Showing posts with label steak frites. Show all posts
Showing posts with label steak frites. Show all posts

Alice Restaurant and Bar (Toronto)

Some restaurants should not participate in Summerlicious and Alice is one of them. Their kitchen couldn’t handle the volume creating a chaotic night for everyone involved… including the guests. If you’ve seen The Bear, the kitchen was probably working through the ticketing system episode as order after order was given to them.  

To their credit, the front of the house did their best to maintain service, at the beginning. Our drink orders were arriving at a good clip, which can be dangerous when food isn’t coming out. But even they started struggling as the evening progressed. I remember at least five instances when the sound of breaking glass pierced the conversation and caused everyone to quiet down in reaction.

It’s a shame as Alice’s food was decent and for only $45 their Summerlicious menu provided good portion sizes as well.

Their Caesar salad was a little healthy tasting, the leaves barely dressed in a light citrusy sauce. While it’s not inedible, it tasted like something a student would make, complete with under seasoned croutons and tasteless shredded cheese.

My friend’s beet salad was better incorporating a tangy dressing, pistachios, and arugula. It was a hearty and fresh salad that at least had flavour. Sadly, the staff just aren’t aware of how dishes are prepared: when we asked how the beets were cooked, they thought it was roasted, only to later state it’s really boiled. Boiled beets taste fine by the way.

Of all the dishes, the steak frites was the best. The meat was cooked to the requested medium rare and tender. It just screamed for more seasoning, which the chimichurri tried to help with but was too oily and diluted. Conversely, the fries were perfectly salted and arrives as a huge Swiss Chalet portion.

Even though their menu offers three desserts the options weren’t varied: cheesecake, chocolate molten cake, and chocolate cheesecake. Good luck if you’re not into cheese or chocolate. But as we ordered only the two chocolate options remained, which is how I ended up with the chocolate cheesecake. A way-to-sweet frozen tasting variety that had me wishing a scoop of vanilla ice cream was an option.

Ultimately, their food wasn’t great but at least passable. Still, it took Alice almost three hours to serve the run-of-the-mill dishes. Painfully slow dinner aside, things were just chaotic:

Our mains start arriving and it wasn’t until I pointed out we hadn’t received our starters that they realize they were serving the food to the wrong table and had to go back in for the appetizers.

The appetizers then start arriving over the course of 10 to 15 minutes - first the salmon tartare, then Caesar, then beet. Only for the runner to realize they gave away one of the salmon tartare to another table and we had to wait for them to make the last one.

By the time it came to the mains, we realize we had to throw politeness out the window and just eat as we were served. They took equally long arriving two at a time. Even then, one was missing the chimichurri, and another came with the wrong side.

After how long it took the food to arrive, they really didn’t give us much time to eat the last two courses. The mains were being cleared despite there still be tons of fries on the plate… my apologies for taking a three-minute break to look up something for a friend. And I don’t think any of us had finished our dessert before they asked if they could start clearing. But then, we didn’t care and just let them - after almost three hours, everyone was done with the meal. Once last broken glass and the was finally over.

Overall mark - 5 out of 10
Is Summerlicious worth it (based on my meal selection)?
Summerlicious - $45
Regular menu - $54 - salad ($16), steak frites ($28) and dessert* ($10)
Savings - $9 or 17%
* Dessert pricing was a guess as it is not part of their regular menu
How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 488 College Street

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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!


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Parquet (Toronto)


Harbord Street is home to many solid Toronto restaurants with one of the newest being Parquet. It occupies a great space having a sizeable dining room and patio to match, which is done up to exude comfort, beckoning you to just have a seat and a glass of wine. The last time I’d been in the area, it held THR and Co. and it was certainly a spot for an elongated meal.

Parquet’s oysters are a tad pricy at $24 for six, but there’s something about oysters and champagne that made for an ideal starter. Flown from the East Coast, the oysters were fresh and cleanly presented, but what really impressed was the mignonette - made with aged vinegar, it was mellow and added tanginess without the sting. We could still taste the oyster’s natural brininess, just enhanced with a sweeter finish.

The salt cod beignets ($17 for 3; additional $4 for extra piece) were crispy but not airy enough. Nonetheless, there was adequate amounts of salt cod used in the batter so that it was evident, giving the fritters a savouriness without being too salty.

Watch out for your tongue during the first bite of sablefish ($38), mine arrived scorching hot – the way I like it. Being well roasted, it had the look of a miso black cod, so much so that I expected a sweet taste. Yet, the sauce Americane, a buttery bell pepper and vegetable concoction, has a much fresher and savoury flavour that goes nicely with the cod.

The sablefish built the foundation of a good dish if the sides weren’t so bland and forgettable: dry roasted gai lan leaves (where is the actual stalk, which would have at least added some sweet crispiness?) and boiled turnips. I guess it’s Parquet’s way of making diners add on a $20 side dish, except these were also all mainly more vegetables.  

It wouldn’t be a French restaurant without steak frites ($52 for the striploin) and Parquet’s was good, cooked to the ideal medium rare with a caramelized crust. The silky red wine au jus was a great addition (and you really did need it to give the beef flavour), the dish just needed way more of it for the fries as the parsley aioli was too liquorice heavy for my liking.

Sadly, the apple tart tartine wasn’t on the dessert menu that evening, and the rest sounded uninspired. Hence, I opted for an espresso martini ($18) instead, Parquet’s has a stronger spike that other versions and was a nice finisher.

I really want to like Parquet - maybe because of its Harbord location where some of my favourite restaurants are housed – but the food was mediocre and feels like a cash grab. At least they have a great ambiance, I guess some can look past the ho hum food when you’re sitting in a comfy banquette and there’s Parisian café music playing. Pourquoi?


Overall mark - 6 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 97 Harbord Street


Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
____________________________
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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Black + Blue for lunch (Toronto)

The financial core of Toronto isn’t what it used to be… it’s quieter and less hectic. Yet, I’m happy to see that restaurants are still opening, and their opulence hasn’t taken a hit. Black + Blue has made its way from the west coast and into the Exchange Tower, occupying the former site of the TSX. It’s a massive space with soaring ceilings and a grandeur that makes you stop for a moment to take it all in. Focus on the details and you’ll realize the large bull artwork on their wall is made up from hundreds of steak knives, how cleaver.

Their prix fixe lunch menu ($45) offers diners a choice of a main with either an appetizer or dessert (some supplements required). Word for the wise: you’ll want to share the appetizers as some dishes are rich and the portion sizes would impress a Texan.

Thinly sliced barely seared beef forms a beautiful ruby base for the beef carpaccio. Dressed in horseradish crema and tangy pickled shimeji mushrooms, the two give the meat bright pops of flavour. Personally, I would have gone with either the crispy shallot or fried capers on the dish; having both seems like overkill and the oily garnishes overtook the delicate tender beef. But the slices of shaved parmesan were a great addition offering a bit of sweet and saltiness.

Black + Blue’s calamari is left in thick sticks, lovely bites of tender and meaty squid. The coating is crispy and light but also too salty so that it renders the dipping sauce useless. If you’re going to provide a condiment, it’s best to reduce the seasoning so that diners can taste the sauce.

Leave room for the mains as they are big. A huge cone of sizzling hot parmesan fries arrives with the steak frites ($15 supplement), they are deliciously covered with a layer of cheese and a bit of parsley for a fresh richness. Once again, I did find them over seasoned so with the garlic aioli (a tasty rendition) it ends up being too salty. I also had to leave the red wine jus unused as it was a bit too soy sauce and beef stock heavy to pair with the steak.

The steak frites includes a sizeable sirloin but it was cooked poorly: the medium rare is well seared on the outside but still fully rare in the middle. My husband, an excellent steak preparer, hypothesizes that the meat was too cold before being placed in the pan, evidenced by the tell-tale ring instead of a gradient doneness.

When my friend mentioned the undercooked steak to the manager, he brought over a doneness card to indicate the steak was cooked to their medium rare standard. My recommendation: print more of these cards and place one in each menu, so diners understand Black + Blue’s definition as it doesn’t appear to follow the Toronto standard.

Still, the manager was nice about it and noted they would have been happy to put the steaks back on the grill (likely not something chefs trying to time the next table would be “happy” about) and made up for the miscommunication with a plate of petit fours.

Underdone steak aside, Black + Blue nailed their service as everyone was a delight: professional and attentive without making the restaurant seem stuffy. Of course, the environment is anything but stuffy with the airy high ceilings and upbeat songs blasting from the speakers. One thing’s for sure, this isn’t your typical steakhouse. 

Overall mark - 7 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 130 King Street West


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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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Stock Bar at Stock T.C (Toronto)

There is pent up demand within households – that’s what’s frequently being said about the torrent of money that’s about to flow through the Canadian economy once the flood gate opens. I can see why they’re predicting this: once my friend scored a reservation at the new Stock Bar, the roof top and street-side patios at Stock T.C, we wouldn’t bail even though Toronto was hit with a day of rain. Under normal conditions, we would have rain checked the patio and gone for an indoor dining experience. But since that wasn’t possible in June, and we had already been relegated to takeout and delivery for months on end, we were going anyways.

We saw umbrellas over the tables in photos and thought we’d take a chance. It’s a bet that paid off as we scored one of the last tables where everyone would be properly shielded from the elements. I bet Stock T.C wished they invested in more umbrellas to ensure more tables could get the full coverage – despite the plethora of umbrellas, when they’re placed only to protect from sun, it means few tables are usable.

So, was the risk worth it? Under normal conditions, the food would be a disappointment. The tagliatelle all’astice ($45) was so over seasoned. It’s perplexing why the chef felt a dish with lobster and marinara – two fairly flavourful ingredients – would need so much salt and pepper. The crustacean became lost, they could have thrown in any protein, a neutral chicken would have worked better. And for a high price point, the pasta had a lot of cherry tomatoes and probably a claw-worth of lobster. I’d pass on the pasta.

The Stock steak frites ($26) was decent – the beef was a little chewy, but that’s also expected from a lean sirloin that’s cooked perfectly to medium rare. If I were Stock T.C, I’d leave the steak uncut. Sure, the presentation will not look as nice, but it will help the protein retain it’s heat more as a common complaint is the steak arrives cold and dry. I wouldn’t say it was dry, but the temperature was a problem.

Perhaps the best dish of the night was the funghi e burrata ($26) pizza, but even this wasn’t something I’d rave about. I enjoyed the ingenuity of pairing burrata with mushrooms (typically it arrives with basil or prosciutto), as the earthy fungi gives an interesting twist with the creamy cheese. Yet, since I had this last, the pizza had two things going against it: 1) it tasted bland… after the salty pasta anything would seem tasteless; and 2) the crust, while nice and thin, had become hard from the cold.

If people are sharing dishes amongst a table, the restaurant should recommend having the pizza come between the appetizers and the main, or even act as the starter if the table isn’t getting anything. That would help ensure people are eating the pie at its peak.

The pizza would have made for a nice interlude between the prosciutto con gnocco fritto ($17) and the steak and pasta. Even the fritto, fried pieces of puffed dough, had cooled by the time they reached the table. Nonetheless, they had a lovely aroma, and the prosciutto was shaved thin enough that even the heat of your hand starts to warm the fat enough to stick to the pastry. Since it was my first bite of freshly prepared food since 2020, that fritto was freaking fabulous.

Eating outside always presents the chefs with challenges and deteriorates the taste of a dish. And with restaurants trying to recoup lost revenue, survive with limited occupancy, and deal with rising ingredient costs, menu prices will be higher than the historical norms. In the end, expect to pay more for dishes that aren’t at their best.

Which brings me back to the point of the pent-up demand. Sure, I paid a lot for a subpar meal, but I still loved it.

Overall mark - 6 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 2388 Yonge Street


Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
____________________________
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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CLOSED: Bacchanal (Toronto)



While Bacchanal translates to “an occasion of wild and drunken revelry”, the actual restaurant is calming - in a chic French manner. On my weekend visit, diners were sipping on wine and devouring sauce-laced dishes, yet remained in their seats. I guess the wine induced dancing-on-tables happen afterwards.

I was quite happy to tuck into the warm crispy baguette; their house-made red fife wheat loaf was legitimately delicious and full flavoured.


What was left of the bread was great for dipping into the paprika and sherry vinegar broth from the moules escabèche ($10). Served cold, the mussels are plump from the garlicky sauce it soaks in.


Oh the heavenly gnocchi Parisienne au sarrasin ($15), it’s as if the French borrowed the Italian potato pasta and the South’s mac ‘n’ cheese and turned into a molten love child. The creamy comté sauce smelled fantastic and the cheese was strong enough without overpowering the gnocchi. Don’t leave without trying it.


Steak and duck are two dishes I attempt to try at every French restaurant; my benchmark dishes for judging the mains at the place. Bacchanal’s steak frites ($24) were respectable, the 8oz flatiron steak done medium rare and relatively tender for the thick slice. Thankfully, the fries were actually thin (thick chip cuts aren’t meant for steak frites – leave that for the fried fish) and when hot ever so slightly melts the aioli.  


While the Magret de canard ($31) was cooked the requisite rare doneness and the rendered skin crispy, the duck breast could have been cut thinner so wouldn’t be as chewy. The plum glaze was on point to give the dish that traditional sweet and savoury flavour, and with a smear of the whipped foie gras heightened the taste even more.


Surprisingly, it was the sablefish sauce Gamay ($37) I liked the most. Not for the actual fish (properly flakey but under seasoned), rather it was the beluga lentil that impressed having soaked in the cooking liquid. Plus, the leafy colourful kale and trumpet mushrooms did make for an impressive looking presentation.


Bacchanal’s baba au rhum ($15) was an eye catching take on the classic dessert, thanks to the carefully piped white chocolate whipped cream. While the cake was delicious (the hint of spice enjoyable), the rum syrup needed more alcohol … after all, how will the restaurant live up to its name of creating wild and drunken occasions?


French restaurants seem to be the choice du jour for openings and Bacchanal is joining the masses. With more choices comes tougher competition… Bacchanal creates respectable dishes, but not good enough to make me want to travel out of my way for. 

Overall mark - 7 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 60 Sudbury Street


Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
____________________________
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!

Other Gastro World posts similar to this:




Kelly’s Landing (Toronto)


Kelly Landing’s prime location in downtown Toronto has made it a popular place for me; typically for after work drinks but there’s been a lunch and dinner as well. Indeed, it’s a go-to place for many people – by 5pm there’s already a small line-up at the door. Yet, they’ve always seated reservations quickly and with their large space the only time I've been turned away without one is when there's a sporting event.

Having tasted the Moroccan curried chicken ($20) at their grand opening event, I wanted more. This was the first dish ordered during a return visit and thankfully it didn’t disappoint. Just as flavourful as I remembered, it combines North African spices creating a curry that has a good amount of heat, you’ll want a bit of the crema to help cool the tongue. The bits of almonds and apricots help add texture and there’s plenty of basmati rice and flatbread that you won’t leave hungry.


For a smaller meal, the pan seared scallops ($21) paired with salad is a good alternative. Being sizeable, the scallop arrives slightly raw on the inside with a great caramelized crust. There’s also a sweet and salty aspect to the starter thanks to the thinly sliced crispy pork belly and maple sherry glaze.


Despite not looking very appetizing, the nachos ($22) were really satisfying. It could be due to the ample cheese melted onto the chips and the jalapeño crema that adds a tangy kick to everything. With the crunchy peppers, onions, and olives there were sufficient ingredients on the nacho.


However, two ingredients were lacking: the Cajun chicken pieces were a little dry (perhaps a pulled chicken would be better) and the guacamole resembles a premade mixture from a tub, it’s a terrible puke green colour and lacks taste (the extra $3 to add it on was a waste).

Having seen other tables order the steak frites ($23), I had high hopes for the dish. When it arrived, it certainly looked impressive with beautiful grill marks and a glistening coating of sauce. Once I cut into it, the cooked through meat (when it should have been medium rare) was a huge disappointment. 


Moreover, it wasn’t a one-off incident as my friend’s was overcooked as well. Nevertheless, I begrudgingly ate the steak (our waitress did offer to re-fire both dishes but we didn’t want our other guest to wait around) and it was passable; at least well-seasoned and the hot demi-glace (likely partially responsible for the steak being overcooked) helped add moisture.

Overall, with some highs and lows, sadly the food isn’t as consistent as their staff’s friendly service. Yet, with their great location I’m sure I’ll be returning, I’ll just stick to the tastier items sampled at their opening event. 

Overall mark - 7 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 123 Front Street West

Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
____________________________
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!

Other Gastro World posts similar to this:

Kelly's Landing Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato


King Taps (Toronto)


Walking into King Taps I got a sense of déjà vu. Especially on the second floor, where the bar area seems to be a replica of another popular downtown Toronto hang out, both restaurants top choices for after work drinks. By 5:30 it’s packed. Despite it being early for dinner, I still had to wait about five minutes for the reserved table to be set-up - others are told it’ll be an hour wait.

I can see why King Taps is so popular - the atmosphere is casual, drawing in people of all ages, and their food is tasty but moderately priced.

There is of course a host of shareable plates for those who want to nibble. The poke ($16.50) is really tuna tartare, a stack of chunked Albacore tuna, mango, and avocado dressed with delicious miso sesame-ginger vinaigrette. Tempura bits are placed on top but most of the crunch comes from the deep fried wonton chips, which is light enough to not detract from the fish.


The steak frites ($27) is a good complete meal since it comes with a side of lemony Caesar salad. King Tap sources their steaks from PEI, the 7oz sirloin cooked to a perfect medium rare, tender and juicy. If you’ve never had beef from PEI, it's said that if the cow grazes outside, you can taste the minerals and salt in their meat due to the island’s proximity to the ocean. At King Taps, the steak was properly seasoned and the saltiness well balanced.


While I would have preferred the frites to be the thin variety, the chunky fries were nonetheless hot and crispy. The only oddity was the abundant side of horseradish that arrives with the meal; a condiment rarely seen outside of prime rib and there’s a reason – it’s too strong for such a lean meat. A side of au jus or aioli would work better.

If you like seafood, the salmon and prawn risotto ($26) is a great choice – there’s a large piece of salmon that’s moist and flakey and at least four fair-sized prawns mixed into the rice. The risotto’s consistency is spot on, creamy with enough broth so that it’s not overly watery or dry. The dish was also flavourful, perhaps a touch salty if that bothers you, but the chunky mushroom pieces helped tone the seasoning down.


Aside from the atmosphere and food, King Tap’s service is also commendable: staff members are friendly but are also great at managing the experience – our waitress advised that if she put our entire order into the system, the food would arrive together. Hence, she proceeded to enter our appetizer first and then when she saw it was received inputted the mains. For such a busy restaurant it’s a shame this is something staff need to look after, especially when it can be prone to errors; surely someone should look at the ordering system and have it set-up for a two stage firing from the kitchen.  

Thankfully, the dessert order isn’t something they need to remember as well. King Tap’s sweet offerings consist of a number of sundaes. The strawberry shortcake ($8) was a nice light sharable ending with a fair amount of soft serve-vanilla ice cream, layered strawberry compote, a few pieces of fruit, and crispy graham cracker crumb sprinkled over top. Not overly fancy, but executed well and priced decently, much like the rest of their menu. 


Oh and for beer aficionados they also have 50 selections on tap, some are even special collaborations with local breweries. Being a wine drinker, I didn’t crack into the tap, but nonetheless left with a happy buzz.   

Overall mark - 8 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 100 King Street West (in First Canadian Place)

Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
____________________________
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!

Other Gastro World posts similar to this:

King Taps Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

CLOSED: Brickyard Bistro (Toronto)


Brickyard Bistro is that neighbourhood restaurant I wish was part of my area. Opened by four friends, after their coffee shop hangout closed, one of the owners (Jesse Hughes) was actually there during our visit and I felt his passion. Upon entering, he greeted us warmly and seated us at an Instagramer’s dream table: the coveted marble tabletop adorned with a small vase of flower buds and situated in plenty of natural sunlight. Indeed, it made my Neil the designer cocktail ($10), a light gin and tonic with orange and juniper bitters, look extra refreshing.

Next time, I would order a glass of Ontario wine instead (not that the cocktail wasn’t good) - it turns out Jesse grew up in the Niagara-on-the-Lake region, so I’d imagine he has a keen sense of knowing what’s great. Moreover, the wine is reasonably priced from $9-$14 a glass and are even available in 2oz pours if you want to pair by the course.

Starting with their bread board ($10), it featured an in-house kale and cheese loaf made by Chef Jason Corey, warmed baguette, and a chipotle and a white bean dips. The warm cheese loaf smells heavenly and although the kale and cheese and flavours were prevalent, the dough needs more salt. Sure, you can add bean dip for flavour, but it’s a shame the bread can’t stand on its own.


Sorry there’s no picture, but I didn’t think it’d be worth featuring the bowl of leafy greens ($9). I was wrong, the seedy mustard vinaigrette used to dress the spring mix, cherry tomatoes, and radish was surprisingly tasty. Given it’s not an overly large portion, you could add on an order for some extra vegetables with the bread board. 

The daily fish ($20) for the evening was an Ontario pickerel – its skin could be crisper but, the fish retained its succulent meatiness. A thick tomato sauce with chunks of bacon topped the pickerel providing an extra richness to the dish. Yet, pairing the protein with all the vegetables kept the dish light.


Brickyard Bistro certainly doesn’t skimp on the fries in their steak frites ($21); the plate was covered in them, dwarfing the 6oz steak. Normally, I prefer the frites in a separate pile so they don’t turn mushy, but the coating on these were well done and being soaked in the beefy red wine reduction certainly added extra flavour.


Being a French restaurant, I was ready for some rich desserts. The peanut butter crème bruleé ($6) is fantastic, the peanut butter flavour is prominent while the bruleé sugar crust nice and thin, simply adding a caramel essence. Although by itself the chocolate Amaretto mousse ($6) was too sweet, when combined with the crème bruleé you end up with a fantastic peanut butter and chocolate dessert. Thanks to my friend for suggesting this ingenious idea – make sure you get both.



It’s a shame Brickyard Bistro isn’t located uptown or I’d definitely visit on a regular basis. Neighbourhood dwellers, you’re lucky to have the restaurant in your neighbourhood – with reasonable prices, tasty food, and warm service, perhaps it will become a favourite jaunt of your own.   

Overall mark - 8 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 1289 Gerrard Street East


Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
____________________________
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!

Other Gastro World posts similar to this:




Lavelle (Toronto)


As you enter the stairwell off King West, doubts creep in about the legitimacy of Lavelle’s supposedly swanky entertainment space. Sure, the stairwell has been jazzed up – there’s colourful walls and even artwork - but it still leads to a somewhat dank basement elevator. Rest assured, if you follow the signs and push the right button in the elevator, you’ll soon be whisked up to the rooftop that opens viewing the spacious rooftop pool. Walk along the brightly lit corridor and you’ll soon find the dining area.

Should you arrive early, take the opportunity to sit at the bar and enjoy the view - the outdoors consists mostly of cranes and developing condo buildings, but inside the bar’s copper elements pratically gleams and sparkles. Albeit pricy (a single cocktail can cost up to $30), they concoct them right – the glass is chilled with ice cubes beforehand, certain ones shaken versus stirred. 

The Puritan ($17), a classic strong drink from the 1890s, is made up of three types of alcohol: gin, green chartreuse and vermouth. Oh you’ll taste the alcohol, especially the herbal properties of the chartreuse. The only respite is the bit of ice that’s melted into it, orange bitters, and the lemon rind that lets off a lovely aroma as you take each sip.

Despite discrepancies between the menu prices and actual charges for their appetizers (actual prices shown in post), they’re a fair sized portion and could work as a light meal when paired with salad. The steak tartare ($21) is a flavour bomb with a zesty kick from the spicy ketchup and horseradish. Finely chopped hazelnut and cucumber add a bit of crunch and bite that’s a nice contrast against the soft beef. Luckily, Lavelle doesn’t skimp on the crostini so there’s enough pieces to get through the heaping portion of tartare.


I’m torn about the cod cheek & leek ($19) starter. On one hand, it’s beautifully plated and certain elements on their own are delicious: the baby purple potatoes so creamy, the lightly dusted fried smelts a nice touch, and the nori cured duck egg a lovely custard consistency … oh wonderful salty yolk jelly. But then the smoked buttermilk foam sort of detracts from the dish and the cod cheek is seriously over salted. Although it looks like a pretty breath of spring air, for me, the elements together is more compost than bouquet.


A better seafood option is the Fogo Island cod ($29). The flakey neutral fish went nicely with the thick flavourful squid ink risotto (it stains the teeth, but tastes so good). Unlike the cod cheek starter, the other decorative elements actually enhance the dish – the small matane shrimp adding a contrasting sweetness and the pea shoots a refreshing element. For what seems like a light dish, it has a rich creamy finish that’s just as satisfying as any meat dish.


Although I was a little disappointed with the “frites” accompanying the steak frites ($29) – where are thin crispy stringy fries and why have they been replaced with these dense hunks of potatoes? - the flat iron steak was cooked perfectly and the rub on the outside already flavourful enough that the red wine jus wasn’t even required. For such a lean cut of meat, it was also surprisingly tender (probably on account of being aged), while retaining the full beef flavour.


Another fitting spring plate is the lychee and hibiscus dessert ($12). Pieces of cake soaked in a flavourful hibiscus syrup, a cool refreshing lychee sorbet, and crispy hibiscus meringue pieces have enough sweetness to be satisfying while still remaining light. I can see the citrusy floral fruit elements being a hit-or-miss with some guests, but the dessert is different and more interesting than just another cheesecake.


On weekends, Lavelle is party central. However, on a weeknight, it’s an oddly serene and calming environment - the half full restaurant offers a lot of personal space and service is attentive but not pushy (feel free to sit for three hours and chat, no one will bother you). It’s nice to go earlier and watch the sun set: from the dining room the view improves and soon the sky glows and the CN Tower lights up.


The restaurant was right to describe the rooftop as an “escape” from the city. High above the bustle you start to forget about the traffic and commotion. “What schedule?” you start to think, for now that doesn’t matter and another glass of bubbly is all you need.  

Overall mark - 7.5 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 627 King Street West

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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!


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