Canis

Taking over the space where One of a Kind Pasta once occupied, Canis identifies its cuisine as Canadian. However, Chef Jeff Kang obviously has a preference for umami flavour.

The décor, though minimalist in design, is warm thanks to the abundance of wood. It was a welcoming environment when we visited on a cold and rainy evening.

Our first appetizer was pork jowl with chili, brussels sprout, and pickle. The spiciness of the chili and the sourness of the pickle almost succeeded in balancing out the saltiness of the pork. Still, it was a very enjoyable dish with such a bold mix of flavours.

Our second appetizer was ricotta stuffed pasta, with yolk, kelp oil, and mushroom broth. I found the pasta slightly undercooked, but the ricotta stuffing was nuanced and the mushroom broth brought everything together.

We decided to share the duck for two, which came with onion purée, and wheat berry. It is first displayed looking like a human brain, as seen in the featured image at the top, before it is sliced and split between two dishes.

I asked for mine to be well done, and though this was not the chef’s preferred delivery, the duck still came out perfectly cooked. My significant other loved the onion purée, which was subtle yet flavourful.

For dessert, I ordered the milk chocolate mousse, with buckwheat and honey. It proved to be a better match with the appetizers and main course than my significant other’s dessert. His mutsu apple sorbet, with chamomile kombucha, hazelnut, and thyme was very refreshing, but a jarring end to the meal.

It was easy to see how Canis could improve, but the highs that their dishes offer made any misstep instantly forgivable.

Canis, 746 Queen St. W., Toronto, ON