Laid Back On King Street

Kaarina

Our Epitourist foursome was looking forward to dinner at Laissez Faire, a new King St. West restaurant, as the highlight of our two-day foodie tour of Toronto. We thought laissez faire an appealing concept for a restaurant and were quite excited, looking forward to expertly prepared, French-inspired cuisine served in a casual atmosphere. What we found was that the two - laissez faire and fine dining - don’t necessarily mix all that well. The problem is that by its definition - “let it be,” “leave it alone” - laissez faire is an attitude that spreads all too easily, and in a small open space it’s a short trip to the kitchen.

Is stylishly hip good enough?

We were there on a Tuesday, so likely the kitchen A Team had the night off. There was no sign of Michelin-trained owner/chef Zachary Barnes - not surprising since the place is open every night for dinner. His credentials (Barne’s CV includes Toronto’s top-rated Alo, UK’s Restaurant Gordon Ramsay and New York’s Daniel) had built up grand expectations for us. Those expectations were amply met by a finely-wrought menu, if not its actual execution that night. Cool, laid-back bartenders are at the centre of the operation. One meets you, seats you, pours cocktails, wine and beer from a long and well-stocked bar that runs a good third of the length of the stylish narrow room with an open kitchen at the far end. Brisk and efficient, he takes your order and jockeys the food from the kitchen to the table, where you are perched on less than comfy high stools.

From the menu, we started with a winner: A smooth and creamy burrata, oozing with buttery satisfaction, served on a bed of bitter greens and poached fruit along with triangles of toast to smear it on.

Smooth and creamy burrata

Although the porcini truffle arancini trio should be easy enough to share four ways, the very, tiny risotto balls had us beg for a fourth so that we could each enjoy. The wait staff graciously obliged!

Arancini trio

The crispy pork belly with a sherry gastrique and pomegranate seed and parsley garnish was perfection and shared between four, a guilt-free indulgence.

Pork belly, a guilt-free indulgence

The roasted cauliflower visuals were fantastic: the romenesco sauce an artful swirl of carmine beside the cauliflower. That we could agree on. The taste, not so much. The unfamiliar herb flavours delighted some and alienated others, as did the char on top of the overcooked cauliflower.

The roasted cauliflower visuals were fantastic

The whole grilled sea bream, although slightly overcooked, had a lovely crisp skin and the grilling imparted a smoky flavour to the mild fish served with classic lemon and dill garnish.

Grilled sea bream

A shared brioche panna cotta with a pretty apricot compote made for a light sweet finish.

Nicely presented panna cotta

A creative menu, easily shared plates, good value, crisp service, hip decor all should add up to a return visit when chef Barnes is in house, perhaps even a splurge at the chef’s rail overlooking the open kitchen, where a tasting menu is offered Thursday to Sunday. But we will not be giving Laissez Faire a second chance. And that’s because the music is played at a mind-numbing, ear-splitting volume better suited to a night club than the dinner hour, making any effort at normal conversation impossible. When we asked for the volume to be turned down, the response was not surprisingly laissez faire - they left it alone. And so will we.

 Laissez Faire, 589 King St. West