McEwan at The Shops at Don Mills

I had been curious for some time about McEwan, the eponymous gourmet grocery opened in June of this year at The Shops at Don Mills by Toronto chef Mark McEwan (ONE, Bymark, North 44 and The Food Network's "The Heat"). Not long ago I had a chance to check it out and came away with mixed feelings.

By the way, although I have heard some inveterate downtowners say otherwise, I found it easy to get to via public transit. I took the #25 bus from Pape. You could also get there via the #54 or #152 Lawrence.

The shop layout, label design and display at McEwan are unquestionably gorgeous. It's bright and spacious and filled with luxurious layouts like the cheese table above, fit for a still-life painting. However, much as I found myself seduced by the lavish elegance of the whole thing, I also had the feeling that McEwan may be – to use an appropriate metaphor – neither fish nor fowl.

Unquestionably, McEwan carries lots of rare and delightful items. One of my favourite parts of the store was the oil and vinegar section (pictured left), where certain choice bottles of aged balsamic with imposing three-digit price tags reside behind locked glass panels.

But – unless it's closed and no one's told me – I suspect I could find similar products at The Olive Pit (805 Queen West, 647-430-7085), a much more intimate and specialized shop downtown that does tastings on the spot, while St. Lawrence Market supplies a good range of McEwan's other standout wares, like unusual salt, artisanal mustards and so on.

As for the fresh produce, although there was an interesting array of exotic fruit and vegetables, and some Ontario items, I also noticed cases full of the same mass-market imported berries I get at my local Price Chopper. Meanwhile, although there were some lovely kits of tools for the home cook, I didn't have the feeling the shop was really catering to the would-be serious cooking aficionado.

This is not to say I didn't think McEwan was lovely. I'd have a great time there picking out a basket of delights as a wedding present, for instance, or shopping for a really special meal, or picking up treats for the holidays. But I'm used to fancy food shops that are tiny, crowded and intimate, like the ones on Monkland Avenue in Montreal, or Pantry (974 College), Cumbrae's (481 Church) or All the Best (1101 Yonge) here, and I think it must be easier to be small and focused rather than big and all-embracing, if you want to be excellent too.

And I suppose there is a purpose in having a one-stop gourmet shop. I look forward to seeing how McEwan evolves as it gets to know its customers, and its customers get to know it.