Yes, you’re in the right place. It seems wrong, as you pull
up to an apartment building, but Scaramouche is located in the corner of Benvenuto
Place. From the outside, it seems like an odd location for a restaurant, let
alone one that has operated in Toronto for almost four decades. Yet, when you
make your way into the dining room and are greeted with the view of the city’s midtown
parklands and skyline, the residential neighbourhood is forgotten.
Tip back the shot of chilled celery and parsley soup and it
certainly feels like you’re in a restaurant… slightly creamy before ending with
a spicy horseradish kick. Equally refreshing are the half a dozen oysters ($30),
freshly shucked with a bit of the red wine mignonette.
It’s hard to describe Scaramouche’s menu, possibly Canadian with
European influences. These elements came together with the gnocchi ($25), a
special for the day, combining in-season white asparagus and wild leeks. It was
a fantastic starter! The creamy gnocchi well toasted in a golden crust and huge
chunks of duck confit strewn throughout, enough that a larger portion can
easily make this a main. Lastly, pieces of spongy morels, adding a different
texture and soaking in the delicious duck jus.
Unbeknownst to me, my order of roasted St. Canut suckling
pig ($43) was replaced with a seared Nagano pork loin ($38). I wish they would
have informed me of the change as when you expect something capped with crispy
crackling skin, the medallion was an instant disappointment. Note to the restaurant: always inform your
customers of replacements, I would have gone with the duck instead.
While the dish didn’t wow me like the starter, it’s a
solidly constructed plate. The meaty
piece of perfectly cooked pork paired well with the traditional trimmings:
luscious parsnip purée and lightly pickled apple. The fingerling potatoes are
sautéed with bacon to give it an extra zip.
On the other hand, a taste of my husband’s lamb ($49) left
me wanting more. The tender chops were crusted with an herby salsa verde to
keep it light. Every element of the plate – peeled cherry tomatoes, crunchy
beans, and a lemony eggplant purée was enticingly refreshing and bright,
screaming of warmer weather even though Mother Nature wasn’t completely
agreeing with us. Forget the typical heavy lamb with gravy and potatoes,
Scaramouche’s interpretation is exactly what I want.
For dessert, their coconut cream pie ($14) is well known. Three
distinct layers of sweet coconut custard, light chantilly cream, and tons of white
chocolate shavings – so much that it had to be swept to the side. In comparison
to the rest of the pie, the crust it thin and delicate, but still incorporated
enough butter that even a bit of the crispy pastry with the cream was
delicious. This is a pie for coconut lovers as the custard contained A LOT of
it.
I welcomed bits of savouriness from my husband’s cheese
plate ($16) to balance out the sweet dessert. The Wookey Hole cheddar is
described as being aged in lime stone caves in Somerset, England, where it’s said
to take on an earthy taste. Truth be told, I couldn’t distinguish any mineral
elements, but it was flavourful, without being overpowering, and had a light
nuttiness.
The cheddar was balanced by a lighter 12-month Manchego from
Spain where you taste the dairy while enjoying the harder slightly crumbly
texture of the cheese. Of course, the cheese board arrives with typical
condiments – interestingly a tomato chutney (instead of something fruit based),
perhaps there was already enough fruit in the pear and cranberry bread crackers.
It’s taken me a while to make it out to Scaramouche. This
year’s birthday seemed like an opportune time to finally make it out to the
iconic fine dining establishment. Possibly, it was even a bit reassuring, since
the restaurant is older than me.
How To Find Them
Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 1 Benvenuto Place
Address: 1 Benvenuto Place
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____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System
- Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
- 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
- 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
- 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
- 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
- 10 - absolute perfection!
Is That It? I Want More!
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