It’s always exciting to watch Chef Greg Couillard‘s creative culinary imagination at work. Living in costal Mexico for the last few years, Greg has been absorbing and integrating a whole new range of authentic Mexican flavours into his already famously eclectic kitchen repertoire. For this meal, Greg combines elements of Mexican village cooking — smoky chiles and rustic casera sauces — with the bright and colourful flavours of the Caribbean Islands.

Maracuya Grilled Octopus
Fresh octopus made meltingly tender by a long marinade in tart passionfruit pulp, piquant jerk spices and fragrant chandon beni (aka culantro, a potent herb popular in Trinidad), grilled with Spanish chorizo sausage and served over chorizo over buttered callaloo greens.

Shortribs Casera
Slow-braised meaty beef shortribs in a rustic red salsa casera of grilled tomatoes, garlic, sweet onions and a trio of rich Pasilla, sweet Guajillo and spicy Arbol chiles. Served over creamy corn and Manchego cheese polenta, with a side of refreshing fennel, radish & mandarina pico de gallo.

Banana Cream Pie
This diner classic gets a sexy Latin makeover with fresh bananas, whipped cream and sweet Mexican cajeta, a luxurious goat’s milk dulce de leche caramel.

$50 +HST

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It would not be hyperbole to suggest that Greg Couillard is one of the most influential chefs in Toronto’s culinary history. Through groundbreaking restaurants like The Parrot, Stelle, Avec, Sarkis, The Spice Room and many others, his prescient embrace of this city’s multicultural flavours and ingredients revolutionized fine dining in Toronto, and foreshadowed the eclectic, international menus many now take for granted.

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Every weekend The Depanneur invites a guest chef to host a fun, informal dinner party.