A night in the life at One Restaurant & Muzik Nightclub

By on March 11, 2011

This past Saturday I had the pleasure of receiving an invite to join a close girlfriend and several others for dinner and drinks. Nothing crazy or out of the ordinary; dinner at One Restaurant, located inside the Hazelton Hotel, nestled within the luxurious neighborhood of Yorkville, Toronto. Followed by drinks at Muzik night club located just off Lakeshore Blvd beside Exhibition Place… Of course I accepted.

The evening began a little later then expected, as our friend’s flight from Miami was delayed, so dinner reservations moved from 8 to 11 p.m. This slightly soured my mood, since I had saved up virtually ALL of my daily allotment of calories for the evening. As my sassiness and starvation continued to intensify, my girlfriend and I hopped into a cab and shortly thereafter arrived at One Restaurant, home to a delicious array of Italian and French cuisine, to meet with two other ladies in our party. We were seated at a table of four until the staff could arrange to have four tables pushed together to accommodate our entire party of 14. After one double Grey Goose soda with two lemons, not to mention quite a bit of arranging and re-arranging, we were finally sat at the larger table. The four of us ladies took it upon ourselves to go ahead and order for everyone while we waited for them to join us. Sticking to the appetizer section on the menu, we decided on five orders of Lobster Spoons Butter Braised in Vermouth. Three orders of Soft Polenta with Wild Mushrooms, Poached Egg, and Truffled Percorino. Three orders of Carnarolli Risotto with Pumpkin, Toasted Seeds and Red Onion Marmalade. As well as four orders of some sort of yummy looking little mini-hamburger type things especially for the gentlemen, (which I will admit I wanted to try but my super tight mini dress quite literally held me back.) Soon after ordering, one by one the remaining guests of our group began to arrive. More drinks were ordered along with several bottles of Veurve Cliquot. The wait staff was extremely attentive with keeping our champagne flutes filled to perfection.

lobstespoons2

Almost instantly our food arrived and looked absolutely amazing. The first dish I sampled was the lobster spoons; delicious. Fresh lobster prepared flawlessly in a light butter with a little sprig of cilantro and apparently I wasn’t the only one who was impressed as five more orders were placed soon after. Next was the risotto; another hit! The ingredients were paired perfectly and complimented each other exquisitely for a bright, fresh flavor. Needless to the say the polenta was also superb, but not being a huge fan of polenta in general I can’t do much raving. However, in the world of polenta it was indeed delicious.

After the first few bites and glasses of champagne, my sauciness (and starvation) quickly faded away. Our night was back on track and headed in a great direction. The atmosphere at One Restaurant is very upscale. Filled with beautiful people of all ages; everyone from groups of gorgeous female fashionistas to families to gentlemen donning three-piece suits enjoying an after work indulgence. If you are planning to visit One make sure to look your best, and definitely don’t forget your wallet. The quality of the food, paired with the service was immaculate. Everything tasted amazing, and the wait staff was extremely professional, friendly and attentive. They have a way of making each table in the restaurant feel like the only table. All in all, worth the pretty penny you will spend during your One experience.

As I was gazing over my menu a particularly delicious sounding champagne cocktail caught my eye which consisted of peppered strawberry vodka, champagne and fresh strawberries – referred to as the Strawberry Champagne. I knew at some point in the evening I simply HAD to order one and the time had definitely come. Within moments of ordering, the waitress neatly placed a champagne flute before me filled with beautiful pink, fizzy liquid; small pieces of chopped strawberries bouncing about the bubbles. Not only was it love at first sight, but also at first sip – the feeling continued to intensify. My only regret was not ordering more of these dainty and delicious little concoctions! Next on my hit list of cocktails at One Restaurant is the Lipstick Martini. The first part that attracted me to this beverage was its feminine name and the ingredients; raspberry infused vodka, muddled fresh raspberries, a dash of lime and champagne, caused this brazen little beverage to capture my heart. I most certainly can’t wait to return to One Restaurant, try a Lipstick Martini and continue to sample all of the amazing drinks and dishes they feature on their menu.

I tossed back the last sip of my Strawberry Champagne as the staff began to clear away the remains of our dinner, it was past midnight and the drivers had arrived to whisk us away to Muzik where the Dom Perignon and Grey Goose were chilling on ice while patiently awaiting our arrival. We stepped outside and directly into two black on black Denali SUVs and off we went. By this point it was obvious we were all feeling good and ready to dance the night away at Muzik. After a short drive through downtown Toronto, we arrived at Muzik. We were then escorted to our private table in an intimate hide-away within the VIP of the 41,000 square foot club. Our private waitress began serving the ladies glasses of Dom Perignon and shots of Grey Goose vodka. At no point in the evening was I empty handed, or did I ever have to ask for a refill. Endless bottles of champagne and vodka were served to us, along with hors’ dourves that were freshly prepared in Muzik’s kitchen. A variety of fruits and cheeses, sandwiches, sushi rolls and even fresh baked chocolate chip cookies were among the selection.

Of all the great clubs I have attended throughout the GTA, I am compelled to say Muzik is by far the most esthetically pleasing. The entire inside is dimly lit with pleasing shades of pinks and purples, long shear white curtains flow seductively from the sky-high 60 foot ceilings. Acrobats and exotic barely-dressed male and female go-go dancers perform throughout the course of the night. It is really one of those venues you have to experience in order to truly appreciate; its vast beauty can hardly be translated into words or photographs. It truly seems as though each and every time I attend Muzik it has once again redefined its high standard of luxury and service excellence. However, I would only ever attend this club as part of a private booth reservation; it is simply too big and too packed for me to be able to enjoy an evening the way I like it without having my own personal space to enjoy champagne and plenty of room to dance with my friends. (So please bare in mind, my opinions are strictly based on the VIP experience of Muzik night club and not that of a typical general admission experience that would include exploring the club, mingling with guests or purchasing drinks from the bar.)

This is definitely not the club you want to attend if your trying to pinch your pennies either, as a 26 oz bottle of Grey Goose will run you approximately $375 each; Dom Perignon approximately $500. The booths have a minimum amount you have to purchase, which range in cost anywhere from one to several thousands of dollars (a smaller booth requires a minimum purchase of two bottles, a larger one is four bottles.) Many of the booths are named after geographic locations, including Hollywood, Dubai, and Miami. The bigger and better the booth, the more money you will be required to spend. Due to this fact, I feel that Muzik is ideal for people with a large disposable income, as it really does cost quite a bit to have the ultimate Muzik experience.

So, if you are looking for a limitless night out filled with luxury, beauty and intimate service, Muzik is a must. Guests range in age from late 20-somethings to those in their 40’s. The dress code is strict – so dress to impress or you could run the risk of being denied entry. For the ladies who arrive earlier in the evening, there is a fully equipped lounge/beauty bar where the ladies can enjoy a complimentary glass of champagne and have their hair and make up done by a professional stylist.

Muzik also is home to three acres of outdoor patio space that is open in the summer time, complete with a pool, bar, and private cabanas. And you just never know who you are going to run into during a visit to Muzik; actors, athletes, musicians and celebrities of all types can usually be seen sipping champagne and enjoying a night out when they visit Toronto.

All in all, a wonderful evening, as usual. I am so thankful to live in this wonderful city and have access to the best food, drinks and entertainment Toronto has to offer.

One Restaurant is located at 116 Yorkville Avenue. For reservations please call 416 961 9600. www.onehazelton.com
Muzik Night Club is located at 15 Saskatchewan Road. For reservations please call 416 595 9998. www.muzikclubs.com

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