So having been wanting to try Bent Restaurant (@BentRestaurant) for the longest time, I was uber glad to see them participate in Summerlicious this year. Bent Restaurant, located on Dundas West area, is opened by Kai and Levi Bent-Lee with the kitchen being overhauled by Susur Lee. I haven’t been to any of Susur’s restaurants before so I have been looking forward to this dinner for the longest time – creeping up people’s pictures and reading their menu over and over again – made me tres excited! Okay you get the point (lol).
So my friend Andrea and myself made reservations for 7pm on a Tuesday evening. The place was incredibly gorgeous and incredibly packed. While complementing the gorgeous space, the progression of our meal was rather slow. Our server was knowledgeable pleasant. Although he was pretty busy throughout the course of our meal, he still checked up on his while other staff helped replenish our plates and refill our waters. The noise level was almost unbearable – could barely hear my friend speak. Actually, we almost had to yell. Anyways onto food!
Crispy Chicken Dumpling
- Roasted Chorizo, Maple Syrup & Smoked Chili Lime Glaze, Parmesan Emulsion, Salad of Watercress and Frisee
- I really enjoyed the crispiness & the filling of the dumpling. Though, I personally wasn’t too fond of the Smoked Lime Glaze. I thought it was a little fiery and sour for my liking. But the watercress salad balanced everything out.
Shrimp tacos
- Charred Onion Tomato Salsa, Chipotle, Avocado, in a Taro Shell
- The tacos were beyond amazing. Super fresh, crunchy shells, hot and pungent – Well balanced of flavours. Executed really well.
Boneless Chicken filled with Spinach and Ricotta
- Lemon Parsley sauce, Okra Ratatouille
- Absolutely no regrets on opting for the boneless chicken. The chicken was impossibly tender, coated in a light crunch batter.
- The chicken was evenly mixed with a plentiful amount of spinach and ricotta – very scrumptious.
- It was beautifully prepared with a lemon parsley sauce giving it a flawless light touch
Crispy “Assam” Salmon
- Tamarind, Ginger Flower, Four Citrus, Mustard & Fruit
- My friend seemed to enjoy her dish as well. She mentioned her salmon was very moist.
A Tasting Trio
- Profiterole with vanilla custard Hot chocolate sauce and sesame brittle / Strawberry, Rhubarb and Lemongrass Compote Grand Marnier crème fraiche, Butterfly Pastry/ Passion Fruit & Mango Panna Cotta Coconut tapioca, Pineapple & Passion Fruit granitee
- The tasting trio was okay but nothing to write home about. The highlight was the mango panna cotta which essentially was a mango pudding – a usual favourite of mine. The Profiterole custard was rather difficult to eat.
Final Thoughts. Every course presented was well thought out and executed. Though nothing was ground breaking – portions were smaller than expected. My friend left the restaurant seeming a bit unsatisfied. That being said, the table beside us seemed to have ordered one of everything off their regular menu and left me wanting more. I’ve heard great things about their regular menu and would not hesitate to come back. Lastly, the restaurant was quite packed that evening but by no means were we rushed out the door. Our server politely offered us coffee or tea after our meal and didn’t hand us our bill until we asked for it. Overall, it was a pleasant meal.
