Beast Roll

I wanted to try Branca, a new Argentian grill house near Lansdowne and Dundas, a few weeks ago. But they weren't open on a very rainy Tuesday. However, this Tuesday night, they were available. I was surprised that despite a positive review in the Globe and Mail on the week-end, they weren't busier. Soft padded benches, hip music, exposed brick and wood: all typical mid-scale restaurant décor. The ink collage of naked women stenciled into the stairs going down to the washrooms was an unexpected and tasteless choice though. I assume that the presence of a lasso-wielding gaucho amongst the ladies meant the whole thing was supposed to be kitschy and ironic.

First up was the salchicha parrillera ($11). This appetizer had the best flavour balance of all the dishes: subtle pork sausage, sweet mustard seeds, and toasted corn bread. The main was beef short rib ($23) with harissa and roasted eggplants ($1/each) and a side-order of caramelized endives ($5). I had no complaints about the meat, except perhaps the portion size. Rich, done medium-rare, with crusty ends, it was tasty beef. The condiments and vegetables were too tangy and didn't go well with the entrée. I want my harissa spicy and my eggplant smoky. The base of the endives was juicy and flavourful, better than the tips which had absorbed too much acidity. My dessert was Panqueques ($7): crepes stuffed with dulce de leche and a large dollop of chantilly cream. The warm, sweet dough went great with the cool cream.

Branca is a good restaurant but the price of dinner do creep upward (they have $34 suckling pig and $110 aged beef). Some appetizers and sides have good prices, but it looks like the mains are generally small portions.