I first heard about Encore Catering from their open house
event last year. It was a magical evening where the kitchen was transformed into
a glitzy event space and people mingled and feasted for hours. This time
around, their Blogger Bites event was more intimate; we were able to sit down,
enjoy plated creations and ask questions to our heart’s content. I was given a glimpse of how Encore’s formal
dinner or lunches would be – without the large format mains.
Surprisingly, my favourite dish didn’t have an ounce of meat:
smoking beet tian and an asparagus
boat. It was a dish that excites multiple sensory experiences – the intricate
plating a feast for the eyes and the waft of smoke upon lifting the glass a
tease for the nose.
The asparagus boat would have been right at home with dishes
I’ve tried at Actinolite and Geranium. A hollowed out asparagus spear filled
with a creamy truffle paste and topped with bright edible flowers, crunchy
edamame & radish, and shavings of black truffle.
Not to be upstaged, the smoking beet tian had glorious layers of finely diced red and golden beets,
topped with luscious goat cheese and crunchy cashews.
A main incorporating meat showcased a Eurasian fusion of
pork: Spanish Serrano ham and Asian braised pork belly. The pork belly was
richly flavoured having soaked up the braising liquid of beer and soy sauce
studded star anise. Prior to serving, it was roasted so it developed a sweet
caramelized crust. When dipped into the chili kewpie (spicy mayonnaise) then layered with pickled vegetables and
a disc of steamed bao, you can imagine how amazing a larger version would be
for lunch.
The seafood main featured seared ahi tuna, shrimp and
scallop, paired with greens and a whimsical linguine ring. A lovely mango chipotle
spice flavoured the seafood, giving the dish a tropical feel. Personally, I’d
like the tuna cooked less to retain more of the lovely raw fish, but it was
still tender and meaty. The shrimp and scallop were wonderfully cooked, plump
and delicate.
For a diner who couldn’t eat shellfish, the plate was
transformed into a trio of fish, substituting salmon and black cod for the
shellfish. In speaking with Cary Silber, President and Founder of Encore Catering,
managing dietary restrictions is common for them – at one event, where they
dealt with 40 restrictions, a separate kitchen was used to ensure all needs
were met.
Between the plated dishes, Encore kept us filled with amuse
bouches and hors d’oeurves. The first occurred before we even stepped into the
kitchen – a lobster BELT: a decadent bite of lightly poached lobster, hard-boiled
egg, lettuce and tomato on a rich buttery brioche.
The chateaubriand taco featured the prime cut of beef at its
best: cooked medium rare, thinly sliced and not overly dressed to let the
meat’s juices shine. The taco theme was brought in with a crisp seasoned chip
sitting under the beef.
Although I couldn’t taste the pastrami in the spicy pastrami
salmon maki tempura, this warm bite would be great for parties where some may be
squeamish towards raw fish. As the saying goes – everything tastes great when
fried.
However, it was the duck confit beignet that made my heart
flutter – how did Encore know to take two of my favourite foods and meld them
together? The airy beignet was stuffed with plenty of flavourful duck confit
and a dollop of rhubarb apricot marmalade gave the dish a slightly sweet and
savoury feel.
Even for dessert we had an amuse: an intricate gorgonzola panna
cotta served in an egg shell. At first I had apprehensions about the dish - my
liking for blue cheese is akin to having gym socks incorporated into the egg
mixture. Nonetheless, I tried it anyways and was pleasantly surprised - the
cheese wasn’t overly pronounced and added a subtle undertone against the creamy
sweet panna cotta.
The towering vanilla semifreddo was a delight to behold; I
can only imagine how difficult they are to serve. The gelato and whipped cream
mixture was light and the texture of mousse. It could have used more of the vanilla
cake soaked with strawberry rose consommé as this gave such a lovely essence to
the dessert.
Blogger Bites provided me the opportunity to speak to Chef
Roshan Wanasingha, who’s been with Encore for 14 years! He started when the
kitchen consisted of only a handful of chefs to the current staff of 40 that
operates across two locations (Encore has a separate kitchen dedicated to
kosher cuisine). He loves what he does and the autonomy provided, hence why
he’s been with the company for so long.
In fact, everyone we encountered that evening was friendly
and welcoming. Despite staying late that evening, the servers were pleasant and
ready to address any questions or concerns. Coincidently, I learnt Encore hires
their own servers, ensuring they are knowledgeable about the dishes being
presented.
But, it was my conversation with Cary, Encore’s founder,
which stood out. Originally a drummer in a Montreal band, he eventually went
into the food industry as he was tired of being served “shit food”. So, he
started catering and first ran a cafeteria at a busy Eatons location in
Montreal.
When he came to Toronto, he started Encore and they’ve been
in business for over 35 years! Throughout this time, he’s catered events for
over a thousand people and operated during blackouts and ice storms. He prides
himself for never disappointing diners, as no matter what complication gets
thrown to his team, they always ensure people are fed. Perhaps it goes back to
his musician days, but his mantra is, “the show must go on!”
How To Find Them
Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 5000 Dufferin Street
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