Sunday, March 2, 2014

Ottawa- Many of the dishes at Hooch Bourbon House are greatly inspired from famed chefs Martin Picard and David Chang. The rest are refined dishes in which molecular gastronomy is involved. Three different food concepts in one restaurant attracts all types of eaters, so you don't have to worry about bringing picky eaters. 

Smoked mackerel terrine was beautifully plated filled with vibrant colours. Very well-thought dish where the acidity of the pickles pair nicely with the freshness of the smoked mackerel. The buttermilk fluid gel was quite interesting at sight, but it does not seem to add much to the dish...

The horse meat tartare was fresh and very lean. The capers give a nice acidity to give this dish pleasant to eat. Overall, it does not have much play on texture as everything tasted soft. The presence of crunchy elements is nearly non-existent.

The stuffed trotter was quite attractive to order as the meat is removed from the bone without piercing the skin, mixed with chorizo sausage and then stuffed back into the trotter. It was very good as one can taste the smoky flavour of the chorizo, the fattiness of the bacon, the sweetness of the caramelized peaches and the creaminess of the grits. The gravy has great depth of flavour. But after 5-6 bites, the flavour is pretty much one note. This dish needs something to freshen up as it is overall heavy.

Lastly, the fried cornish hen and waffle is a must order - crispy skin, not at all greasy and the meat was juicy and tender. The waffle was cooked to perfection - crisp and well-browned on the outside, and the inside was airy and fluffy. The spiciness and sweetness of the chipotle maple syrup works very well to bring the dish together. Definitely a must order!

Overall, we were quite satisfied with our dining experience, but I feel some of the dishes need a bit of improvements.

Stuffed Trotter - Pig's Foot, Chorizo, Brown Butter Grits, Caramelized Peaches, Red Eye Gravy
Smoked Mackerel Terrine - Roasted Pumpkin Seeds, Buttermilk Fluid Gel, Bread and Butter Pickles, Kale Chips,  Quail Egg
Horse Tartare on Brioche - Olive, Capers, Chilli Oil, Quail Egg Yolk, Brioche Toast
Chicken and Waffles - Fried Cornish Hen, Buttermilk Waffles, Chipotle Maple Emulsion
Hooch Bourbon House
180 Rideau St.
Ottawa, ON
K1N 9N9
613-789-1821
http://hoochbourbon.ca/
Hooch Bourbon House on Urbanspoon

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