Last week I had the pleasure of attending the unveiling of Canada’s Best New Restaurant presented by Air Canada. Every year, I love reading the list in EnRoute magazine and adding them to my travel wishlists. At this year’s event, the top 10 of 30 contenders were present serving up their signature dishes, which ranged from snails to wedge salad. Two Toronto restaurants represented. One of my favourite spots in the city Aloette, and Giulietta, the new restaurant from Chef Rob Rossi of Bestellen. Tasting bites from the other 8 restaurants seriously made me want to visit cities I’d never thought of before, like Edmonton and Picton.

Disclaimer: Thank you Air Canada for inviting me to attend this event. All opinions expressed below are wholly mine.

My favourite bites of the evening were from Avenue (Regina, SK), Aloette, Sand and Pearl (Picton, ON) and Bündok (Edmonton, AB). Avenue’s dish was a delicious combination of tuna and pork belly while Aloette’s classic wedge salad was a perfect balance of textures, creamy dressing and crunchy pumpkin seeds. Sand and Pearl’s booth was constantly swarmed for their braised back ribs topped with crab and freshly shucked oysters. I admit, I took a few return trips for both the oysters and crab. Bündok’s offer was two slices of lightly cured sea bream topped with a citrus chili oil that packed a lot of heat and acidity. I loved the balance of the fish and oil, this was another booth where I went back for seconds.

The restaurant that took top honours was The Restaurant at Pearl Morissette (Jordan Station, ON), who served up BBQ sea snails, skewered with a branch on real shells. Their presentation was creative and the dish itself unique. I enjoyed the chewy texture of the snails, which were excellently seasoned. Located in the Niagara region in a modern farmhouse, The Restaurant at Pearl Morissette is quickly becoming a destination in of themselves. There is only a set menu offered (5+ courses) that changes daily centered around locally sourced ingredients. I expect their reservations to quickly fill up despite the non central location.

This year’s event also highlighted Canada’s Best New Bars. Unfortunately I had to duck out early (to get home for Alivia’s bedtime) and missed out on that part of the evening. Even more places to add to my ever growing list of places to visit.

To learn more about all the restaurants and how they were ranked, visit https://canadasbestnewrestaurants.com/en/.

Driving north on the DVP my eyes are always drawn to the white Aga Khan Museum. Designed by award winning architect Fumihiko Maki and inspired by light, the museum was opened in 2014 and features historic and cultural artifacts from Muslim civilizations all over the world. In addition to the museum’s core collection, there are also several temporary exhibitions throughout the year. Stephen and I had the amazing opportunity to tour the museum after hours with a group of other bloggers after sampling some of the new menu items at Diwan, the restaurant at Aga Khan managed by The McEwan Group.

Disclaimer: All food and drinks reviewed below were provided complimentary. All opinions expressed below are wholly mine.

Our evening started with mocktails at Diwan, which was beautifully decorated with hand carved wall panels from Damascus. Tall wood pillars and a large square ceiling was incorporated into the structure of the restaurant itself. Weather permitting, there was also a huge outdoor patio with a view of the Aga Khan park. Diwan’s menu was inspired by Middle Eastern, North African and Indian cuisines. Some bites we tasted included Lamb Kofta meatballs with a corn, coconut curry and a Advieh Spiced Calamari. My favourite dish was the Masala Chicken Fries, which was strongly spiced and served with a delicious garlic aioli.

After the menu tasting, we were treated to a private tour of the current temporary exhibition “Syrian Symphony”, which featured work from a few of Syria’s leading artists and musicians examining the recent conflict in their home country. The exhibit flowed through the 4 movements of a symphony with visual, video and musical creations. I was blown away by how intimate each piece felt and how strong the message of hope shone through despite the turmoil and destruction. It was an incredibly moving and powerful exhibit. I felt that the “Syrian Symphony” was easily one of the best thought out and engrossing exhibitions I’ve ever visited at any museum in the world. Another part of the exhibit I loved was the interactive feature at the end where each visitor was encouraged to choose an placard with and icon that described how they felt and add their feeling to everyone else’s.

We also had the chance to walk through the core collection of the museum and spent a moment taking in the crisp evening air outside in the indoor courtyard. For me, another highlight of the evening was walking through the tranquil Aga Khan park and taking in the view of the fully lit Ismaili Centre Toronto. This summer, the Aga Khan Park will be hosting a variety of events from movie screenings to musical performances. Check out their website for a full list of family friendly activities.

Diwan will be participating in this year’s summerlicious with a $28 lunch menu. Reservations have been quickly filling up already and the restaurant is often booked full for the entire event.

It may not feel like it, but we are officially one week into summer. Although the weather in Toronto has been fickle, after months of winter and a long cold spring I’m ready to enjoy as much of the city as I can, rain or shine. Stephen and I dropped by this year’s Wine & Spirit Festival at Sugar Beach to check out Moxie’s Grill & Bar‘s Lemonade Pop-up Patio!

This summer, Moxie’s is bringing the patio to you and serving up glasses of their house-made Hard Lemonade at events all over the GTA. I had the chance to taste the drink myself at the Wine & Spirit Festival. Each refreshing glass was made with fresh, hand squeezed lemon juice, a splash of soda water for the bubbles and a shot of vodka for the fun.

The bright yellow pop-up patio was a full setup that included two bars and a live DJ. I also loved the two jumbo tower stacking games, which brought out our competitiveness with strangers and crashed spectacularly. Two areas were set up with patio furniture where we lounged and sipped on our lemonades under the sun umbrella. This was key as the sunny evening quickly turned dark with rain pouring down. Despite the rain, the staff of Moxie’s kept the party going, moving the DJ to under the awning of the patio and making sure everyone’s cups were full.

Moxie’s Lemonade Pop-Up Patio will be at the Port credit Yacht Club next on June 24th as a part of the Toronto Area Hospice Regatta from 2pm to 6pm. Next, they’ll be at the GWN sports Regatta at Marylin Bell Park on July 15th from 11am to 6pm.

Be sure to check them out and #SqueezeSummerHard.

To share a taste of summer with my followers, I’ve partnered with Moxie’s Grill & Bar to giveaway a $150 gift card to one lucky winner, valid at any location in the country! Head over to my Instagram account and enter now! Contest ends July 4th, 2017.

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Moxie’s Canada. In exchange for this post, I have received perks in the form of products and/or compensation. All opinions on this blog are my own.

Every year Bento Sushi hosts a sushi competition, inviting their 2000 sushi chefs from all over the world to think outside of the box and create an innovative, new roll that will be offered for a limited time at Bento locations! The top 6 rolls, chosen by region, and their chefs gather in Toronto to face off in person. The finalists are given an hour to plate their creation for both a panel of judges to critique and for guests to vote for the People’s Choice award. This year’s event was held at The Chef’s House, which meant all the chefs had access to a full kitchen to cook and roll.

Disclaimer: All food and drinks reviewed below were provided complimentary. All opinions expressed below are wholly mine.

The Bento Sushi competition was first held in 2012 to showcase the talent and creativity of their chefs. Now an annual event, the champion gets more than just a cash prize, bragging rights and having their creation served all over North America. It could be the next California Roll. Bento Sushi currently has over 540 locations, including a presence in several States, and their menu has expanded to include sushi burritos, udon and bento boxes.

While the competitors were hard at work, guests mingled, sipping on wine and munching on an endless parade of sushi platters. As always, the salmon and bbq eel pieces were the first to get snatched up, followed by the Salmon Volcano Roll. I also quite enjoyed the vegetarian platter that had pieces of inari and tamago nigiri. As the timer wound down, beautifully plated rolls were lined up ready for the judges. Quickly, the counter at the kitchen became packed with onlookers vying for the best shot. Compared to last year’s competition, I thought the aesthetics of this year’s rolls definitely leveled up.

The 6 rolls in this year’s competition were:

• Sushi Hero 1: Jie Xu, Toronto – Eight Treasures Rooster Roll (with gold flakes and served with a variety of sauces)
• Sushi Hero 2: Haruo Oikawa, New York – Cupcake Roll (delicious shredded sweet potato wrapping)
• Sushi Hero 3: Qing Feng Tan, Winnipeg – Chasu Nakudan Roll (surprising use of asparagus)
• Sushi Hero 4: Kelly Lim, St. Catharines – Sakura Roll (pop of flavour from pickled radish)
• Sushi Hero 5: Tony Wang, Calgary – Jiong Roll (intricate and geometric)
• Sushi Hero 6: King Yeung, Montreal – Spicy Strawberry Roll (strawberries and crispy flakes)

Of the six entries, my favourite was the Sakura Roll. I really liked the creaminess from the slices of avocado and the sweet and sour from the slices of pickled radish. Whenever I eat sushi, I pair it with a ton of pickled ginger, so for me Sakura roll was perfect. Bonus was the topping of red and yellow tobiko, adding a bit more sea flavour. I also really enjoyed the Cupcake Roll by Haruo Oikawa, who was last year’s winner. The roll was incredibly creamy and sweet from the crunchy sweet potato exterior. However, I found I could only eat a few pieces of the roll as it was quite heavy.

After the votes were tallied, the winner of the People’s Choice was the Cupcake Roll by Haruo Oikawa! Then it was time to announce the judges’ choice. One of this year’s judges was fellow blogger Karen, who carefully analyzed each roll for visual appearance, taste and creativity. With all the scores in, the winner of this year’s Sushi Championship was the Sakura Roll by Kelly Lim. Second place went to the Cupcake Roll and third to the beautiful Eight Treasures Rooster Roll.

I can’t wait to treat my tastebuds to the Sakura roll again!

As the weather warms up, Toronto comes out of hibernation and the season of summer events begins. Last year, I had the opportunity to attend Cuisine & Cuvee, in support of Providence Healthcare, with Karen and we spent the night sipping drinks and nibbling on tasty bites. This year’s event was held at Rebel and turned out to be an even bigger and better party. The only thing better than an awesome event is one also for a great cause. Providence Healthcare is a leader in Toronto for providing rehabilitation, palliative, and long-term care with a history dating back to 1857. Cuisine & Cuvee is just one of the many events the Providence Healthcare Foundation runs annually to help raise funds to support Providence Hospital, their long-term care facility and day programs. I was honoured to be invited to attend and cover this year’s event.

Disclaimer: All food and drinks reviewed below were provided complimentary. All opinions expressed below are wholly mine.

This year’s event featured over 30 savoury, sweet and beverage stations. On the stage, when the DJ wasn’t in charge, talented live performers entertained the lively crowd. After our first round (or two) through the savoury food stations, we ventured upstairs to the VIP area with access to the outside balcony with a stunning view of the Toronto Skyline. I have to admit, being able to access upstairs was a nice perk, especially as the crowd grew. When we returned for a few more bites, most booths had a long line.

14 savoury food vendors fed the crowd with delicious morsels from cheese to grilled cheese to scallops. I absolutely loved the seared Diver Scallops being served by E11even with a truffled celeriac puree, honey mushrooms and bacon jam. Another stand out plate was Locale Mercatto’s Cavatelli with Smoked Ontario Trout, amazing. Pilar’s Catering set up a full Roast Beef carving station and Summer Thyme Bites’ Gourmande Grilled Cheese was buttery and cheesy. What’s wine without cheese? Bothwell Cheese and Pasquale Bros satisfied all of my cheese needs with their spread, conveniently set up on opposite sides of the room, so I was never out of arm’s reach of a cheese platter.

On the beverage side, there was a wine bar with pouring bottles from 4 wineries and a host of beer and liquor vendors. My favourite was Boodles Gin, which was smooth and sweet. Wyborowa Vodka, Lost Craft Beer and Jack Daniel’s were mixing caesars, cocktails and a boozy lemonade. Steam Whistle was also on hand along with Dixon’s Distilled Spirits and Arbonne. Of course, I had to grab another watermelon slush from Tropic Love! Coconuts and Pineapples were also available. To satiate our sweet tooths, there was Mint Oreo ice cream made with liquid nitrogen from Ice Volcano Ice Cream and Holy Cannoli’s famous cannolis.

Aside from food and entertainment, the event also had a raffle (including tickets to a Leafs game in the Executive Suite for 12 people!) and a silent auction to raise funds. The silent auction was one of the best I’ve seen with lots from iPads to Tiffany Jewellery to a catered dinner for 10 by The Food Dudes. There was also a fine wine auction that included bottles ranging in value from hundreds to thousands.

As food vendors wrapped up service, their tables were packed away one by one until the dance floor was clear, making way for the group of eager partiers (myself included).

I fell in love with raw oysters about 5 years ago. The treat was fairly costly and as a new grad, my friends and I would often visit restaurants specifically for their oyster deals; buck-a-shuck nights were well researched. When The Hubby and I started dating, we went to a seafood night at one of his friends’ that included freshly shucked oysters. It was like a lightbulb going off, we could shuck oysters ourselves at home for way less than $1 each! Since then, fresh oysters have become a regular appetizer whenever we host friends, celebrate special occasions, or if the craving hits.

The first time we bought oysters to shuck at home, it was a pretty scary and nerve wracking experience. We watched lots of Youtube videos. After attempting to open one, I left the rest to The Hubby and settled into my role of eater. Today, I’m more comfortable with a shucker but I wish I’d known about Oyster Boy’s Shuck U program earlier! I had the opportunity to participate in the 2 hour course and learned plenty about oysters and how to shuck them safely while sipping on sparkling wine and feasting on our hard work.

Disclaimer: All food and drinks reviewed below were provided complimentary. All opinions expressed below are wholly mine.

Oyster Boy is one of the best seafood restaurants in Toronto and offers a wide selection of oysters from both the East and West coast. On weekends, the restaurant runs their Shuck U program in the afternoon, which teaches participants about oysters in the first hour, and then turns hands-on during the second. Classes cost $55 and have a max of 12 students, keeping the course intimate with lots of interaction with the staff. Everyone gets a platter of 18 oysters and leave with their own shucker and Oyster Boy t-shirt or toque.

During our class, the VP of Atlantic Shellfish was there to talk about how his company cultivates oysters in the wild. Atlantic Shellfish is a major supplier of east coast oysters including the popular Malpeque oyster. It takes about 4-6 years for an oyster to make it to market and babies start at about the size of a pinkie nail. Today, oysters are available throughout the year and fisherman go out in ice-breaking ships to harvest them when the water freezes over.

Chris is the head oyster shucker at the restaurant and shared a few more facts about oysters before showing us his technique. Oysters are an important keystone species, that does an unbelievable job at filtering water. Oysters are being introduced along the coast in the US to help restore ecosystems. The flavour of an oyster depends on their merroirr (similar to a wine’s terroir but with regards to the water). Water flow, salinity and the feed available all change the taste of the oyster.

After learning all about oysters, Chris showed us his “wiggle wiggle pop” technique for getting into the hinge of the oyster and how to leverage the shucker against the shell itself to open. I found the 18 tuxedos we were provided were all quite pretty and easy to open, much easier than some I’ve battled at home. The staff was very helpful and circled the area offering help and tips if needed. For stubborn oysters, I liked how the staff helped but didn’t take over. Safety was first and foremost with staff making sure everyone was pointing their shuckers down and bracing the oyster with folded tea towels.

Shuck U was super fun, entertaining and informative. I found the 2 hours flew by and the oysters were delicious. The Hubby and I had a great time and the class was a wonderful way to spend an afternoon. Oyster Boy also makes a very tasty Caesar topped with a high mound of horseradish, a perfect companion to the first hour.

My hope for 2017, visit more restaurants on my ever growing wishlist (Canis, Doma, Le Banane) and get up early for brunch (The Commodore, Tabule Souk, White Lily Diner).

1. Shoushin

Rating/Price: 5.0 $$$$
Why? Indulgent, splurge worthy, high quality ingredients
Must Order: Omakase at the sushi bar
Good For? Special occasions, couples

 

2. Canoe

Rating/Price: 4.5 $$$$
Why? Classic Toronto restaurant, stunning view, beautiful plates
Must Order: Anything on special
Good For? Date night, special occasions, couples or small groups

 

3. Kookminhakgyo

Rating/Price: 4.5 $$
Why? Fun, unique decor, delicious authentic Korean BBQ
Must Order: Pork belly with skin
Good For? Small groups, carnivores

 

4. Branca

Rating/Price: 5.0 $$$
Why? Great service, fire roasted meats, the fries
Must Order: Short rib, ocotpus, fries
Good For? Groups, celebrations, birthday dinners

 

5. Aoyama

Rating/Price: 4.5 $$$
Why? High quality sushi at great value
Must Order: Omakase sushi set
Good For? Special occasions, sushi lovers, families, date night

 

6. Tendou Matcha & Dessert

Rating/Price: 4.5 $
Why? High quality matcha drinks and delicious desserts
Must Order: Cream puffs, houjicha latte
Good For? Dessert, small groups, takeout

 

7. Fishman Lobster Clubhouse

Rating/Price: 4.5 $$$
Why? Extravagant, interactive, high quality seafood
Must Order: Lobster tower
Good For? Big groups, family events, celebrations

 

Honorable Mentions:
Shinobu – 4.5 $$$
Kub Khao Thai Eatery – 4.5 $$
Mymy Chicken – 4.5 $
Pomegranate – 4.5 $$
Qin Tang Taste – 4.5 $
Szechuan Legend – 4.5 $$
Le Baratin – 4.5 $$

Did I miss your favourite restaurant? Let me know in the comments.

Last Updated: 02/17/2017

The latest season of Winterlicious is in full swing and Toronto restaurants are packed with diners taking advantage of the many delicious three-course prix fixe menus being offered. Azure Restaurant and Bar, located in the Intercontinental Toronto Centre, has participated in the Licious event for several years and will again be offering a delectable lunch and dinner menu this year. I was invited for a behind the scenes view into Azure’s Winterlicious menu with a hands-on workshop led by Executive Chef Shawn Whalen and Chef de Cuisine Grace Di Fede. During the hour long cooking demonstration, I learned how to poach scallops, sear osso bucco and deep fry fritters.

Disclaimer: All food and drinks reviewed below were provided complimentary. All opinions expressed below are wholly mine.

Our night at Azure began with a workshop with Chef Whalen and Chef Di Fede. Chef Whalen joined Azure in 2013 and brought with him 30+ years of culinary experience, while Chef Di Fede has worked at Azure since 2011, being promoted to Chef De Cuisine in 2013. Aprons and tall chef hats were laid out, allowing us to look the part while we cooked with the chefs. We walked through the steps to put together two appetizers, an entree and the Tiramisu Parfait dessert. Once all the pots were going, the aroma in the room was heavenly, especially the simmering Port and Black Cherry Braised Osso Bucco. Chef Di Fede plated an Octopus & Scallop Escabeche live for us and I loved seeing the dish come together from start to end. We all tasted a few of the freshly fried Maple & Oka Fritters, part of the Squash & Caramelized Pear Soup appetizer. I only wish we had more time with the Chefs to see more finished plates, but we could only keep them from the busy kitchen for so long.

After the workshop, we got to taste the menu. While I had a lot of fun cooking, eating was still my favourite part of the evening. I had the chance to taste 80% of the Winterlicious dinner menu and while every bite was good, there were definite standouts for each course and they weren’t the dishes I would have normally ordered. For the appetizers, based just on words, I would have order the Octopus & Scallop Escabeche, which was poached seafood marinated in lime juice and olive oil. The scallop was sweet and the octopus incredibly tender. I would have been very happy with this appetizer, if I didn’t get to try the Squash and Caramelized Pear Soup, which was incredible. The thick soup was rich in flavour, earthy and sweet and perfect with the cold weather. I cleaned my bowl as well I could with a spoon and had to resist licking the last drops.

For entrees, I was initially drawn to the Grain Mustard Coated Salmon, but after smelling the simmering osso bucco, I opted for the Port & Black Cherry Braised Veal Shank as my main. The shank was served with a mascarpone risotto cake that was well seasoned, a good texture and quite filling. I really liked the spoonful of marrow in the bone, but for me, the shank itself was a touch dry. The salmon was cooked well, flaking with a light touch and served on a bed of couscous. Of the three entrees, the one that I was not interested in was the Lumache (a snail shell shaped pasta) with Gorgonzola Cream but we ordered a plate to share. Oh my god. It was amazing. The pasta was a perfect texture and the creamy, cheese sauce was heavenly with a hint of sweetness from the apples. Of the three entrees, the Lumache was my favourite and I ate more than my fair share of the plate.

By the time we made it to dessert, I only had room to really try one and I was happy with my choice of Tiramisu Parfait. The layers of cream were airy and sweet without being heavy. I would’ve liked a little more texture in the parfait, but the biscotti dipped in was perfect.

Overall, at $48 the dinner menu at Azure for Winterlicious is a great steal. Even better, all of my favourite dishes are available on their lunch menu as well for just $28. My perfect meal would start with the Squash and Caramelized Pear Soup, followed by the Lumache with Gorgonzola Cream and ending with the Tiramisu Parfait. Winterlicious this year runs until February 9th.

Over the past year, Iceland has climbed to claim the top spot on my list of dream vacation destinations. Many of my friends have been and every single person has raved about the beauty of the country and the delicious food. One of my good friends is there right now and her photos have been breathtaking. Northern Lights? Check. The ocean? Check. Towns that look like they came straight out of a fairytale? Check!

Disclaimer: All food and drinks reviewed below were provided complimentary. All opinions expressed below are wholly mine.

While I plan for my trip to Iceland in 2017, the next best thing was attending the Taste of Iceland festival held in Toronto this past November. The weekend festival was filled with music, literature, film and food all celebrating Icelandic culture. Of course, the aspect that I looked forward to the most was food. This year O&B restaurant Jump hosted Chef Sigurdur Helgason, one of Iceland’s premier chefs, to serve up a 4 course meal with ingredients flown in directly from Iceland the night before. Last year, two of my closest friend said “I Do” at Jump and the restaurant was a beautiful venue. For the media preview of Taste of Iceland, the private dining room was set up with long tables and an area for a live performance from Icelandic artists Axel Flovent and Ceasetone. I had the chance to experience a taste of the entire Taste of Iceland weekend in a single night and it was one filled with music, and exceptional food.

Dinner began with a lovely appetizer of Arctic Char and Char Roe, followed by Cod, then Lamb and ending on a sweet note with a White Chocolate Brownie. Both of the fish were cooked to just opaque and were incredibly flavourful and tender. Each plate played with textures and colour. The Arctic Char was a stunning bright orange and I loved the rich, creamy oyster emulsion sauce. Adding a refreshing crunch were thin slices of cucumber. The cod was served with cauliflower prepared 3 ways and a brown butter vinaigrette. I liked the thin sliced of raw cauliflower that added a crunch to each bite.

My favourite course was the char grilled fillet of lamb, served with celeriac, kale and crowberry sauce. The lamb was a rosy pink, tender and just a the right amount of gaminess for me. Dessert was a white chocolate brownie served with an Icelandic Provision Skyr ganache, a scopp of tangy bilberry’s sorbet and airy light meringue.

Earlier this year I had the chance to attend an incredible evening organized by Chef Eyal Liebman and Sommelier Rebecca Mei-Liebman, the talented duo also known as Chef & Somm, benefitting Sojourn House Toronto. Dinner was more than just a delicious meal, but an experience in sensory delight. Throughout the evening, all five of our senses were teased and tested to explore if how we taste food and wine changed with our atmosphere. The evening began with a wine tasting with 4 mystery wines, 2 red and 2 whites. Chatting with those seated near me, most had a strong preference between the reds and the whites, especially one person who loved wine #1 and strongly disliked wine #4. Turns out, wine #4 was wine #1 with a few drops of food colouring. I did not see that coming. This was a perfect example of how strongly sigh influences how we taste, even with wine.

Disclaimer: All food and drinks reviewed below were provided complimentary. All opinions expressed below are wholly mine.

Beyond Taste was held at The Richmond, a beautiful event space that was transformed with art and a long table filled with wine glasses. Four hors d’oeuvres were served, which were 2 sets of ingredients presented in very different ways. For example, one set was asparagus wrapped with bacon, simply stacked in bite size pieces. Then, the very same dish was served as a gelatin sphere filled with puree. I quite liked both versions, and found the sphere offered a much more concentrated flavour.

Dinner began with a Caprese salad, styled like a piece of pizza. Next was a Salmon Poke, followed by a large piece of Schnitzel and then a rich Cassoulet with duck confit and toulouse sausage. The schnitzel was crispy and excellently seasoned, served with an egg poached in the shell. By the time the cassoulet arrived, I was already quite full and only had a few bites of the heavy dish. The duck confit was incredibly tender, fall off the bone, but a little heavy handed with salt. To further play with our sense during dinner, incense was lit at one point, then snuffed, the music changed genres and volume, and the lights dimmed and brightened. With all the wine I’d been consuming, I couldn’t tell if my tastebuds were reacting to all of the outside stimulus, but I was talking louder.

Throughout the night, we tasted many, many wines, at least two with each course and there was not a single glass I didn’t enjoy. I really enjoyed all of Sommelier Rebecca’s wine pairings, especially the dessert and ice wine. We sampled wines from 5 different local wineries and my favourite was the crisp, clean taste of the Reif Estate Winery Chardonnay. This will a label that I look for now at the LCBO.

Dessert was chocolate mousse served two ways, in a dome and piped out. Chef Eyal spoke to the guests about his goal for the dinner and his inspirations. Personally, I loved going into the meal without knowing what to expect and being a part of his experiment.