You know what they say: it never rains on The Drake patio. On Tuesday night, we headed out to The Drake Hotel to try out the new menu created by Corporate Executive Chef Ted Corrado. We made plans to stop by for an hour, but we ended up staying for a couple rounds of dinner because, well, it’s summer, it’s The Drake, it never rained like it was supposed to, and the food is that good. Here are five reasons to check out the new Drake menu… starting with a bucket of fried chicken.
Mother-Effin’ Fried Chicken
Is that jalapeño corn bread? Um, yes it is. Smoked potato salad? Hell yeah! And honey to dip mouth-watering fried chicken in? Bring out the napkins because we’re about to get sloppy.
It’s Like The Preview for Drake One Fifty
Drake One Fifty, the Drake Hotel’s first stand-alone restaurant, is going to be a big deal when it takes over the Financial District at 150 York Street in August, just in time for the TIFF crowd. We heard it directly from Chef Ted Corrado that a lot of what’s on the Drake Hotel’s new menu will inspire what’s at One Fifty. Drake One Fifty will be what Soho House was to TIFF last year: one of the most talked about new openings in the city. Why not get a proper preview of what to expect, at least for bragging rights? Previews are the TIFF thing to do, anyway.
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Steak Tartare Tostada
Steak tartare tostada… no big deal, right? No, it’s a crazy big deal! Remember last summer when every man and his dog was lining up for just regular old tacos all over town? Neither do we because The Drake’s new steak tartare served with tortillas, shaved egg yolk, hot sauce, radish salad and queso fresco has made that all but a distant memory.
Beautiful People
Where else can you go on a random overcast Tuesday and only be surrounded by some of the most beautiful people in our already extremely good-looking city? We almost prefer The Drake on a “quiet” night when everyone’s just chillin’ and enjoying the multiple views of our fellow Torontonians sitting in eye shot. “Yes, we’ll definitely take a slice of the new flourless chocolate cake with salted caramel to go with all the eye-candy… Thanks!”
The Light Stuff Rules Hard
Maybe the fried chicken has us rethinking our relationship to sweat pants: “Hmmm… elastic waist bands really are great, and I look pretty cute in head-to-toe cotton, right?” That said, the lighter fare on the menu rocks if you’re in the mood for something a little more forgiving with regards to the figure. We’re all about the Ontario Burrata Salad (with watermelon, cherry tomatoes, grapes, marcona almonds and a sherry vinaigrette), and the Green Gazpacho (green tomatoes, cucumber, avocado and cilantro). That way we can have our Drake and eat it too.
