where jess ate

Following the map to Scaramouche, Mike and I were surprised to end up in front of an older apartment building located in Forest Hill. It seemed like a very odd place for a high-end restaurant, however, looks can certainly be deceiving…

We drove up to the front of the apartment building where we discovered there was complimentary valet parking for patrons of the restaurant. After dropping off the car and checking our coats, I was surprised to be led down a set of stairs, since I knew this restaurant was supposed to have a nice view of the city. As we reached the bottom of the stairs, I was amazed as there was fantastic, unobstructed view of the city. Despite the rain that evening, the view was still great.

When we made a reservation, we requested a table with a view. Although we weren’t right next to the window, we were one table over. The couple seated at the window next to us appeared to be regulars, as they ordered the “usual.” We could tell they were definitely getting special treatment!

It was pretty busy this evening, which was expected for a Saturday night. Although the setting was fairly romantic, it was a bit louder in the restaurant than I had expected. It also took a while for the waiter to come address us and offer us water and drinks.

After finally ordering, we were served three types of bread: standard white bread, baguette and whole grain bread. All pretty standard, nothing special. Shortly after finishing the bread, we were served an amuse bouche – a quail egg on lentils served on a spoon. It was a pretty tasty mouthful, and a nice way to start off the meal.

I started off with the Spicy Steak Tartare – “hand-cut filet mignon/garlic crostini/watercress” ($18). It was delicious – one of the best steak tartares I’ve ever had! The tartare was so flavourful, I didn’t even need the sauce that circled the plate (and for those who know me, I love sauce… on anything!). It wasn’t really “spicy” as it had advertised on its menu though, which was fine with me since I don’t have the greatest spice tolerance. I definitely preferred this tartare over the one at Le Select Bistro.

Mike ordered the Lobster Ravioli – “cauliflower/spinach/honey mushrooms/double smoked bacon white wine sauce” ($22). The dish came with a single giant stuffed ravioli, packed full with lobster, and topped with lobster roe. The sauce went perfectly with the ravioli and was another perfect appetizer. So far, so good!

For my main, I ordered the Duck – “roasted breast/confit leg/grilled sausage/mustard greens apple whipped parsnip/red wine reduction/Meyer lemon chutney” ($39). The confit leg was my favourite part. The skin was extremely crispy and the meat was very tender and moist. The roasted duck breast was also nice and moist, although it could’ve used a bit more sauce. The one thing I didn’t enjoy on the plate was the grilled sausage. It had a very strange off-putting taste which I couldn’t quite pinpoint. It was the only thing I didn’t finish on my plate.

Mike ordered the Red Wine Braised Beef Shortribs – “ricotta gnocchi/Brussels sprout leaves/baby white turnip hedgehog mushrooms/whipped fresh horseradish” ($37). The shortribs were fall-off-the-bone tender and was delicious! I found the gnocchi to be just decent; it was extremely cheesy! I preferred the gnocchi which came with my lamb dish at Auberge du Pommier better.

Given that we both ordered appetizers and finished our entrees, it might be surprising that we ordered dessert. But c’mon, there’s always room for dessert! We decided to order the Coconut Cream Pie – “white chocolate shavings/dark chocolate sauce” ($13). Although I don’t particularly enjoy coconut, I knew Scaramouche was famous for this cream pie and Mike loves coconut. The serving was much larger than I had expected, and, surprisingly, also much more enjoyable than I had expected! I especially enjoyed the crust, and ended up eating most of it, leaving more of the filling for Mike. I noticed on their menu that they also offer whole coconut cream pies for take-out, for those interested.

The dessert was a nice way to end an overall enjoyable experience at Scaramouche. Recommended for a special occasion!

At a glance:

Located in an older apartment building in Forest Hill

Complimentary valet parking

Amazing view of the city

Famous (and rightfully so!) for their coconut cream pie

 
 
Ratings (out of 5):

Food: 4 stars

Service: 4 stars

Atmosphere: 4.5 stars