Ferreira Café – An Almont Tart that Outshined Everything Else

After eating so much French food, I decided to dine at a Portuguese restaurant to change things up a bit. Ferreira Café opens out onto the sidewalk under a cobalt blue awning and has a chic Mediterranean vibe. Unfortunately, the restaurant's host wasn’t very personable, and the wait staff seemed scattered. At least I found the food to be enjoyable as it got progressively better with each dish…

Portuguese-style Oysters (cooked with chorizo, cheese, and tomato sauce) – I usually prefer oysters raw, but thought “When in Rome…” After trying the Portuguese-style oysters, I still think they are better raw. The toppings completely overwhelmed the oysters, and all I could taste was salty tomato sauce. The only way I could even tell there was an oyster in there was the slight oceany taste on the finish.
Fleur de Sel Roasted Sardines with Tapenade – nicely roasted, plump sardines with just the right amount of salt and olive oil. Simple and appetizing.
Porcini-crusted Roasted Black Cod on a Port Reduction and Mashed Potatoes – beautifully cooked piece of cod…perfectly even, super moist, and served at the right temperature. A feat given its enormous size. I expected an earthy flavor from the crust, but couldn’t taste the porcini and thought the fish needed a tad more salt.
Grilled Giant Tiger Prawns with Tomato Risotto – I’m always a sucker for big, juicy prawns and these did not disappoint. I also loved the tangy tomato risotto. It was delightfully light and vibrant for a risotto. A fantastic pairing with the prawns.
Almond Tart with Port-poached Pears – the best part of the meal. This almond tart was AWESOME! I can’t remember when I’ve had an almond tart *this* good. I loved the combination of the brittle crust with the warm, sweet almond filling and the ripe poached pears. The pear sorbet was also a welcome addition and a smooth palate cleanser. Since Ferreira Café boasts the largest collection of ports in North America, I had to get a glass with dessert. I can’t remember the name of the port I had, but I recall being pleasantly surprised at how light it was and how well it complemented the almond tart.

While the seafood was good at Ferreira Café, I will forever remember it for its amazing almond tart.

BITE METER: Ferreira Café – 3.0 bites (out of 5)