where jess ate

Every Thursday, La Société (@La_Societe) in Yorkville features $1 oysters in their bar. I love oysters and I love a good deal so it was only natural I dropped by on a Thursday.

Mike and I arrived around 7:30 and as expected, the bar was packed. We were able to find a small table for two at the back and shortly after sitting down, we were asked if we’d move to the dining room if they’d still honor the $1 oysters. We happily agreed.

La Société occupies some prime real estate on Bloor, in the location which was previously occupied by Dynasty Chinese Cuisine. The space had undergone significant renovations with a gorgeous stained glass ceiling and mosaic tile floor.

The menu features classic French bistro fare including escargot, French onion soup, duck confit and steak frites. There’s also a good selection of seafood including a seafood tower for $159 if you’re in the mood to splurge. If not, there are specials for each day of the week and a three-course prix fixe meal for $44.

To drink, I ordered a French 131 – Ketel One, Chambord, Prosecco & pineapple juice ($15). I wanted something light and refreshing so this turned out to be the perfect drink. Mike went with a Bourbon Sour – Makers Mark, Amaro, lemon, egg white and vanilla-cardamon syrup ($14).

Shortly after ordering we were brought some complimentary bread. Meh. I wouldn’t waste any stomach space on this.

Like I said, we were here for the $1 oysters. We started off with a dozen which came with the usual grated horseradish and shallot vinaigrette. Today’s oysters were from Glacier Bay, New Brunswick. Sure they’re not the best oysters but for $1, I’m not complaining!

To supplement our oysters, we also ordered a Duck Liver & Foie Gras Terrine – caramelized fruit and country croutons ($18). The texture of the terrine was smooth and rich but could’ve used a bit more seasoning. The fruit topping added a nice sweetness to it all. Overall, not bad but not one of the best I’ve had.

We also ordered the Steak Tartare with Frites – with a quail egg, mustard and caper vinaigrette ($29). It was well-seasoned and the frites were pretty solid. My sentiments about the tartare were similar to the terrine. Good but I’ve had better. I also found the price of the tartare to be a little steep but that’s expected given the restaurant’s location.

Taking advantage of the $1 oysters, we ordered another dozen.

Still feeling a little hungry we decided to order dessert. We chose the Tahitian Vanilla Crème Brulee – with classic madeleines ($10). Other options included a molten chocolate cake, lemon tart, sticky toffee pudding and a hazelnut chocolate bar.

The crème brulee satisfied my sweet tooth but wasn’t anything too memorable. It also came with three madeleines on the side which tasted a little stale.

So, I dropped by for the $1 oysters but ended up spending a lot more than planned. Be prepared to spend a pretty penny! I’d be back for the oyster deal but none of the other dishes wowed me.

At a glance:
• Located in Yorkville; prices are on the high side
• Serving up classic French bistro fare
• $1 oysters every Thursday in the bar after 5pm
• I’d be back for the oyster deal but none of the other dishes were memorable

Ratings (out of 5):
• Food: 2.5 stars
• Service: 2 stars
• Atmosphere: 3 stars