The Ossington restaurant strip is back in the news with the end of a moratorium on liquor licences and the reopening of Salt Wine Bar, and its new neighbour Fishbar.
That’s good news for diners who had to shoe horn themselves into the overpopulated and undersized eateries heating up the street such as Pizzeria Libretto, Delux, Foxley. All big on flavours and crowds but short on space.
The would-be ace on the strip, the man with the (one-time) last liquor licence before the moratorium and a large enough room to spread his wings and actually take reservations, is Paul Boehmer. His (sort of) eponymous restaurant (actually Böhmer) was to be the spot, the one that pushed the area over the hump to become the top restaurant destination in the city. But, he’s not there yet.
With substantially more seats than his neighbours, Boehmer will need to attract diners from across the city who are willing to make his restaurant a destination. And with a reputation built on numerous stints in the city’s best kitchens, you’d think I was in for something special … not so much.
The space looks great, and the restaurant’s environmental ethic — wood chandeliers, reclaimed wood, reusable water bottles for the table — is an ideal match for the simple, seasonal Canadiana menu.
Everything on the carte sounds fabulous until I read that house baked bread is $5.Who do we have to thank for this disturbing trend?
The baby beet salad with Ontario goat cheese and Niagara cranberry vinaigrette ($13) epitomizes the season. Greens are nicely dressed with just enough acidity to contrast both the creamy goat cheese and colourful baby beets.
The panseared scallops, in a pool of bisque sauce ($18) are plump, masterfully seared with a golden crust but a moist and tender interior. Sauce is rich with notes of brandy coming through.
All good in the ’hood so far.We dine on.
The Quebec pan-seared foie gras with glazed Mutsu apples ($22) is so miniscule that we can’t even share it. The outside is charred and falling apart while the fat has totally rendered out making it greasy and unpleasant. The nicely turned poached apples offer little consolation.
For mains, the turf-braised veal cheeks with mashed and Brussels sprouts ($32) looks dreary on the plate and is light on flavour.Taking to the water proves even less exciting as the Arctic char, served with potato rosti and shallot hollandaise, ($28) is overcooked.
Even the rosti is greasy. The service is very friendly, and I like their commitment to serving filtered water, either flat or bubbly, from the in-house system with washable bottles. But, I have to ask.
Is this the Paul Boehmer who showed so much promise after apprenticing with Michael Stadtländer at the venerable Eigensinn Farm? The same Boehmer who dazzled us while working the Rosewater Supper Club kitchen?
Bottom line: the food shows a lack of finesse and dimension.
Böhmer needs serious work, and fast. And $5 for bread? It’s bread!
2/5 stars
93 Ossington Ave., 416-531-3800 $125 Dinner for two
