Smillie’s food made us smile. Who’s Smillie, you ask?
Oh, you know, just the former chef of NYC’s Il Buco Alimentari e Vineria (where he got rave reviews), who’s opening up his own resto in the Big Apple this October. A handful of lucky Torontonians got a sneak peek at the menu at a pop-up dinner at Drake One Fifty last week. When we grabbed a few minutes with Smillie at the event, he described the in-progress menu as a Mediterranean-new American mash-up: “I’ve been largely Italian for the last couple of years, so I wanted to incorporate flavours from other places, like North Africa.”
Our description? Scrumptious. The refreshing crudo of diver scallops with chameh melon, celery and horseradish had us groaning with pleasure with each bite—we would’ve been embarrassed had we not been so enraptured with it. Also on course: seared veal with hot shishito peppers (pictured) and an heirloom tomato dish that was almost too pretty to eat.
We can hardly wait to visit Manhattan in October when Smillie’s new spot opens. Until then, our foodie tendencies will be fulfilled at Drake One Fifty’s Twilight Tuesdays series with Momofuku this August. —Karen Kwan
Drake One Fifty, 150 York St., Toronto, 416-363-6150, www.drakeonefifty.ca
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