You know when you try to eat slowly to make it last forever but it’s just so good that you can’t help but gobble it up? That’s how I felt earlier this week as I gorged myself at Fable.
The meal began with a rich tomato soup, garnished with a miniature grilled cheese sandwich that floated for a minute before gallantly sinking into a delicious melted mess. The meal ended with a beautifully fresh, creamy, crunchy, tart, sweet lemon meringue parfait. The server helpfully advised digging the spoon to the bottom to get every layer in one bite; she knew what she was talking about. I enjoyed a mix of flavours and textures so rich, yet somehow refreshing rather than heavy. But the best part of the meal? My main course. My steak frites.
I’d had trouble deciding what to order. Did I want fish or chicken? The duck was calling to me. So was the trout. My indecisive nature was working overtime as my eyes jumped from one item to the next. The chicken comes with a barley risotto and heirloom carrots — tempting. But it seems almost ignorant not to order the zucchini tagliatelle; I mean, who would do it better than here? I was just about to throw in the towel and tell my server to choose for me (an option I resort to more often than not as it beats fitfully studying descriptions of food in lieu of actually eating it) when I spotted the steak frites in progress before me. It looked like perfection so I ordered and waited eagerly.
You’d think that after hungrily watching a kitchen of skilled chefs prepare one decadent meal after another for twenty minutes, the plate set before me wouldn’t live up to my growling stomach’s expectations. But you’d think wrong. Because as I (unsuccessfully) tried to slowly savour every bite, each one somehow became better than the last.
Smothered in spicy sauce. Crunchy at first and then buttery and smooth. A little crispness, then a little softness. Some starch, some freshness. A mix of colours and flavours and textures that all bounced off each other. It was completely delicious. Triple cooked potato wedges with a crispy crust and soft center sat alongside bright broccolini and buttery mushrooms atop a black pepper jam. The light veggies were a stark counterpoint to the indulgent potatoes, and all were enhanced by the spiciness of the flavourful pepper sauce. Each bite provided the ideal balance of crunchy and creamy, hot and fresh. I haven’t even gotten started on the steak yet. Cooked to perfection (I like mine quite pink) and of a texture I’d only ever heard rumours about, it was the best I’ve ever tasted. As a writer I must admit defeat – there are no words to do it justice. Just go taste for yourself.
I wish I’d done that meal justice and allowed it to survive on my plate for more than a few minutes. Oh well. I guess I’ll just have to go back for round two.
Fable Kitchen, 1944 West 4th, 604-732-1322, Fablekitchen.ca/
Last modified: January 9, 2017
