On a cold and windy night in Paris...

...there's nothing better to do than head to a tiny little adorable restaurant tucked away in the 10th.

Last weekend we had one of the coldest weekends in Paris. It got down to -10 Celsius. I only even realized how cold it was when I was at the market in the morning, and I took my hands out of my mittens to pay for some brocolli...and by the time I put them back in my mittens, my fingers were frozen. Amazingly, the outdoor markets were still busy (admittedly with crazy people like me who stubbornly refused to believe that it could get that cold here). It even snowed! Here's the photo to prove it - snow coming down outside my apartment:


Ok, so all of that to say that after a quick walk from the metro to get to this restaurant, we were ready for some warmth and deliciousness. Le Galopin is a super small, funky restaurant. It does a phenomenal prix fixe with a menu that changes daily, all prepared for you by the two chefs in the tiny kitchen that has a big open window out onto the about 10 tables in the restaurant. So you can litterally see the chefs preparing your food as you sit and chat and enjoy the cozy atmoshpere and excellent wine.

The lamb

I love not having to chose what I'm going to eat; and the two amuses-bouches (a little potato-shrimp soup that tasted like a champagne-based clam chowder, and a little zuchini/squash salad), entrée (cod sashimi), two mains (a super-tender fish, and a lamb and brussel sprouts combination), and two deserts (yes! two! a banana  ice cream and chocolate cookie-crumble, and a marinated pear, walnut and sorbet combo) really hit the spot.

Dessert #1! Pears and walnuts.
I had to have a bite before I took the photo...

Beautifully presented, perfectly cooked, we spent a good amount of time trying to guess at all of the different flavour combinations in each dish. Accompanied with a delicious bottle of bordeaux - all I can say is that I will absolutely be back!

La Comète: a great local

I'm amazed at the number of restaurants in Paris. It feels as though there's at least one on every corner of every street. I guess this really shouldn't have surprised me, given that last year the 'gastronomic meal of the French' was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list as a 'intangible' cultural heritage...but it's still pretty incredible. Our apartment, located in a residential area, is close (which I define as less-than-a-2-minute-walk) to at least 8 bistrot / brasseries, and that's not counting the two asian restaurants and the two creperie / shawarma spots either!

So it's not surprising that we have found our favourite local already. It's called 'La Comète'. It's open all day, and great anytime, whether it's for a quick coffee and croissant, light lunch, delicious dinner or late-night glass of wine. What makes it our favourite local? It's not that it's close (clearly we have options), or that it's fancy (simple wooden chairs and tables), but rather that the food is FANTASTIC, and the people are pretty chill. Any restaurant/bar that has their kids drawings pinned up on the wall behind the bar, and that has local 'jazz and beajolais nouveau night' seems pretty awesome.

Relish: The food is absolutely magnificent. Simple but satisfying, and consistently good. For dinner, they do a different menu every night - a great entrecote and frites, a super satisfying 'pot-au-feu' (which I discovered is basically a pot filled with a delicious broth, veggies, a duck leg and piece of beef, which tasted like the equivalent of a home-made chicken soup, nothing will be able to beat this for comfort on a cold day), a fabulous fondent de boeuf, and great fish dishes as well. The lunches are also great; a top-notch croque-monsieur (this is where we discovered that a croque-madame is actually just a croque-monsieur with an egg on top), and fantastic salade et croustillant de chèvre (basically a piece of goat cheese wrapped in filo pastry and deep-fried, served over lightly-dressed salad).

It's fun, because once the chalkboard with the menu listed on it is set down on a chair near our table, we usually we have to ask about 30 questions to figure out all of the different french foods on the menu:
- "What exactly is a fondent de boeuf?"
- "It's a slow roasted piece of beef that basically melts in your mouth, served with onions and berries"
- "What is a pot au feu? "
- "It's delicious and you should have it" (this answer resulted in my ordering of the pot au feu)

Quaff: A solid list of wines - glass, carafes and bottles all available.

Feel: Depending on the day, it can be a simple cafe filled with people studying or reading the newspaper, or a bustling dimly-lit bistrot packed to the brim!

I will definitely be back - possibly even tomorrow morning for a cup of coffee!

First Parisian Post! Le Taxi Jaune

I had a friend in town from New York last night, a former Pariesenne, and without even thinking we went to a restaurant called the Le Taxi Jaune en francais, or The Yellow Taxi. You can take the girl out of NY, but apparently not NY out of the girl. No matter, it was a lovely restaurant in the Marais and marks our first official Parisian post!

Relish: According to the reviews -- don't go here unless you like to eat the strange insides of animals, or perhaps horse. We began with the Tarama with toast, which apparently is a greek dish. I liken it to hummus, but more silky, and a nice thing to spread on toast (it's made of eggs and salmon, but I didn't think it was too fishy). Solid start. Next, although there definitely were some innards and 'cheval' on the menu, we opted for the more tame 'agneau' and 'canard'. Both were delicious. Mine was in the form of a 'gateau' (cake) which really was more like a stew which was amazingly savory on a fall type day. Elena's duck was perfectly cooked, with a hint of sweetness. Overall, classic french food with good service.
Quaff: The wine list was extensive and they even had these cute chalkboards of France pointing out the different regions. However, the 'by the glass' option was limited to red, white, and rose. No matter, my white wine was crisp and not too sweet and I believe it came from the south of France (I heard a sud). You'll have to forgive my very basic descriptions of wine as compared to Andrea -- she promises we'll take a class once she joins me in France.
Feel: It's a casual atmosphere, very authentic, with stone walls and chalk boards of both the wine regions of France and different animals and their parts (hence the innards). It felt cozy, although we got there early (8:30?) and it was a bit deserted. Things started to pick up around 10. It was also a tad too bright, but nothing to shake a stick at. The servers were very nice and even tolerated my awful french :-) It's also on an adorable back street that's not too crowded, so you really feel like you're finding a diamond in the rough.

If you are in the Marais, I recommend checking out this adorable resto! Au Revoir!

Bar Centrale

A blustery and cold Monday night. The tail end of the last long weekend of the summer. Where do you find me? Tucked inside a bustling wine bar in Summerhill, enjoying a fantastic 'tapas style' dinner, a delicious wine and a phenomenal friend.  

Photos: the foodiefotog & iPhone...amazing

• Relish: mmmm. The amount of eye rolling as we tasted each dish was fantastic. There were even pauses in conversation as we savoured some of the bites.  The menu here is built around little sharing plates - and we shared!  We started off with some arancini balls, filled with fontina and veal, a crostini (think bruschetta but with other toppings) topped with beef tenderloin tartare, truffle shavings and zabayone - unbelievable. A second crostini stole the show... Nduja sausage combined with some sort of tapenade and topped with smokey ricotta - spice and smoke and sausage. We followed this with a plate of sliced porchetta - basically slow cooked ham filled with herbs - and a ravioli filled with lobster and mascarpone. My perfect evening - lots of small bites of very different tastes, and all was incredibly succulent. The only downside was the dessert. A combination of dark chocolate flourless, warm cake (all good so far)...combined with gorgonzola in the middle. Somehow that completely missed the mark.
• Quaff: mmmm. This was a most pleasant surprise. I actually didn't even see the wine list, but given it's a wine bar, there are many selections lining the shelves behind the bar. Our very helpful server asked me what we were looking for and my price point. My response? A fruit forward, medium bodied, but not too tanic red, for around $50. What did he deliver? An incredibly juicy and delicious red from calabria, light on the tannins, and medium body. Perfect. And the price point? 50 on the nose (as we only discovered once we got the bill). It was called Mutro' Melissa - a wine from Calabria (the bottom of the boot in Italy, more specifically, the 'toe' of the boot), made up primarily of  Gaglioppo and Greco Nero grapes, and had a picture of a boar on the label (which I figured because of my love for wild boar tasty-ness, this must be a good sign). It was. 
• Feel: Bustling and busy, a great atmosphere of friends enjoying wine and good food and good conversation. Servers were super friendly and very helpful with choices. As the night progressed there was a bit of a line with people waiting for tables - and all selected a glass of wine to better pass the time. They've nailed the atmosphere here - nice work terroni!

Lucien

A few months ago en route magazine names Lucien as one of the top 10 best restaurants in canada...so I naturally added it to my list. It took me a while to get there, and after a few tries (always ended up thinking it was likely too stuffy and fancy for the evening) made it out last week. It was a sweltering evening, so sitting inside was lovely (there is no patio).

• Relish: We lucked out and caught the restaurant full swing into summerlicious, so for $45 per person, you could choose from 3 options for each of 3 courses. Unfortunately, no other options were available, so I couldn't use my Groupon, but the choices were pretty good. Arguably the starters won the show - we had a chilled pea soup with snow crab, pickled radish and wasabi that was perfectly chilled with a gorgeous sweet pea flavour, and a heirloom tomato salad with house-made burrata, watermelon, basil and mint where each bite was full of fresh, sweet tomatoes. The main was atlantic cod with fingerling potato, house-made chorizo, pimento and arugula - although the taste was great, the fish was a bit overdone. The desert was incredibly creative, super sweet Ontario strawberries with tonka bean panna cotta, basil and black pepper, and a chocolate beetroot brownie with marshmallow, cherry, malted milk and black walnut. Have the strawberries, and pass on the beetroot brownie. 
• Quaff: An interesting wine list, with the standard grapes by the glass, but not from producers that I've seen a lot of. We opted for a bottle of chilled white at the recommendation of our waiter. I wish I could remember the name, but I can't...I need to write these down more judiciously! Either way, it was an excellent recommendation. 
• Feel: It is always hard to get the true feel for a restaurant during summerlicious - but Lucien did strike a nice balance between being classy yet unpretentious, in a way where you knew you would be well-taken-care-of. I love the jazz music, chandeliers and open window to the kitchen, and this would be a great place to pull up a stool at the bar. I am a little bit confused by the fact that despite its high ranking among restaurant aficionados, it never really seems to be busy when I walk by - but I will be back to try it sans-summerlicious and with my Groupon! 

I would recommend it for a quiet date night or a business dinner. Enjoy!
w: http://www.lucienrestaurant.com/


photos: http://greatlighting.com/index.cfm?DocID=14561

The Queen and Beaver

A sweltering summer evening deserves a great patio. This week I discovered The Queen and Beaver, a little gastro-pub nestled away on Elm street for late evening drinks with a few good friends. We sat on the upstairs patio, which has a lovely secluded feel as you’re just about at the leafy part of the trees from the street below. It’s a super cute, very ‘old english’ pub. Although it was a great patio, I’m putting this place on my list to try in the winter, when the cosy-comfy pub style would make for some nice evenings away from the cold.     

• Relish: The food looked fantastic, very gastro-pub-esque – something I’ve missed since London! Staples like mussels and frites, fish and chips, pot pie, and a smattering of salads and lighter options as well – I’m absolutely coming back here for dinner or lunch.
• Quaff: I had a lovely glass of Pinot Grigio, and they have about 5 whites and 5 reds by the glass. A nice mix of old and new world options, some of the usual with the whites (the Cave Springs seems to be the only Reisling option at restaurants in this city), but the reds were a bit more out of the ordinary. The cider or multiple draught options also looked delicious. 
• Feel: Even just walking through the pub to get to the patio, this place made you want to pull up a chair and sit down and have a pint. They had a big screen playing what else – soccer (oops – football), but it was positioned so tastefully over the fireplace, that it didn’t seem to detract from the warm and friendly feel. As I left, for a split second was able to pretend that I was coming out of a gastro pub in South Kensington...then jumped into the diamond cab and realized, nope – I’m still in Toronto.

It might be worth mentioning that this place was one of the ‘best new restaurants 2010’ by Toronto Life.

w: The Queen and Beaver Public House

Chez L'Epicier

I'm most unfortunately going to be writing most of this from memory. It has been a while since I've been to Chez L'Epicier - but worthy of  a post at this point for a few reasons:

1. it was one of my first experiences with locally sourced and incredibly creative Canadian cuisine 
2. it has set my 'creme brule' bar (to this day un-met)
3. it's in an old stone building and has exposed stone and a few turquoise walls
4. a friend is heading to montreal next weekend and needed a spot for a special night - and this is it

I first discovered Chez L'Epicier when I was at school in Montreal - with a friend who's father came into the city and took us out on occasion to places we couldn't afford on our 'student' budgets. It blew me away, so any chance I could, I went back (although there weren't many chances, but I did take my parents, a family friend, and my grandparents whenever they came downtown).

• Relish: Creative, inventive, mixtures of awesome tastes and textures. One of the entrees is called "thermal experience of salmon and apple"...I can't wait to try it! My favourites, although it is a little silly that I can remember this, were the Creme Brule medley (three perfect little pots of creme brule, each flavoured slightly differently), the cheese plate (amazing quebec cheeses) and the poached salmon main. But honestly, I don't think you can go wrong. They also sell a bunch of seasonings, oils and jams at the counter for your home-cooking enjoyment.
• Quaff: From what I remember, they have a great wine list. I had a delicious, crisp white wine here a few times, but can't remember what it is! I might just have to go back.
• Feel: Perfectly Montreal. Old stones. High ceilings. Turquoise walls. Menu's printed on paper bags. White table cloths. Elegant stemware. House-made bread served in tins. A combination that creates an elegant, relaxed atmosphere.

I've recommended this spot to friends looking for a great, classy, interesting dinner out and colleagues looking for a good work-event or quiet but elegant work-related dinner, and have heard only rave-reviews in return. Enjoy!

please note: a few other Montreal recommendations are listed under the 'out of town' link at this time as well!

w: Chez L'Epicier

Starfish Oyster Bed & Grill

Whenever my Dad (who also loves food) comes to visit Toronto, we tend to have a conversation that sounds a lot like this:

Me: "So, where should we go for dinner tonight?" 

Dad: "I don't know, you seem to have some good recommendations, I'm up for anything - why don't you pick?" 

Me: "Ok, so how about we try (insert name of new restaurant), I've heard it's awesome and I think you'll love it." 

Dad: "Well, are you sure? [pause. pause. pause]...I might actually be in the mood for some oysters" 

Me: [usually with a grin on my face by this point] "ok, how about...Starfish then? 

Dad: "Oh, well if you insist...but we did go there last time I was in town...but if you're ok with that...I would LOVE to!"

Luckily, I share my Dad's love for Starfish. I think it's the combination of the fresh oysters (shucked in front of you if you're lucky enough to nab a spot at the bar), the incredible creative seafood mains, the mussels and delicious belgian-style frites, the crisp white wines - all served with a certain panache that make this a phenomenal spot. 

• Relish:Oysters. Fresh, delicious oysters. They come with three homemade sauces, fresh horseradish...could you ask for anything better? Mussels & frites are stellar, as are all of the mains of super fresh seafood with creative accompaniments. 
• Quaff: Wine. White if possible. An overall solid wine list, and a few good glass options as well (although you'll probably need a bottle as the meals here are never quick)! 
• Feel: On a busy night it's packed with a varied crowd truly enjoying wine, great food and good company. Some booths, a few high tables and a great bar all add variety. I wouldn't say that the feel is spot on (the tables may be a bit too big and square for a more cozy feel) but it has a bit of an aloof "you're here for the oysters right?" feel. The bar is definitely the best spot.

It is slightly out of the way, but I think that actually might add to the charm. It's definitely a gem that you would walk by a thousand times and never think twice about...so please make sure you stop next time!
Enjoy!


w: Starfish Oyster Bed & Grill

L'Unita

L'Unita is one of my all-time favourite restaurants. It has just a few redeeming factors: gorgeous northern Italian food, a phenomenal wine list that changes regularly, a great bar where you can sit and enjoy silent Italian black and white films, sexy lighting, awesome staff, and finally - it just so happens to be walking distance from my home. 

• Relish: The food here is consistently great. I've tried quite a few things, on quite a few of the menu iterations, but would highly suggest ordering a variety and sharing plates. Every once in a while I dream about their northern woods mushrooms, braised beef short ribs, pasta 'fatti in casa' with rabbit ragu....mmm. Oh, and please do try the cannoli...I didn't like canoli until I tried them here. I may now be close to addicted.
• Quaff: Amazing. Wine. List. A massive number of Italian wines, and consistently ~15 options by the glass. They're also great at letting me try a taste before selecting a glass, which is pretty awesome. I know they serve other beverages, but to enjoy your meal without a glass of one of their Italian reds would be a shame. 
• Feel: This is possibly what pulls it all together for L'Unita. Low lighting, small tables, big mirrors, exposed brick walls and space constraints makes this place feel intimate and special - which it is. Check out the postcards too. 

I'm thinking I might be due for another visit soon...

Enjoy!

w: L'unita italian restaurant

Murray Street

My first review is a little locale just off the busy Byward Market in Ottawa. Charcuterie, Cheese, and all manner of delicious in-betweens, a great wine list and pretty good lighting make this a fun spot for some wine, cheese and a very relaxed dinner. The poutine is amazing - spatzel instead of fries, ham and goey cheese...ranks up there with the best poutine I have had (disclaimer: I am by no means a poutine connoisseur, which may be why I liked it). 

• Relish: Great charcuterie plate, elk salami, smoked duck breast, terrine and local cheeses, poutine and smoked fish fritters. All delicious. I would love to go back to try a main (or two, or three).
• Quaff: Good wine list - much more interesting old world wines that the new world selections, a fair number by the glass (20 or so), and generous pours. Some local beers, although I have to say I didn't pay too much attention to those. I had a delicious old world Rose (and will remember to note the name down next time)!
• Feel: Quiet inside as the patio was full and we couldn't sit outside, but a great vibe and a fun young crowd. Would be a fun place to sit at the bar, and I could see this being an extremely cosy spot in the winter! 

I would go back, and would recommend it! Great for a quiet catch up conversation, a meal with a few good friends, or to sit at the bar. Similar in feel to Starfish. 


Enjoy!
w: Murray Street Kitchen
m: link to Ottawa restaurant google map