Buca (Toronto)

Posted on Saturday, February 20, 2016 by
Buca Toronto

Buca, an Italian restaurant tucked in the end of an alley down King West, has been racking up accolades as being a top Toronto restaurant. Having visited when it first opened in 2010, I recall having a well-executed plate of pasta yet wasn’t blown away. “Maybe I didn’t order the right dish?” I keep thinking as praise for Buca continues. With that in mind, I ventured back with friends who love to share in tow.

In a ravenous carb eating mood, the gnocco fritto ($7) sounded enticing: pillows of Tuscan spiced dough, which you’re advised to slit open and dump a translucent slice of lardo into. As the warmth from the dumpling envelopes the lardo, the cured pork fat begins to melt combining a light slickness to the slightly sweet crispy and chewy dough.


Be careful when approaching the nodini ($6) - hot bread knots sitting in a pool of olive oil, rosemary and garlic. Images of soft chewy garlic bread comes to mind, but when you actually try to stab one of these suckers you realize the crust is crispy and hard … one false step and the nodini could easily end up at the neighbouring table. Eating with your hands is recommended so that you can enjoy this aromatic dish while it’s hot. They’re good but anything slathered in garlic oil generally is.


The last appetizer consisted of the cavolfiori carbonara ($10), well roasted cauliflower florets whose smokiness melds into a rich cheesy carbonara sauce. The raw egg yolk is mixed into the hot clay dish tableside releasing an intoxicating smell. For a person who’s sick of all the cauliflower gracing menus, Buca’s version was delicious and worth ordering again.


Coming back to try Buca’s famed bigoli ($21) for a second time, I’ve finally narrowed down why it threw me off. Certainly, there’s nothing wrong with the thick chewy strands of freshly made duck egg pasta. Nor was the duck offal ragu repulsive. But, what’s unsettling is the combination of Venetian spices and mascarpone that makes the sauce taste like butter chicken. It’s tasty, but not exactly Italian?


In a city filled with great authentic pizza places, Buca can still compete amongst the fray. Their soppressata ($24) had a lovely evenly cooked golden crust and the crisp bottom allowed slices to withstand holding plump Calabrese sausage and plenty of sauce. Although the pizza had heat, it wasn’t overly spicy and was balanced with sweet cipollini onions.


In interviews, Chef Gentile stresses the importance of using quality ingredients and to keep it simple. For me, the brassato ($32) was an excellent example of such a dish. Served off the bone, the beef rib was well braised and moist without relying on fatty bits.


Moreover, I appreciated that it wasn’t overly salted, rather served with a delicate tomato sauce so the beef’s flavouring still stood out. The stone-milled polenta on the bottom had the texture of grits, the rustic-vibe complimenting the heavier beef perfectly.

Although I love tiramisu, I’m glad Buca is expanding our palettes; the migliaccio ($14) is so different from all desserts gracing menus across Toronto! And after a heavy meal, the fluffy lemon ricotta cake such a great way to finish off. On top of the light sponge cake were tons of juicy figs, dollops of chestnut cream and crushed crunchy cookies. The Amaro Lucano, a digestive liqueur, added a mild herbal bitterness to keep the cake from becoming overly sweet.


As a parting gift, we each received an amaretti morbidi, a chewy almond cookie that I enjoyed with tea the following morning.


I’ll admit it, even after a second more substantial meal, I don’t get the hype over Buca. Don’t get me wrong, the food is delicious and I appreciate the quality ingredients, non-fussy presentations and selections that rise above meatballs and marinara.

I want to drink the Koolaid that Chef Gentile’s serving (have you seen the man’s photos?), but the overall experience just isn’t as mind-blowing as the accolades make the restaurant out to be.

Overall mark - 7.5 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 604 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!

Other Gastro World posts similar to this:

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

An InstaMeet at Infuse Cafe (Toronto)

Posted on Wednesday, February 17, 2016 by

Rest assured fellow readers, for me, blogging will always come first. Meaning photographs are snapped quickly (and without staging) to ensure food is consumed at its optimal temperature. With that said, over the last year, I’ve started dabbling in the Instagram realm (@gastroworldblog), as a means of showcasing the photos I’m most proud of or others that will never be included in a post. 

What I love most about this second social media platform, is the sense of community and feedback you receive. People are quick to give kudos and there’s so much interaction in the comments field! Even though it doesn’t showcase Gastro World’s writing very well, it has allowed me to connect with a new group of foodies.

@FeedMyPhone hosted an Insta Meet at Infuse Café’s new location inside the Gerrard Square Mall. The perfect opportunity to meet the people behind the photos that entice me; a collection of individuals who love food photography and their friends (often relegating to holding objects and pouring with a slow grace). To watch the true photographers at work – the equipment (a far cry from my iPhone) and the care they take to ensure things are placed optimally – was eye opening.

Truth be told, my attention was quickly stolen by the high tech gadget used to vacuum extract tea and coffee using reverse atmosphere infusion (are any engineers reading this?). These machines end up costing $20K+ after being installed and requires a special technician flown from San Francisco to get the job done. Infuse Café is the only establishment in the country that has the right to use the machine for the next couple of years.  


So what does a machine that costs as much as an entry level car get you? For tea, a richer tasting cup without the bitterness as the machine doesn’t use scalding water, which unfortunately can sometimes scorch the leaves. For coffee, a cup of java that has 15% more caffeine! The fruit flavours in the blueberry hibiscus iced tea ($3.99/16oz and $4.49/20oz) was prevalent so that the drink could almost be juice. Meanwhile, the classic milk tea (same price as hibiscus) did offer a robust tea flavour without the bitter end note.


Personally, I would have loved to try iron goddess of mercy (or tae guan yum), normally ordered at at dim sum, in order contrast the tea naturally. After all, what should high quality tea made with a specialized machine really taste like? For those who want something luxurious, Infuse offers milk latte versions of their drinks and most can be ordered in a hot or cold form (with no additional charge for making it cold)! Their teas range from $3.49 for a 16oz yerba mate blend to $8.99 for a 20oz cup of their “prestige” line such as the Silver Needle.

A variety of cakes from Cecilia’s Cheesecakes, which can normally be purchased at Infuse, was also tasted at the event. Their original cheese cake ($10) was just as satisfying as Uncle Tetsu’s and the matcha, chocolate or orange flavoured versions ($15) tasty as well. 


But, it was the matcha ganache cheesecake ($18) that was my favourite, combining the fluffy lightness of a Japanese cheesecake with a sweet icing to really make it dessert. It was so good I purchased a personal-sized version ($4) for my husband.


While learning about the machine, we were advised it could even make cocktails – morphing the alcohol to make it sweeter. Oh boy, when Infuse Café becomes the next Starbucks and gets their liquor license, that would be something I’m most excited to try. Just imagine the state of the attendees of an Insta Meet after a couple of those...
How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 1000 Gerrard St. E (inside the Gerrard Square Mall)

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Is That It? I Want More!

Other Gastro World posts similar to this:

Infuse Cafe Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Alo Restaurant (Toronto)

Posted on Monday, February 15, 2016 by
Alo restaurant
A tiny doorway leading to an “exotic” piercing parlour is your first step to entering Alo. You’ll realize you’re in the right spot when the narrow hallway leads to a hostess that’s there to greet, check-in and call down the antiquated elevator. Alo’s third floor dining room is a complete difference: swathed in shades of grey with a polished charm (for anyone who’s visited Geranium, they feel similar).

Tilting at Windmills and Armagnac Old Fashioned (each $15)
French gougères charms the tongue, prepping it for the rich foods to come. The creamy cheese filling spiked with jalapeno that’s mellowed by a sweet brûlée crust on the pastry.


The five-course meal ($89; extra $65 for wine pairings) actually turns into ten dishes served at a reasonable pace (we had a two-hour meal). Diners are offered a choice of two dishes for each course – one rich and the other sounding a touch lighter.

Bowls of foam and cream start each segment: for the savoury courses, a smooth broccoli cream studded with crumbles from the vegetable’s florets. Yet it was the tart lemon foam that ends with a ginger sting that’s most unexpected and revitalizing. The dish would have worked so well after the second course, the snails, to cleanse the taste buds before the seafood dish.    


The aged ribeye carpaccio was beautiful and intricate. Rolls of seared tender beef tongue, crispy nuggets of bone marrow and finely chopped beef tartare sat atop the thinly slice raw ribeye, what a feast for meat lovers. Lightly pickled onions, grainy mustard, crispy rind and dots of aioli are also scatted throughout so each bite presented a different taste or texture. What a fantastic start!


In a heartbeat I’d trade my dessert for another pain au lait, the hot milk bread presented in buttery soft layers and capped with a shiny salty crust. Our server advised the bread was made with the leftover buttermilk from their house churned butter, the condiment having a slightly sour taste to balance the opulent bread. Alo, please open up a bakery and sell these… I NEED another one.


The emulsified parsley sauce gives the Burgundy snails a Ninja Turtle glow but the dish is good, the tender neutral snails flavoured with sweet black garlic and onions. With the cream sauce it’s a heavy dish, so unless you really want to indulge, I’d suggest ordering the alternative (pine nuts with celery root) and sharing.


One dish you’re not going to want to share is the Nova Scotia lobster, the de-shelled claw meat so sweet and succulent. A protein so often served with butter and cheese, at Alo it’s instead paired with butternut squash and earthy hazelnuts (as a sauce and pieces) that surprisingly works. It was delicious, but then again, it’s hard to go wrong with lobster.


It was the meat course where my husband and I finally deviated. Him enjoying the Provimi veal tenderloin that’s accompanied with tender braised cheek, chewy pan fried sweetbreads that were delicious, various cauliflower garnishes and a great swiss chard relish.


The Muscovy duck didn’t disappoint, the skin crisp and relatively rendered. The meat was kept rare and since the winter fowl was capped with a good layer of fat, remained juicy and moist. On the side, a piece of the duck leg made confit style and rutabaga served as leaves and in a sauce combined with white chocolate.


To start desserts, the second cream and foam bowl. In this case, vanilla ice cream with a sweet foam and a crisp salty sunchoke chip to transition the taste buds from salty to sweet.


The second dessert was my favourite of the three: cool ice cream combined with coffee, crunchy walnuts and discs of Dulcey chocolate, which has a great buttery undertone.


Ending with the actual dessert course (carrot cake or parfait as our choices). We both opted for the interesting sounding sea buckthorn and Earl Grey tea parfait. It’s an underwhelming ending, the aromatic tea non-existent, so it’s closer to ice cream rolled in cookie crumbs.


The service at Alo is an interesting mix of French elegance and Canadian charm. The crisp cotton shirts, suspenders and sockless oxfords the servers were dressed in so effortlessly chic. If only I could pull off the ensemble!

Moreover, with the open kitchen, what a treat to see Chef Patrick Kriss front and centre at the pass, ensuring no dish was presented without his approval. He’s serious but calm, so don’t expect a Hell’s Kitchen freak out to occur at Alo. Call me old fashioned, but it’s refreshing to know an Executive 
Chef is actually overseeing the kitchen’s operations.

With my love for tasting menus, a return visit will inevitably occur. I wonder what the warm weather will bring. Hopefully, another set of tasty, beautiful but not overly fussy dishes.  

Overall mark - 9 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 163 Spadina 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:

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


CLOSED: Smith Restaurant (Toronto)

Posted on Sunday, February 14, 2016 by
Smith Toronto
Smith’s décor, much like sister restaurant Wish, is swathed in rustic elegance and has memorable eclectic details. How could I ever forget the pomegranates held in an enormous cast iron ladle gracing the middle of the table? The large picture book sitting in the corner that you had to ensure was a safe distance from the lit candelabra? Or the fact it took over a minute of circling the communal sink in the washroom before I realized to operate the bloody contraption there were small pedals on the floor...at the back?


Being a smaller restaurant, the service was a touch faster than the snail-like pace of Wish; there wasn’t the excruciatingly long wait times between courses. A meal in itself, the French onion soup came in a traditional vessel engulfed in cheese - the dish will surely excite any dairy lover. Although delicious, the sheer amount of it sometimes becomes too much as after a few spoons it feels like you’re eating the cheese rather than enjoying the actual soup.


The broth itself was adequately flavoured, decent amounts of caramelized onions gracing the bottom and the soup’s saltiness well balance to not cover their sweetness.  The thick round of toasted bread on top was delicious.

Even though the steak was cooked to the requested medium rare and adequately seasoned, the meat was sitting atop my favourite part of steak frites… the FRIES. Sure, it could help with the dish’s presentation by elevating the meat in the cast iron skillet, but NEVER at the expensive of ruining the fries. What could have been crispy delicious pieces of potato heaven (they were nice from the ones I could salvage around the side) was rendered into a soggy mushy oily mash, resembling what accompanies Swiss Chalet delivery.


With all the desserts sounding delicious, I was in luck when my friends agreed we had to order everything and share! The apple crumble was served hot allowing the cinnamon sugared oats to waft out a lovely aroma. There were tons of apples and a big scoop of cooling vanilla ice cream on top.


Despite being a tad watery, the lemon tart had a smooth sweet citrus custard and a crumbly buttery crust.


Admittedly, the Nutella bread pudding isn’t accurately named – the chocolate hazelnut spread not prevalent and the bread in a hunk rather in pudding form. But, this was still my favourite of all the desserts given it was reminiscent of Cinnabon and what’s not to love about that?


Of all the desserts, the dark chocolate cake was the ones I had doubts about. Sure enough, it was a heavy sweet dessert with the dense chocolate cake and frosting, ice cream, and candied nuts. But, sometimes you’re in the mood for a rich sweet and given we were sharing, having a couple of spoons was pretty delicious.



Brigitte, our server for the evening, was such a treat: genuinely friendly and seemed to love what she was doing. I know Winterlicious isn’t a favoured time for those who work in the industry – more crowds, more courses to serve and with the lower price points, sometimes less gratuities. So, it was refreshing that she had such a great attitude and zest for life. For that, I’ll ALMOST forgive the fries incident. 

 Overall mark - 7.5 out of 10
Is Winterlicious worth it (based on my meal selection)?
Winterlicious - $35
Regular menu - $47 - soup ($9), steak frites ($25) and dessert ($10)
Savings - $9 or 20%
How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 553 Church Street


 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:

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

CLOSED: 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:


Buonanotte 3rd Anniversary Event (Toronto)

Posted on Wednesday, February 10, 2016 by
Buonanotte Toronto

On a dim street, set between nightclubs, Buonanotte’s exterior isn’t overly flashy, until entering and you’re met with high ceilings, glitzy décor and a large statement bar. The venue is normally a resto lounge, yet easily transforms into an event space for corporate parties or even a cocktail/food station style wedding.

Their third anniversary party simply promised “eats”, but when a whole roasted pig gleamed from a warming station, I knew we were in for a treat. Especially, when I scored an extra piece of its crispy skin to tuck into a bun loaded will chunks of pork slathered with truffle aioli and arugula.


A large pizza oven churned out blistered thin crust pizza. The slice of margherita was too heavily sauced, creating tons of flavour but rendered the crust soggy, but did have adequate amounts of gooey fior di latte and basil.


Having gone to a growing number of large-scale media parties, I commend Karyzma and Buonanotte for thoughtfully situating the food. The stations’ layout helped avoid lineups and allowed guests to sample “like” items together. Moreover, when food was first brought out, servers also circulated with hors d'oeuvres of tuna spoons, grilled octopus and other canapés; so most guests continued to sip their drinks and chat, alleviating the crowds forming at the buffet areas.

After some lighter bites, my friend and I made our way to the food stations finding a great selection. Heartier options such as the farfalle del Mediterraneo, a cheesy ragu-stype pasta, and sizeable meatballs were delicious. The risotto, a daring item to serve as a buffet, retained a creamy consistency but was overly salted.


Buonanotte certainly knows how to prepare seafood. The branzino was graced with a crisp skin and salted enough for flavour without consuming the fish. Crisp lightly floured rings of fried calamari were popular amongst the crowd and addicting to munch on.


Yet it was the perfectly cooked and seasoned prawns that impressed me most, a wonderful compliment to the roast beef (a nice medium doneness for such a large crowd) allowing me to do a take on surf and turf.



It’s a great venue for large groups. With two bars and numerous servers circulating, I was never without a drink or left with dirty plates. Plus, the restaurant gives a vibe that it’ll morph into a loungier locale after dinner service dies down; a DJ perhaps even enticing diners to dance and work off all those calories. Whether you’re there for food, drinks or the atmosphere, just go with a good attitude ready for fun – after all, as Buonanotte’s name implies, they’re wishing you a “good night”.  

How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 19 Mercer Street

 Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog

Is That It? I Want More!

Other Gastro World posts similar to this:

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

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