Mideastro‘s second location, at 27 Yorkville Avenue, opened last summer. We hadn’t heard much about it, call it a hidden gem if you will (though in plain-sight). So when we were invited to partake in a tasting on Tuesday night we were more than intrigued.
Mideastro Yorkville’s kitchen is helmed by Executive Chef Benny Cohen, who has an impressive international pedigree which is showcased in each of his expertly executed dishes. The food is a fusion of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean, with an Israeli focus (the chef’s roots).
Throughout the seven-course meal in the inviting and open dining room – replete with dark leathers, intricate stone tiling, and romantic lighting – we were given a firsthand look into the intricacies and spice palates of Middle Eastern cuisine. A far cry from the lunch-time shawarma joint, Mideastro Yorkville is upscale and classy dining, perfect for the neighbourhood.
We started with a selection of appetizers – a fricasse with ahi tuna and a pumpkin/potato mix, a falafel slider (better than any we’ve picked up to-go before), and bourekitos which we likened to a Middle Eastern empanada – followed by a six-course sampling of the menu, all accompanied by smooth wine pairings selected by Master Sommelier Bruce Wallner (one of only three MS’s in Canada).
A lamb soup was flavourful and mildly hearty with one of the best broths we’ve ever sipped. Baladi eggplant was roasted with a bit of a smoky flavour, and lahma ba’ajin – a damascus style flatbread and a representation of one of the first ever pizzas centuries ago – was rich in spice. The black truffle carpaccio – wagyu beef wrapped around arugula with parmigiano reggiano, black truffle oil, balsamic vinegar, and a pomegranate honey reduction – was absolute perfection. The truffle oil not overpowering, the arugula a nice contrast to the richness of the rest of the ingredients. It was accompanied by grilled calamari – done Spanish style a la plancha, quite possibly our new favourite calamari-cooking technique (who needs batter?) – atop an ox tail pot au feu, which was missing a little je ne sais quoi.
The red snapper was a gorgeous dish, with the light piece of fish carefully placed over a sweet arisa risotto. Magnifique. Our favourite course was the lamb and beef grilled kufta. You can liken it to a Greek exohico, just presented differently. A thin layer of fresh foccacia is pulled aside to reveal a ground lamb and beef oval with rice and a tomato and eggplant stew. You tear pieces of the foccacia and use it like a bread utensil to get at the heartiness in the bowl. It was deeply spiced with balanced richness. Though we were full a second serving likely would have been just as happily devoured.
For dessert, a duo of fig kataiv – fresh figs with phyllo spun like angel hair pasta layered with spiced mascarpone – and nutella parfait. Do we even have to describe it to make you want it? Thought not.
Mideastro Yorkville is based on exciting flavour combinations, ones most of us likely haven’t tested before. The vibe is casual enough for relaxation, but upscale enough to let you know you’re in for a gastronomical treat. The wine and cocktail list is expertly cultivated – we did mention they’ve a Master Sommelier on staff, right? For Valentine’s Day, Mideastro has prepared a romantic prix fixe menu of duo courses, for sharing of course. Might be the perfect time to test out this diamond of a restaurant…