Restaurants › Continental
Lucien
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- 36 Wellington St. E. (at Leader Lane) • View on map »
- 416-504-9990
- http://www.lucienrestaurant.com/
Two years on, chef Scot Woods and owner Simon Bower’s extraordinary downtown endeavour has grown into its owners’ outsized aspirations: the mood is both mannerly and unaffected, and Woods’ attention deficit style of cooking produces dishes that are a little homey, even as they demand high-end praise. The French onion soup is a great example of Woods’ playfulness: he puts smoky confit duck, duck prosciutto and a hollowed, slow-cooked half-shallot in the bowl, then douses it all with a sweet sherry broth and a puff of gouda foam. Pork tenderloin feels like a sop to conventioneers—it’s upmarket generica rather than the expected labour of love. The wine list is also dull, considering Woods’ subtle cuisine: trophy New World reds and French and Californian whites. Still, despite the few flubs, not many chefs in the city cook this well. Mains $29–$39.
36 Wellington St. E. (at Leader Lane) | This location is wheelchair accessible
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