IndolentAgain
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Posts posted by IndolentAgain
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I have come away with mixed feelings. We had the fois gras with sage and onion lyonaisse and pear and star anise sorbet the terrine of rabbit and eel (described as a mosaic but its just a terrine tbh) with pickled root vegtables to start. Both pleasant but the vegtables were lacking and the fois gras accompaniments were ok but only the onion lyonaisse added to the dish with some sweetness. The starters felt like they were trying too hard with a well cooked but uncomplicated central portion with the foo foo accompaniments trying to live up to a level of cooking which wasnt evident.
For mains we shared the best end of veal with creamed broccoli, mushroom duxelle, smoked hollondaise and a "fondant" of potato.
The veal was a tiny bit underdone but perfect for me and worked well with the duxelle. The dish was good but not outstanding.
We had 2 glasses of champagne and a 1/2 bottle of 2001 bandol.
All in all a plesant time with ok service but at a total cost of 140 for 2 felt very expensive for the surroundings, cooking and service.
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Late News: Sunday booked - Sushi Kaji !!!!! Yay for me
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Has anyone tried Into the Kitchen's culinary voyeur experience. Visit from 3pm at one of the restaurants (Splendido, North 44 etc) chat with the chef and crew about the menu, experience the full preparation for the restaurant for the evening and then sit down with a multi course tasting menu.
Seen on breakfast television on CP24 this morning.
www.intothekitchen.com
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Well so far have been pretty busy with family. But popped into the rebuilt Sassafraz for lunch yesterday. The refurb is along similar lines to the previous decor. Its nice light and airy. A plesant place to have lunch. No the food isnt the absolute best - But had a very nice white bean soup with bacon and the burger was well cooked with herb fries (not going to get anyone rushing here for them but they do have nice flavour if not quite crisp enough to be perfect).
The wine by the glass yielded a good cab sauv from US - Castle Rock - Balanced with light tannins and good fruit - reasonable length.
The whole experience was nice - good service and just right for a lunch if you are passing at the right time like us.
pictures to follow when I get them off the camera.
Booked for the Globe on Friday (Colbourne Lane full that night so see if we can get in another night before we head back).
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Thanks - I might have eaten there last Christmas - but it was very cold and I was very tired and just following the friend I went to dinner with. It was somewhere close to Mistura and anyway I didnt have risotto.
How close to the "BEST" do you actually think they get ???
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We are back in TO for new year and I though that it was worth asking where to eat this time.
Definitely think Colborne Lane and also on the potential list are Globe, Sushi Kaji and Lai Wah Heen.
Done Perigee, splendido, scaramouche, North 44, JK, Thuet, Canoe, Bistro 990
CL is on the list because I liked Claudio's cooking at senses but have left it since opening due to mixed reviews - Think its time to give it a go.
So... Any thoughts about a restaurant I have foolishly missed in TO ?.
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IndolentAgain: Was the duck hard to make? I too have the book and always lovingly turn to the duck page but it looked a bit complicated eek!
Actually turned out easier than I thought - Its time consuming to be sure because you steam and then deep fry the duck. I steamed the duck on day 1 while cooking and then popped it in the fridge and did the deep frying and the sauce on day 2. But it wasnt difficult.
Did it with a wild duck (mallard if I remember correctly) and the sauce made a really gamey duck very tasty indeed.
Planning to cook it again soon. Will just make it with just duck legs this time as they should stay moist with double cooking.
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Sadistick - Sweetbreads are fabulous arent they ?. Had some here in the UK last week caramelised with a wrapping of parma ham. Just wonderful.
Last meals in TO were sadly in July when last there. Lovely skate at Thuet and a good meal at perigee.
So where did you find good sweatbreads then ?. Got a visit coming up soon !!!!
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If you liked JKWB then Thuet was one I tried last time and enjoyed immensely. Again a bistro style with a more classic starter/main menu. Good cooking and wine list.
We will be there over new year and just trying to figure out where I want to try this time (post coming soon no doubt).
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In theory Le Clos Jordanne did the release of their 2005 wines last weekend in Ontario through Vintages in LCBO stores.
Looking down the web site though almost nothing in volume terms was actually released and as such these wines are unavailable as they sell out in minutes with these tiny volumes.
I am interested in what people feel about the release of their own local wines and their availability to the general public (ie not restaurant owners or people with friends in high places in the LCBO).
I was looking because I had some very pleasant Le Grand Clos at a restaurant last year and would like to acquire some for drinking at dinner parties etc.
I actively dislike the american system of cliquey mailing list only sales and much prefer the egalitarian european en primeur system.
To me the LCJ release is a move towards the US system where a cult is attempted to be built up rather than a brand based on the quality of product.
Anyone get any / have an opinion on their release strategy ?
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Great little review, and very interesting, thanks IndolentAgain. That bread you have there looks good too - where is it from?
Its a stonebaked one from Waitrose - didnt have enough time to make my own. For supermarket bread I find its got good taste when fresh and lasts well.
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After much searching we obtained four butters for review.
Top - clockwise - la Fromagerie - unsalted, la fromagerie salted - unpasturised, Real France - Salted from Borough Market, Organic unsalted from Neals Yard.
In taste the La fromagerie came last - lovely creamy texture with smooth flavour easily better than anything in the supermarket, next was the real france - the salted butter provided a fantastic taste on the palete with rich creamyness and a good lingering after taste.
The runner up was the salted unpasturised butter from la fromagerie - This was a truely excellent butter with a strong flavour. The aftertaste was probably the best of the selection. There was a richness to go with the creamy flavour which lifted it over the other 2 butters.
The winner was an easy selection - The organic butter from Neals Yard Dairy. Not quite as creamy as the other but with good structure. This butter has an almost caramel like flavour and if salt were added would provide an almost unworldly experience.
A big thanks for all those who helped in the search.
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I've tried both Sushi Hiro and Kiraku recently.
I have been to both of these recently and both were very enjoyable. I would agree with harryb that Hiro is possibly a little better quality but choice at Kiraku is far wider.
Will be back again to both as these are some of the closest sushi places to home.
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Its not out on amazon uk yet. Will take a look when its published. I have heart and soul and tried the deep fried duck with plum and star anise which is fantastic. Also like her version of egg fried rice.
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Thanks for the tips Tim and Helenah. Will check them out asap. Might have to make a special trip to borough just to take a look.
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Does anyone know where I could get unpasturised butter in the London/South East area ?.
Had some recently and loved it.
Thanks
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Renka, Even 2 x $17 isnt so bad. You got quite a lot.
£14 (approx 28-29CDN) got me this at the Fat Duck last week.
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Gordon,
Great report. Been umming and arghing over whether to go next time we are in TO. Loved his cooking at Senses and from your pictures and description think its time for a visit.
Sadly due to schedules that isnt till the new year now. But it does give me something to look forward too.
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Adam from Amateur Gourmet has just published a new book.
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^^ Does anyone know where in T.O. you can get a beautiful thing like this??
Closest was Canoe who did a starter plate of all their seafood starters. We shared between 4 and they brought it out on a 2 level platter.
Good and interesting but not that fantastic amount of food in your picture. My personal favorite was the soused scallops with popcorn. Most inventive dish and the butter popcorn worked really well with the citrus / scallop combo.
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More fantastic pictures Renka.
When I was there the cooking was fine but every dish came out with too much salt. I didnt mind as I love salt it but its a black mark as a potential recommendation. Does help with those drinks sales tho !!!!
Don't think horsefat fries will take off sadly as there isnt enough about to provide consistency. It may be a special at someplaces tho - keep a look out as it picks up popularity.
WRT best steak... was watching re-runs of Heston Blumenthal's "In search of perfection" series last week and his perfect steak recipe is something I will try - cook for 24 hrs at 50deg as a front forerib and then remove from bone and fry. Looked perfect to me.
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Well during our visit over the last 2 weeks we did a bit of tasting.
Visited Bistro 990, Bistro Bakery Thuet and Jamie Kennedy Wine Bar.
We had frites (in a variety of guises) at all 3.
My wife's vote was
1. Bistro 990
2. Jamie Kennedy
3. Thuet
My vote was
1. Jamie Kennedy
2. Thuet
3. Bistro 990
All three were very good. Thuet adds shaved parmesan to his fries which makes it hard to recommend to everyone (especially not my wife).
All three managed to produce crisp golden fries with good flavour and fluffy potato inside.
My vote for overall restaurant tho goes completely the other way.
1. Thuet
2. Bistro 990
3. Jamie Kennedy WB
Jamie looses out here for a poor salt balance (too much and I really like salty food) in the cooking and of the 5 dishes the last 2 were very poor (although it was important that Jamie was in the restaurant and left just as the 3rd dish was served). The good wine by the glass list winning back points with friendly service.
Bistro 990 is 2nd for a solid performance with consistantly reliable food.
Thuet showed both of the others where to go. Flawless crab cakes to start followed by for me skate grenobloise and an order of fries, boullabaise for my wife.
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Tried Perigee (among others) this time. Went for the tasting menu. Gordon to compare with Splendido. Perigee is a good restaurant with balanced food but some of the combinations werent quite working (interesting but not completely resolved) where as at Splendido the basic combinations worked every time. Service at both restaurants was good with Perigee being a little more informal than Splendido. Wine list wise Splendido was better.
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Gordon - So.... were the frites at Le Papillion any good ???.
mjkr - that beef picture does look pretty fantastic. Maybe we need a good beef thread (buy rather than restaurant) started as well !!!!
renka - I tend not to order steak very often unless I know the chef can actually prepare a properly blue steak (and not just rare) and so good quality beef is a must also.
L'Autre Pied
in United Kingdom & Ireland: Dining
Posted
We didn't have dessert. The veal is worth the money.
The bandol was approx 27 for a 1/2 bottle and the champagne just over £10 per glass.
For me the cooking was good but the presentation and complexity of cooking and surroundings didn't quite match the prices.
I would eat here again but only if in the area.