09.10.12
Located
in Liberty Village, tucked away just off of King west, you’ll find Mildred’s Temple Kitchen (@mildredstemple). Moved to its current location in 2008
from 99 Sudbury, owners Donna Dooher and Kevin Gallagher continue to provide
diners with great food. Did someone say brunch, burgers, and beer?! Ahoy yes
please.
Mildred’s Temple Kitchen
85 Hanna ave.
Toronto, ON
416 588 5695
Transit:
504 King streetcar west. Get off Jefferson ave.
Hours:
mon-fri (lunch/dinner), sat (brunch/dinner), sun (brunch only)
From
the outside, the restaurant comes off as a little cold, industrial. Fret not,
because once you step inside, you’ll see that this MTK is beautiful!
As
far as bars go, this one is really open and airy.
This
space is spacious and very well-designed (by Brian Brownlie at du Toit Architects).
Nowhere in sight will you find reclaimed wood and mish-mashed furniture.
There’s a time and place for everything. Here, rows of pendant lights, polished
concrete floors, No.71 chairs, high ceilings and silk-wrapped banquettes that
hearken back to the original restaurant all come together to form a restaurant
unlike most.
The
open kitchen is both inviting and intriguing. You can see your dishes being
prepared right before your eyes…you almost want to step “inside” and taste some
ingredients. Of course, you’d get your hand slapped but one can wish (or be
super sneaky). On the left, Chef de Cuisine Taylor McMeekin (who won the 86’d
Hot Sauce battle back in April last year) and on the right, one of my old high
school friends, Abby, who’s now a cook at MTK! Such a pleasant surprise seeing
her there!
So
how did I end up here in the first place? One of my foodie friends Brian (of The Urban Craze), got a groupon for a dinner for two. Guess who tagged along?!
;)
Before
all the eating started, Chef Taylor invited us to participate in the beef
tasting that was going on over on the other side of the restaurant. There was
40-day aged, wagyu, and grass-fed. Our foodie street-cred on the line (but not
really), luckily we got all three right.
First
Course – “Whet the appetite” lobster
tortilla bisque with avocado and lobster salad
No
this wasn’t the lobster bisque as described on the men. I’m guessing they
didn’t have lobster in the kitchen so instead, we got what I believe was a
butternut squash soup with coconut, cashews and chilli oil?
Second
Course – “Sharing’s Good” ricotta
gnudi w/ sage butter and shaved Sovrano
Classic
combination of flavours. The gnudi, which means “nude”, was terribly light and
fluffy. Executive Chef Donna Dooher even shared her recipe for gnudi HERE.
Third
Course – “The Main Feature” herb
roasted chicken served atop a panzanella salad and seasonal vegetables. This
was a hugely generous portion of chicken!
My
favourite part of this course, the beans. There’s just something about well-cooked
veggie. Is there anything more satisfying than that crunch, the squeak, and the
burst of juices?!
Fourth
Course – “Italian Style” affogato
(Lindt milk chocolate ice cream drowned in hot espresso w/ a crunchy hazelnut
biscotti. To cap off our meal, personal affogato. Love love loved this! I
prefer light, refreshing desserts so this was right up my alley.
Mildred’s
Temple Kitchen seems to be not only a great spot to eat, but a great kitchen to
work in as well. Instead of looking up to see a wall, you get to look outside!
Verdict: The entire
dining experience was fantastic. I’m not being biased because I know a couple
people who work at Mildred’s Temple Kitchen. The food is cooked with finesse,
the service is attentive, the chef is approachable and the space is beautiful.
What more can you ask for? I’m coming back for that burger! :D
4
out of 5 NOMs
nomnomnomnom
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