Nota Bene (Toronto) - Solid… so why do I feel so Meh??
Nota Bene is the glimmering darling of Toronto’s 2008 restaurant scene. Reviewers and bloggers have been exorbitant in their praises and Chowhound is abuzz with the splendor of Splendido’s street-style sister.
Nobody was more excited about Nota Bene than the Rabbitz. It finally promised a neighbourhood destination suitably gourmand and yet financially restrained. We thought we’d be there every week. We thought we’d know the bartenders on first- name basis. But we don’t. And this is in part because we just don’t think Nota Bene is all that.
We showed up about 8:30 on a Saturday night — generally a Very Bad Plan but with Winter and The Recession working in our favour we had no trouble getting a great seat at the bar. The congenial barkeep was very welcoming and happy to recommend cocktails from their house-list. I opted for the Air Canada, a version of the classic Aviation. After our discussion, Mr. Rabbit was snobbishly satisfied that our barkeep understood classic cocktails so he varied from his standard Manhattan to order a Sidecar. The barkeep started with a good splash of bitters — wrong. The drink that was thus produced was not actually bad. In fact it was kinda nice, but it was a contravention of the classic ‘Car and we felt violated and weird.But then came the crisp duck salad, which easily lived up to NB’s hype. The delicious duck was paired with a green papaya slaw and cashes in a fresh and tangy dressing. It was beautifully plated with several tiny and vibrant blossoms, a distinct pleasure for eye and palate.
Next up were the braised beef short ribs with a pickled horseradish salad. The meat was succulent and tender, and the presentation again quite dramatic with a large rib bone garnishing the plate (purely decorative).
While the duck was a “begin” according to NB’s menu, the beef was a “follow,” and yet not-quite a main and an à al carte side was really required to round out the meal. We opted for the frites that proved quite delish with a grating of pecorino. The serving was generous and very sitiable for sharing
The brussels sprouts (added pork always helps) were so good that I ate a few myself despite my bad relationship with cruciferous vegetables.
For dessert, Mr. Rabbit ordered himself up a bread and butter pudding. It looked very… yellow, but I didn’t sample so I can’t give much of a report. He ate the whole thing, however, which probably says something.Maybe our un-enthusiasm for NB simple comes from its being over-hyped. Really, there was absolutely nothing wrong with our meal. The space is pretty and fun, service was good, there was that sidecar gone wrong, but it was still a nice drink. Food was solid, and yet for me this place still lacks a certain je ne said quoi.
Posted on February 27th, 2009 by rabbit
Filed under: Toronto, Restaurant Reviews
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