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| - The Flaming Bull is interesting.
There are elements I thoroughly enjoyed and I can appreciate their ambitious, different approach to fine-dining Asian cuisine. The ambition however, comes at a higher cost and being in the Annex, it's a bit much to ask for a bowl of anything for over $20.
So for a 7 Course tasting menu to be available in the neighbourhood, is already a stretch, and to price it at $66, it becomes a challenge. Not to say that the value is completely off for the price, but just a hard sell.
You see, I enjoyed the table-side mixing for the salmon fried rice and the mini blow-torch show for the side of prime rib beef in my noodle soup. I also liked the beautiful plating, drink pairings and the idea of courses for this type of food. The service felt one-on-one, a server per person, and I had non-stop refills, timed courses, and perfect waiting.
What I have a hard time with is the justification for shelving $$$ for casual dishes, elevated in presentation but not necessarily flavour or taste. Abalone in my soup? Yes, all day, I'll take that- and torched prime rib was melt-in my mouth delicious. Ultimately, I've had better beef noodle soup, I've had better salad, and I've had better tasting fried rice. The nice, luxurious extras, sides and interactivity add to the experience which is what I appreciated. This stuff is a bit hard to come by in Downtown Toronto and although I think things can be improved, it's still an experience to be had.
This place is still pretty new and I know it takes time to get in the groove. So I'll return sometime because I have hope. I respect what they are trying to do, their ambition and cuisine. To me, that's sometimes more than striking gold with a re-hashed concept.
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