Despite a few minor hiccups, my first visit at Bent earlier this year made a lasting impression on me. It was an excellent meal. So when my friend Nic (@NicCanCook) suggested taking me to Bent (Twitter: @BentRestaurant, Facebook: Bent Restaurant) for my birthday, there was absolutely no hesitation on my part. I was eager to go back!
We had an early seating at 6 pm on a Wednesday night.
I ordered Bent's Asian Caesar because I really enjoyed it last time. Adorned with a more elaborate tomato garnish, the cocktail was just as savoury and tasty as I remembered. Maybe I'll order a different cocktail next time...maybe.
ASIAN CAESAR ($16)
Sobieski, Clamato,chili oil, Sriracha, coriander, hoisin, soya, sesame seed, ginger, house rim, pickled radish
PICKLED VEGETABLES WITH MUSTARD (amuse)
Aside from the braised spiced short ribs, it was my first time trying everything else:
YELLOW TAIL HAMACHI ($14)
Preserved lemon, charred jalapeno, extra virgin olive oil
SASHIMI TASTING ($22)
Tuna with fresh grated wasabi, charred scallop with yuzu peppers
White snapper with chili grated daikon
Atlantic salmon with Asian style gravlax marinade
Medallion of lobster with lemon preserves and chives
Roasted argon oil, fresh black pepper, calamansi lime, sea salt
CAVIAR BRUSCHETTA ($14)
Melted cheese crouton, chive creme fraiche, sustainable sturgeon caviar
SPICY PERUVIAN STYLE CEVICHE ($14)
White snapper, clams, mussels, aji amarillo chili, fresh lime juice
MISO MARINATED SALMON GRAVLAX TOMAGO ROLL ($14)
Buckwheat blini, lemon and chive creme fraiche, horseradish, marinated salmon pearls, nori
EGGPLANT TABOULI WITH POMEGRANATE
RARE FILET OF BEEF ($14)
Herbed olive oil, momiji oroshi, scallion, ume ponzu, melted beer cheese bruschetta
BRAISED SPICED SHORT RIBS ($24)
Truffled parsnip puree, asparagus, roasted rosemary duck fat potato, sour cream, chives, black garlic
ONTARIO RHUBARB & CREAM, BLUEBERRY CAKE (complimentary)
Another marvelous dinner at Bent. With flawless execution, beautiful presentation and unique flavours, Bent delivers. Everything was really delicious. The hamachi, thickly sliced with a delicate hint of lemon and jalapeno was such a pleasing start to our meal. Then came the assorted sashimi - served fresh and topped with an array of delightful garnishes - the entire plate was a showstopper. Bent's elegant bruschetta, with a small dollop of sturgeon caviar on a mild chive creme fraiche, is not to be missed (my favourite way to indulge in caviar happens to be with creme fraiche!) With three different ceviches to choose from, we decided on the spicy Peruvian ceviche. Tangy and refreshing with a good kick, the Peruvian was a great choice. I'm still in awe with all the creativity that goes into each dish at Bent, such as the miso marinated salmon egg roll. A cheeky play on a classic maki roll, I dare you to eat this in one bite. You won't regret it though, the flavours here are amazing. The eggplant tabouli, Bent's special that night, was showcased much like the specials at a Chinese dim sum restaurant. A server carrying a tray of five to six plates of eggplant tabouli would try to "sell" the dish at each table where customers would have the option to agree or decline the "offer". This was very neat because I haven't seen this done anywhere other than at a Chinese restaurant. The tabouli was my least favourite dish though; the flavours were muted and didn't stand out at all. Next up was the rare beef filet. I thought this dish was good enough by itself without the bruschetta. The beer bruschetta, despite creative and tasty, was somewhat unnecessary and didn't complement the beef filet. Also, I personally like to taste the true iron-y taste of the beef itself as it was already sliced very thin. The braised spiced short ribs this time was stellar. I was a bit hesitant to try it again since it was a bit dry last time but Nic convinced me to give it another go (he has had it before and loved it.) I'm so glad I gave it a second chance! Sitting on top of rich, luscious truffled parsnip puree, these moist and juicy braised short ribs were fantastic~
A few things to note:
- I was disappointed that the duck salad wrap is no longer on the menu. I wanted to order it again because it was so tasty and I had so much fun wrapping last time :)
- Service also greatly improved. Our server was very attentive and changed our plates frequently (this was an issue last time).
- Table size remained the same. Still small.
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