Edulis Restaurant

After taking over Niagara Street Cafe's space in the spring of 2012, husband and wife team Michael Caballo and Tobey Nemeth opened Edulis (Twitter: @EdulisToronto, Facebook: Edulis Restaurant). The name Edulis, which means edible and also porcini mushrooms in Latin ("boletus edulis"), pays tribute to chef / owner Michael Caballo's passion for wild foods, mushroom foraging, and influences from his Spanish heritage. With years of experience under his belt in kitchens all over Canada and Europe, him and his wife Tobey Nemeth's (formerly the chef de cuisine at Jamie Kennedy Wine Bar) goal for Edulis, according to their website, is to "combine the warmth and approachability of a classic European bistro with our passion for the forests and farms of southern Ontario" while providing guests "the pleasure of enjoying a gathering around the table to share authentic dishes and to be greeted like a friend; conviviality, feasting, celebrating the craft and tradition of cooking, honesty, and spectacular ingredients".

Within a year's time, chef Caballo's French and Spanish influenced cooking, combined with the restaurant's vision and philosophy, has won the hearts of many; Edulis was named the #1 Best New Restaurant in Canada for 2012 from EnRoute Magazine, as well as being listed as one of Canada's 50 Best Restaurants from Macleans Magazine. 

My friends and I went to Edulis two Fridays ago. We opted for the $50 Carte Blanche menu. We also added a couple of truffle dishes along the way as well as a cheese board at the end.

RED FIFE BOULE

LIGHTLY SMOKED HERRING "A L'HUILE"

Served with dijon potatoes

B.C. SIDESTRIPE SHRIMP CEVICHE

Ajo Blanco

FOIE GRAS AND POTATO TART ($35)

Black Truffle & Mache Salad, Verjus Vinaigrette

OREGON NATIVE WHITE TRUFFLES ($16)

Cele "risotto", Sea Urchin Bottarga, Marrow Toast 

PORCINI MUSHROOMS, FOIE GRAS, DUCK CONSOMME

VEAL SWEETBREADS

Roasted Onions, Black Trumpets, Pine Nut Purée

ROASTED RABBIT SADDLE

Braised Shoulder, Pulses, Hedgehog Mushrooms

ASSORTED CHEESE

SOMA CHOCOLATE POT DE CREME

Salted Caramel Mousse

Edulis is such a warm and cozy space, and its food matches its atmosphere perfectly. With the Carte Blanche option, several dishes were served in large, enameled cast-iron casseroles, which I think really showcases the beauty and granduer of what's being served in them. Being Chinese, seeing these large dishes on the table felt really "homey" to me (since Chinese cuisine is always served family-style!) The dish that really stood out for me that evening was the smoked herring in oil - cured and smoked in-house, the herring, in between layers of sliced onions and carrots, and topped with a very generous amount of sunflower oil, was truly delicious. I haven't had anything like it before. Other favourites of mine (besides their addictive home-baked bread) were the B.C shrimp ceviche, the white truffles dish, the roasted rabbit saddle, and the Soma chocolate pot de creme. Edulis also has, in my opinion, one of the best (if not the best) cheese selection in the city. Make sure you order a glass of port / sherry with the cheese and I guarantee it will make your night! All in all, I had a great meal at Edulis. One thing I need to point out is if you want to have their Carte Blanch menu, be prepared to stay awhile; we were there for close to 4.5 hours!