Lee - a review

[YYZSolly]

First time at Lee for YYZSolly. Had just returned from a business trip to Bogota and was looking forward to a first time visit to Lee with Wifey.

So, we shared the following (dish names aren't exact...working from memory):

- Yucatan salad
- Miso cod
- Slow cooked beef
- Matchstick potatoes
- Shrimp with potato croquettes

and, for dessert, we shared:

- Molten chocolate cake
- Apricot sorbet

And, to drink, we had a new drink not even on their menu yet. It was Chambord, sparkling wine (a Cava, I assume), vodka and an Asian jelly. The drink was superb.

As for the meal, it's was fine. Nothing speactacular and I would not return. Let's review the highs and lows.

Highs first:

- For a very simple dish, the matchstick potatoes were great. A big mound of fried shredded potatoes with spiced mayo and dry, curry-like spices. Really tasty and kind of complex.

- The apricot sorbet and the accompanying biscotti were wonderful. Very tart sorbet and a crunchy biscotti with a full, broad flavour.

- The slow cooked beef was right on. Rich, hearty, tasty, very melt-in-your mouth. Just like my mom would have made, had she known how to cook.

The So-Sos:

- The cod was okay, but, in comparison to the miso cod at Rain, for example, it had no flavour. Nicely presented and perfectly cooked, just was too subtle.

- The Yucatan salad. VERY crunchy and I liked the jicama. But, again, not what I would call super flavourful.

The Lows:

- The shrimp dish had zero taste. The Croquettes were brutal. How can a fried potato ball have no appeal?

- The cake...no molten, no chocolate flavour...really inedible. Dark brown styrofoam.

Service was, overall, good...felt a bit rushed to hurry up and leave, but they had a full house.

So, in sum, I was very excited about going, am glad that I went, and have no burning desire to return.

YYZSolly

[artificialard]

I hope you had just missed the duck crepe and it's still on the menu because it's still one of the most interesting and delicious duck dishes I've ever tasted.. But I tend to agree - as an experience it's interesting but simply not a restaurant I would pick habitually...

[YYZSolly]

I've head the cod four times at Rain...every time was perfect. Perfectly, cooked, perfectly seasoned, beautifully presented...really outstanding. The cod at Lee on Saturday was really no better than I could have done at home..very bland, unfortunately.

[team_eater]

I love the cod at both Lee and Rain, but if i had to choose a winner - it would be Lee's. Perhaps it was an off night for the fish in question?

[nummanumma]

I've loved and hated the cod there before- hated it when it was undercooked -*gulp*, but never thought it lacked flavor. I've had spotty experiences at Lee, so I suspect there may be inconsistencies depending on who's in the kitchen.

[pescatarian]

I'm surprised that you found the cod had no flavour. When I've had it, I would describe the opposite - incredibly flavourful.