Tati Bistro

124 Harbord Street
Toronto, Ontario

My friend and I find ourselves on a cold winter night waiting in the front door of The Harbord Room unable to get a table for at least 30 minutes. Cold, hungry and in dire need of a glass of wine we decide to run across the street to Tati Bistro and have a drink at the bar while our table here potentially becomes available.

Upon entering the charming Tati bistro however, the aroma of delectable food is so overpowering that we decide we simply have to stay. See ya later Harbord Room!

The scent of home cooking is only the sort that a French bistro can accomplish, and one glance at the menu confirms this assumption. Only the classic French dishes are served here, and I mean classic. Even Le Select or Le Paradis don't offer up these traditional plates: pot au feu, cassoulet, bouillabaisse, and the more common great French options like soupe a l'oignion and bavette.

Our waitress had a talent at describing the menu, ensuring upon delivery of our choices that our high expectations were met. I may take back what I'm about to say one day, however of all the French restaurants I've tried in Toronto, Tati Bistro presented me with one of the best French dishes I've ever had in this city. I chose the rabbit basquaise, which in all honestly could not have been more flavourful. The two legs of rabbit, meat falling off the bone, rested in a stew-like sauce of tomatoes, roasted red peppers and potatoes. Light but powerful French flavours oozed from the sauce making this so simple and satisfying, completely relieving me of the last of the cold winter chill in my bones.

I never thought of dining at Tati Bistro, as to be honest, the name always threw me off. I wasn't sure if it was Indian, Moroccan or what. After digging a little deeper though, Tati is actually the equivalent of "auntie" in English. It all starts coming together now...to create a quiet, European hideaway on the Harbord strip serving up truly, the French classics.