Sip Wine Bar (Toronto)

Posted on Sunday, November 16, 2014 by
Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 2 Broadway Avenue
Website: http://www.sipwinebar.ca/
Type of Meal: Dinner

Newly opened on a quiet street close to Yonge and Eglinton, Sip Wine Bar already has quite the following as seen by the packed restaurant during a Saturday visit. Their décor is simplistic with wooden tables, exposed cream bricks and tons of light bulbs hanging from the ceiling. Aside from the dining room on the main floor, the restaurant offers a private dining area downstairs (with its own bar) that would be perfect for parties.

With tons of delicious sounding items on the menu, my friends and I decided to order a selection of dishes and share family style. First up was the fittura mista ($15.95) or deep fried shrimp and calamari. Arriving piping hot we couldn’t get enough of these lightly dusted nuggets of salty seafood. Of course, things that are deep fried are inherently delicious, but these shrimp and calamari were tender and didn’t feel too greasy or heavy.


On the other hand, the polpette di Luisa ($8.95) or meatballs with tomato sauce was a bit lackluster – possibly because I ate this second. Served lukewarm it didn’t have the same freshly made feel of the fittura mista; to me it seemed like they were spooned out of heating dish with spring mix tossed on the side. The meatballs and sauce itself tasted decent, but could have benefited from some cheese and/or herbs sprinkled on top.


We had to try their pizzas, given Sip’s AVPN accredited status (essentially an association that sets up regulations to ensure the standards of making Neapolitan pizza is maintained). The first was the capricciosa ($16.99) a pizza loaded with mushrooms, prosciutto, artichokes, olives, mozzarella and basil. The crust was certainly Neapolitan with the blistered pockets of dough and paper thin crust. But, the amount of tomato sauce was a bit too generous making the middle soggy and causing the ingredients to slide off when you tried to move a slice onto the plate. Nonetheless, the toppings were abundant and flavours good if you don’t mind a mushy crust.


For a white pizza (olive oil rather than tomato sauce based), we tried the funghi porcini ($18.99) which was more simplistic highlighting porcinis with mozzarella, parmigiano, tomatoes and basil. In this case there was no soggy crust but the pizza also lacked flavour. Certainly you wouldn’t want to overwhelm the pizza and cover up the porcini’s woodsy taste, but even an additional drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle of sea salt prior to serving would have been appreciated.


The gnocchi alla trevigiana ($16.95) was absolutely delicious. First off, Sip nailed the gnocchi texture I covet – soft and doughy yet still hard enough to have some bite so that it resembles pasta rather than mushy dough. Tssed a light gorgonzola cream sauce the hot pieces of gnocchi had just enough sauce to flavour it without being overly heavy. This would definitely be a dish I’d order again.


Sadly, their tiramisu was sold out by the time we arrived at the desserts.  Instead, we ordered the white chocolate cheesecake ($8.99) and the crème brulee ($9.95). The cheesecake was rich and had a great flavour – a mix of caramel and chocolate. Sip’s dessert chef does need to get the chocolate cookie base thinner; at almost ¾ inch thick we struggled to break through it so the cheesecake mixture ended up falling off. Then when it was eaten together the abundance of crust overwhelmed to smooth cheese base.


However, the cheesecake was a better choice than the crème brulee which arrived cold, had an uneven sugar crust (although in the centre was nice and thin) and the crème itself fairly watery. Again it had a nice vanilla flavour, but the execution needs some improvement.


Most of the media articles written about Sip focuses on their pizzas. But from our visit, my friends and I agree their other dishes are much better; even from scoping the table beside the lamb chop and chicken dishes looked appetizing. We were advised by our helpful waitress that Sip has a patio out front in the summer so a return visit may be in order to sample their pasta and meat dishes while enjoying a lovely summer evening outside.

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
  • 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: Bannock (Toronto)

Posted on Sunday, November 16, 2014 by
Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 401 Bay Street
Type of Meal: Dinner 
Part of the O&B group of companies, Bannock is made up of two eateries – a casual café where can grab simple dishes to eat in or go and a true sit down restaurant. The menu focuses on Canadian dishes which is really a mix of salads, meat, seafood and starches. This “Canadian” theme continues and is highlighted in the décor with tons of wood everywhere – on the walls, as the furniture and separating everything in between; just be careful what you touch as my friend got a splinter from the ramp while leaving.

When you see duck poutine pizza ($16) on a menu, it's one of those items that sparks intrigue - you want to someone to get it to see it in its glory, but whether you want to get it yourself… the gluttony of it can be overwhelming. As a happy medium, my friend and I decided to share it and that was a smart choice as it’s huge and even after eating a quarter of it, the heaviness begins to sink in.

                                           

The crust is closer to a toasted flatbread (perhaps bannock?) than an airy pizza crust. Of course, a substantial base is required as it’s topped with a fair amount of fries, cheese curds, large pieces of tender duck and smothered with gravy. All in all, it’s decent but I’d prefer to just eat the poutine on its own as the cheese curds don’t soften enough for my liking. As a warning, if you don’t like salty foods, stay away from the duck poutine pizza as it’s very heavy on the sodium.

In my opinion, the better dish of the night was the pork tenderloin special ($19). Cooked sous vide and then broiled so the skin crisps up; the pork was a great combination of tender thoroughly cooked meat, a gelatinous layer of fat and crispy salty crust. Even the sides were a delightful blend of textures and flavours - crispy salty kale, smooth sweet beet purée, soft nutty barley risotto and a sour braised & grilled onion. What a delightful dish that should definitely be added to their regular menu!

                                                          

With its central location, Bannock is a good option for reasonably priced meals for downtown worker bees and tourists alike. But whether you’ll fork over the $6 to get a basket of bread to actually try bannock (a flatbread eaten by Aboriginal Canadians)? I’ll leave that up to you.   

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
  • 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!

Bar Isabel (Toronto)

Posted on Sunday, November 16, 2014 by

Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 797 College Street
Website: www.barisabel.com
Type of Meal: Dinner 

 After earning so many “Toronto’s best restaurant” accolades, I was intrigued to visit Bar Isabel but afraid it’d be over hyped and the visit end in disillusion. Luckily, the food didn’t disappoint and the meal ended with us full and satisfied.

Upon entering, the interior reminded me more of a saloon than the Mediterranean tavern I envisioned. But, the atmosphere was undeniably informal and easy going, quickly setting anyone at ease. This is not the type of place you’d be afraid to talk loudly as the music pumps and others chatter around you.

Four would be the ideal party size, as Bar Isabel has many delicious sounding large plates (octopus and rib eye) that we would have loved to try if there wasn’t only two of us. Yet, we still found some delicious smaller dishes, the first being the pan con jamón Iberico de bellota ($16). My love affair with jamón Iberico first began in Barcelona when after sharing a plate with my husband I wondered if I would ever taste cure meat so luxurious and perfect again.

Where to even start? Such an impeccable balance of lean pork marbled with fat, which simply dissolves in your mouth leaving a rich essence rather than the slick dull fat of cured ham. The meat has the right amount of bite to it but still easily pulls apart. Yet, it’s the taste which sets it apart … difficult to describe but there’s a balanced sweetness to it and a great light aroma (which experts claim comes from the pig’s acorn diet). Certainly, such a delicacy doesn’t come cheap, but with its limited supply and the rigorous breeding and slaughtering conditions that needs to be abided by, jamón Iberico is the equivalent to the beluga sturgeon caviar or truffles of the cured meat world.

At Bar Isabel, four thin slices are laid across each crostini. Personally, I liked to slowly savour each slice on its own before ending with the crusty crostini which is laced with the remnants of the ham. Such a wonderful way to start and you should try at least once.

Bar Isabel iberico ham

The Albacore tuna tiradito ($14) was a much lighter follow-up. Raw slices of cold tuna covered with a refreshing creamy orange sauce, which was ever so lightly spiked with jalapeno juice? Topped with balls of persimmon, jalapeno and celery shavings, the sweetness, tartness and heat goes quite nicely with the neutral tuna.

Bar Isabel tuna

A large fully cooked bone marrow ($11) along with plenty of grilled sourdough bread arrives next. The fatty centre spreads like butter across the soft crunchy bread, while the chimichurri sauce on the side adds a garlicky tangy herb flavour lightening the gluttonous dish. Bar Isabel’s bread deserves to be commended, crusty and soft, and thankfully not overly charred to overpower the delicate flavours of the marrow.  For $5 you can even purchase a loaf to go!

Bar Isabel bone marrow

Although the spicy pork anticuchos ($12) didn’t look impressive, these skewers ended up packing a powerful punch in terms of flavour. The meat must have been marinated for some time and was infused with a spicy and slightly tangy essence. Although, the cube of pork fat in the middle of the skewer threw me off, it did help to keep the meat tender and moist.

Bar Isabel pork anticuchos

Our last dish was the whole sea bream ceviche ($26). Digging through the slivers of fried leeks, you’re greeted with cubes of tender, tangy ceviche mixed with creamy avocado chunks. It was fantastic, some of the best ceviche I’ve ever enjoyed. Plus, being able to pick at deep fried hot meat on the bones and sprinkling some sea salt on it made it akin to two dishes in one.

Bar Isabel sea bream ceviche

Although my husband and I were quite full after the five dishes, we couldn’t help but try the salted dark chocolate ensaimada ($7). The hot ensaimada was a denser puff pastry, reminding me of the Jewish pastry rugelach, except without a filling and airier. Accompanied by a much larger portion of salted dark chocolate ganache/mousse this dessert was certainly rich and has to be shared. I only wish the drizzles of olive oil were left off from the dessert, as it didn’t add much and made the ensaimada too oily for my liking.

Bar Isabel chocolate ensaimada

Food wise, we thoroughly enjoyed all our savoury dishes, each different and presenting us with unique tastes and flavours. For this, Bar Isabel undeniably lives up to its prestige. Where it lost marks was their choice of seating for us. Despite making reservations over a month in advance and being one of the first individuals to arrive, we were seated at a small table beside the bar and stairway. Plenty of couples entering after us were seated at much larger tables in the dining room. An even bigger insult was the two, arriving well into dinner service, that was seated beside us occupying a four top to themselves.

Restaurants who place their first customers in the “worst spots” is a pet peeve for my husband and I (also occurs at Nota Bene and the now defunct Fat Belgian). After all, why shouldn’t those who arrive on time be rewarded for their efforts? And for that, we felt a bit slighted, causing my dining experience to move from a 9 (a.k.a. “Top Pick”) to an 8.5.

Don’t get me wrong, their service was attentive and flawless with dishes arriving in a well-timed succession. It was the host/seating system that fell flat. The feeling of fairness is important and that one false start can really leave a lasting impression on diners. In the end, we’d want to return (with another couple) and try some of their other dishes, but won’t be rushing to make reservations. Who knows, maybe next time we’ll show up 15 minutes late for our seating and actually end up being treated better.

Overall mark - 8.5 out of 10


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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!

Other Gastro World posts similar to this:



Chikappa (Tokyo)

Posted on Sunday, November 16, 2014 by
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Address: 4-3-6 Chuo-ku, Ginza (Nagoya Chamber of Commerce Hall 1F)
Website: https://www.facebook.com/pages/%E3%81%8A%E5%8F%96%E3%82%8A%E5%AF%84%E3%81%9B%E3%83%90%E3%83%BC%E3%83%ABChikappa-GINZA/325180354274159?id=325180354274159
We wandered into Chikappa by chance after walking around Ginza and wanting to stop for a break. With its cheerful exterior Chikappa seemed welcoming and hence we entered and found a charming Italian restaurant. With reasonably priced craft beers and wines from around the world – I had a decent cabernet sauvignon for ¥500 – there’s great options for anyone.


On their other hand, their food tended to be pricier in relation to drinks. We ordered some appetizers to tide us over before dinner, the first dish a cheese plate (¥1,200). Containing a luxurious black pepper goat cheese, creamy brie and salty cheddar there was a nice combination of textures and flavours. If only there were more than just two slices of bread for so much cheese.


Wanting some vegetables, we ordered a simple cucumber and tomato (¥680) with a thick miso dipping sauce. Although it was plain, the vegetables were fresh and a great quality. For some reason it tasted really good to me after not having many North American type vegetables.



Overall, even though we just stopped by for a snack and drinks, my husband and I were happy with the experience and would recommend it if you’re looking for a resting place in Ginza.

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: La Creole (Toronto)

Posted on Sunday, November 16, 2014 by
Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 810 St. Clair Avenue West
Type of Meal: Dinner
La Creole, a new restaurant to land in St. Clair West, brings the taste of Haitian Creole cuisine to Toronto. Given my friends and I are visiting New Orleans soon, La Creole sounded like the perfect way to introduce ourselves to the Louisiana food culture. After viewing the menu and doing some research, it appeared I was a bit misinformed – Haitian and Louisiana Creole are influenced by the same French and Latin flavours but not identical. Hence, you won’t find jambalaya, gumbo or shrimp & grits here.

The ceilings are draped with white linen while booth seats contained accent pillows, giving the restaurant a toned down Sultan’s Tent feel. Lively music was played throughout the restaurant, but alas no one started dancing in the stage area at the back. However, the relaxed jovial atmosphere certainly put me in a good mood for the food to come.

Almost everyone gets a plate of their le plate fritay (small for $12 and large for $18; large portion pictured below).  Essentially, it translates into a plate of assorted deep fried items. La Creole’s arrives with numerous pieces of malanga root fritters, codfish fritters, marinad (deep fried dough) and tostones (fried plantain patties).


Although they look similar, each offers its own unique flavours and textures. The malanga root fritters were the crunchiest given the little slivers that come through the batter and fry on its own. Although the starch look like taro, its texture is lighter and reminded me spaghetti squash. The taste of dried cod shown through in the codfish fritters but the consistency a tad mushy for my taste. Meanwhile, the marinad were surprisingly flavourful despite only being fried pieces of dough; not oily at all they were light and fluffy with a great savoury taste. Our table agreed the fried plantain were dry and bland, I had to put a fair amount of pikliz on it to make it edible.
Accompanying the fritay was a light refreshing watercress yoghurt dip and pikliz (a spicy vinegar based coleslaw). 

For the amount of food, there was way too little dip and upon asking for an extra portion were charged $4. Certainly, the price isn’t astronomical, but why the large fritay has the same helping of condiments as the small to begin with was baffling.

Every main came with a helping of black bean rice, tostone and a handful of spring mix. Ben, the owner of the restaurant, had suggested we order the fried snapper ($23). Indeed, the dish looks impressive with a whole snapper arriving upright and showed promise with a tomato and spicy heat coming from the creole sauce. But, the fish needed more sauce as it was a bit overdone and dry. I’d imagine the stewed version would likely taste better (at the very least more flavourful and tender), but perhaps not as exciting looking.  


The ratatouille ($12) was a complete miss, in my opinion. Perhaps it’s because the creole sauce on the snapper and chicken were so packed with spices, but the ratatouille seemed extremely bland in comparison. Despite the menu proclaiming it containing spinach, eggplant, zucchini, cabbage and carrots, all I could taste were carrots (for those who know me, these are one of my least favourite vegetables). In the end, the dish just tasted like unseasoned stewed carrots, which personally wasn’t appealing. What I liked most was the side of black bean rice, which was quite delicious (a sticky consistency, but each grain of rice still defined).


Lastly, was the creole roasted chicken ($14), the best of the mains. Packing the most flavour of all the dishes and the meat nice and tender, we should have just ordered the larger version which feeds two for $23.


Opened in mid-March, by mid-April more training is required for staff members. Despite having only 15 items on the menu, our waiter couldn’t point out what each item on the plate of fritay were. When asked what pepper was used to spice the pikliz, that question couldn’t be answered as well. Of course, not every staff member may know all the ingredients, but at the very least they should offer to ask the chef and find out. Don’t get me wrong, service was friendly and attentive, but as a curious minded patron the lack of knowledge wasn’t helpful and doesn’t give me much confidence.

Perhaps my taste buds have been westernized by the Louisiana styled dishes, but I was expecting bold flavours and tendered stewed meats. Aside from the pikliz and creole chicken none of them really reached that level. All in all, I found the food decent but not something I’d want to have again.

Overall mark - 6 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!



The Carbon Bar (Toronto)

Posted on Sunday, November 16, 2014 by
Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 99 Queen Street East
Website: http://thecarbonbar.ca/
Type of Meal: Dinner
You won’t find gingham tablecloths, tin foil platters or uncut hunks of meat here. The Carbon Bar is refined with linen napkins, plate changes and meat cut into fork friendly portions. Between courses the table is wiped clean so all evidence of dripped sticky sauce is erased with it.

The dining room is surprisingly spacious with soaring ceilings, adequately spaced tables and minimalistic décor. Want to throw a “family” BBQ without messing up your home? The Carbon Bar offers a private room on the second floor that can hold 30-50 people.

Without a doubt, beer goes with BBQ and the Carbon Bar has plenty of that. But for the refined BBQ aficionados, fancy handmade cocktails are also available to swig back with meat platters. A refreshing spring soother ($16), tequila based with an elderflower syrup (?) and splash of citrus was a lighter drink complementing our appetizer. The C2 colada ($16) was the better choice. With a hefty portion of rum it’s stronger tasting but finishes nicely with a creamy coconut water.


With the sheer amount of meat to come, we decided to start with something lighter. The Hamachi ($14) fit the bill with cubes of delicate cool fish, sweet clementine, crisp pear and cherry tomatoes all melded together with kombucha vinegar and sesame oil. The dish was flavourful, simple and energizing; a great choice for the warmer months. I thoroughly enjoyed the sesame oil added to the dish that gave it a nice finish on the palate.


The pit master platter ($27 per person with a minimum order of two people) seemed like too much food for us. Instead, we shared an order of the pork ribs ($19) and beef brisket ($19). Both were delicious, but for me the beef brisket stood out just a bit more. It started off with a great cut of beef; in between the meat was a thin cap of fat that soaked into the beef to keep it moist throughout the cooking process. Although it had been slow smoked (same as the pork ribs) the smokiness wasn’t overpowering, just enough for you to get the essence of it. Served with a sweet molasses (?) BBQ sauce it was a good plate.


The pork ribs were equally tender but didn’t seem as smoked as the brisket. I have to commend the Carbon Bar’s butcher because the meat was another great cut. Too often ribs are either too fatty or lean, this one had just enough fat to add flavour but not too much that you felt the need to cut it off. Additionally, you could taste the pork but it didn’t have a strong “hog” smell to it, which can be such a turnoff. The rib’s sauce was much tangier; a bit sour for my taste so I opted to use the brisket’s sauce instead.


Some reviews from other diners had noted their meat was dry and/or bland. Our ribs and brisket were definitely not dry, but as for the taste? I wouldn’t say it’s bland, perhaps not as saucy as other ribs, but this is due to the Carbon Bar’s cooking style. Their menu warns about the simplicity of the preparation - that meat is rubbed only with salt and black pepper and then placed in the smoker, no sauce is applied through the cooking process.

Admittedly I’m not a huge BBQ connoisseur but when the cut of beef or pork is this good, shouldn’t you want to actually taste the meat? Afterwards, if you want to douse it with sauce than that’s what the sauce on the side is for. Of course, since the meat wasn’t basted during the cooking process, you won’t find a thick barque around it (there’s no layer of hardened caramelized sauce). So, as a warning, if you like sticky ribs and well crusted brisket then the Carbon Bar may not be the place for you.

We really enjoyed the collard greens ($5) which helped stave off the meat sweats. The sauce was tomato based but had a great zing of spice that hits you at the end. Not being a fan of mushy vegetables, I was glad that the stalks of the collard greens retained some level of crispness.


To end we shared the banana toffee cream pie ($16) and it was delicious. Comprised of a crispy shortbread crust, softened bananas pieces and light whipped cream, the dessert was satisfying but not too heavy. Interestingly, the toffee was cut into thick cubes and sat on the bottom of the crust; it wasn’t sticky or overly sweet and almost had a rich ice cream like consistency. All in all, I was quite happy with the reduced sugar levels and abundance of banana, you could almost trick yourself to think it was healthy if it were not for the buttery crust.


Kiri, our server, was extremely friendly and attentive. Consequently, you still get that small town charm despite the cloth napkins and real cutlery. The crowd also has a jovial atmosphere to it; as the night went on the groups got a little rowdier and soon cheers and laughter rang throughout the restaurant. But, the noise level was always bearable given the well regulated music level and the large space. In the end, my experience at Carbon Bar was enjoyable and perhaps will round up a larger group of people to try their pit master platter.

 Since the above visit I've returned to the restaurant and tried some other items. Read about it at my other post.

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: Splendido Revisited for Brunch (Toronto)

Posted on Sunday, November 16, 2014 by
Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 88 Harbord Street
Type of Meal: Brunch


Having only been to Splendido for Winterlicious dinner, it was great to be able try something completely different – brunch. Unlike most places, they take reservations and offer a luxurious and leisurely experience. Their “two-course” brunch menu is a standard $35.

The first shared spread really embodies bringing the tastes of breakfast and lunch together. For lunch, the board is filled with cheese, cured ham, terrine, pickled vegetables, olives and a savoury parfait (a chicken liver mousse with blueberry compote during our visit). Whereas breakfast is showcased in the basket of carbs - mini cranberry scones, croissants, pain au chocolate (chocolate croissant) and a soft crusty bread arrives alongside butter, flavoured whipped cream cheese and tomato preserve to spread across them.

The rectangular slabs of terrine were delicious, the fattiness and saltiness well balanced so it wasn’t too heavy for the first meal of the day. Of course, the juicy grainy mustard was a great addition and I could have easily just eaten that with bread. Similarly, the thinly sliced cured ham was salty and fresh and great that it was non-waxy. The sole meat product that was too strong for my taste was the chicken liver parfait – but it’s a personal preference as I’ve never been a fan of liver and my friends enjoyed it. Lastly, the small bowl of pickled vegetables and olives helped cleanse the palette after all the meat, cheeses and greasy carbs.


A big scone lover I was a bit disappointed with the small sized ones from Splendido - truly they should be categorized more as a cookie than scone. Although they were flavourful and buttery, it lacked the fluffy centre that makes scones so delicious. Generally, I’m not one to shy away from butter but the greasiness of the croissant turned me off… sure butter is nice but when it soaks into all the flaky layers so that the middle sort of sticks together when you bite into it, that is too much. Needless to say none of us actually needed the pats of butter on the board. The crusty bread was more up my alley since I actually got to use the delicious cream cheese and light refreshing preserve with it.


When they called to confirm our reservation, Splendido asked about eating restrictions and special occasions. So, they also had a plate of soft buffalo mozzarella and sliced avocado ready for my vegetarian friend. Having snuck a taste of the cheese it was soft and fresh – what a commendable personalization for guests!


After the platter had some time to sink in, it was whisked away and our second course arrived. The mussels and frites intrigued me and having recently had a great experience at Beer Bistro a couple of weeks earlier, I was looking forward to having them again. Splendido’s cooking liquid/sauce was simple with shallots, fennel, merguez (a type of sausage) and white wine. It needed a bit more flavour, I had saved a piece of bread to dip into the broth and found it relatively bland.


Moreover, if this is an item they plan on serving into the future it’d be nice to invest in the proper dishes – a deep pot for the mussels to keep them warm (mine quickly cooled with the shallow dish) and smaller bowls for discarding shells would be nice. All in all, they weren’t horrible. The mussels were a good size with a hefty portion of them and the fries piping hot, crispy and delicious, so with a couple of changes the dish could easily be improved.

By the second course I was getting full so didn’t even want to eat off everyone else’s plates so the comments of the dishes below are based off observation and my friends’ comments.

The open face lobster sandwich ($5 supplement) mixes in fairly hefty chunks of lobster with avocado puree and celery. The mayonnaise incorporates ginger and tarragon giving it a nice fresh taste, which was needed to cut through the buttery grilled cheese style bread. I did have one of the black pepper and lime potato chips but really couldn’t taste any of the seasoning; these were okay but the fries much better.


Not much was said about the Cumbrae’s flank steak and eggs except that the pat of beurre de Paris (a compound butter) was a nice addition. From what I could see, the steak was cooked to a decent medium doneness. Having had a taste of the side kale salad it was dressed lightly and sweetened with some dried cranberries.


Somehow it never seems to be brunch without eggs benedict, a tried and true favourite. Splendido switches out the ham with a choice of smoked salmon or avocado. My friend commented that the English muffin the eggs were sitting on top was very crispy. The poached eggs also seemed to be expertly prepared and simply oozed as it was cut into.




Our service that morning was as impeccable as my dinner experience a year earlier. Brunch also seems to be a popular sitting for the restaurant with almost all the tables occupied by the end of our meal. So if you’re in the mood for a two hour decadent brunch, Splendido could be the place for you. 

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: Fabbrica (Toronto)

Posted on Sunday, November 16, 2014 by
Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 49 Karl Fraser Road
Type of Meal: Brunch
For Mother's Day my husband and I wanted to treat our mothers to lunch (without the work) and after the McEwan All Access event, Fabbrica seemed like a perfect choice. Located at the outdoor mall, the Shops on Don Mills, the area was bustling on the sunny day with people sitting on patios and mingling around on the square of AstroTurf in the centre of the mall.

Inside Fabbrica the sunlight shrunk away and you’re transported into a rustic homey environment. We were seated in a small room off of the dining room, beside the meat curing room and complete with a humongous mirror. We enjoyed the cozy and comfortable atmosphere and was glad that Fabbrica doesn’t cram in tables; we received a large one for our group and had more than enough space separating us and the nearest table.

Sticking with my normal frittata ($17), Fabbrica’s was piping hot and contains large pieces of artichoke and roasted tomatoes. The menu noted it also contained fontina cheese but I couldn’t taste it and actually found it seemed to be lacking something – maybe a stronger goat cheese would stand out better. However, there was plenty of shaved parmesan which melted onto the top of the fluffy frittata. Served with a side of lightly dressed arugula salad, a fair portion of hash browns and wonderfully toasted, chewy and oiled ciabatta bread this was a substantial meal.


My husband’s short rib hash ($16) had succulent pieces of tender short ribs along with two beautifully poached eggs that simply oozed onto everything combining with the meat gravy. This dish had some nice flavors and the sauce was perfect for dipping pieces of bread into – my husband’s dish was pretty much spotless by the end of the meal. If only the potatoes were cooked longer or better yet substituted with toasted hash browns the dish would be even better. The potatoes were just done but lacked the fluffiness you’d want with hash. The fried hash browns, that accompanied most other meals, would have held up nicely with the short rib liquid yet be softer on the inside.


Having managed to sneak a piece of the flank steak from the steak and eggs ($18), it was surprisingly tender and the salsa verde topping it adding some freshness. With a fairly substantial portion of meat, two eggs, potatoes and the customary toasted ciabatta this is another dish for the hungry.


Although I didn’t get a chance to try the fluffy lemon ricotta pancakes ($14) with blueberries & whipped mascarpone and the Fabbrica benny made of poached eggs placed on cheese crumpets with prosciutto in place of ham, they certainly looked delicious. Our parents who ordered it certainly seemed to enjoy it as their plates were also cleaned.


Some lighter fruit desserts were offered during brunch. Although I’m not a fan of rice pudding, I tried a spoon of the strawberry rhubarb rice pudding ($11). Made with Arborio rice, mixed with a refreshing strawberry rhubarb syrup and topped with aged balsamic vinegar it was a nice combination of flavours and textures. For me, I found the grains of rice too pronounced but understand many individuals enjoy it when the creamy rice layer isn’t too mushy.


The lemon trifle ($11) packed a powerful punch. On the bottom a piece of sponge cake soaked everything up. Layered on top were a substantial amount of sweet lemon curd, tons of stewed blueberries and crunchy olive oil streusel bits (similar to what tops fruit crumble). I was disappointed, I generally love trifle, but found the lemon curd overpowering and extremely sweet for a dish that’s normally fresh and light. Moreover the layers were too thick so it was very hard to get a spoon of everything at once. In the end, if there were more layers, less lemon curd and more cake & whipped cream the dessert may be more balanced. 



 All in all, it was a successful Mother's Day brunch and we agreed it was a wonderful experience. While visiting the restroom, we couldn’t help but walk past the wood-burning oven and found the smell of cooking pizzas intoxicating.  A return visit may be in order to try out their pizza and Nona's ravioli, both which sounded very tempting but just a tad heavy for the first meal of the day.

Overall mark - 7 out of 10
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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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