Colborne Lane...lessons in food

Well, my exam overload is finally over so I can get back to some delicious food and relax over the holidays. However, I did have some free time 2 weeks ago when my Mom took a visit into Toronto. We went out to a few extraordinary restaurants that have inspired me to be a better chef, but one of them stood out from the pack; that was Colborne Lane.The wait was worth it. After 16 months of taking walks down to St.Laurence Market just to pass by Colborne Lane and look through the glass, I finally had a chance to sit down and eat their. From the minute you set foot in the place you know that you're in for a different food experience. The energy from the restaurant is a vis of a love for food. People who come here are here for the food. Period. If you have any reservations about going, discard them right away, you need to eat at this restaurant. It is as close as you can get to a pure emotional response from food.
Unfortunately, I don't have pictures of all of the food. So, if you do manage to make it out there the food will probably not be on the menu anymore for you to try. The menu rotates frequently. Though, tasting the caliber of food that was offered I know that what ever is offered will be...delicious...

1. The special of the night ~ Toro Belly Sashimi done 3 ways
Simple. Light. Tasty.
Almost did not need the extra ingredients. As a frequenter of sushi, this dish made me understand why simple dishes are sometimes better than the more complex ones. The parts in this case were more important than the whole. The olive oil, fois gras and tomato were unnecessary. The toro would have been able to hold its own.

2. Prosciutto and White Chocolate Gnocci Soup
Presented without the cream and then poured on table side. The soup was silky but thick at the same time. Because the other ingredients were not cooked into it it gave it a unique texture that I have yet to find in another soup.

3. White Caramel Squid

4. Miso Foam Salmon
Actually, this salmon my least favorite. It tasted fine and the spices worked perfectly together. Yet, salmon outside of the west coast does not taste that fresh. I don't know...must be a west coast thing.

5. Green Pepper Indian Spiced Rack of Lamb

6. Sable fish (Black Cod)!
This was easily the best plate of food I have ever had in my life. I cannot being to describe how all the favors worked together. It is the mark of a good chef when he is able to make 3 or 4 different flavors work at the same time instead of them simply mixing together in the food. I had to stop and let the food sit in my mouth just to pick out the distinct individual flavors. That is what made this dish, and most of the others, stand out against the pack.


7. Nitro Ice Cream
Just look at the preparation for this dish. The matre'd come to your table with a metal bowl full of liquid nitrogen. He then takes a bowl full of white chocolate vanilla cream and pours it into the the nitrogen; freezing it instantly. Then he added nuts, marshmallow, and chocolate to the mixture. Imagine, ice cream created at your table. As cold, fresh, and smooth as instant ice cream can me. A marvel of science and food.

See...see...this enlightening experience has taught me two valuable lessons. Look above, specifically the gaps. Looks like a bad test I failed to study for. The mislabeled dishes and the empty picture spots. Shameful. I broke the first rule of writing about food. Always know what you are eating and how to describe it. I cannot properly do that with knowing the dish and showing the dish. Therefore, onto the rules. First, I must always remember and write down what I ate. I cannot come back here empty handed with incorrectly labeled food. Its an amateur more. For how can anyone first understand the food if they cannot know what it is. Secondly, to really appreciate the food it must also been seen, as well as eaten. Pictures must always, always be taken.

Lesson learned.

Tappo?

Did anyone happen to make it out to Nuit Blance a few weeks ago? The scene was incredible. Toronto actually managed to turn it's concrete playground of a city into an all night art exhibition. Easily the most engaging city wide festival that you will participate in and the best part was how accessible and diverse it was. If you did not like the atmosphere in one area you could simply stroll over to another place and see what they were presenting.

Before me and my date decided to stroll around Toronto we stopped off at an Italian restaurant in the distillery district called Tappo. After wading through the crowd of people watching the glass and clay blowing demonstration we finally reached the restaurant which was unappealing from the moment we saw it. It had all the aspects that could have made it a good restaurant, but it seemed to accentuate all the aspects that it shouldn't have.
After waiting 10 minuets for a waiter to seat us, it seemed their host/hostess had the night off, we were directed to a few tables. It seemed that even he did not know where he wanted to seat us. After pulling out his treasure map from his back pocket and directing us to the "X" on it we finally sat down. Did I mention that we had reservations? Then after another 5 minuets we received menus, but it think the hostess/waiter is supposed to give them to you when you are seated, but not here. After waiting, again, I knew that the waiter was here to take our order only by the slap on the back he gave me. More excess waiting ensued before we could even flag down our waiter to give our order. While he was leaning over both of us to take our order, which he forgot promptly and had to be reminded of, we could see that the pressure of the night was starting to get to him. The sweat the was sticking to his forehead had had enough and he proceeded to sweat on us and our table. I believe that was the aperitif of the night.
It seemed that all the people who were out at the distillery district just to be seen descended upon it's bar hoping that their presence alone would elevate the atmosphere away from the trendy art scene and onto themselves. This was most fervently demonstrated by the middle aged mother who, while hitting on all the men by showing them pictures of her kids, would continue to lean over and tell me not to eat her salmon. You could really tell she was out for her kids as was accentuated by the 4 bottles of wine and the pair of empty cigarette packages on the table. But the reason I go out is not the people around me or the wait staff, it is about the food.
After our orders were finally on the table the food, after all the build up with everything the restaurant had bombarded us with, was less than expected. For an Italian restaurant to overcook an antipasto is simply unacceptable: chewy calamari, dry and chard quail, and hoary vegetables. The mains were still on order until 30 min after I ordered, I was told that they were out of the Boar and as a good waiter he decided to choose a substitute for me. Except, it was not what I was in the mood for. Even when I got to reorder I was let down. Salmon on a bed of greens with tomato sauce out of a can is not an Italian dish, it is something from a 24 hour diner. Now this is not to say the salmon that I ordered and the tenderloin that my date ordered was not cooked well only that when you go out to an Italian restaurant you would expect some Italian flair or content with your meal. Not simply a clone of a plate you could eat at any other restaurant.
Bad service. Poor Food. Suffocating atmosphere. Tappo has it all. The saving grace for the night was the wine which we received 30% off of because the server decided not to tell us, after all of our orders went in, that the bottle we previously ordered was out of stock. Sufficient to say, the bottle that we did receive was excellent...except it has fallen out of my possession so I cannot tell you what it was. Sorry
All in all I would stay away from Tappo. It just happens to be yet another overpriced Italian restaurant in an otherwise saturated market.
Cheers!

Sushi and Coffee Shops

If you're walking around your neighborhood I'm sure you can see a growing trend of budget sushi and coffee shops popping up around you. Pre-packaged "boutique" restaurants are practically on every corner and their social and ascetic aspects have been lost; most notably are sushi restaurant and coffee shops.

I'm sure people have started to notice a horde of sushi restaurants encroaching everywhere. Not surprisingly, they basically have the same thing all menus: rolls, udon, bento box and sashimi. Substitute salmon for tuna here and eel for squid there and you have yourself a 'unique' roll that the guy around the corner does not. Most troubling is the people running these restaurants are not even Japanese any more! I feel quite betrayed when the person who is rolling my sushi is speaking to the server in Cantonese or Korean. Now, not all Italian restaurants are run by Italians. However, the people that own and operate them do not dress up like Italians and decorate the inside of the restaurant as if it actually was an authentically Italian. So if you're running a Japanese sushi restaurant and you're not Japanese, don't advertise that your restaurant is authentic.
The growing trend of mono-culturing sushi is part of the problem that is plaguing the food service industry. Its no longer about the product that is being sold, it is about how is it marketed. Advertising and packaging are paramount to how some perceives a restaurant. Honestly, how often have you walked past a restaurant only to dismiss it purely on the way the outside appealed to you without even looking at the menu? It could be one of the best meals of your life but that opportunity is gone because of purely superficial concerns.

Gone are the days were a coffee shop was a personal experience: fresh baked goods, personal service, relaxing atmosphere and actual coffee. With Starbucks and Second Cup appearing on every corner, sometimes even across from each other, - Robson and Thurlow! - where have all the real coffee shops gone? Delaney's is a ripe example of what a coffee shop used to be. Now, just like any other business, it is set its sights on expansion and in the process alienated its customers. From what I can gather about running a business, you never want to make your customers feel unappreciated or mundane. Remember, its all about the customer and stores like Starbucks know that. They make their employees act personable and cheery (company policy) so that when you order they act as if they are interested in you. Except they are not. It's all a shame; there is no love, no interest. It has come to the point where at my local Starbucks - which I try to avoid at all costs - they have stickies across all the equipment in the back reminding them that they need to smile, ask us how we are doing, and show a 'personal' interest in the customer.
How can the interest be personal if it is printed in the employee handbook?
We would all like to believe that we are somehow helping people and doing our part but when it comes to big name coffee shops, or big name anything, it is really not the case. They don't need us or our money because the person behind us will just take our place. It is when this happens that the coffee shop loses exactly what makes it a coffee shop. It is not about the coffee that makes a place special, it is about the community: the interaction you have with people, striking up a conversation with someone new about current events, or commenting on a book someone is reading. Doing all this while relaxing to a cup of coffee and a freshly baked scone; a slice of the nostalgic life in an otherwise hectic day. In and out caffeine IVs need to end their personal facade. Large comfy sofas, dim lights and menus in French/Italian don't make a place unique, they just make it unitary; all of it was thought up by a R&D guy to promote the aesthetic vale of the place with the idea that it will also give it character. Its like playing lounge music at a restaurant, its just filler to distract.
The last and only true coffee shop I have found is Honey's in Deep Cove, Vancouver, BC. Hands down the best place to get fresh baked goods, great coffee, and a warm atmosphere. Go in a try for yourself what all the locals know.

What is most important about the experience of food is it's substance: who is is made by, what are the ingredients, who are you experiencing it with, where are you, and how it makes you feel. It is everything from the decor to the staff to the chef to the location, and all of this is lost when restaurants start to become uniform and governed by a code on conduct guide. So stop supporting the places that pop up just to make money or are just clones of existing places. If you start going to independent coffee houses or eating authentic Japanese sushi, you still start to appreciate the extra effort and care that these places pride themselves on and it might make you want to experience that personal touch a bit more.

West

Welcome to West, the jewel of restaurants in Vancouver that otherwise drowns in a sea on mediocre food. I'm not saying that the food in Vancouver is bad, just that after eating out in restaurants around the world, this city has a lot of catching up to do. West on the other hand, simply stands out. It reveals exactly what a food experience should be:impeccable food, service, decor, and charm. This is a restaurant that makes you smile the second you walk in because of the sheer energy that radiates out of it.

The food, the food; simply one of the best meals I have ever had. All that needs to be done is look at their presentation to understand the complexity of the food. Just to mention a few favorites: Quail Ravioli with Double Smoked Bacon, Bison Tenderloin, Lobster Cannelloni, Warm Chocolate Tart with Caramel Center, Pan Seared Scallops with Walnuts and Pears...just to name a few.

Backyard Adventure

Among the trendy cookie-cutter restaurants of College Street in Toronto lies somethings unexpected. Just off the man drag is a quaint little restaurant, where if you didn't take a closer look you would be mistake it for a home.

This is Olivia. Easily the most most charming and romantic restaurant I have set foot in. Converted from a turn of the century house it has something that most restaurants, regardless of their food, lack; that is character. It has the essence of being back at home, even though you are in the middle of the city, for a summer meal outside with your family. The backyard has been converted into a patio who's centerpiece is a large tree with a hanging firefly lantern . Just to get to the backyard you have to cut through the kitchen. Sound just like home. Exploring the house further I saw that the wine cellar in the basement also doubled as their private party room, through I'm sure they don't leave the guests unattended with all those bottles just waiting to be corked. The main dining room is lit by candles which gives the appropriate atmosphere to the Cuban jazz band in the corner. This is a restaurant that must be revisited again and again; if not for the food, then for the atmosphere. It has the experience that you expect from a intimate restaurant and it delivers one that is rarely delivered.

The most unexpected and talked about dish that night was the roasted red pepper and watermelon summer soup. Simple. Crisp. Innovative. I talked to the Chef and he told me to prepare it...

Olivia's Roasted Red Pepper and Watermelon Soup

1 Roasted Red Pepper (No seeds or stem)
1/2 a Watermelon
2 Springs of Mint (No Stems)

Simple? Simply roast the red pepper until the skin starts to turn black. Then remove the stem and seeds. Take the rinds off the watermelon so all you have left is the red inside. Throw everything into a food blender, including the mint, and puree until it is smooth and has no chunks. Chill and serve cold with mint garnish.

Enjoy!

PS.
Happy Canada Day!

玄米茶

For most people, a cup of tea involves a bag from a box and water from the spout. However, just as with wine, tea becomes a much more complex drink when the time is taken to prepare it correctly. When fresh tea is used and steeped correctly, the true taste of the leaves comes out. Consider the Japanese tea 玄米茶 (Genmaicha) a very basic green tea. When steeped incorrectly it loses the unique texture and instead simply tastes bitter. For being the 'commoners tea', Genmaicha is a surprisingly hard tea to brew correctly or even make.

To make the actual Genmaicha tea there are two processes. The sencha tea leaves are first prepared by steaming them in a traditional Japanese fashion. Secondly, rice is roasted until it becomes a golden brown color. Afterwards both ingredients are combined.

The actual steeping process of the tea is what will determine whether it is a good pot or not. A traditional iron Japanese tea pot is the best bet. It keeps the temperature constant longer so that the tea steeps correctly. The water that is boiled should be filtered water because impurities change the subtle taste of the tea. After the water has come to a boil it must cool to 85 degrees before it is added to the tea. For ever cup of water one heaping teaspoon of tea should be used. Add the tea first to the pot then add the water. The tea should be steeped for 2 and a half minuets then removed; any longer and it will become bitter. If all this is done then you have a great cup of Genmaicha. The more you make it the more you will get a feel of just how long you should steep it and how hot the water should be. These measurements are simply guidelines; more experiences means a better cup of tea. If done correctly it should taste like a smoky sencha.

If your ever looking for a place to get some tea that has something more then Tetley stop off at The Urban Tea Merchant they have the best selection of tea in North America because they are the only offical supplier of Mariage Frères - the oldest tea company in the world - this side of the Atlantic.

Enjoy

Infamous Bread

This has been getting a lot of attention in the past few days, The No-Knead Bread recipe. Mostly because some food blogger, who will remain nameless, have been trying to pass this off as their own invention. They should check their facts, it was posted in the NY Times a year ago...

None the less its still a FANTASTIC recipe.

Try it out

Enjoy