With
all the buzz about Grey Gardens, Jen Agg's new co-owned restaurant, I knew I'd
have to go. Having never been to Black Hoof, due to their no reservations
policy (Grey Gardens, thankfully, accepts them), it’d be my chance to
experience the creations of a restauranteur I’ve only heard about for so long.
I admire her do-things-my-way attitude and outspokenness of the gender
inequality issues within Toronto’s hospitality industry. Finally, I’d taste
what people wait in line for.
Browsing
through their whimsical website, where the staff descriptions are so candid and
funny, I thought for sure this would be the place for me. I like restaurants
with good food, but skip the frou frou I’m-too-fancy-for-you
attitude; Grey Garden’s laid back jokiness seems like they would welcome all
walks of life. But then, after one dinner, I'm not so sure that they really care about their diners' comfort ... sure they’re not snobby, but it's
definitely not a place that makes you want to sit and stay (I’ll expand at the
end of the post).
Thankfully,
the kitchen makes good food. The chefs really know how to combine flavours and
textures to create an interesting dish that’s not fussy. Indeed, I was glad to
see co-owner Chef Mitchell Bates at the pass of the open kitchen, commanding in
a quiet and serious manner. These dishes are coming out right.
Although
the chips in the smoked fish chips ‘n’ dip ($13) looked overdone, when combined
with the rich fish, the stronger earthy potato flavor of the chip went so
nicely with the creamy fish, it certainly didn’t get lost. To balance out the
stronger flavours were bits of red onion and chives - each bite ends with a
lovely zippiness.
Dig
into the sea of crunchy vegetable bits and you’ll find cubes of delicate raw
scallop ($16) sitting in a silky crema on the bottom. The dish is crunchy and
smooth, slightly spicy but mellows out with the creama, and overall refreshing.
A similar contrast exists with the snow pea ($16) salad where slices of squid
lay throughout combining the soft oceany meat with crisp raw peas. Eat it by
itself and then add a bit of the citrusy aioli on the side, the creamy sauce
completely changes the taste of the slightly peppery salad.
Grey
Garden’s seafood focused menu continues to impress with the shrimp and spinach
($24), which is surprisingly strong compared to the simple menu description.
The large sweet shrimp are tossed into a lovely buttery sauce that has a hint
of garlic but not as overwhelming as scampi. Whereas the previous seafood
starters were light and refreshing, this dish is rich and comforting.
Even
the sunchokes ($22) incorporate large flakes of salted cod giving the well
roasted root vegetables interest. Given the sunchokes have a more
full-bodied flavor, it’s also paired with a creamy sauce and pieces of black
olive, which can hold up against the starch.
The
noodles in the alkaline ($24) were
fresh and chewy, covered in a wonderful salty yuzu kosho sauce. An abundance of clams and diced octopus helped to
add a meatiness to the dish. For a pasta, it’s a rather small portion so you
can easily have a bowl of the alkaline and smaller plates to make a full meal. It
was delicious and I could have easily devoured a bowl to myself.
Compared
to the other dishes, the pickerel ($28) was the most “normal”. The filet was
simply seared and arrives with a lovely golden crust, while the sides are well
balanced - English peas a bright spring addition compared to the earthiness of
the morels and fingerling potatoes.
If you
couldn’t tell already, the food is wonderful, there wasn’t anything I didn’t enjoy
that evening. Therefore, it pains me to say I can’t recommend Grey Gardens as
its environment was just so uncomfortable.
Despite
making reservations two months in advance, our table of five was squished into
a table of four – if we weren’t petite there’s no way we’d fit. To make matters
worse, the tables are already so close together that it was even difficult to
have our purses on the bench with us.
Moreover, if everyone’s going to be packed like sardines, at least invest in adequate air conditioning - it was sweltering with the open kitchen. Who knows, maybe it’s Grey Garden’s way of giving diners a taste of the conditions their chefs endure. Believe me, I know your jobs aren't easy and respect and admire everything it takes to create such tasty dishes. I don’t need to sweat through my dress to appreciate your craft!
Moreover, if everyone’s going to be packed like sardines, at least invest in adequate air conditioning - it was sweltering with the open kitchen. Who knows, maybe it’s Grey Garden’s way of giving diners a taste of the conditions their chefs endure. Believe me, I know your jobs aren't easy and respect and admire everything it takes to create such tasty dishes. I don’t need to sweat through my dress to appreciate your craft!
The
search description on their website notes, “You can never be all things to all
people, but you can make a restaurant that meets all your needs, and maybe
other people's too.” I’m not demanding person, but focusing on a restaurant’s
need to generate revenue (by packing seats into small real estate) and lower
operating costs (by skimping on air conditioning), doesn’t create something
that will meet other people’s needs too.
Who
knows, maybe if I went under different
conditions - in the winter, with only a table for two, and reserving a seating
as soon as the restaurant opens (so the heat and crowds haven’t built up) - I
may have glowing reviews about Grey Gardens. However, without ideal conditions,
the food isn't good enough to warrant eating in such an uncomfortable
environment. In this day and age, there are tons of great Toronto restaurants
where I can get fantastic fare and not subject myself to being cramped and
sweaty.
Overall mark - 7 out of 10
How To Find Them
Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 199 Augusta Avenue
Address: 199 Augusta Avenue
Website: http://greygardens.ca/
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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!
Is That It? I Want More!
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