McEwan is brand new, but we're already tired of hearing about it. For as long back as we can remember (but our memories aren't great), Toronto celebrity chef and restaurateur Mark McEwan ( Bymark, One, and North 44) has been waxing poetic about his gourmet grocery store at the new Shops at Don Mills pedestrian mall. McEwan's name alone is enough to get people excited, and goddamn it, people have been excited. So, is it worth the hype?
Well, it certainly is striking. Over $6 million has been sunk into the project (yes it's a recession, but ostensibly he's been planning the store for more than 7 years), and it occupies a two floor, 20,000 square foot space. McEwan isn't designed to compete with other gourmet grocery stores like Whole Foods, Pusateri's, and Fresh and Wild - okay, that's no true; it is – but it's also meant to compete with major big box supermarkets like Loblaws and Metro. You should be able to buy just about all your groceries here, not just your fine cheeses and meats.
That's all well and good – the store is pretty all encompassing – but this is Mark McEwan; it's not cheap. Unless you live comfortably enough to do all your shopping at a place run by one of Toronto's best known gourmet chefs, you'll probably still be sneaking the occasional trip to Metro or Costco. Frankly, though, I don't think anyone will be going to McEwan expecting express lanes and coupons. This is a gourmet grocery store, and shoppers will be there for gourmet groceries.
And it's in this department that McEwan doesn't disappoint. Mark McEwan is known for the quality of the ingredients at his restaurants, and for the most part, those will be the very same products offered here. The butchers' counter offers USDA Prime Beef (dry-aged for 28 days), a fish market featuring European fish from Montreal importer La Mer seldom seen at local retailers, and a bakery offering breads and pastries from Quebec bakery Boulart. That's not even to mention the Canadian-heavy cheese counter.
But for the hurried (read: lazy) gourmet, there's also a sizeable selection of prepared foods. The second floor houses a 2,500 square foot kitchen, left under the direction of former North 44 and One chef Ivana Raca. Many dishes are completely prepared and then frozen, or all but completed for the customer to finish off at home. If you can find spring lamb ragout with spring pea puree ravioli at Loblaws, then I'll be very impressed. – R.T.
38 Karl Fraser Road
Toronto, ON
416-444-6262
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