Showing posts with label Launch. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Launch. Show all posts

CLOSED: MoRoCo Chocolat Relaunch (Toronto)

Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 99 Yorkville Avenue

In November 2014, MoRoCo welcomes a new Chef and sommelier, Eyal Liebman and Rebecca Meir-Liebman, along with a new menu featuring sweet and savoury dishes (most laced with chocolate) with suggested pairings to match. It’s nice seeing that although dishes have been revamped, it doesn’t deviate from what the restaurant is all about … chocolate! This has always been a place for connoisseurs to enjoy the ingredient in its many forms - eat, drink or dip.

At their Bubbles and Bites launch party, hosted by Abbey Sharp and Mike Chalut, I was given a preview and taste of their new offering.  Admittedly, I’m not a huge fan of chocolate – I know a shock. But, then I also didn't think it’d go with something like salad; after taking the salad caprice de reine ($13), my mind changed. The greenery (endive, arugula and apple) was crisp, light and vinegary. But, as the shavings of Valrhona blond chocolate subtly comes through there's an added creaminess and extra essence to an otherwise simple dish.

 

Another great combination was the confit de canard ravioli ($27) where the dough incorporates chocolate. Filled with a fair amount of tender duck, the dark chocolate adds a hint of bitterness cutting against the richness of the duck. Finished with a fragrant porchini broth this is one worth eating again.

 

An intriguing main I didn't try is their MoRoCo chocolate wellington ($29). Chef Eyal is no stranger to cooking meat having worked at Harbour Sixty. How exactly would beef taste wrapped in a chocolate crepe and puff pastry?

 

The event treated us with a table set-up to make s’mores with house-made marshmallows, fresh thick graham crackers and tons of chocolate. Having only roasted a marshmallow I already found it delicious. Not to showcase anything that’s not actually offered on the menu, this torch at the table s’more is available normally as well ($22) and serves up to 3 people.

 

If no one wants to split the above with you, don’t worry, you can also stick with the s’mores love ($14) dessert where you get all the ingredients on top of a chocolate lava cake with ice cream.

 

Personally, the sweet I liked most was Eyal’s cheesecake ($14) which was simple but delicious. The cheese was fluffy, almost like a mousse, and the graham cracker buttery and crumbly. The dessert was also nicely balanced between sweet and salty.

 

For those who aren’t a fan of chocolate, do not fret as there are things that you can eat too! Below are but a few of the offerings that may tempt you.


Steak tartare ($16) served with greens and crostini.

 

Salad nicoise ($25) with a choice of wild salmon or roasted chicken.


Napoleon á ma façon ($12) a beautiful lemon mousse layered between orange tuilles and topped with sweet berries.

 

In speaking to Chef Eyal, customers should expect freshness in all their dishes. Ingredients are thoughtfully sourced to make sure they are high quality and even ingredients such as bread will be baked in-house daily. Indeed, this new philosophy should create scones that are better than my first experience with MoRoCo. Eyal certainly exuded passion for his food and his craft. Hopefully, visitors will feel and taste this passion come through on their new menu… it may just be time to give them another taste.


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