For summerlicious this year I only made it out to one restaurant, partly due to scheduling and partly due to budgeting (we bought a house! Future dedicated post to come!). Looking through the list of restaurants priced at $28 or $38 for dinner, the one menu that jumped out was Biff’s, which also met the criteria of being located downtown and a new spot for me. I have friends who visit weekly for their $1 after 5pm oyster deal and generally all had positive thoughts about the French Bistro.

Atmosphere: Biff’s decor was traditional with intimate lighting, leather benches and dark wood tables. The restaurant was pretty big with a bar area, main dining area and multiple private rooms. I could see this being a popular venue for corporate events during the holidays. With our reservation being just after 5pm on a Thursday the restaurant was fairly quiet, even during Summerlicious, but started to fill up around 7pm. Many of the diners around us at tables were much older while a more suit and tie audience occupied the bar.

Service: Our server was very friendly. He chatted with us, checked in on us often and I felt like he genuinely wanted to make sure we enjoyed our dinner. However, when he came by to top up my friend’s beer, he poured it straight into the glass making it all head to the point where the glass even spilled over once he left. I appreciated the good intention, but it was a bizarre move. Either he didn’t know how to properly pour beer, or forgot the can was beer. Either way, he walked away before we could react beyond being a bit shocked. Aside from that misstep, service was great. Our dishes arrived promptly. The bill did as well, without being asked for, which was again a bit odd. However, our server did tell us to take our time and that it wasn’t a rush. Maybe he was changing shifts?

Food: To start, I choose the Tomato and Cucumber Gazpacho for my appetizer, my go to whenever I see it on a Summerlicious menu. The bowl of cold soup was served with slices of cucumber and a sweet balsamic drizzle, refreshing for a hot summer day. A touch more olive oil would have been nice.

For my main, my friend went with the safe bet of Beef Tri-tip Steak while my curiosity was piqued by the Maple Mustard Pork Croquette. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but I do wish I had stuck to the steak. The croquette was made of seasoned shredded pork, battered and fried, served on a crushed potato salad with cabbage and a smoky aioli. I liked the flavour of the croquette, but it was a lot of pork and after eating half, the texture was quite monotonous. I wouldn’t got as far as to say I didn’t like the dish, but I do think I would’ve enjoyed another entree more.

Both of us went with Chocolate Cake for dessert which was dense and rich. Overall, summerlicious at Biff’s was good, not amazing and fairly priced.

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.

I am a big fan of The Oscars. Every year I try to watch all of the best picture nominees that interest me and usually, I’ve crossed off 1 or 2 before they are even announced. This year however, I found myself playing catch up, having seen none of the nominated movies with only a few weeks to go before the awards. I promptly organized a couple of Tuesday movie nights to rectify the situation. Conveniently, Winterlicious was also underway. Early dinner reservations at La Societe was perfect before walking over to Cineplex Varsity.

Atmosphere: La Societe is located in the heart of Yorkville on Bloor St. I still remember when the space used to be a fancy Chinese restaurant before transforming into the opulent French bistro it is today. Stepping into the restaurant felt like stepping into a different decade and city altogether; from the mosaic floor with gold lettering to the stunning stained glass ceiling. We were settled in a spacious leather booth and I loved having the extra room for my backpack and camera bag. My friends and I were casually dressed or dressed for work, but I could see the restaurant welcoming a wide range of attire.

Service: Overall, service was okay. Since we had plans to watch a movie after, I was paying close attention to the time and was happy that all of our courses arrived speedily from the kitchen. The one hiccup was a delay in our bread basket arriving. I mainly noticed because I was waiting to get some carbs in my body before I sipped my wine as I hadn’t eaten very much that day. Since our reservation was pretty early, 5:45pm, a server came by to apologize and let us know that the bread was still being warmed up. On a normal day, I wouldn’t have even noticed.

Food: From the three appetizer choices, all 3 of us opted for the Winter Squash Soup with toasted pumpkin seeds, caramelized apple and brown butter. The soup itself was warm, thick and wonderfully creamy. In the center of the bowl was a mound of caramelized apple that was covered by the soup. Digging in with our spoons, we were all surprised by the unexpected punch of sweetness. I didn’t love the two component separate, but stirred all together, the caramelized apples mellowed out and was quite tasty.

For entrees, two of us chose the Steak Frites, myself included, while my other friend tried the Pan Seared Salmon. The steak was at least 6 ounces and cooked perfectly medium rare, just as I had ordered, with a dark char on the outside. My knife cut through the steak easily and each bite was tender and juicy. The side of fries were crispy, lightly seasoned with herbs and served with ketchup and mayonnaise. All together, a very satisfying dish.

While all three dessert options sounded delicious (Lemon Tart, Chocolate Cremeux, and Creme Brulee), our table unanimously went for the La Societe Classic Creme Brulee. I always delight in breaking into my creme brulee with my spoon and making sure each spoonful of custard has a piece of the sweet, crystal layer. At La Societe, the custard was creamy and sweet, a perfect texture just before solid. The sugar topping was caramelized with just a touch of burnt, which added a depth of flvaour without being bitter.

After wine, tax and tip, my dinner added up to just under $80. For a normal dinner out, this was on the pricier side. For a nice dinner out, pretty on par. Overall, I enjoyed my Winterlicious meal at La Societe and would return to try out their regular menu in the future.

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.

Where I’ll Be:

1. Auberge du Pommier – $48 Dinner / French / The “fancy” dinner
2. Leña – $48 Dinner / Spanish / The “date night” dinner
3. La Societe – $48 Dinner / French / The “girls night” dinner

Recommendations:

• Lunch – I’m looking for tantalizing menus that are similar or even more appealing relative to the dinner menu

1. Auberge du Pommier (Past Review) – $28 Lunch / Canadian / I would order Terrine, Salmon and Chocolat
2. Canoe (Past Review) – $28 Lunch / Canadian / I would order Foie Gras Parfait, Wild BC. Keta Salmon and Sticky Toffee Pudding
3. Miku (Past Review) – $28 Lunch / Japanese / I would order Miku Zen, Miku Signature Aburi and Green Tea Opera

• Dinner – I’m looking for great atmosphere, interesting menu items and best value

1. Nota Bene – $48 Dinner / Contemporary / I would order Quebec Venison Foie Gras Terrine, Seabass and Artizanal Cheese Plate
2. Bestellen (Past Review) – $38 Dinner / Steakhouse / I would order Chicken Liver Pate, Flat Iron Steak and House-Made Tiramisu
3. Drake Hotel – $38 Dinner / Canadian / I would order Butternut Squash Soup, Pan Seared Trout and Apple Pie

• Good for Groups – I’m looking for a variety of choices, easy parking/access and a spacious dining area

1. Azure (Review to come) – $28 Lunch / Canadian / I would order Squash and Pear Soup, Lumache with Gorgonzola Sauce and the Tiramisu Parfait
2. Lisa Marie – $28 Dinner only / Contemporary / For dinner I would order Tuna Ceviche Nachos, Seoul Fried Chicken and Oreo Cheesecake
3. Luma (Past Review) – $23 Lunch / Contemporary / I would order Butternut Squash Soup, Steak Sandwich and Le Cendrillon

Check out all of my past Licious event reviews for more ideas and recommendations.  

This year for Summerlicious none of the menus really enticed me. I still decided to use the event as an excuse to grab dinner with friends and only looked at dinner menus at the $28 or $38 price point. After waffling between restaurants, we ended up at Bannock, an O&B restaurant in heart of downtown. For $28 the 3 course dinner was a good value, but perhaps wrongly, I had higher expectations.

Atmosphere: With the facade of Bannock being under construction the entrance was little hard to find. Inside, the restaurant separated into two sections. On the right was a “grab and go” area and on the left the “dine in” restaurant. Decor was modern with natural wood chairs that contrasted the light tabletops. Throughout dinner, the room was lively and we had to raise our voices to maintain a conversation.

Service: Our server was friendly and always made sure drinks were full. Courses arrived together and we had no trouble getting anyone’s attention. Overall, there wasn’t any aspect of service that was super memorable, which is how I like the majority of my meals to be.

Food: For dinner, I ordered the Ontario Heirloom Tomato Salad for my main, which also had sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and garlic brittle. I was expecting slices of tomatoes or bite size chunks, instead the tomatoes were large wedges, or halves and just piled in the center of the plate with sad shreds of garnish. The tomatoes were ripe and sweet but wasn’t seasoned enough for my taste.

A friend and I split our mains, allowing both of us to try dishes. All of the mains sounded promising and we chose the Northern Woods Mushroom and Gouda Pizza and the Birch BBQ Tri-tip Steak. Between the two, I prefered the pizza, which had a thin crust fresh arugula and strong earthy flavours. With the steak dish, the portion was large and cooked well, but again I thought it was underseasoned. Maybe I really need to cut back on salt in our own kitchen. Served with the steak was charred ratatouille, avocado and blue corn tortillas. Ok, but nothing spectacular.

Dessert was the highlight of dinner. Between the three of use, we ordered a Citrus Mousse Mess and two slices of Vanilla Cheesecake. Heavenly. None of us were tempted by the Crickets on a Log, real roasted crickets on a stalk of celery.

This year, I only picked two restaurants to visit for Winterlicious, choosing quality over quantity. For date night, The Hubby and I re-visited Cafe Boulud and continuing with the French theme, I picked Colette Grand Cafe for girl’s night. With high ceilings, white columns, marble floors and plenty of chandeliers, Colette Grand Cafe well suited the occasion.

Atmosphere: Colette Grand Cafe was a lovely vision of blue and white. Plush baby blue bench seats lined the dining room filled with white marble tables. I felt like I was in a life-size dollhouse. Lighting was dim, creating a sense of privacy in the open room, but tables were close to each other. It was hard to tune out the discussion in my left ear.

Service: I found service was pleasant, efficient and unobtrusive. Writing this post, I don’t have much to say. My friends and I were quite engrossed in our conversation and our servers took care of us without us even noticing.

Food: What was remarkable, was the food. Each course on the Winterlicious menu had a good number of options with two vegetarian appetizers. All of us went with the French Onion Soup, served piping hot in a classic, white, lion head porcelain bowl. The soup was sweet, savoury and cheesy, all soaked up by the crouton. You could taste the strong beef broth and onion flavour.

For my entree, I had the Boeuf Bourguignon with wine braised celery root, potato puree and pearl onions. The medallion of beef was super tender and fell apart at the touch of my fork. I liked that the vegetables were still crunchy and lightly seasoned, contrasted the strong seasoning in the broth creamy potatoes. The plating also showed off the ingredients, making a typically heavy, neutral coloured dish look fresh and colourful. When the dish first arrived, I was unsure how full I would be but the portion proved to be quite filling. One of my friends opted for the vegetarian option, a wild mushroom risotto, that was also satisfying and well-cooked.

Since there were three of us, it only made sense to order one of each dessert. There was a rice pudding, a chocolate brownie cake and salted caramel ice cream, which was unlisted and amazing. Of the three, I loved the salted caramel ice cream that was indulgent and the perfect balance of salty and sweet. The rice pudding was light, fluffy and nutty while the chocolate brownie would’ve satisfied any chocolate lover.

This was Colette’s first year participating in a Licious event and I would love to see them continue to take part. I hear great reviews about Colette’s bakery and will have to return to sink my teeth into some flakey croissants.

Back in 2014, I had dinner at Cafe Boulud during Summerlicious and thoroughly enjoyed my meal. Thus I was surprised when Cafe Boulud shuttered their doors in June 2015 to undergo a full redesign in both aesthetic and food. Walking into the Cafe Boulud for this year’s Winterlicious felt like an entirely different restaurant. The space was unrecognizable from it’s previous incarnation. Reminiscent of a cozy French bistro with long booth seats and deep leather chairs, gone were the pop-art paintings, replaced by simple framed pieces.

Atmosphere: Being Winterlicious, Cafe Boulud was filled to capacity. We arrived early for our 5pm reservation, the first dinner seating and waited with a growing crowd of like-minded early birds. Complimentary coat check was available, which I took advantage of. Our table was across from the long brass bar and i watched the bartenders prep for a busy night. The dining space was warm, intimate and tables well spaced out. Perfect for date night. Diners were dressed from casual to suit and tie.

Service: This was the first time in awhile that service was lovely and added to my meal experience. Our server had a friendly, genuine smile, chatted with us about the menu and was patient as The Hubby snapped pictures. Bread crumbs were cleared before our first course (I always love this touch!) and we never sat long with an empty plate.

Food: Cafe Boulud’s Winterlicious menu offered 3 choices for each course. For appetizers, The Hubby ordered the charcuterie while I opted for the tuna tartare. The tartare was well seasoned, fresh and I liked the accompanying light yogurt sauce. In comparison The Hubby’s appetizer was more savoury and rich with a pot gold, aka chicken liver mousse. I would’ve been happy if the entire dish was just that amazing mousse.

When it came to entrees, I liked The Hubby’s pick more than mine. He chose the roasted lamb leg while I tried the seafood bouillabaisse. Thick slices of lamb was served in a pool of spiced yogurt with grains and parsley salad. The lamb was tender and not too gamey. My bouillabaisse had saffron potato, clams, mussels and a thick slab of grilled fish. The seafood was very fresh and cooked well. I especially liked the sweet, chewy clam. The fish soup base however, had a very strong flavour that was overpowering.

Both desserts we ordered were quintessentially French, comforting and so good. I had the bucket of freshly baked madeleines. The cookies were still warm, moist with a touch of lemon. I let The Hubby have a one, maybe even two, but they were hard to share. Besides, he had his own savarin, a moist cake soaked in rum topped with mango, pineapple and chantilly cream. I did eat half of his savarin as well.

Overall, I felt the redesign of Cafe Boulud gave the restaurant character. The space felt like no other in the city and my winterlicious meal was still stand-out. I’m looking forward to trying their regular menu and d|bar’s famous Monday Charcuterie nights.

Where I’ll Be:

1. Cafe Boulud – $45 Dinner / French / The “fancy” dinner
2. Colette Grand Cafe – $45 Dinner / French / The “girls night” dinner

Recommendations:

• Lunch – I’m looking for tantalizing menus that are similar or even more appealing relative to the dinner menu

1. Thoroughbred Food and Drink (Past Review) – $23 Lunch / Canadian / I would order Kung Pao Cauliflower, Trout and Apple Crisp
2. Canoe – $28 Lunch / Canadian / I would order Pickled Atlantic Mackerel, Braised Lamb Shoulder and Caramel Pumpkin Cake
3. Bar Buca – $18 Lunch / Italian / I would order Testa and Nodini, Verdure Schiacciata and Biscotti Di Mosai and Cannoli Siciliani

• Dinner – I’m looking for great atmosphere, interesting menu items and best value

1. Auberge du Pommier (Past Review) – $45 Dinner / French / I would order Pate de Campagne, Bouef Bourguignon and Gâteaux aux Amandes
2. Lee – $45 Dinner / Asian / I would order Spicy General Tao Popcorn Chicken, Slow Braised Beef and Dessert Trio
3. Archeo – $25 Dinner / Italian / I would order Fall Caprese, Hot Smoked Ocean Trout and White Chocolate Ricotta Cheesecake

• Good for Groups – I’m looking for a variety of choices, easy parking/access and a spacious dining area

1. The Carbon Bar – $35 Dinner only / Canadian / I would order Hamachi Poke, Fried Chicken and Pork Ribs and Dulce de Leche Ice Cream
2. Cluny (Past Review) – $35 Dinner / French / For dinner I would order the Lentil Soup, Grilled Albacore Tuna and Milk Chocolate Mousse
3. Quince (Past Review) – $23 Lunch / Mediterranean / I would order Baby Kale Salad, Potato Gnocchi and Milk Chocolate Pannacotta

Check out all of my past Licious event reviews for more ideas and recommendations.  

Being on vacation for all of June meant I could only squeeze in one Summerlicious meal this year. After looking through all the menus, Bestellen’s spoke to me the loudest. Charcuterie appetizer and steak entree, it was really an easy choice.

Atmosphere: Compared to the storefront, Bestellen had a surprisingly large dining area that was narrow and long. As we were shown to our table, we walked by the steak aging room that showed off beautiful hunks of meat, my kind of eye candy. The lighting was dim, while not ideal for photos, it was romantic and intimate. Decor was a masculine with dark walls, exposed pipes, natural wood planks and a giant mural of meat.

Service: Our server was friendly and accommodating. He checked up on us frequently, asked about beer refills and was generously a great experience. Our food arrived without any delays and I felt looked after.

Food: The Hubby and I usually try to order different menu items so we can share and try more dishes. At Bestellen, we maintained this strategy for the appetizer and dessert, but we both wanted the steak. I started with the Grilled Squid appetizer while he had the Charcuterie.

The squid was cooked to just done, making it very tender and easy to chew. It was lightly seasoned and really carried the flavour of the Romesco sauce and fennel. The charred scallions added an edge of umami to the dish, a light refresh start. Considering this was a set menu for $35, I was impressed with the size of the charcuterie plate, there was 2-3 slices of each meat, plenty to share. While not a full offering, I found the plate to be a good sample of what Bestellen’s full menu has to offer.

All three of us ended up ordering the Dry Aged Striploin entree with crispy fingerling potatoes, salsa verde and charred rapini. Again the portion was generous for the price and the aged steak cooked to a perfect medium. The meat was an excellent cut, tender and juicy. Of all the summerlicious meals I’ve had, this was hands down the best beef dish. In fact, even compared to a popular steakhouse I visited later that month, Bestellen had them beat.

For dessert we split the Chocolate Budino and Lemon and Pistachio cake. The square of cake was served hot warm with candied lemon strings and sherry cream, a rich but not overly sweet plate. The budino on the other hand was thick, chocolatey, topped with fresh whipped cream and decadent. Any chocolate lover would have been satisfied.

For me, Summerlicious has always been an opportunity to try new restaurants or re-visit establishments that has delivered in the past. Some restaurants can be overwhelmed by the volume of diners and there’s a notable drop in service or food. Bestellen was excellent, which makes me eager to visit again and taste their full menu.