Renka
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Posts posted by Renka
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I'll join in congratulating you on scoring seats @ Schwa.
I'm surprised nobody has recommended either Blackbird or Avec.
You seem to be in for a good time, regardless.
If you want to slum it at lunch and have transportation, you could do worse than Hot Doug's.
I'll join in with the crowd. Schwa was a tough reservation to land and it was well worth it (especially as an out of towner). I enjoyed the entire experience (more at the link), the laid back atmosphere, "service" and of course, the food.
On that same trip, I also had a great brunch at Publican and lunch at Blackbird (more so than dinner at L2o). You might have returned from your trip before I would have these all posted.
Hot Doug's has a few winners (cherry-apple pork!), but I'd advise you to head there early (even when it opens) as the lines were incredible (even before it opened! It was also a rainy day.). I didn't think the duck fat fries were worth a special trip (but we were there on a Friday anyway, so we ordered them) so if you can't make it on the Fri or Sat, it's not a huge loss. (On the other hand, if they served horse fat fries...)
If you want to take a glance at what's at Graham Elliot, or what you're passing up at Moto (old), you are more than welcome to visit my collection of Chicago Dining (including past visits to Alinea, Avenues (when GEB was still heading the kitchen). If you could take a trip out of town, I'd encourage a visit to Vie.
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Actaully Guu Izakaya Toronto is more like Vancouver's Guu with Garlic. Personal preference from all of the five "varieties" in Vancouver is the one original one on Thurlow, but as noted in the link above, I was told with time (and as patron palates are more receptive to the flavours and fare), we may be able to see other traditional courses. The spot has been packed since the opening. Notice the difference from the days before to the night of the soft opening (from the seat beside jenc), to two consecutive Sat since (photos to come). Thankfully Toronto seems to love Guu (hopefully translating to longevity). Perhaps those "traditional" dishes will come sooner than later.
One more thing: while it's not in the pieces above, the manager had noted (in one of the interviews) that the fish is sourced from BC (as ironic as it is to get Atlantic salmon from the west coast; although Ogasawara did have a valid point - it's farmed anyway). Reason? Consistency and reliability in product. Makes sense as they can order the items in volumes out west.
John, if you're ever in this part of the country, at least you know you have another spot to dine at.
I ate at Guu on Thurlow in Vancouver earlier this year and it was fabulous.
Lucky, lucky Toronto!
Guu Izakaya 398 Church St., Toronto
Don't think their Toronto web site is up yet but here's site for Guu Vancouver.
Great blog post, by the way.
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For Christmas this year, I decided to make cookie packages based on the theme of nostalgia. I baked all the items below and packaged them into gift boxes (cookies stacked in liners, separately packed) or food-safe flat bottom gift bags. Some of the recipes for the items below can be found at their respective links.
Old-Fashioned Christmas Butter Cookies from Gourmet's website.
Brown Sugar Ginger Crisps from Gourmet's website.
Swedish Ginger Thins from Gourmet's website.
Martha Stewart's Chewy Molasses-Spice Cookies.
Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies from Pichet Ong's The Sweet Spot.
Brandy Balls based on Gourmet's Bourbon Balls.
Palets de Dames based on the recipe from Gourmet's website.
And the non-cookie: Maple Sugar Cashew Chocolate Cupcakes.
Christmas packages from previous years can be found in the following links: 2007, 2006, 2005
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My Saturday lunch spot has always been Pangaea when trapsing around Yorkville.
GC: I didn't know Pangaea served brunch. What's the menu like? Any special breakfast pastries?
phoenikia: I'd love to try MoRoCo, but fear that it might be like kryptonite to me (re: my cocoa allergies). Years ago paid a visit to Death By Chocolate in Vancouver (a friend wanted cake, I just had a tea), and I learnt my lesson. Near death (well not quite, but quite sick) by chocolate, indeed! Walking into a cocoa filled shop and even having a glass of water (cross contamination) is probably not the smartest thing. Just sitting there and being "company" and not being able to sample any of the delicious looking fare would be torture.
Oh, I was also going to suggest Mildred's Temple Kitchen but didn't know if they served brunch on Saturdays (I know for sure Sundays). I also know I'll be trying to head over to School Bakery and Café to try their wares. Again, I don't know if they have brunch on Saturdays (in regards to your thread's request).
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phoenikia,
I agree that there are too many mediocre places around town serving brunch. And even though this link leads you to many Sunday brunches, a number of those restaurants might also serve it on Saturdays.
In regards to some of the better places I've had non-Sunday brunches (which are, I'd admit, few):
I've heard nothing but good things about Celestin's brunch although I haven't been lucky enough to try it yet (will soon be remedied).Mount Pleasant and Eglinton area.
I'd happily return to Celestin for its brunch (which I enjoyed, foodwise, more than a recent dinner I had there).
I was curious to hear about any of your favourite places open for brunch on Saturdays, as well as start a list for easy reference. It seems many of the better brunches in town (like JKWB, the Gallery Grill, the Globe, etc.) are open only on Sunday.Open on Saturdays
<snip>
Queen West/West Queen West:
Bar One
The Drake
The Gladstone
Swan
Epicure
Czehoski
Mitzi's Sister
<snip>
Mitzi's Sister has a small but pretty decent menu (I'd happily return even at that wobbly table), but if there's no room or if you wake up later, why not try Easy Restaurant (brunch everyday of the week!)?
Of course there's always dim sum for brunch (if you'd like to include that).
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Another photo based addition to this thread (although from a meal in June). More can be found in this photoset.
My impressions:
The visit to The Square was what I would traditionally associate with a fine dining restaurant – it was both classic and European. From the modern and clean lines, neutral colour palette, open and bright space, courteous and bow-tied (!!so cute!!) waitstaff, every moment of my meal in this business (and male) centric lunch spot (I wonder how it is at night) was pleasant. The staff were friendly, knowledgeable, and professional, well versed with the menu (it's always refreshing to find restaurants where the servers know the menu inside and out – something that I noticed at most of the restaurants I've visited in Europe) and were very open and honest with menu suggestions. Let me rephrase, open, honest and diplomatic with suggestions. I will not forget this the next time the word "classic" is used to describe a dish, it might mean, as I discovered with the Brillat-Savarin cheesecake, good but pedestrian. Besides the accommodating and attentive nature of the staff (i.e. the direction of the cheese cart towards my camera's lens), I was even impressed with the bussers whom I observed taking meticulous care in performing their duties. Food wise, presentation was clean and refined. Ingredients used were top notch. Although I didn't stray from the conservative classics to try more adventurous fare, I don't think that it can be argued that the food, service, and ambiance of chef and co-owner Philip Howard could be labeled as safe, classic, modern and appealing. It was and is a lovely spot for business meetings, or more formal (i.e. meeting the in laws) types of gatherings, but I would consider it a little cold for visits of a personal nature.
And now... the food.
Sauté of Scottish Langoustine Tails with Parmesan Gnocchi and an Emulsion of Potato and Truffles (£5.00 Supplement)
Slow Cooked Icelandic Cod with Crushed New Potatoes, Langoustine Claws, Parsley and Lemon
Herb Crusted Saddle of Lamb with Shallot Purée, Rosemary and Garlic
One word: Gorgeous. Description: like butter.
Brillat-Savarin Cheesecake with Strawberry, Elderflower and Champagne
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Has anyone been to Locanda Locatelli lately?
Both an update to this thread and a tardy addition to this forum from a meal had this past June. I took the advice/interest of a well traveled diner (unfortunately he hadn't tried Locanda Locatelli, but his interest got me hooked) and tried to get a reservation (the one month to the date policy worked against me as I called from a couple different lines, one being on hold for a while at 5am in the morning... only to find out it was a public holiday for those in London from the "reservation cancellation line." Hmphr!).
My impressions:
Sleek, darken, spacious but crowded dining room is filled with friendly, attentive and knowledgeable staff that give ample attention to each table and provide smooth service. The dining room is friendly to the after work crowd or friends gathering over a bottle of wine who wish to dig into some hearty food. Some may find it intimate enough of a setting to bring a date, although both parties would have to pardon the boisterous nature of the rest of the room (it is indeed dim, but I would find it difficult to call it romantic). Food wise, Locanda Locatelli transports me back to the glorious week I had spent in Italy (back in 2007), where I wined and mainly dined happily on simply prepared top notch ingredients. Portions were ample at Locanda Locatelli, a good thing to note as the meal itself was not inexpensive. Presentation was simple, nothing lavish nor grandiose, making it easy to dig into the dish without the guilty feeling that usually comes with defacing a kitchen artist's palette. Overall, the experience was decent, albeit above average, and would have probably ranked higher in my memories had I not had a notable number of outstanding meals (in food, service or a combination of both) that outshone this fine establishment.
And of course there are pictures (more images and descriptions can be found in this photoset. Apologies for the grainy photographs - the low light wasn't too friendly to my point & shoot):
A dream come true for *this* bread lover.
Insalata di piedino di vitello, mostarda di Cremona
Of course, we've got to have truffles (unfortunately the truffles were only present in name only):
Gnocchi di patate, robiolina di capra e tartufo nero
Of the three mains, the roasted Dover sole was enough to feed a family (Sogliola arrosto, Macedonia di vegetali):
And even if the presentation was lacking in many of the courses, it was made up for in the desserts.
Mousse di tè verge, pan di spagna al pistachio, mela verde e sorbetto di prosecco
Degustazione di cioccolato “Amedei”
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Here's my tardy post from a long lunch I experienced at RGR back in early June. If interested, images and notes dedicated to the rest of the courses can be found in this photoset
The highlight of the meal was the Assiette de l’Aubergine and the flood of desserts associated with it.
Here are a few representatives from the meal.
Ravioli of lobster, langoustine and salmon
Pan fried sea scallops from the Isle of Skye
Caramelised Tarte Tatin & Granny Smith parfait
Click on the link to see more.
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Just an update for those who might not have seen the news on Bacchus' website. The restaurant will be moving (aka closing until next year) and the last service at the current location (177 Hoxton Street) is Sat, Aug 9th, 2008. More about that and the relaunched Bacchus Pub & Kitchen in the current space can be found on their website: http://www.bacchus-restaurant.co.uk/
In the meantime, I also had the pleasure of visiting the restaurant and Chef Mendez's cooking back in early June (it was a highlight during my gastronomic tour of London). I've been tardy with the post, but it's all found in this photoset - impressions and all.
Here's a small teaser for those who haven't been and can still reach the dining room before they close (until 2009 of course).
Chef Bonus: Sweet Prawns, Seared Watermelon, Pistachios, Rosewater Foam and Milk Yuba
Umami: Del Mar la Montagna – Memories of San Sebastian
... and the amazing
Red Mullet Toast and Liquorice
(I spoke to Chef Mendez about this afterwards, and he noted that he was trying to achieve a thin crispy skin like that of fried fish, but with the moist delicate flavour of a steamed poached fillet. I think he actually got that combination by the time it hit my plate
) Now I'm wishing I could drop by again...
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Try some on fries! Last year I topped a batch of horse fat fries (now those are good) with truffle salt (it made sense at the time) and they were over the top delicious. In fact, two of the diners ran out to purchase their own truffle salt shortly after that meal.
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Thanks for your comments everyone.
I don't know when I'll (want to) bake another 4000 cookies again. 
In case anyone was interested, this is what the packaged products looked like in the end:
To see images of each of the 9 cookies, follow this link or click on the name below (most of them should look very familiar
):Pierre Hermé's Sables Florentins (has candied orange rind)
Pichet Ong's Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies (the only item that doesn't contain any orange element)
Spiced Sesame Orange Florentines with Roasted Cashews &Fleur de Sel Drizzled with 72% Chocolate
Spiced Sesame Orange Florentines with Cashews & Fleur de Sel
Orange Marmalade Filled Cookies with Orange White Chocolate Drizzle
Orange Melt-in-your-mouth Shortbread
Bite-sized Puff Pastry Sandwiches
Just in case it isn't already apparent, the bride loves the colour orange, so the cookies followed that theme.
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I'm finally done my big project for this Saturday. These were the cookies baked in the last couple days. I think I'm crazy enough to admit that those late nights and many long hours were kind of fun.
Orange Melt-in-your-mouth Shortbread
Bite-sized Puff Pastry Sandwiches with Seville orange marmalade
4000+ cookies later (mainly with an orange theme - 9 different cookies) the only thing left is gift package assembly. Each bag will have 1 dozen cookies (yes I made extras in case of accidents, etc. We all know where broken cookies go
) I really hope that the soon to be wed couple and their reception guests like them. -
Having just visited the restaurant shortly before gaf, my impressions of Vie were positive. Below are the courses I had the pleasure of being served, detailed descriptions of my impressions of each can be found in the Vie set on my Flickr site.
Although not advertised, my dining companion and I were treated to a wonderful tasting menu sent out to us by Chef Virant (I also got the wine pairings) and his more than competent kitchen.
Amuse: House smoked trout beignet, green garlic aioli
Wine: 04 Gramona, Cava, Gran Cuvée, Spain
Wine: 06 Francis Blanchet, Cuvée Silice, Pouilly Fumé, Loire Valley, France
AND
Third: Marinated au bon canard duck breast, rhubarb, candied walnuts, watercress, cracklings
Wine: paired with a late harvest zinfandel (perhaps an 05 Seghesio, Old Vine Zinfandel, Sonoma County? - not sure)
Wine: 04 Domaine de Montmeix, Meursault, Burgundy, France
Wine: 06 Gypsy Dancer, Pinot Noir, Emily Ann, Chehalem Mt., Oregon
Molten chocolate cake, Tahitian vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce, cocoa nib tuile
Frangipane and dried door county cherry tart, Illinois chevre sabayon
This was an off menu dessert that was paired with an aged sherry.
Focusing on the season, artisanal foods, and local harvest, Chef Virant's Seasonal Contemporary American cuisine relies on a few, high-quality ingredients. Chef Virant’s use of house made preserved fruits and pickled vegetables reminds me of Toronto's Jamie Kennedy, but at a higher level – I was able to taste the bright and fresh flavours trapped in the produce, some of them still crisp and snappy, all of them delicious and pure. In the pickles, there was a wonderful balance of sweet and sour; the preserves, trapped summer sunshine. I was surprised to learn that this is attributed to using techniques from Christine Ferber, but in retrospect, I can see why my palate was wowed.
The tasting menu my dining companion and I had that evening was delightful, each course a successful pairing of excellent ingredients with simple presentations. No fuss, just very good and well prepared food. The dining room was non-fussy; the ambiance relaxed, modern and friendly. Our head server Thierry provided both my dining companion and I with a great experience. Not only did he engage in conversation with us, help guide our meal with our requests to the chef and the delightful wine pairings (which resulted in my being a little tipsy by the last course), but he also ensured that we had an enjoyable evening. At a couple points during our meal, Chef Virant did pay our table a visit to both greet and introduce certain plates (i.e. my non-chocolate dessert). We found him very kind and amiable, and confess to developing a little chef crush (can I say that aloud?).
Vie is an apt place for old friends with a taste for good food to gather, and a room I would return to on any special occasion to dine if it were not for its distance from Toronto. -
Those cookies make me happy - not sure why - but they do. Good luck with 4000 cookies!
Thanks Rob! I hope that these (and the remaining 3994) make the couple to whom they are dedicated to happy too.
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Wow, after that beautiful charlotte I'm almost ashamed to put up the next picture.
I experimented with a terribly crumbly dough and tweaked it by adding eggs and pure orange extract. I filled each "dumpling" with orange marmalade and drizzled the cooled cookies with white chocolate spiked with more orange extract.
Seville Orange Marmalade Filled Cookies with Orange White Chocolate Drizzle
I'm baking with an orange theme for a giant project (read 4000 cookies) due in the next week.
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docsconz: You are so funny!!
(but it is SO true...) -
Brigid Mary: Thanks
How were the Pichet Ong cookies? Could you taste the coconut?
mukki: The cookies were nice and aromatic where the coconut added a really nice crumbly/crisp texture (more so than taste). The recipients seemed to enjoy them.
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Since this thread hasn't been updated recently I'll add some pictures and comments about the meal I had on a short trip to Italy last September (and a follow up from a previous thread I had posted).
Below was from my trip out to Da Vittorio. Instead of the meal highlighted above, I chose the "lighter" raw seafood menu as I had just flown in from Toronto (and was a little jet lagged). I might have made a mistake to not order the classical menu that balanced both raw and cooked courses and instead opting for the one featuring all raw fish (although the ingredients were spectacular and absolutely sweet with freshness, my palate grew bored of the similarly prepared items). All my courses were served in pairs.
Located on a beautiful property equipped with a banquet hall for larger parties, Da Vittorio was the most grandiose location of my five Michelin restaurant tour in Italy. Picturesque and peaceful, stepping on the property I immediately knew why this restaurant/small hotel was so popular with everyone I spoke to. Once inside, I could see that the restaurant appeals more to local diners than foreigners. On Sat & Sun they have a brunch and dessert buffet, filling the dining room with those who were dressed to the nines, along with families with many children, to people in jeans. The restaurant itself was filled with an abundance of chatter (think Chinese dim sum) which confused me when I first entered the premises, believing that the main floor room was the casual dining room of the châteaux.
The more from this set and their associated comments can be found here.
Smoked Salmon sandwiched with Filo pastry
Crisp light filo sheets sandwich a toothsome block of smoked salmon. This delightful amuse was topped with fine and slightly peppery sprouts. I loved how these delicate bites were perched on the black mirror plates which I found highlighted their very clean and bold colours.
Raspberry Meringue topped with Blue Cheese Cream
A perfect balance of musty cream with crisp light sweetness presented in a dainty fashion. I loved how these delicate bites were perched on the black mirror plates which I found highlighted their very clean and bold colours.
Flakey pastry like bun – had a soft crumb but flakey exterior. It was both mysterious and perfect.
The olive roll was pedestrian but had a nice crumb.
Fresh Scampi with Olive Oil and Lime
My notes:
toothsome, dense and creamy sweet. These meaty beasts were like eating giant sized amabei! Delicious!
Salmon Tartar with Avocado and topped with caviar
Notes:
perfectly diced olives, avocado (that were too raw/crunchy), mayo, pink peppercorns and red pepper. There was a slight anise flavour in the mix which I failed to appreciate.
Tuna with Asparagus and Light Garlic Sauce
Very fresh and silky sashimi grade tuna carpaccio laid on a pool of mellow garlic aioli. The tuna was surprisingly refreshing and sweet tasting, while the nice flavours of the aioli and fruity olive oil drizzle further enhanced the silkiness of the dish.
Sea Bream Tartar with julienned Pepper Salad/Coleslaw
Light sea bream was carefully diced and mixed with mustard seeds which imparted a nice, mellow texture and flavour to this clean tasting fish course. It was nice to find that the seeds provided the salt component in this dish. The mixed pepper coleslaw, erroneously introduced as a bean salad, was both sour and crisp, nicely contrasting but not overpowering the smooth creaminess of the delicate tartar.
Codfish Tartar with Black Olive and Fresh Tomatoes
Mild, delicate cod had a subtle mellow sweetness that was paired with firm and clean (read refreshing) tomato. This was all contrasted by a salty fried wonton skin/crisp. This well executed course was a good balance of contrasting tastes, textures, and seasoning.
Fresh Lobster Mushrooms with Sea Bass Carpaccio
I suspected that the fish here was what I would normally associate as red snapper. The carpaccio was also decorated by almonds, pistachios and pine nuts. The olive oil dressing the raw mushrooms and fish was mild, mellow and very nice. The overall flavour was a little toasty which was pleasant. The fish was also topped by a crisp fried herbed tortilla chip making it a sort of fancy new carpaccio nacho dish. The mushrooms played a supporting role as the bed for the mild flavoured fish but added no flavour to the course, except to add colour to the pale dish.
Very clean and briny (of the sea) - as if they were just pulled up from the water. All I can say is wow. No dressing was required for these bivalves, and they tasted so pure and delicious. The bodies themselves weren't very meaty and they did have a little chew, but the flavours were so bright and clean.
Sea Bream Carpaccio with Bouillabaisse Sauce
Fresh dill and saffron top the filets along with a fruity drizzle of olive oil. Yes this whole menu featured too many slices of mild flavoured raw fish paired with olive oil and as fabulous as each ingredient was, and as beautiful as each course was, I was becoming very tired of them. On this last course we see fresh tomato water gelée, generous and messy dollops of seafood cream/aioli and garlic aioli plopped on top of the sea bream. I found the best part of this course was the lemon juice and large flakes of salt that cut through the richness of the sauces (matching well with the clean feel of the gelée) making this final dish both satiating and refreshing.
Notes:
Pistachio marshmallow – this sweet was very light, and tasty. It did have the texture of sugar crystals, but the overall flavour was intensely pistachio-y.
Frasier – airy and light pistachio cream on moist pistachio génoise. Delicious.
Passion fruit coconut dome - like custard bun filing
Peach/apricot preserve tart – tasted like a caramel/butter tart
White Chocolate and peach jelée – the former was very sweet, and the latter was both tart and thick in texture. I was surprised by the chocolate taste (I'm not sure why I wrote that in my notes).
Airy, clean and creamy.
And another to add to the collection (after a little photoshopping).
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Wowee to everyone here and all their impressive creations! To take things down a couple notches, here are some simple cookies that I baked up last week.
I'm experimenting with a number of recipes (mainly an orange theme) for a large project in mid-May.
Orange Icebox Cookies with Sliced Almonds
Pichet Ong's Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies
Spiced Sesame Orange Florentines with Sliced Almonds & Fleur de Sel before the chocolate drizzle
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Verjuice: that mousse looks great.
Renka: every time you post I know there's going to be a feast for the eyes, everything always looks beautiful.
AmritaBala: awesome macarons.
I was experimenting with a couple ideas that weren't for anything in particular, I just wanted to see if they would work. In the interest of sharing it here, I added a couple other components and plated it. I'm not at all happy with the plating but the ideas I was trying worked so I'll post it anyway.
steamed rice cakes, ginger sorbet, candied water chestnuts, sweet soy syrup, nori glass
The cakes are flavored with coconut milk and tinted with the nori paste I made for the glass. The candied water chestnuts and sweet soy syrup were the ideas I was experimenting with initially.
Tri2Cook: Looks like you're having lots of fun in the kitchen. I'm wondering about the nori glass. I'd love to know how you made it. Esp. keeping the nori non-clumpy and crispy.
I was also wondering about your sweet soy syrup. I recall the soy caramel I had at Avenues a while back. It was a brilliant and tasty paint on a savoury course. Was this possibly what you were trying to achieve? I can imagine how a kinako base could add a nutty/toasty flavour to your Asian inspired dessert components.
BTW, how did the candied water chestnuts taste? Are they still "crisp"?
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It's been a while since I've checked this thread, and it's quite obvious I've missed out on a bunch of amazing creations! Wowee.
lannie: PH is my hero too. I should post up some pictures of previous PH bakes after this one I made on the weekend.
Tri2Cook: I'm having so much fun seeing and reading about your creations. Now if only I could try them (as in eat, not having to make it) myself! And noting that you're in Ontario...
Rob: You and those crazy celery combinations. Love it!
plafield: Your cake is super sweet!
andanand: Very cool. Looking forward to more.
Verjuice: That hidden caramel surprise certainly surprised me! Did it incite giggles of delight?
I was bit by the baking bug the past few days.
Fresh Strawberry Mousse Cake with Mango-Peach Gelèe
Made for our church's induction service of Rev. TT. (click link for the recipe)
Pierre Hermé's Philadelphia Almond Cake
Components:
Soft, chewy, brown sugar-sweetened almond cake
Extra-creamy cream cheese mousse
Golden raisins macerated in grappa (instead of macerated griottes)
Crunchy almond streusel
I love streusel:
This was for a friend's birthday.
Meyer Lemon Bars made for a special group of ladies. I added some ground almonds to the base.
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Herbs de Provence Crusted Rack of Lamb with Shiraz Reduction, Yukon Gold Mash and Steamed Asparagus
I had a baa-d craving for some lamb.
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I know dining during Winterlicious shouldn't count, but at least it's a "try." Chef Couillard was present and we had a very nice chit chat before joining the rest of our party. He seemed quite nice. It was the evening of the snowstorm, so perhaps he was happy to see people still making it out (just as he did to go to work, albeit he lives "very close" (location disclosed for this post)).
As mkjr suspected, I do have images of my dinner at Spice Room.
My impressions can be found here, and although it sounds funny, I was very impressed with the kitchen's ability to cook vegetables. Excellent execution of simple ingredients is always key for me. Such practices outshines any gimmicky preparations, and I'd take deliciously crisp and sweet bok choy or red peppers over carrot foam or chocolate soil (something not hard to pass up due to my cocoa allergy!) anyday.
The Hoof Café Is Pig Heaven
in Ontario: Dining
Posted
Chiming in with JenC on this one: multiple time. I'll be bold and state that I enjoy the plates at the Hoof Café slightly more than those served at the Black Hoof. (Don't throw stones at me please!)
Here's another point of view in case JenC's wonderful posts don't have you salivating enough.
Hoof Café 1
Hoof Café 2
Hoof Café 3
Hoof Café 4 (coming up)
I swear I do eat at other places.
I will confess that all my experiences were only at Brunch. The fare served at midday is worth the effort of trekking out to Trinity Bellwoods on a weekend morning (some courses more than others). It makes me sad to note that they are no longer serving "Mike's pasta" which was the highlight of my meals, but that's easily comforted with a plate of pig tails & grits. One caveat, there is quite a juxtaposition of mild savouries (beautifully prepared) with tooth aching sweetness. I don't have that big of a sweet tooth so I find much of the syrup/reductions cloying. Thankfully there's not enough present to drown the rest of the dish (of the i.e. pancakes, french toast, crepes). On weekends they offer (limited supply) the bone marrow doughnuts. Often I've missed out, but finally encountered them 2 weeks ago. If you like cake doughnuts (and those the size of a thumb nail) you might enjoy them. They come fresh from the fryer, and as such, the bone marrow center melts creating a wet interior (crumb). It's not really my thing (wet doughnuts), although I know some people who like to dunk their doughnuts in their coffee.