HLFD in TO: Origin Restaurant

Food bloggers/photographers not welcomed.  That was the feeling I got when dining at Origin Restaurant in Toronto.  I had made the reservation a month prior (the dinner was for my birthday with a couple girlfriends).  I got there early (the restaurant was fairly empty at that point) and asked the hostess if I could take pictures.  And then the evening took a strange turn.  It's unfortunate since I was looking forward to dining at this trendy restaurant opened by the same people as high-end Colborne Lane.

Here was the weird exchange:

Me: Do you mind if I take a few photos of the restaurant for my website? 

Hostess:  Did you get permission from the management?  The owner/executive chef have to give permission.

Me:  No, I'm sorry.  But it's ok if I take photos of my meal, right? I don't use flash nor will I intrude on anyone here.  (There were no signs online or in the restaurant indicating that the restaurant had a no-camera policy)

Hostess:  Let me see if the General Manager can speak with you.  (I gave her my business card and she immediately returned it back to me).

Hostess (upon returning):  Ok. The GM contacted the owner and said you can take pictures but to let you know that we like advanced notice so that we can prepare special dishes for you. (Huh?! - Note to restaurants:  I do not need nor expect special treatment. I just like taking photos of your beautiful dishes and I've done so way before I had a website!)

I thanked her, took a few photos, and then returned to my table.  But the weird exchanges didn't end there.

The kitchen is open-concept located in the middle of the restaurant.  I noticed that the sous chef and kitchen staff kept looking over at our table.  I also noted that despite walking around the restaurant a few times near our table, the General Manager never once came by to speak to me.  However, the strangest incidence happened in the middle of our dinner:
A staff member approached our table (not our server nor the GM) and told me: I'll have to take away your camera. Photographs are not allowed here.
My response:  Well, the owner said that I could take photos.
He then walked away as the entire kitchen staff was watching this exchange.  They started laughing hysterically and slapped each other on the back.  Now I know kitchen staff pull pranks on each other, but I do not believe it should involve diners. (Especially when the bill would exceed a few hundred dollars)

I'm glad that we ordered drinks because we would need it!  I ordered the Ginger Mojito ($12): The mix of Meyer lemon, fresh ginger, mint, and rum was summery with a subtle ginger flavor. 

Raspberry Collins ($14):  Fresh raspberries, vodka, Chambord, lemon, and sugar made up this fruity cocktail.  It was sweeter than the mojito but tasted good too.

One of my friends and I were really excited about the cheese bruschettas.  She had visited me in NYC and we had the best burrata salad at Supper and haven't been able to replicate that experience. 
The Burrata ($15) with pesto and romesca wasn't as good as our creamy burrata at Supper.  This burrata was good, but drier and less flavorful than our euphoric experience at Supper.
The Fior di Matte ($15) with mushrooms and truffle oil was a bigger hit amongst my friends.  If you like rustic and earthy tastes, you will enjoy this plate.  The rich truffle oil permeates the dish and your mouth is full of umami.

I thought it was fun that this trendy restaurant would also serve Jarritos soda pops (my friend got fruit punch).  My hubby and I usually enjoy this drinks at our favorite taquerias in the city.

Deviled eggs ($3 each):  With gremolata (mixture of lemon zest, garlic, and parsley) and large pieces of smoked bacon, this was a tasty and elegant take on deviled eggs.

Japanese Style Tuna Salad ($16):  Raw tuna with Asian pear, avocado, and spicy ponzu dressing was fairly refreshing.

The Wokked and Fried Calamari ($16) was one of the least favorite dishes amongst our foursome.  The calamari got soggy quickly with the caramelized peanut sauce and pineapple.  Despite the splashes of hot sauce (Sriracha I believe), the dish was not spicy.

Chorizo ($17) with manchego rice, poached egg, salsa verde, and dried black olive was interesting.  With the olives, chorizo, and manchego rice, it was a pretty savory dish.

One of our favorite dishes was the Miso-glazed black cod ($19) with soba noodle salad, ginger vinaigrette, and miso broth.  The fish was meaty and tender - it just melted in our mouths.

The Dulce de leche ($9) was interesting.  It had a lemon sponge cake with caramel crunch, sea salt, and raspberry ice (frozen with liquid nitrogen).  I actually liked this sweeter dessert because of the mix of textures and the cool raspberry ice that would melt in your mouth with a burst of fruity flavor.

We were disappointed with the Manchego Cheesecake ($9) with saffron sorbet and marinated blueberries.  It tasted fine, but it could have been a regular cheesecake.  We could not taste any manchego in it and really wanted to taste some nuttiness.

Overall, the food was fine but I guess I should have read about his anti-blogger sentiments first.  Despite the odd interactions, I thought the restaurant was beautiful in aesthetic and (solely thanks to my girlfriends) managed to enjoy the evening.

Origin is located at 107-109 King St E in Toronto, ON, Canada.

{Dining Out} Bar Basque

We dined on a variety of tapas from new restaurant Bar Basque.

When summer comes to NYC, we rush out to the nearest patio. But lately with the temperatures reaching nearly 100F/40C,we've been rushing back inside seeking the cool comfort of air conditioning.  Dining at Bar Basque, however, lets us enjoy the feeling of being outside with the cool breeze of A/C.  This restaurant on the second floor of the Eventi Hotel is a beautiful space.  There's also an outdoor movie screen that adds to the trendy nightspot feel to this place (and overlooks the newly opened FoodParc outdoor space).

Our menu featured the chef's selection from the main menu.

We were invited by the restaurant to try highlights from their summer menu. We had dined at their sister restaurant, Asia de Cuba, so we were eager to try the food.  They had a set menu prepared for us, but welcomed us to order drinks and anything else we wanted to try.

Fried cheese and tuna tartare "lollipops"

The first couple of bites were of a Idiazabal Cheese Croquettes (usually $8) which was best to eat by hand instead of letting the cheese ooze out.  It was warm with a crispy, slightly thick coating.  They were good, but not as addictive nor as light as cheese gougeres.  The light Yellowfin Tuna Tartare Pushpop with Red Wine Caviar (usually $9) were fun and easy to eat (a trend we've seen popping up, most recently by Lincoln at the Citymeals-on-Wheels event).

(Clockwise from top left) Octopus and mackerel in cans; tuna crudo; chorizo; scallops

One of our favorite dishes of the night was the Octopus with Black Olives and Tomato Confit (usually $8).  The sweet cherry tomatoes balanced the salty olives and grilled octopus.  We also liked their presentation in fish tins. The tins come from Spain and definitely reminded me of my holidays there.

The Mixed Sauteed Chorizos (usually $12) was another favorite. It had three different chorizos: chistoras, mini spicy, and Palacios. We especially enjoyed the mini spicy chorizo.  This dish could easily be shared as a snack for 3 people. 

The Spanish mackerel (usually $8) was fresh and meaty. My husband likes this oilier fish and thought it didn't need the shallots because it stood out well on its its own.  The Yellowfin Tuna Crudo ($12) came with Ajo Blanco and Chimichurri. The tuna was okay, but we enjoyed dipping the soft yet chewy bread with the chimichurri.

The dish we didn't care too much for was the Sea Scallop Crudo with olives and preserved lemon (usually $12). The scallops got lost in the toppings. 

Jeff chose a refreshing Junipero Gin & Tonic (usually $13) to drink.  The gin is from Anchor Distilling in San Francisco - the same people behind Anchor Brewing. He enjoyed his drink, which was brightened by lime and coriander.  I chose the Pear Blossom (usually $14) with Grey Goose La Poire, St. Germaine, pear puree, and cava. It was subtly sweet and a nice summery evening cocktail.  

One of our third course dishes was the Smoked Trout a la Plancha with Jamon Butter (usually $12).  it was rich and saucy, with a hint of smoke on the finish eating the fish.  The salty roe was a nice touch.

The Heirloom Tomato Salad (usually $10) was very pretty.  For me, it was a little overdressed with Jimenez Sherry Vinegar making the tomatoes slightly mealy. 

Lastly, the Slow Braised Pork Belly, Baby Clams in an Albarino Wine Sauce (usually $14) was the third dish of our three courses.  We're not used to having a pork belly without that crispy seared outside, but the savory clam and wine broth kept this really moist and easy to eat. 

The desserts were my favorite dishes.  The Pina Colada with Coconut Flan, pineapple salad, and rum caramel was nice and bright. The pineapple salad with fresh mint added the freshness I needed to offset our rich meal. 

We both enjoyed the Fried milk with Passion Fruit reduction and Chocolate ganache.  Reminding us of warm donuts (like the ones we've enjoyed elsewhere), the fried milk was lighter and creamier than we expected.  The fried milk was so good being dipped in the chocolate ganache (and for Jeff, was a nice finish paired with a glass of Pedro Ximénez sherry (below pic)).  The passion fruit had a slight tang, but we thought that the chocolate ganache was the better match.

My husband's dessert = a glass of sherry

We much preferred the light of the outdoor space. The dark red interior was difficult to navigate (finding the restrooms was an unnecessary challenge). 

Overall, we would return to Bar Basque if we had out-of-town guests who wanted that SATC/NYC vibe and didn't mind the higher price points.  We ate enough for at least three people, so the tapas menu is definitely good for a group as would just coming here for a drink and/or dessert.  

Bar Basque is located at 839 Ave of the Americas (b/n 29th and 30th Sts.)

 

FTC disclosure: This meal was complimentary of the restaurant.  The opinions are entirely our own.

Bar Carrera and Momofuku Milk Bar: Good Eats during Tribeca Film Festival

With the Tribeca Film Festival in town, dinner and a movie took on a whole new meaning.  We loved checking out the movies, seeing the red carpet, and listening to why the directors/producers created their movies.  But finding a nice spot for dinner proved a little more difficult as movie-goers (and the regular Momofuku fans) crowded into Momofuku Ssam.  Instead, we checked out Bar Carrera and unexpectedly found both the nicest server in NYC and a good selection of Basque-style tapas.

We quenched our thirst with a pitcher of crisp Cucumber Sangria ($16) and a couple glasses of Spanish red wines (Setena $9, Perlat $10).  We started with a couple of simple, but flavorful, salads.  The Tomato salad ($6) had goat cheese, arugula, and sherry vinaigrette while the Green apple and Walnut salad ($6) came with arugula, idiazabal cheese (a nutty sheeps milk cheese), and cider vinaigrette.

The Smoked salmon ($6) with caviar, honey, mascarpone cheese on a mini brioche looked like a savory cupcake.  The Patatas bravas ($5) were just roasted salted potatoes with a smoked paprika aioli.  The Cheese plate ($15) featured Spanish cheeses (with a mini baguette) like a goats milk manchengo and a blue goats milk cheese along with an apricot spread.  We did enjoy the earthy "Egg in a Blanket" ($6) which was a truffled egg in a mini brioche with serano ham and manchego cheese.

Happily mixing sweet and savory in our mouths was the tender Pork belly ($6) that was caramelized with juniper sugar and served on a chick pea puree.  Jamon wrapped dates ($5) with marcona almonds was also a favorite for its salty jamon serrano (like prosciutto) and sweet dates.

And since we couldn't get into Momofuku Ssam, we opted for dessert at Momofuku Milk bar.  We got the cereal milk soft serve ice cream ($4.15).  It had a grainy texture and eerily tasted like that sweetened leftover milk in the bowl after you finish your cereal.  We also tried a taste of zucchini ice cream, which was weird and salty.  If you like minty chocolate, the grasshopper pie ($5.25) will freshen your breath.  It has a filling of both mint cheesecake and brownies.  The crack pie ($5.25) is, of course, sweetly addictive.  It's made with a toasted oat crust and a gooey butter filling.

Both restaurants provided a perfect movie-like ending.

Bar Carrera is located at 175 Second Ave (btwn 11th and 12th Sts) in NYC.

Momofuku Milk bar is located at 207 Second Ave (entrance on 13th St) in NYC.

{Travel} Julian Serrano (Las Vegas)

Paella ($45) at Julian Serrano in the Aria hotel

Tapas, tapas, tapas...Looking back at our Vegas photos (really, food photos), it does seem like all we did was eat Spanish cuisine. In addition to José Andrés' restaurants (including é by josé andrés), we dined at Julian Serrano's eponymous restaurant.

The danger with tapas is that, as my mom would say, my eyes are bigger than my stomach. I want to try everything and these small dishes become surprising filling. So despite sharing this meal with 2 other people, we left so full, but happy.

Lobster-Pineapple Skewers ($14)

After ordering the paella (it takes 35 minutes to prepare), I quickly ordered a bunch of tapas for our table of four. One of my favorite dishes was this beautiful lobster-pineapple skewer. It was so fresh and combined two of my favorite ingredients.

Huevos estrellados: fried potatoes, eggs, imported Spanish pork chorizo ($10)

Either we were all very full or this dish was the least favorite one, but the Huevos Estrellados was one of the only dishes our table couldn't finish.

(clockwise from top left) Stuffed dates wrapped in applewood bacon ($8); Mediterranean bass with tomato confit and arbol chili ($10); Stuffed piquillo peppers with goat cheese and mushrooms ($10); Black pig pintxo of Iberian pork shoulder meat and caramelized onion ($18) 

Everyone at the table devoured the stuffed dates wrapped in bacon - addictive with their sweet and salty flavor. It was one of Jeff's favorites. The moist bass' skin was nice and crispy while the Iberian pork was tasty.

Bombas ($10): Spicy beef and pork meatballs with Manchego cheese and rocoto peppers 

Jeff's other favorite dish were these fried spicy beef and pork meatballs.  Not surprising since it combined his favorite meats with cheese and a crunchy texture.

Beef and cheese ($17): Prime tenderloin with cheese, honey, and pecans

The beef was nice and tender. By now we were more than full and then the paella showed up. The Valenciana paella ($45) was filled with chicken, rabbit, spanish pork chorizo, vegetables, and saffron rice. It was a tad salty but still worth the try. We'd be happy to re-visit Julian Serrano the next time we're in Vegas - but I'll try to not order the whole menu!