Foxley Bistro and Bar
207 Ossington Avenue
416-534-8520
Dinner for two with all taxes, tip and wine: $120

It’s been over a week now since I visited Foxley Bistro and Bar, Chef Tom Thai’s über caliente restaurant on Ossington, just south of Dundas, and I still don’t know quite what to think about the place.

Arriving just after 6pm on a Wednesday, the room is already close to full. My guest and I are told we can sit where we like, but when we opt for the only standard-height table remaining, we are warned that we may need to shift over and take the chairs closer to the wall in order to accommodate an additional diner who may or may not be joining the party behind us. While I don’t much like the idea of having to interrupt my meal and switch to a chair that is certainly not one that I would choose given my druthers, what am I going to do? Make a scene and refuse? Perhaps this seat-juggling could be avoided if Foxley took reservations. But, alas, they do not.

The menu is an intriguing list of Asian meets Latin. Preparation for my visit has revealed that the food is “Asian tapas”. Sort of. The intention is for guests to share the dishes. Tough luck if you’re dining solo, I suppose.

I ask our server if dishes arrive in the sequence in which they are ordered or all at once. I am told the latter is a possibility – “We have no control over the kitchen.” Oh. Okay. This can make choosing a wine somewhat difficult when one isn’t sure what’s coming and when. Our patient server suggests that perhaps we could place sequential orders, i.e. keep flagging her down when we decide we want another dish. Thank you, but no thank you. My guest and I each order a glass of the South African shiraz ($8.50) and take our chances.

The spring rolls with portobello and chipotle ($7) are nearly the size of Roncesvalles cabbage rolls. Are we really expected to convey these from the plate to the face with the slippery chopsticks provided? I have no shame and request a fork. The rolls are bright with fresh basil and nicely presented, but anything in the way of chipotle is undetectable. These are tasty, but could be so much more.

The serving of five lamb and duck prosciutto dumplings ($7) are heavy with the taste of lamb and hot fat – which, in my opinion, is certainly not a bad thing. But why five? Unless five people are sharing these, somebody’s going to feel ripped off. Arctic char ceviche ($14) is a pretty dish, and the softness of the delicate, thin slices of tangy fish are paired nicely with a garnish of sweet green apple matchsticks – this is one item that is certainly chopstick appropriate, and I could eat this for a long time. A bowl of unnamed Asian greens ($7) arrives soon after, but unless one has asked for a spoon, that lovely broth is pretty much going to stay where it is.

Roasted vegetables and tofu ($10) are terrific; attractively presented and nicely prepared, maintaining each element’s texture and flavour. Again I am glad I have a fork as the vegetables are on the large side. I watch the table behind us struggle to eat their order of something-with-legs using chopsticks only, and I wonder if Foxley has hidden a camera somewhere compiling a gag reel for the after hours’ enjoyment of the staff.

Beef cheeks in red curry ($14) take a long time coming. In the interim, the eighth member of the group behind us arrives, and my fellow diner is asked to shove over next to the wall so the staff can take her chair and turn it around for the new arrival. Not really a big deal, but now fellow diner is trapped – should she need to use the rest room, she’s going to have to disturb the latecomer. This is almost as fun as flying economy class and getting the window seat.

Eventually the beef cheeks make an appearance. They are incredibly flavourful, but lack the melt-in-your-mouth quality I’ve been hearing about.

Dessert is a disappointment even before it shows up. There are two offerings (and that’s one more than the Foxley norm, I understand): a black rice crème brulée and a black rice pudding (both $7 each). We choose the pudding. It takes a while to arrive, but when it does, it is piping hot. A pleasant shade of violet, contrasting attractively with its sunny topping of cool cubed mango, this is something I would probably enjoy as a healthy breakfast on a brisk spring morning. As an after-dinner treat, however, it’s far more Scrooge-y than scrumptious. I have read that Chef Thai doesn’t like dessert. Or maybe he just doesn’t like people lingering over dessert. And it’s nearly impossible to entertain the lovely idea of a post-dinner liqueur when there’s a hungry crowd packed at the door, in plain view and clearly eager for us to hurry up and vacate our table.

Because Foxley just doesn’t take reservations. But no matter. I have my own about returning any time soon.