Ontario harvest brisket burger

On February 17th we attended a Winter Provisions – a private seasonal food and drink popup presented by Provisions Catering and Events. It was an event intended to showcase the Provisions artisan menu from executive chef and co-owner Kevin Castonguay, formerly of Grace restaurant.

Throughout the night, passed snacks circulated the warm, inviting space created at The Richmond letting us, if but for an evening, forget about the winter still outside. Every item we tried was a hit, but there were two standouts for myself personally – the Ontario harvest brisket burger, and the Tokyo torched dog – both of which are foods typically associated with summer. The burger (top image) was absolutely delicious – the milk bun was buttery, the meat was tender and juicy and dressed with a great combination of toppings and condiments. I was surprised to hear the Tokyo torched dog is actually made from salmon and scallops, making for a dog that was flavourful and soft. The pickled red onion gave it a nice sour punch, balancing nicely with the kewpie mayo and cilantro. Other standouts included the grey owl goat’s cheese, and the 45 day dry aged raw beef – a tartare served on a multigrain raw cracker.

Along with the served bites, there were also two food stations. On one side, there was popcorn shrimp and grits. The grits were creamy and cheesy, complementing the heat of the crunchy-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside, popcorn shrimp. On the opposite side, there was the pork bo ssam with lettuce wraps. The slow-cooked pork was carved right at the station, placed carefully on a lettuce leaf, and topped with some kimchi, sweet mustard, and cilantro. Both dishes were hits among the guests.

For drinks, there was a selection of beers available, but the focus was on the four cocktail creations. There was the traditional Old Fashioned, and the fun, and cheekily named, Get Lucky. My favourite though was the Vodka Sour – I’m admittedly partial to sour cocktails, especially those finished with egg whites. For those who preferred a warm drink for this winter’s night, there was the Hot Toddy, a cocktail that tended more towards the sweet side.

We had a thoroughly enjoyable night at The Richmond, enjoying Provisions’ artisan menu. The dishes we sampled showed a lot of versatility, using a variety of seasonal and locally sourced ingredients, and drawing upon different cuisines from southern, with the spicy popcorn shrimp and grits, all the way to the far east, shown by the pork bo ssam with lettuce wraps. Provisions can cater weddings, birthdays, corporate events, and everything in between, and along with catering, Provisions can also take care of the drinks and beverages, as well as other event needs (such as furniture rentals), thus providing a complete set of services for your event.

For more information:
http://provisionscatering.com
Twitter: @ProvisionsTO #ProvisionsTO #WinterProvisions
Instagram: @ProvisionsTO #ProvisionsTO #WinterProvisions
Facebook: ProvisionsCateringEvents

Photos by John Tan and Nick Lee

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l: Renee Suen

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John Tan

John is an avid traveller, but equally loves being a tourist in his own city. With camera in hand, he enjoys discovering the sights, sounds, tastes, and everything else that Toronto has to offer. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram (@iam_johntan) to see what he's been up to lately.