A new echelon of Toronto restaurants has emerged since the arrival of Michelin. Restaurateurs are more daring, more sophisticated; their service, ever more attentive to each detail of hospitality. This vanguard of Toronto dining culture has raised the bar to international heights, far beyond what the Toronto dining public would have accepted before. Tonight, we turn our attention to one such jewel on a quiet corner south of Yorkville; a restaurant that has caught the attention and respect of Toronto’s dining cognoscenti for its polished professionalism-without-pretention, and it is truly an Enigma.
“God is in the details” to quote architect Mies Van Der Rohe, and this seems to be reflected in the mind-set of Executive Chef Quinton Bennett when he created this Michelin starred restaurant, Enigma.
From the moment we step through the front door and are seated, it’s clear that even the details have details. A server trained in a blend of professional attentiveness and a warm, smiling persona brings a welcome beverage of Chamomile, Lavender, Ginger and Cardamom Tea and a refreshing hand towel twirled in a glass holder. An array of spectaculars is placed before us: canapes of South African Beef Sausage, Halibut Ceviche on a fish cracker, and Peach and Chili Cone capped with Smoked Foie Gras, each described in delectable detail. Added drama are drizzles of flavored oils, each morsel crafted with an alchemist’s bravado—and not a stray crumb on the plate. Different textures, different temperatures, different flavours are all balanced, and leave us intrigued by what could possibly come next. It’s an Enigma.
A bottle of Gamay Blanc de Noir from 13th Street Winery is offered. This fresh taste with ripe red berry notes, spice and some subtle floral aromas is a perfect pairing with our menu so far.
Cutlery suited to each course is brought, untouched by the human hand, in an elegant holder as Butternut Squash Ravioli with Yuzu Salsa, flavored with a drizzle of sage oil and Parmigiano Reggiano is served with a flourish. There are more Italian restaurants in this city than there are in Naples, so we’re no strangers to ravioli. But not this ravioli. Each bite reveals different tastes and textures. The skin of the ravioli is paper thin, and has some bounce. Is this pasta, or, could it be radish? An Enigma. A lot of finesse goes into these triangular works of culinary art.
While the menu is avant garde and sets the tone for the future in dining trends, the service harkens back to past formality. White gloves and courtesy-beyond-belief may be strange to Gen Z, but for me, bring on the divine decadence. If I had to find one phrase that would describe our dishes, it would be the title of a movie, The Incredible Lightness of Being.
New cutlery, new dish. The fish course is Scottish Steelhead Salmon. Under the watchful eye of the chef counting down the minutes of cooking, the fish has been snatched from the heat at the exact second of perfection. Our waiter adds a beauty treatment of dabs of dill oil, and there is a bit of sweetness comes from beetroot. Smoked Raspberry Point Mussels with the kick of horseradish complete the drama. These three distinct flavours consumed together, create subtle highlights. An enigma.
The dining room is long and narrow and benefits from floor to ceiling windows. The window-wall looks out to a quiet street and on the other, a dramatic mural. Ceiling lights, like drops of water, cast a copper haze in the room, creating a coziness, and camouflaging difficult design elements. We also appreciate the omission of today’s trendy, high decibel sound track. Yes, I hear the music, but it is a distant background and allows the opportunity for quiet conversation. Take note, people who want to talk without shouting over dinner.
Sparkling wine from Lombardy is aromatic, full bodied with more depth and complexity, it speaks a different language than the 13th Street wine, and pairs beautifully with Nova Scotia lobster that’s been lovingly poached in a consommé of lavender and lobster shells, and piqued with fresh herbs to bring out subtle oceanic flavour.
The style of service here is teamwork. Each course is delivered by a different team member, which adds to the mystique of the unexpected. New accents, new smiles and personalities with each new dish.
Chef Quinton Bennett is from South Africa, and he has compiled a United Nations team around him. If I miss a few ingredients in their detailed descriptions, it’s no matter, we’re loving each bite of these complex compositions.
Ontario Breast of Cornish Hen with Indian inspired flavours is prepared on a Japanese Konro Grill that burns wood charcoal and imparts a unique flavour. Another layer of texture comes from coconut-peanut-papadum crumble (the papadums are made from lentils.) A third layer of flavour is the cool cucumber, yogurt and coriander cress. And more. Chicken curry sauce is redolent with the aroma of Kefir lime. While the first few bites do a little dance on my palate, I break off a bit of the fresh garlic naan made with mint and cilantro, adding yet another element of taste.
After clearing our plates, the server whips out a fresh clean cloth and wipes our leather place mats before the meat course, lest some errant Cornish Hen residue remains. Each course is a new landscape, and requires its own clear space.
Our final dish demands a few moments of visual appreciation prior to the knife and fork attack. Tajima Wagyu Flatiron Steak accompanied by a fermented radish relish with a bit of pickled Shiso, sweetish and pungent black garlic puree and a drizzle of peppery nasturtium oil. Add to this, a flavourful jus that has, among its litany of ingredients, elderberry capers. The steak is divine. Lean, tender, perfectly rendered and deftly prepared by a chef with a global palette and a velvet touch.
This Tajima is Australia-wagyu with robust flavour and luxurious texture. We ask Chef Bennett how he selects his wagyu, and he replies that it’s not so much about the brand or breed as it is about the cut, and how to elicit the optimal richness in flavour.
The cheese course is presented casually, to play down the fact of its precious ingredients of well-aged Parmigiano Reggiano, Gruyere and a 12-month-old Manchego. The Parmigiano and Manchego are blended as a mousse in the center; the tuile is Gruyere. Fresh grapes, pickled celery and lovely fruit jam added sweet and salty depth. Surprised yet again with the chilled, almost frozen center.
Dessert is brought to us by Sarah, the pastry chef herself, and she happily explains every facet of her process: Jerusalem Artichoke with Sunchoke Ice Cream, Sourdough Cake, and at the bottom, Sunchoke Caramel. Interesting variations on one theme. A few drops of rosemary oil from an eye dropper create an aromatic finish.
There are two choices of green tea: Sencha and Hōjicha. Sencha is sweeter with more grassy flavour, while Hōjicha has more of a toasted barley flavour. Our waiter knows to heat the water to a low temperature of between 60° to 70° and steep it for a short time for subtle, aromatic essence, rather than a higher temperature and longer steep that would elicit more bitterness.
It ain’t over till it’s over, and to our surprise, there is more! A selection of sweets to enjoy with tea include some of our favorite flavours.
Sarah calls our first bite, Montblanc: Lush Chestnut Mousse, centered with Pear and Vanilla compote and milk chocolate. The second bite: is the citric flavour of Japanese Agar Candy, like the North American “gummies”. Bite-three is a Coffee BonBon with a center of milk chocolate coffee ganache, and a crunchy feuilletine base. The final bite is an Almond and Meringue Cookie, sandwiched in 70% dark chocolate topped with ginger and fig jam.
This kitchen is an artist’s studio where the medium is food. In fact, we feel privileged to have enjoyed this culinary artistry. A food lover could be perfectly happy to dine here alone, savouring the intellectuality, the coalescence of flavours, admiring the expressive presentations, and experiencing a sensual gift to oneself.
In full transparency, All the restaurant’s suppliers are listed on the back of the monthly-tasting-menu, but otherwise, everything is not what it seems here. With each artfully presented course we only presume to know the textures and flavours, but are consistently wowed by a masterful whimsy that is truly an enigma.
Enigma, 23 St Thomas St, 416-323-3332
