- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Coffee |
- All
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 5 pm - 12 am
Fri-Sat 5 pm - 1 am
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
10 reviews for Boehmer
All Reviews
Boehmer
7/28/2010
I have now been to Bohmer 3 times and each time was equally fabulous.
The service was excellent and it was so nice to be remembered and welcomed back each time I went by the various wait staff and management.
It is a very cool industrial space with amazing chandeliers. While they could cram people in, they most certainly don't allowing for a lot of space between the tables.
The vibe is very cool, the patrons a mix of wealthy older people and young, trendy and attractive groups.
Some notable dishes: the foie gras, the beet salad, the chicken, the veal cheek. I could live without the pickerel. Reasonable wine list.
I'm already excited to go back.
Boehmer
8/24/2010
Hello, Ossington... I'm back. It's been a while. I see you've acquired some more urban hipster citizens. Haven't you reached capacity yet? That said, I gather you have a relatively new addition to the neighbourhood: Boehmer. With all of that lovely wood throughout the restaurant it certainly looks promising.
If you're looking for great preparations and an interesting room - not to a mention a dose of people watching - this is the spot. I started with the venison tartar, which was good (not great); however, the greens that came with it were superb.
My main course was one of the best plates of goodness I can recall consuming in recent memory. Rabbit saddle, stuffed with blood sausage, wrapped in bacon and then served on top of some blanched brussel sprouts tossed with roasted hazel nuts. Would I eat this every night if I could? Probably not. Would I suggest that you definitely consider breaking your "no bunnies for dinner" rule in the name of this dish? Absolutely. I would actually recommend going to Boehmer just to have this dish - although I gather the menu turns over with the seasons.
Capped off the evening with the profiteroles, which were good; but I thought the filling they used was Chapman's ice cream (note: there is a time and place for Chapman's, but it doesn't involve a $10 desert at a restaurant).
Overall, service was good. We were given an extra 45 minutes grace on our reservation window before we were asked to vacate - there are two sittings and we'd paid the bill, so it really was time for us to leave.
My only real criticisms of Boehmer are the bar and the wine list.
One of my guests ordered a greyhound, but they didn't have grapefruit juice available. I found this hard to believe at the time and am having an even harder time with it now that I see some of the other posts alluding to this place as having an above-average bar (it doesn't). However, instead of Pabst Blue Ribbon, they do have Victoria gin on the menu. Definitely a step in the right direction.
I thought the wine list was nothing to write home about. Simply OK (not enough of my preferred Ontario whites). Furthermore, some of the new world stuff on the list - e.g., the Kistler Pinot Noir - was marked up 15% beyond what I have seen it for at other restaurants in the city.
I'll definitely be back at some point before the end of the summer to give this place another go. If you go to Boehmer, I hope you enjoy it too.
Boehmer
5/29/2010
This was a spontaneous decision. We walked by around 5.30p, Saturday, not having had dinner, and decided to sit at the bar (the restaurant was empty) for a couple of drinks. The hostess said the place was booked from 6.30 if we wanted a table, but people did not show up until 7 or later. So we owned the bar for an hour (and the restaurant, too).
There are plentiful staff; I counted 18, half serving food, half in the kitchen. I could not stop thinking how they can make any money with so much staff. After all, the place is fairly small.
We had pristine Oysters from Oyster Boy, a little on the warm side for my taste (not on ice), but tasteful, accompanied by an Ontario sparkling wine which was also very good.
Then we decided to have dinner. My wife had venison tartar as starter, and scallops as the main dish, I had foie gras and veal cheeks. Both dishes were nicely presented but lacked refined taste, although she liked hers more than I liked mine. We had to ask for salt. The foie gras slice was very small and not very intense in flavour. The veal was so rich I had to have a grappa afterwards. As I write this, hours later, the veal still sits in my stomach and my gallbladder seizes. It's that heavy. I could not help but notice that one patron brought his own Heinz Ketchup and Tabasco. Must be a regular who knows the food can be inconsistent.
Service was a mixed bag and some of the servers do definitely need more training. Service was slow, too. They were nice but one guy was absolutely clueless.
We paid more than 250 for what amounted to a mediocre meal (relative to the price). There is no way the restaurant can survive with so many empolyees serving overpriced sparkless food. Gordon Ramsay needs to come and kick their a**.
Boehmer
4/5/2010
Wow. Bohmer really does it right. The decor is beautiful, the staff is friendly and knowledgeable, and the food is both creative and delicious. What more to ask for? Well, it is expensive. I am not saying it isn't worth the money, but this is definitely a "treat" or special ocassion restaurant.
I started with a cucumber cocktail with elderflower and sparkling wine. This is a seriously good drink that I could imagine downing by the pitcher once the hot weather starts. They take their cocktails seriously here!
All of the food was delicious. There were 4 of us and we each shared samples so I got to try everything. I think the veal cheeks was one of the best menu items, so tender and perfectly cooked. The steak was also perfectly cooked, and the foie gras app with a berry jam was also a highlight.
Our waitress was very nice and helpful, but even she couldn't sell us on dessert. For one, we were all stuffed, and to be honest, the desserts just did not sound anywhere near as good as the mains we had just consumed. Maybe next time, with a cocktail of course!
Boehmer
Updated - 3/29/2010
Ok... we were back again, this time with the partner's parents.
Confirmation on the food. Outstanding.
Scallops: one complaint... is that anise in the flavors... it was a bit overpowering.
Desert: bread pudding, I would say, once again, a superlative. Something they've done with the bread makes it almost like a mousse.
One note... the room gets loud. Which would be fine except a) the waiter attempts to describe desserts to us instead of handing us a menu (like they did the first time). Even I can't hear him.... b) we have seniors in tow ... #FAIL ... our bad partly, but they love the new stuff in T.O... fortunately ... waiter calls manager over based on minor complaint, manager effusively agrees to lower volume. Volume lowers.
And also on the + side, partner/architect agrees that room works better from this end (we were sat very close to the front). I dunno, architect should eat his food ;-) Hopefully architect does not read Yelp.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
3/21/2010
Well, it's been a long while since I wrote a review but a few have been piling up and, since I have… Read more »
Boehmer
4/3/2010
First off, here's a disclaimer. My wife has worked with and is friends with Chef Paul Boemer. That being said, I've loved his food since he was at the Prince of Wales Hotel in Niagara-On-The-Lake.
I loved this restaurant. It was one of the best meals I've had in quite some time. I started with the mushroom consomme, with was simple, but just plain amazing. However, it was the veal cheeks that were just amazing. I was in food heaven. It came with wild mushrooms and this amazing mashed potato, but, even though I love mushrooms, I could barely pay attention to them because the veal was just that good. I must say something about the dessert. I tried the Mexican chocolate dessert and I really did taste the chili's and spices in it. I hate to disagree with another Yelper, so I'll say that one of us got the anomaly. Since I know and like Paul, my bias points toward the me getting the norm. OK, I've gushed enough. All I can say is that I really badly want to go back.
The ambiance is really cool and there was quite the mix of people there. It did get a little loud, but I'm the guy who likes a really quiet place anyway. I wonder if it's a teacher thing. Anyway, Paul has done really well and I can see things just getting better as he really hits his stride.
Call it love at first bite...and second...and third...
You get the idea.
Boehmer
1/24/2010
The restaurant isn't open yet, but we got a sneak peek during a private party last week.... what a beautiful space! They are using wood furniture and fixtures from the Dressler Brothers, and all of that is fantastic.
The room is huge, which feels different from all of the other Ossington hot spots.
The highlights had to be the wood/crystal chandelier by the Dressler Brothers, and the bathroom. I literally got teary eyed, it was so nice.
The pitfalls? There seemed to be a gazillion security cameras. What are they expecting? And unfortunately, the cameras are all a dark grey/black, so they really stand out. The other odd thing.... the photos on the walls. They seem a little cheesy for a restaurant.... not sure what they're about!
I can't wait for them to finish and start seating people regularly, I'll want to be one of the first in line!
Boehmer
3/17/2010
1 photo
We stopped in last night because the architecture caught our eye. We ended up grabbing delicate and delicious drinks at the bar; the Winter Mojito is fabulous as is their refreshing Flowering Cucumber. We didn't stay for dinner (as we were craving pizza) but we will be back!
We spoke with the hostess (and owner, perhaps?) and she said that the resto is eco-inspired, with hearty recycled wood adorning the clean gallery lines. It's a very inspirational space, but doesn't feel haughty. Thanks for a welcoming experience, Boehmer!
Boehmer
7/23/2010
Had a really good experience here the other night. I liked the decor and really liked the fact that the tables are spaced pretty far apart, which makes the place seem really relaxed even when it's pretty busy. I hate being crammed so close to other tables that I have to shimmy my way out to get to the bathroom. Anyway, our server was really knowledgeable and helpful. I was deciding between 2 different wines and he offered to give me tastes of both which was very nice. I started with the beet and goat cheese salad. Yum! Creamiest goat cheese I've ever had. I really dig that they use all fresh, local ingredients. I tried a bit of my friend's venison tar tare (which is way out of my normal comfort zone) and I actually liked it. For my main course I had the chicken fricassee....the portion was huge and came with peas, beans and a few other veggies. It was very tasty. The meat was slightly tough, but that's because it's a natural chicken that has actually run around a bit and not been pumped with hormones to fatten it up. We had an assortment of desserts, including profiteroles, a raspberry tart, a blueberry shortcake and some type of chocolate creme brûlée--which was my favorite since it was chocolaty and tasted slightly of alcohol. Way better than fruit. I left stuffed and happy.
Boehmer
3/20/2010
Went there for dinner tonight and it was alright. For the price, the dinner should have been better than that.
The evening got off to a good start. We entered the restaurant and ooohed and ahhed over the decor which was industrial, arty, and complemented by a dramatically high ceiling - the space's best asset (certainly not the chandeliers which resemble awkward antelope-tentacles). I was grateful that, for once, I was at a 'cool' restaurant that did not assault its diners with freakishly loud club or spa music. Also refreshing was the lack of hauteur. Receiving a warm reception in gorgeous digs gives me confidence in a place.
The wine prices by bottle were predictably overpriced. But of course. So, we settled on drinks and wines by the glass. The Flowering Cucumber cocktail (sparkling wine, elderflower essence, and cucumber) was overly sweet and tasted sweaty on the palate. The wines were excellent.
Appetizers were good. My Jerusalem Artichoke soup w/quail tasted more like a hearty corn chowder - but the quail drumstick was perfect. My husband's arctic char/rosti app met expectations, but he ended up leaving the overly briny salmon roe on the plate.
Mains were better, and generously portioned. My husband ordered rabbit saddle stuffed with blood sausage, and although the rabbit meat was served on the tough side, he raved about the sauce. The brussel sprouts accompaniment was fantastic - no easy feat in his opinion.
My scallop entree was also bathed in a delicious sauce, and the scallops were cooked well, but the dish was ruined by the bed of raw pea sprouts that sat like a garden in the middle of the plate. When I asked the server if they were intentionally undercooked, she checked with the kitchen and came back to inform me that they were 'flash fried' and supposed to be like that.
Really? My mistake, meaning instead of ASKING her, I should have TOLD her they were raw and sent it back. Instead, I left a couple stalks on the plate like a martyr. Tsk, tsk on me.
The dessert was another ambivalent experience. We were served a dense brick of good-tasting chocolate, instead of the mousse we were expecting. Moreover, the dessert was billed as a chocolate mousse infused with Mexican chilies. We couldn't tell. Not a hint of heat, or chili spice or flavoring could be detected. Hmph. Good dessert, but false advertising.
Notwithstanding the pea sprout and dessert incidents, the server tried her best - something I always appreciate. She answered all our questions patiently, if not accurately.
The final bill with taxes (but before tips), was $150 for two. For these prices, the dinner was good, but should have, and could have, been better. The place has only been open a week, so I'm hoping to return somewhere down the road when all these inconsistencies have been worked out and give it another try.