21 Queen’s Rd.
Ph. 576-2112
In any career - some more so than others - there is an evolution that takes place in one’s knowledge and skills (practical and otherwise). In the case of Chef Brian Abbott it seems to have been a “revolution.” Abbott’s food has always been good. I remember tasting it for the first time over a decade ago at Bistro 281. It was straightforward bistro food - cassoulets and the like - but adroitly prepared. Then he moved further east on Duckworth and opened Chez Briann (the “Bri” for Brian, the”ann” for his wife Ann) only to move back the street a few years later to re-establish Chez Briann in the old Victoria Station building. After that he cooked for the Woodstock for a brief time and then, most recently, created Restaurant 21 where he has returned to the dual role of restaurateur/chef.
Restaurant 21 is all about “the food.” In January Brian Abbott was named Culinarian of the Year at the annual Chefs’ Ball and most recently he was overall winner at the Chefs’ Association’s 2005 Culinary Competition. Abbott is at the top of his game. His food is light years ahead of where it used to be. I couldn’t help thinking that the dishes a guest and myself were served recently deserved to be seen and tasted in much more opulent surroundings. Don’t get me wrong, Restaurant 21 is a pleasant enough space with white tablecloths, handsome plates and so forth but it’s small and sparsely appointed. Anyone with a touch of claustrophobia might get a few pangs negotiating the mazelike short corridor that leads from the restaurant’s painfully sober entrance to the maitre d’s station. However, once you get past the shortcomings of the room itself you’re in for an unbelievable dining experience, the result of many years of learning, dedication and talent.
An amuse bouche arrived at our table shortly after we ordered. It is traditionally a tiny bite of something - a gift from the chef - meant to prime the taste buds and get those digestive juices flowing. This night it was some grilled calamari (squid) served with a sun-dried tomato sauce, black olives, tomato, feta cheese and essence of parsley oil. The flavours in this tidy dish ran deep. Sun dried tomato sauce provided a rich, condensed background. The foreground was dominated by the fruity flavour of black olives and punchy bits of feta cheese that pricked my taste buds. Thin pieces of perfectly cooked calamari provided a textured framework for the other ingredients. The salty quality of the dish seemed entirely appropriate as it heightened its intensity.
The duck confit appetizer showed inventive flare. In the centre of the plate sat a beautifully fresh, crisp traditional Newfoundland tea bun. Sandwiched between the two halves of the bun were succulent slices of duck. A tart, sweet chutney of caramelized pear countered the mild rich flavours of the duck. Another layer of tartness and texture was added by wilted spinach with cranberry vinaigrette, along with blue cheese and walnuts. I thought this appetizer was a bargain at $11.00.
After the olives, tomato and calamari of the amuse bouche I felt an Italian theme developing with the veal cannelloni appetizer. The ground veal inside the tubes of fresh pasta was hot and spicy like an Italian sausage. Several juicy cloves of garlic made wonderfully mild by roasting gave an aroma to the dish that was every bit as intoxicating as expensive perfume.
Years ago, one of the first things I noticed about Abbott’s cooking technique was that he knew how to cook fish – in other words, he did not overcook it. The simply seasoned (sea salt and cracked pepper) shrimp and plump scallops appetizer gave further confirmation. This dish was an example of how good a simple plate of modestly seasoned fresh food can be. The round cake of sweet potato puree, broccoli and cauliflower florets and mango coulis that came with the dish were tasty additions but actually seemed unnecessary diversions in the company of such delicious grilled seafood.
It had been a long time since I’d enjoyed a game hen in a restaurant. Restaurant 21’s one-half roasted Cornish game hen did not disappoint. It was stuffed with wild and long grain rice, asparagus and scallop mousse with a caramelized corn relish and pan jus. The hen was roasted for exactly the correct amount of time. It was bursting with rich juice and the meat slid from the bone easily. The hen joined with sautéed red and green peppers to create a fabulous combination of flavours.
No meal is really complete without a sweet ending. Restaurant 21’s homemade fresh fruit crepe and their chocolate genoise (meaning from Genoa) cake provided the perfect finale. The cake was a more labour-intensive preparation but being made from scratch gave both desserts extra power.
The freshly made crepe was large and filled with a mixture of fresh fruit – slices of kiwi, banana, strawberries and mandarin orange sections. A drizzle of strawberry coulis added some colour and extra flavour. It was the kind of light, fresh dessert that seemed warranted after a particularly heavy meal, very French.
When dining out I am a big believer in ordering things that I probably wouldn’t go through the trouble of making at home. That’s why I chose Restaurant 21’s chocolate genoise cake. I’ve said before that I’m not big on sweets; however, once in a while I do appreciate some good quality chocolate. The chocolate genoise cake was a wedge of chocolate gold. It was deeply dark and comprised three layers – a typically moist genoise bottom (loaded with egg and melted or clarified unsalted butter) topped with chocolate mousse, which, in turn, was topped with a rich dark chocolate glaze. Accents of fresh whipped cream as well as a dusting of confectioner’s sugar, some strawberry coulis and a sprig of mint enhanced the presentation of this superb dessert.
There’s no doubt that Brian Abbott has created a big winner in Restaurant 21. He has made extraordinary progress in the art of cooking these past ten years. I can’t wait to see where he’ll go from here.
Our meal at Restaurant 21, including tip and four glasses of wine, cost $154.71.
Best Points:
Extraordinarily good food and service.
Areas for Improvement:
I’d like to see more stylish flatware on the tables and better artwork on the walls.
Ratings Category:
Restaurant 21 gets 9 points out of 10.