We at Good Food Revolution were extremely glad to hear that the financial district’s Reds Bistro had gone through a major overhaul, shedding its stuffy and, to be quite honest, seriously out of date interior for something much more contemporary.
Reimagined as Reds Wine Tavern and with Top Chef Canada contestant Ryan Gallagher at the helm, the tired old space has been imaginatively transformed into a place that you would actually enjoy sharing nibbles and libations with friends at. The new dark wood interior suits the location perfectly, with interesting little details such as wine bottle chandeliers, simply dozens and dozens of the now ubiquitous Edison bulbs (hanging from riddling racks), a shuffleboard setup, and the pages from old wine guides turned into wallpapering. It certainly is a welcome and welcoming change, that is for sure.
We were always great fans of former Reds Chef Michael Steh, and so when he moved on to pastures new we breathed a sigh of relief when we heard who would be taking over his position behind the stoves for the opening of Reds new incarnation.
Chef Gallagher is incredibly enthusiastic about his new menu, and it’s an enthusiasm that trickles down to the engaged and informed servers who know the menu inside-out and won’t leave your glass empty for a second… Our service was rather impressive. Get Gallagher talking about his daily fish deliveries flown in from the famous Foley Fish out of Boston and you’ll see his eyes light up, mentioning that Reds had to set up their own fish importing company in order to get Foley to do business with Reds and allow them to set up the daily deliveries Gallagher requires. As far as we are aware Reds are the only Toronto establishment serving fish and seafood from Foley at this point in time.
Below we have tried to capture the spirit of the place in a few pictures for your entertainment.
We wish Chef Gallagher and his entire crew at Reds Wine Tavern all the very best with their new/old space!
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Edinburgh-born/Toronto-based Sommelier, consultant, writer, judge, and educator Jamie Drummond is the Director of Programs/Editor of Good Food Revolution… And this looks like a very bright future for the new Reds Wine Tavern.
