exceptional service (particularly from Giacomo) create a fantastic environment. While the main course had a slight temperature issue and the French Onion Soup needs refinement, the standouts like the Milk Bread, Pastrami, and Creamed Corn demonstrate a commitment to high-quality, inventive cooking. The cost is high, but the overall experience is worth the price.