Showing posts with label winterlicious. Show all posts
Showing posts with label winterlicious. Show all posts

Colette Grand Cafe for Dinner (Toronto)

Posted on Saturday, February 13, 2016 by
For some reason I’m on a French food kick lately. It has something to do with their beautiful restaurants, equally artistic plates and of course the rich sauces. Having visited Colette Grand Café for brunch, Winterlicious seemed like an opportune time to return to sample dinner service. After all, the dining room is stunning – one thing off the list.

Although not the prettiest, Colette’s French onion soup was richly flavoured and loaded with slivers of sweet caramelized onions on the bottom. Plenty of cubed croutons floated on top, the corners retaining their crispiness despite sitting in the soup. There was also a sufficient, but not overwhelming, amount of gruyere cheese so it didn’t feel too heavy. If only there was more of the lovely broth itself; between all the onions and soaked bread, there was little soup to actually enjoy and made the bowl seem so shallow and sunken.


The heartiness of the beef bourguignon beckoned and despite being tantalizingly plated, the execution was merely fine. I'll paraphrase my friend who described the dish best - it's a good take on braised short ribs but it's not beef bourguignon. Most noticeably the dish lacked the adult flavours of a robust red wine or hint of brandy. But, it did have tiny pieces of a pickled vegetable scattered amongst the braising liquid (could be onion or celery) that provided a shock of freshness that’s unexpected but welcomed. Moreover, the silky celery root and potato puree was buttery and satisfying.   


As with my previous brunch experience, Colette's desserts have none of the pizazz you'd expect from a country that's synonymous with swoon worthy pastries. The horchata rice pudding was good, especially when mixed with the smooth orb of pistachio mascarpone cream in the centre, but hardly made you want to stop and savour it.


Despite being talked up by our friendly bubbly server, the chocolate brownie cake fell flat when it became evident it sat in the oven too long, so much so that a fork could hardly penetrate the cake’s edges. The second serving they brought out was better, akin to a crunchier Two Bite Brownie. The peanut butter anglaise, smeared on the plate, was fantastic.


Consider their off-menu dessert – salted caramel ice cream. It sounds plain but arrived topped with crumbled toffee and the best of the three. I guess that’s a reminder: sometimes it’s the simple things that can be the most satisfying. 

Overall mark - 7 out of 10
Is Winterlicious worth it (based on my meal selection)?
Winterlicious - $45
Regular menu - $47 - soup* ($10), beef* ($29) and dessert* ($12)
Savings - $6 or 12%

* As many dishes weren't part of their regular menu, the soup was based on wild mushroom soup, beef based on braised lamb shank and dessert a wild guess from me
How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 550 Wellington 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!

Other Gastro World posts similar to this:

Colette Grand Café - Thompson Toronto Hotel Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Cluny Bistro (Toronto)

Posted on Sunday, February 08, 2015 by
Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 35 Tank House Lane
Type of Meal: Dinner


Be prepared to take in the sights as you step into Cluny’s dining room. Wrought iron and light posts comingle with black & white gingham and creamy wood furniture. The end product leaves you feeling like you’re dining on a Parisian patio (when sitting in the middle) or in a bistro overlooking the patio (if sitting on the outskirts). For further details, including pictures, about their atmosphere check out #Parv's writeup.

Even all the dishes are charming with beautiful embroidery and a subtle “Cluny” embossed on them. Their Winterlicious menu ($35) offered many great dishes at an affordable price. The tomato and saffron braised calamari arrives hot in a stainless steel pot, wonderfully fragrant and soaking up the sauce’s flavours. Normally, I have calamari grilled or fried, but braising it changes the texture leaving it very tender and almost juicy.


I could have done without the tasteless fennel but the sauce of tomato and stewed peppers was delicious. It was perfect for dipping piece after piece of soft bread into.


The beer braised beef cheeks encapsulated so much of what I enjoy. Tender, flavourful beef that’s hearty and makes you want to close your eyes to savour the juices. The subtle zing of horseradish that hits you in an unexpected way. Roasted celeriac and beautifully caramelized brussel sprouts to calm the meatiness of the dish. And the plump grains of barley which provides just a bit of contrast against the softness of the dish.  


Perhaps it’s due to the richness of the beef cheeks but the BBQ steelhead trout was very bland in comparison. The fish was flaky and moist but lacked seasoning; the almond sauce merely seemed non-existent. The flageolet beans was also fairly lackluster and could benefit from some bacon. Only the roasted carrots showed any promise with their natural sweetness shining through.


A quintessential French dessert is the light as air profiteroles. At Cluny, they are filled with a rich chocolate and roasted hazelnut chantilly and arrives with warm chocolate sauce that you can drench on top of everything.


Thankfully, Cluny didn’t inherit the snooty French service attitude, everyone we dealt with was friendly and warm. But, what I loved most is when a restaurant offers a drink pairing with their Winterlicious menu. For an extra $20, a small light ale accompanied the calamari, a full glass of red wine helped wash down the beef cheeks and a dessert wine to sip after polishing off the profiteroles.

Cluny was certainly the Winterlicious highlight for me this year. With its lovely location in the Distillery District and the promised patio outside, I can’t wait for the weather to warm up and to go back for some brunch. 

Overall mark - 8.5 out of 10

 Is Winterlicious worth it?

As a special feature to the Winterlicious blogs, I will attempt to calculate the savings being offered (based on my meal selection). 

Winterlicious - $35

Regular menu* - $47 - calamari ($13), beef cheeks ($24) and profiterole ($10)

Savings - $12 or 26%

* In Cluny's case it's pretty hard to deduce the potential savings as most items aren't part of their regular menu; prices are based on the snail cassoulet and hunter stew
    Like the blog?  Follow me on twitter to chat and for notifications on new posts - 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!


    Estiatorio Volos (Toronto)

    Posted on Sunday, February 01, 2015 by
    Location: Toronto, Canada
    Address: 133 Richmond Street West
    Website: http://volos.ca
    Type of Meal: Dinner


    Estiatorio Volos may not be the easiest to pronounce, but once you understand what it means – an upscale Greek restaurant from Volos (a city in Greece) – the name makes sense. The dining room is spacious, tables covered in linen and the chairs comfortable. And their menu doesn’t have a skewered meat in sight, instead focusing on the seafood dishes of this port side city.

    Of course, their prices also reflect the “estiatorio” nature of the restaurant. Which makes their Winterlicious offering (refer to the “is Winterlicious worth it?” section below) even more attractive. For $35 a person, the value is one of the higher dinner savings I’ve experienced and the portions generous to match.

    The grilled Moroccan octopus appetizer was tender and meaty, where it was very lightly smoked and flavoured simply with an olive oil and balsamic dressing. The garlicky eggplant dip on the side went well with the octopus or was even better on top of a slice of warm baguette.


    We certainly got our fill of bread (a second helping was required) when adding an order of the saganaki ($12). Essentially a giant slab of kefalotyri cheese doused in ouzo and flambéed. It’s a great sight to behold with an exclamation of “Opa!” before a final squeeze of lemon finishes it off. Yes, it’s a bit cliché but certainly brings the cheerful Greek flair to a meal.


    Deliciously salty and gooey, the cheese has the consistency of mozzarella but the flavourful punch of feta. Containing a substantial portion of cheese, this is best shared amongst a table of three or more.


    The lobster kritharoto wasn’t exactly what I expected (but then I had no idea what kritharoto meant) yet was enjoyable. I loved the smooth texture of orzo mixed with chunks of sweet lobster, salty feta, more ouzo and a slightly spicy tomato sauce to give a risotto finish to the dish.  


    But our table definitely experienced food envy when we saw the lamb shank my friend ordered. It was huge and impossibly tender as it flaked apart while she tried to give us a taste. Flavourful, rich and hearty it was likely the better choice out of the main options.


    Volo’s baklava was the best I’ve ever tasted. The phyllo was crispy and retained its airiness since it wasn’t doused with syrup. Stuffed with plenty of finely chopped walnuts and pistachios the dessert was sweet and satisfying but not overly heavy.


    Volo’s mission is to deliver a sense of warm Greek hospitality and during our visit they successfully accomplished this. From taking your coat at the door and bringing wine tastings when decisions were unclear to the light hearted conversations, I got a sense of that friendliness.


    Furthermore, they have expanded my appreciation for Greek food with tasty seafood creations that doesn’t involve calamari. I will always have a love for the garlicky tzatziki yoghurt. But the salty kefalotyri cheese, meaty lamb shank and flavourful kritharoto simply didn’t need it. Sometimes it’s nice not having to eat a meal off a stick.

    Overall mark - 8 out of 10

     Is Winterlicious worth it?

    As a special feature to the Winterlicious blogs, I will attempt to calculate the savings being offered (based on my meal selection).

    Winterlicious - $35

    Regular menu - $54 - Octopus ($17), lobster kritharoto ($28)* and baklava ($9)

    Savings - $19 or 35%

    * The lobster kritharoto isn't part of their regular menu; the price based on the seafood kritharoto
      Like the blog?  Follow me on twitter to chat and for notifications on new posts - 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!




      Aria (Toronto)

      Posted on Friday, February 14, 2014 by
      Location: Toronto, Canada
      Address: 25 York Street
      Website: http://ariaristorante.ca/
      Type of Meal: Dinner


      Aria is located in Maple Leaf Square a bustling area filled with people and lights connecting to Union Station and the Air Canada Centre.  Conversely, the restaurant is a tranquil environment with soaring ceilings, spectacular light fixtures, dim lighting and hushed conversations. For me, it’s not the venue you’d visit for a quick bite before a game or concert; but, if you’re not pressed for time and money also isn’t a concern than the restaurant certainly offers a better chance at scoring a table than the rowdy Real Sports.

      During Winterlicious, Aria was offering a 3-course menu for $45 - the perfect opportunity to try this relatively expensive restaurant. Unfortunately, the dishes offered are not part of their regular menu, so if something sounds delicious you will not find it during a regular visit. However, the meal did provide an indication that their chef puts together hearty dishes which although are simple, ties together flavours quite nicely. 

      The seared scallops had a beautiful crust as you’d expect. Done a touch on the rarer side it was barely cooked throughout and quite tender. Sitting on a bed of cauliflower puree, which was smooth and creamy (anything but healthy), it worked as a nice sauce to spread onto the scallops.


      At first, I was a bit hesitant to order this appetizer on account of the raisins, pine nuts and capers described on the menu. Fruit and nuts with seafood seem like a bad combination and capers only really go well when done in moderation. I was pleasantly surprised with the finished dish; each of the elements weren’t overpowering and actually worked pretty well with the scallops. The raisins had been soaked and not overly sweet, the pine nuts also just a slight bite to it, while the capers must have been mixed into one of the purees as there wasn’t one in sight.

      While the braised veal cheek didn’t have the most impressive plating, the meat itself was absolutely delicious. Having been braised for hours it fell apart with a simple poke of the fork and simply melted in your mouth. Soft stewed chestnuts added a nice earthiness to the beef with some sweetness from the pumpkin and potato mash. For my taste, the mash was a tad too sweet as I tend to like more savoury dishes but it wasn’t a deal breaker.


      With the green chard leaves topping the veal cheek, I managed to find a piece that hadn’t wilted in the sauce and realized the chard was roasted beforehand.  This roasted piece added such a nice contrast to the meat that I wish more of them had lasted… perhaps scattering some of them around the plate rather than directly on the meat could accomplish this?

      Lastly, I ended with the bonet chocolate dessert from Piemonte (a region in Italy), following our waiter’s recommendation. The dome is a mix between a chocolate mousse and panna cotta texture and sits on a disc of chocolate cake. Sitting in a pool of butterscotch caramel with a scope of amaretto gelato beside it, the dessert was rich and decadent. Thankfully, not overly sweet dark chocolate was used for the bonet, which paired nicely with the sweet caramel sauce.


      The passion fruit panna cotta also interested me as it had pop rocks in it – who doesn’t like these little candies? Luckily for me, my friend ordered it and generously offered me a taste. Boy it was good! A nice smooth base and then ever so slightly the pop rocks activate, causing a pause while you just hold the dessert in your mouth and let the tingling feeling erupt. The coconut macaroon cookie on top was soft, chewy and not too sugary; for a person who doesn’t like dried coconut I found the macaroon quite tasty.  Alas, this dessert was the better one in my opinion – inventive, fresh and surprising. What a great way to end the meal.


      Service was professional and attentive, with wine and water glasses filled discretely without interrupting conversations.  The only inconvenience happened when I had to visit the toilet and found they were located outside in the office building which required pass card access. With no hostess at the podium, I had to interrupt a waiter who accompanied me to the door to swipe me in. For such an upscale restaurant, they should have seriously considered making their own toilets to avoid such a hassle for their guests.

      Overall, I was satisfied with my meal at Aria and surprised with the poor rating they’ve been receiving on Urbanspoon. Most visitors complain about the portion sizes (yes a bit on the smaller side), cost (indeed during non-Winterlicious periods is expensive) and overuse of salt (didn’t bother me a bit). So, I heed the warning once again – if you’re looking for a meal before a game or concert this isn’t the optimal venue. But, if you’re seeking a quiet serene environment to really focus on your guests and conversations, Aria is perfect for that. Of course, if their pricing is what’s stopping you from visiting, then there’s always Summerlicious in July!

       Is Winterlicious worth it?

       As a special feature to the Winterlicious blogs, I will attempt to calculate the savings being offered (based on my meal selection).

      Winterlicious - $45

       Regular menu - $61 - scallops* ($14), veal cheek* ($35) and bonet* ($12)

      Savings - $16 or 26%

       * All the items aren't on their regular menu; prices based on the calamari fritti, braised bison and other desserts

       Overall mark - 7.5 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
      • 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!



      CLOSED: Parts & Labour (Toronto)

      Posted on Saturday, February 08, 2014 by

      Location: Toronto, Canada

      Address: 1566 Queen Street West
      Type of Meal: Dinner

      I’ve always had the intention to visit Parts & Labour, but the commute to their ultra-Queen West location is so long that excuses to delay the visit were easily made. Still, a glance at their Winterlicious menu (and its delicious sounding options) bolstered my decision to visit; a reservation was made and a trek through the February chill commenced.


      Upon entering, the cozy wood fireplace at the entrance was an immediate warm welcome. But, after glancing at the dining room my heart sank – oh no it’s communal seating!  The dining room is a series of rectangular tables seating eight with the only other options being sitting at the bar or some four tops in the kitchen (alas these were filled). Sure, call me old fashioned or even a snob, but is it too much to want some personal space? Really, when did eating in a restaurant become a food court affair and patrons are expected to get cozy with complete strangers?


      We were brought to a table with only one other couple, so at first it didn’t seem too bad since an empty chair divided us. Unfortunately, this only lasted for 20 minutes and soon another couple was seated right in between us (in pretty tight quarters). My fellow guests noticed there were empty seats at tables further in the dining room (which never got occupied).  So, the arriving guests could have easily been seated elsewhere making the dining experience more comfortable for everyone. I can go on about this some more, but will sum it up with a warning – if you don’t like sitting beside strangers requiring you to talk over them to hear your guests, don’t visit Parts & Labour; it’s not the place for you.


      Onto the food! After all, its delicious sounding nature is what drew me to the restaurant to begin with. To start I had to try the pork belly, a dish that is absolutely delicious when done right. Luckily, Chef Matheson knows his pigs as the pork belly was great. The cut was perfect with alternating layers of fat and meat and cooked slowly so the tough skin mellowed to a nice chew. Moreover, it was rendered well so what’s left of the fat wasn’t oily but just added a nice thick richness to the meat. The sweet glaze caramelized well and went quite nicely with the tart pickled shallots. For me, I found the smooth parsnip puree too sweet to eat on its own but went well when swiped onto the pork.

      Originally, the maple-glazed cod was going to be my main. But, when the helpful waitress informed my husband that he could get the P&L burger instead I had to change my order.  And I’m so glad I did as this “best burger in Toronto” was delicious albeit an absolute mess to eat. Its brisket based patty was every ounce as juicy and full of flavour as I’d expect. But, if this weren’t enough there’s also lush caramalized onion with bacon, melted Monterey Jack cheese and mayonnaise topping it.  Really the soft milk bun could not hold it together and disintegrated in my hands; I switched over to a knife and fork to finish it off. 

      The fresh shoestring fries were also good – hot and just the right amount of seasoning so it wasn’t overly salted. Mine just kept sticking together so it’s a bit hard to eat with a burger in your hand, but certainly not a deal breaker.  

      The P&L Burger was a much better choice than the maple-glazed cod, in my opinion.  My friend offered me a taste and the overly sweet stock was not for me. Of course, it’s “maple-glazed” but I would have liked the dish to use a more savoury stock to contrast the sweetness of the glaze. If I had to eat a whole order of the cod I would have been very disappointed. Even my friend agreed that it was good for the first bite but after a while the sugariness was a bit off putting. But, if you’re a fan of sweet fish, this would be the perfect dish for you!

      If you didn’t want a burger and sugary fish also doesn’t sound appealing, perhaps the flat iron steak would be a better bet. From what I could see from the two orders that came to the table they were cooked to a perfect medium and the individuals eating it were thoroughly satisfied.

      The desserts all arrive in Mason jars, with a choice of lemon meringue pie, salted chocolate mousse or blueberry cheesecake. I opted for the later and was satisfied. The smooth cheese layer had enough flavour and went well with the graham cracker crust, while the blueberry sauce topping it had a pleasant freshness. All in all, not an outstanding dessert, but still a good ending to the meal.


      Is Winterlicious worth it?

      As a special feature to the Winterlicious blogs, I will attempt to calculate the savings being offered (based on my meal selection).

      Winterlicious - $35

      Regular menu - $37 - pork belly ($14), P&L Burger* ($15) and cheesecake* ($8)

      Savings** - $2 or 5%

      * The burger isn't on the official Winterlicious menu but otherwise I would have gotten the halibut (which based on the cod's price would also be $15).  The cheesecake isn't on their regular menu so price based on guess by me.
      ** Attempts were made to contact P&L to determine if my calculation was missing something as the savings appear dismal. No response was received so I'm assuming it's correct.  I welcome P&L to post a reply in the "comments" section should they disagree with the analysis.

      Overall mark - 6.5*** out of 10

       *** Based on the food, I would have given it a 7 but the seating situation such a turnoff that it's hard for me to say I'd return.
      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
      • 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!

        

      CLOSED: Bent revisited for Winterlicious (Toronto)

      Posted on Sunday, February 02, 2014 by
      Location: Toronto, Canada
      Address: 777 Dundas Street West
      Type of Meal: Dinner


      My first visit to Bent was back in late 2012, close to its opening.  I was pleased with my experience and their strongly flavoured dishes (read review here) with only complaints being on their service (not changing plates and offering serving utensils).


      While revisiting Bent for their 2014 Winterlicious menu ($35 for three courses), they were as busy as ever.  Service continues to be friendly and helpful with our waitress providing point on descriptions of the dishes and stepping in quickly to address some spilt wine. The food was enjoyable still incorporating Susur’s bold Asian European fusion flavours and was somewhat sharable small plate formats.

      The black pepper charred salmon arrives with a side of spicy salmon tartare, a nice contrast to the calmer seared pieces. Both were very different with the slices cooked with just a simple sear and a pepper/dill crust.  Topped with crème fraiche, a fennel relish, pumpkin seeds, pomegranate seeds and a dill vinaigrette there was a certainly a host of different textures and flavours. All in all, it works but a bit too much dill for my taste as I found the piece on the right of the plate (away from the vinaigrette) a better combination.


      Meanwhile, the salmon tartare is similar to their “tartare two ways” offering with a smooth salmon paste mixed with crunchy shallots, more dill and something briny.  A nice amount of heat is incorporated into the mixture and gave it a punch. I’ll admit, it tastes much better on top of a crispy sushi rice cake, the salty potato chips doesn’t work quite as well.

      My friend and I split our mains as the shrimp ravioli and short rib cannelloni both sounded delicious. The shrimp ravioli was an impressively presented dish with a lot going on.  The ravioli is made exactly how I like it, a higher filling to dough ratio, with light wonton skins acting as the dough and a sweet peppered shrimp paste as the filling. Nicely seared scallops topped the ravioli and rice cake / creamed swiss chard combination while a seafood tofu (?) medallion rounds off everything. All in all, this is the dish to have if you’re not going to share as there’s enough going on within it to keep things interesting and really showcases what Susur does best – mixing different ingredients, textures and flavours.




      I apologize for the disheveled looking short rib cannelloni … I forgot to snap the picture before it was split. If you’re planning to share mains with someone else, my suggestion is to have the other dish first and leave this until the end. The cannelloni is filled with robust flavours – tender pulled short rib, a rich red pepper and garlic gravy and some parsley (?) puree and gorgonzola cream. It’s a much heavier dish and reminded me of eating an enchilada. Overall, was good but, in my opinion, not as well constructed as the intricate shrimp ravioli dish… so definitely share to avoid disappointment.   


      The dessert course was a nice surprise – you don’t have to choose as you get them all! But, unlike the three dishes listed on the Winterlicious menu, it’s actually two things with the panna cotta and chocolate mousse merged into one. The table’s unanimous favourite was the crispy hot apple purse.  A cinnamon apple mixture is wrapped into a crispy phyllo pastry and topped with a warm caramel and cool cream. This is a delicious take on apple pie! Personally, I love desserts that incorporate a hot and cold element so this did not disappoint.


      On the other hand, the panna cotta and mousse was a bit too much.  With jarred desserts I usually dig right into the bottom to make sure each spoonful incorporates all the different layers of flavours, but this one just had way too much going on. At the top is a chocolate coriander mousse topped with puffed rice, which if by itself would have been quite nice with the combination of smooth mousse and crunch rice bits. The bottom half was a vanilla panna cotta topped with an apricot preserve and raspberry coulis; also had potential to be quite refreshing if served on its own.  Together though, the dessert is the chocolate and fruit blend I detest and the coriander chocolate actually added a bitter tinge to the dish. My suggestion … split this dessert into a trio; I think it would work much better.


      Is Winterlicious worth it?

       As a special feature to the Winterlicious blogs, I will attempt to calculate the savings being offered (based on my meal selection).

      Winterlicious - $35

       Regular menu - $52 - Charred salmon ($16), shrimp ravioli ($26) and dessert* ($10)

      Savings - $17 or 33%

       * The dessert price based on similar items in the menu.

       Overall mark - 7.5 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
      • 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!


      CLOSED: Far Niente (Toronto)

      Posted on Sunday, February 17, 2013 by
      Location: Toronto, Canada
      Address: 187 Bay Street
      Type of Meal: Lunch

       After having not visited the restaurant for two years, the surroundings still felt the same when walking in - comfortable banquette style tables and open layout of the dining room. This Winterlicious, I had a chance to eat here with my coworkers. Going on a Monday, they weren't overly busy and were able to keep a good serving pace. However, it still took over an hour and a half to get through the meal.

      I was skeptical about getting the roasted cauliflower soup as was afraid it would be bland, but, ordered it anyways as felt like something hot on the cold winter's day.  But, the soup was surprisingly rich with a dollop of cream mixed throughout and drizzles of hazelnut oil. Topping the soup were some salty briny bits that tasted like fried capers, which was an interesting contrast to the smooth soup base. 



      For the main I had the steak frites.  When ordering, I was surprised that the waitress didn't ask how I'd prefer the steak to be done in terms of wellness, but trusted that the chef knew best. Mine ended up being medium, a little more cooked than I normally prefer, but it was still tender and pink throughout.  The flat iron steak was a nice thick cut, which was great as sometimes restaurants slice it too thinly.

      The steak had a Spanish twist of being rubbed in a chimichurri coating.  I appreciate Far Niente trying to mix up different flavours, but would have loved to have a sauce topping the steak instead to dip the generous portion of fries into. The frites itself weren't the normal shoe string thinness of most frites, but to be fair Far Niente did warn it was "home style".  The frites, although thicker, were still crispy and hot.  The garlic ketchup accompanying the frites was light tasting and not overly garlic tasting.  Finished with some vinegary coleslaw, it was nice to have to help cut the heaviness of the meat and potatoes.




      I opted for the banana & Nutella s’more for dessert, thinking it would be a real s'more like their regular dinner menu.  But, this one was made "deconstructed" style. As always, the homemade marshmallow was great; although quite dense, it is still smooth in texture and not overly sweet. This dish included some caramelized bananas, drizzles of Nutella and caramel sauces and a sprinkling of graham crackers. All the ingredients went well together and wasn't too heavy.



      
      Is Winterlicious worth it?

       As a special feature to the Winterlicious blogs, I will attempt to calculate the savings being offered (based on my meal selection).

      Winterlicious - $20

       Regular menu - $46 - soup ($9), steak frites* ($28) and banana s'more* ($9)

      Savings - $26 or 57%

       * The steak frites and banana s'more isn't on their regular menu; prices based on the "bacon steak" and chocolate s'more

       Overall mark - 8 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
      • 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!


      Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)