Brussels chef and restauranteur impressing in Goderich with Cork and Coast
BY SCOTT STEPHENSON
In celebration of a Sunday night of no particular significance, The Citizen had dinner at Goderich’s newest restaurant. The team at Cork & Coast, led by Brussels native and chef Wyatt Ducharme, have been using fine-dining techniques to honour the essence of local ingredients for a little over a month now, and it seems like they’re already having a lot of fun.
The menu is small and focused, but allows diners to approach it in a number of different ways. There are small plates and large plates - diners can go the classic appetizer/entree route, share small plates tapas style, or a little bit of both. The difficulty is in deciding which direction you want to go. Having decided ahead of time to go the small plates route, we will forever be haunted by the road of specials not taken - namely a Sunday night roast served with vegetables, mashed potatoes and Yorkshire pudding and a lamb bolognese with fresh spinach noodles. Cork & Coast’s core philosophy seeks to explore what it means to respect local ingredients - vegetables and proteins are collected from local markets and farms, and Ducharme believes that sourcing whole animals leads to less waste and a deeper connection to the final dishes.
When Goderich’s much-loved restaurant Thyme on 21 closed its doors for the last time in October of 2021, it didn’t take long for the team at Cork & Coast to make it their own. Much of the heritage building at 80 Hamilton Street has stayed the same, much to the delight of Thyme on 21 regulars, but a sharp olive green interior and well-chosen artwork let guests know right away that the new crew is putting their unique stamp on things. As guests traverse the walkway to the restaurant entrance, they pass between beds of native flowers with purple, yellow and pink petals that often end up garnishing dishes. The restaurant seats fewer than 50 people, but is divided into rooms that each only have a few tables - it feels like every seat is tucked into a secluded corner all on its own.
The first few months for any new restaurant are typically chaotic, but if Goderich’s newest restaurant has been going through growing pains, it doesn’t show. With inventive dishes, smooth service and consistent attention to detail, Cork & Coast is already impressing locals and tourists alike. The front-of-house staff is attuned to the vibes of each table and adjusts themselves accordingly - unobtrusive with one group wrapped up in their own conversation, quietly informative with another, and animated and involved with guests looking for more engagement with staff.
In addition to their well-curated selection of wines and local beers, there is also a short and whimsical list of cocktails that also feature local fruits and vegetables. A snap pea and dill spritz is refreshingly weird, and their “Bunny with a Bite” cocktail arrives topped with a whimsical curl of shaved carrot.
While each of the large plates has a simple presentation, allowing free range hens, wagyu beef and local lamb to shine with a minimalist clarity, the 26-year-old chef’s small plates sparkle with mirthful momentum. Velvety chicken liver parfait is carefully piped into the nooks of crisp, snowflake-like waffles that arrive at the table in a wire basket, encouraging diners to use their hands instead of utensils. It’s a move that both subliminally puts guests at ease and prevents a single crumb of these sweet and savoury snacks from going to waste.
Beetroot ribbons, bearing a striking resemblance to pappardelle noodles (if pappardelle noodles were purple, of course) beg to be wound around the tines of a fork. The resemblance to a pasta dish deepens as the act of twirling coats each ribbon with creamy soubise, feta and citrus crumbs, creating an experience in which beets can only be described as slurpable.
Reuben croquettes are a clever idea, well executed. Rye-encrusted orbs filled with succulent morsels of house-made corn beef come with the restaurant’s own 1,000 Island dressing. Sauerkraut tuiles round out the composition with familiar flavour and unusual texture. Soft-shelled crab served on house-baked bread is light, yet flavourful, evoking an afternoon tea.
The menu’s description is enjoyably light on details, creating moments for joyful surprises in technique and preparation when plates hit the table. A dish described only as scallops with cauliflower, fennel and cedar jelly arrives with the featured bivalves (sourced from Out of the Blue in Bayfield) resting on a dune of rich purée amidst puddles of herbaceous oil. The dish is strewn with shaved fennel, cauliflower and coneflower petals, and gelatinous globules of cedar jelly brings about aquatic vibes and forest flavours. The entire presentation was like a tailored take on a messy Lake Huron beach scene after everybody has gone home for the day.
Choosing a dessert is just as difficult as deciding on dinner, but with a little guidance from the charming and informative server, Jeff, a chocolate, peanut and toffee concoction was well chosen - a perfect end to the meal.
From start to finish, Cork & Coast is an absolute gem of a dining experience. It’s not just a perfect place to celebrate a special occasion - eating dinner here is occasion enough to celebrate.