416-850 8330    |    $21-28 mains

Before heading over to Loire, I’d only heard vague details about it, not nearly enough to make it a must visit. All thanks to Dish Duel, I had my eyes opened to this great bistro on Harbord that I’m sure to revisit.

Photo Credit: Food Junkie Chronicles

Food

Chef Dupoire’s menu is 15 dishes deep and not necessarily as traditional french as you might think. Yes, you’ve got your duck, dupuy lentils, frog legs, but you also will see things like salsa verde and ricotta cheese incorportated.

We started with the pistachio-crusted goat cheese served with roasted beets, arugula, red pepper coulis and charred lemon dressing. A tasty dish to be sure, but the flavour combinations are fairly conventional (goat cheese, beets, red pepper). The pistachio and charred lemon didn’t seem to be strong flavours.

Next up, the incredible Dish Duel offering (above). This was created custom for the competition by the enthusiastic kitchen and it shows (currently in the final round of the competition!). Here’s how I described it for the tournament:

A showcase on a plate. The attention to detail, execution of the proteins and blend of flavours was fantastic. Maybe my favourite of the competition thus far. The short ribs were perfect, melt-in-your-mouth and full of beefy-flavour. Maple-glazed pork belly inspired audible noises from my dining companion: great crispy edges, barely sweet and fatty goodness. To compliment all of this, the carrot and romesco sauces together form a base of subtle sweet and spice, in concert with the hint of blue cheese found in the lentils. Confit shallot and crisp pork skin on top round out this impressively presented plate. Bravo!

Photo Credit: Food Junkie Chronicles

Now you’d think after having the awesome pork belly dish above that we would have forgotten about this striped sea bass. Not a chance. The fish was prepared to perfection with nice crispy skin, an unusually flavourful salsa verde, and root vegetables to round everything out. This fish of the day was anything but an afterthought. 

Still hungry, and on a bit of a high from the mains, we ordered the tarte au sucre (above) and creme brulee (below). The two highlights of the tarte were actually its accompaniments. The vanilla ice cream was decadent and the berry compote on the end HAD to have had juniper berries in it. Was a great tart accompaniment to the sweet and creamy on the plate.

Photo Credit: Food Junkie Chronicles

This creme brulee was genius for one simple reason: cinnamon heart sugar. I’ve never heard of anyone else blending cinnamon hearts and then taking a blowtorch to them. Not sure exactly what flavoured the creme itself, but the topping was so brilliant that this dish succeeded on cleverness alone.

Service and Ambience

The room’s a fair size and a comfortable mix between modern and comfort. It actually mirrors the restaurant’s description, casual gourment, quite well. We were visiting on a fairly quiet night during the week so no worries on the speed of service.

Our server was very knowledgeable and attentive throughout the night, even though he appeared to be the only one manning the entire dining room. Well done sir!

The Reco?

Really enjoyed my meal here overall. Definitely recommend trying the Dish Duel dish as you’d expect; hoping they get it onto their permanent menu. Even without it, your meal should be satisfying at the very least. Enjoy.

Other reviews:
  Food Junkie Chronicles

 Posted by: Jacob, Visited Feb 15, 2012

416-492 5292    |    Ton of variety, can eat cheap or not

If you’ve ever been to Guu Izayaka, you’ve wished there was more than two locations in the TO area (wish I’d had this blog when I ate there). No one’s really come up with something as potentially captivating, until Don Don came along with promises of awesome izayaka. Was it? Keep reading to find out.

Food

No it wasn’t. See you didn’t have to wait that long (I know, you saw the 1.5 stars already).

I dropped by for the lunch menu, which is decidedly simpler than the dinner offering. That said, I think the uneven execution speaks for itself. There are noodle dishes, bento boxes, a variety of less conventional apps, and of course sushi/maki. 

We started with the black croquettes (above), who’s inviting name I couldn’t pass up. The aesthetic was interesting, with squid ink used to create the darkness but the promise of shrimp and cod roe was a lie. It’s essentially a creamy potato popper. It’s also pretty poor value given the size of the croquettes and the $7 price tag.

Also gave the yakitori (skewered food) a chance and again was disappointed. From left to right (above), you’ve got mediocre chicken, chewy pork something, boring eggs, and two bacon wrapped options (mushroom and asparagus) neither of which were creative, hot, or ultimately satisfying. 

The seafood stir-fried noodle dish was actually good for the most part. All the bonito flakes on top moved like living things, the noodle texture was nice and starchy and the majority of the seafood was grilled tender (calamari included, some other pieces not so much).

Then came the spicy bento box again with spicy noodles (yum again), the usual rice, breaded chicken, and salad. BUT, here’s my enormous warning: watch out for the kimchi. I’m not promising yours will be the same, but ours was gross. Heavy-handed vinegar and this strange rotten taste that I can’t describe. All I know is I couldn’t shake it for the rest of the day. Just can’t serve that. 

We ended with a fresh sushi platter that was visually very appealing and mostly delivered with a clean array of fish covered orbs. If you’re going to eat anything here for lunch, just go with noodles or sushi.

Also, if you’re just coming for the sake, ignore this review. We didn’t delve into that world, but apparently the selection is extensive.

Service and Ambience

One thing Don Don got right was the look. It’s a well-decorated spot lined with sake and packed full of things that look authentic to uninformed Torontonians. If Guu had a lot more space, it’d probably look something like this place. I’d say the lunch menu needs a lot of work from a design perspective and looks like an afterthought.

The staff is cheery and evidently plentiful as you walk in to the traditionally vocal chorus greeting from all the staff. There’s a big drum (above) that also adds some novelty to the experience. From a service perspective, the food arrived somewhat slowly given the empty tables surrounding us, but our waitress was kind and happy to help whenever we needed her. 

The Reco?

It’s one thing to offer underwhelming food, but it’s another to serve something that tastes inedible. I can’t forgive that, thus the harsh rating. On the plus, the environment is fun, the look is down pat, and the dinner menu may have some gems. Unfortunately, I won’t be returning or recommending that others do the same.

Other reviews:
  Amy’s Food Adventures    |       dine.TO

 Posted by: Jacob, Visited Feb 21, 2012

416-927 0222    |    $16-24 mains

I’m guessing you’ve never heard of Bruda unless you’re an avid reader of Toronto Life or following Dish Duel. This place just opened at the end of last year and is still relatively unknown in the Little Italy area. The ‘European’ menu looked interesting to me, invited them to participate in Dish Duel, and next thing you know we’re there tasting a bunch of stuff. Here’s the rundown:

Photo Credit: Post City

Food

The menu is deemed European, but from the average observer I’d just say its eclectic. The starters range from crispy spring rolls, to bisques, to back ribs; mains cover most proteins you could want other than beef (so don’t come looking for a steak frites). 

We started with the duck confit spring rolls (above) with crushed peanuts and sweet and sour sauce. Cool concept, nice crunchy exterior, but I found the duck kind of indistinguishable and a little dry inside. Duck confit screams moist to me and it wasn’t there. Good thing there was some sauce.

Next we had the bourbon braised back ribs (above). They came off the bone pretty easily, which was a good sign and the sauce worked well. Couldn’t quite place the taste, but not overly sweet and definitely not conventional. The issue again was dryness of the meat, which luckily had sauce.

Our first main, entitled New World Carbonara, was my favourite savoury of the night. The inclusion of a healthy number of chanterelles was the difference maker. Accompanied by serrano ham and a gooey duck egg, I quite enjoyed this. The papardelle may have been a bit thick for some people and the amount of egg white and shape wasn’t particularly appetizing. Generally though, good dish.

The final was the Dish Duel pork tenderloin dish. My ‘judge’s take’ for the competition went like so:

Moist pork wrapped in bacon is always a good way to start a dish. Stella and I referred to it as the ham you wish you had at thanksgiving. Also thought the flavour of the coffee and fig reduction was on point, just needed a tad more of it. Didn’t understand how the gratin and veg tied in though, so those weren’t quite as memorable.

For dessert we tried two dishes. The first was an assortment of their three ice creams. To be perfectly honest, I don’t remember two of them (I guess that means they were forgettable?). The third you should just get three scoops of: jamaican pumpkin with pine nut brittle! So good. Had more of a paste texture than ice cream, but who cares. Loved it.

Then came the smoked chocolate tart with sour cherries. Looks ordinary, isn’t though. I’ve never had smoked chocolate and I clearly had no idea what I was missing. The flavour was genuinely smokey, and when combined with sour cherries was surprisingly delicious. 

Service and Ambience

There aren’t necessarily a lot tables, but the room feels spacious with the high ceilings and spacious benches. Also, really liked the wooden tables, couldn’t tell you why though. Just want them. The walls were admittedly a little bare and could use a few more pieces of art in my opinion. 

Photo Credit: Toronto Life

It was a pretty slow night during the week so service was understandably speedy and attentive. Don’t really have too much more to say about it, but met the two owners Victor and Neil: both nice dudes. 

The Reco?

Little Italy has become incredibly competitive for new restaurants, so for that reason I can’t say I’d make a point to come back to Bruda if I were in the area for the next little while. Would give it a few more months and some menu cycles. The apps and mains had a few flaws, but I’d likely drop by for some dessert. Gotta have some of the pumpkin paste and smoked chocolate. I’ll end with that.

Other reviews:
  blogTO     

 Posted by: Jacob, Visited Feb 12, 2012

416-863 6006    |    $19-28 per course (reco 3 courses)

When you talk fine dining in Toronto, inevitably George comes up in the conversation. It’s been a staple in the scene since 2004 and you don’t see very many reviews/mentions anymore, but trust that this place is still humming. As part of our Dish Duel tasting, we took a stroll over to see what George is all about.

Food

Having gone through and selected a bunch (along with some nice amuse-bouches), it’s clear the menu is specifically designed for you to have a first, second, and third dish from a portion perspective. There’s also a number of tasting menus we were told are their specialty…we left that for another day.

First we were brought a mussel amuse (above) over avocado with some quinoa and mango. Solid mix of textures with the crisp over top, grittier quinoa and soft mango/avocado. Nice and clean start.

The other amuse mirrored the first in many ways, with tuna crudo instead of mussel. Again very clean flavours executed well to start of the meal.

The light and clean continued with George’s Dish Duel entry, a first that I suppose you could consider a ‘salad’ if you were generalizing. Here’s how I described it for the tournament:

First thing you notice: this is a beautifully presented first dish in your meal at George. It’s also light, clean and quite balanced. Very pleasant mix of textures from the chunks of crab, to the juicy oranges, and soft bruleed avocado. Would recommend it as a nice start to your progression of dishes for sure. Only thing is that you aren’t likely to find any really bold flavours - the blend may be too good for those looking for a more assertive dish.

Next we were greeted by a special dish (thanks kitchen!) of arctic char wrapped in potato with mandarin orange segments and a basil gelee. I’m getting a little tired of saying “ooooh, nice and clean, looks great” by this point. Looking for something a little more bold, sinful.

Next was the black cod topped with carrot foam over a lobster farro (above). The fish was tender and flaky aka cooked perfectly. Not sure there were any real assertive flavours, but it was really pleasant with the carrot and lobster.

To finish the savoury side, we went with the venison, citrus spaezle and medjool dates. I think this was the most flavourful of our dishes with the specific emphasis on the use of the dates and the variety of ingredients and textures on the plate. The little toothpick decorative piece added height, but I didn’t see the need for it.

This amuse was a pear creme brulee with a little crisp over top. Again, the right touch of sweet and a good mix of textures. Sort of reminded me of the dessert version of the scallop amuse.

To end our extensive meal, we were looking for an emphatic topper. We looked through the desserts, couldn’t really pick and said surprise us. Apparently this was a green light for the pastry chef (who are you btw!?) to put on a chocolate show. The beignets were killer, that super dark chocolate gelato up front was great, the brownie on right was yum and blood oranges along with pomegranate seeds throughout made this the best $20 I’ve ever dropped on dessert.

Service and Ambience

Plain and simple the service here is top notch. There’s a seeming excess of staff ready to help you out from your main server, to supplementary staff that explain every detail of the amuses. There’s also a very extensive wine menu with a Sommelier that always seems to have a bottle in his hand (like a symbol or something, it was actually amusing).

The Reco?

George is still one of the better fine-dining choices in the city. If you’re looking for a classy night out with some really well-plated and well-executed food, this is the spot for you. What I was missing for most of the meal was the ‘oomph’, fat, sin, edge, and spice. Thankfully dessert delivered =D

Other reviews:
  Toronto Life      |     Food Junkie Chronicles

 Posted by: Jacob, Visited Feb 10, 2012

416-363 2742    |    $16-22 pasta, $27-38 pesci, $35-47 carni

Chances are, unless you’ve been to the ACC in the last little while, you’ve never heard of Aria. And even if you were in the area, you probably didn’t know much about this shining jewel across the street from the Real Sports Bar. Yes, it’s almost intimidatingly good-looking from the outside, but after two visits, I’d encourage you to walk in. 

Food

The menu just recently changed, so not everything here is still available. Not to worry though, I’m sure the rest of the Italian fine dining menu will be quite well done. The menu’s offers a variety meat, fish and pasta as well as small sections for crudi (raw bar) and fritti (crispy fried goodness). 

Photo Credit: Food Junkie Chronicles

When we searched through the crudi, had to go with the tuna, charred pineapple, basil, mint, olive oil and fennel pollen (above). This is a great raw dish that’s far from bland. Basil and mint keep this fresh, pineapple adds juicy sweetness, tuna texture is wonderful, and an undercurrent of fennel and the charred fruit add that extra taste layer. Really enjoyed this.

Photo Credit: Food Junkie Chronicles

The other crudo we dined on was the carne cruda (basically beef tartare) with raw egg yolk, black truffle and porcini fries (above). Despite the attractive presentation this dish missed for me. More than a little too salty and I’d believe you if you told me they’d removed the truffle entirely. The porcini fries just tasted like salty fries.

In addition to these starters, I’ve also had the new fennel salad and shaved octopus carpaccio, both of which I’d recommend as light starters (no pics, sorry =S).

Photo Credit: Food Junkie Chronicles

For the mains, you cannot miss with the snapper dish (above). Aria’s nominated it for Dish Duel for good reason. You can find my take on it here.

I’ve also had their new paccheri pasta with scorpion fish stew. FYI: paccheri looks like short, smooth, hollow cannelloni tubes. They were perfect al dente, the portion was filling, and the stew hearty and comforting. Not the most ‘fine dining’ dish you’ll ever have, but nice nonetheless. 

Photo Credit: Food Junkie Chronicles

As for dessert, tried the pine nut and truffle honey tart with basil citrus curd, raspberry and lemon (above). Can’t say I was impressed or disappointed, it was pleasantly sweet and the mix of lemon and raspberry was nice. Missed the basil, earthy quality of the truffle honey, and pine nut flavour could have been more forward.

Service and Ambience

It goes without saying that this place looks incredible inside. It’s stunning from the floating globes, to the amazing spiraling woodwork (or at least, it looks like wood), to the wine tower and glowing back splash covered in wine bottles. It’s looks like a restaurant straight out of Ocean’s Thirteen (compliment). 

For such a “fancy” restaurant, I found the service unexpectedly warm. Our servers were charming and attentive, likely a holdover from the atmosphere at Noce on Queen West (same owners).

The Reco?

You can’t beat the atmosphere and awe of the place, and you can’t deny there are some outstanding dishes (snapper and tuna crudo). When you tally up all the dishes, you’ll come away happy with the performance, even with a dish or two that doesn’t wow you. I’ll be coming back for more.

Other reviews:
Toronto.com    |     National Post    |     Post City

 Posted by: Jacob, Visited Feb 6, 2012

416-979 9918    |    $3.25 - $22 tapas, $32 paella

Over the last few months I’ve really been meaning to head up to St. Clair and visit Cava. This is definitely a destination restaurant because you’ll NEVER find it by wandering by. It’s tucked in a little strip mall just north of the intersection: you need to be looking to locate it.

My friend suggested it a few months ago, the menu looked terrific, and they had me at chipotle-caramel popcorn. Thankfully, Chef Chris McDonald volunteered for Dish Duel and gave me the perfect reason to make the trip.

Food

The long tapas menu here is decked out with things you’d hope to find: ceviche, jamon, papas fritas, romesco, chorizo, chimichurri, chipotle, paella and the list goes on. Thankfully, all of these things are incorporated into some really interesting dishes that will give you a supremely hard time being selective.

Of course, you need to start with popcorn. Not sure why, but it’s served in a clamp that attaches to rod which is stuck into a hole in your table (above). I don’t get it either, but it works all the same. Either way, you gotta love caramel corn and the subtle heat the develops in your throat a few handfuls in is really nice.

Next we had the beet salad with kale currants and monforte toscano cheese (above). Tasty all-around with sweet beets and kurrents, bit of kale and pepper to keep it even keel. Little oily for our taste, but not a big deal.

Next we had two dishes in ramekins. The first was a cripsy-breaded eggplant (left) over warm tomatillo salsa with gooey queso freso and honey. This was delicious and covered with bonito flakes that added a little wow factor (they move when they’re hot, looks like something’s alive on your dish). It’s got all the textures you could want and has an addictive quality. Only thing, neither of us could find the honey to save our lives.

The second, a salt cod cake (right) surrounded by peppers and topped with a chipotle cream. This was one of the simpler dishes of the night, with very familiar Spanish flavours. The salt cod inside gave it a bit of chewy texture that you may not love, but you’ll get over it because it’s tasty.

There’s the Dish Duel dish above: seared sea scallops with smoked parsnip purée, french lentils in sherry vinaigrette and dulse powder. All I’ll say is wow. Can check out the full description on Feb 18 when voting opens for the first round.

This cauliflower dish above with Moroccan spices, squash, dates and saffron was also addictive. I’m a sucker for these flavours and cleaned the plate as evidence.

Last, but not least, for the savoury plates was the veal sweetbreads over radicchio and poblano-chile salad with walnut vinaigrette. KILLER. DISH. The sweetbread’s tasted like juicy chicken, but with more tender texture. The inclusion of poblanos in the salad is genius and the acid and nuttiness from the vinaigrette works really well. I think they also could have nominated this for Dish Duel and had a legit shot.

For dessert, Cava’s menu is unconventional. Not only is there your conventional desserts (ice creams, cakes, tarts, etc.) but there’s a chocolate and cheese pairing section. Naturally, this adventurous dessert menu comes from neighboring XOCOCAVA (below), the specialty sweets shop located right beside Cava. 

The ice cream dish we ordered (right) was a combination of vanilla and black current scoops, with a ginger sauce and peanut brittle. Two highlights: black current ice cream and peanut brittle. I’d buy both if they sold them (…they probably do actually). 

Then I did something risky and ordered a pairing: dark chocolate with rosemary and black walnut paired with blue cheese (top left). It sounds weird I know. I can’t say it was awesome so much as it was pleasantly strange and not for everyone. The first thing you taste is blue cheese, but then it slowly gets taken over by chocolate and mellows out at the end. If there’s rosemary or walnut there, you won’t find it under the other two dominant flavours. For $5, it’s a cool experience though.

Also, a quick comment on the wine menu: it’s enormous. I’m not a connoisseur of Spanish wine, but if I were, I’d probably have written the whole review about it.

Service and Ambience

We went on a Thursday and every seat was full by 8:00pm. You definitely need a reservation near the end of the week. It’s not a very big space inside, but that reinforces the lively tapas bar feel. A funny thing in the room: the row of stone noses at the back corner table (where those folks are sitting in the pic below).

Photo Credit: Food Junkie Chronicles

Service was great throughout, despite the fact the place was packed. Our servers were really friendly, water refills were always around, and the food never lagged from the kitchens. Really enjoyed the whole experience.

The Reco?

Is this my new favourite restaurant of any kind in Toronto? Yes. I wouldn’t rave about everything I ate, but it’s hard not to marvel at most of it. The concept is fun, the ingredient combinations are clever, and the menu has a ton of revisit value. I wanna go back.

Other reviews:
Food Junkie Chronicles    |     Toronto Life 

 Posted by: Jacob, Visited Feb 9, 2012

416-792 6002    |    $16-26 mains

To say there’s a lot of buzz for Acadia would be a gross understatement. Chef Matt Blondin and the staff have received a ton of critical acclaim over the course of its first year and the concept is unique enough to distinguish it from the increasingly crowded new TO resto scene. Thankfully, they put their hand up for Dish Duel, and I had the chance to drop in.

Food (all the food pics are from Jess, although I did edit a bunch)

The menu at Acadia is quite succinct: five starters, five mains, four sides. The mixed drink menu on the back is actually more extensive (this is a good thing). Each dish is framed by the restaurant as “Acadian and Lowcountry cuisine utilizing hand selected, sustainable agriculture.” We noticed there’s quite an emphasis on seafood with 7/10 dishes (not including sides) including fish/shellfish, so naturally we went in that direction.

Our first dish showcased perfectly seared scallops with chicken crackling, parmensan crisp, pickled watermelon rind, and basil (leaves and gelee). This was probably our favourite of the night. Flavour-wise, crackling is almost like cheating, but the presentation was also really cool. Almost like scallops swimming up a river (not that scallops swim…but you get the point).

Next up we went with blue cornmeal crusted cod cheeks accompanied by some small pieces of pickled prawn, sugarcane chow chow, mirilitons (also known as chayote), and whipped buttermilk. Cheeks and prawns were good, the rest of the dish was mainly for diversity of texture and temperature, not necessarily flavour.

Then came the Dish Duel nominated grits and prawn sausage, hedgehog mushrooms, pimento cheese and a smoked ham consomme. Won’t say much here except for I’d order it repeatedly. See the description on Feb 18 on the Dish Duel site once the competition kicks off.

For our main, we shared the steelhead, which comes rolled (looks like a maki roll) and topped with caramelized fennel, pickled persimmon, almond mayonnaise and andouille jerky. The highlights here: delicious fish, almond mayonnaise and fennel. The crisp goodies on top were good for texture, but wish one of the jerky or persimmon would been more assertive flavours.

For dessert, we finished with a really fun dish that I’d label as deconstructed carrot cake. Essentially, it was crispy pecan streusel in a bowl, topped with maple sugar, coconut cured, and  ice-cold carrot and buttermilk snow. This snow must have been some kind of liquid nitrogen creation, because it was JUST LIKE SNOW. Clearly enjoyed it.

An aside: great selection of mixed drinks and beers. Had the Beet Generation: gin, beet juice, black pepper, and champagne. Was really tasty. Also, they have Blanche de Chambly on the beer menu if that’s your cup of tea (it’s mine).

Service and Ambience

So we came the same night as Super Bowl Sunday, and there were still some folks having dinner (testament to how much people like it). I’m sure it’s awesome busy. The room has a bunch of down-south, homey touches (cutlery/china housed in a big wooden dresser on the right below), and big windows that make it an ideal spot in the summer I expect. Also, the entire kitchen is completely open: no doors, no walls. It literally is in the room with you.

Photo Credit: Renee S.

Our server was attentive and friendly all the way through, and food came out beautifully every time. I thought it was everything you could want in a solid service: knowledgeable about the food et drink and talkative when we felt like chatting. Kudos.

The Reco?

Go! The food is elevated, interesting, and simultaneously accessible. Most the things we ate were really enjoyable, and we had a satisfying experience despite the restaurant being more or less empty. Enjoy.

Other reviews:
National Post     |     Toronto Life      |     Globe & Mail 

 Posted by: Jacob, Visited Feb 5, 2012

UPDATE: Unfortunately LAB closed in March 2012. Rest in peace!

416-551-5025    |    $19-22 primi, $22-34 secondi

Ever since I heard Toronto had it’s own take on wd50, I wanted to check out L.A.B. (stands for Live and Breathe) on College just west of Bathurst. Was glad to make it one of my first stops on the Dish Duel tasting schedule.

Food

The menu at LAB is not quite as eccentric as you might think with wild techniques not always playing center stage. Some dishes just have good ‘ol ingredients that taste great, so don’t be afraid. Of course, since this is LAB, we went for the more ‘interesting’ options at our disposable.

Fast-forward to appetizer (above): a 63-degree duck egg with braised leek, lemon brown butter, and parmesan foam. It’s got a temperature reading and foam, how could we resist? This was actually a taste that reminded me of a deconstructed morning omelette. The texture on the egg is amazing, it’s runny, but has good viscosity so that it doesn’t completely bleed out on the plate. The leek flavour is also very pronounced and is the first thing you smell when it hits the table. Parmesan foam was cheesy, but the specific parmesan flavour didn’t really come through. Overall, quite enjoyed this though.

Next we had to order the dish that jumps out on the menu the first time you read it. I quote, “molten chocolate bunny cake - wine braised rabbit cake, port and chocolate glace de viande, rabbit bacon and braised prunes”. So here’s what happens, this large ball coated in bread crumbs or corn meal comes, you slice into the caky exterior to spill out the steamy glace de viande (reduced stock) and reveal the rabbit inside that resembles pulled pork. The rabbit, sauce, and prune in one bite was great. I think overall I was looking for a bit more chocolate flavour (very subtle despite the description). The inclusion of carrots (intentionally crunchy?) was also a nice little wink from the chef.

Our last dish of the night was the most enjoyable in my opinion, with some really great bold flavours. I’ll hold off on fully describing it because it’s a Dish Duel dish, but this was a great chinotto braised short rib. Learn more about it here. I will say this: it’s enormous! Only tackle this if you’re really hungry otherwise I’d share this between two hungry people.

Service and Ambience

The interior is quite small, seating only about 30 people (not including very funky bar seen below), so I’d make a reservation on a Friday or Saturday to be safe. Unfortunately, we were hear on Super Bowl Sunday, so naturally we were the only ones inside for the majority of our meal. Would love to see this place when it’s packed with 30 hungry, happy diners.

Photo Credit: Hello Toronto

Service-wise, the food came out at a good clip seeing as it was just us sitting there. It’s also tough to get really excited and friendly as a server on a night like this, but thought our server was unusually quiet to match the room. Some more conversation or friendliness with the only people in the restaurant would have been welcome for us.

The Reco?

While I didn’t describe the main dish, you can tell by the three-star rating that it was delicious. Really like the mix of technique and bold flavours here. The menu is filled with great options and Chef Howard Dubrovsky’s LAB is one that I’d like to return to for another experiment. Cheers.

Other reviews:
Globe & Mail     |     Toronto Star 

 Posted by: Jacob, Visited Feb 5, 2012

416-597-8839    |    $21-23 primi, $24-30 secondi

Guess I’m on a bit of Italian streak recently, but seeing as there’s so many in this city can you really blame me. Was looking for somewhere in the entertainment district, that wasn’t sitting on King across from Lightbox, and wasn’t doing Winterlicious. Tutti’s just one block up on Adelaide near Spadina, so that fit the bill for me and a couple friends on a Friday night.

Photo Credit: blogTO

Food

I wouldn’t call the menu here classic Italian, as there are some less traditional additions to some of the menu, but the Tuscan theme is still apparent. There’s a healthy selection of apps, salads and mains, so there should be something for everyone on the menu. And if you want black truffles, you’ll find them all over the menu in various dishes.

We started with the porchetta on crostini with caramelized onions, tuna sauce, and arugula (above). Coming in three large crostini, this is great for sharing between three people. I liked the dish, the pork was the major flavour – as you’d hope – but the tuna sauce I found too subtle. I ordered it for the seafood-pork combo, but I couldn’t have picked it out without knowing it was there. In any case, a delicious starter all the same.

For the mains, we ordered two pastas and a stuffed rabbit leg dish. One was a pappardelle (above), the other maltagliata. The pappardelle with braised beef brisket, cherry tomatoes and fresh basil was great. Found the beef to be tender and generously portioned (think a really beefy ragu) and the noodles to be a nice al dente.

The maltagliata (above) included stewed veal shank with porcini, a gremolata, and bone marrow. Perfect pasta and great protein were again present here, although bone marrow was difficult to pick out and overall the dish may have been a bit salty (this is admittedly a very subjective point).

The stuffed rabbit leg disappointed me a bit. I was expecting the leg meat to be more tender, but found it to be a little dense and rubbery. It wasn’t chewy per se, but my butter knife had difficulty performing with the protein resting on the bed of well-prepared cannollini beans, cipollini onions and parsnips. The leg was also wrapped in prosciutto and stuffed with a half sweet, half savoury mix that I couldn’t quite pick out. 

For dessert, I went simple and ordered the tiramisu.  I liked the crispy lady finger on top that added some texture, but generally I was disappointed here too. Flavour-wise I liked it, although I prefer my tiramisu with bolder coffee taste. I also thought it was quite heavy for a dish that I consider best when it achieves both lightness and moist. Couldn’t finish it after the larger portions (not complaining) from previous courses.

Service and Ambience

Inside, the place is actually quite a bit larger than it looks on first approach. The space is pretty cozy despite the size due to the rounded tavern-like ceiling. There’s a nice bar on the left when you walk in as well.

Photo Credit: Food Network Canada

From a service perspective, everything came out quickly on a reasonably busy night, so thumbs up there. Our main server was polite and attentive, but I don’t think I’d say friendly or inviting. 

The Reco?

Hard to say. I was only slightly underwhelmed by 2/3 of my dishes, so I can’t say it’s awesome, but I also don’t want to be too critical. The rest of the menu looks promising, the portion sizes justify the price, and my friends enjoyed their food for the most part. I’d probably stop in again if I were in the neighbourhood. 

Other reviews:
Toronto Life   

 Posted by: Jacob, Visited Jan 27, 2012

416-534-1200    |    $13-21 pasta

Along with Buca, a lot of folks would claim this as one of the best and most authentic Italian restaurants in the city. Having had way too many people ask me about my experience here (non-existent), it was time to head over and get a good sampling.

Food

The menu is composed of two main sections: sharing plates and pastas. Food is roman-inspired, very classic flavour combinations, and a few twists to keep it interesting. I was advised before going that pasta portions weren’t very large, so this is the kind of menu you should comfortably order a few appetizers from, a pasta, and a dessert.

We started with three apps:

Arancini filled with mozzarella di bufala and soppressata (above): Nice thin crispy outside, rich dense and melty center, and fresh tomato sauce along the bottom. Only one problem…where’s the soppressata? None of us could find it inside or outside.

Baked kale, thinly sliced persimmon and king oyster mushrooms, farro and pine nuts (above): Really nice salad. Similar flavour profile to the one at Buca, but the crispy bits of the baked kale were excellent, and the level of seasoning, and layered flavours of sweet, salty, bitter, and nutty made this a winner.

Grilled octopus, pepper puree, and potatoes: I’ve heard buzz about this, but thought it was missing something. Grilled octopus was very tender and had a nice charred flavour, potatoes were bland, and the puree along the bottom couldn’t really kick up the taste of it all. I think a crispier potato and more of the sauce drizzled over the top would have done it.

Then came the three pastas:

Rutabaga mezzaluna (half moon pasta), pickled chaterelles, and lemon maple butter (above): Rutabaga with the lemon maple was a great combo, pasta was beautifully al dente and thin, and the chanterelles over top were good for texture and acid. If you don’t like sweet, you may find the butter a little strong admittedly.

Papparadelle, lamb ragu, guanciale and pecorino: I had a bite of this and new instantly it was great. The ragu was less saucy and more about the meat: the way I like it. the lamb was gamy enough to pick out but with a bit of pleasant heat as well. Really nice.

Bucatini alla’amatriciana (tomato, pecorino, and guanciale): From someone who’s been to Rome and had great versions of this, I was told it was comparatively excellent.

And we finished with three desserts:

Ginger & molasses cake, stout toffee sauce, blood orange, rosemary meringue & lovage cress (above right): Cake was moist and gingerbread-y, toffee sauce kinda stuck to the plate, rosemary meringue was barely there and didn’t taste like rosemary, and the blood orange was a dotted puree that reminded me of dried apricots. This had a lot of potential: put actual thin slices of blood orange, would have really elevated it.

Panna cotta bianco, pear mostarda, pine nut & rye flake crumble (above left): Very clean flavours, nice flaky crumble, good dessert.

Chocolate & fig tart, balsamic, rosemary cream, candied walnuts: Really liked the combo of dark chocolate, fig and balsamic. Three very strong flavours working together, and a great light tart crust that was really nice.

Also, I don’t often comment on the wine selection, but it’s very impressive here with some hard-to-find vino if that’s your cup of tea. They’ve got taster sizes as well that let you sample some of the fancier stuff without breaking the bank.

Service and Ambience

I liked the atmosphere inside. For ‘one of the best’, it didn’t feel at all pretentious. Liked the tile work throughout, good lighting, and the long bar area looked really well setup for dining (some bars offer the menu, but aren’t really comfortable spots to eat).

I thought service was friendly and very attentive. A little excessive on menu explanation (particularly with respect to the feed of cow turned bistecca). For a fairly large space, the dishes came out at a good clip and we went through the whole meal comfortably in about two hours.

The Reco?

This is a good Italian restaurant I would happily come back to. My issues came down to some things that disappointed me from an execution perspective, but I think there was a lot here to be happy about. I’ll be back. Cheers.

Other reviews:
Globe and Mail   |    National Post  |   NOW Magazine

 Posted by: Jacob, Visited Jan 22, 2012