Food for Thought with Alex Bielak- The Culinary Stars’ Stars - A Taste of Burlington (and beyond)

The Culinary Stars’ Stars - A Taste of Burlington (and beyond) 

Earlier this week I was invited to cover the launch of Taste of Burlington 2014. It was a busy event featuring 25 local restaurants: each served up a food sample aimed at enticing diners to try the promotional prix fixe menus that kick in from Feb 16th through to March 6th.

Given the number of food bloggers (or culinary writers as they were identified) in attendance, I knew there would be plenty of coverage of the dishes served, so I took a different tack. I posed four simple questions to the owners, chefs and front of house staff representing the various eateries to gauge what was happening in this part of our region. More on those later.

The dishes at the event were also judged by the 300 or so guests, and a panel of celebrity judges. You can see a full description of the results here: In summary, the judges voted the praline-rolled sweet potato donuts filled with Ontario maple cream – served up by the QUEEN’S HEAD PUB – as their top choice.

WEST PLAINS BISTRO shared the “People’s Choice” award for a complex and delicious roasted cauliflower soup. Co-winner, STONE HOUSE RESTAURANT, served up beer-braised short ribs with subtly-truffled turnip puree. Given what I’ve learned recently about fakery in the truffle business, I was happy to hear from Chef Mitchell Lamb that he is very careful to source pure truffle oil from his supplier of fresh truffles.

I’m grateful to my friend Heather Lang (check out her food and garden blog) for the use of some of her
photos to accompany this piece. They include the great shot of the Tuna Canapés served up by newcomer to the local culinary scene, and runner up in the People’s choice contest, TEST KITCHEN.

The crowd certainly seemed happy as they navigated the two large spaces where the restaurants were presenting their dishes: there were really no losers that evening, as most of the samplings were pretty tasty and representative of their originators.

Given the assembly of gastro-talent, I wanted to seek their views on challenges facing them, what they were planning for the future and who – in their opinion – are the culinary stars in our region. Despite how busy they were serving the hungry crowd, representatives of each restaurant graciously and thoughtfully responded to my questions.

I began by asking: “Who besides yourself/your restaurant is doing the most exciting things (culinarily) in our region?” Many of the respondents had to think about this, and as I had firmly ruled self-nominations out of bounds, reactions were illuminating.

A number said they are simply too busy to get out much to sample offerings from other restaurants. In a typical response, Sachin Bali, owner of AMAYA EXPRESS, said he is busy focussing on building up his own business and consequently has not been out to visit many other local establishments. He then went on to nominate the RUDE NATIVE as a spot he has enjoyed. Another apparent shut in, David VanderVeen, Head Server at West Plains Bistro finally noted he likes CHUCKS BURGER BAR when he does eventually get out.

Chef Will Edsall of the Queen’s Head, also confessed he doesn’t go out often, but when he does, his top choices were RED CANOE (“an extraordinary Chef”) and SPENCER’S AT THE WATERFRONT. Perhaps his diligence in staying home is paying off since he produced the lovely sweet potato donut that so tickled the judges’ palates. Mine too. Twice!

In my informal survey (I conducted interviews with 23 of the 25 restaurants present) there were two clear winners. Spencer’s shared top spot with Red Canoe, each garnering six positive mentions from their peers.

Chef Tobias Pohl-Weary of the Red Canoe was mentioned by name as often as his restaurant. Christina Christiansen, Catering Chef for the Ampersand Group that owns several of the restaurants represented at the event (SB PRIME, EATALIA, Rude Native) said Chef Pohl-Weary is among a select group making excellent food using local, organic and sustainable produce. Bravo!

I enjoyed the offerings from each of these top-rated spots (respectively a very sweet and chocolaty icewine marshmallow s’more - by Spencer’s Pastry Chef Lauren Hambleton, and an heirloom beet risotto with goat feta topped with a naturally-raised beef ragout from Chef Tobias.) Though I have yet to go to Red Canoe, I’m very familiar with Spencer’s and not in the least surprised by their showing in my straw poll.

The next group was made up of BLACKTREE and five week-old Test Kitchen (4 mentions each), with three for Matt Kershaw’s THE ALEX. Chef Edsall said “Matteo Paonessa of Blacktree runs the best restaurant in the city, a sentiment echoed by Test Kitchen’s owner Alex Mickalow: he said it was “the only place that is on trend or ahead of it.” (He also named Spencer’s who he noted “are doing some good stuff.”)

In turn, Test Kitchen was cited for an exciting revolving menu (by Mohammed Emami, Owner and Chef of Persian eatery, RAYHOON) a nomination echoed by Chef Merlin Webbe Owner-Operator of WENDEL CLARK’S, who said what they were doing was “pretty exciting”.

CELLIS OSTERIA got two votes including a strong shout out from Chef Ronnie Knox of PEPPERWOOD: “Chef Marco Carnicelli is cooking some cool Italian comfort food.” Also worth visiting according to the respondents were a variety of spots from Burlington, Hamilton and even as far afield as Niagara. (The definition of “our region” was obviously flexible.)

With one vote apiece – and several clearly being sources of familiar post-shift comfort food/beverage, were the afore-mentioned Chucks Burger Bar and Rude Native, Bread Bar, Honey West, Ivy Bar/Kitchen, Mothers, Paradiso, Paramount, Peller Estates, Rib Eye Jacks, and another newcomer, Stinson. Wendell Clark’s was enthusiastically nominated by Brian Pyett, a passing ToB diner, as the best restaurant to watch hockey!

I was particularly intrigued by the recommendation of John A. MacDonald, Operating Partner of the BULLDOG and BEAVER, for the Paramount location on Hamilton Mountain. It apparently does authentic Mediterranean and Arabic cuisine, and there is even a prayer room on the premises. Another spot to try.

The enlightening responses to the other questions I posed (“What is your biggest challenge”, “what would you like to expand into or try”, and “what is your favourite dish?” will appear in a future column.

Till then, Happy Eating!

For more pictures,  click here  
Alex (Alex can be reached at fft@thehamiltonian.info ) or on twitter @AlexBielak

Food for Thought logo, designed and kindly donated by Ninka Bielak. Ninka can be reached at ninka.bielak@gmail.com.