Birthday Dinner: Ruby Watchco

East of the DVP, on Queen St E, lies an inconspicuous storefront with sheathed grey walls. Above the door hangs a little sign emblazoned with a big red R. The business's purpose is given away by the framed daily menu that greets those who enter.

We arrived early that Tuesday evening. The time was just shy of our 6:30 PM reservation. The hostess was quick to greet and we were seated promptly.

Inside the restaurant, we found a cozy dining room with a warm industrial aesthetic. Wooden chairs,  wooden tables, and wood-clad cabinets were set neatly along one wall, and a wide, sprawling bar along the other.

The menu was simple; There was a page for food, a page for cocktails, and one last page for wine. Each day's offerings are preset by the restaurant's chefs Lynn Crawford and Lora Kirk - Tuesday was no exception. For a fixed price of $49/person, we were offered a handsome 4-course meal. Optionally, a seafood supplement could be added for those willing to indulge further.

Tuesday's menu was as follows (as seen from Ruby Watchco)...

Dark & Stormy, Cocktail

Goslings Rum, Lime Juice, Five Spiced Agave Nectar & Ginger Beer

The cocktail arrived first to our table. It's appearance was simple - the beverage was served in a lowball glass and was adequately chilled by a single, massive ice cube. A slice of lime garnished the rim alongside the sipping straw. Simply put, the Dark & Stormy was delicious. The harshness of the rum was pacified by a sweet and sour combination of lime juice and agave nectar, while the ginger beer added a delightful zing to the golden cocktail.

Sovereign Farm's Yellow Bean & Mustard Salad, Appetizer

Sleger’s Living Greens, Frisee, Radicchio, Garden Radishes, Cucumbers, Grated Egg, Applewood Smoked Bacon, Triple Crunch Mustard Dressing

The appetizer was served to our table communal-style, in a large bowl. From what I had garnered from the menu, I had a feeling the salad was going to be a winner. After all, there was bacon in it. My intuition did not fail me that night as the Yellow Bean & Mustard Salad did well to whet our appetites. Each salad-mouthful closed with a crunch. There was a prevailing sense of freshness to the greens that our usual grocery store salads could not replicate. The mustard dressing provided a nice, sharp tang without feeling heavy and the savoury satisfaction of the Applewood Smoked Bacon made me feel whole.

Along with the salad came a pair of biscuits, each topped with a golden crust. The first thing that came to mind upon seeing these were the heavenly biscuits that Red Lobster doles out. In comparison, Ruby Watchco's offerings were not quite as soft, but also lighter for the stomach, and creamier in flavour. Dinner was off to a good start.

Grilled Veal Chop with Caramelized Onion Jus, Main Course

Charred Broccoli with Olive Tomato Relish,

St David’s Eggplant & Greens with Spiced Yoghurt,

Cheesy & Confit Garlic Polenta

Our main course of the night was presented to us by Chef Lynn Crawford herself. Two fine-looking chops were served in a casserole dish alongside three smaller pots and plates of delectable sides. After dividing up the portions amongst ourselves, we had fork and knife at the ready. Starting with the veal chops, we discovered that the meat was tender enough for table knives to cut into with ease. The first slice revealed a perfect medium under the slightly charred surface. There was certainly no lack of flavour in the veal chops thanks to some marbling as well as the richness of the onions.

Each side dish presented its own unique flavour and sharply contrasted against the next. My personal favourite was the Cheesy & Confit Garlic Polenta, mostly due to its mash-like texture and garlicky aroma.

Lankaaster By Glengary Fine Cheese, Cheese Course

Salt Roasted Grapes, Charred Walnuts & Pickled Celery

Admittedly, I'm not the biggest cheese fan (gasp!). And so, predictably, I was not particularly enthused about the cheese course. Nevertheless, we discovered that the Lankaaster is a winner of the 2013 Global Cheese Awards and is considered a gouda-style cheese. Similar to the main course which came before, the accompaniments here were also eclectic, each adding a unique quality to the flavour of the whole. It wasn't enough to convert a cheese-aversive diner like myself, but it was certainly a pleasant trip for the palate.

Tea Roasted Warner Farm's Plums, Dessert

Citrus Mascarpone, Almond Granola & Vanilla Honey

Last came the Tea Roasted Plums. This was a dessert to remember, not because it was the last thing we consumed at Ruby Watchco, but because of its novelty and the intensity of its flavours. The oven-roasted plums were viciously sour yet it seemed to pair well with the smooth sweetness of the mascarpone, honey and granola combination. 

All in all, Ruby Watchco's prix fixe four-course meal has been a wonderful experience. The fact that it can be had for a mere $49 (pre-tax/tip) per person is icing on the cake. Chef Lynn Crawford and Chef Lora Kirk's farm-to-table style has undoubtedly kept things fresh both literally and figuratively. Their restaurant is certainly one that I would recommend any Toronto diner to pay a visit at least once during their hungry and gluttonous periods of existence.