The Beef Short Rib Lettuce Wrap with Kimchi, Kewpie mayo and wild rice was mmmm, just awesome.
The Spring Vegetable Tostada, with goat cheese and black beans, was fresh and simply delicious!
The Filipino Fried Chicken with Brioche, Adobo mayo and Iceberg lettuce was superb. I loved the three or four of these that I inhaled!
Other appetizers included:
- Grilled Cauliflower with brown butter, almond, raisin, and caper, which were interesting in a good way;
- Squid Croquette, with lemon and Wild Fennel, which was not to my liking;
- Piquillo Pepper, Tuna Conserva, with Sherry Vinaigrette, which had a good aftertaste, but I was not enjoying the mouthfeel; and
- Mackerel Escabeche with Shallot, which left too much of a fishy aftertaste for me.
The Spring Vegetable Tostada was my favourite with the Beef Short Rib Lettuce Wrap coming a very close second.
Hudson Kitchen set up a self-serve bar with Negroni called “That’s our Word” and another drink called the “Plants vs. Zombies,” which featured a sprig of dill to accompany it. I didn’t get a chance to try the Plants vs. Zombies, but I partook of the Negroni, which was a witch’s cauldron of boozy goodness. I had to keep putting more and more ice in mine to keep me from falling down. The bartender, Jay Meyer, said that everyone was making the drinks wrong – as is to be expected from a man who takes pride in his craft. Several patrons commented on Jay’s mixology prowess and had enjoyed many a drink under his careful tumbling at other venues.
The Hudson Kitchen location is easy to get to with the streetcar stop right out front. The residential area is both hip and swank, a nice mix of the enlightened Annex and foodie College Street West. The patrons are mostly locals looking for a pleasant patio to sit back and relax on. The patio is situated at the corner of Dundas Street West and Palmerston Avenue. There is some residential street parking, and parking on Dundas Street West after 6 p.m.
I liked that they kept the faded Coca-Cola sign on the side of the brick wall facing the patio. The pretty blue umbrellas were down since our soiree didn’t require sunscreen, but nice to know they were there for a sunny day. The staff were both friendly and knowledgeable. I was happily surprised how much food they brought out for guests. I noticed that many of the media party guests continued their gastronomic adventure inside and ordered more food and drinks off the menu after the tasting was over, which is always a good sign. Hudson Kitchen is a patio I definitely hope to return to this summer.
Hudson Kitchen, 800 Dundas Street West, 416-644-8839
