Showing posts with label foie gras. Show all posts
Showing posts with label foie gras. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Trevor Kitchen and Bar

Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Last night we checked out Trevor Kitchen and Bar. Situated along a strip of restaurants on Wellington beside the iconic flatiron building, with its basement location, Trevor might be easy to miss. One could easily walk past it not knowing that it's a worthwhile destination for a foie gras rich meal or a romantic evening.

Trevor offers free corkage with a limit of two 750 ml bottles per table on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. We were tempted to bring a bottle to try it out, though not knowing what food we were going to pair it with, we opted to just have a glass of Stoneburn 2010 Sauvignon Blanc, and a glass of Domaine Brusset 2010 "laurent b." côtes du rhône.

We started off with a Kobe Carpaccio – with shrimp and bacon salad, pork crackling and dried black olives; and a Macaroni and Asiago cheese with seared foie gras.

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There’s a separate section on the menu dedicated to foie gras appetizers. There’s even an option to add seared foie gras to an entrée for $15.

The Carpaccio was thinly sliced and had a nice hint of olive oil. The mild sweetness and cool taste of the shrimp and bacon salad contrasted deliciously with the salty crunch of the dried olives. The pork crackling added another level of texture and made the dish look more interesting, though as a Filipino well acquainted with Chicharon, it felt lacking in seasoning.

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The mac & cheese with foie gras was out of this world! The rich creaminess of the macaroni with a golden cheesy crust alone would’ve been wonderful, but add to that a decadent hunk of seared foie gras that partially dissolved and mixed into the macaroni once you’ve started eating it, plus a swig of red wine, and you can just feel all the pleasure centres in your brain light up.

For mains we had the Buttermilk Fried Chicken with creamed corn & rapini in honey bourbon dressing and the Venison Rib Chop with red cabbage, spring vegetables & cloudberry jus.

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The fried chicken tasted good with the creamed corn dressing with the sweetness of the honey bourbon, though I found the batter a tad salty. The venison was mildly gamey and a welcome change from eating beef, though the chef-recommended medium rare kind of looked medium if not medium well, with not much pink to find. That was a fairly substantial piece of red meat.

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Another standout however was our chosen side: Truffled Goat Cheese Poutine! Not even a foot away from your nose and you are already fully immersed in the deep earthy aroma of truffles. That olfactory treat was then followed by the rich salty tang of goat cheese, making for one of the best side dishes out there.

Incidentally, the last time I was at this address, a long long time ago, the space was occupied by Bouchon, one of the only places save for Mr. Tasty Fries and Harvey’s where you could get a Poutine in Toronto. Bouchon served up what was pretty exotic back then… Poutine with foie gras!

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Dessert was Chocolate & Peanut butter fondant with warm chocolate mousse & chocolate textures. Mmmm… peanut butter + chocolate, lots of chocolate. The textures, though they may not be, tasted like an assortment of chocolate-covered corn flakes and bits or coffee crisp. Sweet, crunchy and yummy.

Overall Trevor was good, with a slight dip in the mains. The apps and sides were unique and very tasty. The service was friendly and attentive.

 


http://www.trevorkitchenandbar.com/

38 Wellington Street East Toronto, ON M5E 1C7
416-941-9410


Posted by: Mark Rodas

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Maple Madness at the Drake

Sunday, April 11, 2010
Spring is here (sort'a)! What better way to celebrate the changing of the season than to partake of that most quintessential symbol of Canadianness, maple syrup? We sauntered to the Drake Hotel for their Maple Madness Festival, featuring boundless maple goodness.

Our first stop was the Drake's General Store next to the hotel to try some Maple Cotton Candy. The cotton candy had the most intense maple smell you'll find. Spinning maple sugar does wonderful things that tickle your senses. Mmmm, that would definitely bring out the kid in anyone. A touch of heaven in clouds of sugar with with a twist.



Into the hotel we go for some cocktails and our maple meal.

We had an Apple Jack Rabbit (Calvados, fresh lemon and orange juice + maple syrup), and a Maple Me Tipsy (fresh ginger, maple syrup + bourbon). Both drinks were yummy and went well with the food, though Stacey insists that the Maple Me Tipsy was a "man drink" due to the definite kick of Jack.



The most decadent sandwich I have ever tasted comes in the form of the BSBFG (brown sugar, bacon + foie gras). Anything with foie gras is an uber-delight anyway, but this takes fat and sugar worship to new heights. I couldn't help but think this sandwich was giving me a foie gras.

Oh and the dip. The BSBFG came with a really dark, sweet and rich maple syrup, which must've been reduced since I've never had it that strong.

Nom, nom, nom. Speechless... speechless!





For the main course, if you could call the previous item an app!, we had Maple Glazed Brisket (w/ three cheese mac n cheese). Brisket is one of those cheap cuts of meat that is really not good enough for haute cuisine, but ironically offers the most satisfying flavour. You gotta love the fat! If a croissant were made of meat, it would be brisket. Honestly the meat was a little dry, but who am I to complain when I my palate was being bombarded by sweet maple and melt in your mouth bovine fat with a thin bittersweet crunchy crust.



Dessert was Maple Sugar Pie (molasses + maple syrup). It looks a la mode, but it's not. We figure that white stuff was probably sour cream with either whipped egg whites or mascarpone. An interesting contrast of sweet and sour, although judging by sweetness of the rest of the meal, maybe dessert should've been the first thing to be served and the BSBFG last.



Wow that was good. Time for a leisurely walk along Queen West to assuage the guilt and stave off duck liver nightmares.

Maple Madness: Thursday, April 1 to Sunday, April 18, 2010

Click here for more photos at The Drake Hotel



The Drake Hotel is located at 1150 Queen Street West (between Dovercourt and Dufferin). Visit http://www.thedrakehotel.ca or call 416.531.5042 for more information.


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