Introducing: Woods, a fancy new restaurant in St. Lawrence Market from the former Modus chef
(Image: Megan Leahy)
Name: Woods
Neighbourhood: St. Lawrence Market
Contact info: 45 Colborne Street, 416-214-9918, woodsrestaurant.ca
Owners: Bruce Woods and Robin Singh
Chef: Executive Chef Bruce Woods (Modus, Brasaii, Centro) and Chef de Cuisine Anthony Davis (Sidecar, Cowbell, The Roosevelt Room)
The Food: An eclectic menu with a farm-to-table ethos, including appetizers like wild Digby scallops and seared Quebec foie gras and mains from spaghetti and meatballs to roasted Muscovy duck breast with dried cherries and duck egg béarnaise. There’s also a bar menu (dishes are in the $10-15 range) for the after-work cocktail crowd.
The Drinks: A small international wine list, four classic cocktails and microbrews on tap. Coffee is from Leslieville-roasters Pilot (no awful push-button espresso here!).
The place: A refined Scandinavian motif of clean lines and rich woods. The spring-green oversized “branch” chandelier in the front window inspired the Oriental pattern on the banquet upholstery and the wallpaper mosaic.
The Numbers:
• $5500 branch chandelier
• $500 to remove the front window to install that chandelier
• $380 for the most expensive bottle of wine, the Super Tuscan 2009 Ornellaia
• 80 seats
• 24 Chemex coffee makers
213057 Raspberry macaronade with marscapone mousse, basil ice cream, macaroon, raspberry tuile and salted pine nuts ($11) (Image: Megan Leahy) Woods Woods https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/introducing-woods-toronto-07-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/introducing-woods-toronto-07.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/introducing-woods-toronto-07.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-woods-toronto-restaurant/slide/introducing-woods-toronto-07/ introducing-woods-toronto-07 0 0
(Image: Megan Leahy)
213056 Warm chocolate brownie with caramelized white chocolate ice cream, candied ginger and milk crumble ($11) (Image: Megan Leahy) Woods Woods https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/introducing-woods-toronto-06-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/introducing-woods-toronto-06.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/introducing-woods-toronto-06.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-woods-toronto-restaurant/slide/introducing-woods-toronto-06/ introducing-woods-toronto-06 0 0
(Image: Megan Leahy)
213055 Buckthorn pavlova with buckthorn curd, milk chocolate ganache, black sesame ice cream and sesame crisps ($11) (Image: Megan Leahy) Woods Woods https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/introducing-woods-toronto-05-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/introducing-woods-toronto-05.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/introducing-woods-toronto-05.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-woods-toronto-restaurant/slide/introducing-woods-toronto-05/ introducing-woods-toronto-05 0 0
(Image: Megan Leahy)
213054 Spaghetti and meatballs with pecorino fresco stuffed all-beef meatballs, tomato sauce and toasted basil breadcrumbs ($22) (Image: Megan Leahy) Woods Woods https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/introducing-woods-toronto-04-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/introducing-woods-toronto-04.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/introducing-woods-toronto-04.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-woods-toronto-restaurant/slide/introducing-woods-toronto-04/ introducing-woods-toronto-04 0 0
(Image: Megan Leahy)
213061 Seared Quebec foie gras with purple potato puree, lobster mushrooms, bacon, crispy confit and Saskatoon compote ($19) (Image: Megan Leahy) Woods Woods https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/introducing-woods-toronto-intro-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/introducing-woods-toronto-intro.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/introducing-woods-toronto-intro.jpg 656 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-woods-toronto-restaurant/slide/introducing-woods-toronto-intro/ introducing-woods-toronto-intro 0 0
(Image: Megan Leahy)
213053 Roasted Muscovy duck breast Tatsoi, shallot, sourdough, crispy confit, dried cherries and duck egg béarnaise ($28) (Image: Megan Leahy) Woods Woods https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/introducing-woods-toronto-03-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/introducing-woods-toronto-03.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/introducing-woods-toronto-03.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-woods-toronto-restaurant/slide/introducing-woods-toronto-03/ introducing-woods-toronto-03 0 0
(Image: Megan Leahy)
213051 Wild Digby scallops with parsnip puree, roasted heirloom garlic, green alder and corned beef cheek ($17) (Image: Megan Leahy) Woods Woods https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/introducing-woods-toronto-01-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/introducing-woods-toronto-01.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/introducing-woods-toronto-01.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-woods-toronto-restaurant/slide/introducing-woods-toronto-01/ introducing-woods-toronto-01 0 0
(Image: Megan Leahy)
213052 Yellowtail tuna with baby fennel, wheat berry and green olive salad, green pea puree and sundried tomato vierge ($28) (Image: Megan Leahy) Woods Woods https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/introducing-woods-toronto-02-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/introducing-woods-toronto-02.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/introducing-woods-toronto-02.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-woods-toronto-restaurant/slide/introducing-woods-toronto-02/ introducing-woods-toronto-02 0 0
(Image: Megan Leahy)
213060 Raindrop chandeliers (Image: Megan Leahy) Woods Woods https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/introducing-woods-toronto-10-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/introducing-woods-toronto-10.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/introducing-woods-toronto-10.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-woods-toronto-restaurant/slide/introducing-woods-toronto-10/ introducing-woods-toronto-10 0 0
(Image: Megan Leahy)
213059 Wallpaper mosaic reflects the tree print on upholstered bar stools and banquet (Image: Megan Leahy) Woods Woods https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/introducing-woods-toronto-09-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/introducing-woods-toronto-09.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/introducing-woods-toronto-09.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-woods-toronto-restaurant/slide/introducing-woods-toronto-09/ introducing-woods-toronto-09 0 0
(Image: Megan Leahy)
213058 The $5500 spring-green chandelier in the front window inspired the décor theme (Image: Megan Leahy) Woods Woods https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/introducing-woods-toronto-08-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/introducing-woods-toronto-08.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/introducing-woods-toronto-08.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-woods-toronto-restaurant/slide/introducing-woods-toronto-08/ introducing-woods-toronto-08 0 0
(Image: Megan Leahy)