whatsonmyplate.net
February 24,2010

On The Town: Nota Bene

Nota Bene has been on my list of restaurants to visit since it opened about two years ago. The place gets great reviews and received numerous “Best New Restaurant” accolades along the way. Despite being a quick subway ride away the visit never happened. A few of us were talking on Twitter about Nota Bene and a plan to visit was born. Oh happy day!

The outside of Nota Bene looks sleek and modern. I love the neon glow outside the restaurant. Inside is a great bar area that I’ve made a mental note to revisit for post-work drinks one evening. Now in all my walking by Nota Bene I always assumed it was a pretty small space – not at all. I was shocked to see how big the space is. I didn’t count tables but the place is big. But alas I didn’t come to stare at the space, I came to eat (and boy did I!)

I did my homework prior to my visit and everyone that I spoke to said to try the Crisp Duck Salad and the Sticky Toffee Pudding. Those were definitely on my list. The joy of going with a few people (there were 3 of us) is being able to order copious amounts of food in order to get a good feel of the menu.

To start we ordered the Farm to Fork Charcuterie platter which featured “a lot of meat” with a few types made in house. My favourite, oddly enough was the lardo. Who knew that slices of pure fat could be so delicious. It was like eating butter but porkier. The Crisp Duck Salad was just about as good as everyone warned me. I recently discovered that I enjoy duck (depending on the preparation) so there was no apprehension around this salad. The salad features crisp duck (duh) on a bed of papaya slaw and cashews. I thought this was a great combination with the brightness of the papaya slaw really cutting through the richness of the duck. I really enjoyed the overall variety in textures. I also tried the Hamachi Ceviche with avocado, lime and jalapenos. Whoa nelly! I enjoy spiciness but this was spicy. Delicious but if you weren’t expecting it the spice would catch you off guard for sure.

For my main I was really banking on the pulled suckling pig and boudin noir tart which I saw on the online menu. Sadly this tart is no longer. Le sigh. Instead I opted for Pulled Crab with Buckwheat Pasta. I was intrigued by the idea of pulled crab which ended up just being crab pieces. The dish had an overall citrusy flavour and had pieces of basil and some other greens. It was a really interesting combination of flavours and almost felt “healthy”. I considered ordering the Grilled “Rare” Hanger Steak but chickened out because rare meat freaks me out. Luckily the dish ended up at the table and I learned that a.) the rareness was palatable and b.) it was delicious! The steak had a South American flair and was served with chimichurri sauce. I also tried the Braised Short Ribs which was absolutely delightful! The short ribs were so rich, soft and buttery – pure heaven. Last but not least I tried the Papardelle Pasta with Grilled Rabbit Loin. I had never had rabbit before and was significantly less freaked out by the whole thing and enjoyed the pasta.

Then it was on to dessert! Of course I had the Sticky Toffee Pudding which was on the sweet side but still heavenly. It was served warm so it was all gooey and ummm… sticky. On top was a scoop of ice cream. Well played Nota Bene, well played. Next up was a Panna Cotta served with a fruit compote and a meringue crisp. I’m not a huge fan of Panna Cotta (it’s a texture thing) but this wasn’t bad. What I really enjoyed was the Passion Fruit Sorbet. I’m a sucker for finishing off a meal with cold icy things. The sorbet wasn’t too sweet and had a really pure fruit flavour.

This was truly a great dining experience. The appetizers surpassed the entrees and I could see myself wanting to have a few appetizers for my meal rather than an entree. Not to knock the entrees but I always enjoy me some appetizers. The service was very present and attentive without being intrusive. Another great point about Nota Bene are the prices. You get a great fine dining (not sure if it’s truly fine dining… I should find a definition) – amazing food, fantastic service etc. without the crazy price tags. I can’t wait for my next visit.