Just try to resist digging into the hot plate of crab cazuela ($14) as soon as it arrives - it
will be hard, but trust me, patience is worth it. Instead, make sure you have
another small plate to nibble on first, while waiting the requisite five
minutes.
Looking back, I should have reached for one of the gaucho empanadas ($13) instead. Supplied
to Leña from Susana, Chef Anthony's wife, they’re good, if it weren’t so heavy
on the olives. Otherwise, everything else was tasty: the pastry soft and
bread-like and the beef and egg filling well spiced. A “chiminasty” sauce (chimichurri
combined with Anthony’s scotch bonnet laced nasty sauce) goes nicely with the empanadas and helps to drown out the
brininess of the olives.
Afterwards, then you can go back to the crab dip – so why
have I made you wait so long? It’s not because it’s piping hot, but rather the fresh
crackers that come with the dish. If the crackers haven’t cooled yet, they
become a strange texture where the edges are crispy but the middle hard and
almost stale tasting; add the crab on and things just get chewy. However, when
they’re cooled, the crackers become crispy and pairs nicely with the dip.
The crab cazuela is
fantastic. Large chunks of the seafood combined with a light dose of creamy
lemony aioli, spinach and fennel slivers on the bottom, a cheesy parmigiano reggiano gratin on top.
Unlike some dips where the creamy cheese sauce is most pronounced, you can
definitely taste and see the crab – it’s the star of the dish.
Right off the bat, our waitress introduces Leña as an
Argentinian restaurant with inspirations from Italian and Spanish cuisine.
Having never been to Argentina, perhaps my expectation of a robust steak that
has a strong meaty flavour is unfounded. So, when the meek striploin ($44) arrives,
the fantasy is soon dashed.
To be fair, if the steak was served at O&B Café instead
of Leña, I would have enjoyed it. The meat was tender and the fried duck egg
perfectly cooked, oozing its runny yolk over everything. But, for a restaurant
that’s representing Argentina, the tepid steak lacked the smokiness from being
barbequed on an asado. Really, aside from the chimichurri and yucca fries,
there’s not much Argentinian about the steak.
Another dish you’ll likely never find in Argentina is the pan-seared
Arctic char ($29). Nonetheless, it’s good and surprisingly rich for fish. The
char has such a lovely oiliness that the meat remains moist, the skin still
crispy despite the dish being ignored to tuck into the steak, and the four plump
mussels topping it a tasty and functional garnish. I also enjoyed the risotto-like
corn and fregola gachas on the
bottom, but it needs something fresh (salsa
criolla maybe) to brighten the dish as everything was just so buttery and
rich.
Having only been opened for three weeks, service wasn’t bad
at Leña. There was a cheerful and helpful gentlemen who escorted me to the
first floor hostess podium (it’s a three-floor restaurant) and our waitress
provided a good run-down of the menu and its meaningful dishes. The only slip
was forgetting to set steak knives before the main, and then proceeding to
bring only one knife when they remembered and knew we were sharing.
Leña is a safe choice – it has a pretty robust menu and
everything’s modified to meet the typical western palette. With the exception
of the crab cazuela, everything I
sampled was decent, but hardly memorable. So, if you want something safe, head
to Leña. Just keep your expectations clear – you’re not going to experience an Argentinian
affair.
How To Find Them
Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 176 Yonge Street (inside Saks)
Address: 176 Yonge Street (inside Saks)
Website: http://www.lenarestaurante.com/
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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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