BURLINGTON - When asked what cuisine you feel like eating, it’s unlikely your first response is, “Let’s have Canadian tonight.” But Loondocks, named for the most Canadian of birds, might change your mind.
The Burlington restaurant was one of over 300 nominated for the prestigious Travel and Hospitality Awards, where winners are selected based on their uniqueness, quality of services and facilities, and exceptional levels of customer service.
“It’s a great honour to be recognized by such an acclaimed international publication that awards restaurants and hotels all around the globe, said chef Kevin Duynstee, who, along with his wife Brittany, opened Loondocks in Port Carling in 2012 but made the decision to move to Burlington to be closer to family and friends. “I believe there is a lack of truly Canadian restaurants, especially at the fine dining level. I believe we won this award because of our commitment to high-quality Canadian cuisine.”
Kevin and Brittany spent most of their summers in Muskoka growing up, but they didn’t meet until they were in their late teens while working together at the Rocky Crest Resort on Lake Joseph, where Kevin spent four years training under a great chef named Patrick Louch.
“I learned a great lesson as a young cook: no matter how talented you are as a chef, your food will only be as good as your raw ingredients. This is why we always source only the highest-quality ingredients for Loondocks. We also take the time to prepare our cuisine with an abundance of love and care. We make almost everything from scratch, and we use a lot of superior, flavour-rich cooking methods such as sous-vide and confit. This is more time-consuming and expensive, but definitely worth it,” said Kevin.
The menu incorporates as many local, regional, and national ingredients as possible and changes several times yearly to take advantage of seasonal ingredients. About half of the items will be swapped completely, and others will see minor changes. Kevin and his sous chef spend about a month running tests and going back and forth with purveyors before a new menu is finalized.
Scan the menu, and you’ll see plenty of Canadian ingredients, like Nova Scotia snow crab, Saskatchewan bison, Manitoba boar, and even Burlington duck.
Kevin said three staples are long-lasting favourites among their guests: “First, our Beet and Warm Goat Cheese Salad, with several types of heirloom beets, candied walnuts, and an aged balsamic reduction. We serve the goat cheese slightly warm, which adds an enticing variance in temperature and texture to the salad. Second is our Chorizo Gnocchi, which is delicious simplicity. We start by making fresh gnocchi with PEI potatoes and serve in a simple cream sauce of chorizo, sweet peppers, and organic kale. It’s then finished with one of the world’s greatest cheeses, Parmigiano Reggiano.
“And last but not least, my signature dish, the Filet Mignon. We bring in some of Canada’s highest quality beef tenderloin from Alberta, which is grilled to your liking and served with an aged cheddar potato gratin, seasonal vegetables, and a brandy mushroom cream sauce. You can also add a sous vide Canadian Lobster Tail if desired. If you’re a meat lover, it doesn’t get better than this.”
While Kevin covers the kitchen, Brittany runs the front of the house. “Brittany has such a passion and a very high standard for elegant service and warm hospitality. She also has a great passion for fine wine and creative cocktails. All these things are so crucial to the restaurant experience, and there is no way that Loondocks succeeds without her dedication and hard work,” said Kevin.
True to the name, Loondocks has a warm cottage feel inside and out. Upstairs on the rooftop, there’s a great patio with sunset views, a full bar, and an active herb and vegetable garden, growing things like fresh mint and lavender for drinks and kale, tomatoes, beans, and other vegetables for use in the kitchen.
“Our daily mission is to deliver industry-leading cuisine and service, but without a pretentious, cold, or stuffy atmosphere. This is why we often describe ourselves as casual fine dining. We do the fine dining, and we let our guests do the casual. We believe the cottage theme fits perfectly with this vision,” said Kevin. “Upscale and high quality, but warm and welcoming at the same time. That’s Loondocks.”
