Confession time…..I recently got to suggest a place for my girlfriends and I to dine out. Since the occasion for our get together was to celebrate my birthday-I got to pick. When I went on line to see that Kevin’s Bistro only serves mac and cheese, I thought perhaps I had made a dining mistake. Was Kevin’s going to be too casual for our get-together? Was everyone going to be able to find something to eat? Would we all go into a carbohydrate coma?

I needn’t have worried. Kevin’s Bistro at 141 Bannatyne was the perfect spot. Parking was a bit tricky since it is recital time at the Pantages Theatre and the Concert Hall but we managed to find a great spot not far from the restaurant. It was a glorious evening. We were delighted by the building itself with its exposed brick walls and long narrow space. It felt to me like one of the many restaurants I have visited in New York.

We started by sharing vegan brussel sprouts that had been tossed in a apple cider vinaigrette that was as dark as a balsamic one. They had been cooked to just barely el dente and were firm and crunchy.

We also loved the panzanella salad which reminded me of bread salads I had eaten in Tuscany. The ribbons of basil which topped it were particularly tasty and let’s face it…I love anything made with bread!

My picture of the traditional mac and cheese dish was out of focus but looked a lot like this dish called Nooch (minus the garnish). We all had tastes but couldn’t distinguish the nutty taste of the cashew sauce.

The hit of the evening was this Caprese dish. The fresh tastes of bocconcini, basil and tomatoes lightened the combination of macaroni and cheese.

I was over the moon with my choice of the el Mejor where jack cheese, roasted poblano chilies, smoked chorizo and Mexican seasoning were adorned with chicharron (pork rinds), fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime. The girls all commented that it had some heat. That would have been from the roasted poblano chillies because the spicy chorizo which I am accustomed to eating, was really quite mild in Kevin’s version. I adore anything with lime and cilantro and was quite content.

All my friends demurely put their forks down when they were half way through their dish. Even though I could have carried on, I followed suit. I sure was glad that I did, when I got to enjoy the left overs for the next day’s lunch.

And since it was a birthday we ordered both desserts offered up by the kitchen with 4 forks. I enjoyed both of the with equal delight.

No one had ever tried a beignet before and so it became the favourite of the two, especially as it was topped with pecans and a golden sauce. I had enjoyed them when I had the opportunity to visit New Orleans. Beignets are French for fritters or doughnuts. As we tucked in we noticed that the dough was a bit tough and we requested knives to tear off bite sized pieces. I contend that if you put pecans and a caramel sauce on just about anything, it will taste amazing!

Since bread (and potatoes) are my true loves, I was quite enamored with the second dessert of a chocolate bread pudding. It was not too sweet but dense with deep chocolate tastes.

I was thoroughly enjoying my time with my lovely friends even before the gift giving commenced. They know me very well and their presents were true gifts from the heart.

Kath’s quote:“Bistro cooking is good, traditional food, earnestly made and honestly displayed. It is earthy, provincial, or bourgeois; as befits that kind of food, it is served in ample portions.”-David Liederman (New York restauranteur)

Love never fails.

 

 

 

 

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