Canada’s Debate

When I look for quality food on a cold winter’s night (even if it is still technically fall), I almost always seek out “home cooking” style food. Now, any cuisine can feature home-cooking dishes and styles: a Japanese udon bowl, a simple Italian pasta dish, a hearty “jewish” chicken soup, an english-style breakfast, etc…

When most people think Portugese dining they think Churasqueiria- barbequed or rotisseried chicken. While I love a good chicken as much as the next carnivore, it is really only the window dressing of a much broader (and more inviting) cuisine. Last night I visited “The Market Grille” with a craving for this sort of simple-yet-elegant cooking, and as usual I left satisfied.

The meal was quick (we arrived at 6:30, well before the regulars begin to arrive) and had two courses. Our appetizers consisted of shrimp in a piri-piri sauce, and grilled calamari. The shrimp was cooked to the point that it was firm but not stringy, and the mix of peppers, cumin and whatever else went into the mix went down easy. It could have been spicier for a piri-piri, but what it would have gained in spice it would have lost in subtlety. The calamari was grilled to perfection (as the Urban Peasant once “told” me, cook squid for less than 2 minutes or more than 20) and served with olive oil and lemon juice, on a slice of grilled pineapple. While cooked flawlessly for texture, the combination of the lemon juice and pineapple brought out the saltiness of the squid a bit too strongly for my liking, presumably as a function of the acidity of both. The dish was enjoyable nonetheless.

For my main course I ordered the Roasted Alheiras. Every sausage has a story, and this one is no different. During periods of religious intolerance in Portugal, Jews were often identified by the fact that they were the only people who didn’t eat sausage. At some point butchers and hunters in the area started creating a faux-sausage for Jews to carry/adorn their homes with, in order to throw-off suspicion. The sausage is stuffed with a mixture of breadcrumbs and a selection of game meats and poultry (venison, rabbit, pheasant, partridge, etc.) in any number of iterations, seasoned lightly. The end result is a sausage that has almost a pasty texture instead of the more familiar “ground-up meat byproduct” consistency… and the truth is I love it, in part because it reminds me of kishke; a Jewish “sausage” which is another food which has a home-cooking character.

Back to the meal. The sausage itself is seared on both sides with just a hint of olive oil, and then roasted in the oven until crisp on the exterior (the contents are already pre-cooked.) The Alheiras has a flavour which hovers between sweet and tangy, with a crisp casing which acts almost as a crust. It is placed on a bed of hot french fries (made using a potato sweeter than most; the fries aren’t crisp, but they are flavourful and firm) and topped with a fried egg, with grilled vegetables on the side: carrots, corn and broccoli. For $11.95 it is an intensely satisfying and heart-warming meal. I even purchased an uncooked sausage from their “market” area to try making on my own… so stay tuned for the report on that inevitable misadventure.

My fellow diners both ordered a special, the name of which is beyond my powers to pronounce or recollect. It was basically a scramble consisting of shreds of codfish, eggs, onions, and potatoes cut thinly to the point that they looked like delicate egg-noodles. This was all scrambled with a hint of garlic, olive oil, pepper and coriander, and served warm. I only tried a mouthful, but this dish was spectacular, and both diners loved it.

Our service was prompt and extremely personal, and the dinner was capped with espressos and handshakes with the chef/owner, who I only know as David. His establishment, “The Market Grille” delivered (for less than $24/person after taxes and tip) a fantastic meal which satisfied my “home cooked” desires. The menu is varied and the prices are very reasonable ($11-20 per entree, $6-9 per appetizer), and there is always a selection of specials that should never be overlooked.

Market Grille
605 Rogers Road
York, ON M6M 1B9