Keriwa CafeOur service experience wasOur service experience was less than charming for some reason. I'm hoping it was just an off-night for them. BUT this was more than made up for by the food which was absolutely DIVINE! Everything we had from the parsnip soup to the sunchoke salad, bison, trout and duck parpadelle was outstanding. I had the apple crumble for dessert which somehow encompassed marshmallow which I would normally stay well away from, but I had this feeling the chef would make it delicious, and it was.12/4/2013 12:00:00 AMAmazing flavoursAll menu items were a complex combination flavours - making each dish interesting and ultimately delicious. Amazing pairing of flavours.6/8/2013 12:00:00 AMReally wonderful food withReally wonderful food with lovely flavour combinations that I've never tried before and would love to try again. The mussels with venison was a particular standout in a delicious overall meal. Highly recommended.6/7/2013 12:00:00 AMCreative foodI enjoyed the creativity and the honesty of the food at this restaurant. The chef is aware of details and is obviously a virtuoso of the kitchen. I wish him a long and successful career.6/7/2013 12:00:00 AMAll kinds of new flavours!We've been meaning to go here since it opened and we finally had a chance to stop in. The oysters & lamb sausage that we started with were awesome! They have great beer and wine options too.
For the mains I must say although everything was good, there were almost too many flavors in each plate! The bison burger and the pork belly both fall under this category. A lot of flavors that I had never tried before (and I'm not a rookie foodie!)
The sides we ordered were an asparagus dish and a morel dish that were both super tasty.
We had a really good, adventurous dinner but might not be back until we have guests in town that are looking to try something unique. Fair value paid for what we ate & drank.6/7/2013 12:00:00 AMEverything was absolutelyEverything was absolutely fabulous. We tried the tasting menu and loved the food - extremely creative and tasty. Each course was better than the last.6/4/2013 12:00:00 AMDefinitely a foodie place,Definitely a foodie place, designed around small plates to share in the tastings. Some of the notable items were
the peanuts with kale, the beets with ricotta, oysters with fresh horseradish, and the bison short ribs.
Wonderful room, although I was a bit disappointed that we did not get a table by the birch bark. An
exceptionally clean restaurant -- floors, tables, washrooms -- care in every aspect of the restaurant
operation. The wait staff are very competent and we chose the Cabernet Franc from Peninsula
Ridge, which was outstanding. A bit pricey with the markup, but outstanding.
A special occasion place, and a great place to take visitors especially Germans who would appreciate
the Canadiana aspect of the room and food6/4/2013 12:00:00 AMCreative and boldRestaurants with a reputation for having an innovative menus and dining approaches can be self important and unapproachable for the diner that occasionally likes to step out of their comfort zone. This was not at all true of Keriwa. The service and attitude of everyone at this restaurant was terrific -- they were generous with information about the ingredients and preparation, and very attentive to our dining experience.
We had the pork belly and cheese appetizers, followed by the pork tagiatelle and braised short ribs. All of the plates were incredibly flavourful -- very rich in earthy aromas.
I'd definitely recommend this restaurant. The service was exceptional and everything we had was carefully prepared and thoroughly enjoyed.5/28/2013 12:00:00 AMFood ArtistryMaster at balancing flavours & textures with an eye to presentation too. Never at the expense of taste...all is fabulous. We tried 11 dishes & each was a standout. Service was efficient, water jug maintained full without reminding, and prompt removal of empty dishes. A very successful evening!5/28/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat Canadian FoodWe visited Keriwa Cafe based on a recommendation for food that represented Canada. We ordered two apps (fresh oysters from NB, confit pork belly), one veg (fiddleheads), and two mains (smoked hen, bison shortrib). The food was excellent, fresh and expertly prepared. Chef Aaron Joseph Bear Robe's experience in balancing flavours shows. One blemish on the whole night was the service. Albeit with reservation and an empty restaurant at 6pm, we felt rushed through the meal. My partner's dishes were busted as soon as her fork returned to the plate, I had not finished mine. She told us about the dessert before I finished my main. And the bill showed up unprompted. When we left, there were empty tables and nobody waiting for our table.5/25/2013 12:00:00 AMSlow serice but worth the wait!Service was very friendly and knowledgable but it look an excruciatingly long time for our food to arrive. But once it came we forgot about the wait and enjoyed some of the most innovative and beautiful food. Great use of locally sourced and seasonal ingredients. Stinging nettle soup and the whitefish were outstandting! Our waitress was very appologetic about the slow pace and offered us a complimentary glass of wine. Would detinitely go back!5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMDining at Keriwa CafeThe menu is very different and the flavours of each dish are too. Very creative use of unusual ingredients. Especially loved the venison and pork belly "snacks" . Costs are on the high end but well worth it because of the food! The only exception is the cheese plate - 3 very small pieces of cheese for $30 is a bit too high!!! Service was very friendly, knowledgeable and good, ambience is quite pleasant - very comfortable seating. A lovely neighbourhood restaurant for a special night out.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMAmazing foodGreat parkdale addition. Food was spectacular and rich. Just don't come too hungry and check the menu because there several sides to share, but only four mains.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMSo many unique and deliciousSo many unique and delicious flavours and gorgeous presentation as well. A true delight and a wonderful experience overall!5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat aboriginal-fusion cookingExtremely tasty, albeit short menu. Everything on it is very well done. Flavourful; great for sharing. Go as a group of 4-6 to really enjoy all the menu's features. Not to be missed.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMWill return even though theWill return even though the kitchen lost our second courses and had to wait over an hour. Food was amazing. will recommend to friends5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMKeriwaGreat vibe, service and, most importantly, food. One of the best spots in town in terms of the all-around experience. Go.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMKeriwa- Canadiana done right!This was our second visit to Keriwa, and the food doesn't disappoint. From the most to least adventurous in our group of five, each one was able to find something on the menu.
We ordered a round of starters - stewed peanuts, a cheese plate, pork belly, and oysters. Everything was lovely.
For our mains, we had the hen, bison shortribs, duck breast and duck tagliatelle. The sauces served with everything were absolutely flawless, and each meal was cooked perfectly. I would rate this restaurant as outstanding, with one exception - the service. Although our server was friendly, he was forgetful, (a beer took 20 minutes) and did not check up on us very often, resulting in the restaurant losing perhaps another round or two of drinks for our table.5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMCreative and delicious cookingCreative and delicious cooking with a laid back atmosphere. I eat out a lot and so while I love food, it takes a lot for me to feel like I've eaten something exciting. One of the best food experiences I have had in a while in Toronto and well deserves to be on food accolade lists. Everything smoked was very well executed and a highlight was the smoked duck carpaccio and "bacon" on the pappardelle main dish (a fantastic dish). Venison sausage starter was also highlight of the 4 excellent starters we tried. Really talented chef and happy I tried this. I also like the casual vibe.4/4/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food is excellent, weThe food is excellent, we enjoyed each and every dish. In fact we wanted to lick the plates...sooo tastey. Unique, cooked to perfection, nicely plated. Chef served the appetizer as it was a birthday occasion, very nice touch and we appreciated the detail. Service was good - waitress forgot a dish, not a big deal but her enthusiasm around the food did not match the quality of it ultimately...I think she could have done it more justice.2/3/2013 12:00:00 AM