e11even
15 York Street (outside Air Canada Centre)
Toronto, ON
416-815-111
A little while back I was invited to experience a new-ish restaurant that was totally not on my radar: e11even.
e11even is part of the Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment group which runs the Air Canada Centre, BMO Field and many other venues. They also operate the ever-popular Real Sports. e11even marks their foray into fine-dining.
On this evening the folks at e11even took a group of blogger-types through a few of their appetizers and desserts.
Enjoy!
First up was this bread. Fresh out of the oven and served in cast iron with a generous sprinkling of salt on top, this bread was fantastic. I could have eaten this whole thing but knew there was much more to come so I held off. So good.
Without a doubt this crab cake ($21) was the best thing I had to eat all week. This isn’t your traditional crab cake that’s more filler than crab. Instead you have to go searching for filler because this is pretty much all generous chunks of crab. Yes, the price tag is hefty but the crab cake is substantial and is literally the best crab cake I’ve ever had.
Yes, this is a bacon appetizer ($11). I’ve never seen bacon as an appetizer on a menu before but given how much people like bacon I’m not mad at e11even for capitalizing on that and charging $11 for two strips of (thick) bacon. The bacon is finished with a maple sherry glaze. This one is definitely worth trying if you can get past the fact that you’re paying $11 for two strips of bacon.
I’m a big fan of spinach and artichoke dip ($16) so I was excited for this – and it didn’t disappoint. Served with fresh tortilla chips, the tip was the right mix of cheesy and veggie. A great one to share with table if you’re just stopping in for drinks.
Tuna tartar ($19) is one of those things that I can easily take or leave. While this was refreshing and I enjoyed the flavours and the contrast between the creamy avocado and the tuna, I don’t feel compelled to give it another shot. I’d rather spend my money (and calories) on the crab cake.
Yes, this is a giant meatball ($20). Made with Kobe beef, this seems like a dude’s dish for me. I have a hard time getting my head around a $20 meatball (in fairness, it’s huge) but have an even harder time getting it when the meatball isn’t flawlessly executed. I found the meat to be underseasoned which made the dish fall flat. It’s a fun idea though and makes for a great presentation on the table.
Another one of my favourites was the whipped sheep’s milk ricotta ($13). This is one of those ridiculously simple appetizers that you wished you’d thought of making for your last dinner party. It’s just ricotta that has been whipped with some herbs mixed in and sprinkled with cracked black pepper and drizzled with olive oil. So simple and delicious.
The appetizers that we sampled at e11even were for the most part hits. For me this wouldn’t be an everyday kind of restaurant based on the price point but it’s a good option for the pretty desolate area around the ACC.
e11even also has a great patio for the warmer months (which I have yet to take advantage of) which features an $11 patio menu. This definitely makes e11even more accessible for a casual hang session. I’ll have to stop by before the weather turns on us!
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I’ve been wondering about this place. Looks like the food is really fun here! Bacon as an appetizer? A giant meatball? Seems like a great place to grab a drink and some snacks. Too bad patio season is over
I was not a fan of the food at elleven. I tried the Tuna Tartar and the crab cakes. Average fair at best but the price point was above average. I don’t mind paying for quality food but this was not it. I found the food lacking just as I would if I was eating in the Air Canada Club.
Would only go back for cocktails. They do make a good Martini.
I haven’t been back since. Enjoyed what I had but thought the price point was higher than it needed to be
I enjoyed it but haven’t been back. The pricepoint is a bit high for my normal forays but it’s a good option in the area for sure.