I realized that I still had one more restaurant from Kingston to talk about. I have to finish off on one culinary adventure before starting another, and tomorrow I head to my hometown for a week of vacation that will involve much cooking.
But, The Red House. That was my last meal in Kingston. And I must confess, I was not very hungry. The lunch at Dianne's Fish Bar was large, and 4 hours later I was hardly ready to eat again. But when in Kingston, you have to put aside feeling of satiation and power through. Although left feeling like I would never eat again, I was glad I made the effort, because The Red House was a gem.
Just off the picturesque downtown part of Princess St, The Red House has a nice atmosphere. Another of those old stone buildings, this one had and almost barn like feel - quite rustic, but not kitschy - with high ceilings and beams. It feels open and airy. There are different seating areas, and they could certainly fit a lot more tables in there than they currently have, and I find it nice when I am not crammed in so close with my fellow diners. C and I took a roomy booth opposite the bar.
I would term it a gastropub. There is a good selection of draft microbrews, and Waupoos cider (!), difficult to find, in Ottawa at least. And then there was the food. I always consider it a good sign when the menu is not extensive. I would much rather see 7 well thought, intriguing, well prepared mains than 22 exercises in mediocrity.
C opted for the cotechino sausage with red wine lentils and horseradish creme fraiche. A plate full of peasant food if I ever saw one, and a plate that C assured me was delicious. Cotechino sausage is a little more rustic and textured than the sausages that most Canadians are more familiar (and more comfortable) with. What makes this a little out of the ordinary is that this type of sausage traditionally has pork rind in it as well as the meat and fat - but not crispy, fried pork rinds that people snack on. The addition of the rind makes for a chewier sausage that C assures me is quite unusual. Lentils (or cannellini beans) are the traditional accompaniment. You can see in the picture below the coarser texture and bright pink colour of this sausage.
Despite the short menu, I had some trouble deciding because there were a number of interesting options. In a restaurant, I prefer to order something that I would not usually make myself. Something I know that requires some skill, time, or technique that takes it beyond the day to day cooking of most home cooks. If it is easy, I can, and probably do, cook it quite well myself when the mood strikes, so why would I pay restaurant prices for it? For this reason, I settled on braised lamb shank with crispy brie polenta and asparagus.
While I always enjoy a nicely braised piece of meat, the real attraction for me was the crispy polenta. Thus far, I have never made a truly successful polenta (crispy or soft). I've managed adequate, but I have tasted magnificent. When done right, polenta is the ultimate in comfort food. Better even than pink macaroni, one of the old family dishes I ask my mother to make me when I go home (it is one of the recipes that just tastes better when she does it). Actually, maybe polenta doesn't quite beat pink macaroni. Anyway, back to the restaurant. This polenta was magnificent. One of the top two I have had. I love the play between the crispy outside and the soft, cheesy, rich, corny inside. That texture contrast, particularly with the sauce from the meat just makes you melt and relax and go in for another bite. The lamb was done perfectly, tender, and the braising liquid was rich and flavourful - a lemon and oregano base. Asparagus was nicely seasoned and I liked the slight char from the grill. I made sure, though, the last bite I put in my mouth was polenta.
One of the most pleasant things about the restaurant was the price. All of the entrees were under $20. My lamb was $17. For the quality of the food served, this is exceptional.
My takeaway from this evening? This winter, I challenge myself to master polenta.
Culinary Kira is on the road again next week, in Orangeville, Ontario, where some of the planned fun includes Masterchef with my sister and M (there might be souffles involved in a Masterchef evening), cooking hanger steak for the family, and cooking for (and with) small children.
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