In a world of influencers and celebrity chefs, not everything is as perfect as it seems. In The Perfect Bite murder mystery dinner ($175 per person), you’re introduced to a group of chefs called The Salty Six and the dinner you’re attending is tribute dinner to Noah who died 13 years prior. He passed in a tragic accident, much too early… but was it an accident?

I’m a big nerd and love murder mysteries; combine it with a dinner and even better! From my first experience with Mysteriously Yours in university, I was hooked on a meal where I could immerse myself into a cast of actors and use my sleuthing skills to figure out who is a murderer. The food is never great, but for this occasion, I’m not there for the food.

The Perfect Bite consists of a four-course meal with palette cleanser and a basket of warm focaccia to start. It’s great to have something to nibble on as we work through the first clue. Especially since we’re attending the 8:30pm seating, I’m hungry and need some brain food to get the wheels turning.

It’s followed by a caprese salad where the cheese is whipped into a savoury mousse studded with deskinned grape tomatoes and garnished with pickled red onion and basil. It’s an interesting take on a caprese, although I would have liked actual mozzarella pieces as well.

What makes the dinner interesting is you need to pay attention to the dishes. For most, there’s something included in it that helps you with the puzzle.

The truffled mushroom cigar looks impressive; a thin crispy crepe filled with a mushroom mousse garnished with black sesame ash to really give it the full effect. It’s too sweet for my taste but I get why it’s needed in the context of the game.

Diners have a choice of mains: beef, chicken, or falafels. We all opted for the braised beef, a decent portion served with silky garlic mashed potatoes, carrots, and green beans in a rich jus. Before the main, I was still hungry but given its sizeable portion it left me satisfied. The beef was nice and tender and quite good for a murder mystery.

Before the dessert we’re given a palette cleanser. How it comes and what it is, I’ll keep secret and not spoil the game.

We end with another mousse, this one a cheesecake topped with graham crumbs and a berry compote. It’s good, but by this time I’m a bit tired of mousses, just give me something to chew on already! Who knows, maybe they thought their demographic would seniors with no teeth.

Having been to several murder mystery dinners, I’d say this was the most enjoyable. The Perfect Bite is more than a show, they include puzzles with each course, which give you clues towards a larger puzzle. Ultimately, it creates a more entertaining and interactive experience and makes for great teamwork to get to the next course. Rest assured, they’re not difficult puzzles and if you’re stuck, “Frank” the bar manager comes around to steer you in the right direction.

Without giving too much away, I also liked that there’s a twist, and it culminates in the final puzzle where you can really sleuth by getting out of your seat and using other devices.

If this sounds like fun, The Perfect Bite is still in Toronto until August 8, 2025, and also showing in Vancouver and London, UK. Here’s your excuse to get a group together (ideally four people) to eat and play with your food.