The best experiences in life are the ones that you either discover on your own or through close friends. So when my good friend and Chef de Cuisine Geoff O’Conner (of Nota Bene) made a reservation at a new place in Toronto called Alo, I was all in. Alo (which comes from the Latin word ‘nourish’) has been open less than a month and is a true discovery.

Walking down Spadina, just south of Queen, we turn into an unmarked doorway and are greeted by a hostess in a dingy hallway. She checks our reservation and calls the elevator. A couple floors up, the elevator doors open and we find ourselves in a completely different space. One that is both funky and classic with white marble floors, touches of copper, and a playlist featuring classic house and hip-hop beats. The 2,800 square-foot space takes up the top floor of the Victorian building, which was previously an art agency.

Chef Patrick Kriss has created an offering unlike any other, or at least closer to something you’d find in New York or San Fran. The tasting menu uses local ingredients, prepared using French techniques, and the attention to detail in every single aspect from staff uniforms, to service, and plating is impressive.

This Frandom is by James Filbry, founding partner, ACD and AD of Spring Advertising.