Drake One Fifty take 2, The almost a proper dinner….    http://www.drakeonefifty.ca/  

On my second visit to this lively I decided to bring someone who has an incredible palate, my mom.  Having been a last minute idea we had no hopes of grabbing a table, so we took a seat at their sexy, circular bar.   “A modern speakeasy” my mom says, “everyone is so relaxed and friendly – I love it! And we didn’t have to drop a name at the door”.  Yes, my mother always has something funny and interesting to say, especially when it comes down to describing food.  With the night unraveling around us we dive into the menu.

A tart French 75 cocktail $14 and a smooth Hendricks cucumber gin martini $13 sided with a bowl of warm olives $7 wets our palates.   Next a thoughtful presentation of beef tartare $16 along with house-cured charcuterie $12 and drake n bake $9 – perfect for the picker.  Grilled sardines look lovely, however, are riddled with hair-thin fish bones.  Scallop crudo $17 redeemes: the silk-colour flesh is heightened by a preserved lemon and black olive reduction.  Sides of buttery sautéed leeks remind me of how my Polish grandma used to make them;  chicken soup comparable comfort food.  Frites $8.50 are sprinkled lightly with fresh herbs and spices.