Colborne Lane: Are We in Toronto?

I feel like we've been stalking restauranter Hanif Harji for the past few years. We swooned over Blowfish and Kultura, and when we heard from some downtown furniture designers that they'd been involved with Harji's new venture, we just had to hightail it over to Colborne St.

The new Colborne Lane has cool sophistication down pat. Once past the front doors I feel like we are not in Toronto anymore. The space is expansive yet feels cosier upon walking further into the dining area. Exposed wood beams and ducts give it rawness, and the modern and witty lighting adds playfulness without being too sleek. This design sense seems to flow hand in hand with Harji's sense of customer service. Staff here, just like at Kultura, are ultra professional and nice. Nice? In Toronto!?

Tonight the Reluctant Chef and I are dining with the Sybarite and the Connoisseur. We're excited to get together again and to see if we'll be allowed to laugh and talk during our meal! (see Opal, below) Everyone but the Connoisseur has read something about this place and Joanne Kates's review was the most effusive. We are always a little skeptical of Kates; looking around, the Connoisseur notes it's the "post-review" crowd.

Plates are small and the waiter recommends 3 per person. Prices range from about $10 to $26, reflecting the ingredients, not the portion size. The Reluctant Chef pounces on the lobster bisque; after all, this is one of his signature dishes (he is the reluctant chef after all, and has maybe 3 total dishes in his repertoire....oh, he's going to hate me for this!). As noted by Kates, the very interesting bowl (the dishware is impressive) is brought with the solids, then the waiter pours the bisque tableside. This is nothing new, but perhaps for Toronto it is. Yes, the bisque is aromatic and intensely flavoured, but not purely lobster-flavoured. There are tons of tastes at play: the coconut-scented tofu, curried mussels, and oxalis leaves. We have no idea what they are, but apparently they are also known as wood sorrel and have a sour-lemony taste. They certainly spiked the bisque. But right from the start, the Reluctant Chef proclaims that there are almost too many flavours fighting for his attention. This is an interesting counterpoint to our experience at Cava, where the flavours are fewer but more pointed, and never fail to add to the overall experience.

The Connoisseur proclaims the lobster seviche as too mellow. He follows this with the flash-fried squid, which is served with some tropical fruits (pomelo and mango), carmelized peanut, chinese sausage, asian pear and peppercorns. Unfortunately, the peanut overwhelms the entire dish. Lentil soup is also poured at table and according to the Sybarite, it's delicious. The two of us also have the lobster seviche, which is really quite a beautiful dish and we are not so quick to write it off. Saffron potato beds are just right; they don't overwhelm the lobster. Overall, I think the presentation is fantastic and the flavours are interesting, but feel it's hard to coax too much flavour from the lobster itself. The Sybarite feels it's flavourful enough for her, which just goes to show that we are each slaves to our own taste buds and have to trust Joanne Kates with some things (except of course, when she talks up her favorite chef friends).

The Connoisseur orders the pork loin but gets the triple-seared beef tenderloin instead. Oh well! It's a mistake, but when food is this good, no dish is really a mistake and he eats it good naturedly. Reluctant Chef also has the pork loin. His main complaint is that there is so much going on in this dish, yet it's such a small portion that he can't fairly get a good grip on the taste. To be honest, it does appear quite small, even for someone with as tiny an appetite as myself: two coin-sized pieces of pork. But again, the presentation is marvellous. I have the lamb ribeye with olives and mint chutney. The carmelized eggplant is amazing; I've never tasted such a powerfully smooth eggplant. The cumin rosti, though very good, pales in comparison. The Sybarite has nothing but praise for the rock hen breast and the chorizo-fig stuffed thigh, with lovely little gnocchi served with harissa and salsa verde.

The must-have dessert is the cheese plate. Not only is the presentation great - yet again - but the choices are plenty and interesting. The spice loaf is certainly spicy, served with thai chili ice cream, a nod to molecular gastronomy. There is a bit of interesting science going on in the kitchen, but it is not front-and-centre and you may notice that I have not talked about it at all. That's because it's done with elegance and style; it enhances the dishes and does not overtake them.

The wine list is short and to the point. Many are available by the glass and it's fun to have several different glasses. It's pleasant to veer away from the 20-page wine list - isn't that a bit excessive? I'm not a wine snob; I just want something that goes well with my food.

Now here's the best for last: there is no apparent closing time. At about 11pm a huge group of Raptors walk in and sit down to dinner. It might be a special accommodation, and maybe it is, but then again, on Colborne Lane's web site the kitchen is open from "5pm - close." We walk out of Colborne Lane impressed with the service, the space, the food and its presentation.... and the Reluctant Chef feels he has just missed walking out hungry by a microscopic-thin hair.