Maro $180 (1*): a supper club that’s more dance party than food focused.

This sexy converted warehouse on the edge of Parkdale mixes Pan-Asian décor (bamboo-print screens, orchids and flashes of Rising Sun red) with French parlour sophistication (shimmering brocade wallpaper)—the perfect back drop for the 20-something well-healed crowd to sprawl out on low-slung sofas, posing with fruity cocktails in hand. LCD displays above the bars morph beach scenes of lapping waves into magenta sunsets and lend the feeling of 5-star dining on a remote Thai island.

Unfortunately chef Danny McCallum’s (Brant House, Brasaii) concise menu feels more Mother Parker’s than Park Hyatt. But pedestrian offerings like seafood linguini and New York cheesecake are offset by more creative fare like a tangy lime and cilantro roast chicken supreme, accompanied by crisp fried plantains and a bundle of lemongrass scented basmati rice, hidden and tied in a banana leaf.

Another gem, rice paper thin carpaccio, all marbled and swirling on the plate like a giant lotus flower gets a simple (if almost bland) drizzle of lemon and EVOO, though its buttery texture out-weighs a heavy pepper hand from the kitchen. And a Chicago-style charred strip loin melts in the mouth but it arrives too cool to even melt the three pats (yikes!) of herbed butter that adorn it. A bed of button mushrooms is a garlicky hit while a goat cheese stuffed double baked potato is a lukewarm miss. A cereal bowl-sized crème brule, all silken and orange kissed, ends things on a high note.

Decent wine list offers something for every budget. Open Friday and Saturday from 6pm.

• 135 Liberty Street, Toronto
• 416.588.2888

Edo $150 (1 ½*) serves up gorgeous sushi in contemporary setting.

Forrest Hill families, groups of 30-something friends and gooey-eyed couples frequent this 20-year neighbourhood mainstay which built its reputation on efficient service and traditional Japanese fare. The large dining room’s contemporary feel has a warm and casual tone and the walls display a mix of art-for-sale and Toronto skyline prints.

Taste the Chef Ryo Ozawa’s true talents and stick to sushi. Black cod teriyaki with grilled asparagus and charred peppers lacks finesse despite two succulent pieces of fish—and desserts, a muddy looking but fine tasting green tea crème brulé could buy another gorgeous roll instead.

Visual flare highlights impeccably fresh ingredients like a stunning display of BC white tuna slices fanned over a mound of frissé and a nest of thin carrot spirals. The turquoise plate showcases the pale fish, so supple on the tongue it’s like delicately soft tofu. Hints of sweet maple and mild wasabi mayo add flavour and drama—their black and beige drops graduating from tiny to silver-dollar size around the plate. A whole steamed Japanese eggplant arrives on a long white plate, its pearl-white flesh the texture of perfectly cooked scallops and a thin layer of nutty and sweet white miso adds just enough panache. Another stunner: lobster tempura maki with thick and crispy pieces of crustacean, cuke, avocado and tobiko encircle a pristine and hollow lobster head. Hotate (scallop) nigiri is 1/3 of the price of Kobe ribeye nigiri but twice as pleasing, the former’s delicateness far surpassing the beef’s charred and chewy texture.

Extensive sake and moderate wine list features a bottle for every budget.

• 484 Eglinton Ave. West, Toronto
• 416.322.3033

Cowbell (*1/2) slows food down with its local and organic focus.

You might be able to find a fantastic veggie roti in Parkdale—or a bar that serves $2 beer—but until Chef Mark Cutrara opened Cowbell last summer, pulling up a chair in a French bistro on the strip of Queen West, West, West was not something locals could do. Or ever thought they wanted to do. But Cutrara’s created not only a locavore’s crack den (churning butter in the basement, curing and smoking his own meat) he’s done it in a very Parkdale way—charming but not ostentatious.

The small but spacious-feeling dining room is a lesson in understated design. Gold and buttery paneled walls, oak banker’s chairs (from neighbourhood shops) and thick reclaimed pine tables create a comfortable and neutral setting, allowing antique church pews, upholstered in ivory and scarlet brocade, to add suitable pop. But the true feature of the room is the stunning white and black hexagonal-mosaic tile floor. It screams casual elegance, the mood Cutrara is going for with his new menu-less venture.

Two substantial chalkboards display the day’s offerings of naturally raised organic meats, house-smoked delicacies and local produce. He’s even doing his own butchering—a skill learned at The Healthy Butcher earlier this year. Though Cutrara could do himself a favour and proclaim these facts more obviously than a small footnote at the bottom of the board. It may help customers’ link value with portion size and price.

Garnering raves in his last kitchen at Globe Bistro, Cutrara is clearly having fun in his own element and it shows on his plates. Though not everything coming out of his new kitchen is bang-on, his use of mixing premium local ingredients and keeping flavour combos simple is as good a starting point as any.

First courses could be bigger and Cutrara could charge more—currently ($6 - $10). Chewy and moist house-cured bresaola arrives tucked into a log cabin of crispy polenta fries with chipotle aioli for dipping ($6). Cutrara’s whimsical take on breakfast is simple and flawless. Tempura-fried green tomatoes ($10) get topped with a poached free-range egg and a scattering of sautéed pork belly bits. But tender and pink smoked trout ($8) seems skimpy on a mountain of sweet corn and grape tomato salsa; its pickled perch accompaniment adds wonderful tang but distracts with its chewy texture. Much better is the country-style terrine ($9); chunky with flecks of black pepper and pistachio and served simply with cornichons, mustard and slices of baguette.

Mains show signs of finesse but need refining. A fatty pork shoulder chop ($26) could use a touch more seasoning but its celery root and diced apple topping, caramelized onions, baby beets and thin peels of pickled zucchini are an award-winning combo. Perfectly cooked veal sirloin with tomato, corn and sautéed rapini is utterly divine, though for $27 the four-ounce portion seems meager. Beef pot pie ($18) could also use a touch more flavour but its flaky croissant-like crust would bring grandma to tears. And while a rubbery-skinned chicken Ballotine ($25) is shameful—and pricy—its spiced lentil and buttery green been accompaniments reinforce Cutrara’s fine attention to veggies.

Unfortunately desserts (all $7) don’t redeem and send us unfulfilled into the sweaty Parkdale night. Strawberry soup, a.k.a pureed strawberries doused in sparkling wine at the table, is downright ridiculous. And pre-made crepes stuffed with strawberry, rhubarb and plums capture a casual feeling but lack the elegance of Cutrara’s other dishes. He does win with one—a silky and dense milk chocolate pot au crème. Its pine nut tart companion taming the sweetness and adding beautiful buttery texture.

Just the mere opening of Cowbell put Parkdale on the dining map. Now if Cutrara can churn out a few edits he may very well be able to turn his bistro into a bona fide destination, replete with elegance and down home charm—100% organic, of course. Dinner for two: $120

• 1564 Queen St. W, Toronto
• 416-849-1095

Originally published in eyeWeekly