Tips for Dining, Eating and Food Shopping in Ontario (including Toronto and Ottawa)
Start New ThreadDoes anybody know any restaurants in Toronto that serve Horse?! I've had it in Montreal and enjoyed. I've never seen it on a menu in Toronto though...any ideas?
By Tboy
on Jan 31, 2007 10:32 AM
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La Pallette in Kensington has a Quack and Track dish consisting of horse and duck, although I'm not sure it's listed on the menu.
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it's not listed on the menu and you can get just a horse steak if you choose to do so.
i believe coca has horse tenderloin listed as one of their tapas dishes, a much less refined method of eating it as it's skewered. but it is making it's way through toronto in various forms, even if it's just a special of sorts.
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Batifole serves horse tartare.
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"Quack and Track"?! You can't be serious! That's pretty funny!
Actually, I should have defined - I'm not looking for Tartare (I'm daring but not that daring!). A good Horse Steak would get me trotting along nicely (excuse the horrible pub!).
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I had the quack and track- my horse was not so great. My husband had just the horse- it appeared to be a much better cut and was tastier. Not sure what the reason for this was or if others have had similar experiences?
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I wish I could take credit for it, but it's real. I've never tried it but I have heard good things. I'm wondering what that tartare would be like though.
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Batifole's horse tartare is UNBELIEVABLE
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My wife owns a horse and we both ride, so I'm not allowed to eat any in restaurants. I am curious what it's like, though.
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could you describe it please . . . in detail.
I totally think of myself as an adventurous eater, and love tartare, but I have such a block about horse tartare. I keep imagining it to be stringy and sour, like bad game.
help me find the courage to try it
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it's actually quite similar to beef, I actually find it to be more mellow. Obviously it's also leaner.
Batifole's version is indeed quite tasty.
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It is extremely tender and has a slight sweetness to the taste (very subtle but present). Not at all stringy or "gamey" tasting. I've also had BBQ'd tenderloin in Iceland (where it is also quite popular). So tasty, and much more memorable than most beef dishes.
Batifole serves it with quite a bit of garlic. Honestly, just try it-you won't be disappointed.
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That fits with my memory. I had shredded horse on farfalle in Venice last fall, and it too was sweet. I found the both the flavour and texture quite distinctive (neither good or bad, just notably un-beef/pork-like), but that may have been just perception - I was pretty conscious of it being horse.
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I had horse sashimi once ... very soft and more subtle than beef.
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Thuet.
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Coca has it cured and thinly sliced.
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I had it at the restaurant at JKWB. Horse tartar--it is very lean and tender and actually it tasted quite good, but I could not get it out of my head that it was horse. I ate the whole thing, but I am not sure I will eat it again. That said I honestly believe that food is food and we should try as many different things as possible, although I know I will never eat pigs trotters. Convince me otherwise if you will.
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The meat inside pigs' trotters after a nice braise is something I would suggest you try. Very succulent. Regarding horsemeat: had horse tenderloin in northern Italy which was very similar to a good beef tenderloin, but as other posters have said, it has a sweeter flavour. If you will eat a cow I don't see the problem with eating a horse, or a pig's foot for that matter. IMHO.
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I guess the pig trotter thing comes from lunch at Tante Claire in London (now Gordon Ramsey's), which was a three star restaurant with chef, Pierre Koffman. Trotters were the signature dish and I told my sister who was coming to lunch with me, that I was going to order it. However, when I saw it rushing by me looking like crossed pigs feet, with the nails attached (this could be a false or fill in memory) I just could not make myself order it. I love pork and believe it is probably good, but...?
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My Horse experience was at Continental in Montreal (Rachel and St Denis) - I had Horse Steak and Frites...it was excellent - sweet tasting, and quite unlike beef. The meat it darker throughout the meat, whereas beef is pink in the middle. I enjoyed it very much, and forgot instantly that it was horse at all. Very tasty!
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Speaking of horses--I read an article on Chez Pim about using horse fat to fry pommes frites. Apparently, it is the best frying medium for potatoes, but has a very unpleasan smell when heated up. Anyone ever tried it?
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I've heard that Pony on College also serves horse: http://www.toronto.com/restaurants/li...
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Along the same vein, anyone know of any high-quality butchers who sell horsemeat in the GTA?
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Whitehouse Meats in the St. Lawrence Market often sells horse, and can order it for you. But you have to ask, as it's not kept on display.
If you're planning on using it for tartare, make sure they don't get/give you the cut that has pork fat (!) wrapped around it.
If you're planning on cooking it, medium-rare at most. Yum!
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