Quatrefoil — Restaurant in Hamilton

I was disappointed with our evening at Quatrefoil Restaurant December 20/24. It was our first visit, and unfortunately, the experience was mediocre at best, both in terms of service and food.

We made our reservation a month in advance, but were unpleasantly surprised upon arrival to learn that our table was up a steep, narrow staircase. This was especially challenging for my 83-year-old aunt. Despite the obvious difficulty, no alternative seating was offered when I asked the hostess, “Surely you have a different table?” At the top of the stairs, we found an already full coat rack, yet there was no offer to assist us with our coats or chairs. The entire arrival felt awkward, with staff visibly impatient as we got settled, leaving a poor first impression.

While our waiter was polite, he seemed rushed and was largely absent throughout the meal. We were left sitting for long periods, confused by the menu and service, and had to flag down other servers for assistance multiple times. This lack of attentiveness dampened the evening.

I was eager to try the Friday sample menu, but we were told the entire table had to participate, which wasn’t possible as my aunt found it too much food and my husband dislikes seafood.

For our main courses, my son enjoyed the duck, while the rest of us had beef, which we all found overly salty. The plating and vegetables were excellent, but the beef lacked balance. My scallops starter was flavorful but slightly undercooked, and the others enjoyed their salads and soups. Unfortunately, I found the wine pairing process unclear and had to specifically request a red wine to accompany my main course.

By dessert, only my daughter ordered something, as we had grown tired of sitting unattended and felt let down by the overall experience.

Our bill came to over $500 for five people, with minimal alcohol. While that price point isn’t unusual, I expected a far higher standard of service and food for the cost. The evening lacked the elevated experience we had hoped for, leaving us...

On Fridays they offer a five course tasting menu ($72 a person) with wine pairings (additional $55). Like traditional meals, it starts off with an amuse bouche, a portion of braised veal cheek situated on a light tapioca cracker with dollops of crème fraiche. It’s a tasty bite, but a tad salty even with the tangy yoghurt.

Followed by a great selection of bread including brown sugar pumpernickel (great combination), chewy French bread, oily poppy seed puff pastry, and a decent cheese and chive puff. It’s an enticing place and I had to try a bit of everything.

Quatrefoil presents beautiful plates. The seared sea scallop arrived with a lovely golden crust and while it was starting to split, the centre was cooked perfectly remaining tender and sweet. The buttery sauce was lightened with strawberry vinaigrette and the dish kept fresh with sweet spring peas and crunchy fennel. It paired wonderfully with the Chablis.

For a sweet and savoury course, I rather enjoyed the compressed cantaloupe salad. The melon was squeezed until the juices are removed so you get its sweet essence but it doesn’t overwhelm the other elements. It went nicely with the creamy whipped ricotta and the garlicky pesto and arugula keeps the dish savoury. It’s all topped with slices of summer truffle – eat these with the ricotta as with the strong pesto its mild flavours become lost.

The apex of the night was the Arctic char where the fish’s meat was flakey and tender but the skin could be a touch crispier. Paired with a tomato vinaigrette – a popular choice - at Quatrefoil it’s seasoned beautifully so you get a fresh tomato jus that’s also flavourful. The warm quinoa base acted as a great side.

Sadly, the last half of the meal is where the menu starts to falter. Tenderloin, when left in a longer cut, can be finicky to work with given it’s thicker in the middle and tapers off at the end. This leaves the thickest part of the steak arriving medium rare while the rest of it was really overdone – the heated plate probably...

This is a long overdue review and for that I send Linsay, Chef Fraser, and team my sincere apologies. Quatrefoil hosted our wedding reception in June 2022 after having to reschedule twice over the course of the previous two years due to the pandemic. Linsay was always easily accessible by email and knew her restaurant inside and out. Though we didn't know the menu beforehand (seasonal ingredients, etc) we had the utmost faith in Chef Fraser and crew; faith that was not misplaced. Close to a year later, friends still talk about how exceptional the dishes were! Linsay's flexibility and attentiveness in the days leading up to and following the reception were second to none. From helping my husband set up the morning-of, to doing all the takedown after we left, including packing it all up for us to take home later - she really outdid herself. The servers were all friendly and worked well together, creating a seemless experience for the entire group. The bartender was knowledgeable and creative, and oh so tolerant of our somewhat... Inebriated crowd (a guest requested I recommend his fantastic Aperol Spritz). The restaurant itself fit our 48-person group (and DJ) very comfortably for dinner without feeling too crowded. Having rented a tent with lights for the patio, it allowed for a wonderful reprieve from the noise once tables were shifted for dancing. Thank you so much to everyone at Quatrefoil - you made our night one we will never forget (or at least what we remembered of it the next day). The polaroids of your team have places of honour in our wedding album! I would, without hesitation, recommend Quatrefoil to absolutely anyone seeking a small/midsize restaurant wedding/wedding reception...