Canada’s Best New Restaurants 2008

N˚1 (Canada's Best)

Nota Bene
180 Queen St. W.
Toronto, 416-977-6400
notabenerestaurant.com

Listen carefully. Where does music like this come from? Those winsome, electronic sounds, never rising above the level of hushed conversation, seem to emanate from some alternate universe where things are a little gentler and more refined. Look closely. Have you ever seen Torontonians so dressed up for dinner? Maybe it’s the recessed spotlights and tall lamps that create a glow so flattering, even that notoriously difficult actress in the corner is happy.

While at first glance such a scene might suggest a “serious” restaurant, the reality is quite different. Where else can you get a lesson from your sommelier in the finer points of rabbit butchery? “My grandmother used to hold them by the leg…” That’s not to suggest that a little awed reverence would be entirely out of place.

Chef David Lee and his business partners Yannick Bigourdan and Franco Prevedello have created a restaurant that is both democratic and elite. A party of heavy-hitting power suits with enviable expense accounts command the private room, devouring nine-inch bone-in aged rib steaks while guzzling decade-old bottles of Quintarelli. Nearby, a young couple, fingers intertwined, are trying boudin noir for the first time and splitting a carafe of Malivoire Ladybug rosé. Taking a cue from roadside diners, the menu offers daily specials - Chump Steak Thursdays, Lobster Wednesdays - that change with the seasons.

The kitchen relies on Asian and Latin flavours for its inspiration, filtering and refining them in the process. Ocean trout, sliced into meaty garnet sashimi, finds its inherent richness intensified by sesame oil, balanced with herbaceous elements (shiso, Thai basil) and heightened by exotic notes (kaffir lime and ginger). A slight gaminess is perceptible in thick slices of hanger steak dusted in ground guajillo peppers. The smokiness of the chilies pairs with the sweetness of caramelized onions, resulting in a chocolatey flavour, while an avocado and tomatillo chutney adds creaminess and acidity to the dish.

In restaurant lingo, the notation “NB” (for nota bene) next to a reservation indicates that the party is to be treated with special care and attention. Here the term applies to everyone.  
 

N˚2

Le Local
740, rue William
Montréal, 514-397-7737
resto-lelocal.com

Perhaps if you are a part of Quebec’s haut monde – the bustling, cinematic room is crammed with politicians and judges, directors and an inordinate number of beautiful women – a restaurant like this seems entirely normal. For the rest of us, however, it’s a little baffling. First there’s the location, somewhere between Old Montreal and an expressway on-ramp. Then there’s the fact that the floors are concrete and the walls are hardwood. Angled mirrors reflect not the diners but the buzz of the open kitchen. The staff can seem rude one minute, gracious the next. Don’t look to the menu for any help; it offers a cochonnailles plate with “a mixture of interesting things,” cassolette d’escargots and deer tartar with pickle cream. The butternut squash soup and chestnut purée is served with what resembles a baby spoon.

In a less food-savvy city, such a scene might detract from the food or cause the kitchen to get lazy. Not here. Something as simple as a beet salad transforms into a surprising treat with the addition of cherry tomatoes, crisp lardons, truffle oil, goat cheese and a simultaneously crunchy and creamy panko-crumb-covered poached egg. The shrimp risotto with chorizo, fennel, shiitakes and cheddar from L’Isle-aux-Grues even manages to incorporate vanilla oil without making the dish taste like a misguided dessert. Speaking of which, the Black Forest cake for two breathes new life into a dish normally associated with grocery-store display cases.

When all of the restaurant’s quirks begin to bewilder, don’t panic. Just sit back and enjoy the show.