Crave Restaurant welcomes you to their establishment. Explore a menu offering hamburgers, priced at 11$ to 25$. They are found in an area filled with restaurants.
The meal was mediocre, I couldn't even eat my steak as it was far too fatty. We had received a $100 gift card as an anniversary present the year prior, when we went to pay with it they refused to honour it saying that they had changed ownership. When you purchase a business, you take ownership of all aspects of it, not just the ones that are beneficial to you. Ruined our anniversary dinner, very unhappy!
I'll start off by saying that we had a large party size (9) and primarily went to Crave for a birthday and Londonlicous.
We arrived and were seated quickly as our table was already ready for us. We were seated near the front door so most of us were cold all night. it seemed that the A/C was on as well right above our heads -soooo cold!
The waiter (Shane?) was pretty effective and efficient throughout the evening. He kept it pretty business all night, but he seemed busy with other tables.
Reservations were at 7:30pm and after 2 rounds of drinks, our apps came out. we waited until around 9pm before our mains came. For an upscale place, the timing between meals was way too long. Again, it was freezing cold, so waiting around not eating didnt help!
The food wasn't anything super special, just ok.
First visit to Crave so we didn't know what to expect. The atmosphere is really nice -- warm and inviting. The hostess was super friendly and so was out waiter. There was another waiter who filled our water glasses on a constant bases which was a nice touch. Dinner was just okay. The red pepper soup was a little blah, ceasar salad was just okay. The 2 steaks ordered were fatty but cooked to perfection if that counts. Risotto was bam on the spot good and lobster tails were good but $35 good? nope. Lobster tails were served over rice which was yummy but far too few veggies. The mashed potatoes that came with the steaks was the best part of that meal. Cheesecake at the end disappointed as too dry. It seemed like they were just trying too hard. If you can't cook upscale dial it down a few notches.
Sorry folks, i hate to be critical, but for the prices...this is NOT fine dining. We should have read the reviews and took the hint when we walked in.. the place was almost empty!
My girlfiend and I have been to Crave a few times in the past and decided to go again over the weekend. Everything was great. We both had steaks that I think would rival anyone in the city. Was also nice that they bought my dinner because it was my birthday...I guess they do that if its your birthday.
I must say that our experience was fantastic the other night. We decided on Crave for a night out with another couple and we very much pleased. It was our first time there as it was recommended by some mutual friends of ours. It was very busy this night. Service was a little slower due to the volume that was in the restaurant, but the meal was worth the wait. Every detail was covered from start to finish. My husband and I had the fillet mignon and our friends had the rack of lamb and the seafood pasta. For dessert we all shared the sample platter of desserts....SOOOO GOOOD! This will be our place to dine from now on. Keep doing what you're doing Crave.
This 'Fine Dining' eatery was one of our fav's, but noticed in the past few months a drastic drop in quality.
Word is they let the exec chef go; apprentices and helpers doing the cooking,demoted the front of the house supervisor's wage to server's.( she left)
Quite obvious, place is in trouble, but is that the way you build business.. amateur show here .
This place made a comeback last summer(2011), but ate here recently (spring of 012) don't know what happened but quality is very ordinary at best for the prices. Should have guessed why the 1/2 price internet coupons, panic time!
DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY FOLKS.
We live in the north and have dined a Crave on a few occasions. They've done a nice job with the environment and the wait staff are good. However, we've never been pleased with the food. We just gave it another chance and were let down again. Unfortunately, the Chef at this restaurant is just not of the caliber required for a place that wants to sell $30-40 entrees.
We visited Crave on January 25 as part of Londonlicious 2012. Service was very good, albeit a little slow to start. It took 10-15 minutes to get a drink order placed, but after that things moved at a better pace.
The food was great; I had the roasted Red Pepper Soup which has just a bit of a afterbite to it and the Top Sirloin which actually was cooked properly (I asked for medium). My spouse had the Field Greens Salad and the Chicken Picatta and enjoyed both. The desserts (Chocolate Tort and Deep Fried Cheesecake) were both tasty and didn't look (or taste) like something from a grocery store freezer.
The ambiance at Crave feels warm but I find the tables for 2 to be a little on the small side. One nice feature is the coat closet so you don't have to drape your coat over the back of your chair if you don't want to.
We enjoyed our meal and would go again.
Driving by we noticed a sign saying new menu and chef...so we decided to give it a shot. It has been a couple years since we have been to Crave, and actually after last time we said we would never go back. Service was bad, food was average and we watched staff argue beside our table... not pleasant!! But this time was a totally different experience.We were warmly greeted by a manager (which we were then informed by our waitress that he was the new owner) the waitress was very friendly and made us feel welcomed and important. We ordered lobster tails and the fillet mignon...and I cant express how good it was!! By far the best meals we have eaten in a very long time. We live in the area and will now make Crave our spot for a romantic evening out. Keep up the great work.
Hadn't been here in years, heard new ownership & exc chef, so the ten of us went out for a great family dinner, & great it was. My spouse & I started with crab cakes and the sesame crusted tuna, the balance of wasabe/sweet sauce was exquisite. Our main course was , 10 oz NY strip & the Picatta Chicken breast, both done as ordered.Finished with the 'Trio" & special coffees.
The wine list here was excellent.
The night we were there the place was packed, but the service was friendly and professional, and to boot, the food came out surprisingly timely. I understand the place next door is spun off.
All had a terrific meal, no issues. Keep it up 'CRAVE', you are on the right track!
Will definitely return.
The steak had so much gristle it was hopeless to try to consume it. The seafood was as dry as leather.
Poor service too. We didn't even bother sending our stuff back , to avoid getting the "special sauce" treatment they are rumoured to be famous for if you do.
Avoid at all costs. Multiple Choices in that little area that far outshine it.
Crave Restaurant is by far London's best .
This north London restaurant is first class all the way. Right from making reservations to handing us the bill. Excellent service!! The food was out of this world .... presentation A + ....... taste unbelievable !!
I'm looking forward to going back and have also visited their sister restaurant Next Door Bar and Grill..... best of both worlds !!
Thank you Crave for a terrific experience.
Terrible service. The manager / waiter were both...
Terrible service. The manager / waiter were both very rude. I was overcharged on my bill as they accidently put in one of my friends bills and they asked if I could just get some change from one of my friends.. The manager & waiter were fighting in front of us.. very uncomfortable. Our seafood angel hair pasta (with shrimp, salmom, peppers, onion & spinach) was pretty good.. but two of us just got the veggy version & our bill was not reduced. We won't be going back!
All I have to say is that I'm glad I got a gift...
All I have to say is that I'm glad I got a gift cert. for this meal and didn't have to pay with my own $$$.
The service was bad and the meal wasn't the best I've ever had. It wasn't worth the wait and I wish I couldn't spent the g/c elsewhere. Also the place next door call next door wasn't the best either there run by the same person and I think that place was even worse.
I had not been to Crave in a year as I had a very...
I had not been to Crave in a year as I had a very mediocre experience last summer. We were invited to the restaurant as they had heard there was a new chef and the quality had improved immensely. We were not to be disappointed. The restaurant was full on this Friday night and the staff was excellent- from the hostess to our server Reid, to the kitchen staff that got our meals out- and we did not feel crowded or rushed. I loved the ahi tuna appetizer, although would have liked real wasabi as opposed to the wasabi mayo (?) that it was served with. My companion had the soup of the day and the others had the caesar (little bit too much dressing, but fresh) and the crab cakes. For dinner, pork medallions (luscious), the tenderloin was one of the best I have had, the southwest chicken- which Reid told us would be coming off the menu, and the bison, which was also cooked beautifully. There was something for every taste and the food was outstanding. I did think the sides were a little small- the seasonal vegetables- but as the entree portions were substantial, I thought that overall, there was value on the plate! We did not do desserts, but did have an excellent shiraz called Six Rows...
no question, we certainly had a great night at Crave and apparently, the rumours about the new chef are true! highly recommended.
Went to Crave on a Saturday night and was plesantly surprised. Enjoyed 4 different starters among us the favorite being the mussels and the international trio. Very big portions we could have easily shared! For dinner my party ordered the liver (which she could not say enough about) an angel hair pasta, and 2 new york striploins. For dessert we all split the dark chocolate cake..to die for!! and the chocolate fondue...such a great idea. All agreed the food was great and the service just about right.
We wil absolutely return to this great ittle place in the north end!
The restaurant was relatively empty we were quickly ushered to a seat within arms reach of another couple on July 7 at 6:00pm.
Our waiter appeared and began noisily clearing away the extra wear at our table and presented us with stained, paper menus.
The Appetiser of duck salad was very creative and tasted good.
Ceasar salad was also good.
My wife ordered the Southern Chicken for main course. It arrived with a “clump” of garnish that was the size of a small salad, an abundance of sweet potatoes fries beneath the breast and a tablespoon of fresh vegetables.
The dish was so poorly presented, cramped on such a small plate, that even the waiter apologized. I would expect a dish thrown together like that in a “Truck Stop”.
The batter looked old and dry and it tasted even worse than it appeared. It had combating odd flavours which took a full day for the taste to finally leave the pallet. I have to admit the chicken was cooked to perfection. The “Goo” type of a mango/chilli reduction looked more like baby food was dumped on top of the chicken breast and did not enhance the already odd flavours. This dish was poorly executed and this was an embarrassment to know that was coming from an “Executive Chef”. She took only 2 bites and stopped fear of being sick. After a taste for myself, I had to agree.
You would think relief would come with the sweet potatoes fries which should be relatively easy to prepare, but even those were limp, under-seasoned and tasteless. These were left relatively untouched. Our waiter didn’t even stop to ask if the meal was OK seeing that my wife didn’t finish, probably fearing the answer.
I ordered the pork tenderloin which I thought was an ok dished with lower than average flavour. The mixed of colourful potatoes looked good on the plate but that was it. At the first glance, I knew the purple potatoes were dry and overcooked. The first bite confirmed my fear. The vegetables were suppose to be “Al Dente” but were raw.
After all that, my wife was ready to leave, but I convinced her to get a dessert. We ordered a crème brulee as that is her favourite dessert. However what showed up was 2 little ramekins with a runny, white chocolate pudding with creme brulee finish on top. That was not what either of us expected or enjoyed. Our tab came to over $110.00 which is totally over price for what we got.
I was a sous-chef for over 7 years and I would never let a dishe go out of the kitchen without tasting it and making sure that the seasoning was right and the dish looked great. My overall review for “Crave” is an over-priced pretentious menu with good ingredients, that are poorly executed. This restaurant is ready for “Gordon Ramsey Kitchen Nightmares” makeover.
We took my in-laws to dinner while they were in...
We took my in-laws to dinner while they were in town, and unable to get a reservation anywhere else we ended up at Crave. It certainly wasn't our first choice, being it's in a mini-mall....not exactly a classy start....but we were all very impressed with what we got. Spread over the 7 people in our party we had a full range of both appetizers and main courses. Everyone was pleased, even our benefactors for the evening, my in-laws, who eat at very nice places very frequently. The waiter seemed a bit curt at the beginning, but we quickly realized this was efficiency, not rudeness, as he was very willing to stop and give recommendations and information on the menu when asked. The appetizer I shared was the pineapple curry mussels. Very nicely done. We didnt' even get a funny look when we asked the waiter for a spoon to finish off the great broth! The main course was a southwest style chicken, with a salsa type stuffing. I hardly ever order chicken in a restaurant, as I'm nearly always disappointed, but this was great. Maybe the only chicken dish I'd ever return to a restaurant for. Unfortunately when we tried to order a second bottle of the wine we'd been drinking we were told that they were all out of it. That was disappointing. Overall, the food was very nice, maybe a little highly priced, but only considering the location, and service was very good as well. I'm sorry the other reviewers didn't enjoy their experience, but I don't think Crave deserves it's current rating of 5.8 . It's worth a try for sure.
