What it tasted like to me...

In the most recent weekend edition of the Globe & Mail's Food and Wine section, Chris Johns reviews the recently opened Oliver & Bonacini Café Grill at Yonge and Front in downtown Toronto. Now, I don't know Mr Johns, but of what I gathered from his review, and from my personal experience at this restaurant, he is culinarily inept.

Chris begins his review by complaining about the menus. Not the items on the menus (yet), but the actual menus themselves. Claiming them as too large and overly laminated, he does not see this fit for a bistro. Not sure what exactly he was expecting, but it seems like a pretty common type of menu to me...

It is then that he begins to complain about what IS on the menu. He could not find one dish for which he had something nice to say. Even the calf's liver, which he admits to liking, didn't end well, having mashed potatoes that tasted like they came from a box along side the main item.

Now, I have had the benefit of eating here. Three times. Once more than Mr Johns. The first time I had a small tasting menu prepared during the pre-opening of the restaurant, just days before the G20 essentially halted their progress. It was terrific with fresh, flavourful bistro fair in the form of a terrific tomato soup and grilled chicken sandwich. Even the 'juice of the day' was great. (Can't remember for the life of me what it was exactly, though...)

The second time I had the chance to eat there was for dinner with a close friend. Her and I have both experienced other O&B locations and were extremely pleased to have our expectations met. The service was terrific and the food spot on. I had the gnocchi which was cooked just perfectly with a terrific sauce. We also indulged in the mushroom bruschetta, which, simply put, is to die for. I don't know why Mr Johns feels inclined to complain about the selection of bruschetta. Maybe he should have tried it...

Finally, my third time at the restaurant was with my old roommates, one of whom is a leader of their wait staff. We had a terrific lunch, which, for two of us, contained the Lamb Burger. It was also, incredibly good. Chris Johns complains that it is chewy. I complain that there was not enough of it. It was incredibly tender, juicy and flavourful. The goats cheese only added to the flavour explosion in my mouth.

Anthony Walsh may not ever be calling the shots in an O&B Cafe Grill kitchen, but he still has his finger in there when it comes to a terrific menu design. If you are looking for a great place to eat downtown, this is it. Chris Johns does not seem to know what good food tastes like, or else he assumes that if it says O&B in the name, the food must be exactly the same as Canoe. Either way, he was wrong. This restaurant is terrific.

For reference, this is his review here. Try the restaurant yourself and let your mouth decide whats up.

Photo Credit: Oliver & Bonacini