Bymark, Toronto

It's our first post and our first foray into the world of restaurant critiquing. We thought we'd jump-start our site with the greatest thing to come along for foodies in Toronto: Winterlicious/Summerlicious.

Our first stop was a coveted reservation at Bymark, one of the premier dining establishments in Toronto. I won't waste your time with a writeup on the place since it has been covered numerous time already.

I started off with the upgraded first course of seared foie gras with roasted pears, crisp brioche, chocolate, and crackle. The foie gras was seared to a perfect crispy texture on one side, and perfectly cooked through. Although I prefer the texture of cold foie gras, the cooked foie gras was melt-in-your-mouth good with my only complaint being that the foie gras should have been deveined first. The crisp brioche was crisp but a little on the oily side but the roasted pears with their firm texture certainly acted as a good compliment.

The second course was a grilled veal tenderloin with squash ravioli, natural reduction and corn foam. The veal tenderloin was done medium rare and crusted with a mixture of herbs and crushed peppercorns. The taste was spectacular with the veal having a wonderful taste on its own and the natural reduction and corn foam adding to the flavour. The ravioli were slightly on the dry side outside but the squash managed to stay moist inside. The squash had a magnificent texture and flavour, again with the natural flavours speaking out. I find it a shame when sauces are too powerful and drown out the flavours of the ingredients.

Lastly, I had the apple upside down cake with caramel and whippe creme fraiche. The cake was warm and moist and done perfectly with the cool creme fraiche acting as a perfect match. Describing the flavours would not do it justice so I'll just say it was wonderful and leave it at that.