Showing posts with label SpeakEasy 21. Show all posts
Showing posts with label SpeakEasy 21. Show all posts

CLOSED: SpeakEasy 21 Revisited (Toronto)

Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 21 Adelaide Street West (street level)
Type of Meal: Lunch


It seems like every time I return, something is changing about the place - read about my first two visits hereJust a month since opening they've already revamped their lunch menu with new offerings - albeit increased prices for their tacos (previously 3 for $15 and now $6 apiece). The good news is the changes, in my opinion, are in the right direction - they've earned an extra 0.5 on their Gastro World mark. With various shared plates, it certainly makes it easier to mix and match to your stomach's content. My friends and I are huge fans of sharing; ordering two small plates, a taco each and a sandwich was more than enough to satisfy the three of us.


SpeakEasy's beef tartare ($15) is one for those who like the taste of raw beef but not necessarily the texture. Served flat and topped with tons of ingredients (dried egg yolks, chives, horseradish, capers and Caesar aioli) it's packed with flavours and a great way to start the meal. However, I sense that if you're a tartare traditionalist, this may not be the one for you given the beef does become lost and almost secondary in the dish.


The pork belly skewers ($14) were a hit with us covered with a sweet bourbon glaze. Although the flavour was fantastic, the evenness of the cut of meat needs improvement as there was a skewer which was almost all fat (quite frankly these pieces should simply be discarded rather than served). But, the skewers where the meat and fat ratios were more balanced, the combination of melting chewy fat and tender meat was delicious


We all opted for the baja fish taco ($6); it holds up to the other fish tacos around the city (although the fish could have been a larger piece). Battered and deep fried then covered with guacamole, lime crema, mango chutney, pickled slaw and hot sauce there was enough flavours and textures within the taco to make it interesting. I would suggest the chef considering using two tortillas as the ingredients easily broke through making it messy to eat – we unanimously agreed these are not first date or business lunch friendly.


Entrée salads and sandwiches are on the menu for those who simply don’t like sharing. The fried chicken club ($18) contained a good sized piece of crunchy deep fried chicken breast, which could have benefited from being cooked a little less as was starting to border on dry. Luckily, there was plenty of guacamole and smoked chili aioli on it to add moisture and flavour. With the breading and crispy pieces of bacon the texture of the sandwich was spot on, pairing well with the soft brioche bun.


As with previous visits service was friendly and pleasant. Lunch continues to be a safe time to visit as they aren’t overly packed and dishes appear in quick succession. Here’s hoping the improvements continue with each visit!

Overall mark - 7.5 out of 10


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Gastro World's Grading System

  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!


CLOSED: SpeakEasy 21 (Toronto)

Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 21 Adelaide Street West (street level)
Type of Meal: Lunch



Newly opened in Scotia Plaza (street level by the Winners), SpeakEasy 21 is a welcomed addition and hopefully a worthy replacement for the South of Temperance, which has closed with the construction of phase 2 of the Bay Adelaide Centre. With its central location and accessibility through the PATH, it will likely become popular with the corporate crowd.

Our first visit for Thursday drinks (and potential dinner) gave us a taste of the "Liberations" portion of the menu. Indeed, their specialty cocktails are not cheap ($14.50), but with an entire page dedicated to them it's also hard to pass up.

The Mercier is great for those who like easy going fruity drinks without the sweetness. The Eristoff vodka is barely noticeably once the mango puree, tart lemon juice and lemongrass cordial is added. Topped with soda water and spiked with a bit of grated ginger it’s a refreshing and energizing cocktail. 


Meanwhile, the Sister's Shadow is a tad sweeter (not overly so) and packed with pear flavours from the Grey Goose pear and pear juice. The addition of elderflower liqueur adds a nice floral contrast that gives the cocktail a nice twist. 


Unfortunately, they were overcrowded during our opening week visit so service was painfully slow and it ended up taking almost 45 minutes to get our first round of drinks. To be fair, our waitress was friendly and did warn us that the bar was backed up. But really, 45 minutes is a bit excessive, so much so that some of our fellow diners refused to stay for dinner and we left to eat elsewhere.

Luckily, I understand that every restaurant needs to work out its kinks, especially during their soft launch period. So, I went back for a weekday lunch when there was less people and hoped for a better experience. 

During this visit, we ordered off of the much smaller "Fares" side of the menu. Despite the limited selection, we had no problems finding something appetizing sounding. The pressed short-rib sandwich ($17) sounded interesting with slices of beef, caramelized onion, confit cabbage, gruyere cheese and pickles packed into a bun and toasted. The sandwich is flavourful and ends off with a light zing from the horseradish – a great addition, if only there was more of it!


A more elaborate version of pulled pork, it’s a tender, saucy and indulgent sandwich. For me, the beef slices could have been thicker as they became somewhat lost under all the gruyere and toppings. Additionally, it was a bit heavy and could have benefited from a splash of something fresh to cut through the beef and cheese (perhaps arugula). But, these are some minor nitpicky detail for my tastes; I still enjoyed the sandwich.  Served with a choice of side salad or kettle chips, the portion size is quite substantial leaving me full and satisfied.

My coworkers opted for the whitefish and bulgogi tacos which arrived packed with ingredients and accompanied by a miniature hot sauce. Although I didn’t get a chance to try it, my coworkers said they were delicious and I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves.


The media has been reporting a 3,500 square foot patio is slated to open when the weather warms up. There’s no doubt I’ll be back for more drinks and perhaps a taste of tacos as well.

In May I returned for a taste of their new lunch menu, read about this new experience on my revisit post

Overall mark - 7 out of 10

Like the blog? You can now follow me on twitter for notifications - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog

____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System

  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!