We had an incredible dinner at the Grove last night.
Admittedly, when it first opened I looked at the menu I didn't think much of it. Nothing really caught my eye and so over the last few months it has slowly moved down my list of must-try places. Fortunately we met friends there for dinner and I am happy that we did.
The space is beautifully understated. Music is great and not too loud and the lighting and wood create a warm, intimate atmosphere.
Every single dish we had was delicious. We started with the fries and mayo ketchup and the devilled eggs. Both were incredible and a good start to the meal while we waited for our friends to join us. The (deep fried?) bread with whipped butter was amazing.
Most of the table had the parsley root soup with the snails, bread and bacon as an appetizer and it was fantastic. One of our party had the steak tartare and it was probably my favourite dish of the night. Really nicely seasoned and not too large a portion. I'd order it again for sure.
I had the cornish hen with sausage rolls. The hen was good and the piece I had was quite moist, with the skin being crispy but my boyfriend said that his piece (we split it) was a little dry. The sausage rolls were amazing! Tiny little bites with a dab of mustard. I could have eaten just those all night.
Two people had the beef, with bone marrow and gentleman's relish. I had a few bites and really enjoyed it. The beef was incredibly tender and the sauce wasn't too sweet (which I often find is a problem).
For dessert my boyfriend and I split the marshmallow and cream granola and it was AMAZING. So delicious. I'm not a huge fan of marshmallows but this was amazing. Light, flurry and sweet without being overpowering. I'd go back just for coffees and the granola.
The service was quick and efficient at cleaning plates and cutlery between each service and in getting food and drinks out to the table, but not particularly warm or friendly (not rude by any stretch - just no niceties). Not really an issue for me since I usually like my servers to blend into the background while I'm eating but some might find it a little off-putting.
All in all, one of the best meals we've had in Toronto in a long time. Looking forward to the menu changing so that we can go back and try more.