By Mike Lowe
Danielle Murray, proprietor of Dani’s Bistro, strikes you as one of the most optimistic people you’ll ever meet.
She has good reason to be. Her namesake restaurant opened on Valentine’s Day 2011 and it certainly shows promise. The restaurant fills a void created when the wine bar, Cask 22, departed the downtown business scene.
Murray has kept the Niagara VQA wine theme but has supplemented the wine focus with some very good casual fare. The wine list offers a staggering 22 wines by the glass ($5-$9) with most bottle prices under $30.
The bistro is a beautiful, casual space warmed by the use of dark wood, a prominent crimson color scheme and eye-catching black and white table dressings.
It is an unpretentious, welcoming atmosphere that invites the diner to sit, relax, eat and enjoy! An eyebrow raises as we study the menu. The prices are just too good to believe.
Soups, salads, and a few cold and hot tapas are offered as starters, priced from $2 – $6. An interesting sandwich collection ($5- $7) includes the classic, southern muffaletta and one called Elvis, a grilled peanut butter and banana treat with honey-cinnamon dip.
A small, but well-rounded, selection of mains will set you back a mere $6-$9. The salinity of rich, olive tapenade is delicious with the lovely house-baked herb crackers placed on the table instead of bread.
A very nice substitute, indeed. We lead off with a couple of tapas, white pizza ($3) and ratatouille with pasta ($4). The pizza consists of four two-bite slices. Crust is thin and crisp and toppings of delicate leeks and soft slices of potato marry well with the not to strong cheese.
The bistro’s ratatouille is rather rustic: the pieces of vegetables are larger than many versions. In our serving, onions are dominant and eggplant is scarce but the flavours and seasoning are deftly handled.
One recommendation: a bit of salt in the pasta water, please.
Spaghettini replaces the angel-hair pasta mentioned on the menu but it is, considering the chunkier style of the veg, a good textural call.
Both main dishes deliver deep, hearty flavors and are a sheer joy to devour. The tender “pulled” strands of pot roast ($9), mingle with a wine-based, intensely aromatic sauce nestled on a mound of creamy mashed potato. A few haricot vert and batons of carrot are perfectly cooked and seasoned.
I paired the pot roast with a glass of Strewn’s 2008 Rogue’s Lot Cabernet Franc/Cabernet Sauvignon blend and encourage you to try the combination.
But, the award for best dish of the evening has to go to the blackened tilapia. The Cajun seasoning is near perfect (not to salty) and the flesh of the fish is succulent, sweet and moist.
A wonderful tomato salsa, both slightly sweet and zesty, is a glorious sidekick with the piquant spices on the fish.
Minor issue: rice is kept warm too long resulting in hard, crunchy grains. Dani’s sensibly sized plates allow sufficient room for dessert, which I strongly recommend.
A velvety, decadent chocolate mousse is laced with just the right amount of chilies to tantalize the senses. Pair that with the crispy ginger snap served alongside and it’s, well, damn near perfect.
If you order the bread pudding, go the extra step and have it with ice cream.
Service at the bistro is efficient without pretense, friendly and light-hearted. Dani’s is the kind of place that puts the diner at ease and urges one, in its own subtle way, to return to further enjoy the delicious dishes and excellent wines of Niagara..
What: Dani’s Bistro & VQA Wine Bar
Where: 176 St. Paul St., St. Catharines, Ontario
Phone: 905 346 3306
Hours: Monday to Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., closed Sunday.
Rating: 31/2 Stars (Out of 5)
UPDATE: Have revisited since and enjoyed escargot followed by macaroni and cheese. Same great service and quality food as the first time.
Wine Pick of the Week:
13th Street Red Palette 2010 (VQA- Niagara Peninsula) $14.95 (incl. deposit) — The nose offers red raspberries, floral notes and delicate earthy aromas. Juicy and vibrant on the palate showing nice raspberry and red currant fruit, soft tannins and pleasing, balanced acidity. Enjoy it with hard cheeses, pizza and charcuterie.
• 13th Street Winery 1776 Fourth Ave., St. Catharines, ON (905) 984-8463
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