Baton Rouge

Date: May 30, 2012

Location: 230 Commerce Valley Dr. E. (west of Hwy 404), Thornhill

Website: http://www.batonrougerestaurants.com

Meal: lunch

My thoughts:

I came here with a friend today on a whim. I must admit, it's been many years since I'd been to this particular location - in fact, I was here to celebrate my birthday - so it brought back pleasant memories.

Anyway, the Ahi Tuna Salad immediately caught my eye. I had this at another Baton Rouge, and although the tuna itself wasn't very memorable, the portion was huge and filling (and hence worth the hefty $20 price tag for a salad). 

In the end, I decided on a lunch special, the Mediterranean Chicken Salad ($13), and a glass of red (wine makes everything taste sooo much better!) The salad consisted of 6 ounces of grilled chicken breast on a bed of romaine lettuce topped with grilled zucchini, red peppers, onion straws, olives and goat cheese. There was a choice of dressing, and I chose honey dijon (my favourite). 

I found the chicken to be dry (I suppose better than undercooked! See my Canteen post). The onion straws were delicious, but I didn't think they gelled well with the salad. I would have preferred spinach leaves, as stated in the menu, over romaine lettuce, which I find somewhat bland in comparison. I also don't care for olives. I loved the dressing, veggies and cheese.

My friend ordered the grilled Atlantic Salmon Filet, which came with tartar sauce and a choice of side. My friend had the Cajun rice and ordered an extra side of steamed vegetables. I'd had better seasoned rice before. I personally thought it tasted like the instant variety. The salmon was not too bad - great with the tartar sauce but lacking without. The vegetables were overcooked.

All in all, the food was not fantastic, but I think Baton is more about the dining experience than the food (hence, perfect for, say, business meetings or other more formal occasions). Their house red wine (Big Red) is amazing though!