The food itself is nothing spectacular. The lineup is the usual suspect of 'American bistro' fare -- steaks, common seafood items (salmon steak or tuna filet) and fancy salads -- and while the beer list has some interesting local choices, it's rather ordinary (that is, for Toronto standards, which always include European and Canadian beers that are not so common in American restaurants). In an attempt to try dining healthy, I opted for the seared ahi-tuna, but it came out overcooked (you can tell that they've seared it way too long) and the garnishes were nothing spectacular. With just about any places that serve $10+ entrees offering similiarly prepared tuna dish, I guess I should not have expected much. The desserts, on the other hand, were excellent; I ordered Italian ice and five fresh scoops arrived in a bowl that didn't last two minutes before my spoon was scooping up the last remaining bits off the bottom of the dish.

What was memorable about Jump Cafe, however, was the interesting mix of industrial accents (metal frames for the green-house like effect), modern design on fixtures and decorations (like the oversized free-standing lamps), and deep mahogany shelves and bar -- definitely cool and trendy. I can imagine how this place will be jumpin' with young, beautiful patrons on Thursday nights.

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met some friends for dinner at Jump Café, a trendy restaurant in an office complex. Sitting down at 8:00, we had the table for the evening and our wait staff provided the most leisurely service possible without driving us mad. We had plenty of time to go over the usual questions, catch up on gossip, and consider the wine list before turning to the menu. Jump Café offers a “blue plate special,” a prix fixe menu of appetizer, entrée and dessert with at least two choices in each category. Over glasses of Frog’s Leap zinfandel, we considered the options and ended up with one prix fixe and three a la carte orders.

I scoffed at a mizo-glazed black cod (butterfish), a Japanese preparation, served with a red Thai curry, and was challenged to order it and see whether the chef knew better than I did. Perhaps. The nicely tender fish was rich and flavorful, atop a mound of wild rice (and something). A moat of red coconut curry sauce provided a separate flavor note for the starch and vegetables. Not as crazy as it appeared at first glance. For dessert I inherited the St. André cheese plate from the prix fixe dinner. Seriously decadent with a honey sauce, it nicely complemented the final glass from the second bottle of zin.

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