Bymark Toronto Patio
A Fine Dining Staple Located in the Financial District
Tel: (416) 777-1144
Address: 66 Wellington St W, Toronto, ON M5K 1M6
Overview:
Located in the heart of the Financial District, Bymark is renowned chefs Mark McEwan’s take on Fine Dining using seasonal fresh ingredients. Led by Executive chef Brooke McDougall, this upscale patio brings a relaxed airy vibe, with greenery, a spacious and open patio, and a laid-back ambiance playing Canadian indie artists with a mix of funk-pop. The dishes are a mix of cuisines, ranging from fan favourites like the butter braised lobster Poutine to wagyu beef dumplings, smoked duck, and the famous Bymark burger. Catering to the upscale clientele in the Financial District, Bymark is still casual and comfortable enough for a classy night out with a tasty dinner and formal enough for a special occasion. Bymark hits the mark with its ability to serve as a fine dining option that can serve comfort dishes with flare – making its menu welcoming and friendly. The patio itself is luscious, tropical, and upscale, bringing a bit of a Miami south beach feel to the Toronto Financial District.
Our Review:
We sampled a variety of dishes at Bymark, specifically a few of the newer and less-known dishes on the menu. It should be noteworthy however that the two most well-known dishes here are the Bymark Burger and the Butter Braised Lobster Poutine. Some of our standout favourites here were the Kombu Cured Sea Bream Sashimi, the Wagyu Dumplings, and the Pork Belly Scallop. Expect the crowd to be dressed business casual, to casual chic as this is after all being a fine dining establishment carrying the prestige of one.
At Bymark you can expect a mixed demographic of young professionals having a night out, young couples celebrating occasions, and some families and mature patrons enjoying drinks and food. Keeping a cool but classy atmosphere, Bymark drums up an array of cocktail options perfect for patio drinking, including some of our favourites including the Paper Plane (wisers deluxe whiskey, Nonino amaro and lemon), and the Rhubarb Mclanhan (gun, thyme liqueur, lime juice, cucumber and ginger beer), great handcrafted cocktails perfect for a summer night out.
The food at Bymark we found extremely well balanced and elevated takes on both classic and unique dishes with Bymark flare. The grilled octopus is a perfect appetizer for those who love octopus or just seafood lovers in general, cooked sous vide, and grilled to perfection, the dish is balanced and flavourful and you’d have a hard time finding anyone who didn’t like it. The Wagyu beef dumplings were moist and the wagyu beef flavour shines through compliments with a sweet tangy hoisin sauce. The Kombu cured sea bream sashimi is a must try for sashimi lovers, this sea bream is bright and fresh with deep umami flavours. Our favourite entree was the Porkbelly & Scallop, as the pork belly was rich and flavorful, with perfectly cooked scallops. The smoked duck was a unique take on the traditional smoked duck you may have tasted before, served as both a duck breast and as a confit ravioli is a must-have dish for those who enjoy duck. We also enjoyed their classic truffle fries which is a staple side dish, and well as their roasted mushrooms served with crip chicken skins, a great side for any of the mains. Finally, for dessert we sampled the Bymark Chocolate bar which was what we interpreted as a delicious gourmet style chocolate bar with a crunch wafer center, and the creme brulee doughnuts served with caramel sauce that was perfect for those looking for a truly savoury dessert.
Overall Bymark is more than a fine dining experience, with its warm welcoming menu and handcrafted cocktails, and beautiful lush Miami-esque patio, it’s a Patio experience in Toronto that’s not to be missed. Perfect for drinks, snacks or a full meal, Bymark is the spot.
Music:
Indie / Funk-pop
Crowd:
Young & Mature Professionals, 21-35+
Vibe:
Upscale Lush Patio
Our In-Depth Review:
We sampled an array of cocktails at Bymark, enough to say that their cocktails are above the cut. Starting with the ‘Paper Plane” below, was sweet and tangy, a perfect summer drink for those liking something learning more toward the sweeter side.
We next sampled our favourite cocktail, the ‘Rhubarb Mclanahan’, which was comprised of rhubarb gin, thyme liquor, lime juice, and ginger beer. It was the perfect sour but sweet refreshing cocktail, and a really nice summer patio drink.
Lastly, we sampled, the ‘Aviation’, another gin based drink with creme de violette and lemon, this sweet cocktail is ideal when paired with an equally sweet dessert.
We first started with the grilled octopus is a perfect appetizer for those who love octopus, or just seafood lovers, cooked sous vide, and grilled to perfection, the dish is balanced and tasty. Spanish mexican flavors really shined through this dish, as the octopus was tender soft with a nice charred flavor that complimented the avocado crema.
The Wagyu beef dumplings were delicate, moist, and the tender wagyu beef flavour shines through compliments with a sweet tangy hoisin sauce, and a hint of dried chilli pepper.
The Kombu cured sea bream sashimi is a must try for sashimi lovers, this sea bream is bright and fresh with deep umami flavours. The meat is cured in Kombu, such that no salt is added to it after curing.
The Pork Belly & Scallop, as the pork belly was rich and flavorful, with perfectly cooked scallops. Served on a bed of smashed peas, and sumac yogurt, the scallops were plump and juicy, the quality of the scallops is immediately noticable, as Bymark does not use injected scallops.
The smoked duck was a unique take on the traditional smoked duck you may have tasted before, served in two ways as both a duck breast and as a confit ravioli its a must have dish for those who enjoy duck. The duck is smoked for an hour and a half and air cured to get the unique flavor.
We also enjoyed their classic truffle fries which is a staple side dish, as well as their roasted mushrooms served with crip chicken skins, a great side for any mains. The mushrooms are great with a meaty mouthfeel texture, and perfectly seasoned.
For dessert, we sampled the Bymark Chocolate bar which was a delicious gourmet style dessert with a sweet and crispy wafer center.
Finally, the creme brulee donuts served with caramel sauce are perfect for those looking for a sweet and savoury dessert.
Patio Guide
Multiple guides of the hottest and trendiest patios in Toronto.