Every once in a while an occasion comes along where cruising for cheap eats just doesn't cut it. You need to take that special someone (even if that's a parental unit in some cases) out for a nice dinner and you'd like the place to be a reflection of your very interesting multi-faceted self. ;) In such a case, may I suggest some Goldfish?

Goldfish restaurant on Bloor is that little chi chi bistro you've probably walked by on your way to the Green Room wondering, "I wonder what their food is like...". Well, it's GOOD. After stepping in for a $20 prix fixe dinner during Summerlicious, I've returned for lunch, and will certainly be back again... when my meagre bank balance is restored, of course.

After trying not to fill up on fresh bread & butter, appetizers arrived in the form of Organic Field Mix Salad which included grilled pear, beets, cherry tomato, brown mushrooms, Dijon mustard & parmesan.

I'd already dismissed the salad as just another mini pile of greens but after tasting it I was pleasantly surprised by the variety of interesting and strong flavours in the ingredients chosen. Each bite was a little different which made for a really interesting mix.

The main course, and the highlight of my dinner, was the divine(and I use that word with a full out liza minella sort accent) Creamy Saffron sauce on the Braised Chicken Breast with potato mash & stir fry vegetables. I'm a big fan of saffron, but had never had it incorporated into this sort of dish.

It was wonderful.

My dining companion went with the Spinach Gnocchi with crumbled feta cheese and peppers in a light tomato sauce -- also wonderful. The gnocchi were not the heavy blocky store bought sort, but a much better sized, spinach infused sort that got along well with the tomato cream and feta.

Portions were not tiny, but just filling enough to leave you with an ounce of room for dessert.

In come 2 varieties of cheesecake we choose from a list of about 5. Apple and Almond (no alliteration intended). Both were really good and again, not heavy. While on my first visit the cake was a little softer than I would have liked, the second time around it was firmer (and better)... though both times I licked that plate clean (figuratively!).

Overall, the rest of the menu was a fusion of a number of different cuisines from italian and french to middle-eastern. I'd venture anyone can find something appealing (and try something new at the same time) when faced with making a choice here.

Prices per entree are a little bit up there, but certainly worth it.

If you're trying save a little cash, it'd be worth making a note to visit during the Winterlicious dining fest (probably in January) where you can take advantage of $15 3-course lunches or $20 dinners.

Goldfish - 372 Bloor Street West (just West of Spadina). 416-513-0077