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Black Hoof
Category: Restaurants Gastropubs Gastropubs [Edit]
928 Dundas St WToronto, ON M6J 1W3
Neighbourhoods: Little Italy, Trinity Bellwoods
(416) 551-8854
- Hours:
Mon, Sun 6 pm - 11:30 pm
Thu-Sat 6 pm - 1 am
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Trendy
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
123 reviews for Black Hoof
Review Highlights
"Raw Horse Sammy was interesting and delicious."
(in 12 reviews)
"Bone marrow with chimichurri was a nice twist."
(in 38 reviews)
"The Foie Gras was really delicious."
(in 30 reviews)
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123 reviews in English
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Review from Martha V.
2/6/2012
I guess I picked the right place to go for my one dinner in Toronto!!! Oh la la - it did not disappoint - thanks fellow Yelpers.
I arrived around 10 and there was a half hour wait. The hostess told me I would be sitting with another single who was waiting across the street in the cocktail bar. I, too, went to wait and enjoy a wonderful rye Manhattan (opened my eyes as I am a bourbon kinda gal).
About 20 minutes later Justin (my new friend) and I were seated. A huge shout out to Justin who was willing to share dishes with a perfect stranger. Eureka! My menu horizons increased dramatically!!! We started with the horse tartare per everyone's recommendations. It did not disappoint. After I got over the novelty of eating horse meat I truly enjoyed it and the sauce that accompanied it - although I did not fine it particularly spicy as billed. The meat was sweet and the sauce balanced it perfectly. Onto the bone marrow. I just made bone marrow a week or so ago (the bones I purchased were labeled "dog bones") but this was perfectly done and the chimmichurra pesto was a nice foil to the rich marrow. Tongue sandwich next. I was worried that might put me over the top (and there was more to come). The meat was sliced perfectly thin and it was superb. I don't remember any sauce on it but there didn't need to be as the meat was so good. It was not a heavy sandwich (thanks to the brioche roll) so I had room to continue. Next up: smoked sweetbreads. Delectable. Served under a salad. I did not taste much smokiness but since I am not a big fan of smoked meat, which was fine by me! Justin made a decision to order one more thing and thank goodness he did. The foie gras with banana pan perdu sitting on top of Nutella (yep - that's right, Nutella!) with puddles of a sherry gastrique. I had one bite and nearly swooned. Desert-o-licious!!!!!!!!!!!!
The food outshone the atmosphere which was cozy. There was a small kitchen area at the end of the bar (where I was seated) and I was amazed watching the cooking that was going on in front of me on an non comercial (electric) stove. Impressive.
Left about 12:30 with nary a regret (except that there was not a Black Hoof in Boston)! -
Review from Stephanie C.
Toronto, ON
2/3/2012 1 Check-in Here
I now get it.
After wanting to eat at the Black Hoof for years, I finally got my chance last night. My dinner companion and lady date friend K. was more excited than me to finally eat here. Even her boyfriend was excited for me. The Black Hoof definitely met with my expectations and I hope to make this "meat palace" a regular place to visit.
From what you've read, getting there early is a good idea. We were the first ones to arrive at 6pm and we were the only ones for a while. But the restaurant quickly filled up within the hour.
Everything I've read about the restaurant I experienced: the ambiance was nice and intimate; the music selection was great; the wine list was impressive; and the beer selection was good. We each had the Beau's Lagered Ale which was a good choice.
OK, the food. It's delectable, comforting, flavourful, fatty, luxurious, pleasurable. Have I included enough adjectives? But you get my point. Each dish raised the bar for the next.
We had:
- House cured meats
- Bone marrow
- Spicy horse tartar
- Tongue on brioche
- Duck and black bean
It's hard to say which ones were my favourites but the tongue brioche just exploded with meat that melted in your mouth. It was the best meat sandwich I've ever had. The bone marrow was sumptuous: I would have sucked the juices from it if I wasn't in a public place. -
Review from Blair M.
Black Hoof is what the 5th star was invented for on Yelp.
This place is in my books the best that Toronto has to offer in the way of restaurants.
Great atmosphere in a small cozy setting, whether you're sitting with a group of friends at the back or enjoying the company of the amazing staff up front at the bar, Black Hoof is just perfection.
I am slowly but surely working my way through the menu but its very hard as I find myself falling in love with everything I try and needing to revisit some of the old meals when those cravings kick in.
I can say that no matter what you try you won't be disappointed but so far the tried, tested and true have got to be the bone marrow, the Tongue on Brioche and the Smoked sweetbreads. These three plates are can't miss and just writing about them is making me want to swing down for a quick bite.
Now as Jen C mentioned, unless you get there really early or fairly late you will find yourself waiting a while for a table but no matter how long the wait you'll be happy you did.
Oh and by the way, if you're vegetarian this place ain't gonna be your # 1 that T.O has to offer. Sorry for that and good luck finding it, to all others Black Hoof is a must!!! -
Review from Jen C.
2/2/2012 5 Check-ins Here
My top recommendation in Toronto for the last two years. Creative and delicious dishes; wonderful and inventive drinks. Pretty much every time. Great people too.
Cash/CAN debit only. No reservations. Go early/late or you'll end up waiting it out in line.
A short and compact review to contrast with how much I like this place (plus, everyone's said it already)! -
Review from Rachna C.
Toronto, ON
1/28/2012 1 Check-in Here
I went there for dinner with friends and it was definitely one of the best meals I've had in a while.
There were five of us so we could order a good variety of food, including the charcuterie and cheese plates, and everything we ordered was quite tasty. That being said, these two were the highlights for me: the pork carnitas, which were out of control delicious and the bone marrow, which was definitely a surprise as I've had marrow before and found it to be only okay at best.
The only reason I'm giving it 4 stars instead of 5 is because you are pretty much guaranteed to wait at least an hour and they don't take reservations (at least on a Friday night). But as long as you know that will happen, you can just enjoy a drink at the cocktail bar across the street while you wait for their call.
Overall, amazing food and fantastic service - highly recommended if you love meat and if you like to be a little adventurous! -
Review from Daniel H.
Mississauga, ON
1/16/2012 1 Check-in Here
One the best meals and service I had recently, hands down.
First we were greeted by a hostess that we filled with positive energy. We waited for a table for about 1 hr (which was fine), so they took our phone number down and told us we should go to the Cocktail Bar across the street.
When we got our table we looked at the menu and I got really excited. Black Hoof's menu is very eclectic, varying from blood custard, foie gras terrine and they're popular charcuterie board.. not to mention they make all the breads in house!!
We had the Foie Gras Terrine with some lingonberry reduction and house mustard with brioche, spicy horse tartar with hollandaise and fried potato threads, bone marrow with sourdough and finally the beef tongue sandwich which was AMAZING!!
Not to mention, that after every coarse the server would clear, whip down the table and set new cutlery with persistence
Totally recommend this place, at the top of my list for sure. -
Review from Laura R.
1/12/2012
I went to this place back in September, not quite sure why I waited so long to write about it's awesomeness, but here goes...
Me and a chef were in town cooking and asked a local Toronto chef for his recommendations. This place was at the top of his list. We arrived on the later side and the place wasn't too crowded, but they were super welcoming and eager. The plates are small, but I wouldn't quite call them tapas. Not being one to argue, I let the chef handle the ordering-- the man knows his shit.
Although I am blanking on specifics, I remember everything being awesome. The charcuterie plate, duck heart tartare, bone marrow with chimichurri, and the dessert at the end (which I am totally blanking on but had the freshest, most intense blackberries I've ever had). Ingredients were stellar, portions were solid for the price, and the service staff was happy to suggest anything and make conversation.
My favorite part of the meal, though, was when the couple next to us saw my friend and I drooling over their tongue sandwich. We must have looked cartoonish in our envy because they happily offered us half. Yes, strangers at the next table, gave us part of their meal, which we graciously accepted, then ordered our own.
Maybe it's a Canadian thing? That's never happened to me in a restaurant in New York. And honestly, I don't think it ever will. -
Review from Zachary G.
Toronto, ON
1/15/2012
If you enjoy meat and are just a little adventurous, go here. Now.
I have been here twice and have been thoroughly impressed both times. I will start by reviewing each of the items I have tried.
Pork carnitas tacos - Similar to what you might get at a good Mexican restaurant. Nothing special but certainly worth a try.
Bone marrow - The method of serving this dish makes ordering it worthwhile. They slice open a bone and serve you one half of it. A little bit of marrow on a serving of their wonderful brioche is an incredible way to start your meal.
Tongue on brioche - When I first ate this, I thought I was eating a smoked meat sandwich. I could not believe it was tongue. This is a very rich dish and it should definitely be shared.
Ravioli with brains - There was no way to know you were eating brains and the ravioli was nothing special. The only dish I would suggest you skip
Charcuterie plate - Fantastic. Perfect variety of meats to start off a meal.
Pork belly in broth - I had never had pork belly before this meal but I have a feeling I will struggle to ever top this. It had a perfect combination of rich fattiness with a nice crispy crust.
Sweetbreads - When you first find out that sweetbreads are thymus glands, you may be reluctant to try it. Don't. This is in my list of top three things I have ever eaten. It is hard to put into words how good these are.
In addition to the excellent food, the service is fantastic. Attentive without being overbearing.
Just go. -
Review from Justine H.
Toronto, ON
12/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
Restaurant: Black Hoof
Cuisine: Tapas
Location: Little Italy
Address: 928 Dundas St W
Price Range: $10~15
1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very Good 5: Excellent
Food: 5
Service: 3
Ambiance: 3
Overall: 4
Extra information:
*Tapas (sharing plate) style
*Specialize in exotic dishes
I love to try things that aren't very popular with many people. Was I hesistant the first time I tried chicken feet? Of course! those toes freaked the living crap out of me. But did I enjoy it? YES I did! How about the chicken heart skewer? It was alright (prob wouldn't eat it again) but I am glad I tried it. But how will you know if you will like something or not if you haven't tried it?
So when I first saw Black Hoof going up and down on the #1 ranking of popular restaurant list-
and saw that they served horsemeat sandwich, I just had to try it. It was on my list for awhile but never got the chance to visit because my family isn't really into charcuterie plates, foie gras and nonetheless- horsemeat.
But thankfully Jess from wherejessate wanted to check out the restaurant as well, so off I went on a foodie meetup dinner.
From reading many reviews, I was scared we would have to wait long to get tables. But thankfully, we were seated the moment we got there (much appreciated since it was cold that night).
Ordered: HOUSE CURED MEATS 5/5
*6 different types of cured meat (made in house) for $18
*This is a huge charcuterie plate, good to share between 2-4 people
*Served with bread on the side
*Can't remember what they were exactly but they change all the time
*My favorite was the duck prosciutto
*Duck prosciutto was smoky yet rich in flavor
*Saltiness of the meat was perfect paired with the bread
*This is THE best charcuterie plate I've ever had
*Must order when you visit the Black Hoof
Ordered: FOIE PARFAIT 5/5
*Foie gras served in parfait style (creme) for $13
*This was served with some kind sweet fruit compote (blueberry?)
*Overall very creamy and rich
*Sometimes I find foie gras can have this distinct smell
*This didn't have any specific smell, it was overall very smooth
*Went very well with the sauce on the side
*Big portion for foie gras
*Very good for what you pay
*Would order this again
Ordered: TONGUE ON BRIOCHE 5/5
*Thinly shaved tongue between 2 pieces of bread served with pickled celery for $14
*It was my first time having tongue like this (only had it grilled/boiled)
*Tongue is shaved very thinly and it just melts in your mouth
*Brioche is super soft and goes very well with the tongue and the sauce
*Terragon mayo adds sweetness to the sandwich
*Perfectly seasoned overall and it's just a very good sandwich
Ordered: BONE MARROW 2/5
*Piece of bone marrow served with toasted bread and chimichurri/salt for $9
*This was my first time trying bone marrow
*Wasn't sure what to expect or how to eat it because I've only seen the pictures in reviews
*Basically you are scrapping the fat inside the bones and eating them with the bread
*I didn't like this very much
*Wasn't sure what I was suppose to taste or enjoy
*This will def take some time getting used to
*I just felt like I was eating grease
Summary: I really enjoyed the dishes at the Black Hoof. They serve items that aren't easy to find and I really appreciate restaurants like that. However, if you didn't notice this already, I would like to kindly point out that there won't be much for you to eat there if you are a vegetarian. Black Hoof is a restaurant for true carnivores, those that gets bored with chewing on a pieces of rare steak and seeks more for exotic parts/cuts of animals. I am def going back!
+Sadly, horse meat sandwich was no longer avail on menu (so sad) -
Review from Munis T.
Toronto, ON
11/30/2011
Dinner on a friday.
Foie mi-cuit with cranberry sauce and pickled mustard seed served with toasted brioche. Great; really nothing I could conceivably complain about.
Bone marrow with chimichurri was a nice twist.
Bruléed blood pudding was pretty awesome, both in terms of creativity and execution. It was somewhat sweet, with a relatively firm texture (i.e. compared to a custard), the blood flavor was very subtle. Fine bits of crispy fried onion added texture as well as a bit of salt. Pear, cubed and stewed, as well as dried thin slices added a pleasant fruitiness and more complementary textures.
Suckling-pig belly brado was a bit of a flop: soggy pieces of belly in a boring broth.
Tongue with pickled mustard seeds, cornichons, and what I believe was celery. Very tender, with very mild tongue flavor. The pickled celery was surprisingly sweet, in a good way that complemented the tongue.
Ricotta and brain ravioli with artichoke was kind of boring, though the artichoke did contributed a nice chewy texture and sour flavor. Ultimately, I blame myself for ordering pasta at charcuterie!
"Smoked" sweetbreads (which were actually lightly battered and fried, perhaps they were smoked earlier!) were served with a white sauce, with potatoes and radish. They were pretty tasty, consistency was buttery yet firm.
For dessert, I had the apple cake with slices of frozen crème fraîche (genius!), caramelized apple, and crumble. Apple was incorporated in three different forms: cooked apple, apple sauce, and apple "confit." Normally, "deconstructed" desserts are among my pet peeves, since re-constructing each perfect forkful requires significant effort, which, I feel is the chef's job! Notwithstanding, this "cake" was pretty awesome, with great complementary flavors, textures, and temperatures. I still would have liked it better fully assembled.
The service deserves a special mention: they have many servers who replace plates and cutlery with incredible efficiency. One one occasion, we even had two servers refreshing our table simultaneously, swooping in from opposite sides. Unnecessary, but impressive.
Overall, a positive dining experience at a solid restaurant. -
Review from Georgia F.
Mississauga, ON
12/2/2011
My best girlfriend and I are real carnivores. We're both from cultures that eat a lot of meat, and good meat at that, so when we heard about the Black Hoof, we were more than excited.
We went in September, for her birthday, and before the second plates arrived, we knew we'd be back.
We ordered a ton of food. Prosciutto, the charcuterie sharing platter, tuna tartar, pork tacos, pig heart salad, the tongue sandwich, and more. Not a thing wasn't absolutely delicious. The prosciutto absolutely melts on your tongue, and the charcuterie was some of the best I've ever had. I even liked the spicy mustard and I am NOT a mustard fan.
When the bill came, we were pleasantly surprised. We were expecting it to be a really pricy night out, but we fed 5 hungry girls for about $35 a head. Prices only seem high until you realise that you're sharing everything!
Service was also excellent. My water glass was seldom empty and the waiter was extremely attentive. Thumbs up all around! -
Review from Jessica P.
11/9/2011
Oh my god, this place was soo cool and unique! They serve tapas that feature some strange part of an animal (generally cow and pig) gourmet-style. And amazing cocktails. What they have that day is up on a board in the restaurant, so no menus. This place is TINY. They have a few tables, but we sat at the bar, which turned out the be the best spot because we had a perfect view of the magic. Never in my life have I witnessed a cooking set-up like this. Four cooks with no room to even squeeze by each other are prepping, garnishing and cooking meats on a home electric stove! And then there's a small dishwasher right next to the stove where a guy is furiously washing the 10 plates this place probably owns. It runs like clockwork, though. My friend and I were amused by the meat slicer's tattoo; a pig feeding itself through a meat grinder. Hardcore.
We ordered a smoked and cured meats platter and it was explained to us the order in which to eat them and which ones were good with the provided dijony mustard. We savored them slowly, commenting to each other about which ones we liked the best and what they tasted like, etc. Then we ordered some strange things like calf brains prepared in a ravioli with artichokes, suckling pig belly in broth, bone marrow and moose liver. The brains and the suckling pig were quite tasty, but I wasn't a big fan of the marrow or the liver. But at least now I can say that I tried them!
Black Hoof is a true culinary experience for foodies everywhere. They are even open on Mondays (and off on Tuesdays) so that restaurant industry workers can go on their day off. And I heard that they raise their own pigs. Amazing. -
Review from Jenny M.
Toronto, ON
10/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place is definitely a treat! Some really great and unique menu items. Perhaps not all of it is for the faint of heart, but I promise even the squeamish could find something great to eat!
I ate with a group of 6 which was perfect, because we were able to try nearly everything on the menu! We started with the charcuterie platter, which was a great little tasting for each of us, but perhaps shared better with 4 people; and the bone marrow which was also small, but a rich, buttery goodness you might not want to eat more of anyhow!
Out of everything, I have to say the cow's tongue pastrami was my favourite, my first time having tongue, and I was pleasantly surprised, I could definitely eat it on a sandwich every day. The brain, ricotta and artichoke ravioli took a close second, the sauce was the perfect mix of acidity to savoury, but to be honest, you'd never know there was brain involved. The sweetbreads also packed a lot of flavour, and the blood custard was almost desert-like with shaved pear and candied onions, it didn't leave a blood-like aftertaste at all, I would definitely order it again.
The cocktails here are definitely worth the $12 price tag, you have to try one! There's an entire shelf of house made concoctions, bitters and pickled garnishes in beautiful mason jars, the bartender really knows what she's doing. I had what was called the "gypsy woman," I don't tend to like sweet drinks, I usually stick to beer, but this drink was amazing and I could have had many; dangerously good. -
Review from Michelle H.
11/29/2011
We hoofed it over on Dundas and walked in at 10:30p and chose to sit at the bar where we had a view of the kitchen action.
House smoked procuitto was tops. The duck tacos have me drooling days later. The other 17 meats we sampled were equally as wonderful.
Service was great. Place is cool. Lucky us! -
Review from Cindy C.
Toronto, ON
Updated - 11/27/2011
I want to update my post. I had another dining experience here and it was awesome... the 2 different dishes I had were the BEEF CARPACCIO and the SWEET BREAD... OMG...
The BEEF CARPACCIO was thinly melt-in-your-mouth-slices topped with shaved, yes, shaved frozen foie gras... it was ridiculously tasty. The flavor of the beef was soaked up by the sweet foie gras, just melts in your mouth, topped of with some vino, delicioso.
The SWEET BREAD, which is not bread, oh no no, it is actually pork throat and neck. It was lightly breaded and dipped in this delicious cream sauce. Just the taste and the texture was crunchy and savoury, my favourite pairings for dinner.
I am loving Black Hoof more and more every time I go and experience something new. I can't WAIT to go back!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/13/2011
If you want to truly experience PIG, you've come to the right place...
Wow, I've never seen a… Read more »
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Review from Ksenja T.
9/28/2011
After trying their horse meat tartar, my boyfriend had been raving about this place for a long time, and we finally went this past weekened. He warned me that there was a chance we would have to wait for a while, and was he ever right. There was an hour and a half wait time.
Jennifer Agg, the owner, took down my name and number and called me exactly after an hour and a half. In the meantime, we went to get a drink across the street at cocktail bar. It seemed like the norm....When we went back to the Black hoof, unfortunately, we were only able to get two seats by the bar. Good thing i'm not claustrophobic. It didn't end up being that bad and the bartender was so helpful and on top of his game! We each got wine--i obviously had to go with the Gewurztraminer.
There are no menus, it is however all written on their blackboard. We started with olives that were served warm. We also ordered the charcuterie board, the fois gras mousse, the riccota and tomato agnolotti, the pork tacos and the tuna crudo. I loved the fois gras mousse. I had never seen it served wtih a white coating (i'm guessing it was butter but I am not quite sure.) The charcuterie board was also a highlight with a variety of different meats that varied in hotness. The pasta was amazing and the tomatoes so fresh. I also enjoyed the pork tacos, however, my least favorite dish was the tuna crudo because i could still taste the ice and it was wayy too fishy. After indulging in all these rich foods, we went ahead and both got two different kinds of port. I had the madeira, which came in a cute little crystal glass and it was really good.
I know this is supposed to be the best tapas place in Toronto, but I'm going to go ahead and say it--I love Cava more. -
Review from Daniel O.
Updated - 9/26/2011
Popped into the Black Hoof Saturday night after drinks at Cocktail Bar.
Shared a platter of house cured meats and enjoyed more amazing drinks including Jen's new drink the Gypsy Woman which contains bourbon, red wine, cherry syrup, lemon, lime and sour cherry bitters ($12).
Service was top-notch as always, decor is causal and comfortable.
Love this place!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/2/2011
What can you say about Black Hoof that hasn't already been said 100 times. Hands down my favourite… Read more »
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Review from anjali d.
Toronto, ON
1/3/2012
Drool!!!! The food is sooooo good! I had only been back to eating meat for 4 months after being a vegetarian for more than 5 years before trying this place for the first time and this place wowed me. It is my favorite restaurant in Toronto! Every dish, including the drinks, and dessert was original and yummy.
The tongue sandwich, the pork belly and the dessert (almond biscuit type thing with sage ice cream and pumpkin bits) were my favorite dishes.
I felt like the service was very good, however, the dishes seem to come out of the kitchen very very slowly..
I can't wait to go back and try some new dishes! -
Review from Allison L.
Toronto, ON
11/22/2011
The food was delicious, especially the raw horse sammy.
Everything has already been said.
The only thing bad is the wait but since the food is so good, its worth it. -
Review from Eva W.
9/29/2011
I highly enjoy traveling, but it has made me so acutely aware of how dependent I am on my phone. Take away my phone with my yelp app and google maps, and I've never felt so helpless about where to go. Only a slight exaggeration.
We had forgotten to write down the exact address, with only a 80% certainty it was on Dundas, so we just started walking west hoping to find this somehow. When we did find this place, we sat down with a huge grin and a high-five, and the waitress commented on our enthusiasm :)
Okay back to the review. This place is open late, no reservations, and no credit cards. With the clientele and staff, it really feels like we were in Brooklyn. Really cutesy ambiance, with menu and drinks written on chalkboards on the walls. Also an open kitchen area.
It was odd that we had to pay for bread..never had that happen before. The hoof-made prosciutto was delicious and not overly fatty/salty. Also a large portion. The pickles are deceiving, as they are not pickles in the traditional sense, but rather a small sampling of small pickled vegetables. The bone marrow was good, but more oily than normal. The duck liver mousse and tuna crudo were decent. The pork belly was really good.
Good place to go, I'd definitely recommend.Listed in: Toronto, eh?
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Review from Delectable Duo V.
10/14/2011 3 photos
How do we start this review? Should it be by stating the fact that both the duo and the better half's brother drove 9 hours prior to dining? Perhaps that we had scoured the Internet searching for the most exciting menu in all of Toronto?
Yeah, driving 9 hours to Toronto should do it ...
I was a little worried about showing up to a spot as popular as the Hoof at 8 o'clock on a Saturday night, but low and behold we were sat within minutes of walking in ... and with a smile. Always a great start.
On first impressions, it was killer -- it felt as if we had only crossed the river and snuck into Brooklyn for a bite. But, upon noticing all the local beers on the line and in the bottles, we were assured that we were in Toronto. (Perhaps they were throwing Kudos to their southern brothers by offering Brooklyn Lager by the bottle?)
It was not hard for us to decide on our menu for the evening and with a lil help from the top notch service, we were off..
House Cured Meats - so the crew does all the curing/aging on site which is impressive all by itself and ya know what? It shows. Coming from a former salumeria expert, these guys can slice. The head cheese mortadella was divine as was the duck prosciutto -- a very special meat (insert joke here)
Bone Marrow w/chimmichuri - we had all never seen a bone marrow dish served like this. A bone which had to have been a foot long with moist and succulent marrow oozing out of the sides ... and pairing it with a chimmichuri? Genius ... talk about food porn
Blood Pudding - A suggestion from our server, and a good one. Not to say it was a perfect dish, but stellar nonetheless. I found it to be rich in texture and consistency ...
Calf Brain, Artichoke and Ricotta Ravioli - The STAR OF THE SHOW ... I could have had 17 1/2 more portions of this dish. It left me thinking that I may or may not be a zombie. Between the subtle salt from the artichoke and the creamy ricotta you'd have never know the cerebral cortex of some young bull was lurking in there ... heaven. Please send them to jersey.
Beef Carppacio w/ shaved Foie - A stellar dish with some of my favorite textures of the evening. The crunch of the shaved foie and the slight bitterness of the celeriac ... yes please.
Foie Gras & Pudding - The finale to the event and a terrific way to wrap it up ... a visually perfect dish and foie-tastic to boot. What I regret not asking was where they get the foie from ... we are used to enjoying Hudson Valley foie and this seemed to have a different feel as well as taste. We mean that in a good way of course...
I feel like i could go on more, but we are on yelp so I will refrain ... We are pretty sure that Jen sat us, and we only know this after doing post research and seeing some pictures on the site. Thanks Jen -- you have a gem of a restaurant.
What we do know for sure is that Brandon is a serious Chef. We had front row seats to his skills and it was a treat. Working in a kitchen not much bigger than a Fiat with a crew of 3 including himself and putting out some seriously impressive grub. Talent. Making it look effortless? A talent in itself. I didn't want to interrupt him to much in his conversation but I was proud to steal a fist bump out of him.
Our only wish is that we could make the trip back every weekend.
Thanks Black Hoof - you're flippin awesome. -
Review from Long L.
Toronto, ON
12/26/2011
I had a wonderful time at the Black Hoof. It's a date spot and for anyone that loves meat. I had a dream I took a vegetarian here and they thought everything was soy. Ha!
This is what i ordered:
Roasted Bone Marrow
Smoke sweetbread
Tongue on brioche
Horse tartare
Calf brain
Foie gras
I ordered one more item but forgot what it was. I did enjoy all the meals but I wasn't a huge fan of the horse tartare. It was good but not great. We had to wait 30 minutes which we went across to the street. Listen people, grab a cocktail there, there're all great cocktails! No voka shit here. Jenn makes killer zingers and it's a fantastic start to the dead animals you will be having.
I must admire I drank way too much and my taste pallets must have been shot. I must go back here sober. -
Review from Zainab K.
Toronto, ON
1/24/2012
tongue on brioche 5/5
bone marrow 5/5
eggplant with lamb 4.5/5
crab pappardelle 4/5 -
Review from Anabel L.
Toronto, ON
8/31/2011
The exterior is plain, the interior is dark. Just the way I like my charcuteries. If you don't know what a charcuterie is, let me enlighten you with the simple definition I use for my friends since they don't care for specifics - it's a branch of cooking that is dedicated to prepared meat products - think sausage, terrine, pâtés, etc. Their dishes are rich and earthy. Everything they make (with the exception of a few things) is made in-house and includes duck confit and pork belly. But the charcuterie platter is my favourite. It's an intelligent offering of perfectly paired items.
You need a bigger wallet and some patience (because they don't do reservations), but it's worth it. The only thing I didn't like was the bone marrow, not because it wasn't made well, just because I realized I don't like bone marrow. -
Review from Anni L.
7/25/2011 ROTD 1/9/2012
After reading so many reviews, i was nothing less than thrilled when my friend invited to join her and a few friends at the often tried and reviewed Black Hoof.
Arriving an hour late, after hopping on the subway, streetcar and shuttle bus, nothing was going to come in the way of my long awaited tasting of the infamous well talked about joint.
As i arrived, my party had already devoured the majority of the house cured meat platter which was comprised of various types of salami, prosciutto like pork, andouille sausage,and bone marrow. Everything served on the wooden style platter was delicious, all the way down to the side of mustard.
Also saved for me was a creamy light whipped chicken liver served with a side of chives/parsley soaked in olive oil and a small slab of sweet confit.
As i was barely making a dent in what was saved for me, the waiter brought over our smoked meat tar tar served with a raw egg york on top. This was served with some oven toasted crouton liked slices of bread. The beef tartar had a delicious fresh herb flavour and a hint of ponzu sauce. The whole concoction just melts in your mouth.
Few minutes later, the horse carpaccio was served with succulent thinly sliced mushroom and some arugula type greens. The whole dish was drizzled with olive oil.
Next, came the pork belly filled perogies, served with a creamy sauce, some seaweed shavings, and some brown sugar on top. They were very flavourful and tasty. Although I might have done ok without the creamy white sauce.
Although our stomachs were already getting filled (we had devoured three servings of bread), the waiter served us with what was called sweat bread. It tasted a little like smoked peameal bacon. It was served over small sliced mini potatoes, a creamy sauce and some greens. We were all wondering what it was made of but none of us knew. At the end of dinner, we asked our waiter what was in this mysterious dish, he said it was the calf's thymus gland. Glad I didn't know before i ate it. This was probably my least favorite dish of the evening. The bone marrow being my favorite (at $9, it doesn't disappoint), the meat platter my second favorite, and the beef tartar and horse carpaccio next, in that order. The perogies, then the sweat bread last.
By the end of the night, after much interesting and controversial conversation sitting in the outback patio, our stomachs were filled, our curiosity and appetities were satiated, and after an order of sangria, we were ready to head back home. The ambiance is certainly very cozy and low key. The wait staff was attentitive and very polite.
The meal came to $157 plus tax and tip for 4. My share was around $43 which is reasonable. You would think given the size of the portion and the odd animal parts that are being served that some of the dishes must have pretty good margins.
Overall, i think everyone should atleast go to this restaurant once, unless you are vegetarian, in which case you only have two menu options - beets and sweet potatoes.
On my way out, i was surprised to see that there were only 3 people preparing food in what seemed to be a condo size kitchen. They were cooking over a regular stove such as the one i have at home and with a regular frying pan. Given that alot of the items are raw or pre-processed, there isn't as much cooking as you would expect from most restaurants.
They definitely created a menu that is unique, not for the faint of heart or those that fear anything that comes from parts of animals that isn't eaten in the mainstream. You definitely won't find the best cuts of meat in this joint such as striploin steak or rib eye.
One last mention is that they don't take credit cards there. To my relief, they do accept debit. I didn't bring alot of cash, I didn't think I had to since i wasn't going to Chinatown. -
Review from Janice T.
10/1/2011 5 photos
Small Restaurant but very elegant food.
*Beef Heart Tartare [4.5 of 5] Very fresh and delicious. However, I think they slightly over did it with the garlic slices and capers embedded in the beef.
*Carnitas taco [3.5 of 5] Very fresh and very moist pork. It even came with a super small spicy sauce dispenser and a pork skin chip for each taco. Very tasty, but the pork was braised and I thought it was going to be roasted, with a little crunch and caramelization. Actually, the bar recommended pig ear taco, so I was a little disappointed when they didn't have that on the menu. I think that's why I wasn't too excited about carnitas taco.
*Foie Gras over bread pudding [4.5 of 5] Very good. Lovely dish. Paired with bread pudding's soft texture was excellent. And sitting on a little bit of whip cream and syrup on the side was also tasty. Yummy and executed wonderfully.
*Alcohol Drink Mahattan [4 of 5] Very strong drink. But smooth and tasty. I believe they marinate the cherries in house. Makes it even more special. The waiter was so kind. Made one order into two drinks for me and my cousin. Wonderful service!
This place is small, but you can sense a lot of heart in the food. I definitely recommend this place for couples or small groups.
NOTE: Only takes cash or Canadian Debit Cards. -
Review from mirz b.
Toronto, ON
9/6/2011
Black Hoof is the ultimate place to go for a cute date night, a girl pow-wow, or just good ol' time with friends.
We sat at the bar, which is my favourite place to sit, and ordered the Charcuterie board, Cheese plate, Black olives, and the Bone Marrow. It was all divine. I was a bit reluctant to try the Horse meat but realized it all just tasted like amazing Ham :). -
Review from Bahi K.
Scarborough, ON
8/19/2011
My favourite restaurant in Toronto so far. I love everything about this place, from the ambiance, to the food, to the service. As has been mentioned before, remember to bring cash since they do not accept any other form of payment.
I came here with an old friend of mine and his wife, who were in town for the weekend. They live in New York and are used to eating at some of the finest places. Suffice it to say that they were suitably impressed as well.
The charcuterie platter was the best I've had, and the bone marrow simply delicious. Unfortunately, my friends were not up to trying the raw horse meat, so that will have to wait for another time.
The service was outstanding. Our waiter was very knowledgeable, recommended an excellent wine, and was attentive to all our needs. The meal was utterly delicious and totally reasonable in terms of price. I can't wait to go back, but this is the kind of place that is so special that I don't want to "kill" it and will wait until I have other friends from out of town. -
Review from omar k.
Toronto, ON
7/25/2011
AMAZING. the tongue brioche is out of this world tasty, and the house cured meats made us all smile, especially when we started digging into the lardo.
finally, the perogies. wow. best perogies ever.
the servers are laid back, very knowledgeable, and friendly.
AND
the drinks are fantastic. i've had a lot of manhattans, and $16 is a WTF price, but their manhattan is one of the best i've tried, ever. -
Review from Laura S.
11/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
When planning my recent trip to Toronto for a conference, the one consistent piece of advice I got was that the Black Hoof was a "can't miss" food experience. Knowing that they don't take reservations and prepared for a wait, I showed up with two friends who are equally enthusiastic about good food - particularly good food made of animal - and prepared to be amazed. While I thought they had a very interesting menu, I was disappointed with the food.
Service was OK, but nobody really went above and beyond. We put our names on the list and were told we could try waiting at the cocktail bar across the street - which was also packed, so we hung out on a bench outside. We were all trying to be careful about avoiding astronomical fees for international cell phone usage, but the hostess wasn't too keen on the idea of letting us run over to the restaurant without answering the call to tell us our table was ready. Weird, but whatever. A little more off-putting was her attitude when I checked to make sure she'd be able to send a text to us. "We have this really impressive technology in Canada that lets us do that." Considering that I had to explicitly call my provider and request a plan that would allow me to send texts to international numbers, I thought it was a fair question. Whatever, girl sounded pretty confident that she wasn't going to be looking at a 60-cent-per-text charge for contacting us that way. In terms of service at our table, we weren't neglected but service was a little slow and we could go quite a while with unfilled water glasses.
The menu was more interesting than satisfying. We started with bread, pickles, and bone marrow. The bone marrow was delicious and a very generous portion. The pickled veggies had great flavor and there was a lot of variety, although the portion was very small (although most things were sized well for sharing, a second plate of pickles would not have gone amiss). The albacore tuna crudo had very intense flavor - so much that we all took a single bite. I'm glad I tried it, but the intensity might work best as a bite-sized amuse bouche than a full entree. We also had a dish with n'duja and leeks that was served with fried chicken skin - again, interesting flavor but very intense and a bite or two was quite enough. I also thought the dish was overly salty. We finished the meal with the pork carnitas - which were the least innovative thing we tried, but also the most delicious and satisfying. This led us to conclude that we might not be the target audience for this restaurant. Overall the three of us consider ourselves to be adventurous eaters - I have never shied away from trying a new food and usually love new flavors and textures. Black Hoof took the "tip to tail" concept just a bit too far for me. -
Review from Justin W.
11/19/2011
Great concept but they need to work on their execution. My carpaccio was chewy and the bone marrow was under cooked. The ambiance of the restaurant and the drinks were decent. I wont return.
-
Review from Mike S.
Toronto, ON
Yeah! The experience here is awesome.
Great music. Exceptional food. Superb service. Yeah, I can't really knock this place for anything really.
I don't go too often (I'd say bi-monthly or quarterly) and as a result I'm always able to experience menu turnover. It becomes very difficult to make a selection because everything on the menu is something that I'd like to try.
The tongue brioche ($14, a steal! there is so much meat!) and the variation of "surf & turf" is always a good choice. The pig's head tacos or the carnitas are a nice choice. Definitely get the charcuterie board- especially if it has a selection of pâtés. drool. I had the cheese plate on one occasion but it wasn't necessarily spectacular.
The wine list is pretty solid. I don't know wine very well but everything that I've chosen (reds) has been solid. The beer list is nothing to scoff at either and it's all reasonably priced ($6.50-$7/pint). Duggan's #9 was out on my last visit but they had King Pilsener and two or three other OCB choices and four bottles (Southern Tier IPA? Sweet).
The service is unbeatable. They're all very knowledgeable and from what I've seen there isn't a whole lot of turnover. They're super attentive and very friendly.
It's best to show up right at 18:00 in order to secure a table. Otherwise you won't want to show up until 19:30 for the second wave. Figure in at least 90 for a table to turn over.
Typically around $50-$75 per person with tax, tip, and a couple of drinks. -
Review from Kent P.
4/8/2011 ROTD 8/4/2011
Every true Toronto Yelper needs to go to the BH. And Mystic Muffin.
Almost always packed, best bet is to come at a weird hour- don't hesitate to sit at the bar, its got even better service than tables. The place is converted from an old Portuguese man sports-snack bar, and because they didn't do much in terms of conversion it has a similar set up - and the absence of a gas line.
They do all their cooking on what looks like your mom's first white Whirlpool stove/oven combo. It's nothing fancy. What's crazy is what they can do with that thing. The entire preparation area is right behind the bar so you can watch them do their magic- all in about 25 narrow sq feet.
Tried a bunch of dishes with Tonja B., but the one that is still standing out is the duck confit. I could have ordered it three times and had only that- I'd still have been more than satisfied.
The other dishes were all interesting- (beef tartar tasted like delicious smoked meat from Montreal) the only one I'd skip next time was the smoked herring. A little too sashimi-ish.
Bonus: They have $4.50 bottles of Labatt 50. Sooooooooooooooo Ossington/Dundas. -
Review from D.J. L.
5/29/2011
Raw horse? Seriously?
I'm pretty sure that was the most terrifying and delicious thing I have ever eaten.
Everything we ate off that menu was great. It was three hours of eating some of the best tasting food in my life.
But I will never forget the Raw Horse Sammy. They even wrote horse in sauce on the bread to make sure you were reminded of what you were eating.
The next time I go back, I won't even hesitate to eat anything that seems "strange" to me off their menu. They have my full trust. -
Review from Clare G G.
6/24/2011
WOW!
Just got home from dinner here. We're backpacking around North America, so spending money hurts, but Black Hoof was TOTALLY worth it.
We had the bone marrow ($9), the smoked beef tartare ($16) and the pork & scallops ($19). The bone marrow was out of this world amazing (although I had to try and trick my mind into not thinking about the fat content - brain was enjoying the food as much as me so didn't care). It came with toasts, salt, and chimichurri. The smoked beef tartare came with gorgeous toasts with chopped parsley, a duck egg glaze and grated fresh horseradish. Very, very nice. I hate to say it, but the pork and scallops kind of let the team down. It was a nice dish, but small, and unfortunately we both agreed that the scallops were overdone. Not fatally overdone, but overdone. In another restaurant we might've raved, but after the other two dishes it was a bit of a let down. Not enough to bring the rating down though!
The drinks menu was also great. I had a glass of the gamay (delicious) and a Kentucky vs Morrocco cocktail (delicious). Hubby had some kind of beer (beery) and a barbera (delicious) and a Manhattan (amazing delicious!).
If we lived in Toronto this is exactly the sort of place where all our disposable cash would disappear. Totally recommend - especially if you're willing to extend yourself food-wise. I want to go back and try everything else! -
Review from Joe H.
3/31/2011 1 Check-in Here
When anyone asks me what my favorite restaurant is in Toronto, the Black Hoof always makes the list. It's probably one of the secret gems of Toronto that has stood the test of time and always a treat to go to.
This place is on Dundas street in between Little Italy and Little Portugal. The challenge is that unless you have been there before, it's not the easiest thing to find; It's not like they have a giant neon sign hanging outside.
So I learned this the hard way, but vegetarians beware. I had a birthday here once where one of my friends was a vegetarian. The only thing usually on the menu that is vegetarian is the bread and the cheese. Fortunately the staff here is really accommodating and made a "off the menu" pasta dish for him.
As for the rest of the carnivores/omnivores, this place is heaven. At first you'll notice that they don't really have very much space or tables. You'll even find it funny how they use a standard coiled home oven range to do most of their cooking. What you will notice though is a deli slicer, a cozy atmosphere and a pretty nice bar.
Another note about this place... No reservations. This place usually get's pretty busy by 6:40ish so try and get there before. The magic number for this place is 2, so if you have any more people than that, make sure you're getting there early. We waited for 1.5 hours one time (but it was worth every minute).
Now onto the food. One thing I really appreciate about this place is their ever changing menu. While there's always a new flavour on the charcuterie platter, some new cheeses or some new dish or appetizer, they do seem to keep the favorites on the menu. Take for example the raw horse sammy.
Again, it's hard to tell you what is good here cause the stuff changes so much. I remember having pate laced with vanilla, foie gras moose, all kids of cured meats from pig, bison, duck you name it. Seriously, if you go in here, CHARCUTERIE PLATTER. It is probably one of the best experiences you'll ever have in life... but in your mouth. I've had the procuitto there too and it's also amazing.
Describing the raw horse sammy to people is always a coin flip. I mean, you're eating horse... raw. As weird as it sounds, it's actually amazing. The sandwich comprises of raw horse, topped with shallots and an egg to bind everything together in between two pieces of rye bread. Top that with some "hot sauce" and you've got yourself an amazing sandwich. Personally I get it every time; that's how good it is.
As for the non meat option, the cheese platter is actually also amazing. The thing they do really well here is pair their cheeses with jams and sauces that complement them really really well. This is again one of the things I order every time.
Even though the magic number of this place is 2; I always tell people that ask me the best number to go here with is 4. Why you may ask? It's cause you'll get to try more of the dishes, and since the dishes are all sharable dishes, it just promotes that intimate group setting and the overall experience of the place.
Long story short, I can't wait to go back to the Black Hoof. Combine superior food, a great atmosphere and staff that's always willing to tell you what's going on and you've got yourself one of the best restaurants in Toronto. -
Review from Brian T.
Toronto, ON
5/1/2011
Despite all of the foodie hype surrounding this place over the past few years, I had always procrastinated on going because the Hoof's small size and no-reservations policy makes it difficult to get in. Sure I had braved long waits at Libretto, Terroni, Guu and other no-reso places before, but somehow whenever the possibility of Black Hoof came up I always got irrationally gun shy.
So when my wife offered to take me here for my birthday I did the safe (and lame) thing and chose to go on a Sunday evening at 6 pm (right as it opens).
Well let's just say that I'm glad I went because I had one of the best meals that I've had all year.
To start the meal we (four of us) ordered the charcuterie plate and the smoked beef tartare to share.
The charcuterie was as good as it gets and was certainly the best in the city (better than Local Kitchen and Wine Bar and Buca, both of which are also very good). The highlights were the horse mortadella, the bison and blueberry sausage, and the wild boar sausage. The tartare was also excellent, with the smoke being very subtle and the beef being very fresh and nicely beefy.
For our mains we had two orders of the duck tagliatelle, one order of the beef heart and scallops, and the beef tongue on brioche (which was my order).
There were no misses in the entire bunch and each dish was so good that it was hard for me to begin picking favourites.
1) The duck tagliatelle. Where do I start? This is the best pasta dish I had all year. The pasta itself was beautiful, with succulent duck meat mixing deliciously with creamy egg and sharp parmesan. There was also some type of dried current used in the sauce which gave it a very mild sweetness.
2) The tongue sandwich. I was a little nervous when I ordered this as I somehow envisioned that I would be served a slobbery grey beef tongue slapped half-assedly on a plate. What I actually got was a gourmet take on an open faced pastrami sandwich. The meat was thin sliced and the bread was lightly toasted brioche. Flavour-wise it was also similar to pastrami albeit slightly less salty and with more depth. The black sweet mustard and pickled celery that accompanied it were perfection.
3) The beef heart and scallops. This is the dish I tried the least but it was also really great. At the end of the day what's not to like about tender, medium-rare beef heart meeting the rich sweet flavour of scallops.
Also of note is the fact that Black Hoof has developed a fairly strong reputation for its short but interesting cocktail menu (which is divided into white and brown cocktails). The Manhattan I ordered was smooth and interesting with just the right balance of bitters (which were made in-house). There was also a solid wine list, with some good deals on "bin ends" and there were also some good beers on tap (including my new favourite, Beau's Lug Tread).
Another cool (and possibly gimmicky) tidbit about this restaurant is the fact that all of the cooking is done on an electric stove that really looks no different than what most people would have at home.
So what more can I say. This place was great and would be worth waiting for a few hours for (especially because you can flip them your cell number and wander down the block for a beer). I give it a 5 and would recommend it to anyone.
Well, almost anyone. As a final and and fairly obvious sidenote, I wouldn't recommend this restaurant to unadventurous eaters although there are a few safer choices on the menu (such as the duck tagliatelle, and the carnitas).
Also, do not, under any circumstances take vegetarians here, unless they want to sit glumly eating bread all night as they watch their carnivorous table-mates make primal grunts while trying not to break into the meat-sweats.
Everyone else, go to Black Hoof. -
Review from Christine E.
Toronto, ON
5/26/2011
What a great place. Attentive service, yummy cocktails, a menu limited to only the most excellent options, delicious meats with subtle flavours in a fun atmosphere (get ready to chat with the people who are sitting next to you - well, practically on top of you).
My friend and I showed up quite late on a Monday night, thinking we might be able to avoid the crowds. Ha! The place was rammed. A super-friendly hostess quoted a 30-45 minute wait, took my name and number and promised to call when a table became available, and recommended the Press Club up the street for drinks.
I was doubtful about hearing back given that my name was written quite far down the list and they were set to close in about an hour and a half, but I received a call within half an hour.
For some reason, I was kind of determined to hate Black Hoof, but the place and the food charmed me out of it. A recommendation to pair their octopus dish with Barbera wine - a drawing of an octopus joyfully brandishing a wine glass with the caption "octopus + Barbera = true love" - was drawn in chalk on the wall facing me, and melted my heart before I'd even downed a cocktail. The cocktail was a Savage Dandy and was delicious. Highly recommended if you like bourbon cocktails. My friend opted for a gin-based cocktail and had a Basil Fawlty and it was also excellent - very refreshing.
Our waiter ran through the menu and described the dining as "tapas style", which we eventually discovered referred to the sharing aspect and not to the size of the dishes. Bear in mind - the portions here are either big, filling, or both! The next time I go, I'll order more dishes if I'm still hungry, rather than ordering all at once.
I hear tell that standard practice is to order two dishes, but that didn't seem to offer enough variety so we opted for four. This was too much, so I think that "ordering up" is the ideal solution here. The only useful strategy in our case was to befriend the people next to you and trade off bits of dishes! We ended up giving much of one, and a little of another, of our dishes to the friendly couple sitting next to us. They traded us some of their cheese platter. Good times.
On to what we ordered:
- much-recommended charcuterie platter: delicious meats with subtle flavours, and recommended again here. The duck was the winner, although it was hard to choose.
- foie gras mousse: the waiter warned us that this was rich and he was right! I was surprised by the size - it was as big as a large coaster, and about two inches thick. It was also the only disappointment of the evening. The foie gras tasted SO strongly of butter all the way through that the taste of the meat was indiscernible. We might as well have ordered a slab of salty butter. Too bad. I also suspect that this was the thing that filled us up! So if you want to taste more, I'd steer clear of this foie gras (there is another on the menu that is apparently less rich, though, in case you need your fix).
- tongue on brioche: my friend was reticent to try this one because of the stigma around tongue but I refused to let it pass us by. It was almost unbearably delicious. The tongue was soft (as tongue tends to be), but with none of the harsh, weird undertones often ascribed to the meat. This tasted more like silky smoked meat, and went wonderfully with the brioche. It was also huge! My only regret was that we'd filled up on the foie gras and couldn't enjoy this as much as we should've.
- glazed pork belly: four inch-thick medallions, perfectly cooked and succulent, served on top of a tangy (but not overpowering) barbecue sauce and some sauteed onions. Was basically in a meat coma by this point but managed to eat two pieces, my friend had one, and the last went to the couple next to us.
Given the quality of the food and size of the portions, plus cocktails, the bill was surprisingly affordable - around $90 or so. We stumbled out, sinuses packed with meat. I'd return in a heartbeat as I'd love to try some other offerings on their oft-changing menu, but next time I'll stagger my order! -
Review from Mohammad G.
10/25/2011
top spot i went to in toronto. hands down. walked in solo on sunday night which is ALWAYS dangerous. ive had alot of bad meals at great restaurants on sunday nights. Ian helped me out first and challenged me that they make the best manhattan known to man. game on. so i tried it and man it was so fantastic. i tried comparing it to other manhattans ive had and i realized it just was a bit more unique and the house made bitters really made it something i hadn't had before. so good it would give wilson and wilson or bourbon and branch a run for its money.
food wise i put it in the hands of Jenn. i gave her free reign and she went out of her way to give me an incredible experience. the pork belly soup was incredible, delicate, flavorfull, REALLY balanced in the broth. the beef tonque sandwhich was suppppper incredible. i also had the fried sweetbreads with little potatoes, radishes and mache greens (could be wrong). that was incredible too...the charcuterie plate was ridiculous. not even going in detail. just have it.
thanks so much to ian and jenn and the rest of the staff. suppper awesome folks very special place and very tasty food.... check out their bar across the street too. -
Review from Jeremy R.
7/13/2011
I ate here in 2010.
I love the decor. This is a totally hip and cozie, foodie joint.
The food here is simply amazing!!!
I wish they had a place exactly like this in SF. There are lots of awesome restaurants in SF, but none quite like this one.
I had the calf brain pasta, the foie gras sandwich on brioche bun, and a beef tounge sandwich, and a very good cocktail made with bitters, ctirus, and egg white. I cannot totally remember everything because it has been well over a year, but it was all super tasty.
Sometimes, people use offal for the sake of using offal. I am learning that the hard way. This place really takes offal to a whole new level.
The calf brains pasta was made by someone who REALLY knows how to make pasta. The texture of the house made noodles was perfect, the sauce was light, bright, and a balanced, and the calfs brain was subtle but delicious. It is sort of a more clean and complex version of tripe. The dish could have used a little more richness in the sauce to make up for the like of punch of the protein, but I like that is was left subtle.
The foie gras was amazing. It was not a terrine, torchon, or pate, or a whole liver form. It was somewhat between liver form and torchon, and seared like crazy. I have never had it seared like this. It was amazing!!!! Wow. Add in the ridiculous real Canadian maple syrup to add some sweetness to that seared, fatty, salted goodness, and you get fireworks!!!
The beef tongue was the least memorable, but still awesome. The protein consisted of thick cut ,long braised peices beef tounge. It almost tasted like they "corned" it. It had a nice sauce, and the brioche bun seemed freshly made, buttery, and well toasted. Man, I could eat these sandwiches once a week. It wasn't as mind blowing as the other stuff, but something I would love eating often.
From the vibe, to the decor, to the cocktails, to the great preparations of offal, this is probably one of my favorite restaurants in 2010.
