Feenie's

[pissaladiere]

We had our first DOV experience of the year last night. We had an 8:00 reservation at Feenie's. The room was buzzing even more than usual. We had a good experience and some of the dishes were amazing. We began with the mussels and the truffle scented white bean ravioli. We really enjoyed both dishes. The mussels were plump and had a traditionally flavoured sauce. The white bean ravioli were deliciously unctuous. Feenie really know his ravioli!

For the main course we had the Mission trout with beurre blanc, capers and raisins. It was accompanied by a cauliflour puree. This entree was incredibly complex and delicious. A lot of different flavours going on, but it really worked well. We also had the lamb shank with risotto and pearl onions. This was good. I like my lamb shank really saucy and falling off the bone (like they do at Chambar). This one you actually had to fight with a bit to get the meat off the bone. The braising liquid was rich and savoury and made the risotto delicous. They also had a vegetarian entree with chick peas (Sorry I can't give more details, I often eat vegetarian at home, but when I go out I almost always want meat or seafood)

For dessert we ordered the winter fruit tart and the trio of sorbets. The winter tart came in a little triangular parcel. It was full of nuts, raisins and apples. I liked it, although the pastry was a little "solid" for me. Also, I felt as though it needed a little more juiciness (either a sauce or more fruit). My friend had the sorbets with biscotti. She had a mango, grapefruit and pineapple sorbet. These were a delicous end to a rich meal, sweet, tart and so smooth. It was an incredibly generous portion of sorbets too. There was also a chocolate, cherry bread pudding on the menu which looked good. The waitress, however, said that she wouldn't recommend it unless you were "into bread pudding".

I was surprised that they didn't have VQA wine pairings for each entree. We ended up ordering a glass of Mission Hill Pinot Grigio and a Stump Jump (?) red (sorry, my friend ordered this so I don't have any more details except that she and the waitress kept raving about how delicious it was).

All in all, it was a good meal. I found the 90 minute time limit a little restrictive. I like to linger over a meal. We didn't even have time for a cup of coffee at the end.

We are going to Aurora tonight and Diva at the Met next week. I almost look forward to the grey, rainy days of late January knowing that DOV is coming.

[Ling]

Glad your dinner at Feenie's went well! The mission trout is my favourite, and I think they do the best ice-creams and sorbets ever!

Edited January 22, 2006 by Ling (log)

[achiu]

For the main course we had the Mission trout with beurre blanc, capers and raisins.  It was accompanied by a cauliflour puree. This entree was incredibly complex and delicious. A lot of different flavours going on, but it really worked well. We also had the lamb shank with risotto and pearl onions. This was good. I like my lamb shank really saucy and falling off the bone (like they do at Chambar). This one you actually had to fight with a bit to get the meat off the bone. The braising liquid was rich and savoury and made the risotto delicous.  They also had a vegetarian entree with chick peas (Sorry I can't give more details, I often eat vegetarian at home, but when I go out I almost always want meat or seafood)

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Just got back from Feenie's. I almost didn't order the lamb shanks after reading your review because I also like my braises with the meat falling off the bone. I ended up ordering it anyways and I am glad I did. The shank tonight was very tender, flavourful and huge. It was cooked to the point where some of the cartilage was turning into gelatin which gave the sauce a wonderful body. I wonder if they read this forum

Oh, and the rest of the meal was wonderful as well.

Alex

[BCinBC]

Last night N and I plunged into DOV at Feenie's. While others made the (totally valid) point that the DOV "deal" isn't much of one considering the regular prix fixe is $36, I did find the menu very enticing and so I booked it.

Showed up at 6 - early reso I know, but I did have to catch 24 at 9! - on my first booking through OpenTable. So there you go, it works. Besides OT confirming twice via email, Feenie's also confirmed once by phone, so you do get some human interaction if you really want it.

We were seated in the back "private" room which was opened up and outfitted with three 4-tops and a deuce (us).

The food:

Starters

N had the mussels which were, as Pissaladiere reported, very pump. In fact they were the plumpest mussels I've seen for a long time, about the size say of your thumb. The spicy tomato onion broth was excellent as well, and reminded me that it's time to revisit Chambar to see whose mussel broth cuisine reigns supreme.

I had the white bean ravioli, which was served with bacon squares on top and a whole lotta beurre blanc. I was really jonesing for the mussels, but the reason I went for the ravioli is because of Feenie's ravioli track record. And frankly I was a bit disappointed - at Lumiere, whatever the filling may be, you know the flavours are going to be right on. But in this case I thought the white bean filling left a little to be desired. I never thought I would ever encounter a Rob Feenie dish that needed more salt! But this one did. If he was going for a theme, IMO he should have topped the ravioili with a bit of shredded duck confit instead of the bacon. Oh well. Aside from taste, the ravioli was pretty much technically perfect - for pasta texture and thickness, filling consistency, and saucing. So maybe just a personal flavour and/or seasoning issue.

Mains

For her main, N chose the chick pea fritters with the veg ragout and mushroom foam. And she loved it! Had no qualms about not ordering the trout at all. I tried it and I must admit, the fritters had a great flavour and texture combo, and the mushrooms were very flavourful as well (good herbs rock) - but to me fritters are a side. However, I think as with many chefs, RF takes vegetarianism on as a special challenge, and he definitely hit a solid triple with this one.

I chose the lamb shank which turned out like Alex's - beautiful braise (even N liked it, she of the say-no-to-red-meat faction), rich sauce as you would expect, and coupled with the super rich risotto and the roasted garlic and onions it was a great winter dish. Even a West Coast winter. I ate every last edible bite, including the marrow.

Desserts

To finish, N had the chocolate cherry bread pudding. Nice flavours, but very stiff and dry and not what I imagine bread pudding to be (tho maybe I haven't had proper bread pudding??). When I say dry I don't mean inedible, I just mean it was not a wet dessert (not even like a moist cake, if you get my drift). So a custard or creme Anglaise would have been my preference in lieu of the bit of whipped cream. N said it was a bit like having black forest cake but in a drier form, and she was right.

I had the sorbet trio - pineapple, blood orange and mango - served with the biscotti and gooseberry (the secret to making anything look 1000 times more upscale). Pineapple was my favourite, I thought it had coconut milk elements in there too; N prefered the blood orange though, which I also really enjoyed. The mango was the consensus third choice - it was not bad, but the aftertaste was very bitter which to me does not say "dessert". I thought it would work well as a palate cleanser. The biscotti were IMO not as good as Chef Tony's (NWCAV), but of course were much better than those door stops you get at Starbucks etc.

We had a bottle of Blue Mountain Gamay 2004 which was very nice, I am going to search out a few bottles to open in about 3 years when I think it will be awesome. Right now it is very upfront fruity (cherry and/or plums? No notes) both on the nose and when tasting, but without a lot of oak which I am really enjoying lately.

Our magazine covergirl (!) slash server Alison was very good - she really illustrates the philosophy of Feenie's I think. She was attentive enough without being overtly so (one quality check at starters, one at mains), very efficient, warm but slightly casual - yet she did the little things that you would expect from Lumiere staff, like refilling your wine when you were closing in on empty - before you lifted a finger to do so yourself.

All in all it was a great meal and a really fun night out - I think they did DOV proud. Of course Feenie's is used to high volume, and they sure don't staff any rubes. We were in and out in 90 minutes but the pace was anything but frenetic. The food was good to great (if I had gotten the mussels I would have had the ideal menu), the venue jumping, the service also right on... Well done Feenie's.

PS: I will edit this post to add pix if they are any good (I don't use a flash).

[Ling]

While others made the (totally valid) point that the DOV "deal" isn't much of one considering the regular prix fixe is $36, I did find the menu very enticing and so I booked it.

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I thought the DOV at Feenie's is $25, so it's a pretty good deal. It's the Lumiere Tasting Bar that isn't as much of a deal (priced at $35) isn't it?

[BCinBC]

Hey Ling,

Yes DOV at both Lumiere TB and Feenie's is $25. IMO neither are a particularly good "deal" - simply because both already offer extremely good deals year-round. (As previously hashed and rehashed, Lumiere TB at $14 per plate and $7 or so for dessert, Feenie's at $35 or 36 per 3-course. Same diff.) What I mean of course is that yes you save $10 per head, but that is merely a glass of wine at these places. Again I'm not disparaging Feenie's or Lumiere TB, I'm just saying that DOV doesn't do much above and beyond regular menu pricing. I suppose the positive spin is that the deal you get is a free glass of wine during DOV - but you are limited to 90 minutes no lingering. Get drunker faster!

On the other hand, a place like Parkside where the regular prix fixe is $45 - well DOV at $25 pp is a much better deal - relatively. So, again using wine as currency, a dinner for two at Parkside during DOV means a free bottle of VQA wine!

Cheers!

[kontemporary]

Hey Ling,

Yes DOV at both Lumiere TB and Feenie's is $25.

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I thought the tasting bar was 35?

[kurtisk]

Hey Ling,

Yes DOV at both Lumiere TB and Feenie's is $25.

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I thought the tasting bar was 35?

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It is!

k

[BCinBC]

My mistake, sorry bout that. To recap, the Lumiere TB DOV deal is not extraordinary. Feenie's during DOV is only an okay deal. Both are extraordinary deals outside of DOV.

[BCinBC]

Okay here are the photos I took from our Feenie's dinner. Apologies for the shitty quality, but I haven't been able to bring myself to use the flash. But how about this: Imagine you are outside in the blustery winter rain, and that you peek inside to see what the It Crowd is eating... How's that working? Well then bear with me.

White bean ravioli with bacon and beurre blanc

Mussels with spicy tomato onion broth

Braised lamb shank with risotto and roasted garlic and onions

Chick pea fritters with vegetable ragout and mushroom froth

Trio of sorbets: pineapple, blood orange & mango; biscotti

Chocolate cherry bread pudding with chantilly cream

ETA: Ironic how the best dishes also have the worst photo quality.

Edited January 27, 2006 by BCinBC (log)

[Ling]

I had the sorbet trio - pineapple, blood orange and mango - served with the biscotti and gooseberry (the secret to making anything look 1000 times more upscale). Pineapple was my favourite, I thought it had coconut milk elements in there too; N prefered the blood orange though, which I also really enjoyed. The mango was the consensus third choice - it was not bad, but the aftertaste was very bitter which to me does not say "dessert".

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I just wanted to chime in and say that the batches of ice-cream and sorbet are made regularly, so maybe it was just that batch of mango sorbet that was a bit bitter. My friend who went to Feenie's this week said the mango sorbet was amazing.