It was a very nice change of scenery, a much needed one, when I stepped foot into Mogette Bistro (@MogetteBistro) on Mount Pleasant several weeks ago for dinner. A midtown restaurant away from the craziness of downtown Toronto, Mogette Bistro serves classic French bistro cuisine. Not fusion. Not "French-inspired". Not "with French flavours". Classic French cuisine. Almost unheard of nowadays in the city. When was the last time you had classic French food?
The decor at Mogette is clean, simple yet elegant. Framed black and white photographs hung above classic wainscoting, silver table settings on white linens, beautiful wooden floors leading to a small bar at the back....nothing here is over-the-top fancy. Everything feels just right. No loud music. No hipsters. A perfect date night spot.
Started the evening off with a bottle of BenMarco Malbec.
FRIED LAKE ERIE SMELTS
Celery root remoulade, sauce gribiche
Celery root remoulade, sauce gribiche
BEEF TONGUE
Smoked Beretta Farms beef tongue, red new potato salad, asparagus, wild leeks, hard boiled egg, gherkins, capers, red wine vinaigrette
BEEF CHEEKS ($26)
Red wine braised Beretta Farms beef cheeks, roasted bone marrow, pearl barley, green beans, pearl onions, smoked bacon
DUCK CONFIT ($27)
Crispy duck confit, darphin potato, asparagus, bruléed apricot, pomegranate, honey lavender gastric
COMPOSED CHEESE PLATE ($18)
Selection of cheeses with quince paste and Thobor honey rye
Thinking back, I'm really glad I started following Mogette Bistro on Instagram. If it wasn't for that small decision on my part, I would've never found out about this midtown gem. It was after seeing the enticing food photos that Daniel Muia, chef and owner of Mogette Bistro, was posting on Instagram that I knew I had to try his food... and I'm so happy I did.
From the restaurant's pleasant atmosphere, friendly and knowledgeable staff to the immaculate execution of every plate that evening, my friend Nic and I loved everything about Mogette. Our entire dinner experience was beyond excellent. The sauce gribiche, a classic French mayonnaise-style cold egg sauce, was delightful with the fried smelts. The potato and egg salad went wonderfully with the beef tongue. Sliced then grilled, the beef tongue was tender and had a hint of smoky flavour. Stand-outs of the night were the beef cheeks and duck confit. Both very traditional French dishes. Both visually stunning. Both exceptionally well done. Brilliant on all counts.
After seeing the Instagram photos of my meal at Mogette, a friend of mine decided to celebrate her wedding anniversary there the week after. The result? Her and her husband both loved it. The power of social media never ceases to amaze me :)
