Deli classics with a French flair (belated Winterlicious edition)
Summerlicious and Winterlicious can be a great time to try new restaurants. The trick is finding a restaurant that offers superior value or limited time dishes that interest you. For most restaurants, these events are equivalent to a free dessert. If you are not a fan of desserts, you might want to give them a pass.
Grand Cru Deli is a new entrant to Winterlicious, having opened in March 2019. Billing itself as a wine bar, you might be forgiven for thinking the food is an afterthought. I went in not knowing what to expect and came out impressed.
The food
The Winterlicious menu featured dishes from its regular menu. That can be a good sign. Some restaurants come up with cheaper and inferior dishes for the Licious events. So at least you know the restaurant is confident of its regular menu it they offer it for Licious. Or lazy. In my experience, it is more of the former.
- Appetizer: Broccoli falafel salad, seasonal country paté, or matzah ball soup
- Main: Trout amandine, pastrami sandwich and curly fries, or eggplant parmesan
- Dessert: Chocolate chip cookie, creme brulée, or chess pie
I had to order the matzah ball soup because there isn’t anywhere else that makes it in downtown Toronto. This Ashkenazi Jewish dish of bread dumplings is traditionally unglamorous. Grand Cru Deli gave it a French spin. The soup had bits of mirepoix (celery, onions, carrots) floating around. It was light but could use a stronger chicken flavour. It would be more elevated if they used a classic consommé. The balls were schmaltzy and authentic. Off to a good start.
The trout amandine was easily the best of the mains. Every component worked in harmony. Fish and vegetables were perfectly cooked. The trout flaked easily and was still moist. Green beans retained just enough crunch. Silvered almonds were toasted enough to release their aroma. And the purée served as the glue between the other components.
The trout wasn’t on the regular menu but the pastrami sandwich was. I love how Grand Cru Deli has curly fries. It’s difficult to find them outside of A&W.
The chess pie looked deceptively simple but was packed with flavour. The crust was thin, crisp, and flakey. The filling was gooey and mildly sweet. The scoop of crème added moisture and a delicate sugary boost. This is exactly how I imagine a Southern (USA) pie would turn out in a French deli. It was the best dessert I’ve had so far in 2020.
Unfortunately for a wine bar, I didn’t try any of their wines even though they had thoughtful pairings for the menu. Hey, it was a weekday lunch.
After COVID-19 hit, Grand Cru Deli has pivoted completely to its wine business. Here’s hoping that they will return to serving food when restrictions lift. The execution is near flawless.
The place
Grand Cru Deli takes up an entire house sandwiched between condos. The ground floor is the main restaurant space while the upper floor is for wine tasting. The interior is cozy. It screams mid-century home more than a French restaurant.
Verdict
Grand Cru Deli’s vision of an upscale French deli is a resounding success. It beats nearly every French restaurant downtown at this price point 8.5/10.
Practical information
- Name
- Grand Cru Deli
- Rating
- 8.5/10
- Recommended dishes
- Chess pie
- Prices
- Winterlicious lunch prix fixe: $25.99 ($23.00 excluding tax)
- Address
- 304 Richmond Street West
- Hours
- 1100h – 2300h
- Date of visit
- January 2020