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| - Now I'm reviewing specifically the tastemaker event today but in short this is a venue I have visited on multiple occasions. It regularly hosts a farmers market, and full time restaurant, a garden store, and is a unique venue space for events. The one flaw that keeps the brink works from achieving a 5 star review is that the venues suffers from the elements. It's not an enclosed space and although in the summer and in nice weather this allows for the open air to penetrate as well as the breeze to cool down venues but it also means that the rain, the cold, and the gusts of wind also impact the events. As some people might know Toronto weather can be quite fickle and over the years has also been prone to extreme weather. In fact for coffee and tea expo held around the end of March we had freezing rain and hail so imagine what the venue was like.
Anyways this review is more for the Tastemakers event. It was packed but for the price you don't have to pay for food tickets and there are plenty of vendor offering free samples of actual substantial food from meat pies, ceviche, unagi baos, etc. the venue was also graced with the presence of at least 4-5 chefs representing Alo, Buca, Bat Reval/Isabelle, & Piano Piano. The tables and vendors aren't grouped together by types of food or anything, usually you have two or three food vendors and then 3-4 drink and or liquor vendors, so for those that partake - get your drink on. There are cheese and chocolate offering as well as tea, spices, and hot sauces. The main attractions and major reason you stand in a line is the tastemaker kitchens. Each chef has prepared at least one offering each with Alo's Patrick Kriss' offering two dishes. First up is the salmon and the lamb tartare. Both beautifully seasoned, without any hint of fishiness or gaminess. The interplay of the citrus elements and the more earthy garlic or eggplant purées compliment the protein so well.
The salmon is a delightful bright bite but the purée is a a bit hard to integrate. The tartare is accentuated by the pinenuts and sunflower seeds but when all mixed together with the yellow tart purée and the eggplant it plays well together (I wish there was a tiny bit more acid). The pasta by Rob Gentile is rich with the boudin noir (blood sausage) and the nduja spices up the dishes to tie in the salt and richness of the dish with that bit of créme fresh to mellow things out. It not a dish for everyone but this dish was my second favourite if the event.
On the other side we had Grant Van Gameren slicing what looks like Iberico ham onto a dish of pea shoot and chorizo verde. Delish the herbiness of the chorizo in contrast with the traditional more spicy blend of filling pairs well with the pea shoots and salt is provided by the ham. Chef Victor Barry's. Spanish octopus sits atop a herby version of a potato salad with an accompanying side of another cured pork product. If you don't incorporate all elements the dish eats a little bland because of the potatoes but all together it is a satisfying bite. The octopus is cooked well with just enough of a bit but also sumptuous without being tough (I would like a bit more of a crispy char to the exterior but that my preference of the perfect bite).
The wait for the piano piano pizza was far too long by the time we had finished off out first 5 offering by the chef along with copious amounts of cheese, chocolates and other goodies such as the ceviches and Gravlax Tartlette. We decided to wait for the Barbados Travel sponsored Baja fish cakes and Rum glazed chicken. The chicken can straight out of the fryer and was delish, being moist and tender with the slightly sweet rum glaze. The Baja fishcake sat in a warming dish and didn't eat as well and the scotch bonnet sauce really packed a kick (which detracted from the dish because it set my partner's mouth on fire).
The line for Alo and Buca shortened up and I went back for second of the full offering. By then my palette and appetite had dulled but the salmon and the tartare were still delicious. The pasta was still good but the ITIS began to set in on my tongue and I was unable to complete all the whole dish.
For the value like I had mentioned before one of the better food festival events. The price is fair and the bountiful amount of thing to try makes up for the cost (especially if you drink) even if not, if you arrive early you can likely line up for second of some of the more tasty dishes. Compared to Taste of Toronto where you pay entrance fee and then load up a card to purchase individual dishes you are less likely to feel pressured to have to justify your participation with spending more money and trying to math out the value of what you actually want to eat and your monthly food budget.
The event gets 5 stars the venue itself gets 4 stars because it was slightly chilly and rainy today.
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