Oliver & Bonacini cafe & grill is a part of a prestigious group of restaurants opened by the same company, including Canoe (rated 4 stars by Toronto Life and the epitome of fine dining in Toronto) and Auberge du Pommier (3 stars, also in Toronto). Located in Bayview Village, its uptown location sets it quite far apart in location and clientèle from its sister restaurants.
Our party of 7 arrived at 7pm without a reservation, but were seated within about 40 minutes. The restaurant was busy but the waiters were nonetheless attentive and quick to take our orders. We ordered off the Summerlicious menu, which was pleasantly varied and a great deal ($25 + tax and tip) for a three-course meal.
I had the Sun Ripened Watermelon & Tomato Gazpacho to start, the Preserved Lemon & Chili Chicken entree, and Warm Strawberry & Rhubarb Buckle to finish. The appetizer was a disappointing start to the meal, as it was too sour for my tastes. The sourness overwhelmed all other flavours so that the watermelon did not come through at all.
I had a taste of my friend’s Potted Tiger Shrimp Pate, which was much better than my sour bowl of questionable yellow contents. Perhaps I just ordered the wrong thing.
The entree was two pieces of chicken breast (skin on), generously rubbed with seasoning, sitting atop two slices of tomato. The seasoning for the chicken was great, but unfortunately, like all chicken breasts I seem to try, they were thick and dry and bland past skin surface. The yogurt sauce was also extremely strange and did not compliment the spelt salad at all.
Is this what all chicken entrees are doomed to be? Why are restaurants so adamant to do a chicken breast entree when they can just as easily use boneless, skinless chicken thighs that are so much more tender and flavourful? And why do they refuse to marinate the white meat? Why must the seasoning be restricted to a superficial layer on the outside? I simply cannot understand.
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