On Thursday, July 19th we went to a relatively new restaurant in Roncessvales called Hopgood’s Foodliner. We heard about the place some time back but had reservations about going because they don’t have a menu posted on their blog/website but we did walk by it last weekend and checked out the menu in person.
The restaurant décor is rustic but clean and nicely done (please click here for photos and another review, it was too dark and mine didn’t turn out). They have insets in the walls with interesting ‘sculptures’ made of ordinary pantry items, such as triscuits and Evaporated Milk. They also have my favourite filament lighting hanging evenly from the ceilings (great light to be seen in!).
We were happily greeted by the hostess and she quickly confirmed our reservations on her iPad. At 7:30 the place was already busy, but there were a few tables still empty. The first table we were shown was at the beginning of the hallway to the back and I feared that we would be constantly disturbed by servers going to the kitchen (in the middle of the restaurant), so she showed us another table in the back room, far corner. I liked the back room as it wasn’t as crowded or noisy as the front (but that would soon change). Unfortunately, our new table was also beside a prep kitchen doorway (see Toronto Life’s 8th picture, with “Watch your Step” on a glass door); it seemed as though there was someone in and out every few minutes, and there was a very chilly draft blowing on me from the A/C above. So we asked to move and they were very cool about it. Our final table had us sitting at the front of the back room at a much warmer space.
Our waiter, Edward seemed quite knowledgeable about the food, and spoke as if he had tried everything. We decided to begin with 6 PEI blueberry point oysters with a delightful ginger Mignonette Sauce and of course, freshly ground horse radish. Both were wonderful with the slightly briny good sized oysters (I like to taste the ocean in my oysters, and I like to chew the oysters!). I had the surf and turf tartare with rave reviews from Edward. It’s a nicely chopped sirloin with scallops (surf and turf). It was traditionally seasoned and then topped with a thin layer of mayo and crispy fried potato pellets (well, that’s the best I could do to described it…kind of looked like mashed potato that has been through a ricer and deep fried). I liked the tartare, but I have to say I did not taste the scallop so it was lost on me. The deep fried potato topping was interesting in terms of texture, but I am neither a potato eater nor a lover of deep fried foods so I wasn’t as hyped about it as Edward, but I did finish it — all of it!
JT ordered the Pork cheeks with mini sausages. The mini sausages were delightful and nicely seasoned, I didn’t taste the pork cheeks but they looked very tender. JT wasn’t wowed but he said he liked it. We didn’t have dessert. Our dinner took about ninety minutes and was nicely spaced without being rushed. On a down side, they have a very limited wine and beer selection (and the beers were quite obscure, the most recognizable being Labatt 50 in a can, which was just weird!). Chef Hopgood apparently changes the menu every couple of days, so you’ll never know what will be on, but rest assured it will be creative and tasty. Service was attentive, properly timed, friendly and consistent.
Overall rating of Hopgood’s Foodliner (in my opinion): Decor 4/5, service 4/5, food 4/5, Value 4/5, Noise: 2/5 (1 being very noisy, and 5 being very quiet). Reservations are definitely recommended.
Disclaimer: We purchased our meal for full price and my opinions just that, my opinions.
On another note, I wanted to share a photo of Chef Rob Rossi and I (runner up Top Chef Canada Season 1) at his place Bestellen when we were there recently. If you recall, I reviewed the restaurant here; we liked it very much, so we went back.
I love getting my pic taken with the chef especially if they are a celebrity though a runner up is pretty awesome too. 🙂
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Thanks Corrie, it was rather cool!
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Beautiful photo of you, Eva. I’ve had some amazing pork cheek tacos at a local restaurant here called the Iberian Pig. That made me a fan of pork cheeks. Not sure I’d like the tartare, but it looks interesting!
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Thank you kindly Betsy; he was a doll to pose with me!
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i like that he changes the menu up like that. Always keeps it interesting to dine there. Great review- only wish I was around there to give it a try
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Thank you kindly Jessica!
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Awesome photo with the chef. Mike had a student advance pretty deep on Master Chef (or one of those shows) this year. Pretty cool. Sounds like a fun restaurant with an inventive menu.
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Very cool, does Mike teach at culinary school?
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What a great review Eva! The temperature is often an issue for me in restaurants… I didn’t realize it was even possible to ask to move tables!
I love seafood, so I would definitely consider giving this restaurant a try!
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Thanks Amber, be sure to make reservations, all these restaurants in Roncesvalles are super busy.
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I always appreciate it when the servers are given the day’s specials to taste before the first seating. It’s wise management to insist upon it and, as a patron, it makes my dinner selection so much easier when the waitperson’s recommendations are based upon personal experience. Other than guanciale, I’ve not heard of pork cheeks before and, like JT, would have ordered them. Sorry to read they weren’t wow-worthy, though.
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Thanks John. We were at a very highly rated restaurant in Toronto recently when our waiter mentioned that they don’t let the wait-staff taste food there; I was quite surprised. But even more surprising, we went to a very meat centric restaurant about a year ago and our waitress was a vegan. Very strange indeed!
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Sounds like a very interesting restaurant to dine frequently. Chef is very creative.
Beautiful photo of you and Chef Rob Rossi.
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Thanks Norma, he was very sweet to let us take a picture of us.
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An interesting variety of dishes, Eva though not particularly wow making this early in the morning. The chef is quite the cutie though. 🙂
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Even I would have a hard time to stomach that menu so early the morning…Chef Rossi is a sweetheart!
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Love that picture of you Eva, you look gorgeous! And he’s cute! 😉
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Thank you kindly Lorraine. He was very sweet and he came over again later that evening when we were sitting at the bar.
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Love the photo of you and chef…
Pork cheek….I have never had it before.
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It was very tender, Angie. Thank you.
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That is a lovely photo. And, as usual, I want what JT is eating, not sharing your fondness for raw meat.
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Thanks so much Sharyn; that is my favourite dress from our latest trip to NYC, it’s a Finish designer.
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Wow look at you with the chef my friend, nice one 😀
The food looks delicious and you describe it wonderfully as well!
A shame about the seating location and noise level though :S
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
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Thanks CCU!
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Interesting review, as always. The tartare serving idea sounds really intriguing, especially the potato topping, but I think I would prefer the good old French fries. I love beef cheeks, pork cheeks a bit less even though I love pork 100x more than beef. All the food looks very interesting though.
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Thanks Sissi, I would have preferred the traditional fries too, but it sure was interesting.
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Aren’t you the pretty one!
I agree with you about noise. I would go down a number in rating just so I could hear my companions talking. I also don’t like to sit where I’m uncomfortably cold. We’d be great dining pals.
All that said, the food looks great and my only quizzical look comes from the potato pellets. 🙂
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Thanks Maureen. The potato pellets were quite odd indeed.
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Lovely photo of you Eva! I lost count at how many times you moved tables! I hate sitting in air conditioning too. I’m always asking restaurants to turn down the air con as some places are like dining in a freezer. I like the look of the pork cheeks with the mini sausages. The menu sounds really interesting and I love how the chef changes it regularly – that keeps you coming back xx
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Thank you kindly Charlie. It was a very nice dinner.
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