d bar 416.963.6010 www.dbar.ca open daily lunch & dinner
Packed with the powerhouse Bay Street crowd, it’s a lovely place to laze about and sift through Boulud impressive drink menu. On the other end, the food menu is short and interestingly chosen for a bar, nothing really seems to stand out at you. Servers are pleasant.
Today, I decide to start lunch off with the Yorkville cocktail (forty creek reserve rye, marsala fine, amaro,kirsch cherries, house star anise bitters, $18) a classic made current, aromas of caramel and sweet herbs hit the spot. My friend chose the Brutes cocktail comprised of a freshly-juiced-green-vegetable tasting Clamato, blended with Tag vodka and spices; it does a body good.
To eat we ordered a few small bites. I really enjoyed the rich and comforting Boudin Blancs with truffled white sausage, mash potatoes and mustard jus. I didn’t enjoy the marinated octopus salad which puts emphasis on the ingredients (piquillo pepper, black olives, coco beans, lemon and mint) rather than the octopi - it’s bit of a misstep.
An order of beet and vodka cured albacore tuna and roasted baby beets brings an earthy sweet flavour to a dish that’s nicely offset by dollop of horseradish cream mache. The tarte flambee with Alsatian flatbread, lardons, sweet onion, and fromage frais is not what it seems to be: arriving is a a crispy thin flatbread topped with lardons (pork fat) and onion. Not what I expected from the description but tasty none the less.
We finished the afternoon by ordering liquid dessert: a fruity and slightly sweet Kir Royal garnished with Cassis caviar -delightful touch – and the silky smooth Jasmine infused Citadelle cocktail. Surprisingly, the drinks greatly outshine the grub in this Boulud certified spot.
