A white dome has descended on King West, in time for TIFF,
promising to offer its own entertainment: an evening of dining with all five
senses as the atmosphere, food and drink work together. The star of this production
would be the voluptuous Stella Artois: each chalice rinsed, filled and finished
to highlight the crisp slightly sweet pilsner.
Upon entering, the parking lot transforms into a tranquil
starry garden; two long tables softly lit enticing diners of what’s to come.
Before the meal begins, diners mingle at the front with bars
prominently showcasing the star drink. The excitement is palpable … there’s a
buzz in the night air, when at last at 6:30 the gates swing open and
individuals find a seat amongst the garden.
You’re instructed to sit in a certain section, the seats themselves
are then first-come first-serve. The dinner a great opportunity to meet people
around you (I was surrounded by wonderful companions); the crowd is diverse but
everyone shares a love for excitement and food.
As an amuse-bouche, there was a chalice of air, concocted by
Dr. Irwin Adam Eydelnant of BevLab, where each is unique and promises a
different smell and taste. Mine held a faint whiff of cotton candy but alas
tasted like nothing when I attempted to inhale the smoke through the mouth.
Our salad was already at the centre of table, held in
shovels and test tubes. The solid form consisted of miniature vegetables
accompanied with a crunchy puffed rice, mushroom soil and a thick roasted
garlic aioli. Individuals walk by periodically spritzing a floral scented
water, so you really embodied the sense of eating in a garden.
Meanwhile, the test tube held Greek salad, an intensely
flavoured distilled liquid that tasted of fresh tomatoes and cooling cucumbers.
The most molecular dish of the evening, Chef Richie Farina (former chef at one
Michelin starred Moto) excited my palette. What a wonderful crisp opening that
also helped to cleanse the garlicky dressing for the next course.
As director Jamie Webster’s illusions changed from leafy
greens to dazzling white crystals, we knew the seafood course was coming. To
confirm our suspicions a poem encased in sea salt was presented to heighten the
suspense.
Large shells holding scallops and halibut are rolled into
the centre of the table as water is added to activate the dry ice and create a
billowy cool smoke. The sliced raw scallops were quickly seared/smoked to
heighten its natural sweetness, while the pieces of dried scallop presented a
stronger flavour. With a sprinkling of the sea salt, these were rather delicious.
The same can’t be said for the hunk of halibut. Although the
menu notes it’s “poached” and adorned with “a young coconut puree”, my piece
contained neither of those characteristics, instead tasting like the sea (and not
in a pleasant way). To salvage the dish, I used a liberal sprinkling of sea
salt, sliced the fish thinly into sashimi form, wrapped it in seaweed and “paired”
it with a gulp of Stella… what I wouldn’t have given for a dish of soy sauce
and wasabi to magically appear amongst the smoke.
As the chargers were cleared, a dip in the table was
revealed. Soon, it was covered with a bowl of aromatic anise broth and a
drummer took the stage. Perhaps the most inventive course, it featured
compositions from Nyles Miszczyk and Joe Organ, as the broth danced to the
beating drum.
A bowl of crispy noodles, bean sprouts, herbs and jalapeno
was then tossed into the soup after the presentation. For a person who adores
soupy noodles, this was a horrible version of the dish. The broth was
understandably lukewarm, which could be overlooked if it weren’t also lacking
flavour and the only pizzazz stemming from the shock of eating a piece of raw
jalapeno.
If you’re patient, the crispy noodles slowly rehydrate and
become softer transforming back to regular rice noodles. However, the bean
sprouts and herbs will always remain raw given the tepid soup temperature –
Chef Farina should consider blanching these first as grassy hard beansprouts
and leafy herbs isn’t the most appetizing.
The most substantial dish of the night arrives next, a cloche
filled of smoke covering a bird’s nest. Although the smoke in mine had long dissipated,
the campy smell was still prevalent in the room, a delicious treat for the
nose.
It’s a whimsical dish with the egg containing a surprise –
in reality a buttery cauliflower puree instead of the perceived quail’s egg.
The nest consisted of braised beef cheek slivers comingled with fried enoki
mushrooms – richly flavoured but stark cold. The dish did its job on highlighting
the sense of touch: the creaminess of cauliflower, chewiness of beef, softness
of salsify and crunch of pork rind.
The campfire theme continues into dessert as skewers of
marshmallow arrive with a flaming centerpiece. My advice is to be patient and
roast them well - inside one is a sphere of chocolate ganache, which would have
been absolutely delicious if it was warm and gooey.
My sweet tooth was sedated by the s’more square that arrived
with it: a luscious layer of milk chocolate, spongy marshmallow and buttery
graham cracker crumbs.
A glass of Cidre (not cider) was paired with the dessert.
The drink is much lighter than and not as sweet as traditional ciders – I thoroughly
enjoyed the crisp taste of apples that left a refreshing feel to the palette.
Overall, Sensorium lived up to its claim of being a dining
experience for all the senses. The stunning visuals, sounds of nature, variety
of textures, aromatic smokes and tastes were all featured.
Unfortunately, the sense that was worst represented was
taste… certainly the most important for me when it comes to dining. Although
they used an ingenious method for serving most dishes (having the centre strip
of the table slide in an out), those that needed to stay hot (the soup and
beef) were served by hand so loses its temperature by the time it arrives. Many
others simply lacked flavour, which may have been a conscious decision as to
not detract from the light pilsner.
At
$148 per person (inclusive of drinks, taxes, gratuities and ticket charges),
the dinner isn’t cheap, yet isn’t unreasonable either. Beer lovers will
especially enjoy the evening as chalices of Stella are regularly brought over
to replace any that’s nearing empty.
In the end, you’re attending Sensorium for the
experience, not the food. There were many creative touches such as the edible
rice paper menus. Sadly, you may want to eat the menu as the portions are small
and won’t leave you satisfied. With no bread baskets or petit fours to follow,
you will need to head out for another bite after Sensorium ends.
How To Find Them
Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 525 King Street West
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Is That It? I Want More!
Read about #Parv's experience with the same meal.
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