Must-Try: Ruby Watchco’s velvety chocolate chestnut soup

Must-Try: Ruby Watchco’s velvety chocolate chestnut soup

A surprising appetizer at Ruby Watchco makes chocolate the star

Must-Try: Ruby Watchco's velvety chocolate chestnut soup

Desserts with savoury ingredients are nothing new, but sweets for starters? Chef Lora Kirk of Riverside’s Ruby Watchco has created a delicious anomaly with her velvety chocolate chestnut soup. A nage is thickened with a purée of fresh, earthy chestnuts and made creamy with organic milk chocolate. A swish of milk foam, a sprinkle of deep-fried celery leaves to offset the sweetness, and a drizzle of Pernod and dark chocolate reduction finish the warm, savoury dish. It’s an appetizer to get diners talking, sure, but it also shows chocolate in a whole new light. 730 Queen St. E., 416-465-0100.