Dim Sum and Then Sum

My brother and I were awful eaters as children. Is it green? Hate it! Is there sauce on that? Don’t want it! It’s not pizza? Forget about it! The exception to the rule was when we would go to Dim Sum in San Francisco. Chicken Feet? Yes, please! Sui Mai? Give us more! Is it green? No, it’s dim sum!

Needless to say, we both got over our bad eating habits and are now both excellent foodies. But dim sum will always have a special place in our hearts.

Which brings me to Lai Wah Heen. When I got to Toronto, I heard from fellow LA film biz folk and dining guides that this Chinese restaurant in the Metropolitan Hotel was the best dim sum…ever! When you walk in, you realize you are in a swanky place – it is quite beautiful inside. And the dim sum is has fresh ingredients with interesting twists on the ol’favorites…that is only the start of my problems with this restaurant. I am a dim sum purist. To bring in California cuisine to dim sum is just plain wrong. When I get sesame seed balls, I do not want them filled with chocolate, it has to be black bean paste. Another problem is that you order off the menu…no carts! The carts are what make dim sum such an experience. When you pick off a cart, you get much more variety than choosing from a menu. Then came the check. Dining at Lai Wah Heen is almost twice as much as you would pay at a normal dim sum joint. I was not impressed. Two and a Half Smacks.

Our Canadian Crew, Dawn, Russell and Sonja, told us about a dim sum restaurant near our apartment. I was so happy when I entered Pink Pearl for the first time…lots and lots of carts. Pink Pearl is a small little restaurant that is quite homey (perfect for families). The dim sum was very good, almost on par with some of my favorite San Francisco spots. They have a lot of different varieties (carts help, folks) that you can choose from. And yes, the sesame balls had bean paste in them. My wife Renee and I also went there once for dinner. Their dinner plates are very light compared to most Chinese fare. We had a plate of walnut shrimp which were sautéed instead of deep-fried…a welcomed treat. Three and a Half Smacks.

Finally, BC and I ventured to Toronto’s Chinatown to try the dim sum at Bright Pearl Seafood. It is a large dim sum palace on the 2nd floor of a shopping center and was packed with people (this place looked the most like what you are used too when going to dim sum). My one complaint with this restaurant is that they took a long time to get the carts to us (BC had a hard time getting his Sui Mai fix. There was one funny moment when we heard a cart lady shout out “Sui Mai” and then turn away from us…I thought BC was going to run off and stop her). The dim sum is good, not great, but good. They also have a fry station where you can get custom orders of pot stickers and the like. Three Smacks.

-JB


Lai Wah Heen - Metropolitan Hotel, 108 Chestnut St., Toronto (416) 977-9899

Pink Pearl - 120 Avenue Rd., Toronto (416) 966-3631

Bright Pearl Seafood - 346-348 Spandina Ave., 2nd Floor, Toronto (416) 979-3988

Susur - Almost Perfect...Almost

I was a little worried going to Susur - Susur Lee has been ranked one of the ten best chefs in the world and everyone who had gone there was telling us that it would be an experience to remember. Well, it definitely was a memorable meal. The food was excellently prepared and presented, while the service was attentive and quite professional. Was it a home run? No, but Susur still is so good that you will understand why it is so expensive (it is great to spend a nice sum of money on dinner and have it actually be worth it all).

I went with BC and BF and we all had the 5 course-tasting menu (during the week they have as seven course as well). Basically, this is a place where you want the chef to serve you up omakase style...you can order a la carte, but I highly recommend sticking with the tasting menu. They had several different items for each course, which allowed them to mix it up on the table so that we each had something different (Well, different from BF as I always seemed to get the same thing as BC).

I started out with grapes stuffed with black olives (not a big black olive fan, but it made a great combination of flavors). Next came the meat course – BC and I had the lamb over a peanut sauce. The lamb was probably the best I have had (did not have that strong after flavor that lamb can often have). It was perfectly cook and quite tender. BF had tenderloin that he also enjoyed…although he was eyeing our lamb. Third course brought out the first of the fish. BC and I had a seared ahi with a wasabi-cream sauce. The wasabi had just enough zing without destroying our nasal passages. I liked, but did not love the ahi. Our fourth course was a mixture of shrimp and scallops fried in a ball…I really liked this dish. It was perfectly fried and had a great deal of flavor. (You are all probably wondering what BF was having…I lost track after the tenderloin…sorry).

Then came the dessert course…this is where I should have had a pad and paper. I have totally forgotten what we all had! But this goes to more why Susur was a near miss for flashback status. I remember the dessert being good, but not great.

Susur also has an extensive wine list from all over the world. We decided on a Tuscan variety that fit the meal. All in all, Susur was a wonderful experience. Was it perfect? No, but not many restaurants are. Four Smacks!

-JB


Susur - 601 King St. West, Toronto (416) 603-2205

Bar Mercurio - My Kind of Place

Since I have been in Toronto, I've been wanting to find a restaurant near me that can be my spot. I believe I have found that in an Italian restaurant called Bar Mercurio. BC and I went there for dinner on Wednesday night while we waited for the production we are working on to screen dailies...late, late at night (don't ask). It is a lovely little place that seems quite popular and has the kitchen in the dining room so you can watch the chefs at work. It has modern decor that screams big city.

BC had them make a pasta arrabiata that was not on the menu (they do custom orders if you are in the mood for something specific) that he thought was quite tasty. I started out with their cajun grilled calamari that was perfectly cooked. For my main course, I had their pappardelle with truffled duck ragout...delicious. The truffle oil with the ground duck was a great combination that made me wanting more as I finished the dish. There was also a special that night of a grilled, bone-in tuscan steak that some people at the table next to us had that looked so good, I almost considered having that for another course...but that would have been absurd (or would it have?).

Before we left, I saw that it was open for breakfast as well. So I went back on Saturday morning to try their brunch. It was not nearly as crowded, but just as good. I had their special smoked benedict (eggs benedict with grilled tomatoes, roasted red peppers and house-smoked salmon). The hollandaise sauce was creamy with a hint of lemon, just as it should be. I have had a hard time finding a good breakfast joint in this city, but Bar Mercurio finally gave me the breakfast I was yearning. And it was the best coffee I have had since arriving in Toronto. As I ate, I watched the chef as he prepped for the day. He spoke Italian to an older woman who kept bringing out freshly, baked bread. If I closed my eyes, it was almost like being a small osteria in Italy.

I will be venturing out again to Bar Mercurio...many times! Three and Half Smacks.

-JB


Bar Mercurio - 270 Bloor Street West, Toronto (416) 960-3877