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Nota Bene team to open new restaurant at Queen and Church

Waiting for Nota Bene (Image: PJMixer from the Torontolife.com Flickr pool)

Yesterday evening, Shinan Govani broke the news that the team behind Nota Bene—Yannick Bigourdan, Franco Prevedello and chef David Lee—was getting set to open up shop due east from their fine dining mainstay at Queen and University. Rumours of a Nota Bene “clone,” however, turn out to be a little exaggerated. Instead, Bigourdan told The Dish, the unnamed restaurant will have a somewhat different concept, something that’s now being ironed out between the partners. They’ll have some time: the new place, which will be located in a currently empty 7,000-square-foot space at 111 Queen Street East, right near George and B Espresso, isn’t scheduled to open until early next year. It’s also located right beneath the Toronto Life offices—which means we’ll be watching developments closely.

The Dish

Restauran-TO

November 10, 2011 | 3:03 pm

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GALLERY: All the chefs and dishes from last night’s Gold Medal Plates gala

Langdon Hall’s Jonathan Gushue with his gold medal–winning dish

Toronto’s annual Gold Medal Plates gala took place last night at Metro Toronto Convention Center. Celebrated in nine cities across Canada, the event brings together some of the best chefs and wineries with the city’s well-to-do to raise funds for Canada’s Olympic and Paralympic athletes. Last night, Langdon Hall’s Jonathan Gushue took gold while Buca’s Rob Gentile got the silver and Michael Steh of Reds finished with bronze. Gushue will go on to compete in the Canadian Culinary Championships in Kelowna, B.C. next February. For those who didn’t manage to score one of the $400 tickets, we’ve got you covered.

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The Dish

Crisper Confidential

July 4, 2011 | 4:31 pm

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Inside the meticulously organized fridge of David Lee, the co-owner and chef at Nota Bene

David Lee’s fridge, annotated
David Lee’s freezer, annotated

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The Dish

TV Diner

June 28, 2011 | 12:08 pm

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Top Chef Canada recap, episode 12: family-styled

The chefs steel themselves before judges David Lee, Gail Simmons and Jacob Richler. (Image: Food Network Canada/Insight Productions)

TOP CHEF CANADA
Season 1 | Episode 12

Season one of Top Chef Canada has been all about head judge Mark McEwan’s approach to cooking: luxurious ingredients, simply prepared with exceptional technique. Last night’s episode felt like a master class in that philosophy, so it was only appropriate that the chefs started out chatting with McEwan over brunch at his Yorkville mainstay One. Sure, the conversation might have veered toward the painfully awkward, and sure, McEwan dropped some obviously scripted hints about this love of family-style presentation. But there was still something charming about seeing the four remaining contestants—Dustin Gallagher, Dale MacKay, Connie DeSousa and Rob Rossi— yammer on about their love of food and cooking. Of course, it was all went downhill from there. After the jump, our recap of an episode that featured some high-calibre guests, a tortured quickfire concept and some strangely disappointing cooking (not to mention a Toronto Life shout-out).

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The Dish

Aprons & Icons

June 16, 2011 | 3:58 pm

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Toronto Taste 2011: We get the latest news from top chefs and restaurateurs from Woodlot, Buca, Nota Bene, O&B and many more

Rob Gentile (Buca), David Lee (Nota Bene), Andrea Nicholson (Great Cooks on Eight), Paul Boehmer (Böhmer), Teo Paul (Union)

Two thousand of Toronto’s food lovers and makers gathered at the ROM on Sunday for the 21st edition of Toronto Taste. The annual fundraiser—which raises money for Second Harvest—saw more than 60 restaurants and 30 beverage purveyors offering their best to the guests. Burgers and tacos might have been the plats du jour, but new restaurant openings seemed to be the hottest item on the plates of many chefs and restaurateurs we spoke to. Here’s what we heard from Buca’s Rob Gentile, Woodlot’s David Haman, Scarpetta’s Scott Conant, Splendido’s Victor Barry, Top Chef Canada contestants Dustin Gallagher and Andrea Nicholson and many more. Words and images by Renée Suen

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The Dish

Food Porn

June 13, 2011 | 3:53 pm

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Fish, meet citrus: a tour of some of Toronto’s most alluring ceviche dishes

Milagro’s ceviche de pulpo (Image: Renée Suen)

Sushi, the star of a previous edition of our Food Porn series, is far from the only raw fish game in town. Ceviche, the Latin American standby that relies on acid from citrus fruits to cure fresh fish, bivalves or cephalopods, is also well represented. While some Toronto chefs stick to tried-and-true preparations for “cooking” their catch, others transform the already magical dish—believed to have originated in Peru—with surprising inventions. Either way, we recommend enjoying with a cold beer. Here, 10 of the city’s most delicious and alluring ceviche dishes.

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: Although inspired by the cantinas of their native Mexico City, brothers Arturo and Andrés Anhalt have created a ceviche dish with some decidedly non-traditional twists, like the tender octopus that’s been braised for an hour and a half. Forgoing the standard red-white-green theme of most Mexican ceviches, lime juice–marinated tentacles are tangled up with red onion, tomatillo, cilantro and smoky chipotles in adobo paste, all doused with a hearty dose of Spanish olive oil. The flavourful mix is piled high over shredded lettuce—an edible strainer—and served in typical cantina style with a package of saltines and a lime wedge. It’s even better when chased with a bottle of Negra Modelo and fresh lime juice.
$11.95/medium, pictured; $16.25/large.
Milagro, 5 Mercer St., 416-850-2855, milagrorestaurant.com.

: Chris McDonald’s buttery smoked kingfish ceviche uses diced tomatoes and bright kumquat zest to cut through firm and slightly salty kingfish that’s been bathed in a light citrus marinade. Fruity extra-virgin olive oil helps bind the components together while fresh house-fried tortilla chips and a delightful frisée salad lighten the palate.
$13.50.
Cava, 1560 Yonge St., 416-979-9918, cavarestaurant.ca.

: Chef Luis Valenzuela salt-cures meaty Georgian Bay bass, then cooks the diced flesh in lime juice and olive oil. The milky-white nuggets end up with a scallop-like texture and stand out against the red onions, cilantro, sweet corn kernels and crunchy cancha (inflated corn nuts). Served with paper-thin sweet potato chips, this Peruvian- and Ecuadorian-inspired dish uses sustainable ingredients sourced from suppliers that treat their workers fairly.
$10.
Torito, 276 Augusta Ave., 416-961-7373, toritorestaurant.com.

: Some might balk at the thought of Asian–Latin American fusion, but David Lee’s pretty floral ceviche, arriving on a bed of crushed ice, actually works. Corn nuts provide a salty crunch against silky strips of lime-marinated hamachi (yellowtail) and almost grassy chunks of still-firm avocado. The sweet, buttery fish is seasoned with cilantro and finely minced jalapeños, the latter’s heat quelled by a golden pool of olive oil and coconut milk.
$16.
Nota Bene, 180 Queen St. W., 416-977-6400, notabenerestaurant.com.

: This Peruvian outpost serves two types of lemon-marinated ceviches, both based on a time-honoured recipe. The first and more popular version features dense filets of basa (Asian catfish) that have been briefly cooked in lemon, salt and garlic before being tossed with finely sliced celery, red and white onion slivers and chopped parsley. Keeping with tradition, the mountain of fish comes with chunks of cooked corn cobs and thick slices of sweet and regular potato. Spice fiends can ask the kitchen to pre-season their ceviche with their fiery chili-garlic dip, but take heed: it’s tongue-searingly hot.
$14.95.
El Fogon, 543 St. Clair Ave. W., 416-850-8041, elfogon.ca.

: The mixed seafood ceviche at this mid-town restaurant named after Frida Kahlo is a smoky, mouth-watering affair. Chef Jose Hadad separately prepares meaty shrimp, velvety sheets of sliced sea scallops and creamy poached mussels in a vibrant lime juice marinade laced with chili oil. Finely minced tomato, red onion and bell pepper are a visual nod to Mexico’s national colours: red, white and green. Thin curls of homemade potato chips are an inventive alternative to the usual crackers.
$16.
Frida, 999 Eglinton Ave. W., 416-787-2221, fridarestaurant.ca.

: Claudio Aprile uses modern culinary techniques to construct this off-menu hors d’oeuvre, which uses the same sweet-spicy Thai flavours as his seared scallop course. Beads of finger lime pulp deliver a caviar-like pop and crunch, while the yuzu-ponzu vinaigrette echoes the mild citrus zing of the bivalve’s grapefruit juice marinade. But the liquid nitrogen frozen crème fraiche pearls steal the show, creating a luxurious sauce as they gradually melt into the tiny pool of coconut milk that lines the scallop shell. A deseeded chili ring, cornflower blossom and Thai basil brighten the canvas with pings of colour.
Colborne Lane, 45 Colborne St. (at Leader Ln.), 416-368-9009, colbornelane.com.

: Tom Thai sticks with the cool-and-spicy formula, seasoning his lightly seared B.C. scallops with peppery grilled jalapeño and shimeji chili powder. A slightly bitter dollop of kumquat jam crowns each fleshy, olive oil–slicked medallion, and the whole thing is buried under a tower of chopped scallions, organic micro-greens and popcorn shoots with a soy-reduction dressing. The result is a dish that’s fragrant, sweet, grassy and hot.
$15.
Foxley, 207 Ossington Ave., 416-534-8520.

: Named after owner Sylvia Llewellyn’s mother, this kitschy 14-year-old grocery-store-turned-restaurant is popular with those seeking a taste of Havana. Julie’s no-fuss ceviche features marlin cooked in freshly squeezed lime, orange and red grapefruit juice. The fragrant fish mingles with crisp red onions, plump corn kernels, bell peppers and parsley. The mild ceviche is finished with a tiny touch of chili and stacked high over a cool bed of chopped tomatoes.
$8.95.
Julie’s Cuban Restaurant, 202 Dovercourt Rd., 416-532-7397, juliescuban.com.

: Toronto’s only Nicaraguan restaurant serves a ceviche mixto with firm diced shrimps and cod. The confetti of lime juice–marinated seafood is mixed with crisp bell peppers, red onions and cilantro, then served with ribbons of fresh fried plantain chips and sliced avocado. It’s a loose and refreshing starter that satisfies both mouths and wallets. Particularly refreshing when washed down with a glass of cold orange-cantaloupe juice.
$9.25.
La Bella Managua, 872 Bloor St. W., 416-913-4227, bellamanagua.foodpages.ca.

The Hype

To-Do List

April 13, 2011 | 1:46 pm

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The Weekender: Black Lips, Shakespeare in puppet form and six other events on our to-do list

1. IN PINOT VERITAS: LUNCHEON WITH NORMAN HARDIE
There aren’t many Ontario wines that garner rave reviews around the world, but vintner Norman Hardie makes several Pinot Noirs that do at his eponymous winery in Prince Edward County. The celebrated winemaker is providing some excellent examples of those Pinots at this exclusive luncheon, which also features a special menu from Nota Bene chef David Lee. April 15. $85. Nota Bene, 180 Queen St. W., 416-977-6400, notabenerestaurant.com.

2. CHARLIE SHEEN: MY VIOLENT TORPEDO OF TRUTH/DEFEAT IS NOT AN OPTION
Tiger blood, winning, benders—Martin’s boy isn’t so great with that whole law-abiding thing, but he is unusually skilled at redefining previously boring words. We’re not sure if Chuck’s Toronto showing will be good, as in Chicago, or walkout-inducing, as in Detroit, but either way, we know we’ll be there. April 14 and 15. $79.50–$109.50. Massey Hall, 178 Victoria St., 416-872-4255, www.masseyhall.com.

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The Dish

From the Print Edition

March 30, 2011 | 10:05 am

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Greatest Hits: Chris Nuttall-Smith picks the 25 most delicious dishes of the last year

Enoteca Sociale’s octopus and fava beans

The 25 most delicious dishes Chris Nuttall-Smith tasted this year, ranging from lowbrow comforts (potato puffballs) to high-minded masterpieces (tea-smoked duck)*

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*Availability of dishes varies according to season and changing menus

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The Dish

Food Porn

March 2, 2011 | 10:57 am

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Soup’s on: a gallery of Toronto’s 13 most comforting (and beautiful) bowls

With frigid winter slowly giving way to soggy spring, the best way to keep warm remains to tuck into hearty broths, soups and stews. And while they appear on almost every menu, only a few rise above the ordinary. Here are thirteen feasts for the eyes, nose and stomach that melt our soup-loving hearts.

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: Chef David Lee tweaks an old favourite with this pretty starter. A mouth-watering and intense smoked chicken broth is dusted with sweet goji berries, moist shredded meat and a potpourri of edible flowers, coriander and sliced gai lan (Chinese broccoli). Tear-shaped pasta in pale browns and greens sit like pebbles at the base of the eye-catching broth, while lime and chili provide the namesake flavours.
$10.

: A specialty of this Cabbagetown gem is the khao soi: lean braised beef and egg noodles nestled in a rich yellow curry made of chicken stock and coconut milk. While the beef’s star anise and cinnamon marinade gives the protein character, it is the textural contrast between the crisp mountain of fried egg noodles and the gravy-soaked noodle bed that has our mouths singing. A squirt of lime juice brightens the thick stew and lightens the palate.
$10.25

: Chef Teo Paul’s take on the classic tomato soup may be inspired by childhood memories of Campbell’s condensed soup, but his is looser and more refined. Slightly tart canned tomatoes are combined with sweet onions, garlic and a touch of salt before being puréed and strained. A drizzle of olive oil finishes the ultra-smooth soup, which is accompanied by wedges of buttery grilled cheese, made with Harbord Bakery challah and P.E.I. cheddar.
$8 at lunch, $9 at dinner

: Frank’s house-made and season-conscious soups rotate frequently, but a perennial favourite is chef de cuisine Martha Wright’s parsnip with apple chutney. Sweet pears, parsnips and onions are cooked, puréed and sieved to create a velvety, dairy-free soup base; its neutral palette contrasts with a delightful mix of caramelized onions, apples, golden raisins and dried cranberries. The completely vegetarian soup is finished with a touch of cream (which can be left out for vegans), and served with a pappadum rosette—a nod to the AGO’s current Maharaja exhibition.
$9

: The Han brothers’ signature dish is a two-part DIY affair that’s as fun as it is delicious. Named for the sound made by dragging paper-thin slices of beef or seafood and market fresh vegetables—shimeji, enoki and king oyster mushrooms, zucchini, napa cabbage, Shanghai and baby bok choy—through hot beef bone broth, the dish is cooked on a tabletop burner and served with homemade sauces, including a zingy lemon-ginger soy sauce spiked with pineapple-juice mustard. Diners end the meal by cooking homemade potato-starch noodles or sesame oil–spiked jook (a risotto-like porridge made with short-grain rice and an egg) in the broth left in brass pot.
$15-$20 at lunch, $25-$30 at dinner

: This chef’s special is also known as #177, but the mì quảng would be just as delicious by any other name. Ample curls of pork, parboiled shrimp and tangles of soft egg noodles swim in a complex turmeric-stained pork bone soup. Sweet golden-fried shallots, crushed peanuts and thick sesame seed rice crackers provide crunch, while fistfuls of sliced green and white onion add kick.
$8

: One-bowl meals are the stock-in-trade of this Entertainment District mainstay. Expert saucier Ravi Kanagarajah, best known for his innovative soups, infuses the traditional belly-warming corn chowder with hints of ginger and Thai curry paste. The creamless, nut-free and vegetable stock–based soup is finished to order with a tumble of fresh shredded crab meat, crisp fried shallots and Thai basil, then sided by a flaky warm cheddar biscuit.
$8.99

: This traditional Korean stew is available at four spice levels and served in a cast iron shell that ensures the contents stay hot. A raw egg is cracked and left to poach in a kimchee-laced broth, with a single small shrimp and clam frolicking in the bubbling waves. Stir the pot to find creamy heaps of silken tofu hidden below the soup’s chilli oil–slicked surface. An assortment of side dishes joins a stone bowl of steamed rice to complete this cheap and filling feast.
$6.95

: Chef Scott Woods’s version of the cheese-laden classic is anything but standard. Silky duck consommé is fortified with Shaoxing wine, sherry, sweet roasted garlic and onions, then poured tableside over rich duck-leg confit, julienned cured duck breast and gizzards. Meanwhile, a veal jus–brushed sourdough chip acts as a golden raft that keeps crisp fried leeks and an aged cheese tuile dry. A creamy slice of foie gras, Thunder Oak gouda froth and a blistered cipollini onion add body and nutty depth to the savoury broth. The full-bodied soup is a cacophony of textures, but harmonious in flavour, brimming with mouth-watering aromas and great visual appeal. It’s even better with a glass of Riesling.
$12

: Everybody’s tutti matti (crazy, that is) about Chef Alida Solomon’s no-fuss, hearty ribollita. The soup is made from organic Tuscan black winter cabbage and mirepoix sourced from Holland Marsh, as well as creamy cannellini beans, and is thickened by bread and potato. Its name refers to its reboiled nature, which builds upon a mother soup over a 3–4 day period. The rosemary and thyme–finished ribollita is ladled over thick slices of grilled garlic–rubbed sourdough miche from Fred’s Bread, then christened with raw red onions and a healthy drizzle of olive oil.
Part of the $15 prix fixe lunch menu, $12 at dinner.

: The secret to this popular hot course is in its preparation: Chef Luis Valenzuela sautés mirepoix with garlic in chorizo fat before adding chestnuts, chestnut water, cumin and a hint of tomato paste. All the familiar flavours of the thick peasant soup are retained, but enriched with the locally made chorizo and chunks of roasted chestnuts. The result is uncommonly aromatic and comforting.
$8

: This Leslieville haunt is known for a flavourful beef noodle soup from Huế, Vietnam’s imperial capital, that bathes round rice noodles and shaved rare sirloin beef. Here, beef broth is enriched by stir-fried lemongrass, ginger, star anise and a scoop of pungent shrimp paste. The result is a light, yet satisfying, one-bowl meal that is topped with cilantro, green onions and Vietnamese basil. Bean sprouts and lime may be added to taste.
$9.50

: One glance is all you need to see that the split pea soup is one of the more popular items at this North York institution—there’s a bowl on nearly every table. The humble milk- and meat-free soup is thickened by green split peas and laced with parsley and sweet feathery dill. Strands of egg noodles float amongst diced carrots, celery and onion in this simple and crowd-pleasing number.
$3.99

The Dish

Weekly Lunch Pick

November 8, 2010 | 8:19 am

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Weekly Lunch Pick: the soft shell crab BLT at Nota Bene

Former Splendido mastermind David Lee named his restaurant after the Latin for “take note”—and this BLT is one of many reasons to do just that. The classic lunch sandwich more than lives up to its acronym: crisp bacon, fresh greens, lemon-herb mayo and plum tomatoes as red as they are flavourful are nestled between toasted slices of toasted white Epi Bread. Lee ups the ante by stuffing it full of crispy, deep-fried, chipotle-zinged soft-shell crab. With a few house-made potato chips and gherkins, the deli staple becomes a lunchtime luxury.
The cost: $33, including tax and tip.
The time: 55 minutes, with our food arriving in less than 15 minutes.
Nota Bene, 180 Queen St. W., 416-977-6400,
notabenerestaurant.com.

The Dish

From the Print Edition

August 9, 2010 | 4:28 pm

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Fisherman’s Friends: Chris Nuttall-Smith reviews Maléna and The Atlantic

The season’s most anticipated openings are two seafood-centric spots By Chris Nuttall-Smith

Maléna at Av and Dav (Image: Ryan Szulc)

Toronto is a raw bar town. We’re over-served by excellent oyster houses, and we probably consume more sushi per capita than any city east of Vancouver. But cooked fish is a problem here; we’ve never had a standout seafood spot. This spring, Nathan Isberg, of Czehoski and Coca fame, opened what early adopters described as a nose-to-tail disciple’s take on the life aquatic on Dundas West. And in Yorkville, a neighbourhood that’s desperate for a few more decent places to eat, front-of-house kings David Minicucci and Sam Kalogiros launched Maléna, a flashy fish spot. It looked like Toronto might finally turn into a seafood town.

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The Dish

Restauran-TO

January 28, 2010 | 11:45 am

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Five 2010 trends to watch: we ask Jamie Kennedy, Anthony Walsh, David Lee and other chefs what to look for in the coming year

Bespoke bread from Marc Thuet (Photo by Renée Suen)

It’s no secret that 2009 was rough for restaurants—“It’s a year a lot of restaurateurs are happy to see go,” says C5’s Ted Corrado—but with the new year almost a month old, optimism is back on the table. We talked to some of the city’s top chefs about five culinary trends for the coming year.

1. Less Is More
Small, chef-run restaurants that are down-to-earth in both atmosphere and culinary style. Chef Jamie Kennedy, who’s focusing on the Gilead Bistro, a decidedly more casual restaurant than the Wine Bar he sold last fall, anticipates more “chef-driven” spots like J.P. Challet’s Ici Bistro and Grant van Gameren’s Black Hoof. Claudio Aprile, who’s working on his second restaurant, Origin, agrees: “I’m hoping that we see a lot more restaurants that are open kitchen, 30 seats, three line cooks.”

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The Dish

Read All About It

December 10, 2009 | 8:46 am

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Mustard ad made entirely of meat, debunking rumours of a Jennifer Aniston-Jamie Oliver partnership, the caloric overload of eggnog

Military beefcake Lord Kitchener shills for Colman's

• A Colman’s Mustard’s advertisement featuring Lord Kitchener’s face recreated with meat is making veggie boosters like Paul McCartney lose their kale-burger lunches. The ad is a recreation of an iconic British WWI poster and is composed of sausage fingers, beef, chicken and sliced ham. The creepiest part might be that the yellow-tinged eyes are real, likely plucked from a pig. [Guardian]

• Meet Canada’s culinary David, Mathieu Cloutier, who upset Goliaths like Iron Chef America winner Rob Feenie and Nota Bene’s David Lee to win this year’s national Gold Medal Plates championships. Hitherto unknown, the chef started Montreal’s 30-seat Kitchen Galerie two years ago with partners Jean-Philippe St-Denis and Axel Mevel, hoping at least to break even by serving six clients a night. The dining room has been packed ever since. This past July, Cloutier and St-Denis opened a second spot, larger and more stylish, called Chez Edgar. The chef’s winning dish was an inventive and quirky foie gras steamed in a dishwasher, then served cold with muscat wine jelly and long peppers. [Globe and Mail]

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The Dish

Read All About It

December 1, 2009 | 9:38 am

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The world’s best whisky, Circa on brink of bankruptcy, the first lab-grown pork

(Photo by Danielle Scott)

• Since before Circa even opened in 2007, club watchers wondered endlessly if Peter Gatien’s enormous party palace could possibly draw in enough of a crowd to survive. Gatien left the club last March, followed by a number of original staffers, and the mega-club has been inching ever closer to bankruptcy since. Now it looks like it may go over the brink, as Circa has just sent out letters to its estimated 100 creditors. The fact that no self-respecting 416er over the age of 24 would be caught dead there is partially to blame for the club’s demise, though Circa will try to continue operations after restructuring its debt load. [BlogTO]

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The Dish

Aprons & Icons

November 20, 2009 | 5:06 pm

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David Lee and his chicken cartilage take home top honours at the Toronto edition of Gold Medal Plates

Crisp chicken skin and chicken cartilage: David Lee's winning dish at the Toronto edition of Gold Medal Plates

The bar was raised mighty high last night for the city’s haute cuisine scene with a head-to-head cook-off between some of Toronto’s most dazzling chefs. Mark McEwan (Bymark, One), Jason Bangerter (Auberge du Pommier), John Kwan (Lai Toh Heen) and seven other star cuisiniers battled it out at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre for the Toronto title of Gold Medal Plates—a national fundraiser for Canada’s Olympic and Paralympic Athletes. Held in seven cities across the country, Gold Medal Plates selects, by jury, each city’s top chefs, then asks them to create a medal-worthy meal. With plating assistance from Olympians (like dishy rower Adam Kreek), the meals are then judged by a panel of tough-to-please palates, which included food writer James Chatto (who is also GMP’s National Culinary Advisor) and last year’s Toronto winner, chef Patrick Lin.

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