From The Fairmont Royal York Best Nearby French (Restaurants) (10 Overall Closest) Metro: Toronto, ON Biff's Bistro & Wine Bar (Restaurants - French) 4 Front St E, Toronto  ON  M5E 1G4 • 416-860-0086 Distance: ~407 m         Description: DOWNTOWN. Owned by the Oliver Bonacini group (which also owns the much lauded Canoe and Auberge du Pommier), Biff's is a charming French bistro serving a traditional menu. Steak frites, duck confit, bouillabaisse and mussels Provençale are standouts, but there are additional options like braised rabbit, arctic char with celeriac and cabbage remoulade, and grilled quail. The prix fixe option is a great deal. Le Sélect Bistro (Restaurants - French) 432 Wellington St W, Toronto  ON  M5V 1E3 • 416-596-6405 Distance: ~1.121 km User Rating: 9.5 / 10         Description: DOWNTOWN. At this authentic Left Bank-style bistro found in the Garment and Warehouse District, diners indulge in classic dishes like duck confit and cassoulet while enjoying the strains of jazz music. The frites are arguably the finest this side of the Atlantic. Be sure to try the tarte tatin – comfort food at its finest. One of the best deals in town is Le Select's three-course prix fixe, only $30 every night. Service is friendly and attentive; reservations are recommended. Brassaii (Restaurants - French) 461 King St W, Toronto  ON  M5V 1K7 • 416-598-4730 Distance: ~1.188 km User Rating: 10 / 10         Description: DOWNTOWN. Brasaii's contemporary gray and white decor takes its cue from the 1920s-era black and white photographic prints that line the walls. When combined with fantastic traditional French cuisine, the effect is a stylish dining experience that just may make you forget you're in Toronto. Starters include all the traditional favorites: escargots in garlic butter, onion soup, steak tartare, and mussels. Featured main dishes run the gamut from steak frites to salade Nicoise with seared tuna. Daily specials are reliably good as well, and desserts are sublime – try chocolate ginger truffle tart with caramelized mangos. Bistro & Bakery Thuet (Restaurants - French) 609 King Street W, Toronto  ON  M5V 1M5 • 416-603-2777 Distance: ~1.570 km         Description: DOWNTOWN. Chef Marc Thuet has quite a reputation in culinary circles, and his stylish restaurant is the ideal atmosphere in which to enjoy his classic French technique. Start with an hors d'oeuvre such as rabbit pâté with shrimp and asparagus, or pan-seared foie gras with rhubarb and strawberry coulis. If a second course is in order, ricotta gnocchi with porcinis and poached bone marrow is divine. Carnivores will love the selection of main courses, like beef tenderloin with braised pork knuckles and Dungeness crab. The house's wine suggestions are spot on, but the wine list certainly bears exploring. Amuse-Bouche (Restaurants - French) 96 Tecumseth St, Toronto  ON  M6J 2H1 • 416-913-5830 Distance: ~1.942 km         Description: WEST TORONTO. Named for the tiny tidbit offered to guests before the first course that is designed to entice the palate for upcoming tastes. Prix fixe or tasting menus are the options, and you may find yourself sampling Kobe beef carpaccio and tongue terrine, a fig and tarragon stuffed rabbit loin with confit leg and French beans, or veal three ways (roasted tenderloin, cheek ravioli and sweetbread pudding). Desserts live up to the rest of the food, so be sure to save room! Notable wine list as well. Bistro 990 (Restaurants - French) 990 Bay St, Toronto  ON  M5S 3A8 • 416-921-9990 Distance: ~2.224 km User Rating: 3 / 10         Description: DOWNTOWN. Known as much for its star-studded list of regulars as for its menu of slightly upscale comfort fare, Bistro 990 enjoys a well-deserved reputation. The food is reliably good and expertly prepared. Duck breast, for example, is offered rare; roasted chicken with garlic mashed potatoes is perfectly seasoned and tender; and mussels come bathed in a lovely wine-y red broth. During the Film Festival the place is overflowing with easy-to-recognize faces, but since Toronto is the home base of choice for plenty of celebrities you never know who might be at the table next to yours. Matignon (Restaurants - French) 51 St Nicholas St, Toronto  ON  M4Y 1W6 • 416-921-9226 • 866-211-6255 Distance: ~2.409 km         Description: DOWNTOWN. An appealing three-level space, an accessible menu and exceptional service are the hallmarks of Matignon. Hors d'oeuvres range from escargot in garlic butter to crab and brie in phyllo to mussels steamed in white wine. In addition to daily specials, you'll find regular main courses like steak frites, veal with mushrooms in cream-calvados sauce, and mustard crusted rack of lamb. You don't need to speak French, but servers do if you're so inclined! Surprisingly affordable, particularly if you choose the three course prix fixe option. Jamie Kennedy at the Gardiner (Restaurants - French) 111 Queen's Park Gardiner Museum, Toronto  ON  M5S 2C7 • 416-362-1957 Distance: ~2.641 km         Description: DOWNTOWN. Considerably more sophisticated than the usual museum café, Jamie Kennedy’s Gardiner outpost is a delight. The contemporary setting is bright and airy with floor-to-ceiling windows, making it a refined midday escape for harried office workers, tourists and ladies who lunch. The menu changes frequently to take advantage of seasonal produce such as ramps and fiddleheads, and incorporates meats from regional farms, local artisanal cheeses, and the like. The trademark Kennedy fries are always available. Friday’s prix fixe dinner is fabulous, as you’d expect, and wine pairings are sublime. Truffles (Restaurants - French) 21 Avenue Rd Four Seasons Hotel, Toronto  ON  M5R 2G1 • 416-928-7331 Distance: ~2.871 km User Rating: 10 / 10         Description: DOWNTOWN. Lofty ceilings lend this elegant hotel restaurant an airy feel, while warm colors and intriguing art ground the space in the here-and-now. Contemporary French cuisine is superbly crafted. The menu changes frequently, but you might start with a ballotine of wild salmon, or seared foie gras with peppered bourbon apples and pickled cape gooseberries, or bison carpaccio. Entrée highlights have included a fabulous duck breast with bosc pears and red cabbage, roasted Provimi veal, and poached lobster with sweet pea and pistachio brûlée. Boba (Restaurants - French) 90 Avenue Rd, Toronto  ON  M52 2H2 • 416-961-2622 Distance: ~3.193 km         Description: MIDTOWN. Dining is an event at this elegant eatery, set in a Victorian house with a bright, bold color scheme. In the middle of the restaurant, an enormous fresh flower arrangement offers a lovely focal point. The menu promises a variety of innovative taste combinations, and specialties include lamb, beef, and duck. Make sure to leave room for the chocolate-pudding cake (a house specialty) or the lemon trio, which features lemon ice cream and a chocolate wedge with homemade wafers. Copyright ©2001 10Best Inc. All rights reserved.