Mostly referred to in hushed tones and furtive head nods, Toronto's upcoming Salt Wine Bar has been one of the most hotly-yet-slyly anticipated restaurants on Ossington Avenue... if it could only open. It's original 2009 opening - though it didn't happen - fell hot on the heels of Toronto City Council's controversial one-year moratorium on new bars and restaurants on Ossington Avenue between Queen and Dundas. Having filled in its paperwork right before the deadline, Salt has grabbed one of the last available licenses (dictated by The Man) for these fertile three blocks of Ossington, perhaps adding an unwarranted boon to its mystique.
Like Salt Tasting Room in Vancouver (but with no actual affiliation), the spot will serve a selection of cheese, wine, and charcuterie, adding to the list of trendy carnivorous restaurants in Toronto. Owner/chef William Tavares has already notched plenty of hotspot experience with his ever-popular Le Gourmand cafés, and will bring that experience to an area well used to dining hotspots.
"I don't think Toronto has a really decent wine bar," says Tavares. "When you order a beef tenderloin, you expect it to be served at the proper temperature. So it should be with wine. It shouldn't always be room temperature and musty." Obviously, then, the focus will be primarily on wine, with a carefully curated list centering on the Iberian Peninsula (Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese), but there will also be an enviable selection of charcuterie, terrines, pates and oysters. The wine bar will do some house curing, but it will also carry a number of excellent outside products, including salumi from Mario Batali's father's company, and cheese from Cheese Boutique.
Emphasizing reclaimed wood, the design will be appropriately rustic, but also incorporate a retail element, where many products will be sold to take home. Salt Wine Bar will be small – only about 30 seats – but it's sure to be popular. Now if we could get it to open.
Salt Wine Bar's opening has been pushed to mid Summer 2010.
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