Gio - Halifax

My first time to visit this restaurant. The service was excellent. Very friendly and professional. My appetizer (Beet Carpaccio) was amazing. The main course of... read more My first time to visit this restaurant. The service was excellent. Very friendly and professional. My appetizer (Beet Carpaccio) was amazing. The main course of Halibut I found unappealing. The fish seemed overcooked and it was more of a stew presentation than I was expecting. To be fair, this is likely a personal preference. Others in our party enjoyed their main courses. Dessert was quite decadent! Meal type: Dinner Food: 3 Service: 5 Atmosphere: 5

A group of five of us were there for my birthday on Saturday, May 3. GIO is one of my favourite restaurants, so I had raved about it to two of my friends that c... read more A group of five of us were there for my birthday on Saturday, May 3. GIO is one of my favourite restaurants, so I had raved about it to two of my friends that came along, as they had never been there. I assured them that everything on the menu is always amazing. Sadly, my favourite dish, the boar, was not available that evening, so I ordered the lamb. My two friends that had never been there before also ordered the lamb. I have to say that I was very disappointed with the dish, as were my two friends. The lamb itself was cooked perfectly, and was very tender, but did not have much flavour. It was on a large bed of orzo, which also did not have any flavour. I was also surprised that there was little to no vegetables. The dishes that I have had in the past have exploded with flavour and also had lots of vegetables. Two of the other girls at the table had the osso buco and a seafood dish, which they were both very happy with. I tried a little bit of the mashed potato that came with the osso buco, which was amazingly delicious. I feel that would have been a much better pairing with my lamb and would have improved the enjoyment of the meal. Overall, I am disappointed that two of my friends will likely never go back, and that my birthday dinner has left me not looking forward to returning myself. Outside of that, I will say that the service was wonderful and everyone also enjoyed the drinks and the atmosphere. Hopefully the lamb dish that night was just an anomaly. I am seeing photos on the other reviews here of desserts with Happy Birthday written on the plate. I was not provided any sort of free dessert for my birthday. Perhaps they only do that if you order a dessert and pay for it? I also sent feedback directly to the restaurant, to which they did not reply at all. I would expect more from a high end restaurant. Food: 3 Service: 4 Atmosphere: 5 Price per person: $50–60

Gio was absolutely exceptional from start to finish. The appetizer, Toro, was elegant, fresh, and beautifully presented. The main course, Osso Buco, a braised v... read more Gio was absolutely exceptional from start to finish. The appetizer, Toro, was elegant, fresh, and beautifully presented. The main course, Osso Buco, a braised veal dish was cooked to perfection: tender, rich, and full of flavor. The chef clearly has a remarkable grasp of seasoning and balance. The chocolate cake dessert was phenomenal, rich, decadent, and the perfect sweet finish to an unforgettable meal. Our server was fantastic, attentive, knowledgeable, and her wine recommendation paired perfectly with everything. Highly recommend. Price per person: $100+ Food: 5 Service: 5 Atmosphere: 5

Gio is an upscale dining spot located in the Prince George Hotel. Despite my usual reservations about hotel restaurants, Gio exceeded my expectations. During ou... read more Gio is an upscale dining spot located in the Prince George Hotel. Despite my usual reservations about hotel restaurants, Gio exceeded my expectations. During our dinner, we tried a variety of dishes including Luke's Sourdough Bread, Foie Gras Two Ways, Squash, Arctic Char, Smoked Scallop, and Oh My That's Delicious dessert. The sourdough bread had a firm crust and chewy middle, while the foie gras had sweet elements like pressed apples and rosemary jam to balance out its richness. The squash was my favorite dish of the night, with orange vinaigrette and pecorino cheese enhancing its flavors, while the Arctic Char had a great char but was a bit too salty. The Smoked Scallop had perfect smoke but was slightly rubbery, though the garlic cream sauce was excellent. The dessert lived up to its name with delicate chocolate mousse and homemade blueberry ice cream stealing the show. The service, particularly from Rachael, was efficient and attentive, adding to the overall great experience at Gio. With its good food, excellent service, and cool atmosphere, Gio is a fantastic spot for a night out.

Four stars is a very good rating. Five stars is for truly once-in-a-lifetime food experience. Le Bernardin in NYC is, Charlie Trotter in Chicago was, Arzak in S... read more Four stars is a very good rating. Five stars is for truly once-in-a-lifetime food experience. Le Bernardin in NYC is, Charlie Trotter in Chicago was, Arzak in San Sebastián is. We like the originality of the menu, so we decided to give it a try. Wise decision. First, oysters. From Fortune,NS. Not big and not small; from cold water, yet not too briny. Fresh like no oysters we've ever had. Well, we're off to a good start! My wife had two appetizer, she has a small appetite and likes to try stuff. First, a dish made essentially of carrots: roasted, tempura, moussed, and more. Ok, carrots is what your mother insisted you eat if you had a shot at desert, right? Well, start apologizing, because carrots now deserve a lot more respect. This dish was simply amazing! She also had the branzino ceviche. That was also quite memorable. Not overly citrusy, delicate, refined. I had the shrimps and scallops plate. They were served on a generous bed of farro and greens. Now scallops, anybody can overcook them effortlessly. Not so here: a thin layer of crispiness enveloping a delicate and sweet scallop. Divine! The shrimps were cuddle in philo dough, fried just long enough to cook them to perfection! Our server was really one of a kind. Knowledgeable with wine (and Viognier aficionado), the food, the geography of oysters, and life in Nova Scotia. She made us feel welcome! The best food experience we've had in Halifax.