One of the wonderful things about Toronto is the wealth of dining options. Every cuisine, every taste, every whim and fancy is catered to, with varying degrees of punch and panache. From food trucks to street meat; fine dining to fusion fare, Toronto offers diners the best the world has to offer, amidst a vibrant, trendsetting city backdrop.
“Located at the exquisite flagship Four Seasons Hotel Toronto, Café Boulud serves a menu inspired by Chef Daniel Boulud’s French roots, inflected with international flavors. Dishes are timeless and expertly executed by Boulud’s talented team of chefs, from the signature Potato Wrapped Sea Bass over leeks and pommes purée to a hearty Slow-Roasted Veal Shank for Two. Downstairs from the café is dbar, the lively bar and lounge serving an array of bar-friendly faire, extensive wine list and unique mixed cocktails.” – Cafe Boulud Toronto
Recently, my husband and I had the fortune of dining at Cafe Boulud, where we experienced a celebration of delectable French cuisine. While I teased photos of our selections via Twitter and Instagram, here is a tribute to our meal from beginning to end.
NOVA SCOTIA LOBSTER SALAD
iceberg lettuce, marinated quail’s egg, cucumber
avocado cream, marie rose
The plump, delicately poached lobster meat is complemented beautifully with a creamy, refreshingly bright sauce. As soon as the dish starts to border on over-indulgent, a sharp, acidic bite of marinated quail’s egg restores the palette’s equilibrium and balances the richness of the dish.
SEARED FOIE GRAS
young carrots
caramelized lime
bulgar wheat, cumin & hazelnut spice
Allowing a single, savoury forkful to melt on the tongue, Cafe Boulud’s foie gras is the epitome of luxury. The carmelized outer shell is in perfect contrast to a creamy center, and faint middle eastern spice notes elevate the flavour profile and lend a hint of fusion flair. Truly a feast for the senses.
SHELLFISH PAELLA
spanish fried rice, mussels
clams, chorizo, gulf shrimp
squid, garlic & saffron aioli
Perfection on a plate. The spicy chorizo sets the tone for the entire meal, lending a salty, earthy flavour that permeates every bite. The rice – fried to a crispy, sticky texture – is in contrast to the delicately prepared seafood, and adds a pleasant, almost rustic vibe to an otherwise dainty dish.
CUMBRAE DRY AGED BEEF
dry-aged cumbrae filet mignon
bone marrow, confit shallot
pommes pont neuf, parsley salad
The bone marrow bathes the filet mignon in essential fattiness, imparting a slick, too-rich taste of utter luxury. The beef is dry aged and has an impossible buttery texture, melting in the mouth with ribbons of deep, primitive flavour.
GRAPEFRUIT GIVRÉ
sesame halva, rose loukoum
grapefruit sorbet
A menu classic; a whole grapefruit is hollowed and lined with house made grapefruit sorbet. At the bottom, fresh grapefruit segments and grapefruit jam, topped with white sesame foam. Above, glossy cubes of rose lukom and halva crumbles. Sealed with a caramelized tuile, it is finished with a crown of shredded halva “hair.” And, it’s a must-taste dessert if you are in Toronto.
STRAWBERRY TART
sable breton, pink pepper meringue
balsamic sauce
pistachio ice cream
Delicate slices of perfectly ripe strawberries tumble together in a pyramid of delight. Crispy, light-as-air meringues are dotted strategically to complement every bite, while the cookie-like cracker and pistachio ice cream offer necessary textural support. A refreshingly tame ending to an embarrassingly rich beginning.
seafood heaven!! Got to try!!
Please do. I am already planning our next visit :)
The presentation of the food is amazing, not sure it would be a place for my picky family though.
You definitely need to have an adventurous palette, but the good news, there are tried and true favourite – I just didn’t go for them!
yum! all these dishes look divine!
They were, Nicky!
looks divine
Still thinking about them :)
This is heavenly looking food! I can only imagine how it tastes, but that strawberry tart is number 1 on my list! Thanks for sharing
You’re welcome Anne! The Strawberry Tart was amazing, but the Grapefruit Givre was to die for!
Wow love the amazing presentation of the dishes! Would be awesome to go here for an anniversary dinner! mmmmmm
The perfect place for a celebration!
Aw, now you went and made me REALLY hungry (just waiting for dinner to finish cooking here) !
I will have the Nova Scotia Lobster Salad, the Cumbrae Dry Aged Beef with a Strawberry Tart to top it off !!! YUMMMMMMMMMMMY !!!
Love your picks, Flora!
looks tasty and scrumptious. yum
VERY tasty and scrumptious, Ivy! One of the best meals I’ve had!
youre killing me! everything looks so so sooo good.
And perfectly portioned, too :)
I LOVE seafood! After looking at all of your photos, I am so hungry right now.
I think I need to try and recreate some of these dishes!
The lobster part look yummy not sure about the quails egg though
It was an acquired taste. I loved it – my husband, not so much!
What a lovely meal you must have had. The food looks wonderful!
We did, Heidi – thank you!
Best fine dining experience ever!
It was pretty spectacular!
All of those dishes look delicious. The dry aged beef is probably my favourite.
It was melt-in-your-mouth good :)
The food looks absolutely mouthwatering!
Jessica, it was beyond delicious.
That poached lobster meat dish looks so good!
So refreshing and so yummy!
These dishes all look very good and very rich, I’ll take the lobster and the tart, yummmmm!!
Great picks!
MMM they’re making my mouth water!
Looking back on the pictures is making me hungry too!
The food looks delicious!
It’s magnificent, Eldon!
Must not reach into screen to grab the food >.< Drooling!!
Hahaha I don’t blame you!
OMG I am drooling, these look to pretty to eat!
I felt the same way!! (But I did manage to eat them)
Lobster is my fave! Yum!
Mine too! I need to have it more often!
Yummy lobster , i am in Nova Scotia and i so love my lobster … all the food looks delish :)
So jealous you have access to such fresh lobster!
This looks amazing. I will have to try it.
Please do Judy!
Always great food at Cafe Boulud.
OMG Your pictures have got my mouth watering because the food looks so good but my favorite is the lobster. YUMMY !
I live in Newfoundland and eat fresh seafood often just hours from the water but never in amazing dishes like this !