I’d been trying to hit Harlem for a while now, since its 11pm close-time pairs well with my late-night eating schedule. Despite favourable hours, the kitchens were usually shutting down by the time I crossed their threshold. Passing through the restaurant’s doors before 10pm one night, I was finally able to sit down and discover what culinary comforts Harlem had to offer.
From their menu, I chose soul food mainstays such as mac ‘n’ cheese, rice & beans, corn bread, and candied yams to accompany my braised short ribs. I opted for two starters: the beet & mango salad and the avocado hummus & spiced walnut pâté. When I had a moment to think about it, I did acknowledge that this would be a very large meal. But I wanted to try everything and so this didn’t deter me!
Aside from the really nice presentation of the hummus and pâté dish, everything was fairly straightforward. Of everything I ate, I most enjoyed the sides. The rice & beans were really satisfying and the candied sweet potatoes were really well done. With unexpected ingredients like pear and plum, I thought the beet & mango salad a good choice, as its elements all worked well together.
A good comfort-food joint that definitely makes it on the “return” list. Glad I finally had a chance to check it out.
- Harlem Restaurant 67 Richmond Street East, Toronto
More Harlem
I’m confused. Was this a “me” or “we” venture? For a moment I was quite impressed (Yay Jen! I’m no longer alone in this mass carnage. Then I came across the “we” part in the third paragraph). Or were you the one responsible for all the ordering?
Renée, I can’t eat like you! My stomach is not so epic.