$45 Dinner

Colborne lane is the poster child for molecular gastronomy and a fixture in the Toronto food scene. In its fifth year, it is Summerlicious’s most anticipated addition. The logo looks like it comes out of a Halo game; it is prominently etched on windows which define the entirety of the shop-front. Venturing in, the room gets progressively darker as natural light is displaced by softer tube-light lanterns that set a freakishly serene mood. Raw wood and Victoria-style mirrors are an anachronism to the contemporary dinner to come.  The cured salmon was a play on sashimi, with a mouth-popping soy sauce snow so unexpectedly chilly as to bring the fish back to its natural habitat. Crunchy tapioca balls offset the gooey salmon and the wasabi paste completed the dish with an ending note of spicy. The striploin looked like it slide down the plate amidst a garden of bitter watercress in contrast to the sweet parsnip and garlic. And while the bitterness was hard to counteract at times, the beef adored the smooth and sweet purée. And finally, a dessert to rival the polenta cake at Aria. Three caramelized banana pillars played host to a perfect mix of sweet and nutty flavours and a range of textures and temperatures. Colborne lane brought exactly what it is known for to summerlicious.

cured salmon + ponzu vinaigrette + radish salad + soy sauce snow + pickled ginger + puffed tapioca

striploin + smoked parsnip + puffed wheat berries + black garlic + watercress

caramelized banana + peanut butter + hazelnut + dulce de leche

$35 Dinner

L’unità is the older and more experienced sister restaurant to Maléna; and where it lacks in furnishings it makes up in sophistication. Saggy armchairs make for a sub-optimal position to attack the impending feast. And while the portions weren’t particularly fearsome, the food is fit for royalty.  I was a bit annoyed that the two sisters both began with crudo and followed with branzino, but the same ingredients were treated in surprisingly novel ways. The crudo was a differentiated take on lox – the smoked fish replaced with a fresh raw trout, the cream cheese with an uplifting yogurt and capers with peculiarly well-paired celery. The branzino rested on a smoky, bitter yet sweet eggplant purée, garnished by soft-flavoured vegetables for an cheery main. And finally, the yogurt returns in squeaky chunks to brighten the densely colourful blackberry and cake though the three parts sour overpowered the one part sweet from the nuts. Overall, L’unità is an exciting take on the traditional Italian trattoria with some never-before-tasted flavours to boot.

steelhead trout crudo
fresh yogurt, roasted beets & celery

grilled branzino
roasted eggplant & summer zucchini

olive oil cake
blackberry conserva, limoncello & yogurt

$35 Dinner

On the corner of a dilapidated building across a Bay Subway station sits what might at first glance appear to be a small café or pastry shop. Instead, it opens up to a lofty and colourful dining hall. The wavy sky-high ceilings have a nautical and whimsical feel. The shrimp salad looked like a skimpy mess but revealed itself to be a wonderful pastiche of subtle, refreshing flavours, especially the sweet roasted peppers and cashew nuts. The suckling pig was also an unsightly mishmash of weird shapes but the sampling of random pig parts worked well amidst a sweet and sour sauce. The crispy skin held well when combined with the flimsy cabbage while the lentils provided some much needed grounding. Finally, I had the best cheese dish of the festival. Again, the presentation requires work but the honey and dates are a decliciously sweet value-add.

Shrimp Salad
Butter lettuce, tomato, jicama and roasted peppers, cashew nuts in Tequilla and orange dressing

Suckling Pig
Beluga lentills, apple and savoy cabbage slaw, apple gastrique

Artisanal Cheese Selection
Three varieties of local cheese with medjool dates and truffled honey

The bar in the front hides the comfy alcove in the back. It bares an internet-café name. The brunch is one of Toronto’s most popular. On Canada Day weekend, the eggs Benedict comes with peameal bacon and a rich hollandaise. The fruity ice tea is a good wake-up call. But the bloody homefries are drenched with ketchup and impossible to swallow.

Canada day special $14

Richard's Ice Tea $3.5

orange pekoe, strawberries, apples, lemons,

The storefront off Yonge & Eglinton has little finesse; the stone wall looks like elephant skin. This opens up to vaulted ceilings, (more) stone walls and oversized drapery, which make the experience a bit overwhelming.  The octopus arrived with vivacity. It looked very interesting before tasting overcomplicated. A hectic pastiche that was the caponata was sour and inconsistent in make-up and detracted from the octopus. The lamb was perfectly cooked and lay in a delicious mix of pea puree and sweetly viscous “rosemary-olive” jus. This was offset by the “patty pan squash,” a bitter oddity. The ratatouille, on the other hand, succumbs to the same problems as the caponata. At $55 for one appetizer, two mains, and a dessert, this meal is a defensible. Otherwise, it probably would not be.

Charred Octopus
fennel, caponata, capers and chorizo powder
22

Herb crusted lamb sirloin
ratatouille, patty pan squash, pea puree rosemary-olive jus
45

Chocolate mascarpone tart
Espresso ice cream
12

Halfway between Hollywood Gelato and Eglinton subway station is a small and sophisticated French restaurant. It is by no means easy to get to, but the Mastercard’s 50% off promotion made it worthwhile. A darkly orange soup reminds of the gazpachos of summerlicious but reveals itself to be a full-bodied sweet red pepper soup instead. A sprinkling of herbs decorates the otherwise austere palette. The pissaladière, a French pizza, was bold but too sweet for prolonged ingestion. The sweet figs contrasted the basic goat cheese but it resembled a pie much more than it did a pizza. The lightly (lemon) dressed salad would have been a good retreat, if I had not finished it all too soon.

Soup      5.95

Figues pissaldiere            13.95

$20 Lunch

It is less stuffy than suggested by the greyscale furnishings, French doors and accented waiters. A one-ply tissue sat in the place of a napkin and no fresh juices could be found. The menu required a bit of translation and googling. Exclusively Summerlicious patrons might be surprised to find the duck confit resembles a grilled cheese sandwich. Generally, the food was well presented. The smooth and chewy calamari had an uncanny Asian quality, hidden underneath some baby arugula and adorned with cuts of summery orange at the forefront. Generous slices of charred raw tuna, however, lie on an unimpressive gluttony of downtrodden vegetables (potatos, eggs, green bean) with the only lightness coming from sour-ish tomatoes. No dressing could be found. And finally, colossal Timbits, a bit soggy, take a rich chocolate syrup to round out the meal in a most unspectacular way.

Chilled Calamari Salad with Oranges, Olives and Baby Arugula

Niçoise Salad

Beignet and Chocolate Sauce

Colborne Lane, popular for molecular gastronomy, hops minutes over to King & Church to open a less pretentious, communal, tapas-style restaurant. It adopts the same forward, mind-boggling flavours, only framed by smaller plates. To begin, a tuna salad uses the same ponzu vinaigrette at Colborne. But this time, it’s seared tuna and not salmon. It is a beautiful splash of colours, most of all from the purple herbs, which need some courage to devour and restraint thereafter. This pastiche does not succumb to over-complexity; it is a perfect balance between umami and perky, between crunchy and chewy. The rest were less inspiring but still good. The spicy chicken was fully flavoured (and sweat inducing) but unfortunately breaded. The peking duck imitation managed to outshine any glorified Chinese diner. So Origin doesn’t fall far from the tree. It is by no chance that it was decidedly Toronto’s best restaurant of 2011.

Japanese style tuna salad + asian pear + avocado + spicy ponzu dressing 17

Curried shrimp + naan bread 17

Crispy calamari + caramelized peanut sauce + pineapple  15

Sweet chilli chicken + rice wafer 15

Chinois duck + flour tortilla + cucumber + hoisin + sriracha + sour cream 17

My less-than-triumphant return to Toronto food features the critically acclaimed (runner up best new restaurant of 2012, Toronto Life) South Carolina-inspired restaurant in a patio-ridden Little Italy not far from Sam James original. We missed the $29 prix-fixe (not sure why) so we constructed our own: charred octopus to share, then poached chicken breast. The meticulous dishes are works of art from uncountable ingredients. A huge octopus looks like a pirate’s hook, burned ominously, topped with pistachio and a popcorn lookalike. But the meat is more mushy than chewy and none of the toppings help the situation. The poached chicken looks like a slice of heaven, coated with some cream to look like egg whites. But the hen egg actually sits in a bowl mixed with snails and all. It ends up being too salty and distracting from the mélange of (too many) ingredients. It is an amateur attempt at high-brow cooking. And where was the prix-fixe?

Charred Octopus - Cara Cara Orange, Fennel, Turkish Pistachio, Olive Oil Emulsion     14

Poached Chicken Breast - Roasted Thigh, Fried Liver, Snails, Hazelnut, Hen Egg     24

Cara Cara Cream Soda     5 

Tucked in a terrace off the corner of Avenue & Cumberland, this oversized ‘brasserie’ (the French for “brewery”) is a cross between full-blown restaurant and a ‘bistro’. Cursive typography, white tablecloths and steak frites all point to an unexciting affair. It turns out not to be so. The salmon was  confident but it was the fully presented half-pepper that counteracted an otherwise mushy combination of salmon and quinoa.

Grilled Salmon | Charred Peppers | Lemon Roasted Tomatoes | Dill Pistachio Pistou 26

I last ate at Brassaii only so that a thief could absquatulate with my dear bicycle. I returned this time more fortified in mind but mostly with a larger lock. Notwithstanding the unruly part of town, it is a comfortable enclave on King Street West. It aptly held the Monitor “Dean’s List Reception,” a.k.a. ‘recruiting event’. Indeed, this restaurant screams ‘Monitor’. The plaid-shirted representatives fit in so perfectly. I stayed behind after the session for dinner with non-Queen’s friends. The food is a confusing one-size-fit-all approach, a shotgun that doesn’t really hit the nouveau-riche French image it contends for. My pasta sat under parmesan, so gratuitously plopped on and concentrated in the centre. And the toppings, however unremarkable they were, came so infrequently that the whole dish tasted of monotony. For all the risks my poor bicycle was subject to, the reward just isn’t there.

$22 pasta

$35 Dinner

I suspect there is not much to the name MoRoCo beyond that it mirrors the location’s postal code (M5R 1C1). Childhood princesses dine on the white patio resembling a photo studio for Alice in Wonderland. And down the rabbit hole we go to enter a darkly fantastical dining room with fairy-tale adornments. The bright, black washroom has a gold mirror-mirror on the wall. Unfortunately, the restaurant never grows up as the courses insist on being childish. The oriental salad had unimaginative flavours of sweet and sour; none of the components were the least bit unexpected. The salmon, which came with thinly bitter chips instead of some meaningful veggies, was poorly glazed and required a ranch-like dip to be palatable. Of course, the dressing covered any of the maple syrup, making the whole baking process seem like a waste. The dessert was prime time for MoRoCo to show off, and as salaciously crimson as the red velvet was, it was dreadfully cold and al-dente for a crepe. The sweet toothes will no doubt be pleased; the rest of us will leave with a sugar rush, bound to crash.

Mandarin Orange Salad
Mandarin oranges, mixed greens, toasted almonds, julienne carrots, snow peas, crispy noodles, Dressed in Asian sesame dressing

Maple Glazed oven baked BC salmon

Red Velvet crepe filled with a cream cheese, Mascarpone cheese, fresh strawberries, Red velvet cake crumbs, finished with a chocolate sauce, mascareted berries

$20 Lunch

This British pub-like oyster bar brings old-world charm into an oddly serene part of Toronto between the rich financial district and the miserable Regent Park. The transition is noticeable as drunkard McDonald munchers litter in a rather beautiful St James Park, where stands a venerable church of the same name. The atmosphere befits the oyster, the cheap lunchtime grub of the 19th century working class only to gain favour with rich inlanders who found it a slippery and tasty aphrodisiac. Unfortunately, that the seafood “tower” only held one oyster made the whole course a little stingy. And to characterize a martini glass as a “tower” is quite the exaggeration. It might have paid to have served two oysters on a plate (or perhaps four and charged $25 instead). The salmon fails the age-old imperative that requires an acid to cut through the fishy unctuousness that was forwarded by the all'onda (wavy) barley risotto. The chief complaint for the risotto, though, is again the missing flavour. The dark chocolate pâté was delectable with rich hazelnuts and subdued cherries to round out the flavour profile. Starfish merits a closer inspection after summerlicious, with a couple more oysters on the menu.

ShuckerPaddy's L'il Seafood Tower - Oyster, Clam, Shrimp, Mussel - Blackboard availability (it will change based on fresh availability)

Irish organic salmon with a risotto of toasted barley, vine ripened tomatoes, fresh peas, basil, and Grana Padano

Dark chocolate and Frangelico pate with toasted hazelnuts, crème Anglaise, and liquored cherries

$20 Lunch

The story is well known by any Queen’s Commerce student. The IVEY School of Business case we were all forced to read is centred around the birth-child of a Tuscan-trained chef, Alida Solomon, struggling to survive in SARS-struck Toronto. In the case, an option is given to join Summerlicious, which had its inaugural year in 2003 as a response to the SARS epidemic. Ten years later, we see Tutti Matti as the second most popular participant of summerlicious according to Toronto Life. Unfortunately, the restaurant stands lonely as a castaway box in an alleyway waiting to be torn down. And the inside feels a little bare-boned and worn for Tuscany. The Carpaccio was too wet to hold much flavor. The fettuccini sat in a puddle of uninspiring tomato sauce, as boring as pasta usually is. The cake had no defining qualities and the dry sweetness made it hard to finish. It is a shame the Tutti Matti saga ends so unspectacularly.

Carpaccio di Manzo
sliced raw beef with fresh arugula, shaved parmesan, lemon and extra virgin olive oil

Fettucine Aglione 
homemade handcut pasta with fresh tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and fresh ricotta

Torta di Ricotta 
ricotta and rhubarb cake with amaretto and caramel sauce

$45 Dinner

The winding road of Davenport that travels through Yorkville and the Annex and then heads east to oblivion is a journey backwards through time. Antiquated and oft-forgotten restaurants (including a personal favorite, Le Paradis and summerlicious candidate, Corner House) temper the street to a relic of old Toronto. Mistura with its white table cloths and terse waiters share in that old-age luxury. Yet as the frivolous logo might suggest, this old cat has some new tricks. First off, a watermelon salad, where thick pink-red slices of sweet dance with crumbly feta and viscous balsamic. It is so unexpectedly refreshing and flavourful, making a perfect summertime appetizer. Unfortunately, it is downhill from there. The fatty lamb pined to find its equal in the hidden caramelized glaze but was cut off by awkward shaves of undercooked carrot and potatoes. The brownie took the charming shape of salami but lacked the bitter aftertaste required to make it go full circle. Mistura is not without its flaws but such inventiveness in a conservative setting justifies the $45 price point.

Marinated watermelon with Ontario Goat Cheese Feta, Watercress & Aged Balsamic Dressing

Slow Roasted Herb Laced Ontario Leg of Lamb with Caramelized Onions, Potato & Local Summer Vegetables 

Chocolate Salame, Fresh Raspberries & Zabaglione

$35 Dinner

Sorrel is a small and cosy restaurant on subterranean Yorkville St. off the corner of Bellair. The menu is all too familiar: caprese or arugula salad; salmon or steak. The buffalo mozzarella was fresh and the herbs were a thoughtful addition but the thickly sliced and watery tomatoes diluted the delicate cheese. The steak was a blushing pink but it was a bit bland with a tangy bitterness.  I have had much better (but also much worse).  The apple strudel was flaky with a perfect balance of sweet and sour but still resembled the average strudel.

caprese salad, basil pesto, extra virgin oil

steak frites, sautéed mushroom, au jus

apple strudel

$20 Lunch

Reds is a run-down, neighborhood ‘joint’ with trippy carpets and obtuse chairs. It tries to be independent yet the completely reproducible furnishings and finishings give away its status as a concept restaurant. The nostalgic resemblance to the Canyon Creeks and the Jack Astor’s (all of these restaurants are owned by “SIR Corp”) is depressing. An unsightly soft-shell crab is a deformed deep-fried ball kicked around by an underdressed salad and food-truck tartar sauce. The steak salad reminded of the drudgery of late night binges at Petit Four (also of “SIR Corp”). To be fair, for cold flank steak layered with store-bought croutons and corn cobs, it was surprisingly refreshing and sweet. And no one likes corn on a salad as much as Ben G (Cobb salad anyone?). The barbeque sauce was drizzled so proudly upon the dish, an oddity given its commercial (HP?) roots. The shortcake dessert was rather interesting with its fluffy custard cream and strong but not overpowering berry preserve. The humor in all of this is the menu (see below). The dressing up of such mundane dishes with flashy words though, creates some expectations this place simply cannot meet. Although, I do agree that the steak could have come out of the backyard (in Reds’s case, the adjacent First Canadian Place food court).

panko crusted soft shell crab
baby greens | fresh lemon and olive oil | pickled garlic scape tartar sauce 

backyard bbq steak salad
smoked flatiron | picnic lettuce blend | grilled corn | basil butter toast | bbq sauce jus

“broken” summer trifle
drunken shortcake | berry preserve | custard cream

$25 Dinner

This flamboyant ‘hot spot’ near Church & Wellesley is an institution in itself. As the Eastern Roman Empire before it, the restaurant felt separated from Toronto-west proper, developed a unique, ‘religious’ following and has thrived for years and years. And while the restaurant tries so hard to be different, its food had no differentiating factor. The poutine, pasta and cake were all reminiscences of Longo’s lunches. The poutine stuck so loyally to the holy trinity of fries, gravy and curds that it failed to add anything even a bit unconventional as Smoke Poutinerie might have. The pasta was a mashed up poached salmon thrown with past-al-dente pasta in an excessively heavy rosé. Creativity was limited to shaving some smoked salmon on top of real salmon and sprinkling enough dill to pickle several years’ worth of cucumber. Finally, the chocolate cake was standard birthday party fare. In general, the flavours were too forward and altogether pedestrian.

Poutine…the Quebec classic made with real Quebec cheese curds, beef gravy and our homemade frites

Pasta of the day…ask your server about today’s creation

Double Chocolate Layer Cake frosted with Chocolate butter cream icing

$25 Dinner

Quince Bistro appears modest from the small-font signage to the minimalist logo. Yet the dining room reveals a trendy, down-to-earth, hipster’s paradise. Most noticeable are the bright red stool-chairs around an exposed-wood table centre stage. The menu looks fantastic for the Summerlicious low of $25. The meal began well with a safe arugula salad. The only deviation from the norm was the green beans, which neither added nor detracted from experience (they were almost unnoticeable). The weak link was clearly the chicken breast pummeled flat beneath a ridiculously messy outgrowth of random vegetables. It looked as though the chef received a cucumber shaver for his birthday, indiscriminately applying the pedestrian tool to create an altogether unsophisticated offering. The dressing had no discernible taste. The entire dish was surely healthful because it tasted like a dietary regime. The chocolate brownie, however, was deliciously flaky, balanced out by the extra sour crème fraîche. The cheese with apple chutney was full in flavour and surprisingly aromatic. There is no doubt this restaurant has much potential and has a clear place in the Toronto food scene. It simply did not perform today.

Shaved fennel & green bean salad arugula, preserved lemon vinaigrette, grana padano

Grilled chicken breast & shaved vegetable salad
buttermilk dressing, fine herbs

Chocolate walnut brownie
honey creme fraiche

$45 Dinner

Today is the halfway mark of Summerlicious; in celebration the flagship restaurants of Toronto’s two most prolific culinary artists did battle and a winner was declared. The meal at North 44 was almost twice as expensive and almost half as good. Despite North 44’s attempts to seem Torontonian (Toronto is 44 degrees latitude) it misses all the charm of Canoe. The exterior is grey and the interior is dark and depressing. A large bust of an unknown Roman adds to the confusion. The food was poorly presented. The beef tartare appeared as a ball not unlike an uncooked beef burger, the tenderloin had asparagus jutting out and the meringue was off centered (my friend’s was not). The photos make this quite clear, I think. Taste was generally better. The Dijon mustard cut through the tartare and made a splendid spread on the toast. The tenderloin was perfectly cooked and the sweetness of the jus, potatoes and onions (and my wine) paired quite well. Unfortunately, the asparagus were bitter and a little hard for my liking. The fairly generous cut of tenderloin was appreciated but at this level, an expensive slab of meat will not cut it. The dessert was simply a disaster. It was too sweet and too sour at the same time with no discernible texture. No one who ordered the meringue finished it. I would like to think this restaurant has seen better days (it has 4 stars for Toronto Life); perhaps it is not taking Summerlicious seriously.

Beef tartare with fried capers, grainy mustard and fresh country toast

Grilled beef tenderloin with roasted new potatoes, caramelized onions, Ontario asparagus and natural jus

Meringue with lemon curd and macerated fruit

$25 Lunch

Azure restaurant with its high ceilings and greenhouse windows appears lofty but the tackiness sets in with the azure-coloured water glasses. Funnily enough, the completely mediocre EPIC restaurant from yesterday employed the same style of drink-ware. I smell collusion. The captive market that is the hotel restaurant is showing itself to be a glorified room service operation with exorbitant prices. The smoked salmon epitomizes this lazy hotel operation, stuffed with the usual capers and cream cheese. It was so salty yet so forgettable. The olive bread was the saving grace: crunchy and a little sweet. The short ribs were essentially more generously sliced Korean Kalbi, as you may expect to find at a $10 buffet. There was nothing fine about the sticky tendons, the coverings of fat and misplaced vegetables too crunchy to be al-dente. And finally, the warm chocolate cake was served prior to the main, the poor ice cream melting from neglect. I had asked for the courses to arrive simultaneously, but the hotel should refer to Jump for the proper treatment of such a request.

Smoked Canadian Salmon Rillete
Baby greens, Crisp Capers, Olive bread, orange vinaigrette

Oven Roasted Canadian Short rib
Root beer braised Au jus, Summer Vegetables

Warm Chocolate cake
Praline crisp, salty caramel ice cream

$25 Lunch

The sprawling dining room fit for galas and weddings is well attended by a clearly non-summerlicious crowd. The furnishings are conservatively worn-out, much like the Fairmont Royal York that houses it. Service is quick and thorough though nippy at times (we got out in 30 minutes this time…quite the record). We started with the seven leaf salad, the creative way to say ‘house salad’.  The highlight was the aromatic and punchy Niagara Ice Wine, which shows well in the hallmark hotel of Toronto, Canada. Unfortunately, the slimy artichokes jutted out like a sore thumb. Next was the Soft Shell Crab, perhaps imported from the neighboring Benihana (which is also doing a $45 dinner Summerlicious menu but too institutionalized for this blog – NasdaqGS: BNHN), felt misplaced and a little too contemporary. Kudos for the pairing with risotto though; the Japanese never thought of that. Unfortunately, the risotto was unflavored and the grapefruit delivered the much needed acid in incoherent bursts. And while the dessert was interesting, the strawberries were sour and I am still not sure if the rhubarb added anything.

New Farm Composition
Seven Leaf Blend, ‘Sovereign Farms’ Tomato, Watermelon Radishes, Roasted Artichoke, Niagara Ice Wine & ‘Rooftop’ Honey Vinaigrette

Tempura Soft Shell Crab
Wasabi Cucumber Risotto, Tender Young Rocket, Grapefruit Segments

Strawberry & Rhubarb
‘Barrie Hill Farms’ Strawberry & White Chocolate Mousse, Vanilla Rhubarb Jelly, ‘Rooftop’ Lavender Cress

A most famous Toronto establishment is not much than an elephant-skinned bore on the exterior (like North 44). Inside, it aspires to be Michelin-starred: purses sit on stools and bread crumbs are banished. But the food is course after course of disappointment. Start with the French-inspired bread. The butter feels like tired jelly and is spread on insubstantial bread. The best course was the appetizer, where mushrooms are concealed under foam and lullabied by a soft parsley purée. Yet the steak took part in a half-made caprese salad whose components were tossed carelessly on a plate. Everything from the basil leaves to the balsamic reduction - I could have made the dish, but that would have been against my better judgment. The trout sat on an overly-sour ratatouille that had French cafeteria written all over it. And finally, a mille feuille that tasted more like sans feuille – it was just a cold, damp lump. Even the cheese dish was an awkward mouthful, and hard on the eyes.

$45 Dinner

Pickled Mackerel
Smoked Crème Fraiche & New Potato Salad 

Perfect Hen’s Egg
Parsley & Garlic Puree, Woodland Mushrooms & Korean Espelette 

Mediterranean Sea Bass
Caponata & Fennel Salad

Hangar Steak
Ontario Hot House Tomatoes, Romesco & Basil 

Strawberry Lemon Mille Feuille
Poppy Seeds & Puff Pastry 

3 Year Old Goat’s Milk Gouda
Petit Herb Salad & Rosemary Biscuit

$36 [sic] Dinner

Leathery chairs and golden railings characterize La Société as an outdated kitschy-French bar on Madison Avenue (Mad Men, anyone?). I was seated in “Siberia” (see here: http://www.torontolife.com/daily/daily-dish/from-the-print-edition-daily-dish/2012/06/26/la-societe-map/attachment/jun12lasociete_4/). Apparently, the staff run the day’s reservations through Google and perhaps they found my blog. More likely, I need to update my LinkedIn profile. Unfortunately, the pretentiousness that is too often boasted was deep in the air. On first arrival, we were notified that Summerlicious would only be served after 9pm (is that even legal?) yet there was a 365-day prix-fixe carbon copy for a one dollar premium. Antagonizing your patrons for such inconsequential differences shows the lack of judgement that is to characterize the rest of the night. On three separate occasions (wine, sides and Foie Gras) pushy waiters proposed more lavish options, most tellingly when the wine I selected was deemed “terrible” (then why is it on your menu) and a slightly more expensive wine was forced upon me. Interesting such authentic French waiters have no idea what the term “prix-fixe” means in their language. The food wasn’t terrible, but it resembled the bare-boned courses conducive to said upselling. The steak, for example was drenched in an overly sweet peppercorn sauce with some leaves lazily scattered on top. The entire experience was un-Torontonian; many of the New York restaurant week restaurants felt exactly as this. La Société restaurant should not be allowed to partake in Summerlicious festivities; nor does it seem to want to.

Fresh Oysters
Cocktail and Mignonette Sauce

Slow-Cooked Flat Iron Steak
Brandy Peppercorn Sauce and Watercress Salad

Featured Crème Brulee
Cocoa Nib Sable

From the website, Wish looks warm and earthly: perfect for brunch. The actual location feels a bit bohemian. It is an undersized mishmash of mismatching garden furniture and brain numbing inconsistency. Avoid for a peaceful breakfast. The eggs benedict came with thickly sliced peameal bacon and the incongruent chunks of potato fries were playful. But they opened up to reveal a sogginess, perhaps due to their jumbo size. And the portions were deeply unsatisfying.

15   BENEDICT – POACHED EGGS OVER PEAMEAL BACON WITH LEEK & PARMESAN FONDUE

A hand-operated coal-mine elevator takes guests from the open (and surprisingly clean) club area up to a lofty boutique restaurant full of wood-tones and country-style décor. Our waitress was upbeat to the point of babbling ludicrousness, finishing long-winding tongue twisters in record time. She was an entertaining touch to this already eccentric experience. The food if could be described in one word would be bland. They were safe and uninspiring, though some citrusy flourishes were well founded in the salad and the chicken was well portioned. Altogether it was not an unsavory experience, much owing to the atmosphere, but it is no longer the Fifth Grill of Didier Leroy, Marc Thuet and J.P. Challet.

Oven roasted bone-in chicken breast    Rosemary jus     25

Daily Salad           13

Okibà is opposite Marché in Brookfield place. It tries to be an unfussy mozzarella bar. It is perceived as a short repose during a lengthy, looming night. A monochromatic mushroom risotto looks ever so serene on an aqua blue plate. The rice is al-dente, but the entire dish is dry, bland and unsatisfying. It certainly does not wave like the sea.

Risotto – with Porcini Mushrooms and Parmigiana Reggiano DOP 15.50

It looks like the standard barnyard restaurant that has taken over the West. Unfortunately, even 1/2 price wines are unable to attract a customer base on a Sunday night. Perhaps it's because of the tiny wine list or that it charges for bread. The coolest item is the charcuterie board, full of weird things like beef tongue and home pickled veggies and mustard. The bread is buttered and delicious. The novelty ends there. The burger is mouthwatering but as good as any self-respecting burger in the city; the fries are lipsmackingly salty. The pork belly is crisped beyond recognition. The mushrooms and pea purées are spectacular on their own but ultimately detract from the pork. Dessert is delicious. 

Crispy Pork Belly, King Oyster Mushrooms, Sweet Pea & Mint Purée, Amaranth ..........18

Bestellen Burger, Caramelized Onions, Raclette, House-made Brioche & Frites ........18

Selection of house-made Charcuterie, Pickles, Mustard, Bread ........13

Dessert Special  ........ 7

It looks like a prohibition-era bar and a delicious foie gras dish. The service is a bit nit picky and too high-strung for the atmosphere. Come for the half price oysters from 6-7pm. They're much better than the dollar oyster deals you get elsewhere, and cost almost the same. 

FOIE GRAS TORCHON | KITTEN & THE BEAR WHITE PLUM, WHITE CHERRY & AMARETTO PRESERVE 12

6 Oysters for $20 (half price between 6-7)

Toronto was due for a Native American inspired restaurant. It doesn’t deviate substantially from proper food but still carries a heart-warming exoticism. Two pebbles of cheese arrive on a log plate. A syrupy pear butter spreads like a shooting star and layered with hazelnut. The bread, of course, is bannock. For appetizer, a chilli-packed venison sausage on almond garlic spread with berries and crushed nuts supplying the appropriate textures. A barely cooked bison flank sits in a colourful bed of cornmeal, seeds, asparagus and other foliage. It is unpretentious as to reflect the cuisine but just nit-picky enough to be exceptional. 

Cheese {cows milk, gouda} 10/oz
Pear butter, mustard apple, cherry preserve, hazelnuts

Venison Merguez 18
Garlic, almond, Saskatoon berry

Trout 23
Fennel, bean, dulse, bacon

Bison Flank Steak 26
Adobo, corn, pumpkin seed, asparagus

It is perplexing that Colborne Lane was shut down for this restaurant. Perhaps it is commercially sustainable because it caters to the mass market. Indeed, it does. The fig croquette tastes like jam on toast. The tuna salad is trying to convince diners that it is Asian. It is unbearably sour. The beef salad is a bit better but not by much. It tries to be "Thai" and fails.

ROAST FIG + tomato jam + balsamic + feta_  10.25

BANGKOK BEEF SALAD + peanut + mint + mango + glass noodles + nam jim dressing_  15.95

JAPANESE TUNA SALAD + asian pear + avocado + spicy ponzu_  17

The offspring of The Harbour Room is a little more uptight. But it's for the better: the waitresses are the nicest in Toronto. When choosing wines - from a varied and affordable list, ample samples are provided. It doesn't feel stuffy or pretentious, despite being down the street from Splendido. The food is hit and miss. The tartare is the best value on the menu - a huge plate with tiny shaves of foie gras on top. The Black Spaghetti, on the other hand, is unbearably spicy. To be fair to the restaurant, we didn't give them a chance to set it right. In all, a reliable choice for a nice but not pricey dinner. They also called after and asked for feedback. That's special.

BEEF HEART TARTARE
Shaved Foie Gras, Apple Relish, Egg Yolk, 
Balconville Vinegar & Puffed Tendon [14]

BLACK SPAGHETTI 
Grilled Squid, Shishito, Tomato &
Sea Urchin Bottarga [15/21]

Watermelon sorbet and pistachio panna cotta [9]

Dinner doesn’t start off promising at this oddly modern French place. The Kale is flavourless and the steak tartare has enough mustard to taste like wasabi. The trout, however, is soft and surrounded by al dente vegetables. The lemony butter sauce picks up the trout perfectly. The pork belly looks delicious and it is, with the extra splattering of fait courtesy of the fried pork rinds. The chocolate cake and the cheese plate were also reliably good.

$35 Dinner

kale, dried cranberries, radish, Monforte Dairy toscano, pecans, cider vinaigrette
(vegetarian/local)

Wellington County steak tartare, nori, crispy shallot, gherkins, Monforte Dairy toscano, Kozlik’s mustard, herbs
(local)

pan-seared Lovell Springs trout, summer vegetables, radish salad, preserved lemon beurre blanc
(local)

braised Ontario pork belly, juniper, bacon jus, chicharron, beech mushrooms, greens
(local)

cocoa dusted chocolate fudge cake, creme fraiche
(vegetarian/local)

Cheese Plate

$25 Lunch

Despite some early fanaticism with Trump, this will be my first time eating in his Toronto tower. His buildings are pretty notable for food: this New York one in Columbus Circle has the three-star Jean George. Stock adds to the saturated business market that heavy-weights like Canoe and Bymark compete in. But it is a good addition to expense-account dining. Take, for example, the cured Atlantic Salmon mixed with popcorn and avocado crème fresh. It’s delightfully cool in the mouth and soaked in citrusy flavor. The best dish on the menu is the steak – a caveman like arrangement that is actually a work of art, overlaid with peas, sumptuous halves of potato, and importantly, mustard seed. The thick slices are a pleasure to dip into the mustard and swallow. Finally, a colourful fudge cake that manages to be bitter, sour yet light.

Citrus-Cured Atlantic Salmon. shiso, lemonade fruit, avocado crème fraîche, citrus popcorn salad

Grilled Angus Flat Iron Steak & Summer Ratatouille. new potatoes, house mustard, tomato sherry dressing

Flourless Fudge Cake. drunken cherries, apricots, aged balsamic, milk chocolate sauce

Vaults of beer and over thirty taps will satisfy any beer connoisseur. For the uninitiated, a thick manual explains the jargon. The T-bone burger (apparently Kobe) is, in fact, a messy pleasure. But the kale and arugula is underdressed and the chocolate cake is a formulaic sugar-rush. It is a mass-market solution to an increasingly beer-savvy city with four locations and bar-like lines at night.

T-BONE BURGER 25

British aspirations meet sophistication at a Dundas West fine-food joint anointed “The Grove”. It is an affordable prix-fixe with lots of selection. The 5-course comes with four mains and one dessert – probably the best value given the menu size. The menu only lists the ingredients, leaving the outcome a surprise. The mussels don’t come drenched; instead it’s mixed with what resembles an Asian slaw: hemi-tomatoes, dill accents, jelly. Or the chicken, or the liver at least, pulverized and served on a skin “chip”. The crispy conduit is innovative; the chicken liver in red currant is flavor-jammed. The best course is the lamb, accented by sweet, disintegrating cauliflower and salty anchovies. Each act is deeply satisfying as British food should be.

3 courses $45
5 courses $55
7 courses $65

Mussel, tomato, horseradish

Chicken, red currant, pine, rye

Onglet, celeriac, crabapple, pickled walnut

Lamb, cauliflower, caper, anchovy

Chocolate, maple, brandy

As Toronto goes west the craziest eats pop up in unsuspecting corners. On one corner of Roncesvalles Avenue, across from shrub-infested houses is “Foodliner” in neon lights, all-caps. It’s a half an hour away from the city-centre, a bad-word in these anti-establishmentarian parts. Enroute, Toronto Life and the Globe and Mail have all raved about the maritime-inspired cooking. But the food was a step back from the pictures. The garnish for the bacon-wrapped scallops was not more than a shrimp cocktail sauce; the Triscuits for the crab dip was playful but not entirely worth $18. The tuna was a happy surprise, at least when the eggplant wasn’t overly sour. The green onion, cayenne pepper and almond purée together reminded of Mexico and not Nova Scotia. And the dish that has people talking, a maritime interpretation of the Donair served on a paper bag, drenched in super-sweet condensed milk tasted more like a dessert.

Halifax Donairs 14

Hot Crab Dip & Triscuits 15

Bacon-Wrapped Scallops 18

Ultra-Rare Albacore Tuna, Almonds, Eggplant 22

Port Credit is an old lakeside town in the city of Mississauga. It mixes historical charm with persistently modern developments. Raw Aura is the only Toronto Life rated restaurant of Port Credit, surprising both in that the town should have some other notable eats and moreso that a vegetarian restaurant should gain so much esteem. But a visit dispels any reservations. The beet juice is full in colour and sweetness yet has no added sugar. The falafel is wrapped in a green leaf and shares the spotlight with an explosion of fresh vegetables coated in tzatziki. The salad is skimpily dressed as so the vegetables are centre stage. Raw Aura makes vegetarianism almost bearable.

BEET ME UP

Beets, carrot, apple and ginger. 

$6.00

PASTA BOLOGNESE

Zucchini noodles tossed in a rich housemade tomato red pepper basil marinara sauce, sunflower seed and sun dried tomato sausage, topped with almond parmesan

$13.00

FALAFEL WRAP

Sprouted chickpea falafels wrapped in collard green leaves with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, red onion, chickpea hummus and creamy tzatziki sauce and served with a side salad.

$14.00

This foodie’s mecca landed Toronto Life’s coveted best new restaurant award in 2012 and is still busily counting reservations to fill its 12-person quota for its 15-20 course tasting menu. Purported to be Toronto’s longest dinner, these prized spots require at least two weeks’ notice. We skipped the line and shared the four-course onslaught instead. It is just as interesting. Dishes are identified by principal ingredients and the two choices are listed side-by-side for your choosing. This minimalist, ignorance-is-bliss, frankly cocky approach is definitively Torontonian (although it originated at Eleven Madison Park, apparently); it is a briskly novel way to order even if it makes writing the blog entry a chore. The décor is the exposed-light bulb chic that is ubiquitous in the area and the service requires refinement. Including the amuses-bouches, intermezzos and between the two of us, we dabbled in 14 dishes. It’s a little too much because it loses focus. At that length, there should be some common theme which is conspicuously missing. To start, a shot of warm onion soup. It is sharp and clears the sinuses. The following trio of amuses-bouches have only one standout – salted saba topped with lemon paste. Then, the vegetable entrées, impeccably decorated but easy to forget, except for a green tea foam shaped in a perfect cylinder amongst a pastoral display of onions, mushrooms and leaks. Another duo intermezzo, memorably a leaf with sour crisp on top: it looks like snow but tastes like a really good salt-and-vinegar chip. The best dish of the meal was probably a potato purée topped with egg and red potato chips. It’s a high-school chemistry experiment. The egg, not exactly liquid, breaks to let the yolk run over a pasty mash that is not exactly a solid. The chef’s pedigree (ex-Noma, ex-Per se) shows through the cauliflower dish that exhibits the fine ingredient burnt, pulverized and shaved. To purée it brings out the sweet, to grill it brings out the bitterness. The end is spectacular. The fried bananas that resemble shiny rocks, the bread that looks like porous rock and the peanuts look like fragments from a passing comet. It isn’t just for-show; it is a tedious favour matching between levels of sweet and none is completely overbearing. On the other side, a taro paste is smeared on the edge of the plate like it were a paint palette. Clearly the chef’s having a lot of fun. That’s okay because you are as well.

$55, “four” courses

Set 1: ramps, egg, cauliflower, taro

Set 2: asparagus, halibut, chicken, peanut

Dosa seekers across the GTA venture to a strip mall in suburban Mississauga. They pass a Dollarama to wait in the new restaurant by a family of first generation Canadians. Apparently, the owners were unhappy with the state of Indian food. The mother is in the kitchen, the kids wait the tables and the father is the businessman. Unfortunately, the actual atmosphere is much less homely and resembles any of the other victims of suburban sprawl. But the food is worldly. The menu is vegetarian and spicy. My Dosa had a hotness rating of 0/6 but induced some water-chugging rituals. And the flavour was as good as one can expect from what is essentially an oversized spring roll. We followed the brown family beside us and ate with our fingers. It is a great fun.

Paneer Vegetable Spring Dosa - $13.00 (Masala Optional)

The brightly lit 3rd storey of the new Shangri-La holds the family-style bastion that took third place on Toronto Life’s best new restaurants list. On the same floor, some coveted seats of the star-child of the Toronto food scene, shōtō. In the middle, socialites are served huge cuts of meat. We took a seat at the smaller tables on the side, with a jealous eye aimed at the portion sizes. To us came a few measly slices and leaves of lettuce. With the chicken, the spicy sour sauce is stomach-wrenching. The dishes are so minimalist that they just seems lazy. And the famous “buns” are austere eyesores with no discernible flavour. So get a lot of people together and do the large format meal. We opted for the short ribs, which had a nice smokeyness, but lacked a juicy dimension to make such large proportions palatable. 

beef short ribs (mcgee farms, on) – fish sauce, white kimchi, bean sprouts 220

buttermilk biscuits – honey butter, black pepper, cholula hot sauce 9

roasted rice cakes –  spicy pork sausage, chinese broccoli, tofu 7

shrimp bun – spicy mayo, pickled onion, bibb $10

hanger steak (mcgee farms, on) - kimchi, onions, bibb lettuce $25

chicken thigh (harrison coop, on) – sriracha, shiitake, bibb lettuce $25

The famed locale of an American Pyscho set is not really worth going to and certainly not worth waiting in line for. Tasteless scrambled eggs, uncharred bacon, too-sweet beans and wonder bread.

Peameal Bacon & Eggs 9.95

Driving up to the most illustrious resort of Niagara Wine Country is a scene out of a James Bond movie. Wall lights light up the mansion amidst unending dark fields. If you are to visit only one winery, this should be it. The ubiquitous name at the LCBO actually serves a dinner inside its mansion. But not many people seemed to know about it, or seem to care (it is also not wine season, I guess). The restaurant was empty for most of the night. I ordered a 5 course tasting menu, a carte-blanche for the chef. I added a wine-pairing that serves a glass with each course. The glass sizes are not much smaller, I think, so this is an effective (albeit expensive) way to become intoxicated. I could not finish some of the glasses. The atmosphere and service are exceptional. The food is hit and miss but generally above average. The tenderloin and Brussels sprouts is an overdone vestige of haute cuisine but still tasty and well presented. The soup had an elusive bitterness that in itself gave the meal depth but was understated as to not make the flavours unpalatable. The foie gras jam (again, hackneyed haute-cuisine) was a guilt-inducing tasty but the accompanying fennel salad was flavourless. The fries were soggy and cut into pudgy little rectangular prisms. Peller Estates does many things well but might be a little out of its depth.

FIVE COURSES

$89

$124 with Wine Pairing

This tiny no-reservation seafood shack follows a large-scale version on Queen Street. But the Ossington location has more charm. Most people start with the fiery Caesar, which comes with a sizable lobster tail. The buns (which resemble wonder bread) for the lobster roll is apparently shipped in from Nova Scotia. They are messy and fun to eat. Finally, add avocado and corn to make a taco.

Rock Lobster Caesar 12

Rock Lobster Roll / Yukon Chips & McClure’s Dill Pickle 14

Lobster taco 5

The website is a mono-chromatic page that leads nowhere and there is no ursa (major or minor) on the menu. Walking in, the Queen west-west location looks like the exposed light-bulb kitsch of yester-year with the same bar-dominated formulation as Hopgoods, Yours Truly, and so on. This critically acclaimed spot has made it to Toronto Life, The Globe and enRoute (after Edulis), which is what draw the bankers out to the banlieues with their girlfriends. But the foodies will come from the banlieues for the complexities, like the vials of soy milk and whey with enough tart to balance out the clean home-made tofu. The other deconstructions are visually popping and, in extraordinary mixings, can be hard to palate. But it’s an excellent appetizer worthy of gastronomy. The duck is beautifully pink but, by itself, not outstanding. The black rice is a weighty winner, brought to the fore by the perky rhubarb. The rhubarb and leek-like vegetable make a reprise in the dessert as a glorified granola-yogurt mix. It can be too forward at times, when the goal should be equilibrium. Ursa employs brightly lit ingredients and often connects the dots even when it is difficult to envision.

~$70 for three courses

$25 Lunch

This spot in the stretch of restaurants that also includes the Queen and Beaver is a traditional, sunlit Italian restaurant. Everything from the website to the waiters in suits is dated. The food is reliably Italian, though it often rises above the stereotype. The long leaf romaine is topped with just the right amount of Caesar dressing and a sprinkle of cheese and bacon. The main is worth the $25 alone, a creamy pairing of tomatoes and shrimp. It would be too sour if not for the sweetness of the corn. Finally, a boring and too often seen dessert of chocolate cake & ice cream.

Grilled Romaine
House-cured pancetta, herbed croutons, creamy bacon dressing, marinated tomatoes and Grana Padano

Shrimps and Bacon
Organic shrimps, house-cured bacon, variegated cherry tomatoes, scallion, roasted peppers, corn and grilled ciabatta

Flourless Chocolate Torte
Vanilla Cardamom ice cream

$25 Dinner

Another completely acceptable Italian restaurant, this time in Parkdale. It’s a fun place to eat, and a great place to drink wine ($20 for a half litre). The food is reliably good – a creamy tuna sauce to flavor the blushing cold cut of veal, a beautiful pappadelle overflowing with mushrooms and a crunchy pistachio cannoli dipped in honey.

Vitello Tonnato
Traditional Piedmontese dish of cold sliced Veal in a creamy Tuna sauce

Pappardelle ai Funghi
House made fresh pasta with a mix of Porcini and Oyster mushrooms, finished in a mushroom and Marsala sauce

Mini Canoli Siciliani
Maialino’s famous Canoli shells, filled with sweetened ricotta, and topped with Pistachio and candied orange

Another expense account-driven restaurant in the heart of the financial district where everyone is trying to impress everyone. It starts well, with a crispy mackerel in a vinaigrette “gazpacho”  and an offshoot of endive that keeps its taut. It is mostly downhill from there. The porchetta is soggy, not crispy. The rings of fat have no payoff, nor do the nicely laid out but flavor-devoid veggies on the side. The shortcake is a sugary version of the porchetta – extreme in sweets, guilt-inducing and without any payoff. The explosion of whipped cream just feels sloppy.

Mackerel
tomato gazpacho, escarole, basil oil, chili, lemon

Porchetta
radish salad, swish chard, jus

Peach Shortcake (local)
whipped cream

Last year, the Globe made the Danforth a summerlicious hot spot. This year, following another Toronto Life recommendation led to Pan, a few steps away near a Crema coffee and Mr. Greek (and other unmentionables). It feels like a case for Gordon Ramsey’s kitchen nightmares, a margin-pinching remnant of some glory days of the past. The mussels drenched in a queasy amount of salt. The seafood fettuccini resembled some rehashed leftovers. The Baklava, submerged in sweet, unappetizing glue did little to make the sour pineapple taste better. This was, frankly, a summerlicious disaster.

$15 Lunch

Mydia Santorini (Mussels)
PEI mussels in a tomato and ouzo broth 

Kakavia 
Greek traditional seafood dish of shrimp, mussels, calamari and scallops over fettuccini pasta, in a fresh herb tomato wine sauce

Pan Chicken Souvlaki
Tender cuts of chicken breast grilled and served with new mini potatoes, rice, pan seared vegetables and baby greens

Baklava Bites
Layers of fillo Dough filled with chopped nuts, served with fresh pineapple

Karidopita 
Honey Walnut cake

$35 Dinner

On a northward bike ride, the non-descript building is unidentifiable. Only after the u-turn does the north-facing signage become visible. Unfortunately, it is miscategorised on Toronto's Summerlicious website as being Mediterranean (though it is Greek to some extent). One glance at the protruding wine racks and the shelf of prominent balsamic vinegars confirms it is first, and foremost, Italian. It is the less cool version of its sister L’unità (which we will go to next week) down the street. Exposed brick, wood floors and wood tables make for a comfortable sitting (like Terroni and Mercatto). The servers go out of their way: one shook my hand and another returned a forgotten credit card to me on the sidewalk (another reason to tip well!). The food was not spectacular. The Fluke Crudo lacked acid and quickly vanished to the background. The Branzino (what the Mediterraneans call Sea Bass) was slightly burnt though the tomatoes were juicy and helped cut the through the fish. The sponge cake was wonderfully airy and the mousse, light, that the sumptuous dessert felt rather healthful. Here is an example of where atmosphere helps make the food taste so much better.

Atlantic Fluke Crudo
Zucchini, cherry tomato, red pepper & olive oil

Grilled Market Fish Summer
panzanella, sea salt & olive oil

Raspberry & Chocolate Parfait
Raspberry conserva, orange sponge cake & chocolate mousse

$25 Lunch

Senses is the culinary prowess of the almost-luxurious and slightly too contemporary SoHo Metropolitan. The references to New York were well received as it felt like a toned down version of Jean George Nougatine. However, the streamlined, business class feel was not at all comforting and neither were the unsmiling waitresses. We began with orange-dyed cheddar, hardened on a crunchy Crostini, paired with a Tomato soup way too sour and not creamy enough for my liking. The main was a highlight. The chicken was juicy and worked well with the potato salad. The radicchio on the other hand stood awkwardly in situ and was way too bitter on its own and should have been integrated with the rest of the dish. The warm chocolate cake didn’t taste much like chocolate and the balsamic reduction stuck too hard to the plate and thus provided no meaningful flavor. And considering the inconvenient location and top-level pricing, coming here for lunch simply does not make much sense.

Creamy Tomato & Ginger Soup / Cheddar Cheese Crostini

Herb Marinated Chicken Breast / Grilled Radicchio / Warm Fingerling Potato Salad / Truffle Scented Vinaigrette

Warm White Chocolate Cake / Balsamic Reduction / Strawberry Compote

$35 Dinner

On the steps of the historic hill on which grows the massive Casa Loma estate is a home-turned-restaurant as quaint as any. It is reminiscent of rustic farmyard cuisine and countryside wineries (Anne of Green Gables, anyone?). The beautiful Victorian décor in the summer night is wonderfully inviting. A fellow patron approached us afterward to discuss the American colonization of Liberia of west-coast Africa. Funny enough the only other time this happened to me was at a similar restaurant called "The Gables" 200km away in the small town of Brighton. As with that of the Gables, the food is always rich, heavy and plentiful but altogether not particularly inspiring. Three decently sized shrimp lie isolated from a watery and poorly presented salad, both parts under seasoned and under-flavoured. The roast beef striploin is significantly better; it is cooked to a blushing medium rare, portioned generously and coated in a beautiful red wine reduction. Yet the standard mix of fingerling potatos (a few too many) and green beans leaves a little more to be desired. The dessert hit all the right notes, but again, tasted of French toast from breakfasts past and future. So while the food might not win any awards for originality, the experience itself was pleasantly novel.

Grilled Black Tiger Shrimp
with Japanese Vegetable Salad, Miso, Sesame, Bonito, Rice vinaigrette

Whole Roasted Black Angus Striploin
with sautéed Fingerling Potatoes, caramelized Onions, Market Vegetables, Barolo Red Wine Jus

Bread Pudding with Walnuts, Cherries, Rum Sauce

$20 Lunch

The contemporary and elaborate Globe Bistro feels misplaced in pre-Hellenic Danforth (it is situated on Bloor right across the Don Valley). From the bare and cold bar room where personae non gratae are seated (i.e. thrifty summerlicious mal-tippers) I stared into the lavish dining hall, decorated with exposed wood flooring, chandeliers and colossal pieces of modern art. How such a pompous restaurant could call itself a bistro is beyond me. The appetizer and dessert looked and sounded more interesting than it tasted. The Chorizo’s flavours were muted and the result was a poorly textured sausage; Chantilly is just another word for whipped cream and I couldn’t taste the espresso. Indeed, the meal was saved by the Chicken. It was a quartet of sour (lime relish), salty (collards), sweet (roasted sweet potatoes) and umami (chicken), each with its own solos and all together perfectly balanced.

Second Wind Farms Elk Chorizo
Crushed cannellini beans, scallion pesto

Jerked Chicken Leg
Roasted sweet potato, collards, lime relish

Chocolate Espresso Brownie
Cherry coulis, Chantilly

$20 Lunch

"The city's best new restaurant" according to Toronto life has been reduced to penny pinching (the bread costs $2-4) and to selling its soul on Groupon, Living Social and possibly others. I will admit that this was my sixth appearance at Lucien and the sixth time I did not pay the regular price. Food at Lucien is certainly fussy (what is sarsaparilla?) and detail-oriented. Every dish is meticulously crafted. Five or more ingredients are the norm, and while I value the risk premium, it often turns out to be too busy and incongruent. The small boutique dining room is dark and slightly foreboding (perhaps because of the oversized mirror atop the bar) yet the effect is a fantastical chiaroscuro to its more than ‘bright’ name. The restaurant recently opened its doors to the Bay Street lunch crowd, creating simpler dishes that can be comfortably consumed in an hour (thank you!). And with the simplicity came some back to basic cooking that reinvigorated the food to the restaurant’s glory days. The Carpaccio was deliciously salty, offset by crunchy sweet potato and apparently had a slight resemblance to iberian ham. The juicy chicken resembled a roulade in perfectly formed circles and sat confidently in a slightly weak zucchini ratatouille. The steak was oversized and a perfect pink.  And while the “Nouget” came as an ice cream sundae (without any lemon but with shortbread), if all ice cream were this creamy, I’d be happy calling it “Nouget”. $26 for such generous portions and for ingredients I have never seen before (and non-existant on Google) is unheard of.

Cured Beef Carpacchio with Wild Ginger, sweet potato and sarsaparilla

Pan Seared Chicken, ratatouille, basil

Strawberry Frozen Nouget with lemon sorbet, thyme meringue, lemon balm

$20 Lunch

Jump is the rebellious and often misbehaving teenager of the O&B family; it mixes and matches flavors and ingredients, often from contrasting culinary backgrounds. However, Jump settled down for Summerlicious with a line of fresh, light and summery dishes perfect for waking you up on a Monday lunch. Both the appetizer and main looked like the same dish: a mayo on seafood on a salad. But they were both resoundingly refreshing, especially the perfectly cooked salmon. I took a gamble with the dessert and did not quite like passion fruit in Panna Cotta (I couldn’t help but wonder if artificial flavoring was being used, having been served an equally unappetizing bubble tea last night). Yet the opposing dessert (the chocolate mousse) was again, light, refreshing and chocolaty. Finally, kudos to the speedy service and getting me out in 40 minutes, which typically beats a FoodIQ run.

Canadian Rock Crab & Corn Cake
daikon and summer beet slaw, lime and wild leek aioli

Grilled Thai Spiced Salmon
bean sprout, carrot, bok choy, red cabbage, coriander, nam prik dressing, Thai basil and yuzu mayo

Passion Fruit Panna Cotta
Ontario wild blueberry sauce and Chantilly cream

$25 Lunch

The Michael Lee-Chin Crystal, universally derided as one of the ugliest buildings in the world (trust me, I’ve seen uglier) is surprisingly light and crisp from the top floor dining room. The pyramidal structure converges on the 5th floor (“C5”) of the ROM, creating a rather modern and artistic frame for the city view. Unfortunately, the novelty ends there. The ‘tempura’ in aioli was so bland that I could not differentiate between the vegetables and the seafood. The steak was lukewarm, chewy and altogether uninteresting (especially beside a wedge of iceberg lettuce). And while the dessert was tasty, how can it not be with so much cream. The only surprise came in the bill. The categorization of this family oriented restaurant in Summerlicious's top price bracket ($25) makes no sense.

Crispy Vegetable and Seafood Medley
served with spicy aioli

Grilled Flank Steak and Tomato Salad
iceberg lettuce wedge, vine ripe tomatoes, crumbled blue cheese

Buttermilk Shortcake (vegetarian)
fresh cream & stewed berries

Trius Winery at Hillebrand is not as grandiose as Peller but is still a major attraction at Niagara-on-the-lake. The two are jointly owned and so does a similar dinner. But after a day of wine-tasting and crumpet-eating, dinner could only be one course. The appetizer portion of scallops were oversized and perfectly cooked. Eating them reveals a dormant layer of pork belly underneath that transforms this surf and turf into a guilty delight. The whitefish is a seafood feast with deep fried crab cake and croquettes that remind of a Fisherman’s Warf. Wine country proves it can do more than press grapes.

East Coast Diver Scallops ~ 16

Confit Maple Pork Bacon and Sweet Potato Ravioli

Apple, Bacon and Raisin Dressing

Fresh Water Trap Netted White Fish Filet ~ 36

Snow Crab and Scallop Cake, Lobster Knuckles and Claw

Toscano Croquettes, Celeriac Slaw and Sauce Gribiche

$35 Dinner

Crush Wine Bar was deserted by Saturday night Summerlicious standards; this is quite the shame for such a spectacular restaurant. Crush guards a youthful corner ridden with notorious bike thieves, borrowing some urbanite elements from Queen Street West (like a black chalkboard menu) but retains the finer elements of King. The lighting was dim and the colours were bold, as a wine bar  should be. There is nothing special at first glance: the menu was safe, Toronto Life still has no rating and the ambiance was only comfortable. Yet the food made all the difference. The mussels came in heavy tomato sauce, with some unsuspected notes from the saffron and the olives. The steak lay in a wonderfully flavoured salsa, the corn bread adding that hint of texture and sweetness. And the dark chocolate pudding was rich and creamy (although I could not taste the orange). I also tried the shortcake, a light and healthful dessert yet satisfying. I hope for more textbook cuisine like this for the next two weeks.

P.E.I. mussels in a saffron ginger nage with olives, caper berries & grilled bread

grilled flat iron steak with corn bread & black bean salsa

dark chocolate & cardamom pudding with orange creme fraiche

$20 Lunch

Biff’s slightly tacky exterior gives way to a decidedly French interior. The posters are the same as those of Kingston’s Le Chien Noir. But Biff’s is not an over-furnished, antiquated bistro; the air is lively and fresh. Waiters wear picnic shirts (white and red, of course) and there is ample exposure to the sunlight, making it a perfect lunch destination (and a great start to Summerlicious 2012). In fact, Biff’s was my first summerlicious destination when I first became acquainted with the idea several years ago. It carries the O&B name without the O&B price; when I first came, the lunch was only $15 and I recall having the same Cured Atlantic Salmon. It is still wonderfully textured and lightly salted. The lemon juice along with the fluffy crème fraîche become the stars of this dish creating a rainbow of mouth-popping flavours to balance the salmon. Unfortunately, it is downhill from there. The veal lay on a tasty vinaigrette as only the French can concoct yet the veal itself was a boring grey. The dessert was slightly too sour for my liking, and certainly not worth the prolonged wait (our meal lasted for a jittery two hours).

HOUSE CURED ATLANTIC SALMON
with mimosa, sauce verte & crème fraîche

GRASS-FED VEAL PAILLARD
with warm mushroom & chicory salad, anchovy sherry dressing

LEMON TART BRÛLÉE
with wild blueberries & vanilla crème fraîche

$25 Dinner

There is nothing assuming about this Davisville eatery, positioned just before Yonge Street gets posh. The décor is drab and colours mismatched, a true indication of the playfully ‘ethnic’ experience to come. And while many ethnic restaurants are more about novelty than execution, Tabülè’s kitchen admirably colours Toronto’s food scene with culinary precision. The tabülè which the restaurant is named after was ever so light and delicate, grounded by a rich hummus. The falafels were not oily. The eggplant (the thicker variety) was generously sliced and flavourful. The mains, though well timed, were largely unspectacular and could have used more vegetables and less rice. But the star of the show was the knaffa ashta, a creamy sweet custard beneath an ‘angelic’ crispy lattice of middle eastern pastry dough, with an almost undetectable flowery undertone (I had thought it to be green tea, but it was rose water). The monochromatic dessert (which shows poorly on camera, and is thus not pictured), much like the restaurant, delights in the most unlikely ways.

Combination Plate
humüs, babaganüj, tabülè and falafel

Tawuk
juicy skewers of marinated Mennonite chicken breast, charcoal broiled

Knaffa Ashta
angel hair filo layered with custard and topped off with rose water syrup

The bike ride over was an experience in itself. The neighborhood scene became sketchier as the journey progressed, accented by the occasional druggie or eccentric in true Queen's Street West West style. P&L fits well here but has a fine-food flourish which helps to gentrify the neighbourhood. Parts & Labour is where (well-off) hipsters meet at communal tables. The drinks menu and devils on horseback fit the occasion perfectly. The steak-frites were most certainly out of place.

The excitement with P&L originates with the raving reviews from Toronto Life. It is a 2 star restaurant (Colborne Lane is 1.5!) and a top 10 summerlicious restaurant. Furthermore, the prospect of leaving behind Bay Street to venture into the wild west had an adventurous appeal. Unfortunately, I was a fish out of water and foolishly ordered the steak-frites to assuage myself. The steak was essentially tasteless. The bottom line is that hipsters didn't know what to do with such a grandiose filet of beef.

Flatiron Steak, roasted onion, salsa verde- $25

I have a firm belief that any tourist is necessarily bad. Nowhere was this more apparently than New York City. The further off-broadway you went, the better things got. Spring awakening was miles ahead of Wicked. One particularly fond dining experience I had was at a Spotted Pig, hidden away in the West Village but overflowing with customers. Wall Street Bankers might find it difficult to leave their perch to gallivant with the Proles but will find it appetizing. Two ridiculously fresh beers I had (Coney Island Mermaid Pilsner (Brooklyn, NY) $8 & Brooklyner Weise (Brooklyn, NY) $8) had yeast still at the bottom in the tradition of Cask Beer. I then got the Chargrilled Burger with Roquefort & Shoestrings, which was really a house special. I could have used some vegetables but it was made for a true meatlover. Contrast that experience to the torrent of posh restaurants on 5th or Madison (I’m thinking Smith & Wollensky for some reason) that serve the same generic meal for super-inflated prices. 

Toronto on the other hand is not very touristy. As a result most of the restaurants are really quite good. The one clear exception to the rule is 360 at the CN Tower. As you may know, when relatives from distant parts of the world arrive on your doorstep, you become rather nationalistic and market your country like no tomorrow. Thankfully, Canada is easy to sell. Fresh off the plane, a (Chinese) mainlander might remark at how clear the skies are or how temperate the climate is. If not to make them jealous, we need to keep our financiers happy.

And as with any tourist, the CN Tower is a must-see. Unfortunately, it gets enough traffic that it can sell $100 steaks that have absolutely nothing on homecooked ones (I went home last weekend to celebrate National Cow Day, the day Whole Foods puts natural ribeyes on sale). The steaks at CN tasted like they were pre-frozen. The meat had no flavor other than the oily, fatty kind; the texture was that of mashed potato. Tastelessness was true across the board – salmon, halibut, lamb… it tasted like a buffet. At least the wine was good.

The bill came to $550 (for eight people) and the marketing campaign came to an end. The tourists were happy to see such a large piece of meat. I was happy to return home to make some summerlicious reservations.

SEA SALT CRUSTED ATLANTIC SALMON WITH FRIED CAPERS

Sweet butter potatoes, grilled asparagus, preserved lemon vinaigrette $36

There might not ever be a restaurant as talked about in Toronto as Black Hoof when it came out. Yes, this is the reservation-less, credit card-less entity that has wooed Anthony Bourdain and Gordon Ramsey, not to mention sneaking onto top 10 lists everywhere. Entering does make it feel like an institution: black board menus, squishy seating, a throw-back four-burner range that pumps out all the food. Of course, it is all about the meat – bone marrow, horse tartar, sweetbreads, charcuterie. It is a striking experience, and one any self-respecting Torontonian needs on his bucket list. But the food itself is not spectacular. The bone marrow is not really anything you’d want to eat – it is just fat on a stick. And the charcuterie is boring. Still, perfectly cooked pancakes with maple syrup and a ball of ice cream, like the rest of the meal, is fun to eat and unquestionably Canadian.

BONE MARROW MP
HORSE TARTARE 17
CHARCUTERIE 19
DESSERT 9

Perhaps being in the centre of Yorkville excuses Mideastro from the kitschy light-up menus it uses. It is essentially a Jewish interpretation of anything from the East (but not too east): Turkey, Macedonia, Israel. In metal skillets come all sorts of goodies – eggplant, lamb, soup. It is always hearty. The most famous dish is the fig kataiv, which is essentially crispy pastry the thickness of angel hair on figs and pistachio. It is sweet but not overwhelming.

Baladi 12
grilled eggplant,
cherry tomato bruschetta,
herb tahina, bulgarian feta,
roasted candied garlic,
basil and zatar

Kufta 28
lamb, beef, moroccan ras al hanut, grilled eggplant, tomatoes, kalamata olives,
banana peppers, 
labane tahina and tabule

Fig kataiv 11
Crisp kataiv pastry layered with spiced mascarpone, fresh figs, and pistachios

It is not just one of the city’s longest menus, it is one of its priciest, the embodiment of your being held hostage and paying your own ransom. In many ways, it is not like any similarly-priced restaurants. Patrons arrive in jeans to sit on high-stools and stare at the cooks, who wear trucker’s hats and piercings. The service is unpretentious and discerning: a forgotten drink order is on the house, with some free wine too. The mono-menu starts being served immediately as you are seated. The nine courses come secretly, the only tips revealed by the hungry eye that tracks the meticulous plating for your predecessors. After a few amuse-bouches, green snow covers scallops. The shaved ice is fanciful but unconfident. The geoduck, an indisputably ugly creature, sometimes seen at Asian restaurants, is given a make-over in a decidedly resplendent pond of tomatoes and thickly crispy seaweed. Later, pea custard with too many moving parts and too forward in fishiness from the trout roe. Then, a pair of ravioli stuffed with sunny  yellow corn-paste with a mellow sweetness that is too sophisticated to be corn. The lobster is summarily identified and covered with hollandaise and specks of crunch. It pops in the eye and in the mouth. The last main is a deep-fried short rib with a deceptively red centre to mimic the pressed and cubed watermelon. What would seem like a juicy dish is deceptively coarse: the pinkness does not translate to juiciness; the watermelon is dehydrated; the miso paste is abrasive. For dessert, the cantaloupe ice cream is a withdrawn and healthful treat, but the marshmallow all but ruins it. Last and best is a beautiful dollop of blueberry sorbet entertains three cute and squishy taro doughnuts on some goat cheese and mint purée. These usually sharp flavours are reset with a peaceful baseline and work wonderfully together. The most expensive timbits in the world help redeem an otherwise mediocre line-up of near-perfects and near-misses.

$150

scallop / avocado, salsa verde, garlic

geoduck / heirloom tomato, nori, horseradish

yellow carrot / octopus lardo, mizuna

pea custard / pickled egg, herb butter, trout roe

ravioli / corn, chili, cotija

lobster / pepper, asparagus, black olive

sweetbread / summer bean, mustard, sweet & sour

short rib / eggplant, watermelon, miso

cantaloupe / shisho, sesame, marshmallow fluff

blueberry / taro, goat cheese, mint

A ramshackle cave with drawn out tables and rickety chairs defines a similarly run-down street. The prices are rock bottom: mains are less than $20, apps are less than $10. To start, blushing pink circles of beef carpaccio that disintegrate. Arugula leaves on top pick up the flowery plate below. The off-menu pork chop relied on a trio mix of sour red cabbage, dyed apple and chewy spätzle to provide flavor and texture.

Beef carpaccio, arugula, parmesan 10

Brockton burger & fries 16

Tomato seafood soup, pan seared trout, mussels, octopus, potatoes, kale 18

Pork chop, cabbage, apple, spätzle

A comfortable, wood-paneled dining rooms shouts countryside pottery-barn style. The tuna itself is unexpected pale but the dish looks like an astronomical explosion, fish roe and all. It tastes exacting and to the point. The haddock sits in a homely broth with fava beans. On some bites, it captures the imagination; on others, it feels reticent. The parfait was a perfect encapsulation of summer, with all fresh berries and granola. At times it was savory like peanut butter and otherwise a sweet pleasure. But the meal was never surprising enough to deserve the praise it has accumulated.

grace greens (vegetarian/vegan/local)
ramp dressing, onion crisps

tuna sashimi
citrus, sprouts and traditional garnish

grilled flat iron (local)
ramp whipped pomme fondant, grilled summer vegetable, bordelaise

pan roasted haddock
fennel tomato broth, leeks, fava beens, potato hay

summer parfait (local)
berries, honey chantilly, candied granola

This intimidating downtown jig has suits and white table cloths. It was Toronto Life’s 8th best restaurant of 2012 and still has 2.5 stars. Prices are expense-account driven but there is value in the details. The salad is just a standard balsamic but the tagliatelle is sweet and playful. Squid ink pasta hides bellow chunks of tomato and leek that are lathered soft and sweet and in complete equilibrium with the creamy lobster. And finally, a fully-priced cheese cake with balsamic glaze that looks like chocolate.

Warm Mushroom Salad - sautéed wild mushrooms, spinach, pecorino cheese  16

Lobster Tagliatelle - hand cut squid ink tagliatelle, braised leeks, poached lobster  29

Torta Al Parmigiano - parmesan cheesecake, graham cookie, balsamic glazed strawberry, basil  12