One of the benefits to working where I do in Toronto is the number of restaurants close by. There’s something at every price point to soothe your cravings. This week and next also happen to be Summerlicious, where a number of eateries create prix fixe lunch and dinner menus for the public to try. It’s an extremely popular event with a winter session as well.
Today, a few coworkers and I went to Luma for lunch – $20 for an appetizer, entree and dessert. Luma is one of Oliver and Bonacini’s restaurants, and it is located on the 2nd floor of the TIFF Lightbox building. O&B has a reputation for great restaurants and food, so I was excited to try it. I was not disappointed. My entire party was extremely happy with our meals.
Cured albacore tuna, radish salad, pea gremolata, ramp pickle
I started with the cured albacore tuna. For some reason, I thought it was going to be a tuna salad (chalk that up to a long week!), and I was happily surprised to see a pile of plump, cured tuna morsels arrive on my plate. The tuna was succulent and melted in my mouth and had the perfect amount of salt and acidity. The pea gremolata tasted fresh and clean – a perfect balance with the fish. This meal was starting out well!
Chilled poached wild salmon, salad of egg, tomato, green beans, anchovy, potato
For my entree, I ordered the poached wild salmon. I don’t usually order salmon as it’s not one of my favourite fish, but I figured the other two options (pork loin or truffle lasagna) would be too heavy for lunch. The salmon was delicious and perfectly cooked. It flaked just as expected and had great flavour. The accompanying salad had egg, tomato , green beans, anchovy and potato and was a wonderful combination of texture and flavour. Everything tasted extremely fresh and summery – a great dish for a hot and humid day.
Citrus custard, candied zest, pine nut biscotti
To end everything, I had a citrus custard and pine nut biscotti. The custard was a tad heavier than I anticipated, but the flavour was spot on. The candied zest was a great textural balance and provided some sweetness to the dish. The biscotti was also the perfect match with it’s muted sweet flavour and crunch.
Overall a great meal, and a great chance to hang out with my fellow foodie friends. I have a couple more Summerlicious reservations booked next week. I might gain a pound or two, but if they’re all like today’s lunch, I’ll regret nothing!
Address:
TIFF Bell Lightbox, 2nd Floor
350 King St. West, Reitman Square
Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5V 3X5
Telephone:
647.288.4715
iEat, iGeek, iConquer 