Orchid Cafe - Toronto

The Orchid Cafe is located inside the Double Tree hotel, there is coupon in the entertainment book for this place as well as two other restaurants in the hotel. I usually go to Alfredo 's which has excellent steak but have not tried this place or the other restaurant which is a Japanese place... Alfredo 's was closed on a Saturday night... So... We decided to try this place a try since we had a coupon and was already there. The places looks like a joke, you are basically sitting in the walkway of the hotel. There really isn 't a proper setup to eat either. Tiny tables with couches and some chairs. How am I supposed to eat my dinner on a couch with a table that is much lower then where I am sitting? After being ignored for 15 minutes and having 10 waiters standing around in front of us finally someone came over. We asked about the steak assuming it is the same kitchen as Alfredo 's and the waiter responded IS STEAK, TASTE LIKE BEEF . After that we decided to leave, this just is not a place to come for dinner, maybe for some drinks if you are staying at the hotel but do not come here out of your way! I 'll stick with Alfredo 's!

I visited the Orchid Cafe over the weekend for a conference at the hotel. Situated near the main lobby entrance facing Martingrove, this restaurant offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner options (buffet or a la carte). I chose the lunch buffet over the a la carte menu, which had some appealing choices. The ambiance was decent, with an open layout, comfortable seating, and table areas. The buffet selection could have been more extensive, considering it is a hotel restaurant. Apart from the dessert and salad options, there were only four hot food selections: Pacific salmon, meat lasagna, steamed vegetables, and roasted potatoes. The quality of the food was excellent, but the downside was the buffet cost, which came to over $20 with tax and tip included, for lunch.

The Orchid Cafe at the International Plaza hotel is a decent option for dining. While it may not be the most amazing restaurant, it is not the worst either. I had the opportunity to dine here when my flight was cancelled and Air Canada put me up in the hotel. I used my food vouchers at Orchid Cafe and found the staff to be friendly and helpful. The Fresh Pappardelle Pasta I ordered was flavorful, although a bit heavy on the oil. The atmosphere is relaxed, with TVs to watch the news or a game. The best part of the experience was the service from the staff, who were attentive and pleasant. Overall, a decent dining option within the hotel.

My anticipation was high when I looked over the menu and chose the buttermilk pancakes. Unfortunately, they did not meet my expectations. The meyer lemon cream that I was looking forward to was missing, and the syrup was not vanilla infused as shown in the picture. The pancakes and whipped cream were decent, but overall not worth the price or as advertised, in my opinion. I ended up eating my girlfriend's potatoes, and if not for those, I would have still been hungry. The service was also lacking, as we had to wait at least 20 minutes for someone to come to our table and take our drink orders. They did offer us a 20% discount for the long wait, which we appreciated, but I would have preferred the right food and good service instead.