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s o m e • f o o d • f o r • t h o u g h t

food is fabulous....and the fact of the matter is there is nothing i would rather do than go out for delicious delights with my dear dear friends. Sweet, savory and oh so yummy is there really anything more marvelous than spending time with the people you love dining over delectables? ...and so kate's kitchen escapades was born.....this little "ode to food" chronicles my love for eating and the oh so exciting adventure that dining out can be.........so read it, enjoy, eat, drink and be merry... i hope you love it as much as i love sharing it with you..…..

Monday, November 17, 2008

Oddfellows

o d d * m a n * o u t

The fire crackled inside the long lean space as I ushered off the cold street and into the warmth of a restaurant. Running a little late (gasp) my party had already been seated and although I was only meeting up with three others, as I waltzed into the small space I was overcome by a feeling of family and instantly felt at home. A single long concrete table grounded the restaurant as it ran the alongside the length of the small spunky space. With magnetic fridge alphabet lettering up for creative interpretation along the back wall and an oh so spectacularly special light bulb art instillation over the bar, this place, though small, was not for lack of style. We gossiped over a bottle of delicious red, while we waited for our food to arrive (a selection of pretty much everything off the small but scrumptiously put together menu). A small frisée salad with figs and blue cheese was the perfect opener, wetting our appetites and intriguing us to what lay ahead . A sautéed mixed bag of baby bok choy and chinese broccoli accompanied the braised short ribs that shortly followed. They were cooked to perfection. Soft and succulent with a meaty texture and a sticky sweet sauce; they were oh so yummy and we simply had to have another order. After the ribs ( X2) we thought it couldn't get any better…and then out came the lamb stew. Served straight out of the pressure cooker, this pot sat in the middle of the table (well our section of the table) and we served ourselves out of what seemed like a bottomless bowl of deliciousness. Tender and oh so tasty this terrific main was accompanied by smashed fingerling potatoes with double smoked bacon and brilliantly baked veggies. Dessert followed; home baked brownies and ice cream….the perfect sweet treats to end off our mega meal . For four girls with big eyes, big appetites and even bigger expectations, we were humbled by this unmarked, speak easy-esc establishments and we were completely satisfied. The night wore on and the candles wore down and unlike most restaurants where the tables turn over as the evening lingers on, at Oddfellows this is simply not the case. The 20 something oh so urbanely hip mixed bag crowd stayed put. Named after friendly secret societies in the UK established to protect and unite their members, Oddfellows flawlessly captured this feeling and although we each carried out our dinners independently bound by the concrete table and ability to locate this hidden sign-less gem we were one.


Oddfellows
936 Queen Street West
Toronto, ON

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