If the name of Black Hoof owner Jen Agg’s new wine bar and restaurant conjures visions of a run-down mansion, the Kensington version of Grey Gardens is anything but: After a year’s worth of renos, the former scooter shop at 199 Augusta has been overhauled into a serene, charming restaurant and wine bar.
Co-owner Mitchell Bates, formerly of Momofuku Ko, oversees the menu of mains and small plates. Dishes range from $12 (a dish of rutabaga, endive and cheddar) to $32 for a main of skate with black truffle. (Sure, that’s a splurge by Kensington standards — but then again, they said that about La Palette too.)
Here’s a closer look at the space and menu:
Natalia Manzocco
The front room, which gets plenty of late-afternoon Kensington sunlight.
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Stools line the open kitchen, where guests can watch Bates and co. at work (and marvel at their matching collection of Chiffon Pink Le Creuset cookware).
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From the “small” menu: Meaty king oyster mushrooms topped with singed kale and lemon ($14). An earlier version of the dish was topped off with bonito flakes now, they use cured albacore tuna loin.
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Sweet shrimp with radish and seaweed ($14).
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Gigli pasta with dehydrated, crispy cheddar and vinegary, Frank’s-style housemade hot sauce ($21 — add truffle for an extra $15).
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Wines and ciders are the focus at the bar. The former selection, curated by GM and sommelier Jake Skakun, runs largely to European private-order bottles the latter includes some impressively funky Basque ciders, as well as French and North American options. (There are only two beers on tap: Bellwoods Brewery’s Roman Candle, and, somewhat controversially, Coors Light.)
Natalia Manzocco
In the cozy basement party room, guests can sneak a peek at the wine cellar on the way to the washrooms (which, by the way, are adorable).
The restaurant is open Wednesday through Sunday — and unlike the Black Hoof, Rhum Corner and Cocktail Bar, Grey Gardens takes reservations.
nataliam@nowtoronto.com | @nataliamanzocco
