buck a shuck – Fare..Eat..Ales

Hopgood’s Foodliner as Switzerland to Toronto’s Proposed East vs West Food Rivalry

February 8, 2015February 15, 2015 spennyrdLeave a comment

I’ve been pondering a visit to Hopgood’s for some time now. I often stay downtown so the thought of a long drive, expensive and smelly cab or an onerous TTC excursion usually turns me off and I end up settling on something a little closer. However, a few Mondays ago I was driving to Toronto from London right around dinner time and took advantage of the location plus buck a shuck oysters by popping in before checking into my hotel for the night.

Hopgood’s has received constant accolades since opening a few years back. It’s theme is east coast fare with a Toronto twist. It goes without saying that it boasts a ocean-centric menu with a bit of poetic licence. The menu is smallish but complemented with a number of blackboard specials meant to highlight seasonal ingredients.

I grabbed a seat at the bar right in front of the oyster shucker. He was busy cracking open the joints of 4 or 5 different types and throwing them on trays of ice. Oysters are a most interesting culinary phenomenon. There are dozens of species of oysters and each have a distinct profile. Much like wine, pundits post comments about the bouquet and balance of the tasty mollusks. There are heated debates about proper condiments; horseradish, lemon and mignonette seems to be holy trinity but it is not uncommon to see cocktail sauce and even blended scotch make it’s way on the list as well. In oyster world, there is also the east versus west coast battle which may be as heated as the music rivalry which has existed in the hip-hop/rap world since the nineties.

Let’s stop here for a second. I’m a white guy who can’t dance or sing but I’ve always been fascinated by the impact that music has had on popular culture. Historically, religion and land claims have the two biggest triggers for disputes across the globe. However, in the last 20 years one can argue that one of the biggest rivalries (at least in the US) has been fueled by music. The west coast vs east coast conflict peaked in the late nineties with the murders of the treasonous 2Pac (I say so because he was actually born in east Harlem and became one of the kingpins in the west coast movement) in 1996 and the Notorious B.I.G ( the self-proclaimed king of New York) just six months later. I read into this a bit more and discovered a couple of interesting facts:

Tupac and B.I.G were victims of drive by shootings in Las Vegas, Nevada and Los Angeles, California respectively.
Tupac was hit four times in the chest, pelvis, and his right hand and thigh. B.I.G was also hit four times with almost an identical profile except for a shot in the back versus chest. Both reports noted that one of bullet hit the victim’s left testicle.
Tupac died six days later in hospital while B.I.G died only an hour after the shooting.
Neither case has been solved although much speculation still exists as to who the shooters were. Not surprisingly, names like Diddy and Suge Knight (and in the case of Tupac Biggy himself) come up, but the composite sketch of B.I.G’s shooter looks like The Fresh Prince’s Carlton more than any of the suspected hip-hop thugs.

Back to Hopgood’s. As opposed to a skinny and cut West Coast Tupac and a heavy east coast Notorious B.I.G, oysters are the opposite. Atlantic oysters tend to be a bit smaller whereas Pacific are meatier. What I found impressive was the fact that there was no compromise in quality even though it was buck a shuck night. I have been to other places where the only option were rather measly and pathetic Malpeques . They did charge for condiments such as horseradish (and a rather interested egg/scapple combination (6 o’clock) which I quite enjoyed) but that still didn’t hinder the fact that they were a great deal. They did take some time to come and an apology came in the form of a free oyster topped with a torched parmesan sauce (2 o’clock) which gave it a nice baked oyster taste without compromising the integrity of the fresh oyster itself.

While waiting for the oysters I ordered a winter derby (Elijah Craig Bourbon, Averna, Clementine Shrub, Lemon, Maple Syrup, Cinnamon & Pear Bitters) for $15. It was tasty cocktail and while a little on the sweet side, had a nice balance and richness which removed the temptation to shoot it while at the same time not being a meal in itself.

I went to the blackboard for my next dish which was beet greens served with brown butter and walnuts. The bitterness of the greens were harnessed somewhat but the sweetness of the butter and the walnuts glued things together with earthy contrast and crunchy texture. The apple added a needed freshness. I found it a very smart dish.

The blackboard also offered a tuna belly crudo which was garnised with a salad made of watermelon radish. It was safer than I expected. The tuna itself was fresh and delicious but there was a general lack of seasoning, acid and heat. In the end, I thought the fish and salad lacked cohesion as a single dish.

For the main course I stuck to the menu and ordered the sablefish with a n’duja and brussel sprout salad. I expected that a restaurant with great accolades which specializes in seafood would be able to nail a piece and sablefish and I wasn’t disappointed. What blew my mind was the salad. The crunch of the sprouts with the surprising heat (after all where are talking east coast) of the n’duja was unexpected. In fact, the fish was close to playing supporting actor to the sprouts but the fact it was perfectly cooked allowed it’s buttery richness to shine as the star on the plate.

Sablefish with Brussel Sprouts and N'duja — Sablefish with Brussel Sprouts and N’duja $25

Since I was so impressed with the salad, I couldn’t help but turn to the blackboard and hope that the steamed scallops with n’duja was still available ( I should state here that like most specials, they are made in limited quantities and many of them had lines scratched through them as the night went on). It was a carbon copy of the sablefish; the beautifully presented (in shell) scallops were respectfully prepared and once again the sauce was spicy and delicious. I love playing with my food and I had fun dissecting the bivalves.

There were long voids in between dishes and I found the service quite scattered and unorganized. Maybe it was the fact that the waiter taking care of me also had everybody else at bar, a few tables and was responsible for all the drinks. Although it was a Monday, it was busy and I think at times there was no rhyme or reason to the ways things flowed.

My Take

There is no doubt in my mind why Hopgood’s Foodliner has received the laurels it has since it opened a few years back. It takes the friendly cuisine of the east coast and urbanizes it to compete in Toronto’s progressive dining scene. Smart blackboard specials, perfectly executed proteins and surprisingly sauces highlight a superb menu. The cocktail list is pricy but smart by taking a number of tastes,flavours and boozes into consideration. The overall experience, however, was somewhat hampered by slow, inconsistent and confused service.

Classic east/west rivalries such as the Celtics versus Lakers exist in sports. In the culinary world, celebrity chef and competitive brothers Bryan and Mike Voltaggio represent both sides of the United States (with west coast Michael winning the head to head battle on season six of Top Chef). I got thinking than a similar east versus west rivalry may add some spice to Toronto’s dining scene. Perhaps the line can be drawn along Bathurst which would nicely separate the bourbon- swilling Parkdale posse from the suit wearing Grey Goose-drinking downtown dwellers. Thankfully, the likelihood of shootings is minimal, but I imagine feuds could escalate into a night of a few Campari or Shiraz-fueled bitchslaps should things get out of hand. More likely would be the back and forth twitter banter such as “Hey Don Draper..how’s that Manhattan Tasting #westisbest” or “I drink AFTER working a 10 hour shift, not DURING one #plaidisbad”. The biggest question regarding Hopgood’s is since it’s an east coast restaurant on the west side, which side of the fence they would sit on? Perhaps it can assert itself as a neutral zone and a place where all can exist in harmony while doing oyster shots….just as long as you’re not in a hurry.

The Coast is not Clear: The Case of the Gluten Containing Eel and the Undercooked Scallop

June 11, 2014June 11, 2014 spennyrdLeave a comment

After a trip to the Vancouver aquarium as part of a team building activity (even though only three of us went), we went to look for a quick bite knowing the evening fare at the meeting would be less than appealing. It was an abnormally warm May day, so we wanted a patio,a drink and some decent food.

Coast is part of the Glowbal group conglomerate which owns a number of popular Vancouver restaurants. Having previously dined at Black + Blue and the Fish Shack with reasonable success, it sounds like a good idea, especially with the advertised cocktail menu and half price appetizers. After making the uphill trek to Alberni Street, we were able to secure a table on the front patio. The three of us were wearing casual team-building clothes (ie. yoga pants and shorts). We were hardly dressed for the occasion, especially in the midst of the attire of the waitstaff and numerous suits coming in but we were quickly comfortable in our outdoor seats.

Both my colleagues have what I consider excellent palates and both do not consume gluten. One of them has also never tried nigiri, so we took the opportunity to run an experiment with the small list on the menu. My thought was to hit her with the ebi thinking it would best to start her off with something cooked not to mention the fact that there was no guilt based on the fact we were just at the aquarium watching numerous other species splash around. The waitress, however, insisted that we opt for the unagi (since it was cooked) although I thought eel may not be the best way to initiate a novice sushi eater. The shrimp arrived without issue but the eel arrived coated in what appeared to be a brown sauce. Even as a gluten glutton, I have become aware that any brown sauce is an alarm bell, especially on a piece of sushi. It usually means soy sauce which means gluten. Keep in mind the menu clearly stated this item was gluten free but after deliberation by the waitstaff and kitchen slightly longer than the OJ Simpson verdict, we were told it in fact contained gluten. Big mistake. In the end, I ate the eel (which was decent but expensive) and I succeeded in introducing her to the world of nigiri albeit a tame piece of cooked shrimp.

Shrimp and Eel Nigiri ($3.95 and $5.30 respectively). Note the brown sauce…

I will give Coast credit for it’s buck a shuck special. I indulged in a half dozen oysters, portraying behaviour similar to that of a five year old opening a new set of lego. I become mesmerized by combining oyster flesh with pungent horseradish and some type of mignonette. In fact, I don’t think anything gives me as much enjoyment in the area of seafood relations since Mr. Tecklenberg showed me how to hypnotize a lobster when I was 8 or 9 at a table in his namesake Sudbury restaurant. I was so giddy I forgot the picture.

Each of us weren’t up for a whole lot of food (beside the after effect of seeing a whole lot of underwater life), but we each ordered a dish and did a family style sorta thing. First were the thai mussels (minus the bread). They were tasty but a rather dismal serving for $19. Maybe it would have come with 17 pieces of garlic bread which would have made it a bit more economical.

Thai Mussels (18.95 or each) — Thai Mussels (18.95 or about a buck each..I’d rather have the oysters)

Second was the grilled halibut. It made a lot of sense given the fact it was the season and there was not a hint of brown sauce anywhere on the plate. Instead, it was served with a decent potato salad. The fish was cooked nicely but it’s difficult to justify the $38 price tag.

Finally, my choice was the apple chopped salad ($12.95) with the optional upgrade of two scallops for a whopping ten bucks. It arrived with a lone scallop and I made a note to see if it was reflected properly on the bill. I never had the chance. The salad itself was fresh, crisp and nicely balanced but when I cut open the scallop I looked at my colleagues and in my best Gordon Ramsey accent yelled “The f@*%ing scallop is raw”. In fact, it was a bit of a relief because paying 5 bucks for a scallop the size of a jawbreaker just wasn’t worth it. Perhaps the biggest annoyance of all was when the manager returned with the plate to confirm with me that, after careful deliberation with the chef, the scallop was in fact raw and they would gladly take it off the bill. I guess all those years of watching Hell’s kitchen finally paid off since it saved me the embarrassment of being corrected in front of my esteemed colleagues.

Apple Chopped Salad ($12.95) with a $5 scallop

The source of much deliberation.... — The source of much deliberation….

My Take

Vancouver’s Glowbal group seems to be like olives, cilantro or goat cheese; you either love them or hate them. Some see the group as an innovative and eclectic collection of restaurants showcasing an incredible arrays of foods. Others see it as an overpriced series of misguided trends in which the decor is more important than the food. The inability to properly display gluten-free foods combined with minute mussels and an undercooked and underwhelming five dollar scallop (that included a second opinion on doneness) makes me lean toward the latter. This was just a bad experience with no effort made to fix it. Good thing there were crudites back at the meeting. I swear a carrot stick never tasted so good.

Coast Restaurant on Urbanspoon

Review:Vancouver:Downtown:The Fish Shack

August 13, 2013August 13, 2013 spennyrdLeave a comment

It was honestly an internet search and a restaurant within walking distance that brought me to the Fish Shack. After seeing it was a creation of the Glowbal group, I was sure it would be far from a shack and even have a few of the gimmicks this restaurant group is renowned for. The last Glowbal restaurant I went to was Black and Blue. It had a beautiful decor, with a classic steakhouse setup and highlighted by a 15 foot high meat locker. I figured the Fish Shack would be the same.

I wasn’t far off. The decor is reminiscent of a wooden fishing shack. Nets hang throughout the place and pictures of fish with interesting trivia line the wall. It’s bright and clean and the busy waitstaff have a casual look and attitude. The air is filled with the aroma of shellfish, likely a combination of the bar side shellfish steamer and the adjacent table ordering the fisherman’s catch, a Cornucopia of mixed seafood strewn across the table in a free for all.

The beer selection is pretty lame, dominated by Molson products. The Whister Bear Paw Honey Lager is a bit of a redemption. This sad reality led me to the Caesar fleet featuring four offerings laced with vodka, gin, whisky and tequila. I went vodka, a pretty standard Caesar garnished with prawn and pepperoni. It was a good Caesar and definitely better than a Coors light.

I like gimmicks, so I opted for buck a shuck oysters (Light house were featured) and mussels and clams fresh from the steamer. The oysters were fresh and a great deal for four bucks. The $15 steamed shellfish prepared classic style (wine, garlic , shallots and herbs) were good but didn’t rival the mussels at Chambar or the clams at the Pike market in Seattle which were pulled from ocean just minutes away in Puget Sound.

For the main, the halibut was calling my name. Although priced significantly higher than the other fish and chips options, I remembered my experience at Dandelion in Philadelphia and Blue Water cafe in San Diego and hoped for the same in Vancouver. It was a bit flimsy and although all the components were quite good, nothing was remarkable. The batter was not greasy and had a pleasant taste while the fish maintained a good integrity and decent moistness. The tartar sauce and fries were pretty classic and the creamy horseradish slaw was colourful to look at but didn’t have as much bite as I wanted.

I last had the brussel sprouts at Black and Blue last year and ordered them again. I was equally impressed, especially when I hit them with a squirt of hot sauce.

There’s a small dessert menu featuring cheesecake, apple berry crumble and sticky toffee pudding, all for $8.50. Some may argue you don’t need anymore than that. I opted for the latter and was presented with a pretty decent offering. The cake was moist, partially helped by the plentiful pool of sauce it sat in. The traditional chantilly cream and somewhat unorthodox berries were a good finishing touch.

My Take

The fish shack is kind of like Red Lobster, except for people under the age of 65. Both have a bad beer selection and shrimp garnished Caesars. Both are decorated with fish and fish paraphernalia. Both have cheesy slogans like “We sea food differently” and “hook it and cook it”. One can indulge on an array of seafood with the shack’s Fisherman’s catch or Red Lobster’s Ultimate feast, a choice from the fresh daily fresh fish list or non-sea signatures like cheddar bay biscuits (RL) or brussel sprouts (FS). Both even have a New York style cheesecake for dessert.

The fish shack is pretty; pretty decor and pretty good food. It’s filled with the little gimmicks like bar side steamers that make the Glowbal group what it is. . Although none of the dishes blew my mind, the execution of the food was acceptable. and the vibe reeked a little of fish and little of hip. So send Gramma to Red Lobster and suck back some west coast buck a shuck oysters before 6 pm at the fish shack (trust me, Gramma and oysters don’t mix). Afterwards, you can hear about the nice fish and that dessert cake like Gladys used to make.

As for slogans, I kinda like this one from a famous book that pretty much says it all:

“Fish,” he said, “I love you and respect you very much. But I will kill you dead before this day ends.”
― Ernest Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea

“Catchy”, isn’t it?

Review:Toronto:Little Italy:Bestellen

April 30, 2013May 1, 2013 spennyrd2 Comments

A colleague of mine asked me a simple question the other day. “Where can I get a good steak in Toronto?”. There seems to be a few answers:

1. A steak house with cuts of beef as pricy as buying half a heifer at an auction not to mention the fact that the creamed spinach is extra.

2. A chain offering AAA cut steak which inevitably ends up being generic like the rest of the menu.

3. A few bistros which pair it with frites and douse it in some kind of butter so they can call it French cuisine.

This got me thinking about my recent visit to Bestellen and why it didn’t come top of mind. The showcase of the rather large dining room is a transparent meat locker housing steaks of all shapes and sizes. One of the features is a $98, 32 oz steak with marrow and sides. Otherwise, they offer a daily cut in the $30 range. Add the fact it’s the brain child of Top Chef contestant Rob Rossi and it sounds like a slam dunk, right?

Must

You can’t go wrong with “buck a shuck” oysters, which were fresh and addictive. Although not served with fancy mignonette, they had the essentials; a lemon wedge, horseradish and a bottle of Tabasco.

The “toad in the hole” was a current spin on a old favorite. The batter had a yorkie lightness which surrounded dense and delicious black pudding. The eggs were a good medium to blend the contrasting textures and flavours. The spattering of scallions added a bit of colour and and freshness.

Opting for the small charcuterie option for $13, I was treated to 3 house-made meats complete with a few pickles, some mustard and some toasted bread drenched in olive oil which was absolutely fantastic. The meats themselves were thinly sliced and cured beautifully. It was a pleasure to eat.

Maybe

Although a little skimpy on the condiments, the steak tartare was delicious. Half a quail egg and a few jalapenos were nothing more than decorations. The chips were alright but weren’t the tastiest vehicle for scooping the tender meat.

Why do I order deviled eggs in a restaurant? They were tasty enough but not worth 6 buck and shuck oysters (see picture above…with the charcuterie).

The Budino dessert and olive oil cake were reasonably priced at $7 and a good example of Rob Rossi’s Italian heritage although they did not elevate to the level of Lutheran grace. The ice cream was splendid, an apparent reflection of a new machine just installed in the kitchen.

Budino and Olive Oil Cake ($7) — Budino and Olive Oil Cake ($7 each)

Mundane

On this particular night, the feature was flank steak for $28. I envisioned a slice of a magical beast taken from the locker adorning the centre of the restaurant. Instead I received a few overcooked slices of tough, overdone meat served on a rather bland puree. Even the presentation was rather lame. It looked a bit like leftovers.

Given it wasn’t a really busy night, the service was rather slow. The wine list is set up by offering $45, $65 and $85 bottles. I opted for a mediocre Pigeoulet Provence at the middle price. The waiter did not seem overly concerned that I didn’t enjoy it, assuring me it was “the type of grape”.

My Take

Bestellen is a German named pseudo-steakhouse run by an Italian on the edge of Little Italy. It’s atypically large compared to other eateries in the area, so one can argue it lacks a bit of coziness, especially if it’s not busy. It has a bistro feel in the front, with tall, wooden tables and a window view. Toward the back is an open kitchen with long, communal seating for larger parties. The above mentioned meat locker divides the two concepts.

At the time, the menu offered a spattering of cultures but since, the menu has evolved and now seems to offer at whole lot of Italy, minus the ubiquitous pizza and pasta peppering the rest of College street. The toad in the hole and deviled eggs has disappeared, leaving polenta, octopus and fritto misto on the forefront. A little over a year ago, the Globe and Mail review referred to Bestellen as a steak house. Yes, you can get a $100 steak with all the fixings but the daily cut was disappointing. It’s a bit of a tease that you’re 15 feet away from tenderloins, porterhouses and skirt steaks but have no access to most of the choices on a nightly basis.

I can sum up Bestellen with one word…awkward. Traveling to the suburbs of Little Italy for buck a shuck oysters but questionable service and suboptimal steak leaves me undecided. Maybe delving into a suckling pig or indulging on a full charcuterie plate would make me feel better. As far as recommendations for my colleagues…I suggested the following advice by Buddy Black and Leroy Van Dyke:

Forty-five dollar bidja now, fifty dollar fifty wouldja make it fifty biddle
Onna fifty dolla fifty dolla. Wouldja gimme fifty, wouldja gimme fifty dolla
Bill? I gotta fifty dolla bidja now, five, wouldja biddle onna fifty-five,
Biddle onna fifty-five, fifty-five. Who’s gonna bitta the fifty five dollar
Bill?

-The Auctioneer (1956)