We all know what to expect on the menu when we go to a French restaurant, or an Italian or Spanish one. We even have a good idea of what will be on our plate at an American restaurant.
But how would you describe a Canadian restaurant? How does our culture translate itself in the kitchen?
Michael Robbins wants the Oakwood Canadian Bistro to lead the way when it comes to defining Canadian cuisine. Not only did he help come up with a design of the West 4th restaurants decor lots of wood, high-end taxidermy above the fireplace, a long, communal table at the centre of the room but he crafted a menu thats a paean to the food traditions that immigrants brought with them when they called Canada home.
Concept for me is everything. Food was all I cared about when I was younger, says the Oakwoods 27-year-old executive chef whose résumé includes being an executive sous-chef at Glowbal when he was 21 and Coasts chef de cuisine at 23. I like to showcase comfort but with style and skill.
But he also pays tribute to the difficulties that every home cook had to face given Canadas long winters.
His menu includes the hardy and vitamin-rich kale, which could withstand autumn temperatures theyre even better after a first frost and keep a long time in cold cellars. He also encourages diners to give Brussels sprouts a second chance.
Its the stems that can give kale its bitter reputation so Robbins takes them off. Then, in a very hot frying pan, he gives shallots, leeks and garlic a quick sauté in olive oil before adding Swiss chard and green and purple kale. He ladles in some hot vegetable broth and gives it 30 to 45 seconds of hard steam until most of the broth is absorbed by the vegetables.
With Brussels sprouts he suggests blanching them for two-and-a-half minutes before frying them quickly in a half-centimetre of hot oil. Theyre amazing, he says.
