Farewell, bon appétit, it’s been a slice
Intrepid reviewer wraps up two-year stint amid Hamilton’s restaurant boom
Elementary teacher by day, restaurant reviewer by night. No, I’m not a superhero but at times it was a substantial effort to schedule in the restaurants and the writing, along with my family’s schedule.
And things are just getting busier so I have chosen to hang up the pen (let’s be real, it’s an iPad) for now.
I feel incredibly fortunate to have taken the helm during Hamilton’s big food boom. Restaurants seemed to spring up continually and they were innovative (The Heather), fashionable (The Diplomat), and delicious (so many!!). Beyond that, though, the oldies but goodies persisted. The sandwiches at Paninoteca were as tasty as they had ever been and the piri piri chicken at O’ Cantinho still melted in my mouth. There are many advantages to being a restaurant reviewer, especially since I’d been in the food industry for several years before becoming a teacher. I had explored fusion cuisine in its beginnings, having cooked in New York City at Vong (shuttered in 2009), Mirezi, and Danube (closed in 2008), and the Precision fish cookery at Le Bernardin. I learned farm to table from the midWestern guru Odessa Piper, and African/Southern cuisine at Zola in Nashville. Then I got some nose to tail lessons from Chris McDonald at Avalon, in Toronto.
When we first moved to Hamilton, in 2006, it was difficult to see local examples of some of those trends. But now is a different story. Bread Bar brought an “eat local” approach, cocktails took off (yay!) and, suddenly, charcuterie boards became the plats du jour.
Throughout all of this, I was honoured to have the opportunity to highlight the hard work and dedication that goes into every restaurant, small or big. You can always feel the difference between a corporate venture and a true labour of love, and I hope I managed to convey that special something in the 105 restaurants I visited since my first review in June of 2016.
But now I will have the time to revisit more restaurants, a rarity while I was reviewing. Here are some of the places that offer my favourite things (most are from my reviews, but some I just love):
The Asian fusion at Namu, Nique, and Work. The bowls at Pokeh, and the fresh pasta at Giuseppe’s, and
CIMA. The pancakes at Motel, the pizza at Son of a Peach. Cocktails at
Brux House and Berkeley North and the service at Quatrefoil. The zeytoon parvardeh dip at Rayhoon and the steak at Toma La. The affogato at Chocolat On James and the barbecued meat at Saltlick Smokehouse. That lemon tart from The
French. And that blueberry tart from Namu.
I could keep going but I’ll stop there so I can say thanks: to Aviva and Stephanie, the best editors a rookie like me could have. And to my most constant companion, Christina, and our son, Ernst. Also to the many other Spec staffers who filled in over the past two years, reminding me to take pictures before I dug in.
The prospects continue to be delicious for whoever steps into these shoes, as new restaurants continue to pop up for a growing population happy to appreciate them.
I’m back to blowing my whistle in the gym and teaching music, but I’m sure I’ll keep exploring the restaurant scene after hours.
Bon appétit, Hamilton!
I feel incredibly fortunate to have taken the helm during Hamilton’s big food boom.