The Royal York Hotel, The Fifth, Susur, Eigenseinn Farm and the final two years of his journey as the Sous Chef at Oro Restaurant before opening Blacktree. Now that Blacktree has opened, the response and press have been generous.
There is a part of the culinary world that values presentation, new combinations of ingredients, and the avant-garde over good flavours. I have heard it said as almost a criticism on cooking shows that the chef “just” makes really delicious food. Blacktree definitely belongs to that school of thought. I found the meal to be a tour de force of form over substance. The presentations were beautiful, I could see that a lot of work went into the dishes, but the flavours were disappointing.
Like Patricia below, I found the flavours did not complement one another. The actual proteins on the entrees were wonderful in and of themselves because they were of the highest quality and expertly prepared. But in each case the rest of the dish as a whole left all three of us flat.
I can’t be quite as kind about the desserts, they were simply not good. The fig upside down cake was actually inedible.
The service was excellent, we enjoyed our waiter and he was very attentive. But we found the pacing of the meal very slow. Sometimes this might be exactly what you want, but for us it was a work night and we didn’t like having to wait about an hour between the courses.
It was a culinary experience that I enjoy having once in a long while, but there are so many restaurants that “just” serve delicious food that it will be a long time before I go back to Blacktree.
Not sure where Patricia and her Husband have tried food from around the world, probably at home. Matteo's food has always been excellent. The menu is always changing and has many unique dishes that you will never find anywhere around here because most people look for the standard dishes they know.
Everytime I have been there it has always been a great menu of Fusion and Mediterranean influences.
I agree about the dirty finger nails though, that should never happen at any restaurant.
Give it a try with an open mind and expect something different, you will not be disappointed.
WOW. this place has NEVER LET ME DOWN! Matteo is so passionate about his food, that when it arrives on your plate you can see the love, and feel the love when you eat it!
The atmosphere is relaxed and cozy, even though this place is "upscale" . Easily the best food i've ever eaten in my life. Amazing and unique food combinations topped with service that takes it to an 11. (that means stellar)
I love that the menu changes monthly, and the personal greeting from Matteo. He usually comes out to speak to every table.....fantastic right?
for a place that seat about 30 , you feel like you are at a friends house. (a rich fancy friend. haha)
i suggest this to all the people I Know. ditch every other place you ever go, save a few bucks and go to Blacktree where the service and food is so good you will want to pay more!
I'd been dying to visit Blacktree for a long time, and finally had the chance this August, to celebrate my anniversary with my boyfriend. I was a little nervous about how upscale the restaurant is, whether there was a dress code etc, but it had an amazingly relaxed atmosphere, even though it is a really well decorated and higher caliber restaurant.
The staff was so friendly and knowledgeable about the menu, the wine. Very helpful and courteous. Chef Matteo obviously loves what he does, each dish we had was so carefully put together and although intricate, we weren't left waiting a ridiculous amount of time for each serving.
As I was coming back to our table from the washroom, I bumped into Matteo in the hallway and he struck up a conversation with me and followed me back to our table to greet my boyfriend and talk to us a bit. He offered us a drink on the house in celebration of our anniversary, which was just wonderful. The whole evening was absolutely wonderful, and although it's obviously an expensive place to eat, I would go there again in a heartbeat for that kind of service and food.
Maybe it was a case of far too much hype leading into our dinner at Blacktree this past Friday, but I found that the restaurant missed the mark on many points.
Our experience started off great with the reservation call, which was taken by Matteo (the chef/owner). He was great to speak with, asked questions about our visit and allergies. My wife has a nut allergy and this is the first time a restaurant has asked during the reservation, a great touch (not to mention that they remembered this and mentioned it when we were sat for dinner.)
The restaurant is beautifully decorated and has a great atmosphere. It is however, very small and can feel cramped when full. We spent a good bit of time with the waiter's rear end hovering over our table as he bent over to speak with the table next to us.
The service was ridiculously slow. We were seated at 7:45, did not have wine on our table until almost 8:15 and did not have the menu explained to us (which is necessary due to it's complexity and the style in which it is written) until 8:30. After ordering, the food came out in a reasonable amount of time and the courses were well paced. This all ground to a halt after finishing our mains, as it took nearly 20 mintues to get a dessert menu and then over 10 minutes for the waiter to come back to inquire about our order. The delay was blamed on a large group ordering just ahead of us, but I counted 4 waiters and no more than 12 or 13 tables to wait, which should not have slowed down service, in my opinion. After all, the kitchen was able to keep up with the food, why couldn`t the servers? All in, we were over 2.5 hours for dinner for two, and not because we were taking our time.
The food was also hit and miss. The amuse bouche, a small piece of foie gras with a sweet sauce, was a fantastic way to start off the meal. The bread was fresh baked in house and served with a watercress butter, I could have eaten another full loaf to myself. The appetizers were both very, very good. We had the smoked monkfish, which was perfectly prepared and served with an variety of accompaniments to compliment the fish and the soup of the day, which I believe was parsley root and was also very, very good.
For the mains I had the Game special, Ontario Deer. This dish was good, but not great. Nothing wrong with the dish at all, but it didn't knock my socks off like the monkfish appetizer did. My wife had the Fish special, which was described by the waiter as Alaskan Black Cod, Monkfish or Seabass depending on which time we were speaking. I am fairly sure it was Black Cod, but the waiter never described it as the same fish twice. This dish went back to the kitchen nearly untouched by my wife. Although it was not bad, it was not at all good. The accompanying lobster meat had a very fishy taste and the foam that was applied did not match well with the lobster.
To the restaurants credit, the dish was immediately taken off of the bill without any prompting or suggestion from us, even after we explained that there was nothing wrong with the dish, it was just not to our liking. This direction came directly from Matteo in the kitchen, he really does seem to care about each of his guests.
Due to the slow service, we did not have time to try the desserts, so I can't comment on them.
This place has so much potential. Matteo is obviously a fantastic chef and a great host. If it were not for the slow service I could have given Blacktree a better rating, but it made it that much harder to enjoy the rest of our meal and possibly excuse some of the smaller faults. Overall, I was dissapointed after reading all of the buzz surrounding this restaurant but I will try Blacktree again and hope that it was just an off night.
The food we had was amazing, the mushroom ravioli appetizer was absoutely fantastic and the elk entree was perhaps the best cooked piece of meat I have ever had. The service however, really took the edge off a wonderful evening. We sat down at 8.10 and promptly ordered and received water and a bottle of wine, we were then left for 30 minutes looking at the menus before our waiter arrived to take our order. Once we had ordered, the food was promptly delivered to the table (although it was now an hour since we sat down) and both courses were just amazing. We were then left for 15 minutes before the girl at the front desk brought us dessert menus, and Fred arrived another 15 minutes later to take our order, by which time we had lost interest and just got the bill. As we left we searched the closet and retrieved our coats ourselves as the girl was busy washing glasses behind the bar.
A place that produces food as fantastic as this should really have more or better staff. Whilst I do not like to rush through a meal, waiting 1/2 an hour to order, then another 1/2 an hour to order desserts was too long. The staff were very knowledgeable on the food, which was great but the service was really disappointing.
10/10 for the food though, it really was excellent and not over-priced for the quality.
Again, another excellent meal,perfect atmosphere...
Again, another excellent meal,perfect atmosphere and attentive staff including the chef and owner Matteo.
We went with a party of five to celebrate my birthday as this is my chosen restaurant for special occasions.
Food was exceptional as usual everyone loved there chosen meals.
Its great not to have to travel to Toronto to find this kind of menu and service.
Thanks again Matteo and staff we will be back soon!
Matteo is the best!!
Careful attention to detail...
Matteo is the best!!
Careful attention to detail and presentation.........absolutely the most intense flavours in all of the foods presented.
It's all about quality not quantity here.....for those who appreciate the finer things in a dining experience.
Decor is a little funky but interesting.
Service was excellent ......not the best I've ever had, but close.
The Best in the West
Read about the owner Matteo in Toronto Life some time ago - specifically about how he worked with Thuet and Lee, so we were intrigued.
Having passed this restaurant and mall dozens of times and once reservations were made, we laughed as we crept down the alley to the restaurant. For "fine dining", this ain't your typical Oakville/Burlington joint...meant in the best way possible. Prententious it is not.
Staff are friendly, attentive and knowledgeable. Matteo came out to greet every table and make sure everything was up to par. Decor does indeed have a "blend of vintage circus, Goth fantasy and old Hollywood glamour " to it.
Can't say enough about the place. Loved the courtyard movie playing outside.
We would return weekly if it were "economically-feasible".
I would have never even found this place at Roseland Mall had I not peered down the alley to my right as I was going into Shoppers Drugmart last week! I walked over with my friend to read the menu outside the front door and met Matteo, owner and chef.
I'm a wannabe chef, a sucker for anything different when it comes to food, and as an avid hunter in Canada and Africa, I LIVE for cooking and eating game. I think it's one of the most challenging foods to prepare so that your guests get something more than just 'different', but actually 'delicious'. Matteo invited me to come and try the Elk so last night I used my 10 year anniversary as an excuse to go to the Blacktree ;-)
I won't comment on the atmosphere because I didn't eat it. I'm in this for the food and some of the best meals I've ever eaten have been consumed on the hood of my truck.
The service was excellent and our waiter was entertaining. He was very knowledgeable about what he was serving but didn't overload us with unnecessary information. As a matter of fact, I appreciated having someone there to tell me what I was seeing on each plate.
Now on to the food... My expectations were pretty high since I am no stranger to game (I was catching rabbits and grouse on my parents farm and cooking them at the age of 15)! The first tease out of the kitchen was a small taste of air-cured elk heart. It had intense flavour and was unbelievably tender for dried meat. It came with a bit of fig which was a perfect compliment. After that I had the foie gras (encrusted in pistachio) and duck liver in tempura. It all melted in my mouth and was very rich - not for the faint of heart. This was followed by a little treat from the kitchen - two spoons with a tamarillo fruit on each. After eating it I was teleported to Tanzania where kids run up to your truck and sell you these things on the street. When the entree came out, a whole elk chop, bone-in, and frenched... I felt like Gaston from beauty and the beast! Could have swore my rifle was leaning against the wall beside me (food is so much fun!). The elk was perfectly rare, tender, and juicy (obviously farm-raised). I would have liked it to be a bit more gamey but that is a privilege reserved only for those who hunt.
It was a great night, and Matteo clearly enjoys what he does. I could barely get through everything since the portions were quite generous. In the end, I ate too much and I drank too much, and that's how I know I had a good time.
A written review cannot do this restaurant justice.
Overall, the creativity of the menu, quality of ingredients, and excellence in execution put Blacktree beyond any other local establishment. In my opinion, Chef Matteo Paonessa ranks up there with the best of Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver.
In keeping with the great food, service is professional and highly attentive.
Finally, the atmosphere is worth a mention - located in the back corner of an aging suburban strip mall, the interior ambiance is clean and fresh, yet also warm and inviting - it makes you want to get comfortable and stay a while.
INCREDIBLE. Best kept secret in Burlington. I don't even know where to begin...
My husband brought me to Blacktree for my birthday dinner and it was the most fantastic culinary experience I have ever had. Let's start with the staff: there are perhaps two waitstaff a night (during the week) and it's incredible how quickly and efficiently they are able to get the food out to everyone in the restaurant. Friendly conversationalists, these people will tell you EXACTLY what you are about to eat. Don't like something? No problem. We had a long conversation with our waiter after we had finished our meal - how often do you get service like that?
Atmosphere: Modern and chic and tucked away in the corner of a rather unlikely plaza. They make the most of the limited space, projecting silent films on the blank wall outside. What an incredible, smart idea!
Food: Wow. Just wow. That night I ate things I thought I would never eat and they were ALL AMAZING. All I can say is TRY EVERYTHING. Take a bite at the very least. I did, just to be polite, and then I devoured every single morsel. The portions are also well worth your money. I was full to the brim.
We ended our night tossing snowballs with Matteo, the chef, in the back parking lot. What an incredible and approachable person!
Incredible experience and worth every, hard-earned penny.
We have been many times and each time it is superb!!!
It is an incredible restaurant on all counts of Toronto/New York caliber. We are so lucky to have Matteo and his staff in Burlington. And ....the parking rate can't be better!
My wife and I have been to Blacktree five times...
My wife and I have been to Blacktree five times now and have enjoyed ourselves each time. We have been treated to great ambience, amazing food and wonderful service everytime.
The wait staff is very friendly and a pleasure to talk to, especially Peter. And Matteo has greeted us every time and taken the time to catch up with us.
We highly recommend Blacktree to anyone interested in food.
After reading the reviews for this restaurant, I...
After reading the reviews for this restaurant, I was jacked to try it out, I mean I was really pumped to visit.
We were there for our reservation of 8pm. After being seated we were asked what type of water we would like with dinner. Then we waited...for 25 MINUTES, that's TWENTY FIVE...to get a drink order!! 25 minutes to get a beer in front of me. After 20 minutes, and watching the table next to us get attended to 4 times!!!!, we were wondering if we left...would anyone notice? Eventually, we got to order. The amuse buche and appetizers were amazing. The entrees were good. I asked the server about a certain dish and he said "this i s our lightest dish, you should have the beef". What? Okay, that's not what I asked, but I'll take your word for it. It must have been because I'm a larger guy at 6'-3". But cmon...the steak was good, but it wasn't to die for and I was looking for something other than what I already cook to perfection on my own grill every weekend. The restaurant is only 10 or so tables and with 3 or 4 servers we should have been looked after a little better.
Chef, I thought your food was excellant. Hire new wait staff.
As well, I couldn't even talk to my wife because we were screaming over the other tables and the sounds coming from the kitchen. (we sat next to the bar)
After our entree we were so annoyed we just wanted to leave. We asked for our bill when offered the dessert menu and bought a klondike bar at the 7-11.
Unfortunately, we won't be returning because of everything else but the food.
Too bad...I was really looking forward to a great night out away from the 6 month old. And for the price of a meal here, I deserved better service.
Matteo, you need to be very proud of yourself and...
Matteo, you need to be very proud of yourself and your staff, this was a positive adventure to us . We very much enjoyed it.
You wait staff are terrific and your cook staff is wonderful.
Can't wait till we return for another adventure.
Keep up the great work. I will surely pass on a great word.
I have been reading the reviews of some these people, and have to laugh a little bit at the notion of Black Tree being pretentious. The restaurant is in a strip mall with the likes of Gino's Pizza and Sammy's Donair! I think the word that they are looking for is sophistication not pretension (is that a word?). Something that Burlington's restaurant scene is sorely lacking. I am so sick and tired of going to restautrant's in this town and only seeing menu's with- Chicken - Beef - and Salmon!!
Going out to dinner for me is all about the entire experience. No matter when, it is always a special event for me to go out and try something new that I would never have at home. A visit to The Black Tree is sure to be a special occasion if you visit. We had the most wonderful time enjoying each and every innovative dish that came out of the kitchen. Yes, there were foams, bubbles and what not, but if you are a food lover then this just gets you more excited. I challenge you to name one place in Burlington that you can find this sort of original type cuisine? Bet you haven't thought of one have you? I applaude Matheo for being courageous enough to do this sort of thing in Burlington. Someone finally has the coulons to express their culinary talents in this very picky, and dare I say it, boring restaurant scene.
I thoroughly enjoy food and the experience of going out to dinner. I love it so much that I work in the industry myself. From a culinary stand point the things that are being created at this restaurant are nothing short of amazing. I have a top ten list of the best meals I have ever had in my 34 years of living.
Meals from all over the world from Italy to Thailand to Montreal top this list and I can say without a shadow of a doubt this meal I had on New Years made the list.
As for the black and white movies.....the whole point is to make a very small restaurant seem bigger. You would be staring at a concrete wall if they didn't do something there. I thought this was brilliant ,as I was the one facing outside.
Listen, if you ignore the rest of this message fine, just go to the Black Tree and experience a very cool night. Alright?!?!
I read 'mr. harry's' review and it slowed me down...
I read 'mr. harry's' review and it slowed me down discovering this little jem. There is nothing pretentious about this place. I'm not going to bother going into details but I strongly urge anyone who has heard of this place to call now and reserve. If burlington doesn't pack this place nightly there's something wrong with this town that acts as if it is a cultural mecca. I challenge this city to make burlington worthy of such a culinary entity. Pretentious? no. Challenging to the faint of heart and unadventurous? definitely.
I love the movies-old school superman with new school superdining is definitely an experience not to be missed.
Great little place. You quickly forget that your...
Great little place. You quickly forget that your in a strip mall. Matteo came out to chat and truely seems to have a passion for what he does. Not somewhere to go if you are hoping to get in and out quickly. Our dining experience lasted for over 2 hrs (and that was without coffee/digestif).
