Restaurant Review: Kiwe Kitchen

Kiwe Kitchen 587 King St West (south west corner at Portland) 416.203.0551

What a visual treat! What a gourmet delight! This is truly a discovery that tantalizes all the senses. The sleek modern design of the restaurant is a thing of beauty. There is a small bar at the front of the restaurant. Don’t stop there. Walk through the restaurant to appreciate the large bar at the back of the restaurant. You have the choice of modern booths that offer more privacy or tables at the back of the restaurant. The wooden floors and the beautiful filigree ceiling are pure art. The service was impeccable. We were delighted with the attention given us by Sylvia, our server. No wonder she is so professional. She is a graduate of the cooking school at George Brown. This young lady has a future in front of her. The very handsome classy owner Steve Cecelia dropped by several times to make sure we were happy campers. It was one first class designer that did the business cards and post card size announcements and descriptions of the restaurant. Everything here is done with good taste and a fine sense of artistic creation.
I complimented the owner on the menu. It is not excessively large. It is the type of menu that will please anyone. If you want light fare there are many options. Cheese plates are offered as well as a series of tasty dips.
We both ordered the Roasted Beet Salad. I can safely say it was the best salad I have ever had. ($9.00) Three types of beets are served with French style green beans and fingerling potatoes. A light sprinkling of frisee compliments the presentation and taste. The vinaigrette was perfect. There was a light taste of fresh lime juice. It was all served in a large white bowl. My friend Elaine and I opted for 2 appetizers. Following the salad Elaine enjoyed the Squid with Du Puis Lentils.($12.00) I hardly called our dishes appetizers. They were generous portions and the taste was superb. I opted for the Chilled Shrimp.($14.00) Five giant shrimp were served in a large bowl of ice. Two sauces and pieces of lemon were presented to enhance the taste. They had been perfectly cooked and maintained a firm texture with a delightful flavor.
Four pasta options were tempting. I was tempted by the Lemon Linguini($18.00) or Linguini with shrimp. ($21.00) Several heartier dishes are also available for anyone wanting a full course meal. Tuna is my favorite fish. I was delighted to see it on the menu as a main course or Tuna Tartare as an appetizer.
Blackened Cod fish is also on the menu. There are several specials each day.
This restaurant is open for lunch and dinner. They are closed on Monday. In April Kiwe will be starting to serve brunch on Sunday.
King Street is such a vibrant part of town. Even on this March evening there were a lot of patrons sitting in patios in the myriad of restaurants... Kiwe is new to the block as of October. It is a complete winner. I was dazzled from the moment I entered the restaurant.
. I loved the total experience.