To celebrate my final night in Toronto, I decided to go with Canoe. Despite inclement weather, we braved the stormy rains and headed over to the restaurant perched high in a financial building with an expansive view of the city.
Check in was a breeze and since we requested a view, the hostess kindly asked us to relax at the bar while she checked for available seating. Our wait was brief enough for us to enjoy a few drinks before we were seated, which suited me just fine.
We started with a carrot, garlic & orange olive oil spread - the color was vibrant and the flavors were tangy and robust! It coupled perfectly with the warm pumpkin seed bread and the pairing was seasonally appropriate.
Raw Bar:
Malay Oyster and Covel bay from New Brunswick
Tuna tartare
Scallop ceviche
Shrimp with pear & red pepper couly
Kim Chi torched Salmon
Jumbo shrimp salad
The oysters were a big hit as expected as well as the tuna tartare and scallop ceviche. The Kim chi torched salmon, however, wasn't especially appealing to me. The flavor profiles just seemed a bit off and the salmon didn't taste fresh to me.
Rib Eye was divine! It was prepared beautifully with a nice crust to it and a warm pink and juicy center. Coupled with the roasted mustard aioli, each bite made my mouth instantly water. The supporting cast of portobello pickles, crispy layered potatoes, and roasted carrots all added to the earthy flavor profiles of this impeccable dish.
Lamb was presented three ways: as a sirloin, rack and braised meatball.
The sirloin flesh was incredibly soft and cooked to an irresistible medium rare. The rack was lined with a fatty border which added a deep permeating flavor to the lamb. The surprise was a small meatball that was made with braised meat that was very tender and intensely flavorful. The accompaniments of Branson pickles, butterball potatoes, spring onions and baby turnips were nice but were not as successful in rounding out the flavors like the ribeye dish.
We ended the evening with some coffee, a warm butter tart with chocolate covered pecans, coffee soaked raisins, and a smoked vanilla ice cream. The tart was sublime with a rich and buttery texture that felt like velvet. I wasn't particularly a fan of the smoked vanilla ice cream as it left a fairly pungent after taste on my tongue. But overall, it was a satisfying dessert that I would order again sans the vanilla ice cream ;)
Following the meal, we shared some friendly conversation with the server and had our checked coats retrieved. The experience was pleasant with great service that wasn't overbearing or pushy with up sells and the food overall was mostly up to par with my expectations.
Would I come back again? Absolutely!
Til next time Toronto...
Happy Eats!