Leon's Full Service | Perfect Calamari

May 4, 2016


Hello lovelies! About a week ago, I had lunch at Leon's Full Service and I decided to give their calamari starter a try. As described on their site, their calamari is coated in cornmeal, then fried. Calabrian chillies, shallots, fermented lemon, herbs, and gribiche all add dimensions of flavour to the appetizer, making it one of the best calamari dishes I've ever tried.

The sauce gribiche truly excited my palate because I had never had something similar to it, paired with a calamari dish before. It was neither underwhelming nor overpowering, rather, it served as an ideal balance of flavours that perfectly complimented the golden rings without commanding all the attention of your tastebuds. 

As for the actual calamari, the portion was the perfect amount for two and I was quite satisfied with the quality of the squid provided. Beyond this, I noticed that the fried cornmeal coating never once separated or crumbled off the calamari (something that tends to happen often with many fried calamari dishes). It was also neither too thick nor too thin, so when I bit into a ring, I didn't end up with a mouth full of fried batter and a tiny bit of calamari hidden somewhere inside. 

Overall, I would say that this was the best calamari dish I have had to date (and I've had my fair share of calamari), so if you're ever in the area and you stumble across Leon's Full Service, you should pop in and try it for yourself. This was my second time dining with them and aside from the food, their staff is quite friendly and helpful (something that is always a plus because there's nothing worse than mediocre food served with a side of bad attitude). Our server was exceptionally kind and had little fruit bowls made as a dessert because we mentioned that we perhaps wanted something a bit light and refreshing. So to that delightful young server, thank you! It was much appreciated.



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