Couple of days ago, while having a beer at Hemingways, I met a guy at the bar who turned out to be the owner of the aforementioned restaurant. It is located on Harbord Street @ Manning Ave - this location previously housed Unaghi and prior to that, Ici Bistro. A tiny place - only about 25 seats including the bar.
TL;DR: Superb service, excellent food - definitely worth the trip.
After speaking with Sergeui at Hemingways, I made a reservation for dinner the next night i.e.: last night, for a tasting menu at the Chef’s counter. They offer a 4-course tasting menu for $55 + $35 for wine pairing. The counter can seat 3 or 4 people in a pinch. Last night, it was set for one.
The evening started off with a glass of Rose Cremant from Bourdeaux which was delicious.
The Amuse bouche was grilled peach, braised and grilled Octopus in Ponzu aioli - possibly the most tender Octopus I’ve had in forever. The chef mentioned that the Octopus was braised in red wine for about three hours. The more interesting part of that the braising liquid contains two wine corks - he mentioned that is the corks that make it all come together. Why? no one knows.
The first course was organic greens, roasted squash, pomegranate and red wine reduction with Chèvre paired with a Sauvignon Blanc from Bordeaux. No Semillon here - worked beautifully.
Second course was Ricotta gnocchi, burnt beurre blanc, garlic roasted mushrooms, with a touch of lemon juice with the option of Burgundy truffles. Gnocchi is something I never order because most places make it too dense and heavy. Not so here - quite light and delicious. This was paired with a Cote de Beaune white which was beautifully balanced. I had a second glass that continued evolving in the glass over 45 minutes.
The main course was roasted Halibut - a fish that I normally detest. It was served on a bed of Persimmon chili, with a few drops spicy aioli and a touch of Persimmon gel. The fish was perfectly cooked and with the accompaniments, it was perfect. To this day, Patrick Kriss is the only chef who has made me enjoy Halibut - to this, I add Chef Cam - Brilliant dish. Paired with a lighter Rioja - this was the only pairing that did not hit the mark even though it was ok. I mentioned that with the little bit of spice and the sweetness of the persimmon chili, a lighter bodied Pinot would have been better. He agreed but he also mentioned that a good Pinot is expensive.
Dessert was Flourless chocolate torte with Grand Marnier foam and marmalade chili paired with Petit Verdot wine from Spain - while it was a pretty decent match, I think this would have been a perfect match with a high alcohol fruit bomb from California.
After some Otard Cognac and an espresso, I left with a full belly and a smile on my face.