If your party is small and they’re fully booked, you can always try walking in. They save space for walk-ins every night.

Enoteca Sociale has a cozy and rustic feel to it. The atmosphere is casual and the servers are incredibly knowledgeable. Our server in particular was great! He was very enthusiastic and we could tell he had a great passion for the food served here. I love this in a server. It just makes you excited to eat!

Sourdough

We started off with some complimentary bread – Rosemary Focaccia and Sourdough, served with olive oil. Both types of bread were fantastic but if I had to choose, the focaccia would be my choice.

Focaccia

The bread was the perfect vehicle for our order of House Cured & Hand Sliced Tamworth/Berkshire Prosciutto ($12). The prosciutto had been cured in-house for 15 months! Sounds like an awfully long time but it certainly paid off. The prosciutto was delicious and had a silky texture to it. If you’re a fan of cured meats, this is not to be missed!

Prosciutto

You can’t come to Enoteca Sociale without ordering the Arancini – with mozzarella di bufala and ‘nduja ($12). In my opinion, they make the best in the city and were even better than I remembered! Each risotto ball was perfectly crisp on the outside and oozing with cheesy goodness on the inside. Make sure you get some of the sauce with each bite as their tomato sauce is really something!

Arancini

The bowl was clean when our server came to pick it up. No sauce went to waste – we ate every trace of remaining tomato sauce with the bread we received at the beginning of the meal.

Arancini

The last appetizer we shared was the Lamb Crudo – with flat bread and house made hot sauce ($14). The crudo tasted quite a bit like beef tartare and didn’t have that strong lamb flavour which could be a good or bad thing depending on your preference. The crudo was well seasoned and I particularly enjoyed the addition of the hot sauce which gave it a nice kick.

Lamb Crudo

We tried two different pastas this evening, the first being the Toasted Spaghetti – with bottarga, chili & garlic ($17). I was debating between this and the cauliflower agnolotti but I was sold after our server told me this was one of the staff favourites.

This pasta lived up to its expectations – everyone at the table loved it. I could really taste the flavour from the toasting and the entire dish was packed full of flavour from the bottarga and garlic.  Absolutely delicious!

Toasted Spaghetti

I also tried the Linguine – with side striped prawns, fennel and tomato ($21). Like my spaghetti, the linguine was cooked to a perfect al dente and was lightly coated with sauce. It’s not quite as exciting as the toasted spaghetti but it was a simple dish done very well.

Linguine

I have to mention something about the pasta portion sizes here…they aren’t small!  After our appetizers (two orders of prosciutto, two orders of arancini and one lamb crudo) and three pastas (one toasted spaghetti and two linguines) between 6 people, we were getting pretty full.

But there was more coming! Our first non-pasta entrée was the “Hooked” Lingcod – with linguica sausage, chickpea and tomato broth ($30) which came in the form of a hearty stew. The bite-sized chunks of fish were well cooked and the sausage gave the stew a nice saltiness. Another tasty dish!

“Hooked” Lingcod

Our table had two orders of PEI 14oz Grass Fed Striploin – with spinach, pine nuts, raisins and mascarpone ($36). Yes, two orders. I think we all forgot how big 14oz is! The striploin had a fantastic sear on it and the meat was well-seasoned and moist. I really enjoyed the sweetness from the raisins and the mascarpone gave the dish a nice creaminess. Needless to say, we had to take some of this home in a doggy bag.

PEI 14oz Grass Fed Striploin

While we were all stuffed at this point, I couldn’t resist ordering dessert. Enoteca Sociale has a short dessert menu which features only 3 desserts which made it easy for us. The only one we didn’t order was the pine nut custard tart.

First up was the Caramelized Banana-Ricotta Parfait – with a chocolate pizzele and walnuts ($10). If you’re on the fence about ordering dessert because you’re too full, I’d recommend ordering this…you won’t feel (too) guilty about eating it! The parfait was so light and fluffy and not too sweet at all. I loved the crunch from the walnuts and what tasted like brittle.

Caramelized Banana-Ricotta Parfait

The other dessert we shared was the Sticky Toffee Pudding – with cardamom syrup and vanilla bean ice cream ($10) which turned out to be another amazing dish. I really enjoyed the flavour from the cardamom syrup and could’ve easily eaten the whole thing myself.

Sticky Toffee Pudding

Like I said, it has been a while since I first visited Enoteca Sociale but their food was just as good as I remembered!

At a glance:
• Serving delicious, rustic Italian dishes
• They make some of the best arancini in the city
• Casual atmosphere; cozy and rustic decor
• Located on Dundas and Dovercourt

Ratings (out of 5):
• Food: 4.5 stars
• Service: 4.5 stars
• Atmosphere: 4 stars

At the launch party

Earlier this year, the beverage carbonation system maker, SodaStream Canada (@SodaStream_ca) partnered up with Kraft Canada to produce flavours for use in its soda makers. The new flavours included ones from Kraft’s Crystal Light line (lemonade, raspberry lemonade and fruit punch), Country Time lemonade and Kool-Aid (cherry, grape and tropical punch).

New SodaStream Kraft Flavours

Don’t think you’re too old for Kool-Aid either…during the launch party, we were served variations of grown-up drinks like grape Kool-Aid with gin.

Sangria & Grape Kool-Aid with Gin

If you’ve never heard of SodaStream before, it’s a machine that turns regular tap water into soda water (aka fizzy water) in a matter of seconds. At the end of the party, we were all given a machine and after trying it out a few times, I couldn’t be happier!

My SodaStream!

The machine we received was the “Source” starter kit which included one carbonating bottle, one CO2 cylinder and a 9 portion pack of sample flavours.

The starter pack of flavours

First of all, I have to say that I’m thoroughly impressed by its chic design. It’s definitely one of those appliances that you don’t mind having on your counter. It’s also quite space efficient which is an important attribute for a condo-dweller like myself with limited counter space. Another fantastic attribute about this machine is how energy efficient it is – no batteries or electricity required! It’s all powered by the CO2 carbonator which is good for about 60L of water.

SodaStream Machines

Immediately after getting home from the launch party, I took my SodaStream for a test run with some Country Time lemonade syrup. The machine is easy to assemble and before we knew it, we had a bottle of fizzy water… all with the press of a button!

While you can’t carbonate anything with the machine that isn’t water, you can add the water to anything to give it a little bit of oomph. There are an extensive number of SodaStream flavours including a variety of colas, teas, fruit mixers and diet flavours. So, the possibilities are endless!

My SodaStream!

In addition to the Country Time lemonade flavour I tried, I also made a bottle of cherry cola and was impressed by how close it tasted to something store-bought. I was a little worried at first that the carbonation from the machine wouldn’t be very strong but you can actually choose how fizzy you want your water and adjust it to your liking.

Needless to say, I’m quite pleased with my new SodaStream. If it’s sitting on my precious counter space, you know it’s good.

*Note: The SodaStream was given to me for free but the opinions in the post are my own*

The interior

I attended a media event celebrating their special occasion with the pleasure of tasting some of their new menu items, all of which are tapas-style – ideal for sharing! Now, here’s a sample of what we tried…

Oysters!

Anchovy Crostini – with caramelized onions and an olive and lemon gremolata on a thin crostini. The anchovy had a nice natural oiliness to it which paired wonderfully with the sweet caramelized onions and the crunch from the crostini. A great way to start off the meal!

Anchovy Crostini

Tuna Sashimi – with toasted almond and mango slaw, radish, sesame seeds and soy glaze. I really enjoyed this Asian-inspired dish. With each bite, I made sure to get a bit of the almond and mango slaw to get all the textures and flavours in one bite.

Tuna Sashimi

Ecuadorian Tilapia Ceviche – with pineapple and chili salsa and avocado oil. This light and refreshing dish just shouted “summer” to me. It all just had a nice freshness to it with a little bit of a kick to it from the chili.

Ecuadorian Tilapia Ceviche

Spiced Lentil Salad – with lobster, crème fraiche, micro greens and crispy papadum. I’m not usually a big fan of lentils but this turned out to be one of my favourite dishes! I loved the flavour of the lentils and the large chunks of lobster were perfectly cooked. We broke apart the papadum and topped it with the lentils like we were eating chips and salsa.

Spiced Lentil Salad

Wild Pacific Salmon Tartare – with pickled cucumbers, hot ginger, tempura Vidalia onions and sweet basil aioli. Again, another wonderfully fresh and delicious dish. The addition of the pickled cucumbers was an especially nice surprise.

Wild Pacific Salmon Tartare

Oysters Rockefeller – with smoked bacon, arugula, Pernod cream and Grana Padano. I love a good oyster Rockefeller and Fishbar’s did not disappoint! With ingredients like bacon, cream and grana padano, you can’t go wrong.

Oysters Rockefeller

Apple and Campari Sorbet

Apple and Campari Sorbet

Maple Miso Glazed Wild Pacific Salmon – with poached teardrop tomatoes, asparagus and sweet pea sauce. I usually stay away from salmon at restaurants since all too often it comes out a little overcooked. However, I’m happy to report that Fishbar’s salmon filet was perfectly cooked. It was incredibly moist and I really enjoyed the sweetness from the maple glaze and pea sauce.

Maple Miso Glazed Wild Pacific Salmon

Diver Caught Sea Scallops – with cumin and coriander roasted pork belly, apple chutney and sesame-soy dressing. Like everything else I had eaten, the plump scallops were perfectly cooked. The delicate scallops were complimented nicely by a meaty piece of pork belly.

Diver Caught Sea Scallops

Rowe Farms Grilled “Petite Tender” and Lobster – topped with truffle-scented hollandaise sauce. This dish consisted of thin slices of beef topped with delicious pieces of lobster and a buttery hollandaise. A nice take on surf and turf… definitely the best of both worlds!

Rowe Farms Grilled “Petite Tender” and Lobster

Sicilian Gnocchi – with freshwater prawn, shiitake mushrooms, wilted arugula and first cold pressed olive oil. The gnocchi had a great texture and the flavours were spot-on. If I wasn’t so full, I can guarantee there wouldn’t be a lick of food left in the bowl.

Sicilian Gnocchi

The Dessert Trio. I loved how all the desserts were fun variations of very familiar desserts!

Dessert Trio

The first component on the left was the white chocolate mascarpone mousse with espresso soaked lady fingers – a delicious take on the tiramisu. My favourite component was the lemon curd with vanilla cream and shortbread crumble which was reminiscent of lemon meringue pie. Last but not least was the caramel and coffee gelato topped with cinnamon foam which tasted like an affogato.

Dessert Trio

If you’re thinking of dropping by, try taking advantage of their Happy Hour which takes place from 3:30pm to 5pm Fridays to Sundays.  Wednesdays also feature B.Y.O.W. “Whatever” Wednesdays – there’s no corkage fee if you make a minimum donation of $2 to Ocean Wise. It’s for a great cause!

I have to admit, Fishbar had been on my radar since they first opened two years ago but I had never gotten around to dropping by. But after trying a good chunk of their new menu, you can bet I’ll be back!

*This was a complimentary meal. The opinions in the post are my own.*

Hoof Café used to be located in the space that now houses Cocktail Bar (which has amazing cocktails, by the way). Its resurrection is now in the form of a permanent pop-up (confusing, I know!) at Raw Bar. Brunch is served from Thursday to Sunday starting at 10am. The service ends at 3pm from Thursday to Saturday and 4pm on Sundays.

Our table

Like all the other Hoof restaurants, they don’t take reservations and they only take cash and Canadian debit only. So come prepared.

Their famous nose-to-tail style of food is evident in their brunch menu…classic Hoof style!

The menu

For something a little boozey to start off the meal, we ordered the Brunch Punch. It’ll cost you $16 for two. The serving for two came in a small mason jar and along with two cute little cups. The punch is available in increments of up to 8 but it doesn’t get any cheaper if you order more.

Brunch Punch

I couldn’t resist ordering the Blood Sausage McMuffin ($6) which came wrapped up in checkered paper. It would make a great take-out sandwich!

Blood Sausage McMuffin

The breakfast sandwich consisted of a fried egg, a thick slice of blood sausage and arugula all sitting between an English muffin. The blood sausage was nice and moist – not dry and crumbly like some others I’ve had and the whole sandwich was packed full of flavour.

Blood Sausage McMuffin

I assure you, if I didn’t have to share this with two other people, I would’ve inhaled the entire thing. My only complaint would be the egg – which I think would’ve been better if it was a little runnier and not fully cooked through.

Blood Sausage McMuffin

For my main, I decided on the Fried Sweetbreads n’ Waffles ($16). I love a good sweet and savoury combination and this dish certainly hit the spot.

Fried Sweetbreads n’ Waffles

The plump sweetbreads had a nice batter and were well seasoned. The thick waffle was crisp on the outside and was fluffy on the inside. The spicy syrup and jalapeno butter helped tie it all together into one delicious dish.

Fried Sweetbreads n’ Waffles

I also ordered a side of House Bacon ($5) which came with three thick slices. They were the perfect accompaniment for my sweet waffle.

House Bacon

Mike ordered the Heart n’ Eggs ($12). The “eggs” of the dish consisted of bone marrow scrambled eggs presented playfully in a bone. I don’t think I’d be able to say that I could taste the bone marrow in it or know for sure that it was in there, but the scrambled eggs were rich, creamy and perfectly cooked.

The other half of the dish consisted of sliced pieces of tender beef heart dotted with a chimichurri sauce. Another really fantastic dish!

Heart n’ Eggs

Our friend Brandon ordered the Tongue Benny ($14). Thin slices of tender beef tongue were topped with perfectly poached eggs and a rich, flavourful hollandaise. Instead of English muffins, they used some kind of delicious bread as the vehicle.

Tongue Benny

I also enjoyed the addition of the grainy mustard and the topping of dill. I only had two bites and it left me wanting more! The benny came with a bowl of arugula salad topped with pine nuts which we didn’t get around to eating very much of.

Arugula Salad

Whenever I dine with people, they always like to leave the ordering up to me fully knowing I have a tendency to over order. So yes, I knew we had eaten a lot of food already but I had to order the Fruit n’ Nut Challah Toast ($10 or $25 with foie gras) for dessert.

Fruit n’ Nut Challah Toast

The fruit n’ nut bread used was on the dense side (which isn’t necessarily a bad thing) and on its own would be a solid French toast dish. However, the addition of the foie gras was what really gave it that extra oomph.

With each bite, I made sure to get a bit of the buttery foie gras, some syrup and a bit of the light whipped cream. A perfect end to a brunch that was even better than I remembered!

At a glance:
• Permanent pop-up at the Hoof’s Raw Bar space
• Brunch is served Thursday to Sunday from 10am (till 3pm Thurs to Sat; till 4pm on Sun)
• Cash and Canadian debit only; no reservations
• Nose-to-tail style brunch; classic Black Hoof-style
• You’ll find heart, blood sausage, sweetbreads and tongue on the menu

Ratings (out of 5):
• Food: 4.5 stars
• Service: 3 stars
• Atmosphere: 4 stars

Other phrases used to describe this restaurant include “union of ideals from various regions” which shouts “fusion” to me.

Located in Yorkville, on Avenue just south of Davenport, Dyne occupies the space that previously housed Malena. Not much has changed in terms of décor.

The menu is divided into a few sections – “Cold” (which includes items such as mussels, jellyfish and lobster), “Hot” (including pork belly, ravioli, shortibs), “Fish” and “Meat”. The prices are on the high side (no surprise given its prime location) with appetizers hovering between $10 to $20 and entrees averaging around the $25 to $30 range.

Dyne

If you really want to splurge, they have something called the “Chef’s Last Meal” which includes a 34oz bone-in ribeye, fingerling & bone marrow mash, chili garlic egg rice, butter poached lobster and foie gras for $325. Decadent, eh?

Mike and I shared two appetizers – one hot and one cold. The first dish we tried was the Crudo – hamachi, tuna, pickled onion, pea shoots and black vinegar ($20). It consisted of 3 pieces of hamachi and tuna each. The fish was fresh and the preparation was simple allowing the fish itself to really shine. It was a solid dish but nothing memorable.

The Crudo

Our hot appetizer was the Calamari – with black calamansi aioli and pepper chili ($13). I’ve never seen calamari presented this beautifully!

There was definitely substance to the presentation too. The calamari was tender (not at all chewy) and I loved the aioli which gave the dish a nice creaminess. The pepper chili added a nice kick and overall it was a very enjoyable appetizer.

Calamari

For my main, I ordered the Duck – with cherry, chorizo and chocolate ($32). The duck was perfectly cooked with the meat very moist and tender. The addition of the cherries was a classic pairing that complimented the duck well but I couldn’t detect any chocolate. It must have been very subtle.

Duck

The sides which came with the duck were also done well. There was small pile of delicious and garlicky shredded greens which I failed to identify. It tasted very familiar though! It’s funny how something so familiar can suddenly become so difficult to identify once the appearance of it has changed. I’d be a huge fail on the Top Chef/Hell’s Kitchen blind taste tests.

I also enjoyed the ancient grains that it came with, which had been cooked with bits of chorizo. It had a bit of sweetness to it too and you know how much I enjoy a good sweet and savoury combination.

Duck

Mike went for the Hamachi – with candied lemon, king oyster + cloud mushrooms and Yukon chips ($28). It was lightly seared with the fish still raw in the middle. Like all the other proteins we had at Dyne, it was well cooked.

As for the candied lemon which topped the dish, I didn’t find that it added very much in terms of taste. It was more decorative in nature. Overall, it was a solid dish but similar to the crudo, I didn’t find it to be very memorable.

Hamachi

There are quite a few desserts to choose from here. Options include a cassava cake, flan, enseimada (baked pastry) and gelato. We decided to go with the Torrija – caramelized brioche with whipped cream, sweet milk and dulce de leche ice cream ($9). The caramelized brioche was essentially French toast and on its own wasn’t anything spectacular. I would’ve preferred it a bit crispier. However, I really enjoyed it when eaten with the dulce de leche ice cream but let’s be honest, ice cream makes everything taste better!

Torrija

Overall, we had a good meal at Dyne. While nothing was bad, I don’t feel there were enough memorable dishes to bring me back a second time.

At a glance:
• The menu is inspired by Iberian and Asian cuisines
• Located in Yorkville – on Avenue just south of Davenport
• Appetizers around $10-$20; entrees hover around $25 to $30
• It was a good meal but there weren’t enough memorable dishes to bring me back

Ratings (out of 5):
• Food: 3 stars
• Service: 3 stars
• Atmosphere: 3 stars

The restaurant is located in a small converted house and is quite unassuming. Not much to look at but their food speaks for itself.

Rashnaa

Rashnaa has a small interior and a patio out front. Since it was quite warm out, we opted for the patio. If you don’t feel like eating in, they do a lot of take-out orders and delivery is also an option for orders over $20 before taxes (for a charge of $3.50).

Rashnaa, which translates into “tasty” in Sanskrit, has quite an extensive menu with a large selection of curries, rotty dishes, thosai (aka dosa) dishes and Sri Lankan specialties.

The menu

We started off with an order of Vegetable Samosas ($3.45) which comes with two large samosas. They had a crisp and flakey exterior and were filled with a good amount of stuffing.

Vegetable Samosa

The samosas were served with a side of hot sauce for dipping which gave them a nice kick. A great way to start off the meal!

Vegetable Samosa

Up next was the Mutton Biryani ($12.95). Other biryani options include vegetable, beef, shrimp, chicken and fish which range in price from $9.95 to $12.95. This aromatic rice dish was prepared with ginger, raisins, cashews, fresh herbs and small bits of mutton. Another great dish – so far, so good.

Mutton Biryani

The biryani came with a side of raita which was made with cucumbers, tomatoes and onions in a spiced beaten yogurt. I’ve never had raita that I really enjoyed and was pleasantly surprised by Rashnaa’s version. I’ll be honest, it didn’t look promising since it was on the watery side but this was really, really delicious! I liked the touch of sweetness it had and if it was socially acceptable, I would’ve licked that bowl clean.

One dish we ordered from the “Sri Lankan Specialties” section of the menu was the String Hopper Kothu – red rice flour noodles chopped and sautéed with onion, green peppers, eggs and spices ($8.95 with chicken). Like the biryani, you can choose your choice of protein.

As the menu indicated, the rice noodles are chopped into small bites and and the entire dish was prepared like fried rice. I’ve never had anything quite like it and if you don’t feel like eating a rice dish, this is a great alternative.

String Hopper Kothu

We also wanted to order a curry and decided on Butter Chicken – Tandoori marinated barbequed white chicken meat cooked in a tomato based sauce flavoured with a touch of butter and a dash of cream ($10.95) after we were told the spice level on this one was mild.

Butter Chicken

It actually tasted quite different from the butter chicken I’m used to eating. But it was definitely a good “different”. It just didn’t taste quite as heavy on the butter or cream. The butter chicken consisted of white meat which isn’t my preference but turned out to be wonderfully moist and tender. And as our server promised, this was very mild. If you don’t have a high spice tolerance (or even if you do), the butter chicken is highly recommended!

Our meal

To accompany our curry, we added two orders of Rotty ($1.95 each). Most Indian restaurants I’ve been to offer naan and as much as I enjoy it, I prefer rotty. The ones here didn’t disappoint. I could eat several of these on their own without any sauce whatsoever. They’re just that good.

Rotty & Raita

Overall, I had a great meal at Rashnaa. It’s definitely a great little Cabbagetown gem to get your Indian food fix!

Note: Spinzo is currently featuring a deal for Rashnaa which includes a 3-course dinner for two. Check out the deal here before it ends! In case you’re not familiar with Spinzo, it differentiates itself from other group-buy sites by allowing merchants to dynamically price their offerings based on the number of people interested in buying. Every time someone joins a Spinzo deal, the price drops for everyone. Check them out here!

*This was a complimentary meal. The opinions in the post are my own.*

At a glance:
• Serving up South Indian and Sri Lankan food since 1990
• Located in Cabbagetown (Wellesely and Parliament)
• Open every day from 11:30am to 11:30pm
• Popular for take-out; delivery for orders over $20 before tax (for a charge of $3.50)
• Located in a small converted house; outdoor patio out front
• Great spot to satisfy your Indian food craving

It was Mike’s Dad’s birthday and we couldn’t think of a better place to bring his parents than Buca (@bucatoronto).

Located on King West, you’ll find it near the King and Portland intersection. I had trouble finding the entrance the first time I visited – just look for the small red sign on the north side of King which will lead you down a small alleyway. The entrance is at the end of it.

I love the space here with its high ceilings and exposed brick walls. The restaurant has a main dining area and smaller intimate room which also doubles as a wine cellar.

The prices are on the high side for Italian food but it’s worth every penny. Great quality and big flavours brought to you by chef Rob Gentile (@ChefBuca). You won’t find a typical plate of spaghetti and meatballs here! They have a large menu of cured meats, cheese, salads, pizzas, appetizers pastas and meats.

We started off with the Nodini – warm bread knots with olive oil, rosemary, garlic and sea salt ($6). They’re soft, garlicky and incredibly addictive. I had to stop myself from eating too many since I knew we had a lot of other great dishes coming our way.

Nodini

Something we always order at Buca is their Parmigiana di Melanzane – preserved tomato and fried eggplant layered with bufala ricotta and burrata cheese ($14). It’s definitely not your run-of-the-mill eggplant parm…I’d call it a “fancy” eggplant parm. It’s oh-so-delicate, crisp without being greasy and the burrata cheese and ricotta just gave it all a nice freshness.

Parmigiana di Melanzane

I’m a little embarrassed to say that I’ve never tried the pizzas from Buca before. On this visit, we tried the Salumi di Buca Pizza – smoked pizza dough with preserved tomato, buffalo cheddar, eggplant and salumi di buca finished with rosemary salt ($21) which was absolutely incredible.

Salumi di Buca Pizza

I could really taste the smokiness in the dough. It definitely added another dimension to the pizza. Their salumi was delicious as always and the combination of it with the cheddar, eggplant and rosemary salt was perfection. I think we’re going to have to add this to our list of Buca favourites!

Salumi di Buca Pizza

For my main, I went with the Ravioli Doppi – double-stuffed ravioli, braised duck and foie gras, goat cheese mousse finished with duck crackle, fresh citrus and tangerine lace ($26). Our server described it as “double chambered” ravioli – something I’ve never had before. One chamber was stuffed with the braised duck and foie gras while the other side consisted of the goat cheese mousse. While cutting into it, I made sure I got an even amount in each bite.

Ravioli Doppi

It was a very rich and decadent dish and I was surprised that the taste of foie gras had such a strong presence. The dish also had a lot of fruitiness to it which help offset the richness of it all and the crunch from the duck crackle and hazelnuts complimented the soft pillowy ravioli well. Everything on this beautiful plate just worked.

Ravioli Doppi

Mike’s mom ordered the Bigoli – hand-cranked duck egg pasta with duck offal ragu, venetian spices, mascarpone and basil ($19) upon our recommendation. While the menu changes often, this dish has been on the menu since I first came here a few years back.

Don’t be scared off by the duck offal ragu. It doesn’t taste like offal at all. The pasta is cooked to a perfect al dente and the sauce has a wonderful creaminess from the mascarpone. It’s one of my favourite pasta dishes in the city and it was just as good as I remembered!

Bigoli

Mike’s dad ordered the Gnocchi alla Cenere – hand-rolled dumplings made from onion ash, served with fresh broccoli, pecorino, parmigiano cheese finished with fresh pregiato truffles ($26). The gnocchi was smaller than I’m used to – like mini gnocchi! But size isn’t everything as these little bites were packed full of flavour. I only had a small bite but I think Mike’s dad really enjoyed the dish since he cleared it pretty quickly!

Gnocchi alla Cenere

Mike ordered the Bollito di Bufala – tender water buffalo shoulder, crispy smoked tendons, salsa verde, pickled mushrooms, wild ramp and fermented garlic ($32). The buffalo shoulder was cooked sous-vide resulting in an incredibly tender piece of meat. The knife cut through it like butter!

Bollito di Bufala

The meat was seasoned well and the accompanying smoked tendons (which were basically crackling), mushrooms and ramps went well together. I think the deciding factor for ordering this dish was the ramps – we both love ramps and whenever we see it on the menu we gravitate towards it since it has such a short season.

While we thought buffalo dish was tasty, I feel that their pastas is where Buca really shines so if it’s your first time here, I recommend going with one of their pastas.

Bollito di Bufala

For dessert, we ordered the Tiramisu di Buca – espresso-soaked house made tapioca biscuits, layered with mascarpone and chocolate mousse ($12). I know what you’re thinking… $12 for a tiramisu? It’s definitely a bit of a splurge since it’s not exactly a huge dessert but it really is a fantastic tiramisu.  I love the crisp chocolate top which was reminiscent of a brulee and the light, fluffy mousse wasn’t too sweet. It was the perfect ending to our meal.

Tiramisu di Buca

Needless to say, I had another fantastic meal at Buca and more importantly, Mike’s parents loved it too!

At a glance:
• Serving up delicious Italian food on King West (King and Portland)
• Prices are on the high side for Italian food
• Open everyday for dinner at 5pm; lunch is served Mondays to Fridays
• One of my favourite Italian restaurants in the city
• Favourites include: Parmigiana di Melanzane, Salumi di Buca Pizza and Bigoli

Ratings (out of 5):
• Food: 4.5 stars
• Service: 3 stars
• Atmosphere: 4 stars

Golden Turtle

The space was renovated just over a year ago and features a patio on the side of the restaurant which I found odd for a pho place. Anyway, like all other pho restaurants I’ve been to it’s definitely a no-frills spot where you write your order on a slip of paper and give it to your server.

The interior

I started off with an Iced Coffee – with condensed milk ($3.50). No matter what the weather is like outside, I always have to order a Vietnamese iced coffee. They’re just so satisfying!

Iced Coffee

Since we were starving we ordered the Deep Fried Pork Spring Rolls ($5) to supplement our bowls of pho. If you’re not a fan of pork, they have a vegetarian spring roll option. Our order came with three rolls which had a nice crisp exterior and a tasty filling. While they were on the greasy side, I still found them to be quite enjoyable.

Deep Fried Pork Spring Rolls

For my bowl of pho, I went with the Rare Beef & Tendon Rice Noodle Soup ($6.50 small). I usually like me pho with rare beef, tendon and beef balls but couldn’t find the combination on the menu. I asked about the cost of adding beef balls and was told it’d cost me $2. I decided to pass.

Rare Beef & Tendon Rice Noodle Soup

The pho comes with the usual plate of bean sprouts/basil and you’ll find the typical pho condiments on your table – hoisin, siracha and chili sauce.

Complimentary Bean Sprouts

The broth here isn’t quite as flavourful as others I’ve tried but I still found it to be quite tasty. I’m no pho connoisseur but this bowl of pho really satisfied my craving.

Condiments

Mike went with the Rare Beef & Beef Ball Rice Noodle Soup ($7 large) and he was equally satisfied.

Rare Beef & Beef Ball Rice Noodle Soup

While I left satisfied, I wouldn’t go out of my way to come here. But if you’re in the area craving a bowl of pho, Golden Turtle will hit the spot!

At a glance:
• Located on Ossington; look for the large red sign that says “Rua Vang”
• The space was renovated at the beginning of 2012; has an outdoor patio
• Cash only but they have an ATM machine inside the restaurant
• Found their pho to be quite satisfying

Ratings (out of 5):
• Food: 3 stars
• Service: 2 stars
• Atmosphere: 1 star

The interior

There’s no signage outside the restaurant so its easily missed. The space is narrow, with a long bar and mainly communal seating. It’s got a hipster, old-school vibe to it and makes for a great spot to grab a drink and a small bite to eat. Their food is perfect for sharing and would be perfect for a late night snack (they open until 2am Mondays through Saturdays).

The menu

We dropped by on a Saturday, shortly after 6pm when they open, and the place filled up quickly. The place isn’t huge, so expect to wait if you’re here during prime time.

We started off with the Squash Poutine ($7) which consisted of crispy cubes of fried squash covered in something that reminded me of Japanese curry.  All topped with bits of kimchi and a bit of mayo, it was one delicious mess.

Squash Poutine

Having heard so much about “The Loosey” ($5), we couldn’t leave without ordering one. It’s essentially a slider – with a short rib patty topped with kimchi, American cheese and pickles all sandwiched between toasted slices of challah bread. The Loosey definitely hit the spot. It actually reminded me of a Big Mac…but better!

“The Loosey”

Something that caught our eye was the Bulgogi Cheesesteak ($5), an equally good sandwich. The meat was nice and tender, the bun was soft and I loved the addition of the grainy mustard in it. It left us wanting more!

Bulgogi Cheesesteak

For something lighter, we ordered the Spicy Scallion & Avocado Slaw ($5). I was a little surprised when it arrived since I was expecting a slaw but it was more of a salad. Chunks of avocado sat on top of a small pile of greens. There were traces of chilis in the slaw which gave it a nice kick and I really enjoyed the sesame based dressing.

Spicy Scallion & Avocado Slaw

Lastly, we had the Beef Short Rib Ssäm Platter ($25). Other protein options include pork belly & shrimp, spicy chicken and spicy pork neck. The platter comes with a bucket of romaine and iceberg lettuce and the idea is to create a lettuce wrap with your protein.

Beef Short Rib Ssäm Platter

The short ribs, which were mixed with some stir-fried veggies, were tender and tasty. The wraps got pretty messy but the messier, the better right?

The platter also comes with a side of kimchi, condiments and some kimchi fried rice. The rice had a nice kick to it and was quite addictive. The platter and everything it comes with is pretty substantial and like everything else here, is perfect for sharing.

Kimchi Fried Rice

Overall, I had a great meal at Oddseoul. Great drinks and great food – I’ll definitely be back!

At a glance:
• Korean-inspired small plates which are perfect for sharing
• Most dishes around the $5 to $7 mark; Ssäm platters are $25 (feeds 2)
• Open Mondays to Saturdays from 6pm to 2am
• Mostly bar and communal seating
• Located on Ossington; no signage outside/easily missed

Ratings (out of 5):
• Food: 4 stars
• Service: 3 stars
• Atmosphere: 3 stars

Reservations here are accepted exactly 28 days in advance. Their reservations office is open from 9am to 6pm Monday through Sunday and if you’re looking for a dinner reservation, you better call exactly 28 days in advance. Mike and I both tried calling right at 9am, 28 days in advance and had no luck securing a dinner reservation so we settled on lunch. However, I recommend checking Opentable.com too since. Later in the day, I found a 5:30 reservation.

Our personal letter

They only offer a 16-course tasting menu for $195 at Eleven Madison Park. The menu is the same regardless if you go for lunch or dinner. I’m glad we were able to secure a dinner reservation since it’s a marathon meal – around 3 ½ hours long and I was pretty much ready for bed after the meal. Major food coma.

If you have special dietary restrictions, they’d be more than happy to tailor the menu to each individual. Just inform them of any allergies, ingredient preferences or dietary restrictions after being seated. Mike’s been sensitive to gluten lately and they were able to easily swap out gluten items like bread for gluten-free bread. Initially we were afraid he’d get a completely different meal but I was impressed by how easily they were able to swap out the gluten while giving him the same experience.

Making our Manhattan’s table-side

Right from the get-go, the service was fantastic and everything you’d expect from a three Michelin star restaurant. I loved how the atmosphere didn’t feel pretentious and never once did we feel out of place.

Since it was a 16-course tasting, I’ll try to keep this post short and sweet. Here goes!

Cheddar – savoury black and white cookie with apple. It was a great take on the classic black and white cookie and was a nice little bite to start off the meal.

Savoury Black & White Cookie

Oyster – wood sorrel, buckwheat and mignonette. Fresh, light and delicious!

Oyster

Jonah Crab – with avocado, finger lime and cucumber

Jonah Crab

Sea Urchin – custard with apple, sea urchin tongue and chervil. It was such a delicate dish that just melted in my mouth. Loved it!

Sea Urchin

Clam – surf clam with Morcilla sausage and celery root

Clam

Clambake – with whelk, Parker House roll and chowder. I loved the playful presentation of this dish. Our server poured hot water over the coals causing the steam to heat up the chowder inside the teapot.

The Clambake

Rolls – served with cows milk butter, beef butter and sea salt

Rolls

Foie Gras – seared with sunchoke, dates and water chestnut. At the beginning of our meal, our server asked if we wanted our foie gras course served hot (seared) or cold (terrine). I decided to go with the seared foie gras while Mike tried the terrine. The hot version was definitely the better between the two.

Foie Gras (Seared)

Foie Gras – ­terrine with bitter greens, pear and anchovy. While it was a good terrine, I’ve had better.

Foie Gras (Terrine)

Carrot – tartare with rye bread and condiments. After the foie gras courses, our server brought over a meat grinder and attached it to our table. Needless to say, Mike and I gave each other very puzzled looks. Turned out, this was for our carrot tartare course which was ground in front of us.

Grinding the Carrot

It was served with an extensive array of condiments including apple mustard, sunflower seeds, pickled quail egg, smoke dried mackerel, chives, pickled mustard seed, horseradish, apple, salt, carrot jalapeno (my favourite) and mustard oil.

When I first heard “carrot tartare”, I didn’t have high expectations but it turned out to be really tasty! I enjoyed the freshness of the carrot and the delicious condiments which really made the dish.

Carrot “Tartare”

Lobster – poached with rutabaga, pear and lovage bisque

Lobster

Salsify – roasted with apples and black sausage

Salsify

Beef – grilled with mushrooms, Amaranth and bone marrow. At the beginning of the meal, we were asked if we preferred beef (140 day aged beef) or duck. We decided on the beef which was incredible and the addition of the hen of the woods mushrooms just made it a really earthy dish.

Beef

The beef was served with a side of braised oxtail and foie gras whipped potato. Oh-so-decadent!

Greensward – pretzel, mustard and grapes. Another playful presentation! We were presented with a picnic basket and our server simply said “everything you need is in this basket.”

Greensward

Inside the basket, we found some cows milk cheese, butternut squash mustard, pretzels, grapes and a delicious bourbon barrel aged cider.

Greensward

Malt – ­egg cream with vanilla and seltzer. We watched as a server came by and prepared our egg creams table side. I’ve never had an egg cream before and was pleasantly surprised. Very tasty!

Making our egg creams

Maple – bourbon barrel aged with milk and shaved ice. This light and refreshing dessert was perfect for a 16-course meal.

Maple

Earl Grey – sheep’s milk cheesecake, honey and lemon. Another wonderful dessert for the tasting as the cheesecake was actually aerated, making it extra light!

Sheep’s Milk Cheesecake

Chocolate Truffles

Chocolate Truffle

Pretzel – chocolate covered with sea salt

Pretzels

Chocolate – sweet black and white cookie with apricot. Coming full circle…ending with the classic black and white cookie!

Black & White Cookies

At the end of our meal, we were given a jar of granola for the next morning as well as two chocolate bars which had a little card saying “Happy Anniversary.” It was the little touches like this that made the whole experience so memorable.

Granola to-go

While some dishes were better than others, there wasn’t anything I didn’t enjoy. The courses contained unique elements and were presented in such a fun and interesting way – there was a lot of excitement for what was coming next. The meal consisted of a perfect progression of dishes and I loved that the desserts were so light. I can honestly say that my meal at Eleven Madison Park was one of the most memorable dining experiences I’ve had!

Chocolate Bars

At a glance:
• Three Michelin star restaurant; #10 on San Pellegrino’s list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants for 2012
• Only one option – a 16-course tasting menu for $195 (offered for lunch and dinner)
• Reservations are accepted 28 days in advance; If you want a dinner reservation, call them exactly 28 days in advance when the reservations office opens at 9am
• One of the most memorable dining experiences I’ve had

Ratings (out of 5):
• Food: 4.5 stars
• Service: 5 stars
• Atmosphere: 5 stars

Their dinner menu features a three-course meal for $110 while their tasting menu is priced at $198, so their lunch prix-fixe is certainly a steal! Their seasonal lunch menu is surprisingly extensive with a heavy focus on seafood. If there are more than two items which catch your eye, extra courses are $19. If you’re in the mood to splurge for lunch, a tasting menu is available for $148.

Jean Georges (@Jean_GeorgesNYC) is Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s flagship restaurant which is located in the Trump Hotel across from Central Park. I loved the dining room’s high ceilings and enormous windows which made the room feel very bright and airy. The décor featured neutral colours and had a classic and elegant feel to it.

The dress code is quite strict at the restaurant – men are required to wear jackets. But if you drop by for lunch, they’re a little more lenient. Shortly after ordering, they started us off with some complimentary bread.

Complimentary Bread

Up next was the Amuse Bouche which they called the “Amuse Trio.” The first item I tried was the broccoli and garlic soup which was topped with a chili foam, giving it a nice kick.  This was my favourite item of the three.

Another component was a slice of rhubarb which sat on top of a piece of sticky rice which looked like a piece of nigiri. While it was very cute and playful, it just didn’t work for me. The third and last component was a sweet pea and cardamom crumble which had a very concentrated pea flavour.

The Amuse Bouche

For my first course, I went with the Foie Gras Brûlée – with dried sour cherries, candied pistachios and white port gelee for an extra $5 supplement. As the name indicates, it had a nice crisp top from being torched, resembling crème brûlée. The foie gras was sitting on top of a piece of brioche and I particularly enjoyed the candied pistachios garnishing the dish. Overall, it was a solid dish but not one of the best cold foie gras dishes I’ve ever had.

The Foie Gras Brûlée

I enjoyed Mike’s first course a lot more, the Sea Scallops – with caramelized cauliflower and caper raisin emulsion ($8 supplement). The perfectly seared scallops sat on top of an incredible caper raisin emulsion which had the perfect balance of sweet and salty. The crunch from the caramelized cauliflower made it a perfect dish.

Sea Scallops

For my main course, I went with the Crispy Confit of Suckling Pig – with rutabaga pudding and smoked bacon marmalade which was a $10 supplement. It consisted of pulled meat which had been shaped into a rectangle. I really liked how they made such a normally hearty dish look so pretty and dainty!

Crispy Confit of Suckling Pig

The skin was crisp like it should be and the meat was moist and seasoned well. With each bite, I made sure I got a little bit of the rutabaga pudding (aka puree) and bacon marmalade. Was it worth the $10 supplement? No. But it was a pretty tasty dish!

You’ve probably noticed that we’ve ordered a lot of dishes which require supplements. Don’t worry, most of the lunch items don’t require an extra cost. They just happened to be the dishes we were drawn to.

Crispy Confit of Suckling Pig

Mike definitely ordered better than me at Jean Georges. He went with the Steamed Flounder – with potato-leek puree and clams with green chili which was my favourite dish of the meal. I don’t see flounder on the menu very often so I was glad he gave this a try.

The flounder was very moist and just melted in our mouths. The clams and green chili paired with the fish perfectly and the potato-leek puree was a wonderful carb to go with the fish.

Steamed Flounder

Dessert isn’t included in the lunch prix-fixe but you can always order something off their dessert menu. Surprisingly, we were pretty full after our courses so we decided to skip on dessert.

Even if you skip dessert, they make sure you end your meal with something sweet! They end you off with a small plate of complimentary petit fours which included rosewater macarons, pistachio nougat, assorted truffles and fruit jellies.

Complimentary Petit Fours

Just as we thought our meal was over, our server brought over some housemade vanilla bean infused marshmallows. Light, fluffy and certainly not your average store-bought marhsmallows.

Vanilla Bean Infused Marshmallows

Overall, we had a nice lunch at Jean Georges. The food was delicious and the service was exactly what you’d expect from a three Michelin star restaurant. Food-wise, we were most impressed by their seafood dishes, so I’d recommend sticking to these.

At a glance:
• Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s three Michelin star flagship restaurant
• Located across from Central Park in the Trump hotel
• Two-course lunch menu for $39 (extra courses are $19); extensive options to choose from
• We were most impressed by their seafood dishes
• Jackets are required for men during dinner service but they’re more lenient for lunch

Ratings (out of 5):
• Food: 4 stars
• Service: 4.5 stars
• Atmosphere: 3 stars

The interior

They’re open late every day – 1am Sundays to Wednesdays and 2am Thursdays to Saturdays. While they have memberships for regulars, the walk-in rates are pretty reasonable at $20/hour before 5pm and $30/hour after 5pm (members pay half the general walk-in rate). It’ll cost you a little more if you want to guarantee a table – $60/hour for a reservation.

Oh, and not to worry if you’re not a ping pong pro. This isn’t a place where only pros are welcome. I’m terrible at ping pong myself but I had a ton of fun!

The interior

I’ve been to SPiN before for a corporate event and had a fantastic time – it’s so much more fun than simply going to a bar. They’ve got great drinks and playing ping pong made it so much more interactive!

Last week, I was invited to SPiN to preview the new spring/summer dishes by Chef Jon Lovett (@iamjonlovett). On my previous visit, I didn’t try the food and was surprised to see that they have such an extensive menu. I love the fact that their menu has such a strong focus on using local and seasonal ingredients.

The menu

The menu consists of several sections – small plates, sandwiches, salads and sweets. I’d describe the menu as comfort food… with a spin (hehe). Here’s a look at what I tried…

Cast Iron Prawns – Inland farmed prawns, old bay, garlic & chives

Cast Iron Prawns

Poppers – jalapenos stuffed with Atlantic Rock crab and served with ranch dipping sauce

Poppers

Kung Pao Tofu – extra firm tofu with a burnt pineapple glaze and jicama slaw

Kung Pao Tofu

Fresh Veggie Chips – coloured beets, heirloom carrots, radish and SPiN sauce

Fresh Veggie Chips

Taco Salad – King Capon chicken, avocado, turtle beans and fresh cheese

Taco Salad

Chicken N Waffles Platter – King Capon chicken breast, jalapenos and local honey

Chicken N Waffles Platter

5 Step Fries Supreme – Rose Family Kennebec potatoes, easy cheese and taco fixins

5 Step Fries Supreme

Grilled Cheese – 1 year cheddar, Monterey jack & Canadian gruyere

Grilled Cheese

Can o’ Tuna – line caught Ahi tartare, quail egg, herb salad and toast

Can o’ Tuna

Sloppy Joe – with Ontario lamb shoulder

Sloppy Joes

Cheese and Meats – market cheese, cured meats, pickles, Kozlik’s mustard & flat breads

Cheese and Meats

Ginger & Vanilla Ice Cream Sundae

The Daily Sundae

I was really impressed with the food! There wasn’t anything I didn’t enjoy. One of my favourites was the chicken n’ waffles platter. The chicken was crisp on the outside and wonderfully moist on the inside. The waffle also had a crisp exterior and was quite light and fluffy. The jalapenos gave it a nice kick and the honey gave it just the right amount of sweetness.

The grilled cheese was another favourite of mine. It may look like a simple grilled cheese but the quality of the ingredients used and the side of housemade ketchup really elevated the sandwich.

Each day, SPiN features a different sundae. Today’s feature was ginger and vanilla – topped with bits of ginger bread. A perfect end to a delicious meal.

SPiN is a great alternative to the typical bar – ping pong, great cocktails and delicious comfort food that’ll leave you wanting more!

*This was a complimentary meal. The opinions in the post are my own.*

BrisketTown

BrisketTown is located in Williamsburg, Brooklyn and has a very non-descript exterior – easily missed! The space is quite small but it has a very warm and casual atmosphere. They don’t take reservations so don’t be surprised if there’s a line if you show up during prime dinner time.

They open daily for dinner from 6:30 until they’re sold out. I love that they have a website to see if they have meat left (http://istheremeatleft.com/). If you pre-order your meat, you can pick it up between 6 and 6:30.

The interior

They recently started serving lunch so we decided to drop by for a mid-day snack. If you drop by during the day, they’ll only have breakfast tacos and sandwiches so if you want your meat straight-up, you’ll have to come during dinner.

The interior

Every evening, they offer two or three proteins – usually brisket ($25 per pound) and ribs ($22 per pound or approximately 6 ribs). Probably a little pricier than your typical BBQ joint.

Our meal complete with a roll of paper towels

We ordered a Brisket Sandwich ($6) which was served with pickles on the side. The shredded meat had a distinct smokiness to it and was topped with a generous handful of onions. The sandwich was juicy, messy and pretty damn tasty. The grilled bun worked perfectly as it held up well against the juiciness. Finger-licking good!

The Brisket Sandwich

To supplement the sandwich, we also ordered a side of Potato Salad ($2.50) which was also noteworthy. The chunky potatoes were covered in a creamy (but not too creamy) sauce which contained hints of mustard. Don’t miss out on this stellar side!

The Potato Salad

Overall, I had a really enjoyable meal at BrisketTown. While I didn’t drop by for dinner, the brisket sandwich and potato salad left me with a great impression of what they have to offer. Until we meet again, BrisketTown!

At a glance:
• Serving up Texas-style BBQ
• Located in Williamsburg, Brooklyn
• During the day, only breakfast tacos and sandwiches are served
• Dinner is served daily from 6:30pm until they sell out (check http://istheremeatleft.com/)
• Pre-orders are available for pick-up from 6pm to 6:30pm
• Small space; no reservations; only full parties are seated
• Enjoyed the brisket sandwich and potato salad

Ratings (out of 5):
• Food: 4.5 stars
• Service: 4 stars
• Atmosphere: 3 stars

WD-50 is brought to you by Wylie Dufresne who has worked at Jean-Georges and has multiple James Beard nominations. The restaurant was awarded one Michelin star back in 2006 and still has it to date.

The restaurant has a very casual and laid back atmosphere. Not pretentious at all! It’s definitely not a place you’d expect to spend a lot of money.

They changed their menu format about a year ago. They used to have an a la carte menu but they now only offer two tasting options – a twelve course tasting for $155 ($95 for wine pairings) or a shorter “From the Vault” five-course tasting for $90 ($65 for wine pairings) which features classic dishes from past menus. If you opt to sit at the bar, you have the option of ordering 2 courses off either of the menus for $25 (an extra $15 per course). We didn’t feel like another marathon tasting menu so we decided on the shorter five-course tasting.

They started us off with some thin and crispy Sesame Flatbread. While I appreciated the fact it was a nice change from bread, this wasn’t anything special in my opinion.

Sesame Flatbread

Our amuse bouche was a poached oyster with white chocolate powder and sake. The white chocolate powder was an interesting combination but it surprisingly worked. I wouldn’t eat all my oysters this way but I liked the small bite.

The Amuse Bouche

The first dish of the tasting menu was the Beef Tongue – with cherry-miso, quinoa fries and king oyster mushrooms. There were a lot of flavours going on – sweet, salty and sour. The slices of tongue were thin, tender and just melted in our mouths. The crunch from the quinoa fries, which were more like crackers, gave it a nice textural contrast. Overall, it was a tasty dish to start off the meal!

Beef Tongue

Course number two was the Popcorn Soup – with shrimp, shiso and jicama. Like the name indicated, it certainly did taste like popcorn in soup form. I like popcorn and I like soup… I’m just not sure I like them together. I just didn’t love it.

Popcorn Soup

Next up was the Monkfish – with red pepper oatmeal, black olive mochi and turnip. The fish was fine on its own but it was a little on the bland side. I didn’t particularly enjoy the red pepper oatmeal either but I did like the black olive mochi. They were salty, chewy, crunchy and delicious!

Monkfish

Our fourth dish was the Smoked Duck – with parsnip “ricotta”, cocoa nibs and black vinegar which turned out to be my favourite dish of the evening. The smoked duck was tender, moist and tasted incredible with the thick black vinegar. It was accompanied by parsnip and spaghetti squash which was just as delicious. While it was a great dish, I was still expecting something a little more inventive from WD-50.

Smoked Duck

The fifth and final course was a Passion Fruit Tart – with sesame, argan oil and meringue. It’s a little deceiving since it looks like there’s a shortbread crust around it but there isn’t. The tart itself had a very intense passion fruit flavour which I enjoyed. I liked the bits of meringue which added some much needed crunch.

The Passion Fruit Tart

The bill arrived with what they called “blueberry cheesecake” which was essentially a blueberry fruit roll-up with crunchy bits of what resembled meringue. Now this was something I was looking for the entire meal – something interesting and creative!

“Blueberry Cheesecake”

So, I found our “From the Vault” 5-course tasting a little hit and miss and overall, I was just expecting more from a restaurant like WD-50. I wanted to feel like I was in a science experiment but nothing really shouted “molecular gastronomy” or “cutting-edge” to me. If this is what you’re looking for, skip the 5-course tasting.

At a glance:
• Brought to you by Wylie Dufresne
• Open since 2003 to many accolades; earned one Michelin star in 2006
• Famous for molecular gastronomy
• 5-course tasting menu for $90 or 12-course tasting for $155
• An “At the Bar” option – $25 for two items from either tasting menu if you sit at the bar
• The 5-course tasting had some hits and misses
• Overall, felt a little disappointed – nothing cutting edge

Ratings (out of 5):
• Food: 2.5 stars
• Service: 3 stars
• Atmosphere: 3 stars

At the table

The dining room, which was redesigned last year, is quite large and spacious. Catering to the financial district crowd, there are also two separate dining spaces – a  private room which seats 50 and a boardroom which seats 12.

This neighborhood osteria is owned by Andreas Antoniou who also owns the popular Estiatorio Volos restaurant across the street. During our dinner, Andreas explained to us that the restaurant wanted to bring more rustic dishes to the menu.

Our menu for the evening

Without further ado, here’s a look at what we sampled…

Little Anthony’s signature cocktail, the Milano Sunrise – with Campari, Martini Bianco, soda & grapefruit.

The Milano Sunrise

Bacon Wrapped Dates – with a gorgonzola filling

Bacon Wrapped Dates

Cheese Tortellini – with scarmoza, saffron béchamel, watercress and breadcrumbs

Cheese Tortellini

Shrimp Scampi – with a lemon butter sauce, garlic, fried bread, parsley & arugula salad

Shrimp Scampi

Tagliatelle alla Carbonara – with pancetta, egg yolk, parmigiano reggiano, parsley and nutmeg

Tagliatelle alla Carbonara

Pan Seared Scallops – with grilled radicchio, marjoram & garlic vinaigrette and smoked bacon

Pan Seared Scallops

6oz Flat Iron Steak – with potato gnocchi, roasted mushrooms, thyme & peppercorn sauce

6oz Flat Iron Steak

Filetto di Branzino – with white beans, lemon al burro, P.E.I. mussels, braised fennel and orange

Filetto di Branzino

Roasted Capon – with brown lentils, crispy confit thigh and glazed spring vegetables

Roasted Capon

Lemon Sorbet

Lemon Sorbet

Tiramisu

Tiramisu

Needless to say, it was quite the meal, starting off with the bacon wrapped dates – what’s not to love? A perfect sweet and salty combination.

One stand-out for me was the shrimp scampi. The shrimp were perfectly cooked and I couldn’t get enough of the garlicky, buttery fried bread.  For some freshness, the parsley and arugula salad was a nice addition. I was also a fan of the tagliatelle alla carbonara. The pasta was cooked al dente and the sauce was spot on. I have to add that the meat and seafood in all the dishes were wonderfully cooked – moist and tender!

We ended off our meal with a refreshing bite of lemon sorbet and a light tiramisu which had just the right amount of sweetness. A great way to end off the meal!

*This was a complimentary meal. The opinions in the post are my own.*