Touché Restaurant

“I had the pleasure of returning to Touché for a second visit on Saturday evening, and once again, the experience was exceptional. It’s not uncommon for a new restaurant to impress the first time, only to fall short on subsequent visits. Touché, however, proves to be a welcome exception. Their continued commitment to quality, creativity, and classic French influences remains evident in every aspect of the dining experience. Several days before our reservation, I received a courteous text from the charming and attentive hostess, Bridgette, requesting details about the members of my dining party, including names and dietary restrictions. Upon arrival, we were warmly greeted by name and seated at a table adorned with a personalized name card—an unnecessary but thoughtful and memorable gesture that set the tone for the evening. I selected the very reasonably priced three‑course prix fixe menu ($70), while the rest of my party opted for the Steak Frites. My starter, a colossal scallop, was beautifully seasoned and perfectly cooked. While the nettle purée could have used a touch more vibrancy, it still complemented the bright yuzu dressing well. The main course—a perfectly cooked half duck breast accompanied by roasted celeriac purée and a currant‑cassis jus—was a standout. The deep berry notes paired beautifully with the richly rendered duck fat. Although I typically gravitate toward savory dishes, the dessert was an impressive finale: a Sablé Breton with blood orange cream, thyme Chantilly, thyme jam, and a rocher of coffee ice cream. The combination of sweet, salty, and herbaceous elements was wonderfully balanced and thoroughly enjoyable. I was fortunate enough to try a few bites of the Steak Frites, which did not disappoint—nor did it for the other members of my party. Our meals were complemented by excellent cocktails from the well‑stocked bar. The bartender was knowledgeable, skilled, and engaging. The open‑concept kitchen is also a delight to observe, and I look forward to reserving a seat at the chef’s table on my next visit. One of the ongoing challenges in the Syracuse dining scene, in my opinion, is a general lack of restraint. Touché distinguishes itself with its thoughtful menu design, technical precision, and appropriate portion sizes. We left feeling thoroughly attended to and perfectly satiated. I sincerely hope Touché continues its pursuit of excellence both in the kitchen and in the dining room. Syracuse needs restaurants of this caliber, and I eagerly anticipate their spring and summer menus.”

“We came here for our anniversary. This was a really special experience. We felt taken care of from the moment we walked in. Highlights were timing of service, Adams knowledge of wine, and dessert. We are not typically dessert people and we were blown away by each bite. We're looking forward to coming back and trying their Chef Counter tasting experience.”

“I’ve been twice now. Once to enjoy the three course meal and a second for the burger. Both times were amazing. The burger is hands down one of if not the best burger in Syracuse (RIP pre covid Otro Cinco). And Syracuse has good burgers. The Touche burger is one of a kind. Cocktails are insane as well. So good.”

“Update: new menu format! The new three course tasting menu option is a MUST try! You can choose from multiple options for three beautiful courses- starter, main, and dessert. It's an incredible value for the price. The wine pairing is excellent as well. They still have a la carte options and offer the tasting menu choices individually as well Update: Brunch! This is THE new brunch spot. The best brunch spot. The menu may seem small but everything is SO delicious. The best biscuits and gravy I've ever had and a perfectly cooked omelet. Breakfast burger, enough said. PLUS the wonderful delicious pastry selections that change every week! Brunch cocktails, also perfect. All I can say is WOW! Even on opening night, this was the best meal and restaurant experience I've had in Syracuse hands down. I'm so excited to see where they go, they easily blow every other restaurant out of the water. The menu was thoughtfully curated, inventive, and original. The food came out presented beautifully and tasted even better. The food is approachable but still lets you explore something new while being priced incredibly for the value. The wine and beverage selection matched these sentiments. It's obvious years of passion and skill are behind the selections. The interior of the restaurant is also gorgeous. Once I sat down with a glass of wine and melted under the music I could've been convinced I was in a bistro in Paris. I will be coming here again and again, it's a must stop restaurant for a special occasion or weeknight dinner. Great job, Touché! Update: I've been here quite a few times now and it's delicious every time! Hands down the best burger of my life probably. If you want a great burger and fries look no further. The steak frites is also phenomenal. Steak, perfect, fries, perfect. We did the tasting menu for our anniversary and it was the best experience yet! It's different every time and so fun! I highly recommend this experience, it's worth it. Plus sitting at the counter and watching the chefs cook is awesome! Best steak Best burger Best pastries Best bread Best dessert”

“This was our second visit to Touché for dinner service, and I'm extremely happy we decided to return. We were admittedly a tad disappointed with our first over the Winter after having high hopes & expectations, but this latest visit was fully redeeming. Their summer menu highlights the available local produce really well. We had just returned from a trip to France, and can genuinely say that these dishes stood up in quality, thoughtfulness and complexity to most of what we had there. The gnocchi and seafood starters both had vibrant, fresh flavors. All dishes were well-composed and cooked perfectly, including and especially the dry-aged NY strip steak, which was incredibly tender and accompanied by sauce and sides that accentuated and didn't overpower the meat's flavor and quality. Touché also has a really fun wine list, French-focused, and the Sommelier is super knowledgeable and helpful. When they were out of our initial bottle selection, he provided a couple options for us for similar styles and even kept the same prices as the original bottle (the wine we ended up going with was not on the list so I'm not sure if it was actually the same price, but we suspect it was probably a touch higher). Lastly, highly recommend getting a dessert (or two) if you go. The pastry chef is from France and she's doing some really cool things with locally-focused and seasonal concepts. Lots of complexity of flavor and textures, these pastries were genuinely unique, and simply delicious. We're really glad we returned to Touché, and will certainly be back again, likely next time for the special Chef's counter tasting menu!”