CLOSED: Table 21 Kitchen & Wine Bar (Toronto)

When I first entered Table 21 a feeling of déjà vu settled over me. The restaurant was certainly new, I’ve never dined there before, but the dining room looked so familiar. Thankfully, almost all my meals are well documented on Gastro World, so upon looking up the west end Toronto restaurants, I realize Table 21 replaced Stratosphere Gastrolounge, and with it the menu has gone from upscale pub fare to stick-to-your-ribs Italian.

With heavier mains, my husband and I both decided to stick with salads to start. The caprese ($12) was simple but used fresh ingredients: the beef steak tomato was juicy and ripe, the mozzarella cheese fresh so it had a nice soft chewiness, and there was just enough pesto to add interest to the salad. While the Caesar ($10) had a light coating of dressing, don’t let the lack of cream sauce fool you; the salad was still flavourful with a particularly strong parmesan kick (albeit lighter on the garlic so wasn’t overpowering).


In the mood for a meatless dinner, the asparagus risotto ($18) was a good choice. The rice’s consistency was spot on – incorporating enough broth so it was creamy and not a thick paste, but not oversaturated as to become a stew – and there were sufficient asparagus pieces mixed throughout for crunch. More shaved parmesan would make the dish even better, especially since it was under seasoned (luckily, there was salt at the table so the dish was easily improved).

Table 21 Toronto asparagus risotto

While the brown butter gnocchi ($18) smelt heavenly, the actual pasta was too mushy. To be fair, the firmness of gnocchi is a debatable preference: some like it doughy and soft (how it’s prepared at Table 21) while others, like me, prefer the dough to have a bit of elasticity, and when there are crispy edges, even better. The brown butter sage sauce was delicious, adding a light sweetness to the gnocchi and paired well with the roasted cremini mushrooms.

Table 21 brown butter gnocchi

The beef short rib ($29) is a popular choice; we weren’t the only table ordering it. I can see why, the dish is fantastic. The towering bone-in rib doesn’t require a knife having been slow-braised and has a tangy kick from being smothered in a whiskey infused barbeque sauce. On the side, sweet roasted heirloom carrots and rosemary smashed potatoes that have lovely crispy edges, which adds a bit of crunch against the otherwise tender plate.

Table 21 Etobicoke Toronto beef short ribs

Since my in-laws have just moved to Etobicoke, a whole new slew of neighbourhood restaurants have opened up to the palette. Table 21 is a lovely start: the restaurant’s food is refined but comforting and the laid-back atmosphere a welcoming environment. And next time I entered, there won’t be that sense of déjà vu.  

Overall mark - 7.5 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 2956 Bloor Street West
 

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____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System

  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - 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!


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Azarias (Toronto)


If you’re trying to satisfy a picky eater or a crowd with varying tastes, Azarias is a good choice for an Etobicoke restaurant. Although the establishment sounds Greek (on account of being named after the owner), their menu has a diverse array of dishes to choose from. Most are shared plates, but if you’re over the trend, you can easily pick and choose salads and larger plates to create a traditional meal as well.

Stumped on what to order? Azarias provides a top ten list to guide you through the process. The first half of this post will focus on these popular dishes.

Topping the list is the spicy shrimp tacos ($15), a let-down unless you enjoy overly battered seafood that hasn’t been drained properly. The only saving grace was the shrimp’s large size, lending itself to stay plump and juicy. But then it’s laden with oil and a “spicy” sauce that’s surely just Frank’s Red Hot out of the bottle. Plain cabbage with a bit of corn lines the bottom of the flour tortilla, hardly the salsa fresca you’d expect as described on the menu.


Go with the #2 option instead: Montreal smoked meat sliders ($10). Overlooking the dense bun, the thickly sliced meat was tender incorporating enough fat for taste without getting heavy. Served warm, you get a bit of spice with each bite and despite being full flavoured, the smoked meat wasn’t too salty and went well with the mustard. Paired with a juicy pickle wedge, it’s a dish that could make a Jewish deli proud.


When Brussels sprouts ($9) are done right, they are so good. Azarias’ version is fine but runs into the pitfall of relying too heavily on other ingredients – in their case, sun dried tomatoes and bacon. Since both are such strong flavours, the actual sprouts get drowned out. If I want bacon, I’d order bacon. For a vegetable, I want Brussels sprouts!


Their Kung Pao chicken ($14) was a popular dish that many tables order. The sauce has a wonderful spicy kick, a sweet chili Thai enhanced with garlic sauce, so it’s a shame that the miniscule chicken pieces were so overly battered. Personally, I’d prefer the chicken to be simply tossed in flour (rather than a full-on batter) and cut into larger pieces so that you can actually taste the meat. The jalapenos, on the other hand, were a nice touch.


Surprisingly, their short ribs ($18) were only #7 on the top 10 list. It was certainly one of the better dishes I tried that evening and deserves a top three ranking. The large bone-in rib is braised until tender and glazed in a wonderful reduced beef jus. With the roasted carrots, this could easily be a main dish for those who don’t feel like sharing.


Bacon seared jumbo scallops ($15) was the last top 10 dish we tried. With a lovely caramelized crust and their large size, the scallops remained tender and meaty. Instead of being wrapped in bacon, it was nice that the meat was on the bottom so you can break chunks off with the scallop or have it as a crispy meaty chip to end.


In terms of the dishes that didn’t make the list, there were some hit and misses. The Caprese salad ($11) was heavily slathered with pesto but needed more salt. Interestingly, the kitchen tosses the cheese and tomato slices in the sauce (rather than pouring over top), which is a good idea allowing every bite to get an even coating of flavour.


Although the macaroni and cheese ($9) looked watery, the flavours were spot on and the light dusting of buttery gratin on top was fantastic. Pair these with the short ribs and you can easily build a decadent plate.


The green beans ($8) were fantastic and much better than the Brussels sprouts. Since they were cooked on a grill, they retained a great crunch and the roasted garlic and dusting of parmesan added enough flavours without taking away from the actual vegetables.


For the low price, you get a hefty portion of potatoes with the sea salted fries ($5). They are piping hot and have the essential freshly cut potato essence. Combine the fries with the Montreal smoked meat sliders and you have a great meal.


Despite already having an extensive menu, Azarias also offers daily specials. Having tried two of the dishes, they’re definitely worth ordering. The osso bucco with penne ($18) could easily be a pasta main dish given its large size, but since the garlicky cream sauce is pretty rich, it also ideal for sharing. Dollops of goat cheese combine with plump mushrooms and chunks of soft lamb to make a great meal, I would have been happy with just a plate of this to myself.


They baby back pork ribs ($14) where glazed in honey garlic and very tender and meaty. They’re sticky and messy, everything you want ribs to be.


Azarias resourcefully uses pots of herbs as décor on tables, while also including a pair of scissors so diners can actually use the herbs. Our waiter suggested we cut up the basil to infuse the olive oil for dipping bread into. What a delicious idea that enticed me to devour two slices of soft crusty bread – much to the demise of stomach for the rest of dinner. Let that be a warning when you visit… just one slice.

Overall mark - 7.5 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 3058 Bloor Street West

Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System

  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - 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!


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Other Gastro World posts similar to this:


Azarias Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

K.Dinner's Private Monday Evening Events


Nowadays, chefs have a number of options to become an entrepreneur, beyond the typical work-and-save or partner with an investor options to open a brick and mortar location. Food trucks keep some roaming and mobile, but my personal preference is the “pop-up” type meals where chefs take over another restaurant.

The newest entrant is Chef Ken Yau, who’s Monday night K Dinners take over Café Fiorentina, a day when the restaurant is normally closed. With seatings at 6:00pm and 8:30pm, a communal table about ten people will gather to break bread over 7-courses of seafood ($80).

Chef Yau touts England’s The Fat Duck as an inspiration for his menu. The famed Michelin star restaurant by Chef Heston Blumenthal is known for their molecular gastronomy using modern equipment and techniques to create one-of-a-kind dishes.

The influence was best showcased in the amuse bouche and first course. For the starter, a truffle-sized orb is perched on rocks and you’re advised to delicately place it inside your mouth, whole. Bit through the thin chocolate-like shell and a flood of sweet pear juice augmented with citrusy yuzu floods the mouth, further contrasted with a salty relish on top.


This is followed by fried fish skin dusted with salt and vinegar sushi rice, which puts any extreme flavour chip to shame, and green tea powder that’s supposed to bring bitterness to the fold (although you really couldn’t taste the matcha since it was drowned out by the vinegar).


As a plate of mussels are brought to the table, Yau explains he works with a company that can cultivate them in small batches with customized flavoured growing environments. This batch of PEI oysters were grown with yuzu so no condiments are needed.


Sure enough, as one’s brought to the table, the typical sea-like aroma is replaced with the light scent of lemon. As it hits the tongue, the oyster’s juices are all at once citrusy, briny, and sweet.

Refreshing elements continue with a squid salad. Pickling the squid makes it a bit chewy but the firmer texture and sour flavour is rather interesting. Sitting in a bed of saffron clam sauce, the savoury creamy condiment helps add a touch of richness to the otherwise summery course. Meanwhile, the salad was everything but lettuce: juicy tomato slices, tomato water mixed with Riesling and juniper jelly, crunchy fava beans, and crisp radishes.


The following seared scallop was one of my favourite bites of the evening, the meaty seafood wonderfully cooked so that it remained delicate and sweet. Crumbled segments of finger limes (citrus caviar) transformed the cauliflower purée into a smooth and crunchy concoction that made me yearn for another spoon.


At the centre of the table, on a salvaged piece of wood, sat a lemon, morels, bunch of herbs, and a dark liquid. It wasn’t until the middle of dinner these were combined into a carafe filled with rocks and caramelized onion consommé (prepared over four days) and steeped to create an intensely flavoured French onion soup with a tom yum flair thanks to the white soy sauce, Madeira wine, and sherry vinegar.


With the rich broth came warm crusty bread and a generous portion of whipped brown butter flavoured with capers, anchovies, and sherry vinegar for spreading onto the bread. We all agreed that we should have stuck with one slice (boy were we full at the end), if only the butter wasn’t so enticing.


The following seafood risotto was another one of my favourite dishes of the night. In Chef Yau’s version, in lieu of rice the risotto is made entirely from finely diced seafood (halibut, clams, prawns, etc.). Starch is added through pieces of fried potatoes, which also help add a bit of crunch to the creamy dish and everything is further enhanced with a thickened lobster sauce. It was wonderful, but a tad salty so would be even better if the seasoning was toned down.


After such an amazing risotto the poached halibut was a mediocre ending. While I enjoyed the beurre blanc sauce dotted with plump mussel and crispy duck and chicken skin, the flavours were too close to the previous risotto. Moreover, the fish was left resting too long and the temperature lukewarm at best.


Chef Yau should consider re-ordering the dishes (serving the halibut earlier on) or changing the fish’s accompaniments to something fresher and brighter. Regardless, in either case, the halibut needs to be hotter and the seafood risotto should definitely be the last dish.

There was a sense of weariness when the dessert was presented, already Chef Yau prefaced the dish by stating desserts aren’t his thing. One taste and I agreed – there was too much going on in one dish: braised cherries, granite, creamy mascarpone, and thyme. Also, while sherry vinegar was already used throughout the menu, this favourite ingredient even made an appearance in the dessert and completely overpowered everything.


I understand, chefs cannot be good at all things – after all, pastry chefs often dedicate their whole careers to perfecting desserts. If this isn’t your forte, just keep it simple (one friend commented how grilled peaches with ice cream would have been a great ending) or outsource the course to someone else (Japanese cheesecake anyone)?

Renegotiating the seating arrangements with Chef Fiorentina are also required. Despite the restaurant being closed, the table was set in the basement on a table with bar stools. After three hours, the room became stuffy and warm and stools are best suited for a quick sandwich or ramen, not a long multi-course dinner.

Despite the somewhat rocky ending, I was pleased with the overall experience at K Dinner. Having eaten at his premiere meal, I’m sure the kinks will be worked out as the operation matures. In speaking to Chef Yau, his word-of-mouth advertising is a success with his Monday dinners are already booked into mid-October. Small private dinners are coming to Toronto and eaters are devouring it.

Overall mark - 7.5 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada

Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System

  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - 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!


Is That It? I Want More!

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CLOSED: The Berlin (Kitchener)


My first time seeing garlic scapes was at the St. Jacob’s farmer's market earlier that day. Imagine my delight when they were on Berlin’s menu later that evening. Using as many fresh and local ingredients as possible is what Berlin is all about. The menu changes daily and despite the German sounding name, their dishes draw inspiration from around the world so you’ll experience flavours and ingredients from various cultures.

Going back to the garlic scapes, after coal roasting the tendrils ($9) they’re chopped and topped on smooth ricotta cheese. The ingredient is like an amalgamation of green beans and asparagus, in terms of texture, with a sweetness augmented with a garlic essence that’s surprisingly light. Of course, it could have been somewhat neutralized by the strong pecorino cheese and dash of lemon juice, combining to create a flavourful crostini.

The grass-fed beef tartare ($14) were cut rather largely so I had to get over the fleshy chewy texture. Nonetheless, the diced smoked beets mixed with the beef were a good compliment, adding contrast to an otherwise soft mixture (even better once piled onto a thin crispy taro root chip). The beef itself could benefit from more flavour, as the toasted nori and sauce verte were lighter flavours; this dish is best suited for someone who likes a mildly flavoured tartare. 


Berlin’s menu has two starter sections: “to start” and “appetizers”. Surprisingly, the first two dishes ordered from the “to start” section are actually larger and heavier than the following appetizers. Perhaps it’s best to think of the “to start” selection a shared plates, great options for light bites. 

Our waiter explains that the chopped marinated tuna belly ($16) is actually pieces of fish sliced off in large chunks so there’s a pulled texture to the fish. With plenty of meaty pieces tossed in sweet soy with nori, there's an Asian essence to the dish along with toasted seeds and wild arugula.


The grilled squid and cucumber salad ($15) was fantastic with the squid just cooked through resulting in a tender and sweet dish. Crunchy cucumber slices tossed with olive oil, dill, and a hint of cream dressing makes it light and refreshing – great for the summer and the sauce perfect for dipping bread into. 


For risotto, Berlin’s pearl barley and lentil version ($26) was refreshing: the grains more nutty than sticky and the sauce, while cheesy, is lightened with tons of vegetables. At least half of the plate consisted of radish pods, which although looks like dried pea pods have an interesting radish essence. They take some getting used to ascertain pods were dry while others crisp and sweet – each bite is a hit or miss. Overall, for risotto, there’s a surprising amount of greenery built into the dish, giving it a light and bright finish.



In fact, even the fish and chips ($24), a special they offer every Tuesday, had a generous handful of mixed summer greens. By the end of the meal, I was rather pleased with myself... I thought we made indulgent choices but actually consumed a lot of vegetables! The Lake Erie white bass was a great for fish and chips since its dense and meaty, holding up against the crispy batter so there’s still fish flavours. The celeriac remoulade sauce was thick and filled with herbs, great for the fish or dipping the hot crispy fries into.


For a restaurant that has so many sharable plates, the staff needs to pay more attention to what customers are telling them - despite informing our waiter while ordering and as each course was presented that we’d be sharing, we still had to follow-up to get side plates after they were cleared between courses.  

Regardless, it’s a small slip and in other aspects our waiter was attentive and friendly. We could certainly sense his passion for the city and the redevelopment going through the Kitchener downtown core, where Berlin is located, thanks to Waterloo’s expansion. Although I haven’t visited a lot of restaurants in the KW region, Berlin has certainly topped the list as my favourite; brunch or dinner, the food continues to impress, perfect for feeding the technology boom.

Overall mark - 9 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Kitchener, Canada
 Address: 45 King Street West

Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System

  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - 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!


Is That It? I Want More!

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CLOSED: HCafe Japanese Cafe has taro and matcha cheesecakes!


Oh the Japanese cheesecake … Torontonians can't get enough of this light fluffy and creamy concoction. The original buttery flavour has made people swoon (and line up) for the last couple of years. Now, HCafe Japanese Cafe is bringing additional Asian flavours to the city.

If you didn’t realize, HCafe also has a matcha version ($10). Unlike other green tea treats, this one is more colour than flavour as the actual golden bitterness is light. Since matcha is normally such a strong ingredient, this muted version will either be enjoyed or detested.


Meanwhile, HCafe’s new taro cheesecake ($10), this is special. Having brought both to a dinner party, more than one guest mentioned how good it was. While the original Japanese cheesecake has a tangy buttery flavour, the taro one is deep and earthy. While it still has a creamy fluffy texture, the taro version is sweeter and makes for a satisfying dessert.


For students, during September 2017, be sure to bring your newly minted student cards to the North York and Unionville locations - you will get 20% off all desserts. Now that’s a sweet treat for your dorm room friends.

Disclaimer: The above cakes were provided on a complimentary basis. Rest assured, as noted in my mission statement, I will always provide an honest opinion.


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto and Unionville, Canada
 Address: 4750 Yonge Street
                 158 Main Street


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Sala Modern Thai (Toronto)


With the word Modern in their name, Sala Modern Thai had me wondering what would be the evolutionary steps in their dishes. Perhaps they’d replace the traditional rice noodles in pad Thai with fresh made pasta? Maybe the menu would incorporate some sort of fusion concept mixing Thai cuisine with other countries?

Turns out, neither seemed true; their dishes were the staples gracing the Toronto Thai restaurant menus for years. In fact, if anything, they even incorporated further elements of traditional Thai touches like with their Bangkok pad Thai.

When my husband did an ex-pat stint in China, one of his favourite restaurants was owned by a Thai couple who made the “best pad Thai”, in his opinion. He fondly remembered the thin omelette that encapsulated the noodles, a dish he never found in Toronto until seeing a picture of Sala Modern Thai – really the sole catalyst for our visit.


The chicken version ($13) arrives covered in a thin crepe that’s more flour than egg; upon breaking through you’re greeted with a pad Thai made from chewy vermicelli noodles (as opposed to the typical thin rice noodles) and a sweet and sour sauce that’s one of the best I’ve heard had – it’s not overwhelming sweet or sour and there’s no tell-tale hint of red indicating ketchup was used in lieu of tamarind.


True to their name, the fresh rolls ($6) are made-to-order as the rice paper is soft, chewy, and lightly warmed. With a simple vegetable and tofu stuffing, you get the contrasting textures of crunchy and soft ingredients, with the Thai basil adding a refreshing essence. On the side, a sweet chili tamarind dipping sauce and a small salad of lettuce tossed in, of all things, ranch dressing.


Although I’d never volunteer to try suicide wings, I’m also not a wuss when it comes to chili heat. Hence, we opted for the “spicy” version (one step down from “Thai spicy”) of the kuaytiaw tom yum with chicken ($11.50). Wow, what a humbling experience! There was such a kick to the tom yum broth, even with the rice noodles, that every second bite had me reaching for a cooling drink.


The broth is rich and thick, filled with lemon grass and a shrimp flavours (aside from all the chili). I do wish they used a bigger bowl as ours was so packed with noodles that the soup became more of a sauce than something you can spoon and actually drink.

If you’re going to try anything spicy, do yourself a favour and order one of their iced teas. The Thai matcha iced green tea ($5) is the traditional milk-based tea with a strong matcha essence added to make it less sweet and milky. As an aside, Sala needs to do a better job at ensuring their pricing matches up, this one item was listed differently on three places: menu at restaurant ($4), actual charge on bill ($5), and menu on their website ($6).

Sala Modern Thai’s beef khao soi ($13) is fantastic. Normally, the coconut milk mixed into the yellow curry broth is a tad strong for me, at Sala it’s balanced so the broth stays savoury while still feeling thick and rich. The soup sticks wonderfully to all the crevices of the flat egg noodles and the crispy noodles add a bit of crunch against the otherwise soft dish. Only two things could be improved with the khao soi: firstly, the beef was overcooked and tasteless (tofu may be a better protein); and the so called “soft” boiled egg arrived hard boiled and dry.


So what exactly is modern Thai? Interested, I turned to the internet and found a Paste Bangkok post, where Chef Jason Bailey explains that modern Thai is not only about using non-traditional ingredients but also incorporating cooking equipment that differs from the traditional coals and wok (such as an oven or slow cooker). The dishes must also have intense flavours where you really get a punch of hot, sour, sweet, savoury, or bitterness. So as it turns out, maybe all along, I’ve already been eating modern Thai.

Overall mark - 8 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 1262 Danforth Avenue

Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System

  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - 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!


Is That It? I Want More!

Other Gastro World posts similar to this:


Sala Modern Thai Kitchen & Bar Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato