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| - ...Cocktail list was extensive and creative. We went for a Hopewell (Bourbon, House Vanilla Brandy, Crab Apple Shrub) and the not-on-the-menu Giftbox (Gin, Egg White, Rosewater Syrup, Cucumber). The former was heavy hitting but gorgeously aromatic, while the latter (my servers great suggestion) was tart, but refreshingly smooth with just enough floral sweetness.
The menu was sophisticated, yet inviting. There was a generous spread of different protein and accompaniment offerings, without any duplications of flavours. I really appreciate how challenging this must be, particularly for a menu that changes often. I had read that the portions at Ursa were small for the price, and I can't say I disagree. However, keeping with Ursa's theme of celebrating the inherent healthful qualities of good quality ingredients, I felt it was appropriate. The two of us left satisfied, but certainly not "full" or uncomfortable, ideal for going out afterwards to continue a night of fun. This is what we had:
Raw Bread with House made Cultured Butter- This was a light and delicious starter, my only complaint was that it was maybe a bit too dainty (aka. I wanted more). We received a few lovely beet and sumac crackers, and a few fennel peanut ones, served with two selections of deliciously luscious butter (sea salt and roasted garlic). The star for me was the beet, which had a mild sweet and deep spice flavour, and paired beautifully with the sea salt butter.
House made Tofu- Radish Bonito, Nori, Seedlings, Dashi- I was skeptical of this at first, but it turned out to be the winner of the two first courses. The tofu was moist, creamy and sumptuous, which was a perfect accompaniment to the crispy fried radish cakes. What really tied everything together was the flawless dashi broth, which had a defined umami flavour, and a perfect level of salt.
Duck Egg- Sunchoke, Nigella, Bitter Greens, Sauce Gribiche- Unlike the tofu, which was perfectly seasoned, we both found this one a bit bland, surprising for all of the fatty elements on the plate. I also found everything to be luke warm, perhaps as a result of careful (and beautiful) plating and the dish sitting too long. The wait may also have something to do with the fact that my duck egg yolk was not nearly as runny as I had hoped, so my beautiful brioche toasts didn't have much purpose. Having said that, from a texture and flavour perspective (aside from the seasoning situation), this was very well balanced. The sunchoke hash, speckled with spicy bitter nigella seed, was a beautiful accompaniment, and the gribiche (a mayo-like sauce usually with pickles, tarragon and capers) brought a bit of relief from the bitter dandelion greens.
Wild Boar- Toasted Barley, Turnip, Kohlrabi, Quince Mostarda, Huckleberry- This was the star dish of the day. The boar was moist, flavourful, and perfectly seasoned, and it's richness was balanced out beautifully by the tangy sweet mostarda condiment. The barley was cooked perfectly, and had a deep nuttiness that was lovely with the mildly sulfurous flavour of the turnip and kohlrabi. What was truly impressive, however, was the huckleberry leather, which lent a satisfying chew that melted delicately on the tongue. Stunning composition.
Georgian Bay Whitefish- Sea Urchin, Black Truffle, Pickle Juniper Berry, Rapini- Another really solid dish. The whitefish was perfectly cooked, with a moist flesh and a wickedly crispy crust. The sea urchin sauce was rich, but refreshing, and the black truffle lent a delicate level of umami aromatics. While I loved the idea of a pickled juniper berry, biting into it really overwhelmed my palate so that it was all I could taste. This would probably work much better for a heartier red meat dish than a dainty whitefish.
Date & Carob Cake, Scotch, CO2 Apple, Quince, Clove- A very interesting dessert, with both sweet and savoury elements. The cakes were dense and hearty, and took on a smoky flavour from the scotch. The apple and quince had been compressed to a texture similar to a thick fruit leather, but without the sticky sweetness. I really liked the concept, and all of the elements, I just wish there was a bit more sweetness and something creamy to balance everything out.
Fresh Mozzarella Curd, Lemon Pudding, Lemon Confit, Gaspe Honey- Another beautiful presentation, and a delicious light end to a good meal. The curd had a satisfying chew, similar to cottage cheese curds, but with more fat. This was a perfect carrier for the tangy sweet lemon pudding and confit.....
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