THE NEW ACADIA
THE LAST THING TORONTO NEEDS IS ANOTHER RUSTIC, WOOD-CLAD, DOWNTEMPO ITALIAN RESTAURANT. HOW LOVELY, THEN, THAT JUST-OPENED ACADIA IS RUSTIC, WOOD-CLAD, DOWNTEMPO NU-FRENCH AND SOUTHERN AMERICAN INSTEAD.
Inspired by southeasterly flavours, chef Matt Blondin and Scott Selland have come up with Acadia, a humbly decorated, off-College spot with a legit interesting menu (and, as is de rigeur these days, a good old-fashioned cocktail list). Dishes smoke and crackle with down-South flavours; even an uncomplicated summer salad gets lively with coffee-infused vinaigrette. More vegetable sides might be nice; currently, you can get licorice-creamed collard greens ($5) and/or cornbread fingers ($4, with sweet potato to dip; too good). My companion loved his sticky veal ribs ($26), but the menu's not too meaty; I narrowly chose speckled trout (accompanied by oyster mayo, sunchoke relish and charred scallion) over the red grouper. Plus, three of five starters are seafood-based, including shrimp-n-grits ($12). Next time! I'm also going back for dessert: A “chocolate bar” with peanuts and roasted-banana ice cream ($8).
Acadia, it's kinda like a road trip in your mouth.
—Sarah Nicole Prickett
Acadia Restaurant & Bar, 50C Clinton St., Toronto, 416-792-6002, www.acadiarestaurant.com
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