Valens Restaurants Inc

I 'm leaving my original review and editing to add my recent experience. I 've been mulling over how best to address this issue with one of my favourite restaurants close to my home, that I have been a frequent patron of for many years and after calling and not getting a very receptive response to broaching the subject have decided to update my review.I went not long ago on a Sunday evening. We arrived around 8:30pm, and were told that they were closing at 9:15 so I thought ok kitchen closes at 9:15. I thought they were open later hours posted here on the listing say 10pm but an hour to eat isn 't too bad. So we ordered our prix fixe, bread and individually packaged butter was served with the appetizer and the food was prompt as usual. My friend did not finish her main dish and asked for a box to pack it up. The server was removing items from the table and my friend asked about the bread and butter are you just going to throw that out when the server responded yes my friend very politely motioned for the server to not take it away as it was already in their hand and she gently and politely picked up the napkin the bread and butter were sitting on and started to move them into her packed box. This is when the server decided that they wouldn 't have thrown out the butter packets and proceeded to dig through the bread with her hands !!! to take out all the butter packets, which was a bit shocking. My friend was quite appalled, she again gently and politely tried to remove the napkin full of the bread and butter now a single packet from the grabbing hands, and put it in her box. We promptly finished our dessert and when the server came to clear the dessert dishes she told my friend that they her and the kitchen staff?? had discussed that they wanted the single butter packet from her box!! My friend provided it to her, but at this point I was furious. It was just 9:30 when we paid and the staff were all directly behind us treating us like we were thieves and unwelcomed intruders in the restaurant. My friend was so upset by this behaviour, days later was in tears for the way she had been treated. I am extremely disappointed that the staff that night did not recognize that the bread and butter were paid for as part of two meals: that treating a customer like a thief for taking little packets of butter is really bad form and has made me not to ever want to come back, to never recommend them and to tell all the people I 've taken there to not go there; that the kitchen can close at 9:15 but the server and staff should be a bit more graceful about the finishing up time with remaining guests; that server hands don 't belong in food that 's going to be eaten; that their callous treatment was strictly uncalled for and unprofessional; and that it is unlikely that this extremely negative experience can possibly be rectified for the new patron who was treated like a thief who was packing something that was paid for and then treated even worse after being informed about the discussion and demanding of a single packet of butter. Is butter really that important to you Valens?Valens is deceptively good they could update the decor if they did I 'd bump this to 5 stars *EDIT* they recently made some upgrades/ fixes to the decor so I have bumped them up to 5 stars the food is extremely good. I love their prix fixe menu, lots of value in the options the lunch menu is beyond what you would expect for the price. I particularly love the mussels, the broth/sauce is so tasty. Their soups are always fantastic. Friends who I have brought have all loved their choices that I 've never tried. I repeatedly get the steak or fish because they are cooked perfectly and they meet my dietary requirements. The sauces and sides are generous and delicious. Be sure to order the crème brûlée, it is the largest portion you are likely to have anywhere and it 's excellent. They also have a decent wine selection...good bang for your buck.

Found service to be pushy and rushed. Overall experience poor. Actual rating 2.5. Not likely to return.

Congratulations to Valens for putting together the healthy, sumptuous and reasonably priced Winterlicious 2024 menu with many choices, too ... and with pleasant and prompt service in the elegantly casual venue. Well done. Thank you Valens!

We went as a large group during Winterlicious.The service was great. We were all surprised by how quickly we were served and all at the same time. The lamb shank was excellent and I don't usually order lamb shank because I don't like it that much. I only ordered it because I didn't want any pasta. Very happy with my choice. The mussels were superb and the creme brulee was fantastic and huge. Everyone else was equally happy with all of their courses and the service.

We went for the winterlicious lunch today. Their food is really up to the standard. Top notch. Team in the kitchen is very quick in their job. Nice interior for a family lunch or Dinner out. Service is overall great.Great job guys. Will be back soon. ???