I had the shish taouk sandwich (about $6.75) - it contained chicken, garlic sauce, and a pickle. The ingredients were fresh, and the chicken was tender and moist. The pickle was crisp and delicious. The garlic sauce was weak sauce (haha ... :| ) and a bit watery. The sandwich was also smaller than what most places offer. Overall it was pretty good - a sauce with more oumph and some lettuce/tomato etc would make it much better.

Upon our arrival (about 7:00, Thursday night) we were seated immediately, and brought water fresh warm bread with delicious pesto and olive oil (they didn't have this a few years ago - it's much better now!). The service was great. My boyfriend and I had the grilled octopus with capers and peppers and the caprese salad. The octopus dish was very good and the peppers were nicely grilled. The caprese salad was good, but the tomatoes tasted more like hot-house tomatoes than vine ripened.

Nice atmosphere - the bar is very modern looking. I had a delicious ginger martini. Wr had oysters to start (both cooked and raw) and they were great. We shared the seafood platter, which overall was very good. The chicken was dry and the mussels were bland, but the shrimp and the rest of the platter was great.

Make reservations well in advance - the place is pretty small and is packed. The atmosphere is lively. The tomato tart was delicious - flaky crust, ripe tomatoes. I had the duck magret with mushrooms. The first few bites were amazing - rich and full of flavour. But it quickly became way too much salt and duck fat for my taste. I couldn't finish it - not because I was full, but because the fat and salt became unbearable. My boyfriend had the fois gras poutine and loved it (he liked the duck too). The food is good, but very fatty. Not for the faint of heart.

I was very disappointed by the food. The salad was bland- whole lettuce leaves, a slice of red onion, and some creamy dressing that tasted bottled. A friend and I ordered the same thing - steak et frites medium well. Mine was overcooked and hers was bleeding. The green beans and bread were good, though. Another friend had the salmon, and liked it. Overall, not impressed.

Some friends and I stopped in for dessert and coffee, as we were looking to try a new place downtown. The staff was courteous and friendly. Two of us had the creme brulee and the third had a small souffle (which they only serve for 2). (Both were served with a few berries). The desserts were very good, although it took about half an hour for them to arrive. I cannot begin to express how much I can't stand places that automatically serve you bottled water, and then charge you for it ($7.50). This is one of those places. The bill was a bit of a shocker - $90 for dessert with regular coffee/tea! (of course there is no dessert menu - the waiter told us the menu verbally) Overall, the service and food were good - but nowhere near worth the price.

This past Saturday, my boyfriend and I dined at Da Vinci. We were promptly greeted and seated, and were offered water (sparkling or flat ... downside coming ), selected our wine, and were given a small plate of parmesan, bruschetta, and cured meat. We both ordered the table d'hote: buffalo mozzarella, tomato and prosciutto salad risotto with shrimp and crab / steak and lobster tail and cannoli/creme brule duo The food was absolutely delicious - everything was cooked perfectly! The service was great, and all waiters took care of every guest, so we never had to wait. When we received the bill, however, we noticed a $9 charge for the bottle of water we didn't specifically order - they fill your water glass with bottled water (even if you don't ask for it). That was the only down side. It felt like a bit of a cheap shot - given the price of the menu, one doesn't expect to get billed for a glass of water.