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| - Through my workplace recently, I had the opportunity to dine for lunch at Hawthorne. I was excited because it had so many accolades and positive shout outs about it that I couldn't wait. I'd heard so many good things about the place and checked out their site for the menu items. I was happy to learn that their food was made with local produce and meats and that they had a MealShare program where you buy an entree and a they give a meal to a starving child.
Because our lunch was being paid for by the organizing group, we were a bit restricted to the menu options but I had thought that wouldn't be a problem and since my lunch was being paid for, I had no right to complain. Besides, even on a restricted menu, I can usually find something I like to eat.
Out of our selection I chose the mixed local greens with beets salad over the onion soup because my stomach hasn't been doing well with onion-laced dishes lately. It was ok but nothing special really - just a mixed green salad with some large-a** beet chunks which I cut into smaller pieces and some kind of basic dressing but I wasn't sure what that was. I saw a colleague's onion soup and it smelled/looked delicious which she confirmed was.
Since I knew I wouldn't do well with the 'mushroom cream sauce' in the pasta and I wasn't in the mood to have the beef-cheek Ramen, I opted for the Smoked Chicken Breast/Turkey sandwich which I thought couldn't really go wrong, right? Sounded great...
My 'sandwich' arrived and it 'looked' delicious although, from the start, the Texas-thick toast didn't impress me much (maybe a nice soft bun would have been a better choice) and I absolutely HATE cranberry sauce or anything like that on a sandwich. Since the description of the meals are very scant, I was not expecting this for my meal.
Regardless, I cut into it with a fury of an appetite because I was starving. The first thing I noticed (and made me want to spit it back out!) was that the "smoke" of the chicken breast was so overpowering, it was nauseating - I've eaten plenty of smoked food in my life and this was way over the top. Now pair all that with a smudge of cranberry sauce smeared onto the bread and a glop of gravy and, sadly, this did not go over well with my taste buds nor my gut. My colleagues around me (one of them who enjoyed the soup) also did not like this sandwich and they all had similar complaints to mine - there were about 6 of us who ordered this dish.
Needless to say, I didn't finish the meal.
To end, it would have been nice to be able to order their Earl Grey brulee but due to the restricted menu, this was not an option for me. They did provide our two tables with platters of brownie tidbits and basic shortbread cookies. Again, nice but no WOW factor there either.
I did hear my other colleagues give positive comments about the Fife Pasta dish and the Ramen but having seen the dishes, there still was nothing really outstanding about their food. I've eaten at other 'organic' or 'local food' restaurants in the area - one just up the road from this one - and they really did have that 'wow' factor in their dishes.
Overall, my expectations from what I'd heard far exceeded the actual dining experience I had. I couldn't figure out why this place was so packed. Have Torontonians really lost their ideals for actual good food??
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