Praise For The Beech Tree And Fat Pasha

"High-class locavore deliciousness" awaits all those adventurous enough to hit Kingston Road's The Beech Tree, writes Amy Pataki in her enthusiastic summation of first-time restaurateur Robert Maxwell's east-end boîte. The "former broadcast analyst" opened The Beech Tree's doors in November turning his dreams into tasty reality with bartender Randi Cull's "faultless cocktails" and chef Jamie Newman's (ex-Opus) creamed cauliflower number that the reviewer describes as "nursery food made sophisticated," and a pork dish that tastes like "meat candy." If that isn't enough, the service is "competent," the seating comfortable, and music that allows for conversation in a room full of "homey décor."

The hype machine that erupted when Anthony Rose announced he and his partners were taking over the former Indian Rice Factory on Dupont to launch Fat Pasha, an haute Middle-Eastern restaurant, has not been in vain: as NOW's Steven Davey writes, "the family friendly Pasha has been slammed from the get-go." And in part, Rose has impressed the hordes with his sly take on vegetables. "No one does cauliflower better," Davey writes in a glowing review (4 N's) and Post City Magazine concurs. But it's also the meat dishes, slow braised and dressed up with "buttery hummus," that captures the taste buds. The "shareable sides also impress," according to the reviewer who notes that "chef's Israeli couscous makes the perfect foil for his full-throttle mains." With all this good press the hype will continue to rise to deafening levels. Can Fat Pasha live up to it? Chances are, the answer is yes.
· Beech Tree brings 4-star dining to Upper Beaches [Toronto Star]
· Fat's all that [NOW]