Restaurant Review: Mistura

Mistura; 265 Davenport Road, Toronto, ON. Entrees between $32 and $56

Beef striploin carpaccio (Grana Padano Shavings, Black Truffle, Arugula, E.V. Olive Oil & Fresh Lemon Juice); galleto ripieno (Pancetta Wrapped Stuffed Boneless Cornish Hen with Brussels Sprout, Winter Vegetable Hash & Green Beans)

So, tonight was my big outing while in Toronto, one that I've been looking forward to since I made the reservation over a week ago. I'll be winding down (and revisiting one or two places) after tonight.

I guess a iittle back story is in order. I enjoy watching cooking shows, especially those that revolve around life in a restaurant.  Put me down in front of The F Word, a Jamie Oliver show, or Iron Chef and I'm generally a happy puppy. One of my favourite shows, however, is Restaurant Makeover.  Not just because it revolves around life in a restaurant, not just because it's Canadian and therefore deserves my love, but in good part because of the chefs it highlights (sorry designers).  One of my favourite chefs featured is Massimo Capra. Chef Capra displays such a sheer joy and love for his work in the kitchen that I couldn't miss experiencing that first hand. When someone has that much passion for cooking, it comes out in the food they serve. As soon as I knew I was going to Toronto, I knew I would be going to his restaurant. 

Front of house

Mistura is an impeccably designed restaurant.  It's warm and cozy with a real eye to how little touches can enhance the dining experience, and it welcomes you with your first step off the street. My initial dining companion and I (she came only for initial conversation and drinks, as dietary restrictions sadly prevented her from partaking in dinner) were greeted cheerfully by the hostess, who I would later learn was Massimo's wife, and taken to a cozy, if small, nook for two at the front of the restaurant by the bar. Although this isn't the best spot for a single diner because it doesn't really afford a good view of the restaurant (the bar would likely have been better), this would be a very intimate spot for a couple wanting a romantic evening.

My server was Sean, who was very gracious and attentive; really, the best service I've had in several months.  He was also very patient, waiting while my companion and I talked about how we'd spent the day, our respective partners, dogs, and the like.  Sean never once rushed us to place an order (aside from asking us for our initial drink choices, which was appropriate), and returned at respectful intervals to check if we were ready.  And when I say he was patient, I'm really not exaggerating: we probably waited a good half hour after seating before I placed my order. No malice aforethought intended on our part - Mistura is set up for good conversation, which we were clearly having.

I didn't put my stomach in Sean's hands for the main dish tonight, as I had too many "but not that" options -- I'm not a fan of seafood, and I try my best to avoid veal; two things that would probably make one question why I'm going for high end Italian in the first place, but never mind. I did, however, ask him to recommend an appetizer to compliment my choice of main, and he promptly came up with two good pairings: beef striploin carpaccio and balsamic-glazed Alberta lamb ribs, describing both vlearly and eloquently.  When I mentioned that I'd never had black truffle, he immediately suggested that I try the carpaccio. I'm feeling a little adventurous these days, so I agreed.

Appetizer

I've wanted to try a carpaccio for quite some time, though I've always been a bit nervous about its raw nature; it's one of those dishes that's really not the least bit practical to make at home because it requires such precision and care.  The carpaccio was presented beautifully, and was a healthy portion for an appetizer.  One could easily order this alone and leave Mistura satisfied. I did initially have a difficult time with the dish, but this really had nothing to do with the dish itself, which was impeccably prepared. Primarily, I'm just not used to eating raw meat and stumbled a bit on the texture.  And indeed, the carpaccio isn't completely raw: it's delicately and quickly seared with a peppered crust before it's sliced paper thin. As I continued eating it, however, my concern over the texture vanished and its flavour grew more compelling. Like my review last night, brilliance comes out of simplicity, and carpaccio is about as simple as you can get: sliced meat, some arugula, Grana Padano, and truffle-infused oil arranged on a plate. Aside from the preparation, there's nothing fussy about the dish.  It's just good quality ingredients prepared with nothing but love for the art of cooking.

Main

My companion left during the appetizer course so that she could get back to the hotel and eat her own meal, so I was alone for the rest of the meal.  It's a shame that she did, because the cornish hen, also something I've never tried before, was the star of the evening.

As I mentioned earlier, there were quite a few things on the menu that fell outside my personal comfort, including several seafood options, a slow-cooked rabbit, and the evening's special of an offal-based soup. I apologize for not recalling the proper name for the last of these; it was essentially a collection of beef cuts in broth that included rib, brisket, and tongue.  I know that offal is re-emerging as a popular choice amongst foodies, but I for one have never been sad that it disappeared in the first place.

Chef Capra clearly puts a great deal of time and thought into both presentation and portion.  Often chefs will choose one at the expense of the other, as was clearly illustrated by my visit to Signatures the other night. But Chef clearly is willing to sacrifice neither. Like the carpaccio before it, the cornish hen was a generous portion.  But there was also great care taken to providing a substantial amount of food as well as to the proportion of the various components within the dish to each other. There was just enough winter vegetable hash to match the 5 portions of wrapped and stuffed cornish hen; no more than you wanted, but no less either.  The hen was plated on a rectangular plate in a very pleasing arrangement: the hen rolls were placed neatly on edge in a straight line with the winter vegetables stacked alongside them.  It was a very harmonious mixture of order and chaos that actually reminds me a little bit of the Japanese practice of adding a little disorder into a garden.

It's said that a good meal starts with the eyes, but I could have been blind and enjoyed the cornish hen. I'm not sure how to explain it and do it the justice it deserves. I'll try.  Each rolled piece of cornish hen is surrounded by a thin pancetta, and stuffed with a breaded mixture.  The pancetta is just thick enough to add an initial crispy saltiness to each bite, which is followed by the warm flavour of the hen and the deep, comforting flavour of the stuffing. The flavours are perfectly balanced and each bite leaves you wanting just a little bit more.

The winter vegetable hash and green beans are the perfect match to the cornish hen. It fills out some of the low notes the stuffing doesn't hit, and itself provides a nice mix of flavours.  On a personal note, I was very pleased to see an echo of my own cooking in the winter vegetables; they were diced extremely small (about a 1/4" square).  I dice this small for my greek salad, I think with much the same intent -- to allow a group of flavours to enter the mouth at the same time. Of course Chef Capra couldn't possibly know this, but it did put a smile on my face.

I couldn't finish my meal completely, but I kept eating as long as I was able. Honestly, the last two pieces of hen I ate were out of sheer greed for flavour, but I ate them anyway.  I was, unfortunately, unable to justify dessert, given the late hour when I finished and the happy groaning of my stomach.

Overall

A testament to the comfort within Mistura came during my main.  The hostess, Massimo's wife, sat down near my table to do a little work where there was some better lighting.  Before she started, however, she asked me if I minded, then engaged me in a very pleasant conversation while I ate and she worked.  She was extremely friendly, asking me about my purpose for being in Toronto, and telling me about her son, who is studying to become a photographer at OCAD. She of course had to step away again when business started to pick up, but it's small things like this that really make the difference for me at any business. A touching part of the conversation was a story she told me of how she would save up her weekly tips when working as a hairdresser so that she could have a small meal at a fine restaurant.  It was a simple story, but one that tells me so much about her and the restaurant she represents.

Although Mistura falls outside my normal dining budget, I would absolutely dine there again.  I would have an earlier start, however, and definitely would go there with a larger appetite than I had tonight.  It's worth this overly full feeling, however, and the $70 bill ($90 with tip).  I heartily recommend visiting Mistura when you're in Yorkville -- or anywhere within driving distance.

Chef Capra, I thank you for an amazing meal.