416 Snack Bar

It only opened at the end of January, and the 416 Snack Bar will not be ignored. I've been hearing buzz about this place since before it opened, actually. They're not spin doctors, but with a playful Toronto inspired theme and an active (ancient) blog which leaked sneak peeks building up to the opening, 416 hit the ground running. With food inspired by Chinatown, the new meat revolution happening in Toronto, and even our street meat, I finally have gotten to try their offerings, with my friends Trevor and Jenn in tow. At a classy little spot just off Queen at 181 Bathurst, the food is served tapas-style in portions that only make for a few bites. It's a great way to encourage the clientele to try everything. We nearly did, only skipping out on two dinner items, and a dessert! Inside it's dark and intimate, lots of wood and an industrial barn vibe. I did find the staff a little difficult to begin with, when trying to figure out a table. There aren't a lot of seats, and they don't do reservations. If you get there at dinner peak, expect to sit at the bar or share a table with strangers. Make some friends! Throughout our stay they were attentive and friendly, but it's also just hard to forget people at the bar.
All food prices are tax included.

 

Just once before have I had oysters, and I was very lucky to get to eat them in P.E.I., caught fresh that morning. It's not much of a compass, especially since that was two years ago. I was excited to try these, just to jog my memory about what the big deal is. The plating was beautiful and playful, each oyster perched on a mound of sea salt. There was fresh dry horseradish, a lemon wedge, and a dish or Worchestire sauce. For this I think the sides were crucial, since they were as fresh and flavourful as possible, especially the horseradish. I do feel that the oysters were not perfectly fresh. Keep in mind I'm no expert. I still enjoyed them for the taste of wild water they carried. I think it would be easier to appreciate them during the heat of summer.

Microscopically thin slices of apple were served with a small stick of very, very tasty B.C. unpasteurised cow's milk cheese (I had taken the name down as Alpidon, from Coutigny, but I must have spelled everything wrong since I can't find that cheese online). The crackers cracker me up because they were a very simple variety. I like that, for all the pomp of the cheese board, the crackers were unassuming. The cheese was a firm, mild flavoured cheese with a salty bite, and strong flavour of rind. All this was served with a bright orange jelly that had a strong flavour of honey. It was a very satisfying combination.

The second time in as many weeks that I got to nibble on some gravlax! This time I was prepared with answers when my friendly woefully began to wonder about what such a thing could be- cured pacific salmon, in the case of 416. There isn't a lot I can say about this, since I didn't try it. Jenn had it, and was very impressed, debating for a while about ordering a second serving- remember, these servings are tiny! The latkes were crackling hot when they arrived and smelled very oniony.

Jenn and I both wound up trying the spanakopita. While I wouldn't think of it as Toronto0iconic, I do love a good spanakopita- or Greek spinach pie, by another common term for it. 416 serves it up with a few layers of filo and a small bit of filling for the heart. It was buttery and flaky, but lacked substance. Airy, really. I was impressed with the tzatziki sauce which had a lemony zest and heaps of garlic.

Do I ever love a hand rolls. There was so much going on in this guy. There was julienne carrot, what tasted like bamboo shoots, and a crispy tofu so flavourful that I thought it was meat. The rice was hot, sticky and brown- good, I like to pretend things are healthy! I suspect there was mushroom in the pile of filling, because there was a very shiitake flavour. I couldn't examine. With hand rolls, once you start you really can't stop!

Banh-mi is a sandwich which is a creation from French occupied Vietnam, when the Vietnamese got to experience baguette. Using stuffing from their own country, this incredible foodstuff was invented, and has travelled to Toronto (and the world!). This version had julienned carrot, daikon, possibly cilantro, red onion and cucumbers. What I found so interesting about it was that the pork had a noticeable cinnamon flavour. It was fatty (almost creamy) and succulent, and wasn't overpowered by the many vegetables heaped into this palm-sized nibble. the fattiness, probably from a pate inside, was not a turn off since the manageable portion made it guilt-free. This was also much, much fresher than what I've had from Chinatown (obviously). The heat and sizzle made this one of my favourites.

Pretty much what it sounds like. Depending on what the chefs feel like making 'fried thing' changes per visit. Today it was olives stuffed with pate, then battered and fried. We burned out tongues on the juices! There was five or six of them, piping hot with brine and hot fat from the pate. I really liked them as something to pop while we ordered other food. They were salty and the batter was crunchy. I couldn't help feeling that hot pate winds up tasting a little bit like hot dog - well, I'm a classy lady. 3$

NAPOLITANO pizza pocket, not a Neapolitan pizza pocket. was I secretly craving ice cream? Am I still? These are questions for our age. It was incredibly dense and cheesy, probably the most filling thing on the menu. The marinara sauce on the side was great for dipping, and the pocket had a flavour of onion in the cheese. 4$

My final favourite! While there are a lot of similarities to the banh-mi (many of the same stuffing, which makes it easy for them to assemble at the small bar-side grill station), this was just different enough to make it jump out at me. The bun was like a thick, steamed taco, with everything folded into it. It was chewy and denser than the fluffy baguette of the banh-mi. This meat may have been different as well. It was a sweet pork, very fatty again/

 

Another thing I didn't get to try! By the time Trevor ordered this I was not feeling the sweets, so wrapped up in savoury heaven had I become. The uptown cinnamon bun seemed to be a run of the mill cinnamon bun, though fresh. It looked a little self-conscious on its plate, but I'm sure it tasted good. The dough was heavy and packed with spices.

This comic might make me seem a bit cruel, but I really do think oysters and mussels taste completely different. I guess both are a bit gross if they're not perfectly fresh.

La Palette

As it was sitting at the top of my 'To Visit' list for some time, I decided it was finally the moment to visit La Palette. For ten years a Kensington Market staple (the owner was instrumental in the creation of Pedestrian Sundays), the much-loved French resto recently moved its menu over to 492 Queen St. West, where it has a new permanent home. I found the new digs very cozy, full of warm reds and creamy yellows. The tables are tiny, or maybe I should say intimate? Maybe moreso for dinner. Since we went for lunch there was a very friendly and open feel to the place. It will be wonderful in the summertime! I was going to describe the decoration and vibe as dressed down but stereotypical French, but my guest, Myra, has actually been to France and said it's nothing similar. Interesting how stereotype can differ from the real deal.

Though I've written the individual prices of items, Myra and I both opted for the 20$ prix fixe, which comes with two items. There's also a 25$ prix fixe for three items, but we weren't that hungry!

I know I've mentioned in the past that I'm chronically early. This actually provides a lovely opportunity to taste and savour pre-food coffee. At La Palette they have brewed coffee, but it's nothing to write home about. For two dollars your get a very petite mug. Maybe the refills are free, but I was happy with the smaller amount this time and didn't ask- normally I can go through gallons of java, even when it's not too remarkable. The presentation was adorable, with a little silver jug of cream, and a mason jar of brown sugar cubes.

If I were to pick one highlight of our visit (a feature I should start including regularly here at D&D!), this would be my choice. There is so much going right in this fromage fondant. A large wedge of creamy camembert was encrusted with a shell of bread crumbs. The thick crust protected the cheese from the heat of the frier, and needed to be cracked open with a fearless fork, after which the cheese would not stop gushing from the wound! How extraordinary and indulgent. The sides were maple-glazed pumpkin seeds and spiced cranberry compote, which could be nudged onto the crust as though onto a cracker. I was especially impressed with the pumpkin seeds, which were actually in a brittle. It was sweet and crunchy. This could have been dessert!

I went to La Palette knowing that there were two things that, no matter what, I would be trying. Escargots! For those not up on your French, and missing the hint in my little illustration, that's snails. I know I've had these before, but it was more than ten years ago at a Kingston restaurant famed for not doing anything wrong. I wanted to test them on an adult palate. My first surprise came in the presentation. Even though I read the description of the snails, I still expected them to arrive on a little round dish, each one nestled into its own buttery pot. Begone, stereotypes! I have a lot to learn about French cuisine. These were served blanketted with warm baby spinach leaves and succulent grilled chanterelle mushrooms. That was my second draw to this dish. The only other time I've had chanterelles I deeply suspect they were false chanterelles. This is supposed to be one of the worlds most delicious mushrooms, and I wanted to give it a second chance. The mushrooms were what I had hoped: citrusy and buttery. That's how they're supposed to be! The rest of the dish was also quite buttery and full of onions. Though I could taste the natural smoke and saltiness of the escargots when eaten by themselves, as soon as they were combined with anything else they were completely overwhelmed.

Our mains came with a selection of sides! We were each asked to choose two. Both of us chose the winter salad and the warm slaw, but somehow I wound up with fries instead of salad. This was the only slip-up in otherwise pleasant service. I didn't mention it because if the universe gives me fries, I will eat them. The winter salad was made up of cashews, rapini, red and golden beets, and brussel sprouts in a bit of olive oil. The warm slaw is something we eat in my family a lot: hot red cabbage with just a bit of butter, salt and vinegar. There was a nice surprise in this version since I swear I could taste anise, a recent flavour obsession I have! The french fries were not a let down, and I was glad I wound up with them. They had an earthy taste left from the intact peels, and with a hint of herbs I was left with a countryside impression.

Myra ordered the fish, which was fresh caught white fish (but what kind of white fish? I should have asked). It was a very small piece, so I would suggest ordering this if you aren't starving. The skin was crisped, and the belly was light and flaky. It had a delicate mildness of flavour, without any overpowering sauce or spice. Enjoyable, but not too memorable, sadly.

This was the other thing I HAD to try! Maybe some people will be scandalized by my willingness to sample horse. It's certainly been the source of some controversy for La Palette, whose front lawn has been the site of more than one protest. For me, it's just another meat, an interesting food that I haven't tried yet. In this case the extra drive to try horse came from its interesting presentation, as part of a benedict breakfast. The toasts were slender home made coins of bread with a hard, herbed crusted that let the milky yolks pool inside. I found that the yolk and hollondaise were too watery and cool, and would have liked the dish to be a bit hotter, less soggy. Still, for taste it was very unique, and I enjoyed myself. The horse steak was served in medium-rare strips underneath the poached egg. It's comparable to beef, but I found it to be a bit more sour tasting, and more crumbly in texture. It was succulent, cooked perfectly for my tastes. I also enjoyed the mayo served on the side, which had a great kick of horseradish to it.

Of the two of us, I think I'm a little bit more adventurous for food! But hey, I'll eat anything.

Utopia

You guys should be happy to know I'm going to try to spend less of each entry on writing and critiquing in the future, and focus more on my strengths- drawing! Turns out I love food too much to be a critic, go figure.


586 College Street

I believe in honesty. This is not my first visit to Utopia! Though I’m not a frequent patron of the Little Italy resto, I’ve been a fair share of times. I tend to be pleased with the food, sometimes by a lot, sometimes not so much. I’ve never been disappointed.
To mix things up, my sister and I tried out the famous back patio. I know, I know. How is winter my first patio visit? I was a fool in the summer, that’s how. We head back, and I’m already not sure we made the right choice. Inside the main body of the building is happy lighting, comfortable wood chairs, and beautiful exposed brick. It has a clean bistro feel, and I usually feel very happy inside. This patio is so different! Some of the feel of the interior was reflected in the wall decorations, a long shelf of wood running along one wall, with herbs potted in long tin pans along it. I like that touch. It was the seating that I regretted- like most patios, it had those horrible plastic stacking chairs, and ugly plastic marble-top tables. I have seen beautiful and functional patios. This is not one of them. We sat, and the heating was right on us- very cozy. Throughout our dinner, the heat went on and off, and while we never froze, it did get distracting. I recommend sitting indoors whenever possible!
The servers here are really, really friendly. I sat at the bar a while and chatted with the bartender while waiting for my sister, and felt right at home. After we had ordered, there was a mix up with the special that I had ordered- the chef made something else, thinking the Sunday special was another kind of burrito. We were assured that the mistake was quickly being remedied. Moments later, she came back with a half-pint for each of us on the house- totally unexpected! It was an unnecessarily nice touch. Even more surprising was that it only took five more minutes for out orders to come out. So while there was a mistake to begin with, they made up for it entirely.
The menu at Utopia is extensive, made up of multiple variations on favourites like burgers (lamb, beef and veggie), burritos, quesadillas, sandwiches and salads. There are also appetizers, and a couple entrées. They have a nice beer and wine list as well, including KLB’s raspberry wheat beer, of which I’m very fond, and had with my meal.
We ordered an app, two mains, and a delicious dessert.


Tofu Cream Croquettes – 5.75
Panko crusted tofu & cream cheese, chipotle sauce
Adding a panko crust to something usually makes it a winner for me- I love that crunch! Though perfectly fried, these dumplings were a disappointment, unfortunately. While there was nothing offensive about them, there was nothing good about them, either- Utopia fell into the classic tofu handling pitfall of not having enough flavour. They were incredibly bland. They also had no texture. Here is a food for those with recently ousted wisdom teeth. You don’t have to chew at all! The sauce that came with them added the only flavour they had at all. Now, that sauce was really good! I found it to be like sweet and sour sauce, but much smokier.


Surn’n Turf Burrito (Sunday Special) – 9.99
Cheddar, salsa, lettuce, grilled onions, jalapeño mayonnaise. Coleslaw.
Utopia knows how to fill a plate- I think my eyes may have been bigger than my stomach. The burrito itself is a monster, stuffed and stacked one half on top to the other. It comes with a heaping side of black bean rice, and no shy portion of coleslaw. The coleslaw is the kind I like- vinaigrette instead of cream. What made this coleslaw stand out was the use of sesame oil, making it taste bolder than any ‘slaw I have ever had. I was impressed that the chef’s put so much thought into what is usually an unpopular side. The rice was cooked perfectly, very soft and fluffy, with the beans adding texture, colour, and flavour. I think it could have been bolder, having little flavour outside of the natural bean taste. I added salt.
Years ago, I worked at a burrito joint, and have frequented a few since then. As such, I like to consider myself a casual expert in the art of the inauthentic burrito- Toronto style. This one had it happening in all the right places. The tortilla was crisped perfectly, the light taste of char going wonderfully with steak strips. I didn’t taste the shrimp too strongly, but it was present and added a distinct texture. The steak won this one for me. It was crisp on the outside, tender and juicy inside, not chewy at all. It dominated the combination of flavours, with other things like the jalapeño mayo and onions working to accent it. Altogether the whole thing was more than I could finish.


Baked Chicken Pesto Sandwich – 9.50
Chicken, pesto, asiago cheese, sourdough roll, salsa. Fries.
Since Mary had this one, I can't really write a huge commentary on it. I tried some and it was very flavourful and full of pesto...which is great! Definitely generous.


Crème Brulé - seasonal price
I like a variety of desserts, and crème brulé tops that list. I love the caramelized sugar crunch, to cold dense interior. The crème brulé served at Utopia was a departure from what I have had before. The texture of the cream itself was much lighter than I expected, so much so that I would call it a mousse. It was not smooth loosening itself onto the spoon with a chunky fluffiness that surprised me. The flavour was also very light, delicate. I was expecting a bold and decadent cream, but received a more. The crust was thin, and though it tasted good, I wish there had been more, and that it had been thicker. Topping everything off was a sprinkling of blueberries. They didn’t taste too fresh. That may be expected given the season, but I had hoped that there would be more pop in the fruit. Although this was a good crème brulé, it was not the best that I’ve had.


My amazing friend and sister, Mary <3

The Pomegranate

Many an evening spent biking the college stretch has found me looking into the mysterious glow of The Pomegranate restaurant. It’s not that the blue walls and fine tapestries have scared me from visiting until now. Like more than a couple people I know, I have had the unfortunate problem of trying to call them a visit for lunch- this is a dinner only establishment.
Knowing that, we arrived at 8, well after open, but also well before close.
I knew this place was going to be a five star for atmosphere. The walls are draped with ornate rugs, tassels dangling. Photos and paintings show women and men in traditional Iranian clothes. The place did not lack for colour or lighting. Patterned lamps hung down casting patterns on the cerulean wall, making us feel under water. There were hand-painted tiles inlaid on all the walls. We felt comfortable.
To start we ordered a bottle of Argentinian wine, Trapiche, a malbec reserve. Pomegranate only serves two kinds of meat from what I can tell. Mostly it’s lamb, and one or two dishes have chicken, or are vegetarian. Thus the red choice- and it was a delicious wine which I will be certain to purchase again. Between myself and my two guests, we ordered four dishes.


Maast-o Khiar - $4.25
A blend of English cucumber, walnuts, raisins and rose petals in a rich creamy herbed yogurt.
This appetizer was served with warm Barbary bread- and by warm, I mean HOT! Wrapped in a warm cloth, it tasted incredibly fresh, while crusty on the outside. I firmly believe this was fresh baked. The mast-o khiar was spooned out onto our separate plates. I was a bit disappointed that I couldn’t taste much of the rose petals, which were actually more like a fine powder on top of the dish. Eaten on top of bread or by itself, the dish was mild, the raisins and walnuts adding the most texture and flavour. It was refreshing, and thus served well as an app, but wasn’t terribly memorable.

All the main dishes were served with a salad of mixed greens and a happy helping of basmati rice. There was also a small bowl of something that reminded me of pico, with mint. My companions dishes were served in metal bowls with the gravy filled right to the edge, but mine came with a proud and large shank of lamb front and center.



Daily Special - Seared Eggplant with Lamb - $14.95
I tried a spoonful of this saucy, savoury dish with some of my basmati rice. Pomegranate knows a thing of two about making a winning sauce. As the Pomegranate was my second blog to review, I made a rookie mistake- I forgot to take my notebook. Finding standard menu items on the Pomegranates website was easy, but I don’t have the details on what was in this stew. It was rich, with thick and mushroomy gravy. The eggplant was not too noticeable, but the charred flavour hung around underneath the bold lamb aromas. For a cold and wet day, it was a great choice.


Aloo Gheysi - $13.95
A stew of bokhara plums and dried apricots in a saffron sauce with boneless chicken pieces
The plums have pits in them. We were warned about this twice by two different servers. I’m a firm believer that every bit of an animal, plant or fruit contains essential flavours, even if it’s just a bit of an addition. Of the three dishes, we all agreed that this was the most flavourful. I love sweet dinners because they’re different from what one usually gets, but my friends both said they aren’t historically fans. All of us loved it. Even though there was a variety of fruit, the chicken and saffron did a lot to keep the dish from being too sweet. Again, Pomegranate showed a skill for sauces. Unlike other saucy middle eastern dishes I’ve tries, this was not too buttery, but full of natural taste.



Morasa Polo - $14.95
Jewelled rice – slivers of Seville orange peel, almond and pistachio with diced carrots and barberries blended in saffron basmati rice served with a braised lamb shank
I am not much of a lamb eater. I’m not opposed to it, but I tend to lean towards vegetarian dishes. So the times I’ve eaten lamb can be counted on one hand. This was...superlative. Can I use that word for a hunk of meat on a big bone? It was great. It tasted strictly of meat. There was no sauce, and the spices were very simple, almost not there. But please, let me describe its tenderness. I had a piece on my fork, and I bit that piece. Half stayed on the fork, just falling away. I don’t know if I’ve ever had something so tender! Beautiful lamb.
The rice that came with my dish was also different from what my friends had with their dishes. This ‘jewelled rice’ was full of chips of candied orange peel, crisp nuts, and carrots. It was as colourful as confetti, and I couldn’t get enough of it. The basmati was so light and fluffy that it didn’t sit heavily like rice usually does.

The desserts were very tempting, and I saw the tables all around us ordering the same thing, but we all agreed that we were too full to venture into desserts - this time.

My guests this evening were my roomate Molly and her man, Pietro.

Parts and Labour

From the chef previously behind the helm of La Palette (Kensington), Matty Matheson, comes the very new and shiny PARTS AND LABOUR up in Parkdale. It’s hard to find. I had nearly biked to Roncesvales before I realized my error. If you’re on your first visit, really pay attention to building numbers! The building is dark, with minimal signage, and is set a step back from the street. We go in and are greeted by a very friendly hostess on what is clearly a dead night. The decor was a lot of fun, with same unique industrial lights as Oddfellows further east on Queen (and is it any surprise, coming from the same group of people?). There were also many-coloured lamps hanging down over the bar like a 60’s set. The floor was open, with exposed concrete and large wood tables- almost all empty. I felt dwarfed and a bit under dressed in a baggy shift and jeans. Our server was polite, fast, but on the strange side. Maybe he was disappointed at our small table of four? Nonetheless all our drinks and food arrived in a timely manner, and the water was never empty. I also need to add in that the washrooms are a sight to see in their own right!
We wound up splitting three plates.



Smoked trout, beet root, torn bread, mint, parsley, dill, chervil, shallots, radish, chopped egg, horseradish crème fraiche - $12
We all agreed on one thing immediately: holey moley horseradish crème! It made an otherwise good dish amazing. I found the trout to be very understated, and did not even notice the egg while nibbling on this playful plate- or should I say, salad? It was an unexpected pleasure to find that the beets had been grated like spaghetti, bring a fun factor into the meal. Stringy! The fact that I have an undying love for dill also helped my enjoyment of the dish, since the herb was in abundance on the plate. Very tasty.



Roasted pork belly, seared scallop, charred scallion, pickled cipollini, grated foie gras, white onion apple smear, star anise - $16
The was nothing very special about the roasted pork belly. It tasted good, chewy and salty, but not remarkable. That said, the scallop just about took my breath away, and had us all rolling out eyes in delight. So delicate! So moist! With just a drop of an unnamed creamy sauce on it, it stole the entire meal. The scallops edges had crisped perfectly, complimenting a tender heart. It was a very big scallop as well. I found that all the different elements were well thought out, all working together to make a lovely dish.



Butternut squash, rum raisin cake, mascarpone cardamom icing, spiced walnut - $8
This dessert was very cakey and dense – almost more like a coffee cake, actually. The flavours were spicy, with nutmeg, cinnamon and clove well pronounced. The mascarpone was a major draw when we ordered, and it did a great job cutting through the denseness of the cake itself. This is not something I would order for dessert usually, though, because of how heavy and large it was. We all wished there was a run drizzle for flavour and presentation. Even though the nuts added a nice crunch and were spread about the plate, it wasn’t very impressive.


My lovely dinner guests were Adelle, Lexie, and Eugenia.