by Julie Reitsma
Chandelier-filled and Baroque inspired, nyood opens up wide onto West Queen West, inviting passers by to gaze at the whimsical Commute-conceived interior. With walls made of tree trunks, and sliding panels that reveal bottle upon bottle of wine, the almost-on-the-street design offers pedestrians an opportunity to salivate and sniff at the edibles being consumed by the mostly out of neighbourhood customers, who have come down from lofty heights for a walk on the “hip” side.

With four sangrias on offer ($14 per glass or $54 per litre), as well as a plentiful list of cocktails and an impressive wine selection, you won’t be thirsty for long at nyood. We tried the dry white sangria; suspended mint and berries invite you to dive straight into the glass; and followed with the berry mojito, chockers with fruitiness—a divine slow sipper, that only needed a spoon for the tasty left-over residue. Thirst attended to, complimentary arbequina olives were the perfect nibble while pondering the menu. Sharing is caring, and nyood’s Head Chef, Roger Mooking, has constructed a small plates menu that makes your meal all about excusing your reach and can you pass us that. Friendly, freakily knowledgeable, staff will lead you through and offer up valuable opinions on which dishes are the must-tries.

The Arugula and Watercress salad ($9), served with green beans, reggiano, toasty pine nuts, and roasty tomatoes, had a peppery, earthy flavour, though the ginger, touted to be in the vinaigrette, seemed to be AWOL. The Artisanal Charcuterie ($18), served on a rustic cutting board, included four types of cured meats, all drizzled in olive oil. Bread for tearing, smooshy garlic confit, and caramelized endive, made for a very hands-on experience. Next up, the buffalo-milk mozzarella and mango crostinis ($9 and a new addition to the menu), were very colourful to behold. Though a sprinkle of fleur de sel would have been beneficial, the mango added a sweet uniqueness to the crostini experience and the mozza was definitely not the grocery store, tubbed, variety. We finished this round with the highly recommended Olive Cured Rare Beef ($15). Melt-in-your-mouth, the olive curing providing a subtle, distinct, flavour to the dish and though perhaps not an overt mouth-party straight up, the beef, when topped with the accompanying grilled fennel, became slightly addictive.

Our tums not quite full we held our breath and plunged ahead into what turned out to be the true tiara and sash wearers of the meal—the Mushroom Flatbread ($14) and the Malta Braised Short Ribs ($14). Nyood has several flatbread varieties on offer, and the mushroom was no let down. Topped to the brink with King Oyster and cremini, this fungal-based delight was so deliciously seasoned, with the subtle shroominess offset perfectly by creamy gorgonzola. Served up with whimsy in a small cooking pot and wee wooden spoon, the short ribs were like meaty manna from heaven that was beyond fall off the bone.

Finally at bursting, our bill arrived nestled amongst the pages of a 1931 edition of Bible and Talmud Stories, a quirky touch that left us wondering if the selection was intentional. Nyood will actually leave you with much to muse upon—what does the word “nyood” actually mean? Why are they playing “Girl from Ipanema” so loudly? Am I allowed to be here without my Fendi clutch? We don’t know about the first two, but we can tell you this, the clientele at nyood may be on the tony side, but the food—hands on, share friendly, and a veritable smorgasbord for the palate—is an experience that doesn’t discriminate, and isn’t contrived, even if some of the patrons’ fashion choices are.

nyood Restaurant and Bar

http://www.nyood.ca

1096 Queen Street West
416-466-1888