See all the courses from the stunning collaboration between Colborne Lane and Chicago’s Grace
(Image: Renée Suen)
Last week we told you about the upcoming collaboration between Claudio Aprile and Curtis Duffy, a preview of the latter’s highly anticipated Grace restaurant in Chicago and a look at where the former hopes to take his flagship Colborne Lane . Over two evenings, the chefs tantalized the palates of food aficionados and industry folk in a culinarily ambitious and visually striking nine-course menu that gave diners a taste of what was to come for both projects. It also showed off the difference in the approaches between the two chefs.
“Having a Michelin-starred chef in the kitchen brings up the energy level,” Aprile told us, “Healthy competition and professional pride pushes us to be on the top of our game.” Although the courses were described in detail, diners were left in the dark about which chef was responsible for each creation, leading to a bit of a guessing game. Most of the ingredients were sourced locally, although we were told that some of the herbs Duffy used were difficult to find (like the root beer–flavoured hoja santa). Closer inspection of the menu pretty much revealed the answer to the seasoned culinary sleuth, however: while both chefs list the key components of their plates separated by plus signs, only Duffy’s dishes highlighted the main herb featured in all-caps (his menu-writing signature).
Diners familiar with Colborne Lane’s dark, dramatic atmosphere were surprised to find the room had been refreshed with a new coat of white paint. After the dinner, Aprile told us, the room will undergo a complete overhaul: the wall that currently divides the dining room from the front bar area will be knocked down, the bar will get a lot smaller and the big communal table will be removed entirely. The Bradley Denton design will feature a front lounge area that will extend from the entrance down two-thirds the length of the current bar, resulting in a much more intimate dining space.
As for Grace, partner, general manager and sommelier Michael Muser shared wtih us a couple updates on the Chicago restaurant. Located at 623 West Randolph, the space will cater to under 80 guests, and despite being nearly 5,000 square feet, a majority of it will be taken up by the kitchen, an impressive room that’s being custom-built by Quebec’s Sani Metal Ltd. Having arrived only the afternoon before the dinner, Duffy and his crew agreed that they were more confident with the dishes presented on the second evening. Check out the entire stunning menu from the second night, and some behind-the-scenes moments, in our slideshow.
155106 A view down Colborne Lane’s bar. Most of this will be replaced by a front lounge area after the restaurant’s redesign (Image: Renée Suen) Colborne Lane meets Chicago’s Grace Colborne Lane meets Chicago’s Grace https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace5-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace5.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace5.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/colborne-lane-grace-collaboration/slide/jul12colbornegrace5/ jul12colbornegrace5 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
155105 Colborne Lane’s long front room bar, in reflection (Image: Renée Suen) Colborne Lane meets Chicago’s Grace Colborne Lane meets Chicago’s Grace https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace4-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace4.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace4.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/colborne-lane-grace-collaboration/slide/jul12colbornegrace4/ jul12colbornegrace4 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
155104 The back dining room which will soon lose the communal table that currently dominates the centre space (Image: Renée Suen) Colborne Lane meets Chicago’s Grace Colborne Lane meets Chicago’s Grace https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace2-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace2.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace2.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/colborne-lane-grace-collaboration/slide/jul12colbornegrace2/ jul12colbornegrace2 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
155103 Colborne Lane’s brightened dining room. It’s amazing what a difference a can or two of white paint can make to a space (Image: Renée Suen) Colborne Lane meets Chicago’s Grace Colborne Lane meets Chicago’s Grace https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace1-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace1.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace1.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/colborne-lane-grace-collaboration/slide/jul12colbornegrace1/ jul12colbornegrace1 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
155127 Ninth course: caramelized sudachi: cucumber + peanut + AFRICAN BLUE BASIL<br /><br />
Duffy closed the event with a non-traditional play on citrus and cucumbers that wasn’t just eye candy (although it was that), but also refreshed the palate. Thick caramelized sudachi contrasted with crunchy peanut brittle and delightful basil seeds. The whole thing was finished off with cucumber ribbons, mini cucumbers (still attached to their palm tree–like blossoms) cut rounds and cucumber juice (Image: Renée Suen) Colborne Lane meets Chicago’s Grace Colborne Lane meets Chicago’s Grace https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace40-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace40.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace40.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/colborne-lane-grace-collaboration/slide/jul12colbornegrace40/ jul12colbornegrace40 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
155126 Ninth course: caramelized sudachi: cucumber + peanut + AFRICAN BLUE BASIL<br /><br />
Duffy closed the event with a non-traditional play on citrus and cucumbers that wasn’t just eye candy (although it was that), but also refreshed the palate. Thick caramelized sudachi contrasted with crunchy peanut brittle and delightful basil seeds. The whole thing was finished off with cucumber ribbons, mini cucumbers (still attached to their palm tree–like blossoms) cut rounds and cucumber juice (Image: Renée Suen) Colborne Lane meets Chicago’s Grace Colborne Lane meets Chicago’s Grace https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace38-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace38.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace38.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/colborne-lane-grace-collaboration/slide/jul12colbornegrace38/ jul12colbornegrace38 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
155125 Eighth course, berries: dulce de leche + crystallized wild flowers + kalamanci<br /><br />
Aprile’s pretty last course that was a berry delight (Image: Renée Suen) Colborne Lane meets Chicago’s Grace Colborne Lane meets Chicago’s Grace https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace37-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace37.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace37.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/colborne-lane-grace-collaboration/slide/jul12colbornegrace37/ jul12colbornegrace37 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
155124 The entire back-of-house crew surrounding chefs and longtime friends Curtis Duffy and Claudio Aprile (Image: Renée Suen) Colborne Lane meets Chicago’s Grace Colborne Lane meets Chicago’s Grace https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace34-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace34.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace34.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/colborne-lane-grace-collaboration/slide/jul12colbornegrace34/ jul12colbornegrace34 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
155123 Seventh course, ribeye: welsh onions + rye oats + black garlic + smoked parsnips + dandelion<br /><br />
The final main course from Aprile centred on full-bodied nutty and toasty flavours. Here, slices of medium rare ribeye were sided with a flavourful demi-glace, smoked parsnip purée, black garlic gel, charred mustard greens, chewy rye oats and dehydrated welsh onion chips (Image: Renée Suen) Colborne Lane meets Chicago’s Grace Colborne Lane meets Chicago’s Grace https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace32-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace32.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace32.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/colborne-lane-grace-collaboration/slide/jul12colbornegrace32/ jul12colbornegrace32 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
155102 Sixth course, tea-smoked and cured arctic char: thai flavours + puffed prawn cracker<br /><br />
Aprile’s black tea–smoked and citrus-cured Arctic char was presented with bold Thai elements (mango ketchup, tamarind purée, cilantro and curry) then lightened up with cucumber ribbons, a puffed prawn cracker and edible flowers (Image: Renée Suen) Colborne Lane meets Chicago’s Grace Colborne Lane meets Chicago’s Grace https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace_intro-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace_intro.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace_intro.jpg 656 430 [] https://torontolife.com/food/colborne-lane-grace-collaboration/slide/jul12colbornegrace_intro/ jul12colbornegrace_intro 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
155122 Fifth course, maitake: cocoa + strawberries + SHEEP SORREL<br /><br />
Duffy’s fourth course had braised and caramelized maitake mushroom buried with intensely flavoured strawberries (vacuum-packed with strawberry juice) and cocoa pudding, with a web of fried potato strings. Lemony African, South African and purple sorrel helped lighten the rich flavours (Image: Renée Suen) Colborne Lane meets Chicago’s Grace Colborne Lane meets Chicago’s Grace https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace28-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace28.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace28.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/colborne-lane-grace-collaboration/slide/jul12colbornegrace28/ jul12colbornegrace28 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
155120 Fourth course, scallop: toasted goat's milk + hibiscus +HOJA SANTA<br /><br />
Duffy’s third dish paired a 118°-poached sea scallop that was then chilled and caramelized on one side, with variations of tapioca (puffed and dusted with hibiscus salt, a hibiscus-soaked tapioca chip and Sambuca-soaked tapioca balls), hibiscus (in salt form and as beet-red hibiscus syrup) and toasted goat’s milk puree and licorice-flavoured elements (shaved fennel bulb, stalk, fronds and hoja santa leaves). Duffy explained that his use of the chewy tapioca balls (the type found in bubble tea) was not just for texture—it also carried the licoricey Sambuca flavour (Image: Renée Suen) Colborne Lane meets Chicago’s Grace Colborne Lane meets Chicago’s Grace https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace26-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace26.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace26.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/colborne-lane-grace-collaboration/slide/jul12colbornegrace26/ jul12colbornegrace26 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
155119 Third course, tomato salad: frozen vinaigrette + quinoa + basil + black olive meringue + crème fraîche<br /><br />
A stunning course from Aprile that featured an array of poached and peeled tomatoes, toasted black quinoa, black olive meringue, fresh basil and basil gel, with crème fraîche and frozen vinaigrette (Image: Renée Suen) Colborne Lane meets Chicago’s Grace Colborne Lane meets Chicago’s Grace https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace24-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace24.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace24.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/colborne-lane-grace-collaboration/slide/jul12colbornegrace24/ jul12colbornegrace24 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
155118 Second course, sweet corn: recado negro + cherries + CORIANDER BLOOMS<br /><br />
Duffy’s dramatic second course was an interactive one: first, cold corn soup was poured table-side over a shell of liquid nitrogen–frozen coconut milk and ginger juice, that had been streaked with recado negro (a paste made from burnt pepper ash from Mexico). Then the diner was instructed to break through the opaque dome shield to reveal a delightful tumble of torn corn bread, cherries, ginger and corn, both raw and freeze-dried (Image: Renée Suen) Colborne Lane meets Chicago’s Grace Colborne Lane meets Chicago’s Grace https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace21-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace21.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace21.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/colborne-lane-grace-collaboration/slide/jul12colbornegrace21/ jul12colbornegrace21 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
155117 Second course, sweet corn: recado negro + cherries + CORIANDER BLOOMS<br /><br />
Duffy’s dramatic second course was an interactive one: first, cold corn soup was poured table-side over a shell of liquid nitrogen–frozen coconut milk and ginger juice, that had been streaked with recado negro (a paste made from burnt pepper ash from Mexico). Then the diner was instructed to break through the opaque dome shield to reveal a delightful tumble of torn corn bread, cherries, ginger and corn, both raw and freeze-dried (Image: Renée Suen) Colborne Lane meets Chicago’s Grace Colborne Lane meets Chicago’s Grace https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace19-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace19.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace19.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/colborne-lane-grace-collaboration/slide/jul12colbornegrace19/ jul12colbornegrace19 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
155116 Second course, sweet corn: recado negro + cherries + CORIANDER BLOOMS<br /><br />
Duffy’s dramatic second course was an interactive one: first, cold corn soup was poured table-side over a shell of liquid nitrogen–frozen coconut milk and ginger juice, that had been streaked with recado negro (a paste made from burnt pepper ash from Mexico). Then the diner was instructed to break through the opaque dome shield to reveal a delightful tumble of torn corn bread, cherries, ginger and corn, both raw and freeze-dried (Image: Renée Suen) Colborne Lane meets Chicago’s Grace Colborne Lane meets Chicago’s Grace https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace18-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace18.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace18.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/colborne-lane-grace-collaboration/slide/jul12colbornegrace18/ jul12colbornegrace18 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
155115 First course, lemongrass pudding: broken emulsion + finger limes + ALOE <br /><br />
Duffy’s first offering featured a dollop of lemongrass pudding, caviar-like finger lime pulp, aloe that’s been poached in simple syrup and aromatics, and crispy kaffir lime–dusted meringue shards. The pale course was finished with a broken emulsion made from milk infused with kaffir lime, lemongrass and galangal (Image: Renée Suen) Colborne Lane meets Chicago’s Grace Colborne Lane meets Chicago’s Grace https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace16-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace16.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace16.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/colborne-lane-grace-collaboration/slide/jul12colbornegrace16/ jul12colbornegrace16 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
155114 Bread course: The opening bite was a miniature version of Christine Fancy’s (Origin Liberty Village) soft, honey-sweetened pretzel with pickled mustard seed (Image: Renée Suen) Colborne Lane meets Chicago’s Grace Colborne Lane meets Chicago’s Grace https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace13-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace13.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace13.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/colborne-lane-grace-collaboration/slide/jul12colbornegrace13/ jul12colbornegrace13 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
155113 The keepsake menu of the $200 meal (Image: Renée Suen) Colborne Lane meets Chicago’s Grace Colborne Lane meets Chicago’s Grace https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace12-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace12.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace12.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/food/colborne-lane-grace-collaboration/slide/jul12colbornegrace12/ jul12colbornegrace12 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
155112 “Having a Michelin starred chef in the kitchen brings up the energy level,” Aprile tells us (Image: Renée Suen) Colborne Lane meets Chicago’s Grace Colborne Lane meets Chicago’s Grace https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace11-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace11.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace11.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/food/colborne-lane-grace-collaboration/slide/jul12colbornegrace11/ jul12colbornegrace11 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
155111 Duffy inspects and instructs the chefs on plating details (Image: Renée Suen) Colborne Lane meets Chicago’s Grace Colborne Lane meets Chicago’s Grace https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace10-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace10.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace10.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/colborne-lane-grace-collaboration/slide/jul12colbornegrace10/ jul12colbornegrace10 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
155110 Plating of the maitake course by one of Grace’s chefs (Image: Renée Suen) Colborne Lane meets Chicago’s Grace Colborne Lane meets Chicago’s Grace https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace9-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace9.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace9.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/food/colborne-lane-grace-collaboration/slide/jul12colbornegrace9/ jul12colbornegrace9 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
155109 From left to right: Aprile, Duffy, Colborne Lane’s Andrew Wilson (chef de cuisine) and Grace’s Michael Muser (partner and general manager) (Image: Renée Suen) Colborne Lane meets Chicago’s Grace Colborne Lane meets Chicago’s Grace https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace8-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace8.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace8.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/colborne-lane-grace-collaboration/slide/jul12colbornegrace8/ jul12colbornegrace8 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
155108 Chefs Claudio Aprile (Colborne Lane, Origin) and Duffy giving the front-of-house brief before the launch of the first preview dinner (Image: Renée Suen) Colborne Lane meets Chicago’s Grace Colborne Lane meets Chicago’s Grace https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace7-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace7.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace7.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/colborne-lane-grace-collaboration/slide/jul12colbornegrace7/ jul12colbornegrace7 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
155107 Chef Curtis Duffy (Grace, Chicago) with one of his cooks, checking on the hibiscus-flavoured tapioca chip for the scallop course (Image: Renée Suen) Colborne Lane meets Chicago’s Grace Colborne Lane meets Chicago’s Grace https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace6-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace6.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12ColborneGrace6.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/colborne-lane-grace-collaboration/slide/jul12colbornegrace6/ jul12colbornegrace6 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
What is this, the male super model show? Forget about the food, I’m going just to gawk at them. Yum!
Ya…forget about the food, indeed. Would rather these dudes on a plate.
Great work, Renee! Thanks for posting.
http://www.foodnerds.ca