HOPGOOD'S FOODLINER

HOPGOOD'S FOODLINER

LOCATION:

325 Roncesvalles Ave. Toronto 

www.hopgoodsfoodliner.com

RATINGS:

Ambiance: 3 / 4

Service: 3 / 4

Food: 3 / 4

Price: $$$

We decided to head to the Roncesvalles area to grab a bite to eat.   When we saw the bright neon lights of the Hopgood's Foodliner sign, we knew we would have to give this eatery a try.  A restaurant with such an eye-catching sign is sure to have bold food and interesting menu options.  The food was daring and offered something unique comparable to nothing else I've seen in Toronto.  Chef Geoff Hopgood provides a decomposed east coast twist on Canadian comfort food.  

When the SURF AND TURF arrived, we realized just how different Foodliner was going to be.  The cold lobster salad was served over shredded lettuce and topped with pickles.  Where's the turf, you ask? Well, that's a large piece of puffed beef tendon.  The crispy tendon acted as the cracker for this simple yet fresh creamy lobster salad. Would we have ordered this if we knew it would really be a small portion of lobster salad? Probably not.

They kept the ED'S STYLE FRIED CLAMS simple, just the way they should be.  They were lightly battered and fried until they were fully cooked but stopped before they became chewy and dry. These clams were spot on: so fresh and tasty you feel like you are seaside as you eat them.

I really love anything pickled, so the  PICKLED CAPE BRETON SHRIMP were calling my name. We have never had pickled shrimp before, and since it was a night of firsts we decided to give them a try. The shrimp were lightly pickled and cooked only to a nice pink, allowing them to remain tender. The dill garnish was a nice addition to the the otherwise traditional tasting brine mixture. 

Lastly, we ordered the SIDE STRIPE SHRIMP AND TOASTED GRITS. The shrimp came hidden under the salty fish broth and creamy grits. The flavours were very tasty together,  however we found the grits to be quite gritty, not the optimal texture  for grits.

Would we go back?  Well......  We found this to be a solid place with generally pleasing food.  Worth recommending, but we wouldn't rush back.

STANDOUT  DISH OF THE NIGHT?
Ed's Style Fried Clams