Canis Restaurant: Toronto, Ontario
Name: Canis
Address: 746 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M6J 1E9, Toronto, ON M6J 1E9, Canada
Website: Website
Instagram: @canisrestaurant
Phone: (416) 203-3317
Wifi: No
Tender: Debit, Credit, Cash
Neighbourhood: Queen West, Toronto
Type: Canadian Cuisine
Canis islocated in Toronto’s Queen West neighborhood at Niagara Street, just slightly East of Trinity Bellwoods Park. With seating for around 25-30, the space is minimalistic and filled with natural concrete, wood, and stone elements.
Describing their menu as seasonal and reflective of their interpretation of Canadian cuisine, it is sectioned off into 5 categories for Snacks, Starters, Mains, and Desserts. They also feature a menu of entirely organic wines and craft beers.
Everything is made in-house with the exception of the sourdough bread, which is provided by local Toronto bakery Clarke’s Bread, and served with in-house made salted chive butter and chimchurri cream cheese. The evening is off to a good start already as the salted chive butter and chimchurri cream cheese are so good that you would lick them off the small plates even in the absence of bread.
For the starters we try the Oyster ($3 CDN + tax), Cauliflower Falafel ($5 CDN + tax), and the Chicken Liver Parfait ($6 CDN + tax).
Foxley Oysters from PEI are served on a bed chilled stones and topped with a fermented cucumber jalapeno granita. With one sip they’re immediately one of the freshest tasting oysters I’ve ever had and the jalapeno granita only enhances their freshness. The jalapeno also adds just the slightest kick without overpowering the fresh flavors of the oyster.
The cauliflower falafel arrives and it is presented unlike any other falafel I’ve ever had before. Instead of the traditional round falafel shape, Canis presents the falafel as two thin cylinders topped with charred eggplant puree, pickled cauliflower, dill, parsley. The falafels themselves are made with a combination of cauliflower, chickpea flower, bulgar wheat, garlic, feta. Unlike most falafels these are not overly greasy and carry the flavors of the eggplant, pickled cauliflower, dill, and parsley well. I also can’t help but appreciate the attention to detail they’ve taken to carefully place small individual florets of cauliflower in between sprigs of parsley and dill. They’re so good, I can imagine myself popping hundreds of these like kernels of popcorn during a Netflix marathon.
For the final starter we try the chicken liver parfait. Like the cauliflower falafel the chicken liver parfait is presented unconventionally as a tart filled with chicken liver mousse, plum glaze, and purslane. The tart crumbles perfectly and the chicken liver mousse is silky smooth. It is arguably of the most beautiful, unique, and tasty savory pastries I’ve ever eaten.
Next we move onto the starters and settle on the Trout ($16 CDN + tax), Foie Gras ($22 CDN + tax), and the Beef Tartare ($18 CDN + tax).
The trout features thinly sliced cured rainbow trout layered with horseradish cream, baby pickled cucumber, dill oil, radish, and dill seeds. It’s a simplistically beautiful dish that features the ingredients well and allows them to shine on their own. It ends up being one of my favorite of the evening and I leave wishing I had eaten 3 more of these.
Next we try the Foie Gras which features Rougie Farm foie gras from Quebec. It’s served with a walnut streusel and apples done three ways including a granny smith apple puree, apple crumble marmalade, and apple batons. The foie gras is thick and rich and melts seamlessly at the touch of your tongue, while the granny smith apples add just the right amount of tartness to help cut the richness of the foie. It’s indulgent and flavorful. Everything foie gras should be.
The Beef Tartare arrives and it quite honestly it looks more like a beautifully plated salad. Underneath the pile of greenest and purest looking mustard greens, parsley, watercress, potato chip, and sprinkle of kale powder though lies a white anchovy dressed beef tartare that’s dotted with sunflower seeds and shallots.
The Sablefish is yet another visual stunner. Organic Ocean sablefish from BC is done sous vide in a radish broth with green beans, romano beans, chili oil, scallion oil, pea shoots, radish, greens. The broth is warm and flavorful and the sablefish is rich, buttery, and tender.
Finally we end the evening with what is arguably one of their most show-stopping dishes, the Duck for Two. A honey glazed duck breast is served on top of a wheat berry porridge, duck confit, caramelized onion puree, baby onion, pickled onion, and jus gras(duck jus, cream, foie gras, sherry vinegar, red wine, black pepper). It’s first presented whole and then carved into perfectly portioned slices with a saucer of the jus gras for ladling over the duck. It’s perfectly cooked and served medium rare. Each bite is juicy and tender and the wheat berry porridge makes for the perfect side. It’s a heart warming dish that I find almost comforting.
Canis restaurant is one of those rare mythical places where everything from start to finish is spot on. It was to the point where I tried to think of a constructive criticism (because really how can any place be so perfect?), but came up empty. It is a place where the atmosphere and service is warm and inviting and every little attention to detail has been looked over ten fold. Sadly at this point I’ve eaten way too much and don’t have room for dessert, but on the bright side this means I have an excuse to come back and try more dishes. I now also finally have the answer to the #1 question that I’m asked by people, “where have you eaten recently that’s a must try?”, and the answer is Canis.
Disclaimer: This post was not sponsored, however the meal/items were complimentary. All opinions expressed are my own. All menu offerings and prices are accurate as of time of posting. Please refer to restaurant/shop for most up to date information.
*All images are copyrighted Allons.Y Styling & Photography. Please do not use or re-post without written consent and provide credit where applicable
