Azure Restaurant and Bar

We visited Azure for lunch during Winterlicious. We were exhibiting at a conference in the convention center and were surprised to find that the restaurant was not at all busy during the lunch hour.
I suspect this is due in part to their service. We waited at least 5 minutes to be seated. No one appeared to be interested in seating our group of 6.
We ordered a bottle of wine and the server returned to the table nearly 10 minutes later to state they were out of this brand.
A man in our party attempted to order a glass of beer and the server seemed very unfamiliar with the beer they offered.
The saving grace was the food. I ordered a delicious (but small) squash soup and a chicken dish that was perfectly prepared.
A delicious caramel bread pudding topped off this Winterlicious menu.
Perhaps an «off» day for service. We aren’t certain because we rarely visit this restaurant.

I went there for a company event, and the food quality & services were way below my expectation !!! And I believe that this may still be truth.

A fellow co-​worker and myself went here for lunch on an afternoon. First impression? No one greeted us and it took a few minutes to even get noticed. We also noticed that although open and airy, it was rather warm (and it wasn’t even a hot day). I had the chicken club sandwich and my co-​worked had the chicken caesar. Service was very quick, which was nice. Presentation was OK but nothing special. The food itself was tasty and fresh, but for the price we both expected more. Would I return? Doubtful as there are too many options in the city to choose from

If you stay at the Intercontinental, be sure to add the breakfast for 2 to your reservation. The best buffet I’ve had in years.

My friend and I came here for appetizers and drinks for his birthday. It’s more of a special occasion place for most since it was pretty pricey.
Drinks: The only word to describe their cocktails was strong. We ordered 4 different drinks and they didn’t skimp on the alcohol on any of them, which is both good and bad because you don’t end up tasting much of anything else. Their beer selection was okay. Not a lot of choices but mostly craft brews.
Apps: fairly good. Our oyster platter was really fresh, and at $ 18 for a half dozen, decently priced. Sliders were pretty alright. The pork belly was nice and fatty and dressed well. Beef sliders was disappointing as it just tasted like a miniature burger that had nothing special about it. The patty was good though, really moist and a nice texture to it. Chicken brochettes were delicious, but just a tad on the dry side.
Service: service was attentive, and not intrusive. They brought out a chocolate torte for my friend as it was his birthday, which was a nice touch.
Good ambience, which is what you pay for. Overall would recommend for a special occasion

I went last night and the place was closed with people sitting there and music playing. OK, fine, they directed me to a nearby bar. I went there Thursday night and the place had people and music and they told me that the place was closed, go to another F-​ing bar. (And I’m freaking Uranium Ultra-​Ambassador status with this hotel… not to be a jerk but I stay here for expecations, lucky with my job for the perks for a poor person, so no arrogance intended.)
So tonight Saturday night the family is here, clients, I go to the Azure bar at 11:15 p.m. and I am told by the guy (with a cadre of folks at 40% of the tables and music playing) that we’re union and if we don’t get off at a certain time we can’t catch public transit home and he said «it’s a $ 70 cab ride home», end quote. So essentially go to another (F-​ing) bar that is NOT in Hotel Intercontinental.
Also, Hotel Intecontinental Toronto has NO elevators in the parking garage that they don’t own.
Do not come to Azure day bar. In college I worked midnight shift cleaning bathrooms on Chicago Toll Roads, daytime I worked at a department store as a stock boy, weekends my 3^rd job as mowing lawns… tell these union F|_|cktards to get 3 jobs then and provide the customer with their glass of wine in their union hostage bar. SAD. ULTRA-​friendly staff, sad parking and bar issues. (And look, I’m #1 on 5 starring folks on Unilocal,it just sucks being negative but truth-​be-​told here.)

Positively mediocre. High prices and bland food barely rescued by decent service. Convenient for guests and Convention Center visitors but otherwise many other better choices nearby.

28 $ for breakfast buffet is kinda expensive specially when there is nothing special in the buffet. If you can, try any local restaurant around (there is plenty of them)

After a long walk through a trade show at the convention centre, I just had brunch at Azure lounge at the Hotel Intercontinental. While the service was very pleasant I was disappointed in the meal. My 3 egg omelette was served over cooked and with that square sandwich bread that feels like foam and that you would expect at a truck stop. Really? While the price point was a modest $ 17, what you expect to pay for a downtown hotel restaurant, I was hoping for artisan bread and eggs less rubbery.
This international hotel does not accept debit cards. Even the waiter rolled his eyes at this inconvenience, I should have sprung for the Royal York. Is it any better there?

PARTIAL REVIEW
From the moment my sister and I had our coats checked to when we retrieved them at the door, we felt welcomed and well taken care of at Azure. The service is professional, yet personable, so it doesn’t feel like you’re dining in a stuffy hotel– definitely a plus for me. We were spoiled with impeccable attention– our water glasses were consistently refilled, our cutlery replenished, and the meal moved at a comfortable and well timed pace (about 1 ½ hours in and out).
This past December, the hotel welcomed Executive Chef, Shawn Whalen to the team to work alongside Chef de Cuisine Grace di Fede and General Manager, Stephen McGaw. The restaurant’s food menu is very inviting and approachable– creative enough for a foodie, but familiar enough for a picky palate. Expect to see a handful each of seasonal salads (like Niagara Poached Pear, $ 12 – 14)), elegant appetizers (including Scallops, local Beef Carpaccio, $ 9 – 14), Pastas and Risotto (mmm… like a beautiful sounding short rib tagliatelle, $ 21 – 25), and main courses from land and sea (Gamay Noir Lamb Shank? Yes please! $ 25 – 39).
One thing I especially love about the menu is that there are suggested wine pairings for every dish– a really nice touch for those looking to imbibe on a full-​out foodie experience. There are about 20 local and International wines by the glass ($ 10 – 28) and another 60 or so by the bottle ($ 40 – 1750). Their cocktail list of 11 offerings fuses trendy ingredients and classic recipes with a wide variety of house made syrups and purees going into each one. My sister opted to start with a peppery Australian Shiraz ($ 14), while I went the cocktail route.
Pear & Vanilla Sparkler ($ 12)
Vodka, Lime, Vanilla Pear Syrup
Mexican Screwdriver ($ 13)
Tequila, Passion Fruit Purée, Jalapeño Ginger Syrup
Snowflake Martini ($ 14)
Vodka, Elderflower Liqueur, Lime, White Cranberry
Three very different cocktails for potentially different palates or moods. The Sparkler was the mildest of the bunch — light, refreshing, but a little muted in flavour for this girl. In contrast, the Screwdriver was quite the kicker with the booze. It was smooth enough for those who like strong drinks, but I was expecting more fruit flavour from the purée and heat from the syrup, and I didn’t really get either. The Snowflake was my far the best in my opinion. It was floral, refreshing and way too easy to drink– definitely my first go to next time.
For our Winterlicious dinner, we had a choice of 3 appetizers, 3 mains and 3 desserts, available for the reasonable cost of $ 45 plus tax. Everything sounded delicious. It was so hard to choose, we ended trying all three desserts!
Parsnip Bisque
Roasted Pears & Double Smoked Bacon
The creamy, smooth purée was complimented by the pieces of sweet supple pears and salty bacon at the bottom. This is such comfort food for February weather.
Dried Cranberry & Apple Salad
Brie Cheese, Honeycomb, Almonds, Baby Greens & Sherry Vinaigrette
Yum, yum, yum. A nice balance of super tangy vinaigrette with sticky sweet honey and milky brie cheese. A lovely winter salad.
Ontario Grain Fed Veal Osso Bucco
Potato Gnocchi, Root Vegetables, Kale & Gremolata
The gnocchi were light and pillowy and soaked up all the delicious meat juices that accumulated on the bottom of the plate. The meat was perfectly rendered and tender, but it could have been a little more moist.
Butternut Squash Risotto
Arborio Rice, Mascarpone, Sage, Truffle Essence
Super creamy, luxurious, and cooked a perfect al dente. I did find it a touch overseasoned, and maybe would have appreciated some textural contrast (like bacon?), but that didn’t stop me from wanting to finish the entire bowl. Azure has clearly mastered the allure of comfort food.
Café Mocha Chocolate Cake
Almond Wafer
The cake itself was very moist, and the flavour was rich and pronounced with the coffee bringing out the subtleties of the chocolate. I’m not a chocolate lover myself so this was my least favourite dessert of the three, but this might be a good pick for those who love that slightly bitter edge on their sweets.
Apple Caramel Cheesecake
Calvados Sour Cream & Praline Crust
Best cheesecake ever. This was the absolute best part of the meal and I could have happily eaten two more of them and not felt a hint of guilt. The cheesecake was light and creamy, and the caramel was thick and luxurious. I also loved that in the middle there was a little piece of poached apple hidden inside. Order this dessert. Just do it.
Banana Walnut Ice Cream
House Made Biscotti & Rum Toffee Sauce
The lightest and simplest of the three, but a very tasty offering for those who like banana– based desserts (me!!). The ice cream was sweet and aromatic with a nice crunch from the nuts and an addictive sweetness from the sticky toffee sauce.

We caught some drinks here after a conference.
I was starving so I had the French onion soup, before deciding what else to have. After the soup I decided not to try anything else and just have a few more drinks. The soup was ok, not really fitting of a 4star restaurant.
The skylights were all frosted over with condensation, so the great view of the city lights wasn’t really in view.
It’s ok in a pinch, but there are many other better places within walking distance.

Had Christmas dinner there, very nice, but not worth that much money~

A hotel this nice (InterContinental Toronto Centre) should have a better restaurant.
I came home from a conference STARVED after an evening jog and was REALLY ready for a strip steak.
Poor quality, lukewarm, unseasoned, half-​cooked vegetables.
The «sweet potato mash» is regular white potatoes with a little bit of sweet potato mixed in for color.
I called to complain and must say that the staff and management really took care of me and offered to comp the meal and give me another dinner on the house to try them again.
For that, I increased the star rating.

A group of my girlfriends and I grabbed drinks here on a Sunday night. We chose this bar because it was very close to our hotel and one of the only bars opened at night.
Surprisingly, when we walked in, there were still a few patrons dining and a large group just starting to order seated close to us. Although it was late, we still received great service and our drinks were delicious! We were grateful to find a place so welcoming in the eleventh hour!

My 2^nd and last Summerlicious of the year was at Azure Restaurant & Bar located inside InterContinental Toronto Centre (@ICTorontoCentre) at Front and Simcoe.
Although do like the natural light coming through the glass ceiling, I thought it was a bit dated with an 80’s feel to it. But thought there’s some small touches that can be done to update it a bit, like the blue water glasses and the blue vases should go.
On the other hand, Azure features contemporary Canadian cuisine by Chef Grace Di Fede who is an advocate for using local and seasonal ingredients.
Azure Caesar
~ pepper infused vodka + Tabasco + Clamato juice + olives
Grapefruit Tree
~ vodka + fresh basil + fresh grapefruit juice + simple syrup
~ Although the presentation doesn’t say much, it’s a rather large glass of cocktail compare to what you get at most places these days and it tasted very good. Simple but well made. I loved both of them a lot, the Caesar parked quite a bit of heat which I love while I am a sucker for basil cocktails… will probably try to replicate both at home ;)
Summerlicious Dinner at $ 45 pp
~ At first I thought the price was a bit high for summerlicious but in the end, it’s all worth it with the yummy good quality ingredient and the rather large portion.
~ Def no need of McDonald stop after =P
.
Sweet Corn & Saffron Bisque (vegetarian)
~ Goat Cheese Croûton, Tarragon Oil
It was incredibly smooth with just light sweet corn flavor instead of the full on yellow overly sweet corn soup.
~ This was a rather large portion but we had no problem licking the bowl clean =P
East Coast Crab Cake
~ Lemon & dill aioli, summer fruit salsa
~ With a thin crunchy shell, this crab cake was packed with lots of crab meat with minimal filler.
Canadian Farmed Beef Striploin
~ Rosemary & Garlic Potato Purée, Baby Vegetables, Chard, Pork Jus
~ I ordered mine rare but it came out medium well and the waiter seeing that I didn’t really like it, immediately took it back and got me another one.
~ And while waiting, he even came by to ask if I wanted a salad or anything while waiting (^_​^)
~ the 2^nd one came back perfect and I enjoy every bit of it.
Pacific Organic Salmon
~ Orange & Shaved Fennel Slaw, Raisins, Pistachio, Asparagus, Pernod Tomato Purée
~ I usually don’t like cook salmon at all but this was cook very well and the slaw and sauce goes perfectly together with the salmon.
~ Everything on the dish just compliment each other so perfectly.
Bailey’s Chocolate Torte
~ Vanilla Mousse, Summer Berry Compote
~ It sounded heavy, look and tasted decadent but was surprisingly light.
Ice-​Wine Strawberry Panna Cotta
~ Fig Compote, Caramel Tuille
~ I am usually not a fan of panna cotta but this definitely won me over, especially love the fig compote.
Genoise Cake
~ sour cream mousse, doubled smoked candied bacon
~ This was not included in the Summerlicious menu but bought to us by our waiter.
~ This was definitely sweeter than the previous 2 desserts but was offset by the saltiness of the bacon…
~ Everything just taste better with bacon (^_​^)
~ This dessert is now officially on their menu
Verdict :
~ Love the attentive service and was very impress with every dish
~ I haven’t had such a great Licious experience for ages
Summerlicious have ended but they have extended their prix fixe lunch & dinner menu through August 31^st.
*** This meal was complimentary. Opinions are my own***

My husband and I were staying at this hotel for our anniversary and had dinner at Azure. We had reservations and were seated without any wait on a Saturday evening. The restaurant was small with a trendy atmosphere and jazzy music. The tables were very close to each other so that we could hear the conversations of the people around us.
Our waiter, I believe his name was William, was the nicest guy and always had a big smile on his face, but the service we received was incredibly slow. We sat at our table for about 10 minutes before our drink order was taken and our bread basket was brought out very late. We didn’t get drink refills and waited forever for our food to arrive. We noticed that all the tables around us had the same slow service but no one seemed to mind so we believe it was probably just that we (Americans) are accustomed to quick restaurant service.
I started with the crab cakes and having grown up in New Orleans, I know what a good crab cake is. They tasted more like tuna and were nothing special. My husband had the Caesar salad and thought it was great. We both had beef tenderloins as our entrée and it was excellent. I recommend this as it was very tender. Unfortunately, I have to say the mashed potatoes tasted like instant potatoes and the vegetables were a disappointment. I ordered the banana dessert that had banana flavored fritters and ice cream and was very tasty. My husband had the maple dessert which was an apple crisp that he loved with ginger ice cream that he did not care for.
Overall, we had a nice dinner but probably wouldn’t return unless we were staying in the hotel.

Restaurants located in hotels tend to disappoint. Azure, located inside the InterContinental Hotel, has the look and feel of a nice place, but unfortunately the drinks, food, and service don’t live up to first impressions.
Service in the lounge area is painfully slow. I waited over twenty minutes for my first cocktail, and even longer for the second. No apologies either time.
Breakfast is generally hard to mess up, but the poached eggs I was served had an off taste, as did the bacon. I could barely finish my meal, but still had to shell out about $ 35. (I know hotel restaurants are pricey, but $ 6 for a tiny glass of OJ?)
Since there are many other dining options in the area, I would recommend skipping Azure, unless you’re on expense account and don’t feel like leaving the hotel.

This was my second stop on the Summerlicious tour of 2012. Lucky me, I was sent downtown for a few weeks to work in the summer time and I quickly tried to book as many lunch hour deals as I could. This one was super easy to obtain and after dining there, I can see why.
The InterContinental hotel is fairly nice but there are places here that are starting to show it’s age. Though it is renovated and updated inside, the exterior is hard to keep up with the growing new swankier places nearby (Trump towers!). When you move towards Azure, you’re pretty much hit over the head with the actual colours. It makes for an interesting environment as your meal does take on a blue undertone… most of the time it’s not alarming until you get something yellow like a sliver of yellow pepper and then it starts to look greenish on the edges.
Service was genuinely pleasant and very personable. He deserves 2 of the 3 stars for the review alone. He was always quick and never rude… even when the other table near us were jerks (sorry, but why on earth would you have a phone conversation at the table while trying to order and then hold up a finger to the waiter to hush them is beyond me). He handled all his table really professionally. I wish more hotel restaurant staff was like him.
As for the food, ugh… I hope it was just a Summerlicious bad day because it was pretty rough. I started with the smoked salmon rillette. The idea sounded really tasty… smokey flavourful salmon that is cooked tender till it’s like melt in your mouth. In reality, it was really really salty. Almost inedible. I couldn’t finish it after 2 bites. My main was the short rib with root beer au jus. Sweet and savoury pork would be amazing right… flavour was ok but the ribs were over done. They weren’t tender and if anything, I would say they were a bit skimpy on the meat as well. It was disappointing. I ended with the sorbet and it was ok. It didn’t blow me away but it didn’t turn me off like my first two plates.
Overall, I wouldn’t come back for the food at all but what saved my experience was the really great staff. I would be willing to try it again … but maybe after the smoked salmon salt lick experience goes away from memory.

I was first made aware of Azure by the drop-​dead gorgeous Chinese Maitre’D I saw in the summer of 2010 while staying at the InterContinental Toronto Centre, ever since I’ve been curious to visit, but the appropriate opportunity never came up.
I finally got the chance this year during the Toronto Sportsman’s Show.
The beautiful Maitre’D was nowhere to be found =[
A table for one at 9:00am, I ordered the Belgian wallfles.
I was seated at the middle of the restaurant with a view of the lobby rather the preferable view of the restaurant’s backdrop. To no fault of anyone because I did not specify where I wished to be seated, and I was alone which called for a smaller table.
The décor is very much open concept, and most of the space was enclosed in a window panel against Front Street, the windows rose many stories high allowing for natural sunlight, which is a very nice and rather important element for hotel restaurants in my opinion. I felt that the carpeting and upholstery is slightly dated, and that is as much as I can complain about the décor because its not like they can change anything else.
My food arrived and I was surprised to see that my waffles were not actually Belgian. Belgian waffles are characterized by their taller and larger size, and the ones on my plate were miniaturized. Four mini waffles served with more butter and jam than I knew what to do with. I was served a jug of coffee, which isn’t unusual, what was unusual was the incredible smooth texture of it. I’ve never had such delicious coffee in any hotel in Canada! Not even in the other InterContinental hotels! No creams or sugar needed, brilliant!
But back to the waffles, I mean I was hungry and these things didn’t look like they could do the job. It was covered in pieces of strawberries, blueberries, and other fruits. Check the photo album ^
It was okay, I wasn’t too thrilled about the plate which it was served on, those long rectangular ones. Those plates are meant for sushi aren’t they?
It’s difficult to discriminate the service because it’s mostly the same in all the international hotels. Very courteous staff, very attentive.
Supposedly Azure has live jazz in the evenings? I never seen it passing by the hotel lobby a million times. There’s a full bar slightly sectioned off from the main dining floor.
It would be difficult to judge to give it four stars having come here only during breakfast, unless of course that Chinese girl showed up again. then I’d roll over sideways on any review website.
Need to update décor slightly, need to get the Maitre’D back.

ArtBabe never gets to drink in swanky hotel bars in Buffalo. I’m a fan of swanky hotel bars. After Far Niente we plied our way through the underground to the Intercontinental Hotel and took a seat at the bar of Azure.
It’s dark. It’s blue. There are nice looking women bartenders. There are traveling biz people drinking alone.
ArtBabe gave a thumbs down to the Manhattan. She also tried the lychee cocktail after tasting the one I ordered at Far Niente. She thought Far Niente served up a better one.
Nothing much in terms of beer or beer on tap.
It is swanky though.