L'Ouvrier Kitchen Bar

I'm not the type of person to do anything huge or crazy for my birthday. No bars or clubs for this girl. I like to keep it low-key with good food and my closest friends. With that in mind, Edward, Ronsee, and Steph took me for dinner last night at L'Ouvrier Kitchen Bar, where we took part in their six-course tasting menu:
P.E.I. oysters with red wine mignonette gelée, Bulleit bourbon mignonette, and house smoked sambal
First course of the night was oysters. Three small but fresh and creamy P.E.I. oysters served with three different sauces: red wine mignonette gelée, Bulleit bourbon mignonette, and house smoked sambal. All three were really, really good, but I think my personal favourite was the red wine mignonette 'cause it balanced perfectly with the clean taste of the oyster. The bourbon mignonette was my second favourite, but only narrowly — it has a wonderful smoky flavour that reminds me of, well, smoked salmon. The sambal was good but overwhelmed the oyster a little too much, in my opinion. But there is something for everyone, and all three should be really enjoyable for any oyster lover. I like that they took the time to make a nice presentation, too.
Roasted beet salad with baby arugula, chevre, pine nuts, feta cheese, and white balsamic vinaigrette
The second course was a roasted beet salad. At first, I didn't think anything of it because, um, it's salad. But underneath all that fresh arugula was a massive slice of juicy, mildly sweet, but oh-so addictive beet. I didn't think I really liked beets that much, or at least I was rather indifferent to it. But this salad totally changed my mind. I love those goddamn beets. The inclusion of pine nuts and feta cheese gives it a beautiful contrast in texture and flavour, with the nuts adding a nice crunch and the feta offering a nice salty tang. The white balsamic vinaigrette keeps it tart and light, too; definitely one of the best salads I've ever had. 
Tuna tartare with soy glaze, pickled ginger, smoked chili paste, sesame cucumbers, and kettle chips
The third course of the night was by far the most interesting. I've had tuna tartare before, but this one has a fun Asian twist to it with a soy glaze and a touch a ginger. I normally don't like ginger, but it adds a really nice freshness to the tuna without overwhelming it. The cucumbers, drizzled with sesame oil and sprinkled with a flurry of toasted sesame seeds, offers a satisfying crunch and a nutty flavour that works really well with the tuna. The most interesting part, though, is that the tuna tartare is served with housemade kettle chips! Take a chip, spread some tuna tartare, add a touch of the smoked chili paste, and it's a party in your mouth (um, in the best way possible). The flavours and textures of each individual item works so harmoniously together, it's like a super-fancy party snack. So, so good. If you ever visit L'Ouvrier, this is a must-have (it's available on their regular menu, too). 
Butternut squash tortelloni with brown butter, grana padano, maple syrup, and pumpkin seeds
The fourth course was a butternut squash tortelloni, which is also available on their regular menu. The table was pretty split with this particular dish, as some thought the sweeter flavours were akin to breakfast foods and not suitable for dinner, but I actually quite enjoyed it. The pasta itself is cooked al dente, so it does have a firmer shell, but inside holds a beautiful golden-orange butternut squash purée. It is cooked in brown butter and drizzled with maple syrup, which is where the "breakfast food" comparison comes in; it does taste somewhat like pancakes. But the addition of grana padano cheese and pumpkin seeds gives it depth and dimension; the cheese counteracts the sweetness with its strong saltiness and the pumpkin seeds adds a satisfying crunch and a nice nuttiness that works well with the butternut squash. I guess it's a hit-or-miss for some people, but it was a hit for me.
Panko-crusted pig cheek with cheddar grits, smoked ham hock jus, kale, pickled radish, and fried shallots
So up until this point, we still had room for more food as each dish came out about 20 minutes after each other, giving us ample time to digest. I actually prefer this pace as it feels more like a leisurely meal. We were waiting for the big kahuna, the main dish, the slab-of-meat course. And the fifth course did not disappoint. They served us the panko-crusted pig cheek (also available on their regular menu), tender and juicy inside a light coating of panko crumbs, fried to crispy, golden perfection. It is served on a bed of crispy kale leaves, which offer a mildly bitter flavour, along with two strips of pickled radish, which almost act as a palate cleanser in between bites of meat. All of that is served atop a generous portion of creamy, salty, addictive cheddar grits, which is drizzled with smoked ham hock jus. A strange combination that works really well together, but goddamn, is it ever heavy. I was about 3/4 through this course when I suddenly felt incredibly full and sleepy. The cheddar grits (which kind of remind me of mac and cheese, but without the pasta... if that makes sense) hits you like a ton of bricks. If we were still hungry before this dish, we were overly full afterwards.
Coconut lime pie with coconut whipped cream and candied lime peel
Maple pannacotta with pumpkin compote, pistachios, and candied orange
But that doesn't mean we didn't have room for dessert. There's always room for dessert. For some reason, they served two different desserts so that two of us got one type, and the other two got the other type, so we decided to share them all. The first one was a coconut lime pie, which consisted of a crunchy coconut-infused graham cracker crust with a layer of tart key lime, and then a mound of whipped cream with a flurry toasted coconut shavings and candied lime peel on top. The graham cracker crust gives this dessert a nice sturdy base while the whipped cream mellows out the tartness of the key lime. If you're a fan of key lime pie or lemon meringue pie or other tart citrusy desserts, you'll love this one. But as much as I enjoyed that one, the pannacotta was just perfection. The pannacotta itself is firm and jelly-like when you cut it with a spoon, but once you put it in your mouth, it is beautifully creamy with a hint of sweet maple. The addition of pumpkin spice compote, served on the side, is what makes this magical, though, almost like a light, creamy version of pumpkin pie. Pistachios and candied oranges add a nice textural contrast to keep the dessert from being too soft or mushy. I think this dessert is exclusive to their fall menu (and what a perfect fall dessert it is), but it's a must-order for as long as they have it.
The interior of this restaurant is very simplistic with minimal decor; a couple framed photos and art prints here and there, but nothing to distract you from the reason you're there: the food. The tables are clean and bare to keep in with the minimalistic decor. It's not exactly cozy, but there is a warmth to the dimmness in there, with lit candles on every table. It's good for more casual dates, but the hipster-like atmosphere makes it appropriate for big parties, too. They play nice, upbeat indie tunes (e.g. HAIM, Phoenix, etc.) that keeps it light and fun (and screams "young crowd") but nothing so fast or loud that it takes away from the experience. The service was somewhat slow because there were only two girls working the whole restaurant, but our server was super-nice and attentive without hovering. This is a great place to try if you're looking for great quality food cooked with ingenuity that is reasonably priced (the six-course tasting menu is $50 a person). Overall, I had a wonderful birthday dinner. 27 really isn't so bad when you've got good food and great company.

L'Ouvrier Kitchen Bar 791 Dundas Street West Toronto, ON M6J 1V1 (416) 901-9581