orget Three. Poo poo six. Ten is the magic number. I’m not sure if Ten Scene Cuisine is or isn’t the tenth establishment to take over the location on the corner of Memorial Drive and 10th Street, but it sure as heck seems like it. Hallelujah, that address just made me realize the reasoning behind the choice of this post-modern resto’s moniker. Of course, although it’s likely the most accurate, it’s still just one theory of many. “The 10 Commandments” could be one of the waiters’ favourite flicks. The 10th could be the birth date of the owner’s granddaughter. It could be the number of times the head chef flunked his driver’s license test. All the speculation leads to one inevitable conclusion: who gives a rat’s ass? Clearly, naming things after numbers is très chic. Add to that the rhyming nature of the “Scene Cuisine” and the new handle just rolls off the tongue.

From the entrepreneurs that brought you “Broken Plate” comes this latest entry into the race for Kensington’s most celebrated nightspot. Occupying the space most recently filled by the Verve Kensington, Ten ups the ante by offering what they call a “modern, global menu”. This means for lunch or dinner, you could find yourself dining on Portobello fritters (served with a pesto dip) and pork-filled fried dumplings (and a little chili oil), topped off with a mojito chicken salad (organic greens, cucumber, and grilled chicken tossed in a tangy mint-lime dressing). Follow that up with some Jerk Chicken, or Hoisin beef as an entrée and then return your tray to its upright position because, my jetsetting friend, you’ve just become the globetrotter of grub. You can thank Executive Chef Dale Neisz for the menu’s international inspiration.

It’s always inviting to hop on a culinary cruise that’s slightly different than the tasty, but slowly-getting-tired Asian Fusion that’s become the norm for many upscale urban eateries. Ten out of ten on this count. The numerically named establishment also gets impressive full marks for completely refashioning the signature space with retro mod fabric across the walls and warm accents throughout. Far more polished and glossy than it once was, the new contempo ambiance is pretty fancy.

This would be the appropriate place to give a top 10 list of reasons why you should go and check out “Ten Scene Cuisine” already. I’ll give it my best shot: the always trendy Kensington hood, the cool new aesthetic, the smoking hot Jerk Chicken, same owners as the consistently reliable Broken Plate, savoury Smoked Brie, delicious Ahi Tuna Tartar, up-to-the-minute post-modern style, steamed Coconut Mussels, a 10-course chef’s tasting menu that lasts 2 hours, and, finally, the number one reason is – you guessed it – Ten Scene Cuisine rightly deserves the same digits once reserved for the 1978 movie starring Bo Derek’s bodacious bod. Their John Hancock might be numbered, but here’s one fan who hopes that their days aren’t.