Norca Restaurant & Bar
30 Daly Ave.
The Norca menu is the brainchild of Dominique Dufour, a Montreal chef who recently handed over the reins to David Bozic, formerly of Andaz Ottawa and Beckta. Key to the vision? All the ingredients on the Norca menu are Canadian. So what would I find on the menu in icy January?
At lunch, we begin with a robust cauliflower purée — a warm welcome, but not overly memorable. Next, my guest chooses the sockeye salmon salad, which comes as a pretty pile of contrasting colours — vibrant green pickles, pink beet-caramelized onion, and golden roasted fingerling potatoes. A puddle of yogurt underneath it all brings balance; overall, this dish offers a good variety of textures and flavours.
The roasted chicken salad is less successful. Accompanied by caramelized leek, leek hay, kohlrabi, apple, and Ontario aged cheddar, it sounds perfect. However, the dryness of the hay and a fattiness in the chicken lead to disappointing results.
At dinner, the restaurant shines. To start, that cold-store staple, cabbage, presents itself in a unique dish. A seared mini cabbage arrives perched atop a sticky pile of mostarda. Inside the cabbage, a poached egg cooked exactly to my taste, crispy smoked ham chips, and a sprinkling of sautéed cabbage shreds.
My guest’s duck tartare arrives hidden inside wonton wrappers shaped like spring rolls. Tough to crack, they shatter like broken pottery on the plate but offer a pleasantly surprising contrast to the soft, well-seasoned duck. Tiny florets of romanesco and cauliflower dot the plate, along with drizzles of birch and plum syrup.
The main-course servings are generous. My large piece of sablefish arrives with crispy scales made from potato, a clever touch. Miniature stuffed peppers on the side offer a flavour explosion.
My guest’s smoked pork chop with sidestripe shrimp is a play on surf and turf; the thick, juicy pork chop is noticeably smoky, and the shrimp adds a touch of soft sweetness. Fennel paper — black, crunchy, and wafer-thin — is a lovely addition.
When it comes to dessert, our curiosity gets the better of us and we order Orchard: a bright green apple-shaped mousse surrounded by little clusters of oat crumble, orange sea buckthorn jelly, and smears of apple butter. Shattering the delicate exterior of the apple-shaped mousse reveals a salted caramel mousse interior — pure heaven. Our spoons tinkle as we fight for the last mouthful.
Norca is an industrial-chic space with a polished vibe. The concise drinks list offers reasonable choice, and excellent wait staff offer well-considered alternatives when something is unavailable. Mains $29–$40. Open every day for lunch and dinner.