Loire Casual Gourmet

119 Harbord Street
Toronto, Ontario

Once in a (very long) while we're able to get away and venture into the big city of Toronto to sample the latest culinary trends. Sadly, it seems that the era of fine dining in Toronto is coming to a close with many high end establishments falling victim to the shrinking expense accounts (and employment, for that matter) of bankers and financiers. So far, we in Kitchener-Waterloo seem to be holding up fairly well, and as long as people keep buying Blackberries it seems this town will do okay.

Rising from ashes are a number of new restaurants that focus on a somewhat lower price point, but still emphasize high quality ingredients, good service, and sophisticated flavours and cooking techniques. We visited one such place a few weeks ago, Loire Casual Gourmet. Rated one of the top new restaurants of 2008 by Toronto Life, we figured it was worth a visit and would be much more affordable than the remaining high end spots.

The restaurant is tucked in a quiet corner away from the shadows of the banking towers, along a street brimming with good restaurants. It has a very neighbourhoody feel to it, and we immediately felt at home as Sylvain (sommelier and owner) led us to our table. Being there for a late afternoon weekday lunch, the place was very quiet but the phone was ringing off the hook for dinner reservations, so there certainly seems to be a buzz about the place.

We started out with a selection of charcuterie ($15), the trendy menu item that is popping up on restaurants everywhere. Essentially cured meats, this plate contained pork rillette (the jar of a pate like substance - meat cooked in fat and meant to be used as a spread on the bread). Very delicious, as anything with lots of pork fat generally is. Moving clockwise we had some cornichon (french pickle) with frisée, proscuitto, and cubed apples. Next was the most delicious item on the plate, a homemade maple and tarragon mustard. The balance of the flavours was simply perfect. Finally, at the bottom of the picture was a chicken liver pate. This was incredibly smooth and rich and literally melted in our mouths. Overall everything was superb, but this dish is definitely not for calorie counters or those with clogged arteries.

The other appetizer was a goat cheese topped with pistachios and arugula salad ($13). The goat cheese with pistachios was a great combination, but the salad and dressing wasn't terribly memorable.

For my main, I had the braised pulled-pork sandwich ($14). It was served on multigrain bread with carmelized apples. On the side was a chipolte mayo and home fries. The pork was very tender and moist, especially when combined with the juicy apples. The fries were very finely cut, and mostly crisp, but some where a little soggy. The mayo was nice but wasn't very heavy on the chipolte, and enough was provided that you could easily put on some weight if you finished it all. The execution was very good, but the plate lacked a little green - both visually and for taste balance.

Sapphire had the Lake Erie white fish with mung-bean carrot ragu, chinese greens (bok choy) and blood orange yogurt ($19). The fish skin was crisp (nicely presented facing up so it would remain so!) and the flesh was tender. It had that grassy/earth taste that is distinct to some fresh water fish, but not overpoweringly so. The combination was interesting -- certainly not something I would have come up with myself -- but didn't click as a whole to make it an exceptional dish.

We shared two desserts - one was the pecan tart with honey-thyme roasted pear puree and butterscotch gelato ($9) and the other a lemongrass-ginger crème brûlée with a mini coconut cake ($9). The tart was very sweet and probably would have gone better with a less sweet gelato. I felt the need to drink something between every bite, but perhaps I'm just getting old and can't hold my sugar like I used to be able to. The crème brûlée was also very strongly flavoured but nice, and the coconut cake was perfectly toasted and full of intense coconut flavour.

Service was friendly and prompt, although with only 3-4 four tables it was not especially difficult for Sylvain to service all the tables by himself.

I would have to agree with Toronto Life that this place has great potential. While the dishes are not at the extreme high end of cuisine, it is certainly a restaurant that is suitable for the current times. A more down to earth, friendly dinner spot with good quality, well executed bistro fair. Contrast this with Splendido -- which we coincidentally visited recently as well -- just a couple of blocks down the road. This was a place for the pre-bailout era and as a result, it is undergoing a reinvention of itself to compete with with more affordable places. Here at Loire, the title casual gourmet fits perfectly.

Sabletine

Sabletine
203 King St. South
Waterloo, Ontario
(between Allen and John)

TripleQ and I have frequented Sabletine since it was first open. I could have posted a review of this patisserie a few months ago; however, there's always a voice whispering in my head, "Why not write about it after you try everything?" Ahem, what a sweet goal!

It is reasonable to assume that TripleQ and I are not into desserts judging by the contents of our blog. The truth is, I LOVE desserts, so much that one year I gave TripleQ a standalone mixer as "his" Christmas gift. Before Baby Martini's arrival, I used to spend hours in the kitchen making desserts. And by default, TripleQ is my assistant. (Strangely my patience in cooking is only limited to making desserts. Once my attempt at making California rolls resulted in flying fish eggs, imitation crab meat and avocados on top of plain rice, with seaweed on the side and cucumbers in the fridge.) To me making and having desserts is relaxing and almost therapeutic.

On the other hand, finding a bakery whose products are both delicious and easy on the eye has been a long and frustrating experience. Most of the time sweets are taken so literally; the sweetness dominates other senses, you might as well dive into a sugar jar. The finishes on some cakes are so messy, I have the urge to take out my offset spatula to smooth things out. Not to mention cakes with a phony taste, I feel as if I bite into styrofoam. Indeed there are several popular cafes/bakeries such as Cafe Mozart, Yukiko's and Nougat, just to name a few. Their cakes are decent; however, my quest doesn't stop there - I yearn for something more refined, more complex and more adventurous.

Call me girlie. Whenever I see beautiful, neatly-decorated pastries, I get so excited. I can't help biting my fingers, eyes scanning through each item like laser beams, shrieking while trying not to make nose prints on the display windows. The blemish-less, even-sized berries, the velvety chocolate ganache coating, arrays of circles, oblongs, rectangles and triangles in various colors and finishes...that's so...heavenly. I can never get tired of looking at those little dandy works of art. During our trips to Tokyo and Paris, my "dessert-dar" operated at its full potential, I wished my stomach was 100 times bigger so I could sample all the pastries in sight. I always remember the chocolate cake we got from Fauchon, not simply because of its flavor but how/where it was enjoyed - we had it on the grass in front of Louvre because I couldn't wait to find a more appropriate location; "I want it NOW"! I felt slightly guilty before we dug in to that cute little object but once we started, it was the point of no return. The cake was composed of three different chocolates, with a nutty crunchy core and a full hazelnut in the center. It was very rich and sweet but well-balanced - smooth and crunchy, dense and airy, bitter and sweet. We wanted to savor every bite, yet our hands couldn't slow down digging through its remains. After each trip (to Tokyo and to Paris), we couldn't bring ourselves to get pastries here for weeks. Am I asking too much? I think not. We can get nicely plated desserts, why can't we get equally, aesthetically pleasing pastries here?

One day TripleQ came home from work with a little paper box. He looked at me with a faint mysterious smile when I opened the box. His smile broadened when I shrieked. Since then we become regulars at Sabletine. Kate, the owner and baker of Sabletine, used to work in pastry shops in Toronto. She decided to open her shop in town to be close to her family. It's pretty much a one-person operation with help from friends and families. From my observation, things are gone fast especially after lunch hours; however, you can always call in advance to reserve.

My absolutely favorite from Sabletine is the lemon tart. The lemon aroma is pungent yet elegant. If your impression of lemon tarts is some sugary blob with overpowering, artificial lemon flavor, you should try the Sabletine's version. Unlike the conventional tarts, the shortbread crust of her lemon tarts is neither flaky nor floury. Normally I just pick up the tart and take a bite; its so crunchy that it's hard to cut. I am never a big fan of coconuts but I really enjoy her toasted coconut tarts. The composition is simple - shortbread crust, pastry cream, whipped cream and garnished with tasted coconut. But it is more difficult than you think to get it right.

Tarte au Citron (left; miniature version): a rich shortbread cookie crust filled with a tangy lemon curd, with a brûlée finish.
Toasted Coconut Tart (right): a rich shortbread cookie crust filled with a light coconut creme patisserie, topped with whipped cream and toasted coconut.

Not everything on the menu is made daily. For example, fruit tarts are only available on Fridays and Saturdays. The fruits are not cooked with syrup or glazed with apricot jam so the sourness from the fruits and the sweetness from the creme complement each other well.

Tarte aux Fruits: a rich shortbread crust filled with creme patisserie, and topped with fresh seasonal fruits.

Kate makes exquisite éclairs, a delicate choux pastry filled with a vanilla créme patisserie and topped with a shining chocolate glaze. The thin crust, slightly spongy main vessel and the creamy filling harmonize beautifully. I absolutely adore the eclairs with coffee cream filling. They are made with real espresso as opposed to instant coffee powder. The coffee eclairs are only available upon request so you need to call one day in advance.

The croissants and chocolate rolls (pain au chocolat) are also superb. The croissant dough is made and formed by a local organic bakery (which should be reviewed some other time) but we like Kate's version more. Kate states that she doesn't let the dough to rise as much so the end results are, though smaller, more moist and buttery.

The chocolate cakes are named after mountains in France: Le Ventoux, Galibier and Sancy. The composition of Galibier is quite close to the cake we had from Fauchon. All the chocolate varieties are nice, but they are not exceptionally better compared with those from other reputable bakeries in town. Other items not mentioned here are also nicely made. We just don't get them as often.

For me there's a good indication when I taste a good desert - it inspires me to get in the kitchen and make it. For this reason I've worked on tiramisu, creme brulee, cheesecake, molten chocolate cake, etc. I tried to make lemon tarts and coconut tarts after having the Sabletine's versions. Though I don't have as much time to perfect them as I used to, I am glad that I get to have something nice enough to tickle my dessert brain. Sabletine is truly a good addition to the region.

Here are some more pictures for your enjoyment. P.S. Kate, when are you going to make l'opera cake?

Village Creperie

Village Creperie
703 Belmont Ave. West
Kitchener, Ontario

After our unusually critical reviews on All About Crepes, we sometimes wonder if our expectations were set too high. So when we heard about the opening of Village Creperie, we decided to give it a try.

If a restaurant's appearance can speak for its personality, Village Creperie strikes me as a slightly reserved, down-to-earth, yet chic place. The interior is quite neutral, with only one red wall to boost your appetite. Dark-wood chairs with clean lines, white linen, sturdy white ceramics, 18/10 stainless steel cutlery and a bar create an informal yet elegant ambiance. A bike hung behind the bar acts as a reminder of cycling in Brittany where its ever-changing landscape awaits you.

Once you are handed the menu, you'll be informed that the main dishes are under "Les Galettes" section, and desserts are under "Les Crepes" and "Les Flambées". Galette, made with buckwheat, is the savory type of crepe. Flambé refers to a cooking technique: by igniting liquor (minimum 40% alcohol content) which has been poured over food, you are able to add the flavor to the food without keeping the alcohol.

We were told that 98% of the ingredients used in the restaurant are organic. I don't know how they came up with this number (based on quantity or variety?). Here I have no intention to get into "is organic really better?" type of debate, but kudos to their determination on providing (what they believe) the best for the customers. If having three rolls of crepes for a three-course meal seems daunting, fear not! the only crepe in the appetizer list is "Petit crêpe au fromage de Brie: Brie, Nutmeg, Green onion w/ herb wine tomato puree, wrapped and melted in a crêpe". Crepes are, however, your only choice as main or dessert.

We started with kibbeh and soup of the day - vegetable soup with rye dinner roll. The texture of the vegetable soup was silky smooth, a great way to start the meal. Kibbeh is a Middle Eastern dish composed of minced meat, bulgar and spices and its vast variety ranges from raw to cooked. The kibbeh served at the Village Creperie is "baked organic, extra lean ground beef mixed with spices, onions, and bulgar cracked wheat w/ non-fat house-made yogurt cheese". Let's just say they looked like meat balls, tasted like meat balls, and they were mildly-flavored yet tasty.

For the main dishes, J had Reuben français while I enjoyed Saumon et moutarde.
Reuben français: House-made corned beef (no nitrites or nitrates) creates a delicious crêpe w/ sautéed sauerkraut & Mozzarella, drizzled with in-house Reuben dressing.
Saumon et moutarde: Wild marinated salmon fillet w/ organic buttermilk-dill, and grainy mustard
The piece of salmon in my crepe was very lean but moist. Butter milk, dill and grainy mustard are the tried-and-true match with salmon, you just can't go wrong with it. However, the spotlight should be on the crepe (or in this case, galette). The pancake was so thin yet spongy. With a bit of seasoning, I could eat a stack of this all on its own. The corned beef was quite different compared with the normal ones from deli or grocery stores; the corned beef made at Village Creperie didn't have that artificial after taste. Both dishes were nicely done but I prefer the corned beef over the salmon. Due to the thickness difference between the salmon and the galette, the salmon was so dominant that the galette was merely a staple in that dish.

Dining at the Village Creperie without having their crepes is like going to KFC without ordering chicken. We ordered one "regular" crepe, one flambeed.
LES CRÊPES: Dulce de Leche w/ toasted pecans, topped w/ fresh fruit
Pomme au Miel: Crêpe de Froment and caramelized organic apples & honey, flambéed with cognac and topped w/ crème fraîche

Dulce de leche used to be quite exotic. Thanks to President's Choice, it is being marketed extensively this season and becomes "mainstream". Dulce de leche is made by slowly simmering sweetened milk until it thickens so its look and taste are similar to caramel. In this dish, the "pancake" stood its ground. The toasted pecans were aromatic and they added crunchy texture to the dish. The dulce de leche was creamy but not too sugary; after having their version, I'll only grab a jar of this from the grocery store when I'm desperate. This was truly sensational. We had to draw our swords (dinner knives) and fight for it.

"Pomme au Miel" was another nice dessert. Normally flambé is considered a way to "wow" the diners. You pour liquor in the pan, tilt it then, WHAM! flame rises. On very rare occasion, an inexperienced server might not remove the bottle soon enough thus "bigger-than-expected" flame can be created accompanied by cries and chaos. Nope, this won't happen at the Village Creperie. A professor-like gentleman showed up with a cream pitcher containing cognac. He struck a match and set the cognac on fire, then poured it on the plate. The beautiful blue flame quickly spread along the cognac. It was quiet yet precise process, indeed something a (retired) professor of Chemistry would do. This dish had a pungent floral scent, I am not sure if it was from the apples or the honey.

There are only few of things with room for improvement. The portions might be small for men but more or less acceptable. Also, there's no coat check. As the weather gets colder, this service becomes crucial. The owners might intend to run it as a casual restaurant but it is NOT - on a weekday night, no one showed up in jeans. I couldn't help frowning for a second when I realized that I had to "sit" on my overcoat. Last but not the least, the "grouping" in the dessert section on the menu is confusing. For example, there are both "Dulce de Leche w/ toasted pecans, topped w/ fresh fruit" and "fresh fruits w/ dulce de leche or chocolate" on the menu, and they are not adjacent to each other. It will be nice if the list is sorted with some rules. (Or there is, I just haven't figure it out.) Overall, we had a great time. "Village Creperie" proves that new customers can become regulars, if your crepes are so good that people simply can't get it else where.

Janet Lynn's Bistro

Janet Lynn's Bistro
92 King St. South
Waterloo, Ontario N2J 1P5

Back when I was a student at UW, Janet Lynn's was often quoted to me as Waterloo's top restaurant, both in terms of price and quality. It was a place where I heard you could blow hundreds of dollars on a single meal. That seemed like a ridiculous amount of money to spend on food to me and a decadent waste. So during my last work term, I was asked where I wanted to go for an end of term lunch, I jokingly suggested Janet Lynn's and was a bit surprised when my boss agreed and had already booked us a table there. I deserved this?

I remember my first experience there, struggling with the dinner plate sized flat bread propped up vertically between a few pieces of foccacia. Was I supposed to put it down on its side? Butter or not? Was it even possible to gracefully break off an appropriately sized portion without it shattering? To this day it still confounds me and probably gives the wait staff nightmares.

Bread mechanics aside, Janet Lynn's has maintained it's reputation as one of Waterloo's top restaurants over the years. However, many other places in the region have either opened up or moved up in both price and quality so it's no longer in the rarified air that I remembered it as a student. G and I have had the occasion to dine there a few times since my first visit, each one marked by consistent professional service, high quality ingredients and preparation. The menu is by no means innovative, but lends a certain familiar feeling that probably draws back their many regular customers. The best description I can give it is fine dining comfort food. The list of mains would be at home in any upscale bistro and includes pork tenderloin, sirloin, BBQ corn fed chicken, Black Angus beef, rack of lamb, duck two ways, and lobster. Of course with a more gourmet flair in the description of each item. Even the starters are fairly generic, consisting of lobster bisque, quail salad, calamari, hot and sour soup, smoked salmon, and of course fois gras.

Our most recent visit, we started with the grilled jumbo quail with sweet corn salsa, tomatoes and pine nut salad. The quail was fine, if not a little difficult to get at all the meat. The salad was a little too sharp in contrast between the corn and tomato, but the pine nuts were a nice touch to add some textural interest.

For my main dish I had one of the specials, Thai marinated ribs with asian pasta and julienned vegetables. As expected, everything was cooked perfectly - the ribs were meaty, moist and tender. The Asian pasta was a little heavy on the vinegary dressing which made it a bit of a struggle to make it through the generous portions. G had the roasted garlic and fennel seeds marinated rack of lamb with herb tomato vinaigrette gnocchi. Rack of lamb is G's litmus test of a decent restaurant, as we know from first hand experience that it can be difficult to tone back the harsh lamb taste while finding some interesting flavours which do not include rosemary or mint. Janet Lynn's passed with flying colours here - no complaints. The gnocchi was also very good, making us appreciate proper cooking techniques with this item. The portion size was very generous with 7 ribs arranged in a little tepee over the gnocchi. A real bargain compared to the 3-4 ribs you'd normally be served. We skipped dessert since there was nothing that caught our eye amongst the cheesecake, creme brulee and cakes.

What I've come to appreciate most from Janet Lynn's is the professional level of service. For business lunches, they are prompt and unobtrusive. For dinners the servers have always been able to find the appropriate level of engagement, whether you're on a casual dinner or an eye-gazing romantic affair. I'll never forget one of our first dates when we were seated at a corner table. We were obviously out together for the evening, and when it came time for dessert we ordered two separate ones. The kitchen sent it out on a single plate together with a couple of heart shaped cookies. It was at that time we knew we were in love.

Total cost for the most recent dinner was $104 including tax and tip, but without wine or dessert.