The Agony of the Eat

I was unhappy with Tuesday's municipal election results. Toronto was still in the grips of right-wing ideologues and its city council remained woefully unrepresentative of its diversity. What to do but drown my sorrow in comfort food. So I headed to Essen, a new diner at Dundas and Dovercourt. True, I'm not Jewish but this spot does offer family-style fare.

The inside was spacious but bare-bones. A few knick-knacks adorned the wall along with a collection of Bar Mitzvah portraits. Similar to most Jewish eateries, the menu skewed Eastern European (Ashkenazi) such as beef briskets and chopped liver. But unusually there were nods to the Middle East (Sephardic) with falafel platters and the use of Israeli ingredients in dishes. There were also fusion entrees including Jewish ramen (with matzo balls and kreplach!) and banh mi.

I opted for some pickles ($5) and a schnitzel platter ($16). First came some complimentary pita and hummus. The pita wasn't fresh from the oven a la District Oven but still good. The dip was light and fresh so I finished the whole thing, even knowing I'll break out in red spots later. The main was quite substantial, I was fairly full at the end. The chicken schnitzel was crispy and nicely spiced. Unfortunately, the cabbage rolls and its rice stuffing needed a firmer hand. It went ok with the variety of pickles (beet, green beans, egg) but was bland on its own (and a bit stringy). Tonight's green was rapini sauteed with garlic and with a spray of chili peppers. A good side dish, but I like my greens bitter.

Essen is a nice spot with some tasty dishes. I'll have to definitely come back for the ramen (which I assume would not use a pork-based broth). It is opened for both dinner and lunch/brunch.