While OMAW’s name is not an acronym, for me it summarizes my
experience: Oh My! Ah… Well? Let’s start with the “Oh my!”, my
initial reaction when I heard Toronto Southern food master, Chef Matt Blondin,
was back in a permanent location serving his famed shrimp and grits! Having last
eaten the dish almost five years ago during Blondin’s last weeks at Acadia, I
still fondly remember the luscious comfort food.
As soon as Omaw’s menu was placed in front of me, I
anxiously scanned the one-sheeter, almost missing it as the grits was hidden in the description,
rather the dish simply labelled gulf prawns ($15). The grits didn’t arrive
until halfway through the meal and when the small bowl was finally presented it
looked good, but seemed saucier than I remembered.
Numerous media outlets report that these are indeed the same shrimp and grits from Acadia. Then why does it taste different? Sadly, dining at Acadia was before I started documenting my food adventures, but this dish didn’t bring back the iconic Blondin cooking I yearned for. It’s still good with a smooth consistency packed with flavours on account of the pimento cheese, jalapenos and smoky broccoli. It just somehow lacked the hearty grittiness of the grain itself… ah well.
Before our meal began, a bowl of complimentary lightly pickled cucumbers arrived, a refreshing snack to munch on as I marveled over the sabbatical ($15) cocktail. If you’re into not-overly sweet, citrusy (shiso and lime) drinks with a surprising twist (ginger, habanero, and herb saint), do yourself a favour and order the drink. Despite the differing ingredients, they combine together so nicely and the lingering kick from the ginger and habanero leaves me wanting more.
Also incorporating tons of tastes - from the creamy aioli, soft pea relish, and not overly heavy beef fat vinaigrette - the dish is decent but I couldn’t help but crave a crispy element. The crumbles of buttered popcorn could have done it but somehow didn’t. The small hot pancakes the chef suggests rolling thin strips of the beef onto is a good idea, but may work better if served thinner with crispy edges.
Two forgettable dishes include the beef shortrib ($15), wonderfully cooked and tender but lacked interest, and the Kentucky fried squid ($13), which were so thin the dish tastes like cornmeal fries slathered with mayonnaise (in this case an Alabama white sauce that’s a mayonnaise based BBQ). The crunchy slivers or melon rind on the squid were noteworthy, something the dish needs more of.
OMAW isn’t where you’ll find low key Southern home cooking, but with Chef Blondin you should expect a spark of pizzazz and opulence. Regrettably, the Matt magic didn’t cast a spell on me this time. Ah well.
How To Find Them
Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 88 Ossington Avenue
Address: 88 Ossington Avenue
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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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