Dopamina Restaurant

Dopamina delivers an extraordinary dining experience in Toronto! The Menu Dégustation we enjoyed on Sunday, December 29th, 2024, was nothing short of phenomenal, with each course showcasing impeccable technique and creativity. The evening began with Oyster, Caviar, and Cream, a luxurious opener that set the tone for the night. The Éclair with Foie Gras and Persimmon was a delightful blend of rich and sweet flavors, while the Beef Tartare with Smoked Bone Marrow added a satisfying depth and smokiness. The seafood courses were exquisite: the Hiramasa Crudo with Saffron Tosazu was vibrant and fresh, and the Squid Ink Risotto with Crab and Chorizo was a standout dish with bold flavors. The Halibut with Dashi Vin Blanc and Ikura struck the perfect balance between delicate and savory. For the meat course, the Aged Duck with Beet and Pepper was perfectly cooked and full of robust flavors. The pre-desserts and desserts were equally impressive: the Yogurt with Pomelo and Cardamom was refreshing, while the Pain Perdu with Buckwheat Almond was a satisfying finale. The Petit Fours added a delightful sweet touch to conclude this culinary journey. The menu felt like a symphony of flavors, textures, and artistry. Combined with attentive service and a warm ambiance, Dopamina is undoubtedly one of Toronto’s top fine-dining destinations. Highly recommend it for any special occasion or for anyone who truly appreciates elevated gastronomy!

December 30, 2024 on Google

Visited here in Oct 2024. It's a new modern European restaurant with Asian-inspired cooking, helmed by a former Michelin chef. Expectations were high and we went ala carte and picked some of the most popular dishes here with the help of the super friendly server. Happy to say that I was extremely pleased with most of what we ordered. The weakest was the amaebi crudo - amaebi is extremely delicate and I felt that the strong taste of uni overwhelmed it. Other than that, everything was on point. The octopus with laksa sauce was lipsmackingly good. The sauce has been toned down for western sensibilities and I'm not complaining - it was very well balanced and not too spicy. The fried maitake was also crispy and delicious, albeit confusingly named hen of the wood. The highlight of the night was definitely the iberico pork. It was hands down the best pork dish I've had this past year. I'm not sure what magic went into it, but it was the right balance of sweet and savory and I couldn't keep my hands off it! The pork was sooo tender as well. Despite being more of a casual fine dining restaurant, the food here does not skim on portion sizes and we were 100% satisfied at the end of our meal. Watch this space for a Michelin star soon.

November 17, 2024 on Google

Follow @bredgyeats for more food posts! An exemplary demonstration of East meets West, Dopamina highlights the natural wonders of the sea while imparting mouth-watering combinations of flavours that instantly make me want to return. To whet our appetites comes a duo of cold apps - a lobster papaya salad and a mesmerizing salmon mosaic that rivals any display in an art exhibit. The freshness of the lobster cannot be understated, shipped in fresh on the same day and cooked to perfection, bringing out its delectable sweetness and subtle umami. It's paired with a touch of acidity in from the charred clementine supremes and raspberry honey dressed frisee, offering a refreshing crisp and a touch of bitterness to balance each bite. The papaya is cut into cute little flowers and offers a subtle sweet element to compliment the lobster nicely too. What a way to treat my favourite fish, where the salmon aroma permeates throughout each bite, bringing along its buttery texture that's contrasted with a slightly chewy nori sheet. The asparagus and green pea mash freckled within provide a subtle earthiness in each bite, while cleansing your palate for another bite. The flavour of this dish comes from the fish sauce, providing a savory umami element, while toning down the pungent fishiness with some sweetness, finished with a dab of wasabi cream to bring a tiny bit of creaminess and spice to compliment the salmon. Then, it kept improving with a childhood favourite, shrimp toast but elevated with a chef's expertise and XO sauce. Their housemade brioche is wonderfully airy, creating an addictingly crisp texture without any greasiness whatsoever. It contrasts the minced shrimp and its springy texture, releasing its subtle sweetness and prominent savoriness that's amplified with the unforgettable XO cream sauce. It adds a rich mouthfeel while providing a canvas to absorb all the flavour from the seafood in the XO, with tiny chunks of scallops littered throughout. Dried pasta has its place, but I extract the most joy from the egginess of fresh pasta. Thinner than your typical pappardelle, it actually has a less stodgy, softer bite that concentrates the umami flavour of the port reduction sauce with beef and duck jus, extracted straight from the duck confit that's served on the plate. It has a hint of gaminess to remind you that you're eating duck, but mild enough that it doesn't overwhelm your palate, and I don't think I need to mention it's cooked to tender perfection. Finally, one of the most refreshing desserts to cap off the meal brings Asian tropical flavours with an elegant flair. The pineapple and mango mousse are silky smooth, with a harmonious balance of sweetness and acidity from the two fruits. Each bite is contrasted with an airy pandan chiffon cake, a crunchy biscuit base and topped with a thin bar of creamy white chocolate and crystalized sugar strands. To add on another element of mango, it's turned into a compote along with a refreshing minty twist to ameliorate each bite of mango. The green pandan sherbet took me by surprise with its unbelievable concentration of floral, vanilla, and rich pandan taste that I've never experienced before, with a smooth texture that instantly melts in your mouth. We got the Lobster Papaya Salad, Salmon Crudo Mosaic, XO Shrimp Toast, Duck Confit Papardelle, Songkran Delight

November 5, 2024 on Google

Amazing experience at dopamina. We had their tasting menu and did not disappoint. We were very excited about dopamina after having a memorial experience at frilu. You really get your money's worth with the tasting menu. They used high quality ingredients and every dish was very unique. Service was top tier and the restaurant also looks amazing.

October 23, 2024 on Google

Absolutely blown away by the attentive service and food. As expected from the chef of Frilu, he has delivered once again with mouthwatering flavors. Definitely one of the best new restaurants of this year in Toronto. Totally deserving of 1 michelin star if not 2. Highly recommend trying.

September 28, 2024 on Google

Beautiful atmosphere and space you can enjoy at the same time you experience exotic and delicious food. The service was great, too bad they didn’t serve alcohol yet but they said they will eventually in the future. Strongly recommend to try with loved ones for fancy dine out.

August 9, 2024 on Google

New spot in town! Inspiring and creative cuisine. Service is impeccable! Recommend: Lobster Papaya Salad, Salmon Tartelette and Short Ribs😋 They just opened and there will be more cocktails coming soon, shall come back to try more!

July 29, 2024 on Google

We had an incredible fine dining experience at Dopamina! Each of our dishes were bursting with flavor, and the service was top-notch, with attentive and friendly staff who made us feel right at home. We were also surprised with desserts that were the perfect ending to our meal. We’ll definitely be back! ❤️

July 27, 2024 on Google