The restaurant scene in Toronto has always been hectic with dozens of doors opening and closing each month. In the competitive landscape, many new spots don’t hit their one year birthday. I usually try to visit restaurants only once they’ve hit the 6 months mark, giving them the opportunity to smooth out any service wrinkles and fine tune their menu. Many of the newly opened restaurants have caught my eye including Canis, Grey Gardens and Doma. So far, I’ve been able to visit Doma, a French inspired Korean restaurant located in Little Italy.

Atmosphere: Doma’s aesthetic was clean and minimalist. The white dining room was filled with square wood tables and seats alternated between wood and black metal ones. Both the plates and utensils were simple, unadorned and and modern. I felt a touch underdressed, having come straight from work, compared to other diners who were in more “date night” attire. The restaurant was quiet, perfect for conversation and not too busy on the Thursday night.

Service: My friend and I had reservations for 5:30pm, when Doma opened. When we arrived a few minutes early, service wasn’t ready just yet and we wandered around around the neighbourhood for a bit before returning 10 minutes later. We were seated quickly and a server by to take our drink orders. Once we had some time with the menu, our server returned to ask if we had any questions before we placed our order. Service was professional and efficient with dishes arriving at a good pace in courses. I couldn’t quite place why, but during few of our interactions with the servers, they felt a touch aloof.

Food: Doma’s menu was compact and changes monthly, keeping only 2-3 of the previous month’s most popular dishes. To taste the full menu was $65 per person, a great deal. For the two of us, we decided to share 3 dishes, Tuigim (deep-fried summer vegetables), Grilled Octopus and Uhsun Mandoo (a seafood dumpling). All three dishes were very good and varied in how much Korean and French influence was present.

Before our main dishes arrived, an Amuse Bouche was served, which was a sip of cold gazpacho, sweet, tart and seasoned with lots of herbs. The first dish to arrive was the Tuigim that came with dollops of three sauces. I really enjoyed how fresh the vegetables were, the light crispy batter and the variety of sauces. Each vegetable was cooked to a great texture and there wasn’t any hint of oiliness. Next up was the Grilled Octopus surrounded by a next of julienned vegetables and a Korean mustard dressing. I felt a lot of Korean flavours in this dish in the cabbage, dressing and seasoning on the charred octopus. The octopus itself was tender and had a nice char. I also liked the different textures of the salad and the sweet, sour flavours.

The last dish of the night was the Uhsun Mandoo, served with daily fish, scallop, prawn, spring pea puree, soy chili beurre blanc and radicchio. I have such mixed feelings about this dish. On one hand, this was one of the best radicchios I’ve ever had. The soy chili beurre blanc balanced the bitterness of the vegetable and made each bite sweet and interesting. The seafood was fresh, but none of the components really stood out or wowed. I was a bite disappointed in the mandoo, which was a very Western interpretation and reminded me much more of ravioli. The flavours of the filling and texture of the wrapper was good, but not what I was expecting. I was also surprised at the lack of spice or any fermented ingredients.

Overall, dinner at Doma was solid, but I was expecting more of the Korean side to shine through than it did.

Middle Eastern cuisine is one that I’m not the most familiar with aside from falafel and shawarmas. However, it feels like there are more restaurants opening in Toronto with a menu featuring Middle Eastern flavours. Hungry Amoo is one of these new spots on Ossington in the Queen W neighbourhood that draws inspiration from all over the world to create a fusion menu that ranges from Fried Chicken to Tamarind Beef. Stephen and I stopped by to taste the menu, trekking through a snowstorm outside.

Disclaimer: All food and drinks reviewed below were provided complimentary. All opinions expressed below are wholly mine.

Atmosphere: Like many restaurants in the neighbourhood, Hungry Amoo was long and narrow. There was a high communal table just behind the front window, perfect for groups, and cozy leather bench seating along one wall. The bar was lit with purple neon lights. We chose a large table near the back of the restaurant, close to the kitchen, to avoid disturbing other customers with the camera flash. With snow continuing to fall outside, the restaurant stayed quiet that evening.

Food: To start, we decided on the soup of the day after hearing the words “roasted root vegetables”. The thick soup was a perfect match for the weather, well seasoned, a little bit of heat, and with a natural sweetness from the vegetable. From the starter section of the menu, we also tried the Falafel and Tamarind Beef. I enjoyed the fresh hummus and toasted pita chips. The falafels themselves had a nice texture, and good seasoning but were a touch dry. I loved the Tamarind Beef. Each beef was savory, sweet from the date sauce and nutty from the cashews. This was my favourite dish of the evening and I would highly recommend ordering it.

For mains, we tried the house made Seafood Manti and the Lamb Chop. The manti were little dumplings filled with shrimp, crab, fennel, saffron and topped with caviar in a tomato sauce. Raw shredded fennel was served on top of the manti and added a refreshing bite to each spoonful. These manti were very flavourful and you could really taste the saffron. The seafood flavour could have been stronger. As for the lamb, the chop was served on a layer of puff pastry hiding a sauce of yogurt and pistachio with beans and raisins sprinkled on top. The lamb was not too gamey, cooked medium, and was juicy and tender. I really liked the puff pastry but found the yogurt sauce a bit heavy. Overall, the presentation of the dish was interesting and it was very filling.

Ending our evening on a sweet note, Stephen and I had the coconut dusted Sour Cream Donuts with Nutella and banana cream. A perfect way to finish our meal.

This year Sidecar Restaurant on College St. is celebrating their 9th anniversary, an impressive feat for any restaurant in the neighbourhood that’s constantly welcoming new faces and saying goodbye to old favourites. Chef Hyun Jung Kim joined the restaurant recently and unveiled a new menu that will delight any customer. From scallops to duck breast to salmon, every bite was seriously good. Sidecar believes in providing great food and service at a reasonable price, which is why they’ve become a gratuity free restaurant. All menu prices are inclusive of tip and mains range in price from $20-$30, which I thought was a great value based on the quality of each plate. Sidecar invited me to taste dishes from their new menu and sip on a few cocktails from their sister establishment the Toronto Temperance Society.

Disclaimer: All food and drinks reviewed below were provided complimentary. All opinions expressed below are wholly mine.

To start, I’d like to note that the photos in this post show the serving size of the menu items as part of a multi-course tasting menu. Full size plates were a much larger, usually double, the portion size for all of the meat mains.

For drinks, Sidecar offers a variety of cocktails bottled daily from the Toronto Temperance Society upstairs. In addition, the bartender can also whip up drinks to order. The Hubby decided to try an Old Fashioned while I asked for a surprise with the request of something fruity and sweet. Our server returned with an adorable bottle for him and a French 75 for me, that fit my request to a tee.

Our first taste was an amuse bouche from Chef Kim that featured a trio of seafood ranging in texture, cooking techniques and flavour. There was a fresh oyster with an apple mignotte, a PEI mussel with smoked paprika, and a deep fried shrimp. We moved our way from refreshing to rich and savoured each bite. I loved the mussel, which had a strong smoky aroma and still tasted of the ocean. The first menu item we tasted was the starter Scallops, seared perfectly on one side and served with charred rice in a light, clear broth. I would’ve preferred my scallops a touch more rate, but they were very tender and the broth was amazing. The charred grains of rice added a bit of crunch and punch of flavour.

The Hubs and I tasted 3 mains, which was a lot of food. I really appreciated Sidecar’s hospitality and the thought and care they put into our tasting. The smaller portion sizes allowed us to thoroughly enjoy each bite from start to finish. Our first main was Atlantic Salmon with Israeli couscous, brown butter, shallot, capers and lemon. The salmon skin was perfectly crispy and the fish just opaque. I really enjoyed the hints of sour that complemented the savoury sauce. Next was seared Duck Breast with butternut squash, lentils, cipolini onions and kale. I loved this dish. The duck breast was still pink inside with a crispy skin and light gamey flavour. The sweet butternut squash was creamy and paired well with the rich duck. Our final entree was a medallion of beef with creamed parsnip and cabbage. Again, expertly cooked and a good balance of textures and taste.

Then there was dessert. By this point, we really should have split the two desserts between us. We tried the Chocolate Mousse, which would have satisfied any chocolate fan with the rich chocolate taste. I really liked the chocolate cup that had a raspberry sauce inside and a spot of whipped cream. The other dessert, the one I liked more, was the Tiramisu Cheesecake that was a decadent take on the classic dessert.

Dinner at Sidecar was a true delight. I’m sure that with Chef Kim in the kitchen, the restaurant will be celebrating many more anniversaries to come. Sidecar also offers tasting menus at $35 for 3 courses (available Sunday to Wednesday) and $60 for 5 courses (available by request), which are great deals. I would highly recommend the scallop, duck breast and tiramisu cheesecake.

Samuel Adams beer company has partnered with 6 talented Toronto chefs to create dishes and artisan products inspired by their iconic Boston Lager. One of these chefs is Chef Craig Harding of Campagnolo, well loved by Toronto restaurant go-ers (and myself!) for his delicious pasta dishes and mouth watering appetizers. I sat down with 3 other bloggers for an intimate meal at Campagnolo to discover how The Boston Lager inspired Chef Harding in the kitchen.

Disclaimer: All food and drinks reviewed below were provided complimentary by Samuel Adams Beer. All opinions expressed below are wholly mine. Photography by Jeffrey Chan courtesy of Samuel Adams

When I think about beer and food, one of the first things that come to mind is BBQ. So I was excited to learn that our main entree was a Smoked Brisket, brined for two days, brushed with sauce, cooked sous vide overnight in Samuel Adams beer, and then smoked for 4 hours. My mouth watered as Chef Harding described the dish and the aroma of brisket wafted up towards me. Each slice had the perfect pink smoke ring and a beautifully rendered fat cap. Fat is flavour. I also loved the deep, earthy flavours from the beer that soaked into the brisket.

What I liked about the Boston Lager, was that while each sip was refreshing and crisp, it was also a touch sweet, complex and complimented the savoury, smokey BBQ. With humble beginnings in Jim Koch’s kitchen, Boston Lager debuted in 1985 and today, each bottle is still made with the original recipe. This was the beer that started America’s obsession with craft beer, one I’m happily on board with.

Underneath all that brisket was another beer inspired dish, house made sauerkraut with chicken stock, mustard and Boston Lager. With this dish, you could taste a hint of the beer in the tanginess. After each bite, I automatically reached for a sip of Boston Lager, whose sweetness paired well with the acidity

In addition to the brisket, I also got to try my beer with three delicious appetizers, steak tartare, octopus carpaccio and fresh burrata cheese with roasted grapes. When paired with the the carpaccio, another tangy dish, the sweet, caramel flavours of the Boston Lager really jumped out. Meanwhile, paired with the steak tartare, a richer, savoury dish, I tasted more hops and earthiness. Paired with the burrata, a mild soft cheese, and grapes, the Boston Lager’s light, bitter undertones balanced the sweetness. Basically after every bite, I was reaching for my beer and was quickly ready for a refill. The Boston Lager proved to be versatile and truly #TheGoToBeer.

Chef Harding’s special Samuel Adams inspired Smoked Brisket and Sauerkraut will be available at Campagnolo only for the month of April.

In 2014, my dinner at Bar Isabel was one of my favourite eats of the year. Since then, Chef Grant van Gameren has opened another restaurant, Bar Raval that I’ve fallen equally head over heels for, this time drawing inspiration from Barcelona. Bar Raval features a stunning mahogany bar that winds around the restaurant, turning the space into a cozy wooden grotto. Just walking into the space, I felt like I was in no longer in Toronto, and this was before the food had even arrived.

Atmosphere: After an afternoon walking the One of a Kind show and sampling artisan fudge, The Hubby and I had worked up an appetite but wasn’t starving. This was the best state for visiting Bar Raval, known for their no reservation policy and notorious wait list. We left our names with the restaurant and crossed the street to sip coffees at Aroma until a table was free. After about 30 minutes, my phone rang.

Walking into the restaurant, we were directed to an open spot at the bar. Bar stools were first come first serve and most of the diners were leaning on the expansive bar or around barrels that served as cocktail tables. Hooks for jackets and purses were available at intervals under the bar. The restaurant was packed with bodies, and every time I turned, I hit someone with a limb. With music playing and plenty of chatter, the noise level inside was pretty loud. You had to get close to each or yell a little to be heard. Being an “it” restaurant, Bar Raval’s crowd was ideal for people watching.

Service: Even though the space was more casual and bar like, we had a dedicated server to show us the menu, take our order and check in on us throughout the night. Each dish was served with a detailed explanation. We ordered drinks directly from the bartender, who was impressively efficient at multi-tasking. I felt like I could really improve my time management skills by watching him work.

Food: For drinks, The Hubby and I each ordered a cocktail. Both had a long list of ingredients, took several minutes to concoct and most importantly, boozy. We started with a half order of clams ($20) from Bar Raval’s collection of canned specialties, which range from $15 to $68. At first, I was skeptical, but after eating the first sweet, succulent clam I was sold. Fished along the Galician coast and hand-packed, these clams were worth every penny, and more.

Other cold dishes were tried were the olives, fresh and fragrant, and serrano ham, salty but sweet. For hot dishes, we had the Hot Octopus, Chicken Gizzards and Chorizo Sausage with Quail Eggs. Served in olive oil, the grilled octopus and potato were well seasoned, tender and a great pairing for alcohol. The chicken gizzards were also incredibly tender, charred, skewered, served on a slice of toasted bread and under a blanket of spicy sauce. The couple next to us eyed our chicken gizzards and promptly ordered a plate for themselves. Our last, and most substantial plate of the night was the chorizo sausage. I thought the mini quail eggs were cute but I would’ve loved more yolk. The sausage itself was spicy, flavourful and criss-crossed with grill marks. I finished off every piece of fried potato with the mayo like sauce. Delicious.

In general, I would say all of the dishes at Bar Raval were great accompaniments to a drink, the best kind of tapas. On my next visit, I have my eyes set on the canned seafood and marinated in house specialties.

My first visit to Woodlot was back in 2011, before I started blogging about every meal, for a friend’s birthday. At the time she was vegetarian and I loved how accommodating Woodlot’s menu was. The majority of starters, pastas and sides were vegetarian and a whole separate menu was available with mains. This year for the same friend’s birthday, I suggested we re-visit Woodlot with her boyfriend.

Atmosphere: Our group of 3 was seated in the dining area on the second floor with dark wood tables and an exposed brick wall. We were closer to the back wall, but tables near the front had a perfect view into the open kitchen. Warmth and tantalizing aromas rose from the wood oven, making me hungrier by the second. Mixes with the dim and intimate lighting, the mood was relaxed and comfortable.

Service: While I found our server a little curt, he was professional, patient and we were trying. Instead of focusing on the menu, we chatted and he checked on us a few times before we were ready to order. Our cocktails arrived quickly and dishes were also served at a steady pace.

Food: A basket of freshly baked sourdough bread was served to the table and quickly devoured. Made in-house daily, the bread was fluffy, flavourful and had a great crust. Woodlot offers loaves for purchase at the restaurant/bakery daily after 3pm.

For starters, we split the Wood Fired Spiced Aubergine and Mozzarella Empanadas and Ember Grilled Hen-o-the-Woods Mushrooms. With the soft and chewy mushrooms, the wild rice offered a nice contrast in texture. The dish had strong natural, woodsy, flavours. Served on a wood board, the pair of empanadas came with pickled turnips and a kefir cream. Even without meat, the empanada filling was savoury and rich. The pastry itself was flakey and crunchy.

My friend shared the Roast Glazed King Oyster Mushrooms with her boyfriend and we all split the an order of buttery Gnocchi, that melted in your mouth. For my main, I chose the Crispy Seared Rainbow Trout, which was lightly seasoned and cooked beautifully, to a blush. Adding more substance to the dish were three balls of swiss chard wrapped around a mixture of barley, walnut and apple. With all this, we also ordered two sides, Warm Kale Salad and Seared Rapini. I loved the kale salad, that was generously topped with malt pickled shallots. Each bite was sweet, sour and hearty.

There was still dessert. I was sold on the Bittersweet Chocolate Tart with raspberry and toasted marshmallow (my weakness) while my friends wanted to try the Sticky Toffee and Ginger cake. Our only solution was to order both. I didn’t love my choice. I did like the tart raspberry flavour with the sweet chocolate, but the marshmallow was dense. With each bite, I couldn’t be helped but be reminded of Viva Puffs cookies. The Sticky Toffee and Ginger cake was incredibly moist and very sweet. Between the two, this was the stronger plate.

Cozy and intimate, Woodlot serves up elevated comfort dishes with fresh, local ingredients.

For my birthday this year, The Hubby and I celebrated with dinner at Yunaghi. The Japanese restaurant specialized in set menus featuring French-Japanese fusion dishes that appeal to every sense. Plating was stunning, with each leaf and drop of sauce placed delicately and exact. The visual appeal was only second to taste. Each course was an exercise in balance between acidity, sweetness, richness and air. I have no doubt my meal at Yunaghi will rank high in my top eats of this year. I struggle with this post to accurately transcribe my dining experience into words when the restaurant has been showered with accolades from professional reviewers much more eloquent than myself.

Atmosphere: Yunaghi took over the space that was previously Ici Bistro and there have been minimal changes to the decor. An open kitchen spans the back of the restaurant giving every seat a behind the scenes view. The dining room was small, on the main floor of a converted house and consisted of square tables and elevated bar stools. One row of bar seats faced the kitchen and another, where we sat was along the bar. Within the intimate room, it was hard not to overhear conversations but with the steady stream of courses and sake, we were mostly enjoying the food more than conversing. This was a unique dining experience, calm, peaceful and refined, perfect for a special occasion.

Service: In a word, superb. There were two main servers we interacted with along with the bartender. Each course was introduced in detail with ingredients and methods of preparation. We ordered the sake pairing along with our meal and the bartender introduced sake with tasting notes and their region. When he noticed The Hubby taking pictures of the glass, he brought us the sake bottle as well to play with. Service was efficient as well and there was no lull in between courses. We didn’t even realize that the meal had taken over 2 hours to enjoy.

Food: Looking back on our meal at Yunaghi, I believe the pictures tell the story best. Starting from the amuse bouche of sashimi doused with a green tea dashi mixture to a coriander mousse dessert, Yunaghi blends delicate Japanese flavours with intricate French cooking techniques. There’s foam, cheese, creams and foie gras, accented with yuzu, wasabi and nori.

There were three set menu to choose from, 7 (choice of chicken/fish and one of two desserts), 9 (chicken, fish and both desserts) and 11 (9 courses + otoro and foie gras) courses. We decided to try one 9 course meal and one 11 course meal. After comparing the two, the addition of otoro and foie gras was definitely worth the price difference and both were highlights of the evening.

Not quite kaiseki, but the closest so far in Toronto, at Yunaghi, the flow of dinner and themes of each course stays constant, while the ingredients change often. Our appetizer began with chestnut helly, saba sashimi, a slice of roast duck, wedge of persimmon, squash tofu and salmon temari roll. This was just the first course, a stunning start. Next was a silky, rich ramen broth with a spindle of coiled somen balanced on a slice of chashu. Course three was a piece of melt-in-your mouth otoro.

Vege course was next and had a perfect onsen egg, creamy and soft. Course # 5 was chawanmushi, tea cup steamed egg with hen of the wood, shaved grana padano, dusted with nori shichimi. My plate of foie gras then arrived. A generous portion, served with slices of toasted bread and nori butter. That nori butter, to die for. This course was a tribute to indulgence, buttery soft textures and rich fatty flavours.

Our next two courses were the meat entrees, a fish and a chicken. The fish was spanish mackerel, grilled and in the corner was a collection of seasonal vegetables arranged like a scene out of the woods. The details at Yunaghi wowed me. Nestled in a pool of cream, a disc of tender chicken was doused in arugula foam. Every dish was almost too pretty to eat. The last course before dessert was a bowl of seasoned Japanese sticky rice, topped with sesame seeds and tiny mushrooms. I could almost see little forest elves assembling this bowl in the kitchen.

Dessert was a two course affair, the first being a coriander mousse topped with coconut pear jelly and chili meringue. The textures of this dish all screamed dessert but the flavours were all savoury. My tastebuds were pleasantly confused. Dinner ended on a more traditional sweet note with a chocolate terrine on key lime foam. A reflection of the previous 10 courses, dessert was an ideal balance of sweet and sour, crunchy and airy.

I’d been holding off from visiting Patois, a Jamaican-Asian fusion restaurant, for one main reason. I really wanted to order “The Whole She-Bang” (the whole regular menu serving 3-4 people) but didn’t have the time to organize an outing. This was caused in part by scheduling challenges but mainly laziness. My desire for Patois’ pineapple bun burger however, was ever-growing and I finally got my hands on the fusion creation mid October.

Atmosphere: Two weeks ago, I met up with two girlfriends at Patois to catch up. We arrived at 6:30pm and had our pick of tables. The decor was playful and industrial. I felt like the beach was around the corner and I was grabbing a bite along the shore after an afternoon sunbathing on one of the colourful pool floats. Lighting was dim and intimate. Patois was a cozy spot to spend the night chatting about love and life over cocktails and fried chicken.

Service: Our server was lovely and attentive, almost to the point of excess. We lingered at our table for a couple of hours talking and picking at the last two dishes, which prompted the server to check in on us several times trying to clear plates. She was looking out for us and doing a great job, but I couldn’t help feeling rushed. I know this wasn’t her intention and she said as much when we settled the bill, inviting us to take our time. Again, I just couldn’t help feeling gently smothered.

Food: After settling in with cocktails, we began to analyze the menu and decided not to order “The Whole She-Bang” or a similar set option. This was because dinner features were not included and I had my eye on the Jerk Chicken Chowmein. Between the three of us, we ordered the Kimchi Potstickers, a full order of the O.G. Fried Chicken, the Chinese Pineapple Bun Burger (at last!) and the Jerk Chicken Chowmein.

I loved the potstickers. Wrapped using wonton skins, cooked to a crispy bottom and topped with caramelized onions, bacon, kimchi and sour cream, it was love at first bite. I now have to convince my mom to start topping her dumplings in a similar fashion. Each potsticker was a burst of meaty flavour and started meal on a high note. Next up was the O.G. Fried Chicken and watermelon pickle. My mom used to pickle watermelon rind so the concept was familiar. At Patois, the watermelon pickle balanced sweet with a subtle sourness that was addictive. Ok, I’ll admit, I had to Google O.G. because I’m old. Whatever. What I did know was that the Fried Chicken was good. Our tray had four pieces of battered and fried, juicy dark meat. Each piece was crispy with bits dropping off and the texture of the skin reminded me of Korean Fried Chicken, not at all oily. If Patois sold just fried chicken, I’d line up.

The Chinese Pineapple Bun burger was hard to split, and in the process we lost most of the crunchy sweet topping. All of us scrambled to save what we could of the topping. The patties were juicy, had a nice beefy flavour and were pretty big. With each bite there was sweetness from the bun, salt and crunch from the hickory sticks, umami from the oyster sauce mayo and plenty of savoury from the beef. The Jerk Chicken chow mein was the most Asian dish of the night. Presentation was similar to many Chinese restaurants with crispy egg noodles doused in a brown sauce with chicken and bok choy. While the dish was good, I didn’t find it special.

Somehow, we still had room for dessert and ordered a Cheesecake Stuffed French Toast. The small decadent pastry was filled with creamy mango cheesecake, rich, sweet and best shared.

Being on vacation for all of June meant I could only squeeze in one Summerlicious meal this year. After looking through all the menus, Bestellen’s spoke to me the loudest. Charcuterie appetizer and steak entree, it was really an easy choice.

Atmosphere: Compared to the storefront, Bestellen had a surprisingly large dining area that was narrow and long. As we were shown to our table, we walked by the steak aging room that showed off beautiful hunks of meat, my kind of eye candy. The lighting was dim, while not ideal for photos, it was romantic and intimate. Decor was a masculine with dark walls, exposed pipes, natural wood planks and a giant mural of meat.

Service: Our server was friendly and accommodating. He checked up on us frequently, asked about beer refills and was generously a great experience. Our food arrived without any delays and I felt looked after.

Food: The Hubby and I usually try to order different menu items so we can share and try more dishes. At Bestellen, we maintained this strategy for the appetizer and dessert, but we both wanted the steak. I started with the Grilled Squid appetizer while he had the Charcuterie.

The squid was cooked to just done, making it very tender and easy to chew. It was lightly seasoned and really carried the flavour of the Romesco sauce and fennel. The charred scallions added an edge of umami to the dish, a light refresh start. Considering this was a set menu for $35, I was impressed with the size of the charcuterie plate, there was 2-3 slices of each meat, plenty to share. While not a full offering, I found the plate to be a good sample of what Bestellen’s full menu has to offer.

All three of us ended up ordering the Dry Aged Striploin entree with crispy fingerling potatoes, salsa verde and charred rapini. Again the portion was generous for the price and the aged steak cooked to a perfect medium. The meat was an excellent cut, tender and juicy. Of all the summerlicious meals I’ve had, this was hands down the best beef dish. In fact, even compared to a popular steakhouse I visited later that month, Bestellen had them beat.

For dessert we split the Chocolate Budino and Lemon and Pistachio cake. The square of cake was served hot warm with candied lemon strings and sherry cream, a rich but not overly sweet plate. The budino on the other hand was thick, chocolatey, topped with fresh whipped cream and decadent. Any chocolate lover would have been satisfied.

For me, Summerlicious has always been an opportunity to try new restaurants or re-visit establishments that has delivered in the past. Some restaurants can be overwhelmed by the volume of diners and there’s a notable drop in service or food. Bestellen was excellent, which makes me eager to visit again and taste their full menu.

In 2009, I started work at my first real job and immediately budgeted a portion of each paycheque to eating out. Blackhoof was one of the first Toronto restaurants that I “splurged at” back in 2010, the start of all my restaurant adventures. The fiance, just a friend then, was also there 5 years ago and while he’s eaten there since, this was my first return visit. There was still a queue outside before the restaurant opened, but much more reasonable than the hour or two wait when they first opened in 2008.

Atmosphere: Before dinner, The Fiance and I were running errands in the neighbourhood and walked by Blackhoof around 5:15pm, there were already already a few diners lingering outside. Luckily, when we came back at 5:45pm, there were only 3 parties ahead of us. By the time the doors opened at 6pm, there were 4 more couples behind us. The restaurant was relaxed with a mix of diners from older couples to 20 somethings with big groups. Tables were cozy, and it was a tight fit to walk by. The food menu was hand-written on a large chalkboard at the back of the restaurant and beer and cocktails were listed on another by the bar. My trio was seated in a corner table that was private and great for conversation. I always prefer the background noise at a restaurant to be from conversation rather than loud music.

Service: Once we sat down, a server was by quick to get our drink order and fill water glasses. After rambling off the dishes we wanted to try, he recommended we add bread and pickles as they don’t come with the charcuterie board. Each dish arrived quickly and the charcuterie board was accompanied with a detailed explanation of each meat (which I promptly forgot).

Food: Between the three of us, we ordered 5 dishes (plus bread and pickles). Our friend was very concerned we were ordering too much food, but the tapas-style portions were just right, especially as we ordered the Horse Tartare and I had a feeling I’d be eating the lion’s share.

We started with a Charcuterie board that came with 8 types of cured meat, a intense grainy mustard and a salted butter. The variety of the board was great with savoury pieces, milder ones, one with walnut, a spicy one, a pate, and a delicious duck breast. My favourite was the strong, spicy salami and the bacon wrapped pate while The Fiance loved the duck breast and butter. The side of bread provided a nice base for the meat. While I enjoyed the pickled vegetables and liked the variety of ingredients used (including beans, carrots, beet), I didn’t need the palate cleanser in between bites.

Next up was the Horse Tartare with a raw yolk and lots of horse radish. I quite enjoyed the dish. There was lots of meaty flavour and I liked the coarse chop. The Fiance doesn’t like steak tartare unless it’s heavily spiced and the horse variant at Blackhoof had a lot of natural flavour. Our friend tried it but she’s not a huge fan of raw protein. This all just meant more deliciousness for me. I found the meat flavour milder than steak tartare and the texture was slightly more chewy.

The Roasted Bone Marrow, served with sea salt and chimichurri sauce, was on point. I described this to my friend like meat flavoured jell-o, but the fatty, creamy spread was more like concentrated meat butter. The surprise star of the night was our next dish, the Pig’s Ear Slaw. Cold pig ear salad is one of my favourite Chinese dishes so the ingredient wasn’t foreign to me, I was not expecting the creamy sesame dressing and crispy shallots topping. The slaw was crunchy, generously dressed and a great Asian fusion flavours. I would’ve loved a few more slices of crunchy pig ear.

Dinner ended with Pork Jowl and Clams. The fatty slab of pork jowl was fried to a crispy and reminiscent of thick cut bacon, aka amazing. The clams added an umami flavour to the dish and the black garlic reduction gave each bite an earthy kick.

Blackhoof is still one of my favourite restaurants in the city and it’s easy to see the rest of Toronto agrees.