Vertical
Profile
Vertical
100 King Street West
Toronto, Ontario, M5X 1E1
Canada
416-214-2252
info@verticalrestaurant.ca
http://www.verticalrestaurant.ca
Description
Situated in the heart of the Financial District, the partnership of Joe Alberti and Gary Chivers has launched Vertical on the mezzanine level of Canada's tallest building, First Canadian Place.
About Us
Vertical features a stylish 70 seat main dining room, two private dining rooms that seat 12 & 16 respectively and a separate bar|lounge highlighted by a stunning 40 foot sandstone bar top. The mezzanine patio & lounge overlooks the parkette and waterfall of First Canadian Place facing King Street.
Under the direction of Chef Tawfik Shehata, the ingredient driven seasonal cuisine is inspired by southern Italy and the Mediterranean with a focus on simplicity and freshness. The menu is prepared in a lighter, healthier style indicative of Mediterranean influenced cuisine. Whole grilled fish and fresh pasta are specialties of Vertical. The extensive selection of aged cheeses is sourced exclusively from the experts at The Cheese Boutique.
The wine list is a compilation of passionate producers who we feel grow varietals that best express their region. The list is focused mainly in Italy complemented by selections from Spain and Portugal. New World selections include the regions of Australia, California, Washington, Oregon, Canada and New Zealand. Special attention is paid to the regional wines of southern Italy focusing on the value driven, high quality wines of Campania, Puglia and Sicily. Twenty five wines are available by the glass or in a unique individual 9 ounce carafe called a 'quartino'. A selection of Riedel stemware has been chosen to enhance the varietal characteristics of the wines on the list. Vertical has received the "Award of Excellence" from Wine Spectator magazine in both 2007 & 2008.
Vertical is proud to showcase the original work of two local artists; the paintings by Cory Tower and the photographic panoramas by Rick O'Brien (www.flickr.com/photos/o_brien). We are open Monday to Friday for lunch and dinner, and are available for private functions on weekends. We are also available for private functions at breakfast, please contact us for details. Complimentary parking for dinner guests is available in First Canadian Place from 5pm. Complimentary Valet is available on the north side of King Street between Bay & York Streets from 5pm Wednesday to Friday.
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Restaurant Story
Vertical has taken the ‘eat local’ movement one step further. We have planted our own quarter acre of produce that is maintained by both the back and front of house team.
Although not mentioned extensively on the menu, most of the herbs, lettuces, radishes, swiss chard, edible flower garnishes as well as broccoli, cauliflower and zucchini are harvested by our own hands. As the season progresses, so will our selection of passionately grown organically farmed produce.
We sincerely hope that you enjoy the fruits of our labour!
Chef's Bio
Celebrated Chef Tawfik Shehata joined the Vertical team in March 2006. His culinary style can best be described as “sense and seasonality” which refers to his use of the freshest seasonal ingredients available and the desire to create simple, flavourful dishes in which the ingredients work in harmony. This refreshing approach has earned him many accolades and is a perfect fit with the vision of the cuisine at Vertical.
Born in Egypt and raised in Canada, Shehata’s interest in a culinary career began with his mother’s passion for food. He began his education at the Cordon Bleu in Ottawa and then undertook an apprenticeship at Scaramouche in Toronto while completing the Chef Apprentice Programme at George Brown College. Following graduation, he studied at Café Asia under the guidance of Andrew Chase, followed by a stint at Auberge du Pommier and later a Sous Chef position at the five-star Cambridge Beaches Resort in the Caribbean.
Returning to Canada, Shehata furthered his culinary journey at some of Toronto’s finest establishments including Winston’s, The Rosewater Supper Club, Boba and Truffles at The Four Seasons. He returned to the Caribbean to serve as Restaurant Chef at The Grand Lido Negril Resort in Jamaica, earning “Best Restaurant in Jamaica” award under his leadership. In 2002, he became the Executive Chef at Eau Restaurant and was voted as one of the “Top Ten Chefs in Canada” by enRoute Magazine. Eau was described by Report on Business Magazine as the “hot new place to go” and also received four-star ratings from many of the city’s food critics. Shehata was also rated as one of the “Top Ten New Chefs in Toronto” at the Gourmet Food and Wine Expo and Zagat Guide 2003 highlighted him as a “newcomer to watch”.
Tawfik then spent two seasons in Muskoka at Taboo Resort as Chef of Elements, the resort’s newest restaurant concept. He has appeared on Food Network Canada on "Christine Cushing Live" and "Cook with Me" and was a regular Guest Chef on CBC’s daytime "The Gill Deacon Show". At the 2007 Gourmet Food and Wine Expo, Tawfik was voted one of the "Top 9 of Dine", highlighting the hottest up and coming chefs in the Toronto area. He has been featured in the 2007 National Post story on noteworthy young chefs as well as a similar feature in the North Toronto Post. Tawfik can be seen as a guest judge on an up coming episode of "Chef School" on Food Network Canada.
Under the direction of Chef Shehata, Vertical has received excellent reviews from Toronto Life, The Toronto Star, National Post and The Globe and Mail. Vertical was #4 in Toronto Life's list of "Best New Restaurants 2007" and was named by enRoute Magazine as one of 25 restaurants across Canada that will shape the dining scene in 2007 and beyond in their “Where to Dine Next” feature.
Owner
Joe Alberti and Gary ChiversHead Chef
Tawfik ShehataType of Business
FamilyNeighborhood
Financial and Entertainment DistrictPrice
$$$Payment
CashDebit
Credit
Credit Cards
VisaMC
American Express
Attire
Casual upscaleVarious
Group FriendlyPatio
Reservations
Parking
Free Parking at First Canadian Place after 5pm.
