HOT BALLS @ Table 17

Finally, I was able to taste the infamous hot balls at Table 17.

My first time at the restaurant was for brunch and it was a great experience. For my second trip I went for dinner and it was even better or shall I say, HOT!

Me and my sister-in-law arrived around 6pm. The place was empty at that time but by the time our food arrived people were bustling in.

We attempted to grab a table by the window so I can get more lighting for my pictures but sadly it was already reserved. (Note to self: when making reservations request for table 22 not table 17 j/k actually no I'm not get table 22).

My sister-in-law got a glass of red wine that was recommended by our waitress, Mia. She was very informative and definitely knew her wines. My sister-in-law really enjoyed the wine that Mia had suggested.

After a few minutes of contemplation we began ordering.

First off the balls. It arrived rather quickly I have to say. I didn't even finish snacking on the complimentary bread that was given. I thrust it aside and began pulling out my iPhone.

Here is a closeup of the Arancino stuffed with mushrooms and Fontino cheese mixed with risotto. It was crispy on the outside and filled with warm yummy goodness on the inside. Also each ball was accompanied by a specific sauce. For this one it was the red sauce which tasted like salsa to me but still complimented the ball very well. (Ok every time I type ball I am just laughing at myself. It's just funny that's all I have to say.)

Our favorite one was the goat cheese dipped in wildflower honey. It was luscious. A perfect combination of the two differing flavors of tangy and sweet.

Here was a side of the seasonal green which was kale. Unfortunately this was not pleasant at all. In fact the first word that came to my mind was funky and not in a good way. My sister-in-law tried a few more bites thinking she would get used to the flavoring but eventually gave up. When Mia came to clear away the plates she asked us was there anything wrong with the kale. We told her that we didn't really like it. Later on we discovered that this was removed off of our bill. Wow now that is customer satisfaction. I couldn't believe that they took it off our bill. Unlike one experience I had where all the plates were hardly touched except for one bite and yet the waitress still didn't even bother to ask what was wrong while here Mia actually noticed and took the time to ask us what we thought.

Here was the Cavatelli. It consisted of house made ricotta and black truffle pasta with soffritto, brussel sprouts and hedgehog mushrooms. My sister-in-law enjoyed this dish.

Now this was my meal. The duck confit with lentils, pickled carrots and almond cream. It was magnificent. Even the smell of it was intoxicating. It almost turned my so-called vegetarian sister over to the dark side hehe. She kept commenting how amazing it smelled. Also once my fork broke into the skin she even heard from the across the table the crispiness of the outer layer. Moaning sounds of approval came involuntarily from my throat before I could even stop them. The duck was super tender and full of juicy flavor. My sister kept laughing at me because after every bite I kept saying "OMG this is so good."

Can you see how scrumptious it looks?

Or how about this picture? Just look at that piece of crispy skin.

Last but definitely not least was the Gateaux Elvis. Originally we couldn't decide between the Elvis or the pistachio tart so we ended up choosing the tart since it would be something new to try. Sadly, it wasn't available so we chose our second choice. It was mind blowing. The dessert looked like an ice cream sandwich yet it was actually 2 pieces of light airy chocolate cake sandwiched together topped with a scoop of peanut butter mousse and caramelized bananas. The cake wasn't rich at all and went perfectly well with the heavy sweet flavor of the peanut butter mousse. I can't believe it was mousse. To me it tasted like real peanut butter that you would get from a jar but more light and fluffy like whipped cream. It was a perfect end to a perfect meal minus the kale. I'm sure the dessert would have made Elvis proud. One more thing because they didn't have the tart that we had first asked for our dessert was on the house. Omigod. I was in shock in again. They really value their customers and try to ensure you have the best possible experience.

Also during the course of our meal I noticed Chef John Sinopoli came out to the dining room. I personally don't know him but I do remember his picture from the website and also coupled with the fact that he was holding a little pot and scooping out, which I believe was the special of the day, polenta with rabbit, and placing it onto each individual plate. Now that is a chef who is passionate about his food and actually comes out of the kitchen to serve the food himself. Amazing. Wished I had ordered the polenta but since my dining companion once again was still terrified of meat I decided against it.

I highly recommend this restaurant not because of the freebies I got but because of the excellent quality of food and the love and passion cooked into the meal. Thank you Mia and Table 17 for an exquisite dinner and an unforgettable dining experience.

TOTAL BILL $76...EAT HERE NEXT!!!

Table 17

782 Queen Street East

(close to Broadview)

416-519-1851