Hey Lucy

A couple of girlfriends and I met up at Hey Lucy on King West after work on a recent weeknight (specifically for its Wednesday night martini feature), and I'm a tad embarrassed to concede that, after years of living in the Toronto Entertainment District, it's taken me this long to check this local haunt off my list of eateries.

For those of you who aren't familiar with the theatre district of this downtown neighbourhood, Hey Lucy is one of a number of restaurants that line the south side of King Street West between Blue Jays Way and John Street, to which theatre- and concert-goers are known to flock before and after shows at the Princess of Wales Theatre, the Royal Alexandra Theatre, or the Roy Thomson Hall.

While I try to avoid that strip of King Street on my way home from work most evenings (it can get somewhat annoying when you're solicited every 30 seconds by individual staff members whose job is to stand next to the heat lamp and offer a Vanna White display of their menu in an attempt to wave you in to their establishment), it's an interesting concentration of culinary eclecticism (Indian, Japanese, Asian fusion, Cajun/Creole, French, Italian) that showcases a few of Toronto's best international cuisines.

Crisp Pear and Goat Cheese Salad

At Hey Lucy, the atmosphere is inviting, the martini selection (over 20 varieties) is extensive, the music is catchy (well, if you're a fan of '80s music, that is), and the food is fabulous. Our only complaint was the service. Although the wait staff were pleasant, they decided to add a handful of drinks and an appetizer to the bill (one of my girlfriends happens to be a Chartered Accountant—a Certified Public Accountant for my readers south of the border) and, when we brought this accounting error to their attention, they still returned with the wrong subtotal. Nevertheless, let's move on to the menu ...

Cinnamon Hazelnut Dessert Pizza

While my friends, who had started off their Freedom 55 (retirement, anyone?) martinis with a serving of sweet-potato fries, migrated to a sharing platter of nachos baked with mozzarella, roasted onion, and grilled peppers and zucchini, I opted for the crisp pear and goat cheese salad. The baby spinach, dressed in a sweet onion vinaigrette and topped with cherry tomatoes and spicy pecans, was fresh, tender, and appetizing alongside the thinly sliced pear and creamy crumbled goat cheese. As tasty as it was, however, I'd have to say that the best part of the meal was dessert: a cinnamon hazelnut pizza, sprinkled with spoonfuls of cinnamon sugar, drizzled in melted semi-sweet chocolate chips, and served with a generous scoop of hazelnut ice cream and whipped cream. Mmm ... it was so mouth-watering that what had initially been intended as a shared dessert ended up being, um, more than half-devoured by yours truly (I do have a sweet tooth).

Hey Lucy ... I will definitely be coming back.

Hey Lucy is located at: 295 King Street West (John Street)

Paese (on King)

In his last blog post (dated May 28, 2010), Executive Chef Christopher Palik made "the big reveal" with the unveiling of Paese Ristorante on 333 King Street West—a welcome downtown addition to Tony Loschiavo's original location, where patrons have been enjoying his dishes for well over two decades on Bathurst Street in North York. Although Paese on King has been operational since late last spring, a bit of clever marketing finally prompted me to walk through its bright orange door at the start of this year.

Lobster & Basil Crespelle

Modern, crisp designs lend an air of sophistication to this neighbourhood restaurant that prides itself on its philosophy of creating Italy-inspired meals in a made-in-Canada approach. Upon stepping inside, I couldn't help but remark on the clean, loft-like architectural feel, yet with none of the pretentiousness all too often affiliated with certain establishments that try much too hard to be all trendy things (bar, club, lounge, restaurant) to all demographics. At Paese, staff are not only friendly and attentive, but also quite knowledgeable when it comes to its culinary creations (house-made pasta and fresh fish and seafood) and specially imported ingredients (mozzarella di buffalo and prosciutto di Parma).

Although deviating somewhat from its online selection, the menu features daily specials and provides enough variety to entice you to come back for more. For brunch the other day, I opted for the lobster and basil crespelle with marscapone and heirloom carrot sauce—a very appetizing seafood dish that contained a generous portion of lobster filling, wrapped delicately around a crisp, wafer-thin crêpe. Superb. Dessert? Pannetone with golden raisins, citrus, chestnut gelato, and dark-chocolate sauce—not thoroughly defrosted on the inside and, well, an item that did leave something to be desired ... but perhaps an opportunity to try the dark-chocolate terrine on my next visit to Paese ;).

Paese Ristorante is located at: 333 King Street West (between Blue Jays Way and John Street)

Visual Eats: The Sultan's Tent & Café Moroc

Mango Salmon: pan-seared fillet, topped with mango salsa and served with saffron basmati rice and Moroccan root vegetables

Mint tea: Moroccan loose-leaf tea, sweetened and steeped with fresh mint leaves

The Sultan's Tent & Café Moroc (read the review) is located at: 49 Front Street East (Church Street)

Visual Eats: 259 Host

Thin, crisp lentil wafers with tangy mango chutney

Saag Panir: fresh baby spinach and panir cheese cubes sautéed with tomato, onion, and garlic

Butter Chicken: boneless chicken tikka cooked in a creamy tomato sauce

Gulab Jamun served with cardamom and saffron-flavoured ice cream

259 Host (read the review) is located at: 259 Wellington Street West (between Blue Jays Way and John Street)