Food Review: Restaurant 360 at the CN Tower in Toronto

One of Chicago's very own traveled to the land of our friendly (and border cooperating) neighbors to the north and visited among other things, Toronto. While Toronto has more than its share of sushi restaurants, we didn't have any Asian food the entire trip. The height (pun) of our dinner experience was supposed to be Restaurant 360 and it's 1,150 foot altitude above the world, it was anything but that. As was read on a website, the trip to the observation deck is complimentary with the order of any main entree. Fair enough. The cost of going up was not seen but has to be comparable to the price of the Sears Tower or the observation deck of the Hancock building, if you choose not to go to the Signature Room. The average main entree is about $30, give or take a few cents. We opted for the Prix Fixe, which included an Amuse Bouche, Appetizer, Main Entree, and Dessert for $68. The decision was to go with the baked oysters. Since the seating in the restaurant rotates, and the central part does not, one gets to see the kitchen, bathroom doors, front desk, and wine closet without ever leaving their seat. My first indication of dinner should have been the countless awards for Ambience. Usually that means smoke and mirrors. When my amuse bouche came, it was a single dryed-out oyster still attached by it's membrane to the shell. There was a lot of lettuce. Ambience. The appetizer arrived promptly and was a French Onion Soup with truffles and foie gras. Hands down, the best Onion soup I have ever had in my life, and can possibly rank in the top 10 of best soups I've eaten. If I had known the rest of the meal was headed where it was headed, I would've ordered 5 more soups at $9 a bowl. My entree arrived, double-smoked bacon wrapped tiger shrimp with organic atlantic cod. The plate had two medium sized shrimp on it, far smaller than any other tiger shrimp I've eaten, and almost two filets worth of cod. There were generous slices of artichoke and the other vegetables were fantastic, even in the absence of more shrimp. A deceiving listing to say the least. Finally my dessert came, the Chocolate Tower. A 5 inch high cylinder of white and dark chocolate filled with chocolate mousse, drizzled in raspberry syrup and other syrups I cannot immediately recall. At that moment, I realized I really did pay for my trip to the top, and be served mediocre food at best. The dessert was delicious, but not worth the bother. If I went again, I would steer far and wide of the Prix Fixe, and focus on the drink and appetizers instead.