Restaurants

Horsing Around at La Palette

256 Augusta Ave
Phone: 416-929-4900

Profile Map
  • Posted by Tim
  • March 7, 2007

Rating: 3.9/5 (8 votes cast)

20070524_lapalettesteak.jpgI've never eaten horse although regrettably fed it to my dog when I was a kid. Like the common terrier, horse falls into a category for me of foods that for cultural and perhaps ethical reasons I'm just not inclined to eat. Last Saturday at La Palette I discovered that some of my friends don't have the same issues.

La Palette is a cozy french bistro at the northern tip of Kensington Market (on Augusta between Oxford and College) . It's the kind of place that epitomizes the market's joie de vivre. Small, unpretentious, good atmosphere, great service and an eye toward fresh, local ingredients.

The menu is decidely french. Deep fried camembert, escargot, frog legs, foie gras, steak frites and, yes, horse.

20070524_lapalettemenu.jpgOne of my friend's parents were born in France. She grew up on horse sandwiches and for her, La Palette, is one of the few places in the city she can rely on getting a perfect, medium-rare slab of meat that brings back memories of her youth.

Another friend seldom buys meat nor cooks it at home. When he does he ensures it's local or grass fed and gets it from somewhere like the Healthy Butcher. Yet he too makes special trips to La Palette for the Cheval - horse tenderloin served with roast potatoes, market vegetables and a rosemary veal jus. He claims it's the best tasting meat money can buy.

Needless to say my efforts to talk them out of their entrees for that evening weren't making any headway. So I sucked it up, sampled some French microbrews and soaked in an enjoyable evening of good food with friends that is La Palette.

The menu includes a decent range of appetizers ($6-$10), mains($20-$30) and specials of the day with a few vegetarian options. A limited prix fix menu including dessert can be had for $30.

20070524_lapalettesalmon.jpgAmong the winning dishes that night included the aformentioned horse (not shown), salmon (above) and steak (top photo). The poulet bonne maman (juicy french cut chicken breast with vegetables) received a somewhat less favourable review; and the scallops (at only three per serving) were the only real disappointment.


20070524_lapaletteboull.jpgI opted for the bouillabaisse (above - $24), described as a mediterranean fish stew with mussels, shrimp and a selection of fish. Since I cleaned my plate it must have been pretty good but I would have preferred something a bit more hearty and stewy. What I got was more delicate and brothy.

Desserts were pretty standard and predictable (but not in a bad way) such as cheese, sorbet and creme brulee three ways (below).

20070524_lapalettedessert.jpgOverall it was a fun night with tasty food and service about as friendly that you'd find in Toronto. The staff appeared to be having almost as good a time as we were and didn't seem to mind that it wasn't until 1am that we settled our bill and stumbled home.

La Palette, 256 Augusta Ave (Kensington Market), 416-929-4900

Reader Reviews and Comments

Submit a Review or Comment

Question for all: what's the difference between eating a cow and a horse?

Posted by: Jerrold at March 7, 2007 5:25 PM

None in my book. If you decide to eat meat you can't start pulling the "well this is more evil" bit.

Tim's a vegetarian so he's allowed.

Posted by: Anita at March 7, 2007 5:31 PM

I think it's a cultural thing. We (meaning most North Americans) deem certain foods appropriate for human consumption. It's the same as asking what's the difference between eating a cow or a dog or cat.

Posted by: Tim [TypeKey Profile Page] at March 7, 2007 5:39 PM

I don't ride a cow, don't dream of galloping full out in the open meadows on a cow. So, I eat cow. And I ride horses.

Posted by: Angie at March 7, 2007 5:48 PM

So is it the level of domestication that makes eating cows ok, and eating horses inappropriate?

(FYI: this is coming from a guy that sampled wild dog in Vietnam, ate Chicken sashimi in Japan, and likes Canadian Ostrich)

Posted by: Jerrold at March 7, 2007 6:19 PM

Well for one thing, horse doesn't have a split hoof so it's not kosher. In case anyone was curious.

Might as well mention now that Part 2 of 2 of the Neighbourhood Watch on Kensington was updated a little while back -- please pardon both the delay and the technical difficulties with that two-parter in general.

La Palette also serves as the general HQ for -- LP ringmaster Shamez and Co. are busiest of course during Pedestrian Sunday.

Posted by: Jonathan at March 7, 2007 6:42 PM

Meat is meat... last time I got into this convo is was a pork versus rabbit debate and we found an interesting correlation:

People have all kinda of hangups, usually based (whether they realize it or not) on the cuteness/beauty of the animal.

If an animal is 'cute' (horse, deer, bunny rabbit, etc): "Omg! How could you eat that!" If it's run-of-the-mill plain or ugly (cow, chicken, pig) the off with it's head.

If it's a fish, well, even some vegetarians will eat them.

;)

When I was a vegetarian I ate none of the above. Now that I've been made to eat meat again, I don't discriminate... as long as it's fresh...but, that said, i grew up on fine horse meat.

Posted by: Tanja at March 7, 2007 7:32 PM

"unpretentious"
you ever meet the owner?

Posted by: tik at March 7, 2007 8:04 PM

I've had drinks there but not food.

Posted by: Teena in Toronto at March 7, 2007 9:48 PM

I think the difference in attitude towards meat often stems from food processing. Here in North America, we buy chicken as skinless chicken breast. We rarely see the whole bird (head, beak and all) hanging at Loblaws. I think this detaches us from the reality that meat comes from animals. So once we hear of people eating "weird" meats like horse or rabbit, we get uncomfortable because we can only think of them on a farm or stable, not as a consumable product.

Of course, some other cultures are different. I grew up in an Asian family where whole chickens (with heads, beaks) and entire fish (with skin, eyeballs, bones) were displayed proudly on the table. I cannot imagine eating dog or cat, but the idea of horse or rabbit intrigues me. I think this is because I've "befriended" dogs and cats, but I never really had a relationship with a horse or rabbit...

Posted by: Andrea at March 7, 2007 11:06 PM

That's enough to make me not want to check out La Palette, although I'd been considering it. Turtle is another one I have a hard time swallowing, but i do have one myself. As far as the whole eating meat debate goes I'm of the mindset that if you can't kill it yourself you don't deserve to eat it.

Posted by: sookie at March 7, 2007 11:45 PM

"As far as the whole eating meat debate goes I'm of the mindset that if you can't kill it yourself you don't deserve to eat it."

That's hardly practical for urban dwellers. We don't live in a society where you have to create everything you use and you wouldn't want to either.

If people don't want to kill their food, they shouldn't have to. They SHOULD be aware of where it comes from and make informed, intelligent choices.

Posted by: Japhet Bower at March 8, 2007 1:50 AM

I tend to agree with Andrea (and Tanja's point about "evil"; totally on). It always intrigues me when I see teenagers stopping at the windows of Chinese deli shops and pointing and wondering loudly.

Her point might also relate in a way to many people's squeamishness about eating other parts of an animal ... ears, feet, eyes, and even the blood of even the common farmyard animals like cows and pigs. Perhaps all these things remind people too much that what they eat was once a living, functional animal, instead of always having existed as a delicious, seared steak.

I have no pets, so I have no qualms about eating dog or cat; I would understand if a pet owner did have hesitations, but I honestly don't understand any other omnivore's hangups. I'd chow down on horse any day, and I find horses very beautiful.

The only meat I might refuse to eat are rodents and insects -- related mostly to an idea of cleanliness.

Posted by: Gloria at March 8, 2007 5:04 AM

The dishes, especially the bouillabaisse, look delicious.

Posted by: Jerrold at March 8, 2007 7:31 AM

I think people think that the horse that people eat is someone's former pet or something. I think they don't realise that there are horse farms where horses are farmed for meat, just like cattle. In fact, Canada is the biggest Horse-meat export country, most of the horse people in France eat comes from here.

But it's that hang up on the fact that they're pets, and attractive. I know people who can't eat rabbit or lamb for the same reason.

Having said that, I don't think I could eat horse, because I have all the same indoctrination...

Posted by: megan at March 8, 2007 9:30 AM

I've tried rabbit and caribou and I did not like that game taste to them. Does the horse have that aspect to it?

My favourite meat is lamb. I just wish it wasn't so expensive!

Posted by: Jonathan at March 8, 2007 9:48 AM

and i thought our foie gras exporting was bad enough.

Posted by: sookie at March 8, 2007 2:58 PM

Sookie, you make an unfair comparison. The manufacture of foie gras necessarily involves cruel forcefeeding practises, while it's entirely possible to raise and slaughter a horse ethically and humanely for food. The comparison is not valid.

Posted by: Gloria at March 8, 2007 5:22 PM

apparently horse meat tastes the same as human meat....

so there is no way I ever want to know what I would taste like.

Posted by: PK at March 8, 2007 8:59 PM
Posted by: Jerrold at March 9, 2007 2:46 PM

Funny Jerrold.

Posted by: sookie at March 12, 2007 1:27 PM

i've tried the horse and like any other 'game'(?) meat it has it's slight peculiarities, texture and taste but i've enjoyed it @ la pallette before. yumm.

d

Posted by: dvs [TypeKey Profile Page] at March 22, 2007 4:44 PM

Horses are beautiful animals, helped us win wars before we had cars or even guns, plowed our fields for us before tractors, and look a little bit like unicorns, so they're a little bit magical as well. If you want to eat them, fine go ahead but you are the scum of the earth if you do.

Also, La Palette owner is the scum of the earth for serving them. I think I just threw up in my mouth...

Posted by: becky at April 6, 2007 7:06 AM

I would never make love to a cow, thus I would eat cow.

Posted by: Swarthypirate at April 30, 2007 2:44 PM

Post a comment

   
(you may use HTML tags for style) Remember Me?

Email This Entry

Email 'Horsing Around at La Palette' to: Message (optional):
Your email address:

Please type the verification code displayed in the image:

By forwarding this entry to a friend, we do not opt you or your friend into
receiving any additional mailings from blogTO. We hate spam too.
Disclaimer: Comments and blog entries represent the viewpoints of the individual and no one else.