Canteen

Though I knew Canteen was small, when I got there I still had to marvel for a few minutes at just how tiny it is! It's cute and cozy during dinner, with low lighting and plenty of candles. The books on the bookshelves at each table are a neat touch and a great conversation starter (one of my favorites that night was "Mr. Bell Invents the Telephone"). Like the restaurant, the menu itself is also small (the wine list is, too), with only four appetizers, four main courses and four desserts (plus one special dessert) to choose from on the night we were there. Service is friendly and amazingly efficient, and with a 9:15 PM reservation, we didn't feel at all rushed. And the food? The food is excellent. Not necessarily knocks-your-socks off amazing, but very, very, VERY good. I started with a Spring Onion Soup with prawns, chose the Lamb Shoulder Confit with chickpeas, yoghurt and mint for an entree, and finished with a Tangerine Sorbet with champagne gelee and fromage blanc for dessert. Best line of the night: "Would you like another roll? We have some just coming out of the oven." Heaven! more

Flipping through the 1961 Michelin Italy guide (the Red Book) while pondering what to have for dinner, I already felt that there was something special about Canteen, and I was right. From the simple decor to the amazing food and better than average coffee, Canteen is a force to be reckoned with if you're looking for modern interpretations of comfort food. Dinner started with a drink, which tonight would be beer - a $6 bottle of Pilsner Urquell (yeowch!), followed by a challah dinner roll and a heavenly creme of green onion soup with prawns. I haven't had a cream soup this good since leaving Munich. The main courses were all in the mid $20s. I elected to have the poached duck breast with lentils and a mustard crust - rich and flavorful without the grease that accompanies most preparations of this tasty bird. I finished with the vanilla souffle and a cappuccino. Unlike many restaurants, Canteen selects two different sets of beans: Jeremiah's Pick for the drip coffee and Mr. Espresso for the espresso drinks. Both were well selected for their purpose. The wrap up: Service: 4 of 5. The waiter was knowledgable, friendly and truly interested in everyone's dining experience. The service was prompt but professional, considering they had a strict 90 minute seating policy. Providing a bottle of water at every table to reduce the load on the staff is brilliant. The only rub is that the bus-woman could have been a little more personable. Food: 5 out of 5. Exactly what you expect - reinterpreted classic American comfort food. Prices: 4 out of 5. The beer was outrageously priced, but the food was appropriately priced based on the great portion size and overall quality of the daily-changing menu. more

Inspiring cuisine. Very small place but there is just the owneer cooking and one small girl helping. Do yo can see if he burn anything and has to scrape off the edges like my mom did with toast. I don't think that happens much because he seems like he is a better cook that my mom was. Even though she was a pretty darned good cook. more

Ambitious and passionate cooking, the food here strives towards greatness and sometimes succeeds. Disguised as a haute diner, all silvered surfaces and acid green, Canteen could be the set of a David Lynch film. On Wednesday nights there is a set menu, that's right, no choice and you'll like it. I did like it, you probably will too. *Update: I just got back from lunch here, and everything was fantastic. We started with an amuse of a sliver of tuna crudo garnished with lime, then a warm vichyssoise with crab and parsley, my friend had a spectacular halibut ceviche with avocado, cucumber and whole freshly roasted coriander seed while I had a perfect smoked salmon sandwich accompanied by hand cut, fried to order potato chips. If that wasn't enough, even the home made cranberry sorbet sent out to finish was a wonderful cool balance of sweet and tart. Canteen is new and undiscovered, I assure you though, it won't remain so for long more