With a passion for simple, classic French food, chef Jean-Regis Raynaud and Pascal Vernhes opened Le Baratin in 2016 as a small bistrot Français on Dundas Street West nestled in the heart of Toronto's Brockton Village neighbourhood. Classic with a modern twist, all of the dishes at Le Baratin are made in-house, as well as the sauces which are prepared with a veal based stock. Raynaud believes in the good old way of preparing food, the proper way. Open for dinner seven days a week and brunch on weekends, seasonal influences certainly sway the menu. Arriving for a family dinner on a chilly February evening, the plats principaux included wintery classics such as Steak-Frites, Magret de Canard and Jarret d'Agneau, a succulent five-hour braised Lamb Shank served with a tomato "Provençale" jus and silky purée de pommes de terre.
In addition to the printed menu, the restaurant features daily specials hand written on small chalkboards perched on the table as guests arrive. Two exceptional plats du jour were the Veal Sweetbreads with mushroom sauce, Blanquette de Veau and fabulous Marmite du Pêcheur Lobster Bisque. Our server recommended a rich and delicious Sancerre from the Loire Valley to enjoy with our meal. So glad he did, because it was sensational. So good in fact, we ordered a second bottle. Gastronomy is not only about eating, it's also about pleasure, authenticity, freshness, and conviviality. Featuring 3-courses for just $59 or 2-courses for under $50, Le Baratin is all about good food, good wine, and good vibes. Santé!
The interior of Le Baratin
Le Baratin dinner menu
Chalkboard specials for the evening
Charming place setting with dish cloth-style napkin
Le Baratin's "bookcase" of French wines
Our lovely French server presenting our bottle of Loire Valley Sancerre
Recommended by our server as a wonderful wine, I had never experienced a red Sancerre, and it was excellent
Dry, medium bodied and deep ruby coloured, the palate was classic Pinot Noir
Tarte Provençale with carmelized onion, chèvre and black olives
Pâté de Campagne aux Pruneaux
Housemade cured Gravlax with Boursin and sourdough bread
Veal Sweetbreads vol-au-vent with Mushroom Sauce
Steak-Frites: Marinated Striploin AAA with shallot sauce and mixed greens
Magret de Canard: Duck breast with Port wine sauce and sunchoke Dauphinoise
Marmite du Pêcheur with lobster bisque
Mousse au Chocolat with Amaretto and whipped cream
Berry Pavlova with vanilla iced cream and caramel sauce
Beef Bourguignon
Serves 4
Recipe courtesy of Chef Jean-Regis Raynaud
2 pounds stewing beef, from the shoulder, cut into cubes
Flour, for dredging
1/4 cup olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 cups red wine
3 cups beef broth
3 tbsp tomato paste
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 1/2 cups small pearl onions
6 slices bacon, chopped
1 1/2 cups white button mushrooms, quartered
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Dredge the beef cubes in flour. In a large Dutch oven, heat the olive oil, then brown the meat on all sides. Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the wine, broth, tomato paste, garlic, bay leaves, and dried thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, and transfer to the oven. Bake for about 2 hours.
In the meantime, prepare the onions. For easy peeling, blanch them in boiling water for 2 minutes. In a skillet, brown the bacon. Remove the bacon from the skillet, leaving the fat. Add mushrooms to the skillet and sauté in the bacon fat.
Roughly 20 minutes before the beef mixture has finished cooking, add the bacon, onions, and mushrooms to the Dutch oven and place back in the oven to finish cooking. Serve with rice or mashed potatoes.
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