Fifth Grill
The Fifth Grill & Terrace is a hidden gem. Literally: Its entrance is situated in an alley that leads through the bustling first floor pub, and up an ancient concierge-attended elevator to a rooftop dining room.
Now in its 18th year, what was once a private members' club is now the top tier of The Fifth complex' increasingly accessible dining options, which also includes the street level pub house and cafe . The choice seats are on the patio, a covered wood deck dressed up with formal white linen settings.
The steakhouse menu is overseen by chef Brad Livergrant (formerly of Cafe Belong and Veritas ) and opens with an assortment of appetizers covering premium fare like oysters ($18/6), tartare ($18) and foie gras ($25).
Cider-glazed pork belly ($15) is meaty and only lightly ribboned with fat. Each bite melts and mingles with the sweet flavours of the accompanying confit apples and crispy, sugar-dusted fried apple skins.
The Newfoundland crab cake ($18) rests on a base of chipotle remoulade. It's not so much a cake as it is a giant meatball, a crisp breaded shell encasing sweet chunks of succulent crab meat seemingly bound without any unnecessary filler.
Grilled specialties are the menu's niche, covering not just premium Canadian steaks but also pork chops, roast chicken and market fish. For indecisive diners, there is the mixed grill ($38 for one, $74 for two), offering a feast of select chef's cuts and sauces.
Vegetarians are not excluded: an indulgent assortment of pasta courses includes the pillowy roasted garlic and ricotta gnocchi ($19) dressed with lemon and sage brown butter.
The wine list is extensive, listing bottles starting at $45. The cocktail list is trimmer, advertising only five classic drinks with nuanced twists like the smokehouse old fashioned ($16) made with smoky scotch.
The Fifth Grill & Terrace is open Thursday to Saturday for dinner from 6:30pm to 2am.
Photos by Jesse Milns