Actinolite

I don't know about you, but doesn't the word "Actinolite" sound like a chemical element from the periodic table? I think so :D But no, in all seriousness Actinolite (@actinolitefood) is the name of a new restaurant located on Ossington just south of Dupont. Digging deeper, Actinolite is actually the name of co-owner Justin Cournoyer's hometown (hmmm I can't imagine my home town "Mississauga" being a restaurant name...it doesn't even sound half as cool as "Actinolite")

Husband and wife duo Justin Cournoyer (a cook for over 15 years and has worked at Susur for four) and Claudia Bianchi (a culinary TV producer for Food Network Canada and food stylist) opened Actinolite at the end of March, and boy they must be doing something right because Actinolite has already become a much-loved neighbourhood spot, gaining high praises all around. I went with several friends around two months ago for dinner and the meal has made quite an impression on me. Every course was rock solid and executed beautifully. In my opinion,  Actinolite's food is top-notch and the spot really deserves a lot more attention and buzz because it completely won me over.

Actinolite's space is modern, inviting, with a hint of country/small-town feel. It is stylish yet warm. I like it a lot.

An original survey map of Actinolite, a small town on the Skootamatta River in Eastern Ontario, in the Municipality of Tweed, in Hastings County, on Highway 37 just south of Highway 7 and north of Tweed. LOL see? I totally did my research.

Actinolite's menu is divided into first course, second course and sides. 

FIRST: Apple Cider Glazed Pork Shoulder - Pickled beets, hazelnuts, mustard cream ($12)

FIRST: Kalapore Spring Trout - Artichoke, carrots, lemon, cold pressed canola aioli ($14)

SECOND: Steamed Georgian Bay White Fish - Black lentils, vegetable medley, lemon carrot sauce ($24)

SECOND: Red Wine Braised Chicken Leg - Beets, wild mushrooms, sweet garlic, pumpkin seed watercress sauce ($22)

SECOND: Ricotta Mushroom Ravioli - Smoked ham, walnuts, fava beans, lemon, chives ($18)

SECOND: Grilled Ontario Lamb Rack - Lamb soffrito, eggplant, polenta, pine nut jus ($28)

The Mediterranean style food at Actinolite is interesting, unique, yet "homey" at the same time. Cournoyer is very meticulous and his attention to detail (i.e like the intricately diced carrots and artichoke in the Kalapore Spring Trout) is simply amazing. There is nothing pretentious about Actinolite; service was wonderful and they just serve really delicious food. So go! They take reservations!

P.S: Whether or not you care about this, here goes.... after even further research, I found out that actinolite is actually an amphibole silicate mineral with the chemical formula Ca2(Mg,Fe)5Si8O22(OH)2. and the town itself, which was founded in 1853, was initially called Troy. In 1859, Troy became Bridgewater and finally in 1895, Bridgewater was renamed to Actinolite after a form of asbestos (actinolite) was being extracted from open-pit mines near the town.