It’s remarkable how many Toronto food lovers will travel
out-of-country for a great meal, but when they hear a restaurant’s outside of
the GTA boundaries a crestfallen “But, it’s so far!” is the typical response.
Why is it that we’ll more likely hop on a plane for a Michelin starred meal
than just traverse our highway system (even with the traffic) to support
Canadians? Indeed, not every restaurant is worth travelling to. However, after
a dinner at Hexagon, I assure you - this one is worth the drive.
Finding parking is easy in the “downtown” Oakville area,
much easier than locating Hexagon. Situated in a court yard amongst other
restaurants, their entrance has no signage. Therefore, look for a blue awning…
you’ll then receive confirmation you’re in the right place, after opening the door and seeing their
name etched into the tile floor.
Hexagon does have an a la carte menu, but it’s very small.
Therefore, if you’re dining with someone that needs choice, the four-course
menu ($75) is your best bet; there’s 3-4 options for each course. And don’t
worry if you don’t understand the menu – even while visiting with a group of
frequent diners, we haven’t heard of 20% of the ingredients listed … cascabel
chili anyone? Luckily, the sommelier patiently described everything to us in a
conversational manner, comparing them to items more commonly found on Canadian
menus.
Starting with a warm pain au lait, this is the bread that
even people who have sworn off carbs may succumb to. Soft, flakey, and buttery;
it’s delicious and could go toe-to-toe with the one served at Alo.
The tendril of charred octopus is oh so tender and arrives
with a palm sized black corn tortilla that makes a great two-bite taco. Dots of
sauces cover the plate so you can try a bit of the seafood with something
tangy, spicy, or creamy… although it’s already good enough by itself.
Torn between the onion consommé and truffle shallot
agnolotti for the second dish, my friend graciously offered me a taste of her
soup. As expected, the broth is flavourful and fragrant, putting French onion
soup to shame. Soft plump gruyere gnocchi and caramelized onions line the
bottom of the bowl, the consommé still the star.
The pasta was just thick enough to give the agnolotti
chewiness while letting the creamy smooth ricotta filling come through. Even
with a cream sauce, the dish wasn’t too heavy, balanced with the diced granny
smith apples I was a bit apprehensive about, but added a fresh element.
Although the duck could have been cooked less, since it was
dry aged, the meat remained tender and the skin was wonderfully rendered until
crispy. The saltiness from the cube of duck confit on the side also contrasted
nicely, tantalizing the taste buds. Overall, there was so much going on with
the plate: black garlic paste, sea buckthorn jelly and even a hunk of savoy
cabbage left crispy (not unlike a gigantic Brussels sprout), but it all worked
together.
Hexagon’s piñata dessert is whimsical and great for people
who like playing with their food. Suspended above the crème brulée was a white
chocolate capsule filled with powdered sugar. I’m advised to whack the
chocolate with a spoon, emitting a puff of white exploding over the dessert.
Playfulness aside, the crème brulée was rich without being heavy due to the
citrusy kalamansi and floral jasmine used in the dessert. A nice end to the
meal.
Since we were celebrating a birthday, a special dessert
arrived afterwards - a peach almond tart. The pastry was thick but crisp and
buttery, the richness balanced out by a slight tropical taste from the fruit.
The meal was a delicious one - the four courses just enough
food to satisfy without being stuffed. For those who are hungry and
adventurous, Hexagon also offers a 9-course tasting menu option where there is
no choice. After all, if you’re going to travel “all the way” to Oakville, why
not make it worth it?
Overall mark - 9 out of 10
How To Find Them
Location: Oakville, Canada
Address: 210 Lakeshore Road East
Address: 210 Lakeshore Road East
Website: http://www.hexagonrestaurant.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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