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Lardon Restaurant
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian [Edit]
390 Roncesvalles AveToronto, ON M6R 2M9
Neighbourhoods: High Park, Roncesvalles
(416) 516-8112
- Hours:
Tue-Sat 5 pm - 10 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
9 reviews for Lardon Restaurant
9 reviews in English
-
Review from Erica J.
Toronto, ON
5/2/2012
Yes, Yes, Yes!!!
This is the first decent meal we've had since we moved from San Francisco. I must also add this was take out since our toddler was going to bed.
We ordered the fois gras, scallops, butternut soup, and the duck confit.
STUNNING - all of it! We'll be back! -
Review from Justin H.
Toronto, ON
Some of the best food I've had in the city yet (been here for a year). From what I gather the chef is the owner and takes his food very seriously.
From Tuesday-Thursday, they offer a $25 fixed-price menu, that comes with a soup/salad, any main that costs under $25, and a dessert.
I had the soup (squash), pork-belly, and mango ice cream thing as part of my fixed-price menu and everything was exceptional. I was able to try the scallops and they were also phenomenal.
On the other hand, the interior of the place is strange, and not in a good way. If the owner could make the inside a bit more intimate and welcoming, this would be a 5 star restaurant. -
Review from Yvonne T.
1/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
Au Pied de Cochon has a baby brother in Toronto - chef/owner Jacky Lo's Lardon Restaurant. As a child, growing up in an immigrant family, we were always given the "there are starving children in Africa "sermon at the dinner table if we didn't clear our plates. I guess Chef Lo's parents must have really hit home with that message as witnessed by his menu of pork belly, beef tripe, and foie gras. He also believes in reducing waste and sourcing local ingredients.
Lardon is most popular as a flavour base in French cuisine and is simply small cubes of pork fat used to infuse food with flavour.
For those of you who are not big fans of pork, there are other options such as duck, Cornish hen, steak, trout, and lamb to choose from. The wine list is regrettably short, especially if you want something by the glass.
We strolled in on a Friday night at 7PM to an empty restaurant, but things started picking up shortly after. Our server was good, checking in on us at every course and was very good at ensuring our water glasses were full and recommended a great beer for my dining companion. Even the non-beer-drinking gal (me) enjoyed the strong beer from Trois Pistoles. The only complaint I have is that the wine glasses should've been removed (since neither of us were drinking wine) as the table started getting cluttered as the food arrived. He eventually caught on and removed them.
Complimentary bread is served up with a side of carrot purée and sundried tomatoes. This was a great departure from the usual butter or olive oil and balsamic duo. For starters I opted for the Pan Seared Foie Gras which is accompanied by crostinis, a duck rillette and berry compote. The rillette was delicate and tender, unlike some of the dry, and pasty rillettes I've experienced in the past. The berry compote was just the right level of sweetness and went well with the foie. I found the foie to be a tad on the oily side, but it was definitely melt in your mouth good.
My dining companion opted for the Panko-crusted frog legs with basil pesto and red pepper coulis. Although the frog legs were quite tender, the meat itself was bland which was not helped with a bland Panko crust. The basil pesto was very toned down. Overall, this was the most disappointing dish of the night for me.
For mains I had my heart set on the Roast Pork Belly served atop a bed of savoy cabbage, Yukon Gold mash and peas. The most heavenly part of this dish was the crispy skin. When I first saw it on the menu I was afraid that I would be experiencing yet another piece of pork belly that tasted like the stuff you get at the Chinese barbecue places, but I was not disappointed. The jus flowed nicely into the mash, giving it a rich flavour. The slight tartness and acidity from the savoy cabbage was also a nice touch. The portion size was also quite generous, and I'm glad I had a dining companion to share with!
My dining companion's Lamb Shank was definitely the highlight of the night for me. It just melted off the bone and soaked up every single drop of rich, jus flavour. The meat was quite tender and it was also served atop a bed of delicate celery root mash. It had a nice char to it, and the bits of charred fat just liquify in your mouth. Yummy!
We managed to save a bit of room for dessert and ended up sharing the Maple-Bacon Ice Cream which was surrounded by a skirt of breadcrumbs and adorned with bacon bits. The presentation was quite cute, and reminded me of a bunny rabbit. I don't know that I would have it again as I don't think I am quite accustomed to having bacon bits in my repertoire of dessert ingredients.
Verdict:
Although the food was extremely rich, I didn't leave the restaurant feeling like I had ingested a fat-laden, calorie-exceeding meal. I didn't feel disgustingly full. The food at Lardon is carefully executed, and I caught glimpses from my seat of Chef Lo tasting all his dishes and readjusting the seasoning prior to plating. The food comes out at a slow and steady pace, because Chef Lo will not send out anything that is mediocre.
The service is friendly, and the ambiance is cozy and intimate. It is a place you can go to experience great food, and good conversation without having to worry about expensive parking, or scarcity in parking. -
Review from Jessie B.
Toronto, ON
5/8/2012
One of the best deals in the City has to be their weekday prix fixe menu. You get a three course meal for 25 bucks. It includes a choice of soup or salad to start, any main and then a choice between usually two different types of dessert. Since I live in the 'hood I have been coming here since it opened and have enjoyed every visit.
-
Review from Gretchen D.
10/6/2011
Superb.
The four of us had a great evening--great service and great food. Wednesday night and we walked in with no reservation. No problem (although it was about 80% full).
Our server was friendly and personable throughout the evening. Hubby had the $28 three course prie fixe--salad, main course and dessert. The rest of us shared the lobster and the scallops first course. The poached lobster and shrimp was great. generous portion for $12. The scallops was stunning. Pan fried in bacon and perfectly cooked.
Our entrees were duck confit, pork belly, flat iron steak and Cornish hen. They were all amazing. hard to choose which was best.
For dessert we had an excellent creme brulee and the maple and bacon ice cream. (a bit too salty for my taste.)
A wonderful meal with great service. -
Review from Kent P.
6/3/2011
Dropped by Lardon on a whim last night after a patio beer on Roncy (note: patios are hard to find there) for some haute cuisine.
The space was what you'd expect to find in most white tablecloth joints, spread out tables, some abstract art on canvas, waitstaff in all black.
They had a 3 course fixed price menu of a salad or soup, any main on the menu and a creme brûlée for 25$, which is a pretty good deal since most of the mains are just over twenty boners. The app and dessert didn't really appeal to me so I ordered of the ontario rack of lamb with mashed potatoes, squash, and green beans.
While we were waiting for the food to arrive some warm bread was brought out with a brilliantly yellow pureed carrot and basil spread - which was delightful.
Then we waited forever for food.
I was a little surprised at the size of my main, a little on the small side compared with the other orders at the table and the lamb was a too fatty. It did taste very nice, though. The sides and jus were perfectly cooked and balanced the heaviness of the meat.
Had a sample of the creme brûlée (which took another 15-20ish minutes to bring out) which was as good as any creme brûlée you've probably had. Good but not good enough to wait for.
Overall, the quality of the food was totally satisfactory but our dining time was about 35 minutes too long. Saw only two guys in the kitchen and a lot of tables waiting alongside us. Quicken the pace and Lardon could be pretty good.
Three PATS
Pat at AT
Stupid autocorrect
Ttyn,
-PAT -
Review from Ken Y.
4/1/2011 7 photos
For appetizers, we had the pear/walnut salad and lobster salad. The pear salad surprisingly came in a cute tower presentation (see attached photos) topped w/ blue cheese instead of the usual bowl of salad with stuff on top. The lobster/shrimp salad was put on top of a long slice of cucumber and topped w/ tobiko. Both tasted great...my favorite was the lobster salad for the textural differences.
For entrees, we had the beef bourguignon which was very rich tasting from braising with bacon and extremely tender. We also had the de-boned cornish game hen (the oldest entree on the menu) and the albacore tuna. The cornish game hen tasted great, but the standout was the very sweet roasted carrots. The tuna was very nicely presented on top of tasty root vegetables and quinoa (first time I've had quinoa and can't say I'm fond of the texture unfortunately); the wasabi pea puree tasted like a nice wasabi sauce rather than something made of wasabi peas...it worked well w/ the tuna.
The bacon/maple ice cream was two round balls of ice cream on top of what looked like graham cracker crumbs...the maple/bacon complemented each other but it was weird chewing on bits of bacon for a dessert :-) The creme brulee was surprisingly topped with a gooseberry which we don't get in Boston that much (only during the summer from local farmers markets).
Service was efficient and friendly. Would love to come again late summer when there are more local ingredients...we don't have nearly enough of these little bistro places with clever food presentations and textures in Boston :-P -
Review from Meaghan B.
Toronto, ON
5/1/2010
I was looking for something special for my partner's birthday, and a friend suggested Lardon Restaurant. Though it is categorized as Italian on this site, the menu was varied and had local fare that included smoked trout, Cornish hen and steak.
The service was great, and the cook personally suggested a bottle of wine for our meal.
I had the bevette and frittes, which may have been the best steak I've had in my life. My partner had the in-house smoked trout with quinoa and she was over the moon about how great of a meal it was.
The most unique part of the restaurant is the homemade maple and bacon ice-cream. It's ice-cream, with bacon! -
Review from Sean L.
North York, ON
5/14/2010
I had waited a couple of months before making my first reservation at Lardon and I'm glad I did. At 6:00PM on a Saturday night, we arrived promptly at the newly renovated restaurant and was greeted by their hostess, Doris, who was warm and friendly. My party of seven took the remaining reserved table available in this cozy, dimly-lit restaurant. The decor was simple yet relaxingly sophisticated. The main entrance was lined by large open windows and the kitchen, situated at the opposite end of the restaurant, offered a glimpse into the brainchild of this joint. At the pass, stood chef/owner Jacky Lo, ready to command his troops with military precision.
Four members at my table were actually back on their 2nd/3rd visit and I was advised that everything on the menu was to be desired. Our server was knowledgeable and helped us navigate through the plethora of Italian jargon and we all agreed to order to share. We settled on the following from their new menu:
Cornish Hen x 2
Steak Frites
Duck Confit
Parmigiano Reggiano
Rainbow Trout
Almost immediately after placing our order, we were surprised by some bread paired with a side trio of sun dried tomatoes, olives, and anchovies. The table was torn as to which of the three complemented the toasted bread but we managed to clear the plates within minutes. Personally, I enjoyed the anchovies the most as their saltiness just hit the spot. Not normally an olive lover, I found the olives to be fruity and fragrant.
As the main course came out, the first thing I noticed was the clean presentation. As for each dish:
Steak Frites - Done sous-vide style, I had never experienced a piece of beef that was done so perfectly a medium rare (as recommended by our server). This is in agreement with Meagen B.'s review. The only complaint that I had was that I was required to share this dish with 6 other people but that's of no fault to the restaurant. Interestingly, the frites were actually my favourite part of this dish as the potatoes were thickly cut, crunchy on the outside, and soft and buttery on the inside! Mmm, yum.
Cornish Hen - The hen arrived already de-boned with a crispy, golden brown skin and sitting on a bed of beluga lentil and carrots. A bite into the hen revealed a hint of sweet alcohol which we later discovered was from the shiaoxing wine marinade. Not necessarily my favourite dish but others seemed to really like it.
Duck Confit - Normally confined to dried pasta from a box, Lardon's fresh pasta was a first for me. The duck was succulent but what sealed the deal for me was the sweet pieces of pear that accented the dish. Nice!
Rainbow Trout - This was probably the star of the entrees and really the best bang for your buck. The trout had an amazing smoky flavour that was infused deep within the fish, underneath the crispy skin. I highly recommend this dish especially if you enjoy quinoa!
Unfortunately, I was sitting at the other end of the Parm-Reg so I can't comment on it. Though, it looked on par with all of the other dishes.
Though full, the entire table shared one of each choice from the dessert menu which included:
Creme Brule - Thick custardy texture, maximum vanilla bean flavour, topped with a crackling sugar crust. The best I've ever had.
Mango-Lemon Grass Sorbet & Berry-Basil Sorbet - The mango sorbet tasted like a perfectly ripe mango while revealing hints of earthy lemon-gress while the berry-basil was just to die for! Top it all off with a fresh biscotti cookie. Perfect.
Chocolate Mousse - Creamy chocolate mousse tower lined with a cookie crust matched with (if I remember correctly) a blueberry compote.
Bacon Maple Syrup Ice Cream - The name says it all. You need to try this bold dessert on your next visit!
All in all, we enjoyed a laid back night at Lardon along with good service and a well executed meal. I can't wait to go back and see what the chefs have to offer as the season/menu changes.
