I’ve had a few celebrity sightings in life. I remember seeing famed baseball pitcher Denis Martinez in a café after a Red Sox game back in the mid 90’s. I rode 7 floors on an elevator with Alicia Silverstone and her dog in Toronto hotel circa 2004.
Nothing, however, makes me as excited as meeting anybody who has anything to do with the food industry. I have had run-ins with icons Lynn Crawford and Mark McEwan. I’ve met top chef participants Jonathan Korecki, Carl Heinrich and Connie DeSousa through visits to their restaurants.
Needless to say I was quite excited to meet Kevin Brauch during a recent visit to Harbord Room, a well established restaurant making good burgers and high end cocktails before burgers and high end cocktails were so cool. He came in toward the end of my Monday night meal and we had a chance to chat all things food, drink, Alton Brown and Iron Chef. Let me put it into perspective… I’d rather meet a guy who had built his career drinking all over the world and managing the egos of the likes of Bobby Flay than let’s say, Tom Cruise, whose definition of acting is trying to convince us that he could street fight guys half his age and twice his height.
Must
Harbord room had a cool burger before having cool burgers was cool. Erring on the side of simplicity, it’s as well known as Mario Batali’s orange crocs and the burger praises are ubiquitous in every critic and blogger review. It’s a gem from the bun to the perfectly cooked beef to the fries.
The whitefish ceviche was a blackboard special that was fresh and clean with perfect tones of heat and acidity and a Morimotoish delicacy.
As charcuterie crests in popularity across the GTA, Harbord room keeps up with the times with a board full of carnivorous treats ranging from venison pepperoni to an airy chicken liver pate to a pleasant terrine that would make Marc Forgione’s hair stand on end (ok..bad example). There were house pickles, great crostini, homemade preserves and a fried egg round it all off.
Harbord room has also stayed current in the world of cocktails, likely in part to the fact about a third of the restaurant is taken up by the bar. High end liquors highlight a diverse drink menu which can get rather pricy. I indulged in “Liquid Swords”, a complex meczal based multi-ingredient drink with an execution as meticulous and passionate as a Michael Symon lamb chop.
Consideration toward a good side is like paying homage to a good sous chef. Let’s call the rapini the Anne Burell of sides. Bitter rapini, salty almonds, hot chili and sweet sultanas only make sense as it appeals to all senses.
Maybe
There was a bit of Cornish hen controversy as our table was told it was not available due to a lack of greens. We asked for it anyway only to find out that it hadn’t been brined for the appropriate amount of time but they would serve it anyway. Despite the lack of bath time, the poultry was delicious and moist. If anything the sausage, the only thing on the plate not involved in the controversy, was as lackluster as an Iron Chef trying to make dessert.
I enjoy olive oil cake and I like Harbord’s spin. Priced in the single digits, it hit all the elements of a good dessert. The citrus and chocolate sides provided some variety to the neutral cake. The almond crunch added some needed texture.
Mundane
Let’s call this a relative mundane list. Nothing at Harbord was bad per se, but the strength of the menu made some of the dessert seem a bit substandard. The Valrhona Dark Chocolate & Smoked Banana Terrine, Salted Caramel, Peanut Butter Mousse & Dehydrated Chocolate & Banana Chips was a bit confusing. A little too deconstructed, the flavours didn’t quite come together. The Fresh Ricotta Doughnuts
Espresso & Caramel Pot de Creme, Espresso Tapioca & Crumble Meringue Wafer were decent but a bit predictable. Although good and filled with diverse flavor, I don’t get the meringue wafer trend. A little too much sweet on sweet.
I realize sex sells, but really……
My Take
The constant rave about the burger is a bit of a disservice to Harbord room. The complex drinks, brilliant charcuterie and intuitive sides elevate it to iron chef caliber beyond it’s signature dish. In a highly competitive market, Harbord maintains a balance between what works and what might work.
In honour of Kevin Brauch, Harbord room is one of the iron chefs of the Toronto restaurant scene. Challengers emerge, claiming vivacious vibes and great burgers but Harbord has held the test of time against these admirable culinary opponents. It maintains tradition yet remains current in a manner synonymous with the likes of Geoffrey Zakarian. I’m looking forward to the new THR and Co. spin-off in May. Gotta run….I think Tom’s coming to kick my ass. I’d tell him to pick on somebody his own size, but my 13 year old daughter is not home right now.
Fare..Eat..Ales 