Quatrefoils

16 Sydenham Street
Dundas, Ontario
905-628-7800 

Type of cuisine: French
Date of Review: September, 2010

Overall Quality Ranking: Excellent

Cost: Expensive
Gluten-Free Menu Options: Good
Gluten Free Diner Comfort ranking: Comfortable

Description:  Yes, you can get darn good food outside of Toronto.  After apparently struggling with regulations and sinking a pile of money into the establishment, Quatrefoils is now earning kudos from its patrons. 

The menu is tight, not unnecessarily long.  It met my preference for a focused, fresh sampling with good food turnover rather than an 8-page "please everybody" menu.  No, the menu is not vegetarian focused, but yes, a vegetarian could find a satisfying meal here with a soup or salad and gnocci.  Otherwise, fish and meat reign and most of the menu can accommodate the gluten-free eater. 

The four of us shared a nice Domaine des Anges 2006 Ventoux, which matched our food nicely.  For those inclined, the crispy rolls were very nice.  As an appetizer, we tried the heirloom tomoto salad with arugula and pesto, which was perfectly ripe and a perfect room temperature.  The Foie gras torchon, which I took without the toast, was well portioned (i.e. small) and came with cherries, lettuce, and a sherry jelly--no toast required.  It was a delight. 

Foie Gras Torchons - That'll be three slices of Yum!

For the main, I had the flank steak and frites--something I'm frequently tempted to do when the fries are not cross-contaminated--and was happy on both accounts.  The steak was excellent and the frites top notch, although I'm afraid cholesterol pills don't come as a side.  A fellow diner went with the duck with an orange sauce, and had no regrets.  It was nicely done and nicely accompanied.  One tablemate did have the lightly herbed gnocci with sweet baby squash and found it satisfying but not overly heavy.  Another had the rack of lamb with home made lamb ravioli and declared himself a very happy and contented diner, though he was generous enough to share.

Settling in for the final chapter, two of use shared the baked chocolate mousse, which was rich and excellent.  Our partners shared the blueberry lemon cake and were equally happy.

Service was top notch.  Making everything from scratch, the kitchen had no difficulty with gluten avoidance.  The physical space was clean and refined, with interesting sconces evoking both a nod to Hamilton metal working and an update on the traditional crystal variety.  It is evident they dropped some coin on the place.  The patio was also beautiful, and I hope to return in warmer days.

Quatrefoils is a great restaurant.  May it thrive and grow roots in this great community. 

Bangkok Spoon Deluxe

57 King St. West
Dundas, Ontario
905-628-8808

Type of cuisine:  Thai
Date of Review: Sept, 2010

Overall Quality Ranking: Okay

Cost: Moderate
Gluten-Free Menu Options: Reasonable
Gluten Free Diner Comfort ranking: Comfortable

Description:  Taking over from the Deluxe Restaurant, which closed in 1979 and sat empty for over a quarter century, Bangkok Spoon Deluxe retains a piece of that history while largely moving on. 

The menu is fairly extensive, but in a rare letdown, gluten-free eaters can not have either the green or red curry, as the kitchen uses a gluten containing oyster sauce in them.  Similar to other Thai and Vietnamese restaurants, some of the dipping sauces are also a no go.  Noting that, we started with a green mango salad.  This was generally reviewed as being good, although one diner found it a little heavy on the fish sauce.  We also shared the Mieng Goong, a wrap-it-yourself shrimp, ginger, peanut and lettuce affair which was quite tasty and fresh. 

For main dishes, we shared the (gluten-containing) green curry chicken, which was good but lacked a spicy punch.  The stir-fried scallops were a little plain, though generous.  Conversely, the pad Thai, while tasty, was a little short on protein content.  The tiger shrimp with pepper, orange and cashew nut in a chili paste was good but perhaps not as flavourful as hoped.  The sticky rice and coconut rice were both very good.  We washed all this down with a reasonably priced (for Ontario) Yellow Tail Shiraz.  The desserts, which in our case were largely ice cream, were considered quite tasty, with actual coconut chunks in the coconut flavour.  Remind the waiter not to give you the complementary cookie.

The service was pleasant, timely, and helpful, and the restaurant was well staffed.  The decor is a departure from the old days of the diner, having a clean, bright, and modern look.

Bangkok Spoon is a decent restaurant, and I would return if it came up.  It is unfortunate that the curries are off limits for the gluten averse, and the spice level might have been overly diluted for us North Americans.  If you live in the area, consider Pomelo as an alternative.  

Harbord House

150 Harbord St.
Toronto, Ontario
647-430-7365

Type of cuisine: Pub
Date of Review: Sept, 2010

Overall Quality Ranking: Excellent

Cost: Moderate
Gluten-Free Menu Options: Somewhat restricted
Gluten Free Diner Comfort ranking: Cautiously Comfortable

Description:  A self proclaimed gastro pub, Harbord House takes it's food more seriously than most North American pubs.  The liquid refreshment is not the only draw here.  Although the menu is a little tight for gluten free eaters, it appears quite appealing on the comfort food side, and you don't pay top dollar.  Note that the fries are off limits on account of floured foods sharing the same oil.

First, if you are of the persuasion, the bread was rated as good.  The oysters were also fresh and yummy.  For an appetizer, I tried the buffalo mozzarella salad with chorizo.  A touch on the too cold side, this was nonetheless a fruity, fresh, and tasty start.  A culinary comrade took up with the cobb salad and was pleased.  Oddly, perhaps, it included onion rings, but these were light and crisp. 

Part of the team continued on with the tomato soup, which was reported to have a rich roasted tomato flavour with hints of garlic.  The arctic char with hazelnut gnocci and pickled radish was chosen by three diners, and rated highly by all.  I went with the halibut, which came with chorizo and a smokey harissa sauce, and I cleaned the plate with delight.   

Service was friendly and patient, although our waiter was quite busy.  The decor was comfortable while not being overly dark.

In sum, this would be a fine place to have in your neighbourhood.  Although the menu is somewhat restricted for the GF eater, the food is prepared with care and the prices are reasonable.  Cheers.