Classy, pricey restaurant on Durham College's campus is a unique 'farm to field' experience that is fun to try - but ultimately a bit lacking in execution. Service and decor is excellent, though! Menu changes seasonally, as expected.
WHAT WE LIKED: Moroccan Braised Boneless Beef Short Ribs. Cauliflower was fun to try.
WHAT WE DIDN'T: Lamb tacos were meh. Seafood fettuccine was disappointing.
WHAT I'D GET NEXT: Spanish Meatballs? Game Farm chicken breast? But the menu changes seasonally, so who knows?
Swung by on a Friday evening, with reservations. Parking is ample on campus, space is upstairs and spacious with a modern look. We were greeted by a friendly server and a simple menu. The food took a bit to come, but complimentary bread comes with orders - and it's pretty good!
Note: we came on Earth Hour day, so the lights went out mid-meal, which made some of the pictures a lower quality than usual. They accommodated all patrons with extra candles and opening all the blinds.
TANDOORI CAULIFLOWER: good portion size to share, interesting flavour. It's something new and I'm glad I tried it. It is lacking 'kick' and I'm not sure that tandoori spices and cauliflower compliment each other amazingly well, but it's a unique take and vegetarian-friendly. Try to eat the cauliflower with the bread (it goes better like that).
LAMB TACOS: Two tacos for $18 better be spectacular... and this wasn't. There was a decent sized lamb chunk in the taco, but the wrap itself was not big, and the flavour was mediocre. There's better lamb for cheaper.
SEAFOOD FETTUCCINE: Value-wise ($20), it's just not there. Hard pass. (Picture missing due to Earth Hour.)
MOROCCAN BEEF SHORT RIBS: most of the meat was actually REALLY tender - a couple of rougher chunks, but that's normal. The flavour was fairly good: it was a bit gamey and husky, and strong. Taste-wise, definitely the best option we had. The mash was fluffy and creamy, and went quite well. As with the others though, it's a bit small. I recommend trying this.
It's a fun experience to come, and I think there is enough on the menu that caught my eye that I'll eventually want to come back. It is a pricey experience, but there is value in sustainable food practices, and field-to-fork is pretty cool.