Wanting to make the most of our time in traveling from Ottawa back to Ohio we made a late night stop in Kingston after the Senators/Bruins game at ScotiaBank Place and waking early to jog the streets, shore, and city of Kingston I spotted Pan Chancho for breakfast and a quick look at the internet showed it would fit the bill nicely; locally sourced, all natural, open early, and rife with options including baked goods, composed plates, and a small store of local/regional products – with a 12 miles under my belt, a quick shower, and a packed car we walked in the door just after 7:15am.
Greeted by a friendly young woman at the door and asked if we’d be dining in or selecting items to go I told her both and within moments we were seated at the cozy cafe in back with a rich cup of dark roast as the items we selected from the bakery were plated/boxed and composed plates were prepared in the kitchen.
Seated and chatting for just a moment before plates would begin to arrive our server stopped by to inform us that all of the preserves we’d be enjoying were made on the premises and with that butter and rich blackberry preserves arrived alongside our first three items – a lightly cocoa accented chocolate brioche, a slightly-too-dense hot cross bun, and an extremely disappointing butter croissant that was all dough and no crunch…a disappointing start to say the least and only bolstered by the quality of the jam.
Moving next to better selections, a maple-butter tart from the pastry case arrived drizzled with additional maple butter and a dollop of whipped cream while apple cider French toast was presented with a touch of creme fraiche and 100% maple syrup. Proving once again that anywhere, especially in Canada, maple syrup makes anything better I particularly enjoyed the gooey tart while from my standpoint the toast could have tolerated a bit more custard, though the spicy cider notes came through with aplomb and worked beautifully contrasting the sourness of the creme fraiche and intense sweetness of the maple syrup.
For the ‘to go’ portion of our order, two items were selected, the first a somewhat dry but nicely flavored vanilla cupcake with strawberry frosting and the second an extraordinary butterscotch profiterole with crunchy choux pastry wrapped around a creamy and salty butterscotch center – a dish all the more impressive in that it held up admirably to nearly six hours in the car without suffering a bit of sogginess and without a doubt the best item we selected from Pan Chancho that morning.
Clearly not a ‘dining destination’ city, Pan Chancho was a nice find in Kingston and an interesting break from my usually well-researched agenda. Pricey but featuring high quality ingredients I would suggest less of the ‘bready’ items while focusing on the pastry/choux based options – though in general anything maple would probably work.
The Food: 1 glass of wine, coffee, two appetizers, three mains, three desserts, complimentary bread service.
3oz Neige Premiere 2008 Cidre de Glace:
Whole Wheat Fennel and White with Sea Salt House Butter, Olive Oil, Sea Salt
Tomato Soup with Basil and Orange
Québec duck foie gras sampler – foie gras terrine pressed with duck and Armagnac macerated prunes, served with maple balsamic syrup; Foie gras mousse with partridgeberry preserve; pan-fried fresh foie gras with rhubarb and rosemary compote
Crisped brandade ravioli and garlic chips served on tomato basil coulis with Juniper Farm seedlings
Duck, maple syrup and orange tourtière
Wild Mushroom and Brie Pie
Apple tartlet with maple syrup ice cream and a caramel cage
Prune and Armagnac soufflé with prune ice cream and almond financiers
Maple syrup pie served with chantilly cream, pears, walnuts
Bodum Press of Yirgacheffe Ethiopien
The Verdict: Rustic but refined – a space that would not seem out of place in the French countryside – Les Fougeres was a great choice en route from Montreal back to Ottawa and with a lunch menu every bit as enticing as the dinner menu it also proved a veritable bargain for the quality of the food, service, and setting. A restaurant, a market, and a destination given its off-the-beaten-path location Les Fougeres is without a doubt worth the drive to those located in or visiting Ottawa.
The Why: When I travel I do it primarily for two things – hockey and food – and when visiting the home of the winningest team in NHL history it only made sense to visit the most well-known restaurant in Montreal…twice…in the same night…sandwiching a game at the Bell Centre. Owned and operated by Martin Picard Au Pied de Cochon had been on my food bucket list for almost as long as a trip to see Les Habitants for obvious reasons…I just hoped my mother and picky aunt could find something on the menu they’d like.
The Reservation: Having made mention of this above I’ll admit the plan was a little convoluted, but it worked out perfectly – one reservation at 5:00pm for appetizers and entrees, a second reservation at 10:30pm for dessert, coffee, and maybe more. I knew we’d overeat. I was okay with this.
The Space: Located on what is essentially a side street amongst other stores and eateries the wooded exterior of APdC is quite unassuming and arriving early parking was a cinch. With doors unlocked we were the first to arrive and given our choice of seats we opted for a spot up front near the window of the long and narrow space. Wooden and rustic with an open kitchen spanning nearly the entirety of the space up to a long bar in back the only thing “formal” about the space is the linen napkins and stemware – the rest feels like a cozy cabin and a tribute to many things Canadian.
The Service: Superlative. From watching Chef Picard himself haul in a large case of Foie Gras and innumerable loaves of bread before stopping by to say hello to our primary server, a young blonde woman, everyone just seemed happy to be at Au Pied de Cochon – an atmosphere that was entirely in harmony with the food and extended from front of the house to the back both at 5:00pm and again at 10:30. With both the standard menu and a list of eight specials described at length and our time constraints noted with regard to preparation and presentation it would be hard to ask for better service than what we received at APdC – it was Michelin Star quality.
The Food: Complimentary Bread and Butter, House Muddled Strawberry Lemonade, Six Appetizers, Two Entrees, Three Desserts, and Coffee.
Fresh Bread with House butter: I have no idea where Picard gets his bread but they bring it in by the bushel and served up warm with unsalted butter the only challenge was not to eat too much. A crusty French baguette with good crunch and better chew plus a bit of salinity juxtaposing yeasty notes this was as good as much of the bread service in Paris.
Foie gras cromesquis: Think of these as liquid foie gras nuggets. Order them. Eat them. Bask in the gluttony.
Tomato Tart: Knowing my aunt would struggle with the meat-centric menu I also knew this would be right up her ally and as much as it may seem odd to order such a thing at Au Pied de Cochon I would strongly recommend it. Essentially nothing more than a buttery puff pastry topped with herbs, olive oil, a bit of gruyere, and incredibly fresh tomatoes the tart was acidic and bright yet creamy and balanced plus big enough to share and probably enough to serve as a meal for some.
French Onion Soup: Another order fitting my aunt’s palate, though certainly not traditional, was this pork and lard based French Onion soup. Generally not a fan of the classic form of this dish I think I actually enjoyed this dish the most of anyone at the table as the swine based broth was thick and full – almost like that of ramen – with plenty of fatty pork and root vegetables beneath the bubbling dome of cheese. Great on its own and more-so when used for dipping bread this is another great choice for those not wanting one of the more substantial plates on Picard’s menu.
Crispy PDC salad: A third dish I suggested to my aunt, this one was not quite as successful as those prior largely due to the “crispy;” a gelatinous pork trotter fried to a golden brown and for my tastes a perfect balance to the bitter greens and bright vinaigrette. Personally not a fan of mustard, particularly the pungent Dijon utilized here, what ended up happening was aunt enjoying the salad along with her soup while I de-Dijoned the crispy trotter and enjoyed it with a few leafs of green.
“The Monte Cristo:” One of the daily specials I somehow talked my mother into ordering this and although she was hesitant it ended up being a hit with everyone at the table. Limited to only “about a dozen” sandwiches that evening and featuring thick maple-custard dredged brioche French toast topped with imported jambon, local turkey, and a blend of Gruyere and Comte plus spreads of guinea hen liver mousse, maple butter, apple jelly, and caramelized onions there was really no part of the palate that this enormous “appetizer” did not touch on and with a drizzle of maple syrup to finish the plate the biggest shock was that every flavor came through with aplomb. Certainly gluttonous but entirely delicious this and what followed certainly displayed Picard’s propensity for ‘shock n’ awe’ cuisine but honestly, it works.
Plogue à Champlain: Admittedly possessing a substantial sweet tooth and a fondness for every ingredient present on the plate this composition of a buckwheat pancake topped with bacon, mashed potatoes, foie gras, Ile-aux-Grues cheddar, eggs, and thick maple syrup infused pork stock was #1 on my list of things to try order at APdC and without exaggeration I’ll simply say it is one of the best things I’ve ever put in my mouth. A bit breakfast, a bit dessert, and entirely over-the-top savory this is probably the truest representation of what one should expect at Au Pied de Cochon and while I can’t say there is anything subtle about this plate it was much like the Monte Cristo in that everything present was noteworthy; an accomplishment that I personally consider validation of Picard’s skill of balance in the face of something that could seem sloppy and contrived under other circumstances.
Fried Chicken: Already realizing we had ordered too much even before our main courses arrived the fact was confirmed when two 18” platters arrived, the first my mother’s daily special of ‘whole’ fried chicken…and when the team at Au Pied de Cochon says whole they aren’t fooling around. Juicy and plump – apparently brined in a combination of buttermilk, maple syrup, and spices for the better part of the day – what was presented on this plate was a chicken coated head-to-toe and fried crisp alongside house peppered pickles, maple slaw, and onion rings. Again favoring gluttony (both in presentation and in flavor) over any semblance of restraint yet keeping an eye on balance what I particularly enjoyed about this dish was surprisingly the sweet versus savory interplay of the slaw and the pickles, both serving to as ample foil to the fried food, refreshing the palate and keeping things interesting with each bite.
Pied de Cochon: …and then there was this, APdC’s signature dish featuring a whole pig’s leg that was partially deboned and filled with foie gras imbued stuffing prior to being breaded and fried. Individually tagged and plated atop creamy mashed potatoes with a gravy of foie, lard, butter, onions, broccolini, and mushrooms plus a thick slice of seared duck liver on top this was pure debauchery and although it was slow going each bite brought me back for more, a journey that ended when only approximately 25% of the potatoes, a few bones, and a bit of broccolini remained – a feat that led our waitress to fetch Chef Picard who’d apparently suggested there was “no way were going to eat all that” when he saw our order and earned me a smiling nod of approval.
The Winter Sundae: With nearly 200 minutes of digestion while watching the Canadians and Lightning play an entertaining (if not meaningful) game we returned to the same table and the same server for a second round and after joking that I was going to order a second plogue as dessert I instead went with the old adage that there is always room for (maple) ice cream – plus maple cotton candy, maple toffee, house made salty caramel, a brownie, cranberry preserves, maple nougat crumble, and whipped cream. Creamy and crunchy, sweet and salty, chocolate, maple, and without a doubt “winter” – delicious.
Pecan Pie for two and Sugar Pie for two: At this point hardly paying attention to menu descriptions it didn’t seem illogical to order items made “for two” and unable to decide between the pecan pie or the sugar pie we opted for both…not realizing that they would arrive with a goblet of ice cream…each. House made like everything else at APdC and each warm, decadent, and irresistible I could see both the ladies eyes glazing over into food coma status with each progressive bite and despite the late hour an Americano became requisite – free refills on the house as we sat and chatted with the wait staff and a neighboring table while enjoying the flaky pastry and creamy brown sugar custards with the occasional bite of thick vanilla bean ice cream for good measure.
Cotton Candy: A parting gift from our server as we waddled from the restaurant just after 11:30pm a whirl of maple syrup was enjoyed the following day en route to Ottawa – a whisper of the meal that was and one of myriad maple concoctions making their way east as we headed back to Ohio.
The Verdict: While I can certainly understand some of the criticisms of both the restaurant and Picard’s personal style I could not have been happier with my visit to Au Pied de Cochon – it is comfort food taken to an entirely different level and it was every bit as good as I’d hoped it would be – it was good enough that I went twice in the same night and good enough that my next trip to Quebec will be predicated by a visit to Picard’s Cabane au Sucre followed shortly thereafter by another visit to APdC for the duck in a can and foie gras and boudin tart…perhaps two if the pudding chomeur has made its return to the main menu by then.
The Why: Considered by some to be the inventor if “new Québec gastronomy” and bestowed with Five Diamonds, Relais et Chateaux recognition, and nearly twenty years at the top of Montreal’s dining scene a meal at Toque seemed like a perfect prelude to dinner at Au Pied du Cochon. Helmed by Normand Laprise and focused strongly on local sourcing with a daily menu meant to focus on items most fresh, unique, and dazzling from the local markets I will admit I’d heard some mixed feelings on recent visits to the restaurant, but with my mother and aunt planning to save room for what was sure to be a gluttonous evening the large formal dining room seemed like a perfect place to lunch amongst the city’s well-heeled and well dressed.
The Reservation: Made via Opentable with a request to be seated in the large main dining room plus a subsequent e-mail inquiring as to whether the dinner foie gras terrine could be prepared at lunch – an inquisition shot down without hesitation or further explanation.
The Space: Large and spacious with high ceilings, soft wall coverings, blond wood, and plush carpet Toque feels very serious and aside from the large metal flower marker out front it certainly is a serious restaurant with widely set tables, servers speaking in whispers, and a wine cellar focused on Canada but inclusive of all the best – many visible on a floating rack in the middle of the restaurant.
The Service: All female during my visit and all friendly, efficient, and professional. Perfect posture, peerless pours, and plates delivered with ample description were the norm throughout my visit and ever-present but never looming there is no doubt the team here is well trained. More Paris than New York I will say that I am generally more comfortable with servers who show a little more personality, but all things being equal it would be hard to find fault in the team at Toque.
The Food: A limited lunch menu – all a la carte – with complimentary bread service.
Bread Service: Served in a small box with an icy puck of bland butter a trio of breads featuring a Sourdough Roll, Carraway Rye slices, and Crostini arrived first – each was fine, but the butter was largely inedible until it had rested a good twenty minutes; a pet peeve of mine.
Quinoa Salad, Squab Confit, Iceberg Lettuce, Dried Fruit: I really don’t know why I was being served iceberg lettuce in a fine dining space, but I have to say I appreciated the honesty as thin strings stood alongside razor thin radishes atop a truly impressive warm salad of toothsome quinoa, crisp and fatty squab, plus dried peaches, apricots, and plums. A deft balance of sweet, savory, and nutty this was one of those dishes that far exceeded modest expectations handily.
Quail Confit, Brandy Sauce, Eggplant Caviar, Garlic Puree, Cabbage, Parsnip and Beet Chips: More fowl, and this one more substantial in portion, it would be hard to imagine a more juicy bird than the whole quail set before me. Reportedly baked in duck fat for nearly half a day and plated with vegetables in varying forms, flavors, and texture the quail itself was perfect and each accoutrement helped lead the plate in a new direction, yet unfortunately where this dish came up short for me was in the sauce – a potent reduction that threatened to overwhelm nearly everything it touched. As an added note – crispy cabbage leaves only seem like a good idea; in reality they shatter with even the slightest touch of a fork and would have been better served as finger food.
With coffee supplied by Illy I went with an Americano and oddly it was brought out before my cheese course – but cheers to the folks at Toque, the refills were free and thus I was able to enjoy a few cups, including one with dessert, rather than suffer cool coffee.
Riopelle with Sweet Almonds, Apple Jelly, Onion Bread: At $8 per selection the cheese board at Toque is well culled but largely international and wanting to try something local my server directed me to this – the best cheese of the trip without a doubt and seemingly uncommon in the world of Canadian cheeses in that it was quite soft, nearly liquid in the mouth. Triple cream and intense on the first taste with a lot of fruity and earthy notes coming forth later I’ve since sought this out at home and also found the accoutrements to be superlative – who knew apple jam spread on onion bread could work so well?
Churros, Chocolate, Coffee Sauce: My fault. I have no idea why I ordered this at a place like Toque other than the fact that the other dessert options did not sound very good either. Overcooked, over-sugared, and although the coffee sauce was good the execution was not. Again, I don’t know why I ordered it or why it was on the menu.
The Verdict: All things being equal I think I may have cheated myself by visiting Toque at lunch – a quick glance at the dinner menu all but confirms that, but considering their stature in the Canadian culinary landscape I guess I expected a bit more of a “yes” attitude to something as simple as a cold foie gras prep at lunch – particularly as the restaurant was less than 1/8 full throughout my visit. Great service, beautiful room, but aside from the quinoa salad and a cheese that can be bought elsewhere nothing truly ‘wowed’ me enough to say I’d go back or recommend it to others when there are so many stellar places to dine in Montreal.
The Why: Along with Au Pied du Cochon, David McMillan and Frédéric Morin’s 75-seat bastion of heavy locally sourced gluttony was at the top of my “to-dine” list when making my first visit to Montreal. Having garnered national attention after a visit from David Chang and subsequently releasing a cookbook appropriately titled “Art of Living According to Joe Beef” I knew it would be my kind of place – I just hoped the chalkboard menu could appease the picky palates of my mother and aunt.
The Reservation: Opentable, over a month in advance – and you’ll need it because the place was slammed from the moment we arrived at 5:30 to the moment we left (rolled out) at 8:00.
The Space: It’s a bar – it is tight, it is cramped, it is full of odds n’ ends, nick-nacks, trinkets, and even the bathroom is used for storage space. Apparently only originally 35 seats and subsequently expanded to 70 the stools/chairs are hard and they seat you where they can – in our case at a “3-top” booth in the window. Really, it’s pretty awesome, but when it is full it is Loud with a capital L.
The Service: Is “hipster formal” a service style? It is now. Much like the folks at Publican in Chicago or the Chang spots in New York these waiters, decked out in plaid and 5 o’clock shadow know the menu, the preparations, and the chef’s vision without hesitation. Recommendations flow freely, cautionary tales of “ordering too much” are given (and ignored,) and although his accent was thick our server’s English was flawless – a must on the all-French Chalkboard menu.
The Food: Seven Plates, Three Desserts, 2 Lemonades, Free Bread Service.
Bread and House Butter: Pretty run of the mill – good crunch, soft sponge, and served with salted butter. Proved invaluable for sopping up soups and sauces later in the meal but not exciting in and of itself.
Cornflake Eel Nuggets with BBQ, Mustard, Tartar: As anticipated, my aunt had a lot of difficulty with the appetizer portion of menu but wanting to make sure we experienced the best of what Joe Beef had to offer I took the liberty of ordering the first round for the table; three items with this as the centerpiece. Served as a half-dozen, intense and creamy with that unctuous undertone that few things save for eel can offer, this should definitely be a must order for anyone making the visit. Sweet without being sweetened, fatty without being ‘greasy’, and particularly excellent with the barbeque sauce – with the ladies unwilling to try I gladly ate all six.
Beer Cheese Craquelins, Pretzel with pickled veggies and beets: Ordered by my mother as an appetizer this was another solid selection, though the presentation certainly wasn’t what I expected. Arriving as thin pretzel crisps and intensely pickled vegetables the primary constituent of the plate was actually something like a holiday cheese ball, but instead of nuts and cheap cheddar there was a house made spread of 7-year aged cheddar, locally made stout, and pork cracklins’. Bold, briny, and teetering on the edge of ‘too much’ this is definitely a dish that requires sharing.
Parfait de Foie Gras, Cherry Brioche, Truffles: 3.5 ounces of creamy duck liver whipped with black truffles served beneath a piping hot piece of buttery brioche loaded with maraschino cherries; it was every bit as good as it sounds and although I had to wait for a second piece of brioche I was glad to do so. Like most things at Joe Beef this was probably best shared – but it wasn’t – not one bite.
Cornish Hen with Spatzel and Mushrooms: My mother’s main course, this was another sizeable service featuring a whole Cornish Hen simply roasted and served over top of house made spatzel and an earthy reduction of butter, cream, fresh peas, and wild mushrooms. Tender and moist, highly recommended by our server, and the first item of the night to sell out of the night this was just the sort of food I’d expected walking into Joe Beef – hearty, rich, and the kind of thing I could make at home but never do.
Potato Soup with Gruyere Cheese, Garlic Chips: For my main course I opted for ‘soup and a sandwich’ – the soup being this creamy potage that was really less a “potato soup” than a sort of fondue-meets-whipped potatoes studded with crispy garlic. Served in appetizer portion – probably just over a cup – and shared amongst the group this went quickly and much like fondue it was even better for dipping the bread.
Foie Gras Double Down (Demi-portion): The second half of my main course was probably Joe Beef’s most famous item and clearly poking fun at KFC’s abomination of a sandwich Joe Beef takes the concept to a whole different level by replacing chicken with two thick slices of duck foie gras that are butermilk brined and breaded prior to a trip to the deep-fryer and wrapping them around aged cheddar and sliced bacon. Loosely wrapped in aluminum foil and drizzled with pure maple syrup, sriracha, plus a bit of garlic and Old Bay infused mayonnaise the sandwich was much like everything else at Joe Beef, brash and unapologetic but at the same time nuanced and subtly sophisticated.
Lobster Spaghetti: The recipe goes a little something like this – A 1.25 lb. lobster, 0.25 lb. house made spaghetti, 2 slices diced bacon, 3 Tbsp Brandy, 0.25 cup peas, 0.25 cup 35% cream, 0.25 cup half-and-half cream, salt, pepper, chopped chives. The pasta is al dente, the lobster is snappy and sweet, and the sauce is the very definition of decadence – at $49 it is the most expensive item on the menu, but apparently also the most ordered…and for good reason.
Pistachio Financier – Maple Ice Cream: I was told by a friend that while APdC’s desserts are ‘hit and miss’ I should definitely save room for those at Joe Beef – and with that in mind we ordered three despite our server warning us that two of them were “big enough for two.” Beginning first with one of the two ‘larger’ desserts my photos really don’t do justice to how big this cake was, but at nearly eight inches in diameter and probably a half inch thick it was great – a thick sponge with great tooth already saturated with butter and almond paste but eager to soak up the creamy maple syrup and ice cream while pistachio granola added more texture. Always happy to overindulge in desserts this was exactly my ‘style’ – a standout of the trip.
Donamisu: Simply listed as Donamisu on the board I had to ask and when our waiter described it as a homemade Donut stuffed with tiramisu I had to order it – little did I know that it too would be enormous. Standing nearly as tall as wide and approximating the size of a softball this golden donut was literally bursting with espresso infuse mascarpone and topped off with a coffee cream, chocolate drizzles, and a crispy lady finger this was more a fork/spoon dessert than a true donut, though with a bit of rum soaking the base and sweetness present but restrained it was a pretty good take on the traditional dessert, and certainly could be portable if you were careful.
Potate Au Four: Yeah, this was on the dessert menu and although my French is lacking I was pretty sure a baked potato didn’t belong in this space on the chalkboard until I requested a description – and then ordered without hesitation. Truly designed to represent a garnished baked potato what arrived before us was again nearly the size of a softball and starting with a vanilla and cocoa nib meringue as the spud toppings were layered on including strawberry/vanilla twist soft serve, carrots confit in simple syrup, crispy mint, and a dense layer of Valrhona chocolate. A great meringue, almost a semifredo in texture, but perhaps a little overcomplicated and in my opinion the weakest of the desserts my mother and aunt both really liked this as a ‘lighter’ option to the donamisu and financier and in the end all three plates returned to the kitchen empty.
The Verdict: The place is loud, audacious, and cramped while the food is equally brazen and uncompromised but with servers that love their job and chefs who know the basics well enough to nail them yet also know themselves well enough to take chances there is a whole lot to love about Joe Beef. While some may say it is derivative of APdC I personally couldn’t imaging visiting Montreal again without dining at both because although the cuisine shares some similarity each is an entirely unique experience – Picard’s space a self-proclaimed “bastion of excess” while McMillan and Morin’s restaurant puts less emphasis on the audacity of each dish and more on experiencing their “Art of Living” inclusive of food, service, and setting.
The Why: After La Chronique the prior day for some rather formal French fare it seemed only logical to try a more casual Canadian take on the French Bistro for day number two. Having considered L’Express at first but finding their lunch menu to be rather boring I turned my attention to LeMeac based on the recommendation of a friend and quickly realized the menu to be quite the opposite. Located conveniently and cleared by my mother and aunt as a place they’d enjoy it seemed a perfect fit.
The Reservation: None made, none needed as we had planned to and did arrive moments after they opened the door – as a matter of fact, we were the first people to arrive although the space would fill quickly thereafter reaching near capacity by noon.
The Space: A large space with stone floors, a long wooden bar, and white tablecloths the team who designed LeMeac did an excellent job of recreating the French Bistro experience and with a coat check up front, old movie posters in the back, and large windows flooding the room with light while fresh flowers softened the dark woods ever so slightly the room was effortlessly comfortable; the sort of place where both a business lunch and a romantic dinner would fit equally well.
The Service: Seemingly an all-female staff save for the bartender LeMeac ran like a well-oiled machine despite the lunch time bustle and being the only primarily English table in the room we were gifted both English menus and a server whose command of the language was not only excellent, but lovely with her thick French accent and the occasional “eh?” enchanting enough that she could have sold me some beachfront property just outside the front door…or, if not that, at least $50 worth of Bistro fare plus a glass of wine.
The Food: 3 Courses ALC, One Side, Coffee, Bread Service, and a glass of Ice Wine
Warm bread, salted butter: Admittedly the sort of person who is quick to judge my first thoughts about LeMeac were tempered by the butter – literally just kitchen butter cut off a stick and dropped, cold, in a dish. With an excellent house made baguette with good crunch and better chew I’d have been much happier to see better quality butter. Thankfully this would be my only gripe of the meal.
Cream of Mushroom Soup, Truffle oil, Creme Fraiche, Raw Mushrooms: A daily special, ordered by both my mother and my aunt, this aromatic potage was a highlight in a meal that frequently wowed as the rich soup was not overly pureed and thus maintained a bit of texture that played nicely against the tang of the crème. Kissed with a top note of truffle and with slices of raw criminis tossed in for more texture this was where the bread really shined and both bowls returned to the kitchen spotless.
Duck Foie Gras Au Torchon, Grilled Brioche, Peppered Pineapple: As much as I like dressed up foie gras preparations there is nothing quite like a nice naked torchon from a high quality bird and at LeMeac the Quebecoise product shined with a slight mineral undertone coursing through the smooth liver and beautifully cut by sea salt and fruit. Served with only one brioche roll, split and grilled, my request for two more was granted without question, the smooth liver melting on the heated bread before melting on my tongue.
Crab Cake, gribiche sauce and cucumbers with peppers (plus a side of matchstick potatoes): While I cannot explain my aunt’s obsession with ordering crab cakes in even the most unlikely places this was actually a very good preparation from the restaurant’s appetizer section and certainly large enough to suffice as a main course considering our day’s agenda. Dense yet fluffy and sweet with just a bit of spice the cake was low on both filler and frying oil while the salad of thinly sliced cucumbers was a great counterpoint. Personally skipping the gribiche and the large serving of crisp potatoes I cannot comment on either, but my aunt seemed to enjoy the former while the later was met with a luke-warm response.
Panko crusted goat cheese, apple and walnut salad: Another appetizer for main course selection, my mother too went with a lightly fried option and as good as the crabcake was, this creamy puck of chevre was even better as it was warm but not gooey throughout and equally good spread on bread or taken with the salad and nuts.
Duck leg confit, roasted fingerling potatoes and salad: Rustic as can be with perfect crunchy skin overlying supple flesh from just down the road at Mariposa Farm there really is not much more to be said about this confit; it was textbook and every bit as good as the oft raved version at Chez Dumonet in Paris…and as a matter of fact, my appetizer/main sequence at both restaurants were identical and all things being equal I’d be hard pressed to decide which I preferred.
Lemon Curd Tartlette with lime coulis: Moving on to dessert, this was clearly my mother’s choice and with the citrus nicely smoothed out by the sugar and egg yolks this creamy tart was quite nice, the sort of thing served at any number of Parisian bistros and nicely encircled by a rich butter crust.
Banana and Date Sticky Toffee Pudding, Vanilla Ice Cream: The next dessert, my own selection, would prove to be the richest of the trio and with a dense cake of steamed pudding centered in a puddle of caramel sauce it was also one of the sweetest desserts I have ever tasted with the fructose notes of both the dates and the banana coming through with aplomb and only partially tempered by the rich ice cream; definitely a dessert to order with coffee and a few other people to share.
French Toast, Milk Jam Ice Cream, Maple Caramel: They say a picture is worth a thousand words and in this case it is probably also worth a thousand or more calories – simply stated, if you go to LeMeac you must order this. Impossibly light despite the enormous portion, piping hot only to be cooled and saturated by an ice cream harkening the flavors of condensed milk, and more than enough to satisfy a group…a signature dessert to be sure.
The Verdict: A French bistro hitting the same highs as many of the best in Paris there really is not much else to be said about LeMeac; from the menu to the service to the execution of the food everything was on point and although perhaps not the most unique meal of the trip certainly one of the most enjoyable, particularly for someone who measures the quality of his French cuisine by foie, duck, and pastry.
With so much pastry, fine dining, and Canadian comfort food to be sampled on our brief visit to Montreal ‘breakfasts’ as a proper sit-down entity were still not to be overlooked (much to my family’s dismay and with a schedule heavy on museums, churches, and hockey along with the food mornings would be early – and thankfully so would be the opening times of each of the three breakfast spots we decided to try.
Beginning first with perhaps the most oft raved breakfast in the city we almost ended up taking a pass on Olive + Gourmando because the traffic and parking on the tight streets of the busy business district is nothing short of a nightmare during the morning rush – but thankfully, as fate would have it a spot opened up on our third trip around the block and with streets uneven and crowd bustling we made our way into the small store and restaurant only a few minutes later than anticipated.
Owned and operated by Dyan Solomon and Eric Girard Olive + Gourmando reminds one much of Panera as you walk in – a few dry goods and baked items up front along with the local paper plus a busy kitchen in back, but with communal tables consistently packed as people vie for space and the air rife with notes of coffee, butter, and vanilla there is clearly more than “quick casual” at play – specifically the use of all natural, organic, and high quality local ingredients in each of the restaurant’s creations; items I was left to select for the group as my mother and aunt attempted (successfully) to procure seating.
Utilizing both the pastry counter, kitchen, and servers to facilitate service the modus operandi at O+G is to order at the pastry counter, find a seat, and wait for the items to arrive – a successful approach even despite my over-ordering that led to an impressive pile of food arriving perhaps 10 minutes later – each item warmed or hot and from the coffee to the sandwich to each of our four baked goods everything looked fantastic despite the simple style of preparation on brown paper in wooden baskets.
Beginning first with the coffee – mostly espresso but also offering an Americano I eschewed my traditional ordering and went with a double based on the recommendation of the barista that the beans taste best without the added water and with the roast very low in acidity I had to agree, particularly given the smoky top notes and mellow caramel tones underneath – no sugar was added and none was needed.
Moving next to the pastries, a quartet was selected and attempting to make selections that would appease all I ran the gamut of flavors from fruit to chocolate and light to heavy beginning first with two spirals of brioche; one Raspberry Cheesecake, the other Valrhona Chocolate, and both exemplary. Beginning first with the eggy bread – crisp on the shell with a wispy and rich pull-apart within and lightly kissed with an egg wash before its trip to the oven both curls were rife with their respective ingredients and as much as I love Valrhona dark it was the cheesecake that impressed most – a rich balance of the cream cheese’s smoothness with sweet pureed raspberries complete with seeds.
Moving on to the measuring stick, an oblong almond croissant, I found myself somewhat less impressed than I had expected largely due to the texture produced by such a tightly wound crumb. Certainly tinged with almond and packed with butter this simply was not the texture I would expect for a croissant – more like a breadstick in its lack of an air-pocketed leavened crumb. Good, but not on par with the rest of the choices, including the Chausson Aux Pommes sharing its basket. Translated literally as ‘slipper of apples’ it would be hard for me to find something more comforting than this hand-pie and no matter what language the crispy golden shell and dense core of pan cooked cinnamon apples was lovely – the only thing that would have made it better was ice, or perhaps whipped, cream.
For our final choice, the only kitchen item that screamed ‘must order’ we received the “Poached Egg on Your Face Sandwich” – a pressed panini made with house ciabatta filled with sauteed onions, a thick curl of aged Comte, confit tomatoes, griddled speck, and ‘cooked egg salad.’ Hitting on pretty much all of the savory notes with the caramelized onions and bright tomatoes acting to cut the fat just a bit the most intriguing aspect of this dish to me was the ‘salad’ – a texture somewhere between rough chopped hardboiled eggs and a lightly poached egg but very interesting on the tongue. A great meal from first sip to last bite with only a slightly disappointing almond croissant to mar the experience I definitely understand the hype around Olive + Gourmando and compared to our other Montreal Breakfasts it is the only one to which I’d return.
For a second breakfast stop, my mother decided to sleep in (conserve capacity) while my aunt and I trekked to Beauty’s, the 1942 bruncheonette on the corner of Mont Royal West and St. Urbain. Perhaps not as famous as St. Viateur or Schwartz’s, fans and the local media still place the small diner on the same “Best of” and “Iconic” lists and unlike the former, original owner Hymie Sckolnick is still involved as he approaches his tenth decade of life.
With an opening hour of 7am, and after a near-ticket with a local police officer targeting people for taking left-turns on a nearby street we arrived at Beauty’s perhaps fifteen minutes after opening and after looking at the myriad articles posted in the small entry way entered to find only a few locals sitting at the bar. Greeted promptly by one of three servers we were led to a booth where menus were provided, coffee was ordered, and we were left to make our choices from a number of deli classics and a few Montreal specialties such as the “Mish-Mash.”
Sitting and browsing the menu as well as the space, Beauty’s is pretty much exactly what you’d expect from an old-school Jewish diner – kosher meats, a small selection of baked goods, and breakfast staples like pancakes, challah French toast, bagels, cream cheese, and lox in a room full of small booths and a long counter where short-order cooks quickly and quietly put together breakfast plates while chatting with the clientele while friendly waitresses performed their duties expediently.
Orders placed and by now working on my second cup of thin but well flavored ‘joe as my aunt sipped on a large glass of fresh squeezed orange juice it would not be long before our first item arrived – a small order of house made “Pouding Au Riz” for $4 plus a 40ml serving of pure maple syrup for $2.50. Realizing, of course, that profit margins at a place like Beauty’s are not that high and setting aside my general distaste for paying extra for a condiment I will say that the rice pudding itself was unremarkable in most ways – a bit too thick, a bit too congealed, and not enough of the golden raisins to balance the lack of vanilla or sweetness. Adding a bit of the syrup helped, but I also had to conserve for my main course.
Moving next to the aforementioned mains, pancakes for my aunt and French Toast for myself – specifically Apple Cinnamon pancakes and Challah French toast and the former once again proving the point that my aunt simply cannot and should not ever order pancakes as each disc was pleasantly golden but far too dense and largely lacking any semblance of apple or cinnamon flavor aside from the few small chunks of apples mixed into the batter. Not one to fancy syrup but instead opting for powdered sugar or sugar on her cakes I think my aunt had anticipated cooked apples served overtop but instead was left high and (quite literally) dry for $7.50.
For my part, particularly with the addition of the overpriced syrup (which they did not even provide me in the special “Beauty’s” glass bottle,) I have to admit that the $7.50 Challah French Toast was the star of the morning with the dense eggy bread nicely saturated with vanilla tinged custard and seared to a golden tan. Slightly crisp on the exterior and just a bit ‘wet’ in the middle there was nothing fancy about the toast – just a good rendition of a classic making me wonder if perhaps Beauty’s is the sort of place where one should just stick to the script and order eggs and bacon…an answer I’ll probably never know as I’d be very hard pressed to return.
For our final breakfast – and perhaps the biggest curveball of the trip to Montreal – we settled on L’Avenue even though I’d heard very mixed things; some claiming that its only appeal was that locals found it to be kitschy and “American” while others claimed it was worth the often interminable waits, lousy service, and French-only menus as the restaurant served the best breakfasts in town. No stranger to early arrivals for great food but not particularly sold on the Eggs Benny-centric menu (apparently not as ubiquitous in Montreal as in the United States) we waxed and waned on L’Avenue until the last minute and in the end, after a very late night at APdC we decided “why not?” and arrived thirty minutes after they opened the doors.
A hip restaurant – long and narrow with reclaimed wood and spray-painted exposed brick plus vinyl, motorcycles, and oddly positioned manikins the dominant features aside from a long bar and partially open kitchen – our arrival at L’Avenue would be met by a largely open dining room with perhaps only three tables already seated and greeted at the door by a young woman who’s English was only slightly worse than my French we were led quickly to a table near the front where Vinyl-album style menus (French only) were provided and drink orders were placed – deux café et une lait – the former acrid, luke warm, and rarely refilled while the later was first delivered as café au lait and later completely forgotten until the server was reminded…not a good start.
Seated and listening to the music overhead as I translated the menu for my mother and aunt it would be some time before our server returned and after the drink order we set to simply pointing out our options on the menu to be sure all went well – a successful strategy as it would turn out, though it would take twenty minutes before she returned to inform me that the poutine I’d selected could not be ordered until after 10am and another fifteen minutes thereafter before our plates would arrive along with an unexpected $1.50 side of bacon that no one knowingly ordered (and was subsequently removed from our bill after speaking with an older woman who explained to us that our server was ‘new’.)
Moving on to the reason we’d originally selected L’Avenue, namely the food, the humor of the previous day’s fail extended on when my aunt’s mixed fruit pancakes turned out even worse than those at Beauty’s and although the Blueberries, Strawberries, and Banana all proved fresh and tasty the cakes themselves were not only doughy but shockingly dry to the point of nearly being inedible. Again refusing to utilize any maple syrup (I’m rather certain a blend rather than being pure) despite the fact that these ‘cakes were clearly in need all we could do was laugh – another fail from the only person I know to have ordered dry pancakes at Hollywood’s Griddle Café this disaster simply seemed appropriate.
Moving on to the bigger and better things, my mother’s selection of Caramel Banana Crepes served with a fruit skewer would prove to be a good choice while also surprisingly light as the dainty crepe was doubled over and folded around raw bananas lightly tinged with warm salty caramel. Again paired with an accompaniment of high quality fruit despite the later winter/early spring I particularly enjoyed the toothsome whole wheat texture of the crepes, though I think we’d have all preferred the bananas to at least be warmed.
For my selection, without doubt the most decadent of the group, Chocolate, Caramelized Pear, and Maple Caramel Pancakes would arrive with the same lackluster texture of my aunt’s selection but with an ample layer of Belcolade bittersweet chocolate disks, sautéed pears, and a half-cup of buttery pear jus mixed with maple syrup and salty caramel over top there was no semblance of ‘dry’ on this plate, just a whole lot of richness and a distinct lack of subtlety where a little went a long way; the best item of a nearly $45 breakfast after tax and tip where the only real ‘highlight’ was the bathroom – a really cool bathroom – but not a bathroom warranting a $15/pp admission price.
The Why: Jerrome Ferrer is kind of a big deal in and around Montreal –Relais & Chateaux, 4-Diamonds, and the praise of many gourmands follow his name and a place in the Chaine des Rotisseurs particularly caught my attention. Admittedly a fan of fine dining with an agenda that otherwise included Quebecois staples of poutine, pigs feet, and as much maple syrup as I could find Europea seemed a perfect choice for my one solo night in Montreal – a good reason for the suit and tie as opposed to the Patrick Roy jersey, at the very least.
The Reservation: Opentable. 1 person at 8pm.
The Space: An old Victorian Mansion with bits of whimsy here and there the three storied building is actually quite beautiful and the space calm, save for the servers constantly running up and down the stairs from the basement kitchen. With bits of whimsy here and there – from Canadian sculptures to ornate lights and relics collected on Ferrer’s travels the feel of the room is something like Michel Rostang in Paris, or perhaps Guy Savoy without all the nooks and crannies.
The Service: Whether it was my inability to speak French, the fact that I only ordered one glass of wine, or an effect of the fact that there was a large (14 or so) table of regulars seated directly behind me I will simply say that the service at Europea was lacking. Twenty minute waits between courses, water unfilled for long periods of time, bread service unreplenished, and an inexplicable twenty minute wait at the end of the meal where not a single server walked within fifteen feet of my table (aside from up and down the stairs) to check in, refill coffee, or offer the bill. I was an island of one in the dead-center of the restaurant for the majority of my visit – something I’ve never experienced at such a restaurant and hope to never experience again. It was mentioned to the manager when I asked to see the kitchen at the end of the evening – he blew me off with an “oh, well, I’m sorry to hear that.”
The Food: $100 tasting menu, one $19 glass of ice wine, complementary canapes, amuses, mignardises, bread service, $4.50 coffee.
Stick with herbs and olive oil, goat cheese and pecorino lollypop, Canadian Prosciutto on a wire: The whimsy started quickly with this succession of small bites, each salty and somewhat reminiscent of items seen elsewhere on the ‘mg’ landscape, but only the prosciutto truly impressive with a darker and dried presentation really showing off some of the pork’s nutty funk.
Northern Quebec 1608 Cheese Cigar: Served with a funny little dehydrated wet-nap that rehydrated when warm water was poured tableside this was an excellent bite of a cheese I’d see frequently on the trip – certainly not your red-sauce Italian oily cheese stick.
Black Olive Clafoutis: One bite, served in a wooden box, and more of the savory. Good, but only if you truly fancy black olive as it was quite intense. In my opinion adding a sweet amuse or canape somewhere in the first 5 bites would have been a better course of action.
Bread and butter service with black olive rye, semolina white, parmesan oregano plus unsalted, seaweed, and hibiscus butter: My biggest issue with Europea was that the lady serving these was stingy and rarely present – I almost considered standing up and getting more bread from the warmer twice. Every option here was excellent and the hibiscus butter was a revelation on the toothsome white roll.
Teaser – Lobster cream Cappuccino with truffles shavings: Frothy and aromatic – there was no way this dish was going to fail.
Alaskan Salmon – smoked with maple wood, cracked pepper, Lemon Cream Sauce: An interesting bite served in a pastry cap – this is where the original canapes should have gone earlier as the flavors were complex and complimentary – a good sign of things to come.
Scampi: Scampi carpaccio, wild ginger roots bouillon, pearls and knotroots, Confit lemon juice: The weakest course of the evening in my opinion largely because the ginger was too pungent. A shabu-shabu of sorts in that the raw shrimp was presented and the broth poured tableside I think less broth or at least less ginger would have served the snappy and sweet crustacean better.
Calamari – Tagliatelle of Calamari Carbonara: With many chefs making squid noodles and turning everything into a haute carbonara I’ll simply say this dish could have fallen way short for me, but in fact it was probably the best of the night in terms of innovation and execution as the tender squid was nearly indistinguishable from al dente pasta while the use of a poached Quail Egg, squid ink and garlic butter croutons, and lemon ‘caviar’ all melded into a bright and balanced sauce – I could have eaten a giant bowl of this and left happy.
Foie Gras – Maple: In a trip filled with fatty fowl liver this was probably the most memorable in terms of ‘wow’ factor as a thick slice of the lobe arrive previously smoked over maple wood and seared on one side only to be placed on a hot river stone tableside and doused with ice wine allowing it to caramelize under a glass dome as I watched and enjoyed a tasty cloudberry canale meant to ‘whet the palate.” Smoky and unctuous, sweet with a crystalline crust giving way to supple fat – I’d be hard pressed to name five better foie preparations in the last five years.
Vin de Glace Inniskilin 2007: From the Niagara Peninsula – and excellent. Requested this with the foie course. Great mouthfeel, intensely sweet, good enough that I picked up a bottle the next day to take back to The States. Perhaps a bit of overkill when paired with the sweetness of the foie, it thankfully carried over to the next courses quite nicely all the way to dessert.
Lobster – Lobster marquise with Abitibi-Temiscamingue caviar, zucchini pearls, sparkling Orpailleur beurre blanc: A quick read of the ingredients is really all you need on this one. Snappy Nova Scotia lobster paired with caviar, zucchini, and boozy but balanced butter from the Quebec province – this was one of the times I considered getting up to obtain more bread, but thankfully a runner passed by just as I was finishing to collect the plate and I redirected him to the bread tray so the plate could return to the kitchen spotless.
Granite: Apparently feeling the palate would need refreshing at this point I was served this dry-ice smoking granite scented with wild tea. A nice presentation, sure, but too bitter for my palate – just keep hitting me with the heavy courses.
Raviole – Fresh organic-herb ravioli stuffed porcini mushrooms: Never afraid to serve up the bold flavors, this plate was the very essence of the earth and a perfect lead in to the final savory. Featuring “Seared Mushrooms picked by Mr Roberts” including a woodsy cascade of Enoki, Shitake, Morels, Honshimiji, and Trumpets served alongside thin noodles stuffed with truffled Enoki puree the dish was completed with buttery morel mushroom froth with the smell greeting you at 10 feet and the flavor every bit as powerful; this plate also returned to the kitchen without a spot.
Poule de Cornouaille: Presented tableside before being returned to the kitchen for carving and plating this whole Cornish hen cooked in hay-lined pot was first brined and infused with galangal then plated with sunchokes, shiitake mushrooms, and Granny Smith apples to form a good dish, but one that was perhaps a bit overcomplicated by the apple – a sour taste I found unnecessary while the rest was excellent…and speaking of excellent, a small side dish of supple thigh served over top ratatouille.
Fromages affinés: This dish annoyed me as it was listed as “Our Selection of Cheeses” when in fact it was a single slice that my server knew little about despite its local province. Titled “Louis D’Or” from Fromagerie du Presbytere and apparently a cow’s milk cheese that is pressed, cooked, and aged 24 months the fromage was served alongside mixed nuts and dried apricot bread. It was fine, but a selection would certainly have been preferred.
Passion Fruit Marshmallow, Violet Macaroon, Pistachio Raspberry Financier, Frozen Nougat with Rosemary/Pistachio/White Chocolate: Preceding dessert a plate of three small pastries arrived and although they were all fine, the lollipop was particularly impressive as the rosemary came through with aplomb melding the other flavors into an unexpected cheesecake sort of flavor I’d not have expected from the composition.
Coffee: At $4.50 and refilled infrequently at best I’d have expected a better brew. Mildly acidic, thin, simply not my style.
Chocolate Praline with poprocks lollypop, Pink Lemonade Cotton Candy, Box of Madelines: A second set of mignardises before proper dessert this whimsical trio was not as successful as the first on the whole, though I will give credit to both the quality and the quantity of the Madelines – at least two dozen of the warm cookies, and more than enough to take home to my mother and aunt.
White Chocolate with Raspberry compote, Raspberry Sorbet, Almond Cookie, Apricot Coulis: Proof that complex and beautiful does not always equal delicious this dish had all the parts that it should have been delicious, but with each of the meringue domes filled with tart raspberry puree while the apricot coulis was intensely sweet it felt like the constituents here were working against one another rather than together. Given my propensity for less fruity desserts perhaps this simply wasn’t my style, but either way I’d have preferred it be delicious than simply beautiful.
The Verdict: With the previously mentioned service flaws frequently marring the otherwise excellent cuisine and my comments about this blown off by the manager clearly tempering my feelings about a return to Europea I have to admit that on the whole the cuisine was quite goodt and at less than $100 before tax/tip (and converting to the US Dollar) Europea would not be out of place amongst the Michelin 1-Star restaurants of New York, Chicago, or San Francisco. Certainly a bit of attention to detail would be welcomed, but taking into consideration the ravioli, squid noodles, and foie gras I cannot deny that the meal was a memorable one.
The Why: Recommended by a Montreal contact when I inquired about a classy/classic French restaurant where I could take my mother and aunt without breaking the bank, La Chronique struck me as a great place to start off our dining in Montreal. Knowing full well that my family does not have the same appreciation for haute-French as I, Chef Marc De Canck’s take on provincial French seemed to strike a good balance between accessible and refined and with a convenient location on L’Avenue Laurier and a “business casual” lunch compared to the “jackets suggested” dinner destination I made a reservation for noon on a Monday.
The Reservation: Thankfully available via Opentable as neither the website nor the phone-lines offer much in the way of English, securing a reservation was simple and with plentiful street parking our arrival was timely with only two other tables seated throughout our visit.
The Space: White tablecloths, big wine list, black and white tiled floors, and wooden chairs with black & white photos on the wall La Chronique would not at all be out of place in Paris and it certainly was not out of place in Montreal. Having no real idea of just HOW French Montreal was until we arrived there was nothing English in the restaurant and although I’ve been to France twice this was definitely an immersion experience for my mother and aunt. Comfortable and bright with a semi open kitchen visible from our banquette and a collection of French chanson playing overhead it felt like Le Regalade St. Honore all over again.
The Service: With only one server present during the lunch hour and serving as hostess, captain, busser, concierge, and sommelier I have to say the young woman did a great job even despite my sub-par French. Dishes were described to the best of her ability, supplements disclosed on the items necessitating upcharge, and all items arrived promptly from the kitchen even when the restaurant reached its lunchtime peak of five tables.
The food: Two 2-course prix-fixe lunches and one 3-course prix fixe lunch ($24 and $29 respectively, plus a few upcharges, most notably $12 for the foie gras.) A well culled wine list also offered some afternoon by the glass deals, but we did not imbibe.
Oregano Potato Bread, Nuts and Grains Bread, Cows Milk Butter and Fleur de Sel: Complements of the house, served piping hot, and replenished without request the “nuts and grains” bread was as good as many pain au cereal in Paris while the potato bread was light, aromatic, and airy. Generally a fan of selection this was one of those cases where a few very well made options were plenty.
Duo de Foie Gras de Canard / pain d’epices, puree de coing, gelee d’abricots: My obvious choice, and a wonderful one at that, this presentation of Palmex Farm’s fatted duck liver was presented both seared and en terrine. With the warm preparation served over spiced bread quince puree and the creamy chilled portion topped with a thin piece of golden bread and brown sugar crumble there was nothing particularly elaborate about this dish, just high quality ingredients paired beautifully, the sweet cutting the fat and the aromatics perfuming the palate.
Filet de Proc Fume / Polenta, Courgettes, Moutarde: My plat principal, this dish was suggested as our waitress’ favorite and a chef’s signature with good reason. Again quite rustic in its construction but featuring an ample cut of lean pork loin smoked and placed over toothsome polenta tinged with mustard seeds the highlight of this dish was actually the jus – a pan reduction of bacon, zucchini, and cocoa that fit somewhere between sweet and savory thus working well to meld the pork and polenta without overpowering either.
Onglet de Boeuf Angus / Salsifis, Choux de Bruxelles, Champignons: A surprising order for my mother who rarely orders beef this was another hearty dish that would have fit nicely on any French bistro menu as the tender Alberta sourced hanger steak was cooked to medium well served over a sort of confit of Brussels sprouts and salsify with lightly pickled at the side. With mom focusing on the steak, dense and aromatic with just a touch of smoke and char I particularly appreciated the sprouts – caramelized but still pungent and a good foil to the richness of the protein.
Risotto vert-pre / Epinards, Edamamaes, Courgettes: At first I thought my aunt was truly puzzled by my translation from French, but assuring us she wanted the vegetarian offering of the afternoon I must say it turned out quite nicely with the Carnaroli rice cooked to a medium tenderness in a creamy reduction of mushrooms and peas before being garnished with chopped zucchini, shelled edemame, and shredded spinach. Rich, vegetal, and substantial in portion the dish was anything but light but considering I rarely associate risotto with French cooking I was rather impressed.
Petit Basque Sheep’s Cheese with Caramelized Nuts, Apricots, Grilled Bread: Listed only as a cheese plate on the menu this one was a bit of a letdown for me. Don’t get me wrong, I love Petit Basque, especially when nicely aged as this one was – but being in Montreal I couldn’t help but hope for a local cheese and while the accoutrements were nice it just wasn’t what I’d anticipated at a $6 supplement.
Chocolate Profiteroles with sliced almonds: A second bummer on the dessert menu were the profiteroles ordered by my mother – two small balls of admittedly nice choux pastry encompassing rather bland vanilla ice cream but thankfully topped with dense melted chocolate. While admittedly not a fan of profiteroles to begin with the almonds were a nice touch, but not enough to save the plate.
Valrhona Molten Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream and Pineapple Mango Salsa, Caramel: Another $6 supplemental dessert this one would actually prove to be worth the time, calories, and money – literally because it was made of entirely different chocolate and vanilla than the profiteroles. Beginning first with the cake – sticky, dense, and cooked to the perfect point to maintain the liquid center this oft duplicated dessert poured forth the dense 72% chocolate in plethora and although expectedly bitter the cocoa met an ample foil in the intense vanilla bean ice cream, sweet salsa and caramel, plus brown sugar crumble.
The Verdict: In the end I liked La Chronique well enough; the setting is lovely, the service excellent, and the prices fair for the quality (and more so the portions) given, but in comparison to the rest of our dining in Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, and points between it was largely unmemorable. A nice spot to enjoy a leisurely lunch or romantic dinner they certainly have the skills to make a classic French meal – I guess I’d just hoped for more creativity and better desserts given the cost of admission and supplements.
Like many of the cities I visit three meals a day was not going to cut it to truly experiencing the best of Montreal’s culinary offerings – as a matter of fact, considering we were only in town for 3.5 days I rather doubt that ten stops a day would have covered half of the spots I’d heard good things about – but that didn’t stop us from trying as we eventually managed daily breakfast, lunch, and dinner plus thirteen spots for caffeine, sweets, carbs, and even in a couple of cases proteins and meats.
Beginning first with le cafe, something the French Canadians certainly do better than the French French, Toi Moi et Cafe would start the visit off right as we arrived from Ottawa low on caffeine but with big plans for the day. A small cafe near to our lunch destination of La Chronique I entered TmeC with modest expectations only to be greeted by a wall of coffees and teas plus pastries, sandwiches, and soups made to order. Decidedly Francophone in dialect I approached the coffee counter with a bit of trepidation only to find ordering simple as they had one of my favorite beans on roast – a rich Ethiopian Harrar full or deep earthy notes and sweet cocoa tones for $2 that would lead to me returning two days later to pick up two pounds for the ride home.
Another day and another stop would lead us to Brulerie St. Denis where I found not only great service and Free Wi-Fi but also two great roasts, the first a fruity and aromatic Ethiopie Yirrgacheffe that I tasted as drip in store and subsequently purchased for French Press brewing at home – a substantial step up that highlighted the coffee’s rich mouthfeel and assertive caramel notes that came through on the finish.
Moving next to something I’d not seen stateside in quite some time, my second pick from Brulerie was 60 grams of Jamaique Blue Mountain in a vapor sealed bag for $10. Certainly the most pricey coffee I’ve ever purchased in whole bean form and saved for home, first via Chemex and then via French Press I will admit that the flavor was sublime – a truly complete roast with surprising sweetness, low acidity, and aromatics that bordered of floral when made via pour over and allowed to bloom a bit but even better when pressed – a nearly creamy taste on the palate that I’d place in the top two or three cups of coffee I’ve ever brewed at home (though perhaps not the best despite being the most expensive.) Certainly not an everyday indulgence, I do think every coffee fan with the means should definitely try a cup at least once even if only to know the standard by which others can and should be judged.
For the final coffee-specific stop in Montreal, Myriade Coffee was on my list and featuring the most English friendly crowd and servers of the group (likely due to its hip/young clientele just steps from the Concordia College campus) I found the space to be quite familiar both in selection and in style. A small space on the interior with an exterior densely populated by kids who’d not look out of place in Williamsburg or Bushwick, Myriade manages to fit a lot of coffee and technique into a small space and with roasters and purveyors including 49th Parallel Vancouver, Heart of Portland, Squar Mile London, and Ritual San Francisco all on hand along with drip, press, pourover, and Toddy the options are – well – myriad.
Spending a few minutes checking out the whole beans and watching the baristas work, I inevitably settled on the only roaster I’d not experienced – Square Mile – and ordered a pourover of Rwanda Musashi, a coffee I’d never heard of (let alone tasted) that proved to be rich and balanced, slightly fruity but not at all acidic, and light with a lingering sweetness. Noting here that this single cup was more expensive than both my beverage at Toi Moi et Café and Brulerie St. Denis while, to my mouth not as good as the former and only slightly improved to the later I certainly understand the appeal of Myriade to locals as it represents some exotic choices, but as a visitor I’d rather experience beans roasted locally than a selection culled from other cities at a higher price.
Moving next to the only thing I like nearly as much as coffee, a pastry tour of Montreal was requisite and although not as elaborate, indulgent, or delicious as our visit to Paris it turned out quite well, beginning first with Boulangerie Kouign Amann, a small space on Ave Du Mont-Royal Est where a small wood and tile store is turning out some of the best rustic breads and pastries in Montreal.
Named after the famous Breton butter pastry, Boulangerie Kouign Amann looks as though it could be as old as many of the pastry stores in Paris and with chipped signage in red and yellow you’d barely notice it unless you were looking – though judging from my ten minute visit the locals certainly know it is there. Manned by two bakers and a young woman serving as the hostess and cashier it was not long after I entered that I was asking in French, then in fluent English if I knew what I wanted and deferring to allow others to proceed I browsed the options largely to wait for a the last slice of the restaurant’s namesake to be packed up so a new, fresh one would be procured from the wire racks; at that point I stepped forward and placed my order for the two items I’d come for plus a third selection at the young woman’s suggestion.
With each item packed in brown paper and a modest tab of two toonies and a loonie paid I stepped into the street to enjoy my items and beginning first with the item suggested by the server I nearly went back inside to buy more as the Raspberry Custard Danish would prove to be the best Danish I’ve ever had – a flaky butter pastry stuffed with rich vanilla custard at its center plus a half-dozen ruby colored berries and a dusting of powdered sugar. Soft and dense but with a light crackle along the edges plus soft hints of butter and cream melding with the slightly tart raspberries – it was remarkable to put it lightly.
Moving next to my selections, well, when an outstanding almond croissant isn’t the best pastry of the day you know you ordered right. Beginning first with the croissant, a double-baked beauty loaded with sliced toasted almonds and a light dusting of powdered sugar, it was perhaps the messiest version of the pastry I’ve ever tasted as it shattered with each bite releasing crumbs, almonds, and sugar in plethora. With a soft center rife with butter and only a kiss of frangipane it was divine – I almost went back for another.
For the final bite – the signature Kouign Amann, but this time different from those I’d experienced prior as the large butter pastry was actually a cheese-like wheel subsequently cut into slices with a crackling caramelized top and bottom surrounding what essentially tasted like butter and sugar suspended in air. Light and perfect, texturally complex, and still warm – if you live within a roadtrip of Montreal this is reason enough to go (amongst so many others.)
Another day, another bakery, but this time somewhat less successful than Kouign Amann would be Le Fromentier. Having visited the day prior only to find them out of everything but a few loaves of bread plus various sandwich fixings and charcuterie we returned early morning a few days later to find a larger selection with some interesting pies and tartes plus two croissants I had to try, one almond and one maple…of course bearing in mind the large market style layout of Le Fromentier ordering these two pastries was easier said than done since the bakers were at work and the cashier had apparently ‘stepped out for a moment,’ but after a short wait my items were bagged and ready to go.
Having spent time browsing the sandwiches, charcuterie, foie gras, and unique beverages at Le Fromentier I was excited to try the baked goods and with each item shaped more like a traditional butter croissant than like an almond or filled croissant the texture too was unexpected as the almond seemed the dantier of the two but was actually filled with far too much slightly artificial tasting flavor creating a sticky mouthfeel while the maple was graced with a thin smear of cream both inside and out creating a sort of ‘frosted’ butter croissant. With the exterior crackling and the interior of each appropriately buttery with good separation between the layers I think it is simply a case of personal preference that the texture was a little too wet for me, even if the maple cream version was quite subtle and pleasant. I wager a simple butter croissant would have been quite good, particularly if it were warm – perhaps even with a bit of maple cream on the side as opposed to being added and allowed to sit.
Continuing a theme of French Pastries, but in a more modern light, our visit to Olivier Potier was similar to that at Le Fromentier in that our first visit, around 9:00am, found them with only breakfast pastries while a visit later in the day around 6:00pm found them entirely sold out of most of the dessert pastries aside from a few macarons – it was almost enough to make us give up, but a visit to the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts directly across the street would prove the adage of the ‘third time’s a charm’ as we entered the semi-subterranean space to find a full array of options from the former Laduree (and so many other places) patissier.
A small space, heavy on wood and brick, with pastries and breads up front plus a small seating area and café in back, the service at OP was impressive from the moment I walked in and with the young woman waiting patiently as I weighed my options she offered her advice to another gentleman who seemed confused as to what pate de fruits actually are before returning to gather my order, bag/box them elegantly, and wish me an au revoir as I made short work of the packaging.
Starting first with a selection of three macaron in the standard flavors of pistachio, caramel, and the more exotic pear my first taste of Potier’s wares was not favorable – the salted caramel macaron was far too gummy, almost as though it had been wet or refrigerated and then thawed, but from there things improved substantially as both the pistachio and pear crackled on bite giving way to a smooth filling with intense flavors, the pear every bit as flavorful as the real thing and one of the better macarons I’ve had in North America.
Moving next to two more esoteric takes on French classics, Potier shows a deft hand with his use of choux in both the Litchi and Raspberry St. Honore as well as the Praline, Almond, Hazelnut Paris Brest. Dubbed by my mother as one of her happiest memories of the whole trip through Canada the St. Honore was truly a breathtaking dessert with the dough perhaps a millimeter of crunch followed by an airy interior piped with citrus and cream subsequently topped with an airy mousse of berries plus a slightly sticky glaze – “refreshing” is not generally how I’d describe a St. Honore, but it was quite appropriate here. Moving next to the Brest – one of my favorite pastries, it was certainly not ‘light’ or ‘refreshing’ but the choux again was miraculous, this time with a light sugar glaze, while the interior of the lower shell was stuffed with light almond cream and the top decorated with a swirl of more dense hazelnut mousse. All things being equal, aside from one aberration in the caramel macaron, I’d say Monsieur Potier’s time in Paris was well spent and Montreal is lucky to have him.
For the final French Patisserie a bit of a mix between modern and rustic would meet us at Patisserie Rhubarbe, a small space with odd hours on a tiny side street – a place you’d miss if you were not looking for it, no doubt. Owned and operated by pastry chef Stephanie Labelle, a former student of Herme at his Paris flagship the newish space was reportedly quaint according to my friend who recommended it, while the pastries were apparently quite the opposite.
Closed Mondays (when we were just down the street at Fromentier) and opening at 11:00am on Tuesday we entered the shop just as they opened and with Labelle and her team just filling the racks our selection was quite limited for a moment so we sat down and browsed the cute space full of knick knacks before the daily display was available and after browsing, chatting with the chef, and weighing or options we each chose an entement while my mother opted for a quartet of macarons before we returned to the car, eating as we walked.
Beginning first with the less interesting items, a simple carrot cake was presented as a tall cylinder topped with the lightest cream cheese frosting yet to touch my lips and rife with both carrots and pineapples plus a touch of nuts it was toothsome and quite nice. Equally nice, a small bar of lemon meringue tarte was the epitome of smoothness with the light meringue and dense lemon forming a lovely mouthfeel atop a crisp butter crust. Citrus based and thus appealing to my mother, the most interesting aspect of this dish to me was the addition of candied lemon peel and a touch of mint, both subtle but present and giving the dish a sort of freshness that I hadn’t expected.
Moving next to the Macarons, only two flavors were available so early in the morning at Rhubarbe and with one lemon and the other maple chocolate walnut it was easy to know who would rave what, though admittedly both were quite good as the crisp cookies gave way to intense fillings, the first nicely sweetened to balance the sour and the second a dense ganache that actually helped to temper the maple rich exterior…or at least seemingly maple-rich until we tasted our last option – a Maple Religeuse with dense impeccable choux stuffed to bursting with rich maple custard and topped with lightly toasted maple sugar plus a crown of impossibly light whipped cream. One part crunch, one part cream, and over the top sweet this certainly wasn’t a pastry for everyone, but for me it was a perfect marriage of traditional French technique and Montreal’s most famous ingredient…a must taste to anyone visiting the city who loves both.
Moving from ‘French’ to more of the North American vibe (but still with Canadian touches) the first of our next three sweet shops to visit would be Les Glaceurs, and although some will claim the trend is played out I still love the concept of individual sized desserts that allow me to sample a variety of flavors and therefore while it may seem outside my ‘gourmet’ tastes that means I still love a well made cupcake.
Apparently a small chain centered in Montreal, Les Glaceurs had originally been left off my agenda as we had planned to get ice cream at Bilboquet, but when the shop was inexplicably closed and we found ourselves faced with cupcakes AND ice cream as an alternative we figured ‘why not’ – a surprisingly good decision that eventually led to us ordering three great cake including the standardizing Red Velvet, Salted Caramel, and the monthly special Tire d’Erable.
Priced at $3.00-3.50 each and perhaps only 3-4 bites per cupcake expectations were high for the quality of these tiny treats and beginning first with the Red Velvet we were adequately impressed (aside from the red hot on top.) As the only un-filled option of the three the cake to cream ratio was spot on with the former dense and cocoa laden while the later was light and smooth with a bit of added sugar on the outside for texture. Moving next to the filled options, Salted caramel was an equally well constructed cake with a light vanilla batter topped with rich buttercream frosting and a drizzle of caramel, but what set it apart was what was inside – a liquid caramel center rife with sea salt plus a light dusting of fleur de sel on top.
Moving last to the Tire d’Erable, an obvious choice given the season, our location, and my predilection to anything Maple – it was probably the best cupcake I’ve had in 2012. Beginning first with the same dense vanilla base as the Salted Caramel but this time swirled with maple in the batter and then replacing the buttercream ice cream with one of whipped maple butter before adding caramelized maple syrup and maple candied walnuts this was a flat out embarrassment of sweetness that pined for a glass of milk or coffee while also wishing I’d have ordered another – or picked up a few for breakfast the next day.
Having missed the ice cream at Bilboquet and deciding on cupcakes over frozen treats at Les Glaceurs an impromptu frozen yogurt stop at Yeh! would interrupt our travels midday on a particularly warm afternoon. With my family still feeling the effects of a hefty lunch and myself simply wanting to see how this Fro-Yo stacked up to some of the better options I’ve had in Boston and Los Angeles I made my way into the brightly colored store and grabbing a large bowl proceeded to partition out perhaps an ounce of each option – the total less than $3.00 but plenty for a good sampling.
Noting here that most frozen yogurt has generally failed to wow me in the past my tasting started out with the ‘original’ and with just a touch of sour beneath the sweet this flavor was more of the same – good, but nothing I’d crave…but thankfully the rest would prove much better with a unique array of flavors including Caramel Dipped Apple, Red Velvet, Peanut Butter, Java, and Dark Chocolate all showing off strong flavors and a light texture, the apple and java particularly memorable and although not as much to my fancy as ice cream or gelato a decent enough choice in a city with a veritable dearth of quality frozen goods.
Another short impromptu stop as my mother and aunt sought gifts for friends at home would take us to Les Délices de l’Érable and with myself largely underwhelmed by the selections they found what they were looking for in a variety of maple candies and confections – the candies largely maple sugar shaped like maple leaves and the rest of the items largely forgettable save for a Maple Sable that was so bland and poorly made that it stuck out like a sore thumb for its mediocrity and stick of frozen maple sugar that was actually quite good – a sort of “Sugar Daddy” meets popsicle of maple syrup. All things being equal this is a spot to grab souvenirs for friends and maybe a bottle of maple syrup you could get cheaper elsewhere while wandering Old Montreal but it is certainly not a destination or must visit in a city with so much better to offer.
Transitioning from sweet to savory the last three spots to visit on our snacking list were all placed I was told were “MUST” visits in Montreal and although none of them were the sorts I places I generally seek out I figured the cultural significance of each justified the time, cost, and calories.
Starting things off with smoked meat, a dish that appears to be amongst the most famous in the city, a requisite stop at Schwartz’s served a double purpose in that I could see what the place was all about and have a bite of the sandwich to appease my curiosity while my mother and aunt could order dinner to go since I was to dine solo at Europea that evening – a good plan, I thought, and a plan well met when we arrived to find no line.
Founded in 1928 and proudly displaying both this fact and their myriad awards throughout the premises much like Katz’s in New York the space at Schwarz’s was small at cramped at the entryway but with ample seating in back and almost immediately on entering we were greeted in verbose French by the man at the counter who quickly transitioned to English when he registered our blank looks. With the menu larger than anticipated but the object of our desire displayed prominently the order was placed and asking if we preferred “fatty” or “medium” I suggested he give us whatever was better and he said “medium” before turning to a younger man who prepped and wrapped the sandwich, grabbed a can of Canada Dry, and bagged it for us to pay another young man at the door – the whole interaction took perhaps five minutes before we emerged on the street.
Moving on to the sandwich – three quarters of a pound at least, if I were to guess – I have a little bit of trouble describing exactly what I ate because I really have no reference standard, but with a touch of mustard largely avoided and sampling both the brisket on its own and with the rye bread I have to say it was actually quite good – a supple mouth feel with big notes of smoke complimented by what I believe was mostly peppercorn and coriander plus a slight sweetness that worked nicely with the rye. While certainly not something I’d crave on a daily basis definitely a worthy place to check out – particularly as the remaining sandwich and a few bagels from down the street served a more than ample dinner costing less than $10 for my mother and aunt.
Having already mentioned the bagels our next stop was obviously St. Viateur and much like Schwartz’s my question walking in the door was how something so simple could garner so much press…I mean, sure I did not grown up in a bagel town like New York and my sample size is rather low but honestly I’d never had a bagel that made me say ‘wow.’
Set on a the road for which it is named St. Viateur is actually more than one store and with some locations opened 24/7 while others hold more traditional hours it took a bit of finagling the GPS to sort out which was which before we arrived at the small shop and walking through the doors I realized right away that part of what made the space was the experience – three men standing around a wood fired oven and large vats of water hand rolling the bagels, boiling them, and loading/unloading them from the flames. Friendly but busy one of the men broke away from his work to take our order and after a moment weighing the options I decided to make it easy – half a dozen (2 of each flavor) plus a block of cream cheese – and settling the modest tab made my way to the street as there is no place to sit at St. Viateur.
With the bag toasty warm in my hand and the smell of dough and yeast still fresh in my nares it would not be long after emerging to the streets before we opened up the bag and with my mother and aunt preferring a schmear (Philadelphia Cream Cheese – nothing special) I went with my tastes plain and tasting each in succession I was adequately impressed by the slight crunch of the exterior giving way to a supple chew within, but still not ‘wowed.’ Semi-sweet and certainly different from any other bagel I’ve tasted before or since I particularly enjoyed the Sesame Seed option while the Poppy Seed and Plain were equally well textured but not as interestingly flavored. Certainly understanding the simple bagel’s cultural importance and the fact that St. Viateur seems to be everything right what I’ll take away most from my visit was the experience of watching the bakers at work – in the end it just seems I’m not a bagel guy, no matter how good.
For our last stop in Montreal, both in this long-winding post and literally, I couldn’t leave the city without trying the poutine and although we’d just eaten a filling breakfast at L’Avenue we made our way to La Banquise – what better than cheese curds, fresh frites, and gravy at 9am…or any time, 24/364?
While many in The States may not even be aware of what poutine is, the staple Montreal comfort food has apparently been around since the 1950’s and featured prominently on most menus in the city in one way or another ($2 at Burger King, or $23 at APdC) I was told by no less than 5 people that La Banquise was where to get it – in one of no less than 30 varieties. A seemingly small place from the outside but much larger within I found the restaurant without difficulty and entering the doors was greeted by a small line as the open prep kitchen stood to the right with seating on the left. Given a few moments to make my selection from a menu on the wall or laminate version for dining in I was greeted in English and after placing the order plus a few minutes preparation time I emerged to the street with a Styrofoam clamshell of Poutine Classique.
Clocking in at $6.25 for what seemed to be about 6 pounds of food my first bite of the poutine more or less confirmed my thoughts about what good, classic gravy, fries, and cheese would taste like and while not as upscaled or refined other versions I’d tried in the past the words “comfort food” rang through with aplomb. Rich, starchy, salty, and at times crisp while at others silky the gravy was simple yet perfectly seasoned with plenty savory and a touch of sweet while the cheese curds were presented squeaky fresh yet slightly melted from the heat of the crisp, yet somewhat oily fries. A food no less comforting than mac n’ cheese or spaghetti and meatballs this was one Montreal icon I could definitely embrace and with 30 options I’d gladly return on future visits…perhaps for a “real” breakfast, as they serve that (with a side dish of poutine) as well.
The Why: …the comparisons to APdC, the fact that they are open on Sundays when the rest of Ottawa seems to button up, a strong focus on Canadian comfort foods, and an ethos focusing on local produce, cheese, meats…and a charcuterie program raved by pretty much everyone who has been there.
The Reservation: Opentable. No issues. The restaurant was ~1/3 full throughout our visit.
The Space: Think “Pub,” like the sort with a bar up front but add a lot of reclaimed wood, comfortable leather seats, exposed brick, and a decidedly porcine theme plus maple leaves and wicker taxidermy. Moody but not dark, heavy but whimsical, and rustic with a few industrial touches I liked the feel of Murray Street Kitchen a lot (though I will say the heavily inebriated party of three to the right of us left something to be desired.)
The Service: Hip but helpful, friendly and efficient…I’m pretty sure the bartender was the only server on duty that day and although plates came slow from the kitchen delivery was always precise with a great description of the dish including notes about sourcing and preparation as necessary. As a bonus, perhaps because he gathered we were Americans, our choice of the charcuterie board led to a few gifts from the kitchen to highlight the ‘best of what we didn’t order.’
The Food: 2 Drinks, House Bread and Local Butter, Charcuterie Board, 3 Apps, 1 Main, 3 Desserts.
House Bread and Butter: Served in a burlap bag and much like Petite Bills and Atelier a slightly spongy baguette with a good crumb and whipped butter, though I admittedly prefer more crunch to my baguette.
Charcuterie Plate: Opting for the 4 choice board we were instead served a half dozen items including Hunter’s Salami with Venison/Boar/Elk, Aged Niagara Prosciutto, Duck Liver Mousse, Elk Terrine, and Tomme de Haute plus Souer Angele. Paired nicely with the bread but also with Cornichons, Pickled Carrots and Cauliflower, Apple Compote, Blackberry Preserves, Red Pepper Marmalade, and Spicy Mustard all of the meats aside from the ham were made or aged in house and while both of the creamy Quebec cheeses were excellent neither could hold a candle to the rich mousse or the gamy terrine in my opinion while my mother and aunt raved the prosciutto – and much to my surprise the blood tinged salami.
“Ptit Dejeuner”: With my aunt an unabashed picky eater claiming ‘nothing’ on the menu sounded good she eventually settled on this appetizer and…well…as good as everything was that night at Murray Street this thing stole the show. Featuring pillow-soft potato pancakes topped with smoked confit pork belly and ashton harvest brown ale on top of “xo cheddar fondue” and garlic-infused maple syrup this au pied de cochon inspired concoction was sweet and savory, crispy atop creamy, and entirely over the top. A riff on breakfast both in name and concept with flavor to spare this was the sort of dish I’d expected when I made the reservation at Murray Street and for those not wanting to make the trip to Quebec I’ll simply say it was ALMOST as good as the best of what Picard is doing at APdC.
“Hearts and Bones”: Our second appetizer, my choice, was funky – almost too funky. Offalcentric to say the least and featuring pan-crisped gnocchi, roast bone marrow butter, capers, parsley, Elk heart, and Glengarry’s 22-month aged Lankaster Gouda (complete with rind) this was not a dish about balancing flavors but rather one about pungency in varying degrees using the three dumplings as a sort of anchor to keep the various elements from overwhelming one another and the diner – a goal only partially accomplished largely due to the oomph of the lactate emanating from the cheese. A good dish, particularly with regard to the crunchy-gives-way-to-creamy gnocchi and the smoky sapor of the elk heart the capers were simply too much and had to be left behind.
“Poutine”: At this point expecting nothing to be quite as it seemed this pasta dish arrived with fresh hand cut spatzle, shredded duck leg confit, ‘beast’ gravy, and Glengarry “Fen Squeaks” cheese curds…more mac n’ cheese than poutine, but I don’t think anyone complained one bit because from the buttery noodles and briny curds to the crispy meat and funky gravy this was decadent and delicious even despite the false advertising.
“Ian’s Pork”: The only item from the mains that we opted to try and although good, the weakest dish of the evening in my opinion. Beginning with a glazed and roasted shoulder of Mariposa Borreal Suckling Pig along with cured pork and Lugtread kielbassa I had no complaints about the quality of the proteins and was actually impressed how each came through with its own characteristic notes – what did not work for me was the accoutrements; a one-too-many-flavors amalgam of house made Hall’s Apple Jelly, yellow mustard, scalloped potatoes, smoked trotter broth, and Brussels sprouts. Understanding that the chef wanted to the flavors to pop and generally not one to favor mustard I really wish I could pinpoint this as what did not work, but really it was the whole thing – a fructose sweetness at first quickly muffled by brine and leaving behind a sort of acrid taste on the palate (though for the record I was the only one who noted this, and as the dish was ordered by my mother I was glad she enjoyed it and left me the sprouts.)
“‘Smores”: Our server had me at ‘kind of like a budino’ and true to his word this composition of Dark Chocolate Espresso Pudding, Graham Cookies, and Murray Street Toasted Marshmallow topping was lovely. Rich and thick enough to nearly resemble a cake in the chocolate layer and lightening up to an airy whip at the top each flavor including a bit of char came through with aplomb while the grainy notes of the graham layer – a sort of bread pudding – reminded me favorably of the budino at Vetri’s Osteria (high praise indeed.)
“Hall’s Apple”: As good as the budino was it did not stand a chance against this – a dessert that may have been the best of our trip through Canada. Featuring what was described as an Apple Pecan butter tart at its base this dense bread pudding was rife with both apples and butter plus loads of cinnamon and pecans and delicious even before someone decided to top it with Mike’s Caramel Ice Cream, Apple Cider Reduction, and Smoked Bacon. Generally easily sold on most things apple and anything bread pudding but not so much on the nonchalant use of bacon I will simply say that this was a case where the bacon worked – adding smoke, salt, and crunch to tame the otherwise intense sweetness.
“Carrot Cake”: Dense, moist, and seemingly flourless with equal parts nuts, carrots, and butter plus Cream Cheese Icing and Caramel sauce this was – well – really good carrot cake, no more and no less. Good, but certainly not as memorable as the other two desserts.
The Verdict: A great space with a great vibe and service befitting places far more fancy (and pricy) I would absolutely recommend checking out Murray Street Kitchen to anyone visiting Ottawa with a few words of advice: First – order the charcuterie and save room for dessert. Second – if a dish sounds too complicated or has too many ingredients perhaps think twice and order something else. Third – if the Ptit Dejeuner is on the menu, get it. And fourth, if you’re doing APdC and Joe Beef on the same trip make sure you go to Murray Street Kitchen first – otherwise I feel it might become a touch derivative even if, on the whole, it is still quite good.
The Why: Located in Plantagenet, Ontario – a small town approximately an hour east of Ottawa (when accounting for single lane roads – some ‘paved’ with only loose gravel) Mariposa Farm likely doesn’t register a blip on most ‘foodie’ radars, but to fans of duck, goose, and particularly foie gras it is a name that should be synonymous with a Homer Simpson-esque drooling sound. Set in the rolling countryside where the quacks and honks of Barbarie ducks and Embden geese (plus the occasional moo or oink from organically raised livestock) are the only sounds punctuating the serenity of hundreds of acres Mariposa is a functional farm for168 hours a week – but for two hours each Sunday it is also a $38 three-course prix fixe brunch for ~40-50 diners lucky enough to experience Chef Mark Currier’s handling of the farm’s bounty.
The Reservation: Taken by phone and highly recommended – as the second party to arrive largely because I wanted to walk the property and see the birds the space started out a little empty, but with name placards on each table the small barn would fill to capacity within thirty minutes of opening and two ‘walk-ins’ were turned away (though both took home some foie and preserves from the small market at the restaurant’s entrance.)
The Space: Getting past the bucolic setting – happy geese honking and running free on myriad acres of land (so much for all the foie activists claiming these creatures are abused) – we approached Mariposa Farm in a light snow and after parking the car approached the old barn-come restaurant where a rickety wooden porch complete with swings awaited. Entering the doors where former stables had been converted to makeshift restrooms a turn to the right takes the visitor to a large and open space with a market up front and wide open kitchen just past where Chef Currier prepares the daily menu using a large wood-roasting oven/grill and equipment much like that you’d find in your own kitchen.
With the kitchen the divided from the guest by a small bar it is quickly on entering that you meet one of the farm’s two owners, Suzanne Lavoie, who next shows and thoroughly explains the three options for each of the three courses and after selections are made the diner is introduced to the dining room – a wide and airy space befitting a former barn where white tablecloths, kitschy salt and pepper shakers, and old glass milk bottles are bathed in light from the floor to ceiling windows. With serve yourself coffee and tea up front and an invite to wander the room where chess sets, board games, and a multitude of cookbooks await the feel of Mariposa is homey and warm – an atmosphere furthered by the soundtrack ranging from folk to Neil Young playing quietly on an old stereo.
The Service: Having already met one half of the ownership team, Ian Walker serves as the dining room’s host, captain, and maître d’. A pleasant man more than happy to share a story (or offer to trade you a T-shirt and the cost of your family’s meal for a vintage Kings sweater) the rest of the service falls in line – each dish delivered hot from the kitchen with both the servers and Ian stopping by frequently to check in and make sure you haven’t any wants or needs aside from, perhaps, a little more history about the farm or their many travels to farms across North America.
The Food: 3 Course Prix Fixe with three choices for each course. Coffee, Tea, Bread Service included.
House Bread with Butter and Maple Butter: Present on the table when we arrived this rustic whole wheat bread was lovely and made in the wood oven earlier that day each bite contained smoky notes and a great chew that went well with the locally sourced salted butter but even better with the house made maple butter. To say the least we went through the first loaf quickly and more was delivered on request, this round still warm, along with more maple butter.
Coffee and Tea: Locally roasted and freely refillable with fresh milk, organic sugar, and warm cream all available for garnish – the coffee was a bit thin and the beans a bit over-roasted for my palate while the ‘ice wine’ tea featured a subtle bitterness that went nicely with my three courses.
Sunchoke Soup with Creme Fraiche and Maple Vinegar, Foraged Greens: The first course choice for both my mother and my aunt this rich and earthy veloute was a “lesser of evils” choice for people who don’t fancy foie gras or beef tartare that turned out to be quite lovely. Aromatic and smooth with a nice tang imparted by the Crème Fraiche I was also impressed by the choice to use bitter uncooked clover stems to add a touch of crunch while the vinegar’s maple was not really present – just a slight sweetness that lingered on the finish.
Foie Gras Mousse Crepe with Apple Blue Cheese Salad and Parsnip Mustard: While the ladies were welcome to skip on the very reason we traveled to Mariposa Farm, I most certainly was not – I came for foie gras and with the rich liver in this case pureed into a smooth mousse and stuffed into a buckwheat crepe I can say without a doubt it was worth the drive. Starting first with the pancake, delicate yet toothsome and moving on to its ample filling the wooden board was further dressed with thin slices of sour Granny Smith apples tossed with bitter greens, black pepper, and funky blue cheese while a light layer of smashed parsnip tinged with mustard added a subtle heat. An excellent composition served in ample portion and touching on nearly every part of the palate it would not be hyperbole to say this was the best savory crepe I’ve ever tasted.
Chicken Supreme Breast on Risotto of Cheese and Carrot with Leek/Curry Aioli: With another loaf of bread delivered our main courses started out with my mother’s chicken dish and although this was the weakest dish of the trio it was still quite delicious as the smoky and aromatic breast was nicely paired with toothsome Quebec Sharp Cheddar infused risotto, wood roasted carrots, and subtly sweet aioli. Tender and moist with a bit of crackling skin on the side my only issue with this dish would be the fact that I tend to prefer risotto closer to creamy but all things being equal I get the feeling this was an intentional choice by the chef meant to make the dish more rustic, an effect achieved and appreciated by my mother who rarely finishes a plate with such gusto.
Bison Flank Grilled and BBQ with Pulled Pork Mashed Potatoes, Black Pepper Aioli, Duck Reduction, Carrots: The shocker of the afternoon was not that this dish was outstanding, but rather that my aunt would order such a rare cut of meat…and rave about it for days afterward. Served ‘pink’ but so lean that it was as dry as my aunt generally prefers in her well-done steaks the overall flavor of this particular cut was not dissimilar to prime rib and with the rich aioli and duck jus serving to add both fat and flavor the richness of the dish was bumped up another notch by the locally grown smashed potatoes mixed nearly 50/50 with savory BBQ pork. An overhand smash of flavors with both my mother and I fancying the potatoes over our respective carbohydrates my aunt ate nearly all of the flank on her own – another testament to the quality of the proteins coming from Mariposa’s wood grill.
Duck Confit Leg glazed with Maple Mustard with Sunchoke Spaetzel, Carrots and Rhubarb Reduction: Again noting that our trip to Mariposa was predicated on their signature birds I overlooked the fact that mustard was included in both my appetizer and my main course and simply smiled and savored the subtlety of it as enjoyed one of the best duck confit dishes I’ve had in recent memory. Reportedly rendered in duck fat for 8 hours prior to a brief visit to the wood oven the phrase “falling off the bone” came to mind with each bite and with a sweet lacquered exterior that literally crunched on mastication before the succulent interior melted in the mouth the accoutrements hardly even mattered aside from adding a touch of fibrous vegetal undertone to help balance the otherwise intense richness of the fowl.
Maple Panna Cotta, Rhubarb Jello, Candied Cedar: With two desserts and a cheese plate available for the final course I lobbied the ladies to order different desserts but in the end they both settled on this one – a rich maple composition that, from my standpoint, contained far too much gelatin but otherwise tasted fine. Told that the cedar was edible I’ll only note that I’m sure Ian was not lying – it just was not edible by anyone at our table as it literally tasted like cedar chips smell.
Quebec Cheese Plate with Apple Cranberry Puree – Tomme de Joyeux Raw Goat, Bleu D’Elizabeth, Alfred Le Fermier Raw Cow: Unable to buy many of Quebec’s raw and unpasteurized options in The United States I just couldn’t justify passing this up for a mere brownie and with each cheese impressive while the Tomme de Joyeux was a sort of revelation in its floral sweetness I don’t regret my choice one bit – particularly as some of the better restaurants in Montreal focused their collection on non-domestic options.
The Verdict: If one were to rank restaurants as Michelin does with the concept of “excellent cuisine, worth a detour” constituting two-stars then by simple default of location Mariposa would garner deux etoiles even though the setting, service, and concept certainly are not targeting such lofty goals. Focused on rustic cuisine made on a hearth by a passionate team of people hosting weekly brunch in their home Mariposa Farm remains to this day the meal my mother remembers most fondly from our trip to Canada and while I cannot quite share that degree of enthusiasm considering some of the other meals we had I would not hesitate even a second to return or to give it my strongest recommendation for others in the area – it is definitely a special place committed to doing things not only well, but more importantly doing things the right.
While obviously not the dining destination that is Montreal, two and a half days in Ottawa would find my mother, aunt, and I nicely sated by a pair of the capital’s best restaurants as well as some of the finest bakeries in town. Never one to shy away from sweets, whether for breakfast or for snacks each of the five stops was pre-planned based on the recommendation of friends and ‘foodies’ alike and whether an effect of modest expectations or the fact that each stop was truly quite good I have to say we came away quite impressed with each.
Beginning first with the famous, a stop at Beavertails seemed essential to the trip and after some discussion as to which location (and which Beavertail) was best we opted for the Byward Market location where a single coffee and a “La Quebecoise” with Maple Butter were ordered, prepped, served, and consumed in less than 10 minutes. Stretched and fried, crunchy on the outside and pliable within, sweet and large enough to share the overall experience was really no different than an elephant ear at the fair but the addition of the Maple Butter and eating at the original location are definitely something I’d recommend – though I cannot say the same for the coffee which was acidic and thin, like Tim Horton’s but slightly less bitter.
Moving next to more fried dough – and perhaps the most surprising stop on our brief stay – a spot called SuzyQ Donuts was recommended to me by a fellow gourmand and with the warning of “don’t let the outside dissuade you” I put the small shop on my list. Open at 9:00am W-Su and told that arriving early was a good idea since the best items sell out quick we did as suggested and arrived at 9:05 – the third group to enter the shop where familiar bakery smells wafted through the air and a friendly young man greeted us and told us which of baker/owner’s Susan Hamer’s decadent treats were on the menu for the day.
At $2 each or a half-dozen for $10 the decision for six was obvious but with such a variety of yeasted treats available the decision became which of the nine daily options sounded *least* good – a challenge that left scratching our heads for a while before making our choices, paying the modest tab, and making our way to the door with a bounty of Maple Bacon, Caramel Gravel Road with Pecans, Hibiscus Rose, Salty Caramel, Vanilla Bean Glazed, and Chocolate with Caramelized Fritos.
Obviously focused on less than traditional toppings but using a traditional European yeasted dough with plethoric rise yielding a delicate texture each donut was largely the same in texture thus leaving the toppings as the deciding factor and although I generally fancy a cake donut over the raised and glazed variety I will simply say that short of Doughnut Vault in Chicago and *perhaps* Dun-Well in Brooklyn these were some of the best leavened donuts I’ve ever had – the four sweet meets savory juxtapositions all showing a degree of balance oft reserved for more ‘refined’ desserts while the flavors of the vanilla and floral options were subtle, allowing the quality of the ingredients to shine. Unabashed in my love for salty caramel I will say that overall I probably enjoyed the Gravel Road the most of the group but at the same time, it would be hard for me to deny that the dense chocolate ganache flecked with Fritos that tasted as if they’d been crossed with Corn Pops was also ridiculously good. Sure some would say that a trip to Ottawa without Beavertails is a crime, but honestly if I could only have one fried treat during a trip to Canada’s Capital I’d be visiting 991 Wellington Street five times out of seven (and that’s only because SuzyQ isn’t open Monday or Tuesday.)
Moving on to the most well-known boulangerie in Ottawa (and supplier of many of the local bests’ breads) our trip to Kevin Mathleson’s Art Is In almost did not happen due to a GPS Glitch and the bakery’s location amongst a number of loading docks…and that would have been a damned shame because from French pastry and viennoiserie to American staples like cookies and cupcakes, plus sandwiches, eggs, and griddle items this was the sort of place I knew would be good walking through the door.
With baking space behind a rack of baked breads to the right, freely refilled coffee and water up front, and seating pretty much – well – wherever they can fit it the scene at Art Is In is most certainly ‘controlled chaos’ and even arriving just after opening the place was crowded (and soon to develop a line snaking out the door) as the crew of ten worked behind the pastry counter to the left. Set to divide and conquer as mom found a table my aunt and I approached the counter and ordering as we walked we quickly realized we had ordered too much yet at the same time we also didn’t mind as nearly everything could be packed ‘to go’ according to our server.
With baked goods in hand as brunch items were prepped we filled our coffee mugs with a nutty and rich blend before returning to the table and on sitting down to indulge we began with a quartet of a Pecan and Walnut Sticky Bun, a Pecan Tart, a Raspberry Scone, and an Almond Croissant. Beginning first with the Croissant – a measuring stick of any bakery for me – I’ll admit that I first wondered if we had made a mistake as the first bite struck me as dry and dense, but once I got into the body of the pastry things certainly improved as the flaky shell crackled lightly while the inside was moist and flavorful, though certainly not as wispy as some of the best I’ve had. Moving next to the remaining options, let’s just say I think I got a bad croissant because each of the later choices were standard bearers – the bun rife with butter and raisins with the nuts wound into its core, the scone buttery with pockets of sugar juxtaposing softer pools of butter and berries, and the tart featuring a crisp crust and dense interior with sweetness held in check by the toasted nuts.
As we worked on the pastries a young woman with lots of ink arrived with our hot dishes and boldly announced that she thought we may have over-ordered (truth, considering the day’s eating agenda) but delivering the bounty too much immediately seemed like ‘just right,’ beginning with a perfect Croque Madame served on buttered white sourdough alongside a bright salad kissed with light vinaigrette and followed up by two sweeter selections; Hot Cross Bun French Toast with sauteed honey pears, a skewer of melon, and pure maple syrup plus hose made Cranberry Nine-Grain Bread Pudding with cocoa nibs, caramel, and crème Anglaise – both stellar examples of what happens when you take superior quality bread and smother it with house made concoctions of butter and cream, the bread pudding especially praiseworthy given the heterogeneous texture created by the toasty crusts and caramelized interior.
As a brief interlude between lunch and dinner a quick stop for gelato seemed appropriate and with mother and aunt attending mass I made a quick drive to Stella Luna Gelato – a place I’d heard was ‘good for Ottawa,’ thus making it seem to me a safe bet after SuzyQ and Art Is In both stood up admirably to donut shops and bakeries I’ve been to in other cities.
Part coffee, part café, and mostly gelato Stella Luna is shockingly large on the inside and with friendly employees and plenty of seating I took my time making my decisions and after asking for a few tastes (including a particularly boozy “Rum Raison”) I settled on a trio of Biscotto, Piemonte Hazelnut, and Ferrero Roche – each shining examples of their hallmark flavors with notes of anise and almond in the biscotto, smoky aromatics abound in the hazelnut, and the Ferrero Roche the best of all – a flavor identical to the signature truffles. With each hand made creation intensely flavored and densely packed with a texture as smooth as soft serve Stella Luna would once again prove that ‘good for Ottawa’ often means ‘good’ without qualifications.
Moving on to our final stop in Ottawa, breakfast before heading to Montreal, a prelude of all the French food to come was found at “Benny’s Bistro – The French Baker” where our 8:00am arrival was greeted by not only a plenty of sunshine, but friendly servers (and clients) chatting in French as two men worked in back kneading, folding, and baking myriad classic pastries and viennoiseries with top quality ingredients including Michel Cluizel chocolate, organic whole milk, and large mounds of locally sourced butter while the air smelled heavily of vanilla, cinnamon, and Illy coffee and espresso.
Realizing that the Montreal dining agenda was packed and curbing our order accordingly the selections of the day would feature a quintet including two croissants – butter and almond – plus a blueberry scone, pain aux raison, and finally a Chocolate Éclair. Beginning first with the almond croissant – always my personal barometer of a bakery’s quality – much like Art Is In I was disappointed…the crumb too dense, the almond flavor resigned only to those topping the pastry, and the quality simply lacking…yet just like Art Is In Benny would rally back with aplomb, first with a scone nearly equal to that of Mathleson’s and then with a butter croissant that shattered on mastication revealing ample notes of butter, a dense yet fluffy interior, and plenty of nuance from tip to tip making me wonder just where they’d gone wrong with the almond version to begin with.
Moving next to sweeter options, the pain aux raison selected by my aunt would prove to be perhaps the best version of the pastry that I’ve ever had with a boozy (rum, perhaps?) sugar glaze overlying a soft choux base with custard center and plump raisins – in any other situation it would have stolen the show and here it would have too if it weren’t for the chocolate éclair, a suggestion from the young lady at the register. Generally not wowed by éclairs or one to order a chocolate pastry at breakfast I will first admit that I am not an expert on the subject, but with that noted I’ll simply say that what we received was nothing short of ‘wowing’ – the choux crisp yet wispy with a bit of choux and the Cluizel 45% milk chocolate interior nicely paired with a 72% cocoa ganache on top with the end results creamy and sweet yet just slightly bitter; a lovely match the strong coffee and a perfect send-off to the boulangeries in Montreal a few hours later.
The Why: A trained Sommelier who later transitioned to cooking only to work under the tutelage of Grant Achatz, Marc Lepine’s Atelier was the primary reason for a brief stop in Ottawa en route to Montreal from Toronto. With Lepine fresh off being named Canadian Culinary Champion after winning gold in Kelowna just a month prior I’d heard mixed about Atelier from people I respect and though I’ve generally found ‘mg’ to be rather hit and miss outside of Chicago the <$100 twelve course menu simply seemed too good to be true – the sort of thing I had to experience for myself.
The Reservation: With a dining room no larger than the average living room and tables well spaced so that a total of less than 30 diners can enjoy Lepine’s cuisine at any one time reservations are a must. I made mine by opentable.com over a month in advance for this particular Saturday and the only time available was 9:00pm, a late start for a 3+ hour meal – particularly after a drive from Toronto.
The Space: Sturdy wood tables, well polished and without tablecloths, plush seating and overhead spotlighting, crayon drawings on the wall, and a gleaming kitchen in the back – think wd~50 but smaller, Alinea but less serious – cozy but not at all stuffy.
The Service: Considering Lepine’s elaborate compositions I was absolutely stunned by the quality of dish presentations – not only from my primary server, a smiling young woman named Jamie – but also by two additional male servers and the Sommelier. Rapid but not rushed and clever without pretense I thoroughly enjoyed all of the servers and the tongue-in-cheek mannerisms that played into the evening’s theater.
The Food: Complimentary Bread and Popcorn, $95 12-course tasting, plus $30 9-course half-pour wine pairing by request ($60 9-course full-pour pairing also available.)
Bread with Tube Butter and Black Truffle Popcorn: The whimsy started quickly as a soft loaf of sliced bread arrived with a tube of what appeared to be Acrylic paint – or aerated butter in a tube. With a pliable crust and spongy crumb I can’t say the bread was anything to brag about, but the butter was clever – gently sweet – and with a touch of salt. For the gluten intolerant, popcorn dusted with black truffle imbued salt was offered and after finishing the loaf I requested that instead as the table of regulars next to me raved it and, well…yeah, black truffles + butter + salt = best popcorn ever.
The Citrus Beet: With the menu served as a collection of clever titles but no further descriptors the onus is on the server to keep the diner informed, and that is exactly what Jamie and all of her colleagues did. For my first course, and a sign of the complexities to come, I was served Seared Tuna with Togarashi crust amongst a bed of beets, citrus, and spice including a compressed beet sheet, tangerine imbued with saffron, pomello cells, blood orange slices, Fuscia flowers, jicama, mellon, and beet balls, a yellow beet string, and a small Hazelnut “clump.” Inevitably a salad course but obviously much more texturally and visually appealing once you got past the presentation this was simply an excellent salad with good balance of earth and sweet plus a touch of heat from the togarashi and a mellow cooling effect from what I’m guessing to have been a goat cheese holding together the hazelnuts.
The Codfather: Continuing the clever titles (and showing a fascination with cinema that would recur through the night) this dish would be one of the standouts of the evening as Sous-Vide Salt Cod was presented in a bed of Asian ingredients including a soy/mirin Reduction, lotus root baked in brown sugar, a crisp of Chinese Five-Spice, soy ‘paper,’ shredded aged tofu, and whole edamame, snap peas, cilantro, wasabi greens, scallions, and ginger. Another salad of sorts, but this time far more savory than sweet each bite was a different experience from the last and save for one particularly briny bite of the soy paper everything worked nicely together, the salt cod acting as an anchor to various tastes and textures.
2007 Domaines Schlumberger Grand Cru Kessler Riesling (Alsace, France) – Generally thinking of Riesling as sweet I was surprised how much I liked this. Lemony at first and rich without much sugar at all I really enjoyed liked how the acid balanced out the salty aspects of the dish.
Liver Let Die: How do you get chicken liver to be as smooth and creamy as foie gras? Apparently you take chicken liver, make it into a mousse, then freeze it and crush it. Take that composition, now room temperature, and place it next to a pair of purees – mustard and “chicken pot pie” then add in some buckwheat brioche, fermented garlic, plum and rhubarb cooked in Grenadine, julienned apples, and finally some chives and what do you get? A big, fussy, overly complicated plate of delicious…something that could certainly have been accomplished with far fewer steps (and perhaps a few fewer ingredients) but the kind of dish where the variety itself acted to make each bite as compelling as the last.
2007 Cave de Turckheim Grand Cru Hengst Gewürztraminer (Alsace, France) – a touch sweeter than the Riesling and a lot more smoky this was another great pairing with the fruit tones acting to compliment the liver while the more subtle earthy notes worked well with the fruits. Another really excellent pairing that somehow managed to work with a rather diverse plate.
Crabby Caesar: …and then there was this, when the complication became almost obscuring. Described as a deconstructed Caesar salad…with half of a soft shell crab that was deep fried and dusted in celery salt…the rest of the plate consisted of tobasco habanero meringue, clamato gel, anchovy mayonnaise, Israeli cous cous with Worcestershire, fried capers, olives, lemon and black pepper cookie crumbles, Meyer lemon marmalade, house made cocktail sauce, pickled celery, pickled Jerusalem artichoke, artichoke chips, opal basil, hummus, and finally smoked paprika taihini. Generally capable of teasing out the finer points of a plate this was a case where there was simply too much going on – sure the overall taste was good there simply was no way to appreciate everything going on, except perhaps the crab; perfectly crisp on the exterior giving way to a sweet, nearly melting interior.
2008 Chateau des Charmes Old Vines Riesling (Niagara, Canada) – Bringing the sweetness up a peg this local Riesling from what was reported to be the oldest vines in Canada was probably my favorite wine of the evening, a rich dry flavor with a lot of fruit and a bit of mineral. Trying to refresh my palate between bites of the crab (in order to perhaps appreciate the nuances more) I finished my half-pour quite quickly and was replenished without request – a nice touch.
Lego: For course 5 a dish previously called the “Tomatrix” was delivered and while the concept was certainly a novel one I have to say the execution was the worst of the night. Essentially a construction project with a goal of building up to a total of 100 ingredients by adding one on each day I happened to be there on Day 9 and as such received a gazpacho sphere with jicama disc, spruce tip, yellow pepper puree, cucumber, tomato, purple basil, cilantro, celery salt. Tasting like a bloody Mary minus the booze but with a bit of pine there was nothing here that really fit my palate even if the idea itself was an interesting one.
#ccc2012 Culinary Championship: At the midway point I’d see Chef Lepine’s award winning dish, a superlative “surf and turf” consisting of a seared sea scallop juxtaposing a deep fried Chorizo meatball served over truffled pommes puree, and topped with bacon powder and bacon bits, fennel pollen and dehydrated fennel, plus lemon-thyme shallot sauce, lovage, and a compressed celery sheet. Complicated, but not simply for the sake of complication I particularly loved how the aromatic potatoes melded the sweetness of the scallop and the spice of the pork while the aromatics of the fennel and shallots hid in the background lingering on the finish.
2009 Hidden Bench Chardonnay (Niagara, Canada) – Light but a bit ‘oaky’ for my palate this was my least favorite white of the evening yet considering the savoriness of the course with which it was paired the flavor certainly was not ‘bad,’ particularly as it related to the meatball.
Marrakesh Express: Probably my favorite course of the meal this presentation of sous vide leg of lamb in ‘Moroccan spice sauce’ along with goats cheese, chickpea croquettes, pistachio eggplant puree, green garlic foam, garlic confit, and pureed date was essentially a modernist take on the traditional tagine. At times sweet and at others spicy but at all times aromatic and texturally compelling I particularly loved the croquettes – crunchy bites of chickpeas with a nearly liquid center making the bites of lamb all the more flavorful when taken in succession.
St. Ambroise Oatmeal Stout (Quebec, Canada) – I tried. I swear I did. I just can’t drink beer – especially Stouts – and one sip was enough to confirm that I didn’t want to ruin the rest of the meal. I’m sure in some circles this makes me less a man, but I guess I can live with that. For what it’s worth, the fella at the table next to me had nothing but raves.
The Boar Identity: Moving on to the first of two locally sourced wild-game courses, another outstanding presentation would arrive featuring wild boar belly from Mariposa Farms (a place we’d visit < 12 hours later,) alongside white bean and tomato cumin puree, pickled shallots and purple cabbage, caraway seed ‘gel,’ diced potatoes, jalapenos, tomatoes, cilantro, and a deep fried plantain. Complex and unexpected in many ways with the protein itself almost acting as savory seasoning to the fruits and vegetables on the plate I particularly enjoyed the interplay between the pickled components and the sweet plantain plus the aromatic puree – the cumin particularly rising to the palate and working particularly well with the smokiness of its wine pairing…
2009 Cave Spring Dolomite Pinot Noir (Niagara, Canada) – The best pairing of the evening, in my opinion, this was perhaps the best red I’ve had since Paris – a rich and fruity Pinot with a lot of richness in the mouth that dazzled with the diversity flavor profiles from the aggressively flavored plate with which it was paired.
Elka Seltzer: The final savory of the evening, course nine, would show Lepine’s fondness for the immersion circulator again – this time with an intensely mineral and earth presentation of blood-red elk tenderloin rolled in black trumpet mushroom crust. Fork tender and full of flavor with an accompaniment of trumpet, maitake, and hedgehog mushrooms plus celery root puree and chicken stock enriched with dark chocolate this was the sort of dish where each bite teetered on the edge of ‘too rich’ only to be pulled back temporarily by pearl onions rendered in red wine vinegar and figs, both adding much needed levity.
2008 FitaPreta Tinto (Alentejo, Portugal) – Smooth and aromatic with a distinct earthiness and a sort of coffee undertone that worked beautifully with the chocolate stock and minerality of the elk this was another great pairing but having now been eating for the better part of six hours and drinking quite a bit more than usual I have to say this glass weighed quite heavily on me, both in the belly and the brain.
Parsnip Cake: Assuming nothing ordinary of the desserts I was surprised by the lack of clever title, but with a dense coffee cake made from mashed parsnips as its base this certainly was not a typical dessert. Semi-sweet but more so buttery and savory the cake was garnished with dehydrated parsnip chips and crumble parsnip cookie for texture plus brown butter powder, caramel, pineapples poached in vanilla, birch sugar ice cream, and finally the zest of Keffir lime to form an almost tropical flavor profile. Interesting and far more delicious than other vegetable cakes I’ve had at Schwa and Ko I particularly liked the ice cream here – a light mint that worked well with both the heft of the cake and particularly the lime.
2007 Villabella Fiordilej Passito (Veneto, Italy) – A sweet white poured sparingly this was an interesting wine as it was certainly a ‘dessert wine’ but far less sweet than the one that would follow, a sort of honey flavor at first but then a flavor that sort of reminded me of peanut butter.
What Lies Beneath: Anticipating another fruit-based dessert for course 11 I was partially correct when this one arrived featuring a “frozen passionfruit noodle cage” but also somewhat surprised when it was served over top of frozen chocolate ganache crumble, dark chocolate cookie crumble, Jack Daniels meringue, tonka bean yogurt, buttermilk, and spicy almonds. Apparently formed into a gel and frozen with a liquid nitrogen stream as it was piped the ‘cage’ was intensely tangy and slowly melting while the amalgam below of dark chocolate was made rendered even more bitter than usual by the whisky-laced puffs. Toying with both extremes of the taste spectrum while using the smooth yogurt and peppered almonds as a sort of bridge the final surprise of this dessert was the inclusion of pop-rocks – an unannounced guest that left everyone in the room smiling. All things being equal I can’t say this was the best dessert I’ve ever tasted, but it was definitely one of the most unique.
2008 Konrad Wines Noble Two (Marlborough, New Zealand) – With a dessert so wide ranging it seemed logical for the sommelier to go over-the-top sweet with the pairing and while I think an ice wine would have been more appropriate (being in Canada and all) this tropically flavored Riesling blend certainly did not lack in the expected sweetness or smooth mouth feel, plus it brought the added perk of a sort of oaky finish that worked nicely with the spice from the almonds.
Mental Menthol: The final bite of the evening, this presentation of icy menthol in a white chocolate sphere was paired with raspberry sauce, individual raspberry ‘kernels,’ and dehydrated lemon meringue was a breath mint to rule all others – both the flavor and the temperature numbing to the mouth and leaving behind the faint linger of a lemonhead candy.
The Verdict: Obviously a shock n’ awe sort of restaurant, Atelier did an admirable job of offering both food and fun with a service staff that fit Chef Lepine’s whimsical sense of humor to a t. Seemingly out of place in a Canadian landscape where molecular cuisine is not nearly as widely embraced as in the United States or Europe I think Atelier fills an important gap in the local food scene and while some dishes were seemingly complicated simply for the sake of being complicated most of them offered something delicious while all of them at least brought some interesting technique to the table. Certainly not the ‘destination’ restaurant that many of world’s best ‘mg’ restaurants have become I particularly appreciated the half-pour wine pairings, an educational opportunity for someone with quite a low tolerance featuring some things I’d have never opted to try otherwise and I would definitely return if I should ever find myself back in Ottawa.
The Why: Knowing that I would be dining at Atelier that evening while my mother and aunt got some needed rest I decided to accompany them for their dinner before mine. Having presented them with a number of Ottawa options it was Petit Bill’s Bistro that caught their fancy.
The Reservation: Opentable.com, and all things being equal a reservation is probably a good idea as they seemed quite full throughout the night with many large parties.
The Space: The location could have just as easily been a home as a restaurant with small separate rooms, low ceilings, and dim (but not dark) lighting. Dominated in earth tones and a lot of red, including tablecloths, the lighting was certainly not ideal for photography – particularly as we got tucked into a dark corner…the worst seat in a place without many “good” seats to begin with. With walls decorated nicely by local artists and works for sale the restaurant was notably loud but certainly not ‘deafening’ – though after listening to the table next to us chat on their cell phones for >10 minutes I rather wished for deafness in my left ear.
The Service: Aside from the halfhearted greeting at the door everything went nicely in terms of meeting the restaurant’s proprietor who led us to our table and the service from a pair of young ladies who performed the perfunctory duties of refilling water, delivering plates with minimal description, and picking them up with total disregard for whether we had enjoyed what we just ate or not.
The Food: Complimentary bread and butter, 3 appetizers, 3 mains, 2 desserts.
Tomato, Parsley, Dijon Butter with House Baguette: Warm but soft throughout the baguette was more like a cross between a breadstick and a baguette and the butter, while light, was simply too mustard for myself – something my aunt enjoyed, particularly with the tinge of tomato.
Little Bill’s Crab Cakes: Ordered by my aunt these were described on the menu as “Two Crab Cakes lightly breaded & seared accompanied by a roasted garlic aoli & fresh tomato salsa” but with far too much filler and February ‘fresh’ tomatoes used to compose the salsa the flavor of this dish was really quite meager aside from the garlic and old bay used to season the crab-tinged dumplings.
Cod Tongue Croquettes: Fairing much better than the crab cakes my appetizer selection of 3 muscular and tender cod tongue croquettes served with spicy almond & roasted red pepper romesco would turn out to be a rather well crafted dish with a light salad serving to balance the acid and heat of the romenso while the batter on the croquettes was flavorful, though a touch oily.
Lobster Poutine: Without a doubt the best savory of the meal the only thing Petit Bill’s really had to nail in order to make this dish shine was the frites and that is precisely what they did – the crispy spuds holding up admirably to a rich mixture of chunked and shredded lobster, shellfish butter, and mascarpone. Crispy and creamy, sweet yet savory – it wasn’t traditional poutine, but it was delicious.
Sea Scallops: My mother’s main course arrived on a lengthy plate and featuring three pan seared scallops in a slick of Chelsea Quebec maple syrup & house smoked bacon I’d be lying if I said it did not taste delicious – it was sweet and savory with a touch of the sea – but with that said, with the scallops overcooked and essentially lost in the other potent ingredients I really did not get the ‘point’ of this dish at all. Adding a touch of levity with an almond spinach salad dressed in citrus vinaigrette I will say that the acid helped somewhat, but honestly this was just a bunch of disjointed ingredients on that plate that appealed to me the same way bacon and maple syrup would if it was served with something as simple as bread or scrambled eggs.
Lobster Pot Pie: My Aunt’s selection was a dish that SHOULD have been an easy success given its constituents of fresh lobster, winter vegetables, and fingerling potatoes…and yet it wasn’t. Marred by a combination of far too much potato and carrot, watery flavorless gravy, and an undercooked and doughy pastry top the only thing that really shined about this dish was the lobster – perhaps a single small carapace or a couple of small claws’ worth perhaps 1/3 of the pot pie’s actual pricetag.
Lobster & Pickerel Raclette: A $28 dish for which I had high expectations this was without doubt the best of the main courses yet even at that it still fell far short of its potential. Described on the menu as “Pickerel & Lobster quenelle topped with a white wine & clam buerre blanc served atop an Arctic surf clam potato rosti & topped with Pied de Vent Cheese” the highlight of this dish was actually the rosti – a savory concoction with notes of sweetness and the sea perfectly cooked like a hash…it would have gone great with breakfast but worked equally well at dinner. Moving on to the featured quenelles – they were dense, overcooked, and almost ‘chewy’ – nothing like the life altering version at Michel Rostang and despite the supposed use of lobster the flavor was pure pike plus the slight tang of the Quebecoise bleu.
Traditional Newfoundland Pound Cake soaked in authentic Newfoundland Screech: Where the mains failed the desserts certainly did not and although the portion was small, this dense buttercake soaked in rum with a small ball of rich cream at its side was the picture of balance. Boozy and buttery, dense but crumbly, and toothsome but mellowed by the cream I’ve no doubt one could make this at home without too much trouble but that didn’t detract from it one bit – I’d have gladly eaten a loaf (and likely ended up quite drunk.)
Bread Pudding with cranberry-raisins, white chocolate & crème anglais: If the Pound Cake was good, this was superlative. Measuring perhaps 1.5” x 4.0” x 7.0” but rich, dense, warm, and drenched in thick vanilla crème it was as simple as the previous dessert but an entirely different flavor profile, texture, and temperature – the pair together slight in portion but enormous in flavor.
The Verdict: While I’m not sure it is possible to go into a place you know little about with expectations that are “too high,” we all walked out of Petit Bill’s disappointed. From the lousy seats to the perfunctory service there was really nothing harkening the “down-home hospitality” proposed in their mission statement and while I guess the food was decent enough ‘homestyle’ food, the prices suggested the majority of the dishes should have been executed much better than they were – particularly as some were overcooked, some undercooked, and others simply poorly conceptualized or balanced. I’d go back for dessert, maybe, but considering the other meals we enjoyed in and around Ottawa it would have to be on someone else’s dime.
The Gist: As many have noticed, Neapolitan style pizza is ubiquitous from east to west and north to south in the United States while Canada is no exception, particularly in Toronto, where opinions vary from palate to palate as to what is best but many agree that Libretto is at least in the discussion.
The Why: Having already enjoyed a great Dim Sum breakfast at Yang’s while my mother and aunt took the opportunity to sleep in the Danforth location of Libretto would prove an ideal brunch prior to our drive from Toronto to Ottawa. With a diverse menu featuring pizzas, pastas, antipasti, and desserts Libretto additionally features options for both the traditionalist and the more adventurous thus making it a safe choice for everyone involved.
The Reservation: Accepted but not required, we were fortunate to secure the only open four-top mere minutes after entering the restaurant at 11:30am, after which a wait list was established with patrons waiting anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes for a seat.
The Space: Long, narrow, and industrial with painted brick walls dominating the left and right while a bar resided and the front and dual tile pizza ovens stood prominently at the open kitchen in back. With the room full and many folks either drinking or coming in for some brunch after a long night of doing so the restaurant was invariably loud and seating tight, though less so than similar pizzerias stateside (Mozza, Keste, and the original Uno come to mind.)
The Service: Given the substantial amount of business Libretto was turning during brunch I don’t think it would have been unreasonable to have a couple extra servers on hand, but all things being equal the only substantial delay was in placing our order, a twenty minute process, after which drinks remained full and all dishes arrived at 10-15 minute intervals piping hot from the kitchen.
Coffee: A bold Americano with a rich texture and good flavor highlighted by caramel and fig notes. Probably not the ideal pairing with pizza, but with a long drive ahead a more than adequate caffeine source, particularly when it came time for dessert.
Focaccia and Italian White with Olive Oil and Balsamic: Present on the table mere minutes after we took our seats and still warm, presumably from the pizza oven, I personally preferred the semolina based white to the somewhat doughy focaccia which likely could have used a bit less olive oil in the dough itself (or at least a few more minutes in the oven.) Unable to separate the olive oil from the balsamic I cannot comment on the quality of either, but the blend was rather standard and unremarkable.
Crostini – avocado-bufala ricotta, speck & arugula, confit tomato: Detailed as crostini secondary to the use of toasted bread this presentation was more akin to bruscetta in texture as the bread still had a pleasant chew while the toppings sat in an ample, rustic balance of crunchy/smooth and salty/sweet with the slight funk of the ricotta and brine of the speck both coming through with aplomb.
Potato & Ricotta Gnocchi – butternut squash, pancetta, pine nuts, pickled pearl onions & arugula: Realizing it is always touch-and-go with pasta at a restaurant fancying itself a pizzeria I will simply note that if gnocchi is on a menu I almost invariably order it and in the case of Libretto this choice would prove most fortunate as the dish was the best savory of the meal. Beginning first with the dumplings – creamy to the point of literally melting in the mouth – and moving next to the deft juxtaposition of thick-cut savory pork, lightly acidic onions, and bitter sautéed arugula the dish was hefty but fresh and bucolic but balanced – a dish rooted in winter but looking forward to spring with flavors befitting both.
Duck Confit with Bosc pear, mozzarella, rosemary: The first of two pizzas and certainly the less traditional of the pair this pizza came with high expectations that were only half fulfilled. Starting with the crust, a slightly sweet and well leavened specimen with a bit of blister but plenty of chew I’d personally put Libretto’s crusts in the upper quartile of the Neapolitan pies I’ve experienced in North America and without tomato or “wet” ingredients on this particular pizza the dough held up nicely to the ingredients both at the edge and the center. Moving next to the toppings, where this pie fell flat was actually in the pears – almost entirely flavorless and still crisp leading to an odd mouth-feel, particularly next to the intensely creamy cheese and supple, flavorful confit.
Ontario Prosciutto – tomato, basil, mozzarella: A vastly more successful pie to the duck, though not without flaws. Featuring a similar crust to the duck pizza, but with even more blistering and rise to the crust this Margherita was lightly graced with a sauce of milled tomato and supple prosciutto, both delicious and well balanced by creamy pools of mozzarella. Where the dish lacked, unfortunately, was in the basil which seemed to be added haphazardly prior to cooking leading to some bites with a disconcerting amount of charred vegetal flavor while others lacked any herbal nuance at all.
Libretto Tiramisu: Served in a mason jar, dusted with unsweetened cocoa, and a lovely balance of buttery cake soaked with espresso and a bit of rum juxtaposed with slightly sweet mascarpone. A well composed classic not suffering from pooling of the alcohol as so many other preparations do this was a great dessert – yet despite this fact, the least wowing of the three.
Posset al Limone – chamomile granite, citrus & meringue: Obviously my mother’s selection given her propensity for lemon desserts this light and creamy presentation would prove to be a bit more panna cotta than posset, but leaving semantics aside it would also prove to be excellent. Featuring a base of cream, lemon liquor, and gelatin topped with icy floral notes, crunchy bites of meringue, and fresh slices of grapefruit, mandarin, and Meyer lemon the experience was complex and refreshing with a compelling mix of textures, flavors, and temperatures far exceeding the standard watery posset.
Chocolate-Amaretto Budino – Hazelnuts: Bread Pudding, Baba, and Budino – perhaps I just have a propensity for desserts beginning with the letter “B” but if any (or all) of these are on a menu there is a very good chance one (or all) will find their way to my table and in the case of Pizzeria Libretto there was a budino done right – no “cake” or gimmicks, just thick chocolate pudding imbued with notes of fruit and nuts plus an ample dusting of crushed candied hazelnuts adding both texture and sweetness. Served, like the tiramisu, in a mason jar this was rustic and rich – just the way it should be.
The Verdict: A hit and miss experience where the specialty (pizza) was outshined by the supporting staff (antipasti, pasta, and desserts) I cannot say I would rush back to Libretto for the pizza, but with a good location, good service, and excellent versions of two of my favorite foods – gnocchi and budino – I certainly wouldn’t scoff at a return visit if I lived in the area, particularly as the pizza crusts show promise that if ingredient sourcing and handling were better they too could shine.
The Gist: In a city with one of the most diverse ethnic populations in North American (and therefore the world,) Toronto plays host to more Dim Sum restaurants on single streets than the entirety of Columbus (and maybe all of Ohio) combined. With quality ranging from fine dining quality to quite bad from what I’d been told, Yang’s in the upscale Richmond Hill area reportedly fits the former description and many would claim it to be perhaps on par with Lai Wah Heen – a space I was lucky enough to visit on my previous trip north of the border.
The Why: This I owe to Charles Yu, a man with substantial knowledge of Chinese cuisine both here and abroad. With Yang’s not exactly well known outside of those truly in tune with the Toronto food scene I was lucky to become friends with Charles through Chowhound (and later Facebook) and much like I picked Sherman’s brain for my trip to Richmond/Vancouver, Charles was my go-to for Toronto’s Dim Sum scene.
The Reservation: While I’m sure some of the folks at Yang’s speak English, I did not hear any of them do so and with Charles playing gracious host he took the liberty of gathering an excellent group including local gourmands TorontoJo, prima, sweetie, jlunar to join us for the meal. Having heard that Dim Sum restaurants tend to get full later in the day and myself with plans to drive to Ottawa that afternoon our reservation was at 9:00am and under Mr. Yu’s name.
The Space: Like many dim-sum restaurants Yang’s is in a non-descript strip mall and with white table cloths, icicle style lighting fixtures, and venetian blinds as the only real decorations to the room save for mirrored pillars the overall feel of the space was certainly less ornate than Grand Chinese, Lai Wah Heen, or Jade in Richmond but with comfortable chairs and an immaculately clean dining room there was certainly nothing ‘wrong’ with Yang’s – just not a lot of “eye candy” to distract from the food and friends.
The Service: Service at a Chinese restaurant, and particularly for dim sum, is difficult for me to gauge. Dishes arrive with one word descriptions as the kitchen prepares them, plates piled up but disappeared quickly when emptied, and a variety of excellent teas were replenished without request throughout the meal. If what I just said constitutes good service, then the service was good and perhaps even great as even our individual plates were replaced with clean ones if they became dirty and serving chopsticks were present at each seat as opposed to one or two pairs as I’d seen elsewhere. Deferring to the experts on just how to tip I paid what I was told assuming that we had tipped well for a job well done.
The Food: 14 dishes, at least 3 different teas, and I honestly don’t recall the price but remember thinking “Wow, that was one hell of a deal” walking out the door.
Wu Gok: Otherwise known as taro dumplings and one of my favorite ingredients whether boiled, griddled, or fried. Not oily in the least and perfectly crisp on the exterior these sweet dumplings exploded with flavor giving way to a creamy and savory interior rife with pork and chives. With three to an order our two orders would suffice, but I could have eaten the half dozen myself and been quite happy.
Rice Congee with pea shoot, prawns and thousand year eggs: Apparently a bit of a shocker to my tablemates that my Caucasian self would request this dish I half explained my fascination with puddings, tapiocas, and oatmeal before digging in and while not as amazing as the totally non-traditional rice porridge at Red Medicine both the texture and delicate balance of savory tones at Yang’s was the best ‘traditional’ congee I’ve ever had. Thin but toothsome, subtle but nicely augmented by herbs, and studded with an ample helping of snappy prawns plus at least five thousand year eggs I know I ate more than my fair share of this dish…and continued to pick at it throughout the meal until it was gone.
Foong Jow: This was a new one for me, but a must according to Charles, and as much as I dislike the term I’ll simply call it “interesting.” More flavorful and meaty than I’d have expected but loaded with both bone and cartilage the overall flavor was something like hotwings without all the oil and breading – definitely an experience I’d willingly repeat but not something I’d seek out with zeal.
Baked Barbecue Pork Puffs with Pineapple: Definitely a bit more “American” than I’d have expected at a place like Yang’s and quite dissimilar from the bready steamed or baked versions I’d enjoyed in the past this flavorful bite reminded me, sadly, of the ‘Hot Pockets’ of my youth, though filled with tender savory pork and sweet chunks of pineapple plus thick barbecue sauce with a touch of heat these were certainly more dignified. With a tender pastry shell lightly flecked with herbs this is probably one of only two dishes on the morning that my immediate family would have enjoyed (or even tasted/tried.)
Steamed Vegetable and Mushroom Dumpling: Probably not something I’d have selected on my own largely because there were so many other interesting choices on the menu I was most impressed by the wrapper on these little bundles of shitake, pea shoot, and sliced bamboo – so thin and translucent that the pea shoots within shined brightly and so sticky that extricating them from the chopsticks was actually a challenge – while the bundle inside was tasty, tender, and aromatic, but nothing I’d crave.
Har Gow: Probably a must order staple at every Dim Sum spot on the planet and a good measuring stick of the kitchen’s talents these shrimp dumplings were pure and flavorful with the shrimp sweet and snappy and although the wrapper was not quite as thin as that on the vegetable dumpling it was not far off and considering the generous amount of shrimp inside of each one it seemed everyone was quite pleased.
Rice Roll with jumbo shrimp and yellow chives: Apparently known as “Cheung Fun” because the rolled noodle resembles pig intestine this dish was quite similar to the Har Gow in that a plethora of tender shrimp speckled with savory herbs lined the inside of a thin noodle but with a rich soy stock added tableside and the noodles this time made of rice and therefore less sticky I actually found this plate to be even more compelling than the last.
Pork and Shrimp Fried Rice Dumpling: Another taste, another texture, and perhaps the most interesting dish of the meal these delicious gobs were described by Charles as ‘Ham Shui Gok ,’ and are apparently made by frying a stuffed glutinous rice ball. Crispy and golden on the exterior yet slightly chewy with just a bit of grease within the center of these pockets were a molten amalgam of pork, shrimp, shiitake, chives, and something vegetal/crunchy for added texture and a bit of balance to the otherwise intense savory notes.
Northern style dumplings with Chive and Pork: Apparently differing from Southern-Style dumplings in the folding and thickness of the skin, these dumpling featured a much thicker exterior than the other dumplings we sampled on the morning and while I’m sure a lot of this is based on where one is raised and what one is used to I have to say this thickness was a bit of a turnoff to me. With the interior filled, once again, with nicely cooked pork and chives plus what I’m rather certain was cabbage or a thick lettuce plus vinegar there simply wasn’t enough to these to keep my interest beyond the first – though I did end up trying a second just because we were served so many and I wanted to taste with and without soy.
Fried Cuttlefish tentacle with five spices: I have no clue what the five spices were as it did not taste like traditional “Chinese 5 Spice” but with Sichuan pepper, salt, and cinnamon definitely present these tentacles were not coated, breaded, and abused like their Italian (or bastardized Italian/American ‘calamari) counterparts, but instead very lightly fried to render the skin crisp and the interior tender with just a touch of chew. Generally fond of squid and cuttlefish, but rarely when it is fried, these were excellent and definitely something new and unexpected.
Egg custard tarts with birds nest topping: A “must” order from my standpoint and thankfully the rest of the table agreed. Buttery flaky pastry, a warm golden interior that was just seconds from set (IE, slightly runny and perfect for my tastes,) and sweet without losing its eggyness they weren’t quite as good as the superlative versions at Grand but in the company of so many dim sum aficionados this order came with a great deal of education about Swallow’s Nest which was much appreciated (even if I still don’t think I could taste it.)
Baked Cashew and Pumpkin Puffs: While I’m rather certain these are not traditional dim sum items, the description sold me and with the group an agreeable bunch these cute little treats arrived along with the egg custards appearing as – well – miniature pumpkins with a cashew stem. Sweet yet slightly savory – think pumpkin pie with far less cinnamon – and somewhat like a muffin on the exterior but with a custard-like interior not dissimilar to a souffle or ‘lava cake’ this was another dish I really liked and for someone who generally does not fancy desserts at Chinese (or Japanese…or Korean… restaurants this was another welcome discovery.
Crispy Foie Gras and Mango Rolls: Served later in the meal that I’d have originally expected I was actually surprised how well this dish worked as ‘dessert.’ Featuring a crunchy shell without much grease and an interior rife with crisp unripened mango and creamy foie gras at an approximately 2:1 ratio plus a squiggle of citrus tinged mayo the flavors all melded nicely to form a very complex bite that I was fortunate enough to enjoy a few times over as some members of the group did not favor foie.
Baked Sweet Durian Puffs: The last flavors on my palate were egg custard, cashew and pumpkin, plus foie gras – I simply wasn’t willing to take the risk on these, particularly considering my last experience with durian was not especially present, and once my dining companions broke into these neon green bites my nose confirmed what my brain had assumed – perhaps another time and another place.
The Verdict: Rarely one to suffer a ‘bad’ meal and almost never one to experience ‘bad’ food as I spend a lot of time researching my agenda there are some meals that are greater than the sum of their parts because everything simple comes together and Yang’s was definitely one of those meals. From the food to the setting to the service all of the aspects of the restaurant were excellent and yet all paled in comparison to the company – a great group of folks without whom I’d have probably not even heard of Yang’s let alone have the opportunity to learn so much and enjoy so many different tastes – I’d happily do it again anytime.
The Gist: Perhaps Toronto’s finest ‘fine dining’ restaurant, Splendido had always fancied itself as a contemporary restaurant strongly focused on locally sourced seasonal produce but with the departure of patriarch David Lee to focus on Nota Bene and subsequent sale to Chef de Cuisine Victor Barry (and General Manager Carlo Catallo) in 2009 the restaurant had been met with mixed reviews – some claiming it to be inconsistent and overpriced while others suggested the creativity and quality was better than ever…and improving each day.
The Why: To be honest, the locals scared me away from Splendido on my previous visit to Toronto – with Barry less than 6 months at the helm many wondered whether the restaurant could live up to its previously high standards while others flatly suggested it had already begun to slip even before Chef Lee had departed. Generally one to make my own decisions I decided on that trip, in November of 2009, that a wait and see approach would be best and with reports that the restaurant had only gotten better over the subsequent two and a half years Splendido became my “must visit” restaurant of the first leg of this tour of Canada.
The Reservation: Opentable. 2 persons at 8:30pm, seemingly perfect timing as we’d be coming directly from Blackhoof via car and would need time to allocate parking.
The Space: With a small and relatively subdued exterior the best way I think one can describe Splendido is “dramatic” – a restaurant not only far larger than you would expect from outside, but also a space far more engaging with the narrow dining room stretching far to the back as banquets line the walls, long tables will the center, and the ceiling glows with suspended baubles of light. With wood and white, flowers and mirrors, plush chairs and white table cloths belying the “fine dining” nature of the room and patrons dressed business casual or better I particularly enjoyed the addition of a semi-open kitchen lining the back wall, partially hidden by canned vegetables in an array of colors and insulated so not a sound entered the dining area.
The Service: Service was effusive, pleasant, and knowledgeable – just as one would expect from a restaurant at this price point. What was not expected, however, was being greeted shortly after seating by Mr. Catallo and subsequently the dining room manager with the suggestion that Chef Barry would “like to cook for you,” an offer I found both thrilling and confusing at the time, but one we discovered later was based on the fact that Chef Barry subscribes to this blog. A bit full given our indulgence at Black Hoof but certainly not foolish enough to turn down such a generous offer I will simply note here that we were very well taken care of throughout the evening with frequent visits from Victor himself and that the menu we were served was not only significantly different from the night’s tasting, but also substantially longer despite being charged the standard tasting menu price at the end of the night.
The Food: Amuse, Take Home Gifts, 14 Courses inclusive of optional cheese course, Bread Service – $125 plus $3 surcharge for house purified water available in still or sparkling.
Chickpea Fritter with Preserved Lemon and Crème Fraiche / Cauliflower Puree, Lavender and Curry Foam Soup with Basil Oil: Served on nothing more than a split board with spaces hollowed out to hold the shot glasses of soup this was the nightly amuse arriving at each table and with the fritters similar to the chickpea fries dominating many menus today I particularly enjoyed the sweet meets sour aspect of the fry as a foil to savory notes of the airy potage at its side. Always a fan of an amuse that truly hits all parts of the palate I found this duo inspired not only in its contrasting flavor profile, but also in the crunchy versus creamy and hot versus cold juxtaposition as well.
Rye Sourdough, Rosemary Focaccia, Potato Bread with salted house butter: Served warm, replenished copiously, and each unique I particularly enjoyed the savory Focaccia’s pillowy texture as well as the potato bread’s substantial crust and airy crumb. Butter was creamy and slightly sweet, salted but certainly not “salty.”
Razor Clam Salad with Compressed Cucumber: Served elegantly in its shell along with Anaheim Chili Peppers, Shitake Mushrooms, and Chayote Squash the clam itself was slightly sweet with just a bit of chew and nicely complimented by its vegetal accoutrements but what truly made this dish for me was actually the modernist touch of Champagne Vinaigrette foam and a stripe of lemongrass puree with chili sesame dust adding a sometimes bitter and sometimes spicy overtone that melded each flavor brilliantly.
St. Lawrence River Uni with microbasil seeds, citrus sherry vinaigrette, confit grapefruit, grapefruit foam: Somewhat reminiscent of a dish I’d seen at Per Se only a few weeks earlier, this was the first of many courses presented by Chef Barry and having never realized that urchin could be sourced from the St. Lawrence I was surprised to find not one but two tongues of creamy uni topped with microbasil seeds resting in a light pool of citrus. Slightly less sweet than its California brethren yet far less briny than that from Japan I personally found the flavor of this urchin to be somewhat akin to a fresh scallop and with the intensity of the grapefruit nicely cut by the savory basil and its seeds this was another refreshing dish that both of us thoroughly enjoyed.
Hawaiian Blue Fin Fatty Tuna Belly marinated in ginger and soy: The simplest presentation of the night, served in two large slices on a slate, this dish was described as Blue Fin Oh-Toro and with the sashimi tender and smooth with just a touch of soy this was a definitely a case where less was more – the ingredient quality on proud display.
Smoked Rocky Point Oyster poached in butter with chive, potato foam, crunchy potato chips: Never having been keen on oysters (and all the more so after the events of 12/30/11) in the first place I must say I approached this dish with trepidation largely based on the size of the oyster – without a doubt the largest I’ve ever eaten – but with the bivalve first smoked on the in-house smoker and then thoroughly poached in creamy butter I have to say this specimen was quite good and not nearly as briny as anticipated, likely an effect of the smoky notes and the Robuchon-esque pommes puree.
Ontario Rainbow Trout with Caramelized Cucumber, Caraway, Creme Fraiche, Dill Pickle: Continuing the theme of lightly prepared fish and shellfish with heavy emphasis on local sourcing this dish featured at its core a raw slice of rainbow trout, lean and flavorful with just a touch of dill oil and chives atop tangy buttermilk creme fraiche – tasty on its own but with trout clearly not as inspiring as Oh-Toro and thus gussied up appropriately with a half-moon of charred cucumber ribbons, pumpernickel croutons, maple syrup imbued salmon roe, cornichon relish, and a caraway seed crisp. Light and refreshing and complicated without being fussy this was probably the ‘weakest’ course of the night and as such a rather strong statement about the quality of what preceded and especially what would follow.
Victor’s Foie Gras Parfait with Lennox Farms Rhubarb Confit, Black Truffle Coulis, Walnut Crumble: Course six was the first item we would receive from the nightly menu/tasting and whether it was because I specifically requested it when the chef originally offered to cook for us (“only if he includes the foie gras”) I really cannot be sure, but served in a sized down portion these ethereal cubes of whipped liver topped with vanilla and rhubarb gels were outstanding. Creamy and robust with the foie itself sourced from Quebec’s Rougie and nicely complimented by each ingredient on the plate I particularly loved the manner in which the foie acted as a vehicle to the aromatics of both the vanilla and the truffle while I saved the small baton of brioche for mopping up the rhubarb and walnuts – a delectable nut butter and jelly chaser.
Alaskan King Crab Chawanmushi, Pork Belly, Pickled Kombu, Dashi: The midway point of the meal would see my favorite course of the evening literally “swimming” in umami. Described as steamed king crab and grilled pork belly atop egg custard in a rich stock of bonito and kombu this inspired dish was as sweet as it was savory and as “comfort” as it was complex. Additionally benefitted by a tableside show where our server poured hot water in a serving bowl studded with river stones, sea shells, seaweed, coriander, and ginger root to release the essence of the sea this was perhaps as ‘perfect’ a composition as I’ve had in 2012.
Cumbrae Farms Hen Egg with Cockscomb, Gizzard, Ramps, Tigerlilly Stems: ‘Hot’ on the heels, literally, of the chawanmushi was one of Chef Barry’s signature dishes and although the preparation changes from season to season, the basic ‘do it yourself’ concept remains as each diner is presented with a scalding hot skillet, a block of butter, and a farm fresh egg plus seasonal ingredients with which to form his or her own omelet. Rich with butter plus the confit offal and rife with pungent notes of ramp and ramp oil there was nothing subtle about this dish and, well, I was quite alright with that as I sopped up every drop with a slice of potato bread.
Gaspesie Whelk and George’s Bank Sea Scallop with Parsley Puree, Confit Garlic, Fingerling Potato, King Oyster Mushroom: Having mentioned to another friend that I found Daniel Humm’s use of blacks and deep greens both bold and beautiful at Eleven Madison Park only a few weeks prior I was pleasantly surprised when Chef Barry presented this dish to us with an ample discussion of the sourcing, sustainability, and fishing of the whelks. Generally thought to be a tough ‘throw away’ item but in this case slow poached to a texture and flavor not dissimilar from burgundy escargot I particularly enjoyed the manner in which the briny gastropods were balanced by a caramelized scallop, gold and violet potatoes, plus herbal notes of garlic, parsley, black olive, and squid ink all present but not overwhelming.
Roasted Garlic and Parsley Agnolotti with Rapini, Charred Shishito Peppers, Almonds: With my companion at this point getting quite full I think she was quite happy to see the ‘pasta’ course relegated to a single spoonful and while the portion may have indeed been small the flavor was anything but as the thin noodle burst on mastication with a rush of heat and aromatics later giving way to the smooth and grassy finish of olive oil.
Cumbrae Farms Free Range Guinea Hen, BC Spot Prawn, Edamame Puree, Nori Vinaigrette: Temporarily reassured by the agnolotti that she would be able to finish the meal our final savory, course eleven, arrived in a substantially larger portion than the aforementioned pasta and much to my delight it featured one of my favorite proteins in two forms – a sous vide breast and a confit of leg along with another duo, that of a fresh BC spot prawn and spot prawn mousse along with briny nori and shellfish emulsion, corn ‘powder,’ and both whole and pureed edamame. Tender and moist, pure and fresh, a ‘surf n’ turf’ in both the proteins and the vegetation – yet another sophisticated course from a kitchen firing on all cylinders.
Cheese: With the crowd beginning to thin as the hour passed 10:30 and even myself beginning to feel a bit full it was not long following the Guinea Hen that our server returned with the nightly cheese board – a hulking wooden tray featuring seven selections and from which we opted for three – a trio which would be cut in substantial portions and served on an even more substantial slab of wood. Described at length with ample notes from our server I was a touch disappointed that only one Canadian option was offered, but with the Quebec based 1608 unpasteurized cows cheese perfectly aged and fragrant I got over my disappointment quickly and was additionally impressed by the intensely creamy Chateau de Bourgogne Triple Cream from Burgundy and last but not least a round of flavorful and rich Manchego custom made for Splendido to be shaved via Girolle. Eaten slowly as my friend was of little help and presented with Caraway Crostini, Onion Sultana Jam, and local Wildflower Honey I’ll just say this was a lot of cheese, but there was no way I was letting any of it go to waste.
Newfoundland Cloudberry Sorbet with Greek Yogurt, Roasted White Chocolate, Crisp Meringue: The evening’s palate cleanser would prove quite intriguing as I don’t believe either of us had ever tasted cloudberry before and with the sorbet’s mild floral tones nicely balanced by the tang of the yogurt and toasted ‘dust’ of white chocolate I have to say this was much more impressive than I’d have expected while also providing a nice transition from savory to sweet.
Maple Syrup Smoked Ice Cream, Shortbread, Almond, Cotton Candy: Described by Barry as a dish inspired by a meal at Alinea our final course of the evening would arrive in a large bowl and while I cannot say the presentation was up to par with what is coming out of Achatz’s kitchen, the flavors and the textures were certainly close. Beginning first with a rich brown butter gateaux and subsequently adding layers of taste and texture including the profoundly smoky yet sweet ice cream, maldon sea salt, toasted almonds, maple cream, crumbled short bread cookies, and finally maple cotton candy compressed into a meringue this sundae was all the flavors I associate with breakfast dressed up and served at dinner – a concept I’d recently seen at both Publican and Per Se and would love to see more of in the future.
Take home Shortbreads: With Heather at this point seemingly ready to be rolled out the door in a state of culinary coma (despite really having only eaten 2-3 bites of food since the guinea hen) Chef Barry would stop by one last time to thank us for coming in and to present us with a package of shortbreads along with the bill. Dense and buttery I’ll admit I only tasted one of the shortbreads while sharing the rest with my mother and aunt back at the hotel, but having just eaten three blocks of cheese and the better part of two sundaes on top of the rest of the days’ dining I’m quite alright with that.
The Verdict: Even in the finest of fine dining establishments it is rare that a meal with ten or more courses consistently wows, changes pace, and merges modernist technique with locavore sensibility without missing a beat, but on March 30th of 2012 Chef Victor Barry and his team did exactly that at Splendido. Shortly after the meal Heather would call it “the most incredible eating experience of my life” and while I’ve been fortunate enough to dine at a handful of restaurants that turned out equal or better experiences I can honestly say that I walked out of Splendido that evening as happy as I’ve been with a restaurant experience in a very long time. Yes I admit I am gushing and yes I admit we were apparently “known” to the house but I was certainly not privy to this knowledge walking in the door and while I cannot guarantee that anyone’s experience will be quite like ours I can say without hesitation that this is a world class kitchen turning out world class food. Chef Barry, if you are reading, Thank You – I’ll be back soon.
The Gist: Perhaps Toronto’s most talked about restaurant over the last five years, the offal-centric The Black Hoof on Dundas is the brain child of Grant van Gameren and Jen Agg. Celebrated for a daring collection of small plates featuring off cuts ranging from house made charcuterie to raw horse to tongue sandwiches plus unique cocktails in a casual no-reservations atmosphere there had been some talk that the restaurant had fallen off since van Gameren had departed to pursue other ventures, but in the capable hands of Chef Brandon Olsen the restaurant had seemingly again picked up steam as new creations, largely local and seasonal, rounded out the already strong menu.
The Why: Obviously the substantial praise heaped on a space serving small plates and charcuterie caught my attention, particularly as my prior experiences with such places had been largely positive. As an added bonus, I was meeting a dear friend for dinner at Splendido and what better way to pass the time before dinner than with good drinks, good food, and good conversation at a place that won’t break the bank?
The Reservation: As stated above, The Black Hoof does not take reservations, and given its acclaim, small floor space, and the fact that the bar dominates much of the room I’ve heard rumors of 1-2 hour waits not being uncommon on weekends. Obviously with dinner plans for later and no interest in waiting in line we showed up shortly after 6pm to find the space largely empty, but due to fill to capacity by 7:00.
The Space: I think the best way to describe The Black Hoof is “intimate yet unassuming,” an effect no doubt created by the long and narrow room with dim lighting, heavy woods, and close quartered seating. With walls largely unadorned save for two chalkboards – one featuring foods and the other cocktails – plus a row of mirrors the diner is faced with two options, to focus on their dining partner or the action in the open kitchen and with an eclectic selection of music ranging from the 50s to the early 80s playing overhead the mood is lively without being “loud.”
The Service: Better than it needs to be, to say the least. Friendly, efficient, and very knowledgeable regarding everything from ingredient sourcing to plate composition we were never left wanting anything during the 75 minute duration of our meal and with the chalkboard menu not particularly descriptive I was personally very appreciative of the enthusiastic recommendations, even if I’d pretty much made my decisions before our server even filled our water, as well as the timely spacing between each dish.
The Food and Drink: 3 plates. 1 cocktail. 1 glass of wine.
Tea and Sympathy with Earl Grey Infused Gin, Sherry, Honey, Lemon, Jasmine Bitters: $8. My cocktail selection and a rather stiff pour given the modest price. Generally not a gin drinker but sold on this option as our server described it as “sweet but not too sweet, and really complex” the description would prove spot on as the overall flavor was somewhat akin to iced tea with honey and lemon while the boozy notes hit mostly on the tongue while the floral aromatics permeated the palate.
Spicy Horse Tartare: $16. Oddly ordered by Heather (though with good reason) despite the fact that she fancies horses this would be the first time either of us had knowingly eaten horse and although I generally suspected the flavor to be quite similar to other lean grass-fed game meats such as venison or buffalo nothing could have prepared me for quite how good this presentation was. Beginning first with the horse itself, lean and smooth with a texture not unlike tuna but a flavor more akin to beef, Chef Olsen took this dish up a notch by adding a significant degree of heat from both black pepper and pimento pepper before leveling it off with rich dollops of hollandaise atop a bed of fried potato threads, onions, greens. An inspired plate both in terms of taste and texture I instantly understood why this dish has gotten so much attention and would certainly consider it a “must order” not only for the novelty, but because it is delicious.
Peking Duck Neck: $16. With such a minimalist description on the chalkboard it is hard for me to believe that many diners would opt for this dish but given my predisposition to ordering fowl in any form I didn’t even inquire about the preparation before placing my order and much like the horse before it the dish exceeded expectations. Presented as what appeared to simply be a large sausage served over shredded iceberg lettuce, what actually arrived was locally sourced confit of duck breast, leg, and skin shredded and stuffed inside the duck’s neck before a quick pan sear and drizzle of hoisin sauce with the end result a crispy external layer not dissimilar to Peking Duck giving way to an interior of tender meat flecked with more bits of crispy skin. Intense and savory but well balanced by the sweet hoisin this would prove to be the best duck preparation I’ve had thus far this year.
Foie and Nutella: $25. Heather told me she wasn’t going to try any of this dish and although I generally try to accommodate my fellow diners I ordered it anyways. Heather lied. Featuring a perfectly caramelized slice of liver weighing in at easily 4oz and drizzled with caramel sauce plus hazelnut crumble the dish could have easily stopped here and been quite successful but similar to the other dishes on the menu this plate went above and beyond by placing this texturally complex amalgam atop not only a sizable smear of house made nutella, but also a slice of warm banana pain perdu. Call it breakfast, call it dessert, call it anything you like – it was so impressive that not only did my friend taste it, she tasted it multiple times and was seen recommending it to patrons on our way out the door.
The Verdict: Walking out the door with a bill well under $100 after tax and tip my only regret at the time was that we had not ordered more (in retrospect a very good thing considering what would happen less than an hour later at Splendido) and although I generally target small plates and charcuterie spots for lunches, snacks, or pre-dinner bites I can say without hesitation that The Black Hoof is a special place well worth the price of admission and that it is every bit on par with places like Los Angeles’ Animal or Chicago’s Publican in terms of creativity, service, and quality. While I probably would not return for a full “dinner,” I’d absolutely return under similar circumstances to this visit to try more of the menu – or to order the same things once more as each of them was truly exceptional.
Certainly not willing to suffice for a meager three (or four) meals per day on our trek to Canada a handful of additional stops for sweets and caffeine were made in each city; four in Toronto including Boreal Gelato, Bobbette and Bell, Grind House, and Soma Chocolates.
Beginning first with coffee, as every day should, my original plan to visit Thor was quashed by their absurd hours and as such a detour was made to visit the Kensington market. Perhaps an obscure choice for coffee, the main point was actually not coffee at all but instead browsing the market and people watching but as luck would have it we stumbled upon Grind House where both coffee and people watching were of the utmost quality.
Passing through the outdoor crowd of hipsters, pot heads, hippies, and otherwise seemingly normal youngsters and making our way into the store the first thing to note was the smell – a mélange of roasts plus notes of baked goods – and relatively sure that this is what heaven smells like a young woman greeted us and asked if we were ready to order, a simple decision for myself the moment I saw they had not only a clover, but also sun roasted Ethiopian Yirrgacheffe. Rich and thick yet smooth on the finish with notes of cocoa, caramel, and even a sort of ginger tone this was a complex brew that required minimal sweetener and good enough that after wandering the market some more I returned for another cup and a 12oz bag to take home.
Moving from coffee to chocolate, another stop would bring us to Soma Chocolates after a few hours of browsing the previously unexplored Distillery District and although quite small, the shop would prove to be quite the attraction with Easter approaching thus leaving us plenty of time to browse as the line progressed – and allowing me time to order yet another coffee, this one an Americano prepared while my aunt picked out some chocolates and although a bit astringent on its own a flavor I imagine would have melded nicely with one of Soma’s signature hot chocolates.
With dinner plans for myself and a friend while my mother and aunt planned to stay in my sampling of Soma’s chocolates would be few, but with a number of truffles selected by my aunt along with two tablets each of the flavors I tasted was good with the Costa Rican Milk Chocolate with Wild Cherries a nicely balanced tablet just a touch too sweet, the “Sparky” Truffle rife with Gianduja and Poprocks an interesting textural experience with great hazelnut flavor, and the 8 year aged Balsamic Vinegar Dark Chocolate Truffle the best of the bunch – a semi-soft centered sweet meets savory concoction rivaling some of the best truffles I’ve had stateside.
Another day and another snack would lead me to Boreal – a spot I’d originally considered for brunch but decided against due to traffic – and instead stopping in for some gelato I rather wish I would have passed on all together. Small and understaffed with a modest selection it would be more than ten minutes of waiting in line before the single server had time to take my order and even then, despite only a single patron before me, it would take another five minutes to deliver my order as she was busy making coffee for one of the seated tables and preparing a waffle for another.
Generally understanding when a store is understaffed that it is certainly not the server’s fault, what disappointed me even more about Boreal was the actual quality of the product – my small cup of salted caramel far more sweet than salty and save for the swirls of liquid caramel within lacking much of the expected nuance generally present in salty caramel ice cream. Dense and creamy I really cannot fault the texture, so perhaps this simply isn’t the store’s best flavor but at the same time I cannot really say I’d rush back to try others given the overall experience.
Saving the best for last, the final member of our quartet of ancillary eats (actually the first of the four we opted to visit) was Queen Street’s Bobbette and Belle, a small bakery and cupcakery located in Leslieville. Having heard great things about both the macarons and the cupcakes from a pair of trusted palates and with plentiful seating, free Wi-Fi, and a convenient location from our hotel it made for an ideal stop after lunch but before dinner – particularly for my mother and aunt who did not have dinner plans that evening.
Larger than it looks from the outside and with ample seating at a large community table, Bobbette and Belle is the sort of place I knew I would love the moment I walked in – the kitchen open for guests to look into, the walls decorated with kitchenware, servers friendly and helpful, and the selection of products expansive, beautiful, and well organized. With the line short and the options plethoric it took a short while for us to stand back and weigh our options, but deciding on a “divide and conquer” approach we eventually settled on sharing ten options plus a rich hot chocolate with bruleed marshmallows and after paying the bill made our way to the table where the items were brought out on individual plates by the servers.
Beginning first with a quartet of macarons, at $2.00 each the quality varied from option to option and although the fillings were routinely excellent with Gianduja, Pistachio, Salted Caramel, and Milk Chocolate Caramel each texturally smooth, intensely sweet, and in the case of both caramel filled options just a touch saline, the cookies were a 50/50 mix of hit and miss with the Pistachio and Milk Chocolate crisp and airy while the Gianduja and Salted Caramel were unfortunately a touch gummy.
Moving next to another quartet, this time of cupcakes, our choices of Pumpkin, Red Velvet, Salted Caramel, and Peanut Butter all shined with each cake dense and moist while the frosting was light, airy, and served in a perfect ratio so as not to overwhelm the cake. Rife win cinnamon and topped with a vanilla cream the pumpkin option particularly reminded me of pumpkin pie and although slightly more dry than the other options due to the roasted peanuts, the peanut butter was literally the flavor of Skippy right off the spoon. Not to be outdone, the red velvet with cream cheese frosting was a melt-in-your-mouth sort of texture with the slight sourness well matched to the cocoa notes while the salted caramel proved to be the best of the group with the cake subtly sweet while the frosting, flecked with fleur de sel and bits of caramel was vastly more so.
Having already visited caramel thrice in the cupcakes and macarons, the final two selections should come as no surprise to anyone (especially anyone who knows me) and with both warmed up before service it is difficult for me to decide whether I enjoyed the Sticky Toffee Pudding with Caramel sauce or the Caramel and Apple Bread Pudding more. Beginning first with the toffee pudding – a dense and flavorful cake rife with dates, butter, and what I believe was ginger – this was the sort of sweet that begged for milk or coffee and topped with a sauce produced by heating molasses, muscovado, and cream it was *almost* too much, just the way sticky toffee pudding should be.
Moving at last to the bread pudding, served in a waxed paper and perhaps even more buttery and “sticky” than the toffee pudding, this fine example was made from hand torn day-old croissants (also baked in house) mixed with freshly sliced apples and soaked in cream custard overnight before baking. Beginning with such a decadent base I can only surmise that the dish would have been quite lovely on its own or perhaps with a bit of ice cream, but instead Bobbette and Belle further gilded the lily by adding dense salty caramel studded with more apples to create something even more luscious, a definite contender for best fruit-based bread pudding any of us had ever tasted.
With plenty more eating to be done both in Toronto and further north in Montreal, Ottawa, Kingston, and spots between Bobbette and Belle remained one of my favorite spots for dessert on the whole trip and with many great pastries along the way both the caramel cupcake and the puddings still resonate – it is a spot that should be on anyone’s short list for sweets on a visit to Toronto mostly for the food, but also for the atmosphere and service.
restaurants this was another welcome discovery.
