Ruby Watchco

Tonight we went to visit celebrity chef Lynn Crawford's restaurant Ruby Watchco out in the eastern part of Toronto.  Located on the corner of Queen's Street East and Broadview Avenue, this restaurant boasts some of the best foods and staff in the entire city of Toronto.  We were there for a function so we ended up booking the entire second floor for the evening. 

We got there around 6:00 tonight and they served us with a bunch of appetizers.  There were some cooked butternut squash, salmon beets and fried scallops and lobster meat to name a few.  The portions were small however they were then again meant to be served as appetizers.  They were all tasty but we were told that the best was yet to come. 

Next to arrive was their special $49 dinner for the evening which included Carron's Farm Red Beet and Orange Salad, Ruby's Brick Chicken With Mushroom Bits, Canadian Artisanal Cheese and Dark Chocolate Cheesecake. 

The salad was the first to arrive.  It was a combination of cucumbers, romaine heart's, living greens and gouda cheese.  The entire salad was then tossed with vinaigrette sauce.  The salad was very tasty and the addition of the orange and the vinaigrette sauce gave it a surperb tangy taste.  It was an excellent salad to have as starters. 

Ruby's Brick Chicken With Mushroom Bits

Next to arrive was a four-plate main course meal.  The chicken was cooked with small mushroom bits.  The skin of the chicken for those who like to eat the skin had what looked like little bits of black pepper mixed in with it.  The white meat was perfectly cooked. It was not overly done where the meat would be rough and tough. Although the meat was slightly dry, the meat was soft and tender but the combination of the juicy skin with the white meat made it a dynamic combination which when together, melted nicely in one's mouth. 

There was also a plate of brown butter and walnut roasted brussel sprouts that came with the chicken.  The brussel sprouts were a little hard however it captured all of the brown butter taste so when one sank their teeth inside them, the taste of the brown butter coated the vegetable very well and brought out much of the flavor of this dish.

A plate of crushed potatoes mixed with chive sour cream were also placed on the table. The potatoes were a mixture of mashed and cooked potatoes and with the addition of her specially made chive sour cream sauce, it was an amazing dish to have. Also to arrive was the spliced butternut squash.  This dish was also amazingly done.  Each piece were sliced into huge pieces and they too were very, very tasty. 

After such a filling dinner, we were introduced to three different types of cheese.  This was to serve as a break between the main course and desert.  I don't know much about cheeses but I think one of them was goat cheese.  All three had a very strong flavor to them as the odor of the cheese would go right through the nostrils as one bit into it. 

Finally the dark chocolate cheesecake desert was last to arrive.  Although I am not a huge fan of dark chocolate, this cheesecake was one of the best cheesecakes I have ever had.  Mixed with cranberry caramel sauce, the cheesecake was extremely soft.  The entire cheesecake was so soft one felt like they were eating melted marshmellows.  It was sweet, but not too sweet. To me, the desert alone was worth the asking price.  
Overall, the night was a smashing success.  The food, the staff and the atmosphere were absolutely amazing.  It was 9:15 on a weeknight and people were still lined up outside the door to get into the restaurant.  I am very happy that I had gone to have dinner tonight at this wonderful restaurant.  Kudos to chef Lynn and to their staff Melissa and Jeremy.  Class acts and true professionals.  Overall I give this place a 5 out of 5. 

Ruby Watchco
730 Queen Street East  Toronto, ON M4M 1H2

(416) 465-0100