After meeting in their hometown of Whitby in 2007, chef Matthew Simpson and partner Jasmine Lee set out to hone their restaurant skills in high-end Toronto restaurants, with the aspiration of creating their own restaurant upon their return.
About two years later that dream came to fruition as The Springwood was born.
To experience upscale dining, many residents of Durham had been obliged to schlep to downtown Toronto. Indeed, that’s a routine we have practised for decades. However, now The Springwood conveniently brings the downtown philosophy of a local producer farm to table concept to Whitby.
Servings are generous “family style” and there’s an exclusively Canadian wine list. For a very small location the selection of food and variety of dishes is nothing short of remarkable.
In my opinion, it is a huge plus that the wine list is selected entirely from Ontario VQA wines. For that, I applaud the owners for what I feel is a long overdue recognition for Canadian wines. They also have local beers and wonderful cocktails, both alcoholic and non alcoholic.
Focused on local and sustainable products, the menu is prepared by the highly creative kitchen crew and delivered to the table by the more-than-capable serving team.
Matthew prepares the meals in a kitchen open to the restaurant, beside which is the bar where you can also watch the bar staff creating special cocktails.
Rosé, white and red wines are represented, as well as a good variety of sparklers. The list is populated by some well known names from both Prince Edward County and Niagara.
Divided into categories the menu opens with the Raw Bar, where one finds the likes of tuna tartare, oysters and shrimps. Following on, the Small or Appetizers section offers Curried Lamb Scotch Egg and my personal favourite, Sunflower-Spelt Bread.
Next up, the Mid section presents Duck Liver Mousse or Braised Rabbit. Stepping into Protein provides main courses of Short Rib with Horseradish and Crispy Onions, and Char Sui Sablefish with Parsnip Puree. Naturally there are vegetables and desserts.
True foody aficionados can opt for the special Come On Over For Dinner, a chef’s table presentation available at three price points. This option may be accompanied by Come On Over For Drinks, which adds curated wine servings for a truly elevated experience.
Two of my favourite selections from the Small category are the Crispy Salt and Pepper Humbolt Squid, and the Beef Cheek Croquettes. I have had their duck confit main course which was special in every way. In-house frites are definitively grand and the Springwood Lobster Cobb salad is the best I have ever had.
Desserts that I adored were the Sour Cherries in Tahini Semifreddo with Pistachio and Rose Petals, and the Strawberry Eton Mess, a delicious fusion of meringue, lemon curd and Marscarpone. As the season transitioned away from strawberries to peaches, I was offered a peach tart that was absolutely delicious.
In my humble opinion, everyone should be extremely happy with any offering from this menu.
The Springwood is a tiny restaurant with limited seating that certainly requires a reservation as its popularity is growing. The location is on Highway #2 in the east end of the city of Whitby. Service is excellent, the concept is charming, and the food is highly recommended.
I have lived my entire adult life in the Durham region and the three occasions I have enjoyed at The Springwood are undoubtedly the best meals I have ever had in the Durham region.
Again, I applaud Matthew and Jasmine’s decision regarding the VQA Ontario only wine List: that level of respect for our Canadian wines is long over due.
Springwood, is a must try experience that brings big city culinary sophistication to the Oshawa and Whitby region.
