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One Duke By Leanne Kemmler It was only two years ago that a guest and I stepped onto the One Duke patio to try their wares, and since then the popular restaurant has undergone a change of management after nearly a year with its doors closed. I thought it was time to revisit One Duke and see if the changes were for the better.

On an early Friday summer evening, the patio was already partly filled, as were the tables inside. A few regulars sat at the bar starting their weekend off with a pint. We sat ourselves at a table and one of the personable servers stopped by with menus. One thing I noticed was that a few of the better dishes from the previous menu remained. The offerings this time were expanded and more appealing than I remembered previously. As usual, my guest and I had a hard time zeroing in on a couple of choices and went through an extensive negotiation before deciding on our mains.

Before I get to the food, though, I should address the décor. Things have changed inside One Duke and, visually, it may not be better. The old restaurant had a very cool jazz bar feel and in its early days regularly featured solid local jazz performers. The new décor is a little, uh, less smooth. The walls are painted deep red. The floor is painted, and well-worn, concrete. There is a lounge area with a vintage sofa and two wing chairs for a comfy party. The tables and chairs are painted glossy black and remind me of pub furniture. In fact, I got the feeling I was at an aging New York pub. This isn’t really a bad thing; the new One Duke has its own distinct vibe.

Ultimately, the vibe and the décor mean nothing when the food comes to the table. A restaurant can tart itself up any way it likes, but unless it delivers good food consistently, no one is going to care. I have a feeling people will definitely care about this downtown eatery.

With so many great options, my guest and I decided to start our meal off with an appetizer. We chose the roasted red pepper hummus ($6.99). Obviously made on-site, this dip, with its toasted pita points, was fantastic. The hummus was blended well and bright and fresh with a zing of lemon. When the server came back to check that everything was all right with our meal thus far, I found myself grinning up at her with my finger in the bowl lest a single bit of the dip was wasted.

My son got it into his head that he wanted chicken for dinner. Knowing a regular entrée was too much food for him, we chose the jerk chicken skewers ($8.99), minus the jerk spices. Three decent sized skewers of breast meat arrived smothered in a light barbecue sauce. The chicken was amazingly tender and moist, leaving me to think they’d been steamed instead of grilled. The skewers came with a dish of mango mojo. This salsa/chutney hybrid was a nice counter to the tanginess of the sauce. Mild but with a hint of onions and red peppers, even my non-fruit-eating guest was impressed.

Perhaps inspired by the tropical fruit, my guest ordered the Bob Marley pizza ($12.99). The base of the pie was a thin, partly crispy, whole wheat crust. On top was smothered jerk sauce in all its potency. For topping, the Bob Marley featured caramelized onions, minced mango, mozzarella and thin slices of chicken breast. I could only manage a half slice, so delicate is my palate, but my guest tucked in for all he was worth, happily sweating all the while. While it was too hot for me to fully enjoy, I really liked the juxtaposition of the different toppings and thought it an inspired dish.

I went with a more traditional meal, the chicken supreme ($16.99). A roasted breast of chicken was filled with ground mushroom stuffing and topped with a creamy chipped apple dressing. Wow! The apples in lightly herbed cream were a delight against the woodsy taste of the mushrooms. The chef deserves a raise for that one. On the side were mixed fresh grilled vegetables that were cooked until just starting to lose their crispiness and the best damned garlic mashed potatoes I’ve ever tasted. Strongly flavoured with roasted garlic, these smashed spuds had a secret ingredient that gave them an unexpected heat. I’m really glad I decided to give One Duke a second look. I was impressed with the food and the service. After the last eatery I visited, this experience redeemed my faith in Hamilton restaurants. V
[LEANNE KEMMLER]


ONE DUKE 1 Duke St. 905.540.3853