Danny Grossman
How the modern dance guru, whose company performs at Harbourfront this month, would spend a single perfect day. Toronto on ... By Amy Verner
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Quiet changes to the modern, earth-toned decor (dark hardwood instead of carpet, a wall of wine bottles) have relaxed the 36-seat room a little. That said, it’s still smart enough to prompt a sense of occasion, a mood backed up by deftly professional servers. Chef Patrick Lin has created a new menu of dishes that subtly interweave many Asian and western culinary cultures. The effects are more meticulous than flashy and offer both intellectual and sensual satisfaction. Quintessentially Cantonese geoduck clam and baby cucumber are cut like sashimi to amplify their raw crunch, then dressed with citrus-ginger vinaigrette and topped with slivers of mango and blood orange. Lin created truffled spaghettini with lobster 15 years ago as the signature dish for Truffles and reprises it here; the poached lobster is impeccable though the pasta is a tad stodgy beneath the aromatic truffle. Black cod fillet looks lacquered beneath a glaze of honey and balsamic, plated alongside two ramekins, one of which holds a gingery mash of apple and butternut squash, the other a delectable crabmeat with tomato-onion brunoise under gratinéed hollandaise. In another clever combination of techniques, the skin of a duck breast is spiced, marinated and cooked in a Chinese style while the meat is grilled as pink as a French magret; Lin pairs it well with foie gras, sliced king oyster mushrooms, port and fig purée and a mix of sliced shiitakes and baby peas. Desserts showcase the Senses pâtisserie: perhaps banana cream pie in ethereal pastry. A reasonably priced wine list favours the New World with plenty by the glass. Mains $29–$45.
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