12b- Underground Restaurant’s Kitchen

Buzz builds whenever underground restaurants peek up around cities. Food lovers hold their breaths. In a cut-throat business where word of mouth, initial impressions, and reputation can make or break a chef, people await to see how long the concealed establishment will last. , of course, doesn’t even take into account the risk of running an operation that infringes on licensing laws and health codes.

Plainly, its mysterious and hush-hush nature only stirs curiosities and heightens its appeal. It’s unclear whether the love of food is still the primary focus or if this dining style serves purely for entertainment value. Or worse, if it serves as bragging rights for “rockstar chefs” that do not conform to conventional kitchens.

So does the underground restaurant phenomenon really live up to the hype? This issue pertains especially to restaurant 12b as its mystique has faded over the years and even mainstream publications such as The Globe and Mail has reported on it. I, along with 9 other local food lovers, most of whom were strangers, visited Chef Todd at 12b to find out.

After a few weeks of planning with some Chowhounds, the night finally arrived. We entered his unremarkable, but inviting and art-filled apartment in the sweltering summer heat. Upon initial greetings, Todd’s confidence became quickly apparent; he wore a faded, sleeveless t-shirt and looked prepared to tackle the evening. We each brought a bottle of wine, sipped out of Mason jars, and mingled around a long picnic table.

Todd allowed me to photograph all the action in his kitchen. After some chatting and following him with my lens, I conclude that Todd’s intense concentration and ability to multi-task is admirable. His menu was nicely planned and in spite of the kitchen’s limitations, he coordinated the timing of his 6 courses well.

The Menu:

Appetizers:

• White wine asparagus cream soup with black and white truffle
• Seared scallops on watercress salad, red pepper, mango dressing, Marscapone stuffed pepper

Entrées:

• Halibut: tarragon brown butter sauce, Puy lentils, brûlée grapefruit
• Pesto duck breast: yam gnocchi, oregano roasted Campri tomato
• Buffalo shortrib: parsnip shootstrings, celeraic purée, honey glazed peas

Dessert:

• Margarita Deconstructo: Cazadores, Maldon salt, Kaffir lime ice cream, strawberry purée, Meyer lemon sorbet

12b Photo Documentary

Thank you for your hospitality, Todd, and I wish you all the best.

This article is a part of the 24 Meals, 24 Hours, 24 Blogs event on Foodbuzz.com

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