Our second “very French” dinner in Paris was at Comptoir de la Gastronomie. After scouring the Internet for possible dinner spots known for foie gras, I settled on the restaurant because of great reviews from both locals and tourists, mid range in price, and the fact that they took reservations. A few other restaurants that piqued my interest with similar great reviews and price range unfortunately all warned of long line ups. I went with the safer bet, still having to make a reservation weeks in advance, and was very happy with my decision.

Atmosphere: Comptoir de la Gastronomie was half shop, half restaurant. During the day, the shop stocked champagne, foie gras, caviar, truffles and a host of other delectable ingredients. The restaurant portion of the establishment opened at noon with a dozen tables and tall shelves filled with wine. Both parts of the building was charming with chalkboard menus, plush red curtains and wood tables. When we visited, diners were split evenly between tourists and locals.

Service: Stephen and I arrived at the restaurant a few minutes past our reservation, panting, as we had hustled from the subway station. The hostess greeted us with a smile and led us to our table where we settled to catch our breath. We had no issues with communication and an English menu was available for both food and wine. I had read online about tourist ordering Steak Tartare in Paris and being left to season the dish themselves, which made me avoid the dish. In a similar vein, while service was nice, I did feel like we were expected a basic knowledge of French cuisine, ie. how to use the escargot tools.

Food: To start, Stephen and I ordered 6 Bourgogne Snails, which were massive. Each snail was smothered in a garlic herb butter, chewy and meaty. If you’ve never tried them before, this would be a great first experience. Next was Pan Seared foie gras. After tasting the various foie gras at Le Petit Canard, we were ready to have it seared and oh my. The portion served was so thick, almost an inch, and the size of my (albeit small) palm. Perfectly seared, sprinkled with sea salt and served on a piece of ginger bread, each bite was foie gras heaven, and for only €17! Amazing.

For entrees, we order the Duck Breast and in an attempt to get some greens, the Gourmande “Salad”. Although salad in name, the dish had as much meat as vegetable. The mixed greens was topped with more foie gras, slices of smoked duck breast, gizzards, and a duck leg. The duck breast had a perfect crispy skin and a savoury sauce. While both of these dishes were good, the surprise hit of the evening was the bowl of Truffle Cream Foie Gras Ravioli. There was just so much flavour and umami, we pretty much licked the plate clean. I would’ve skipped both the duck breast and the salad for two more bowls of ravioli. This was a seasonal dish, but if you see it on the menu, I’d highly recommend it.

As I was planning our trip to Paris I asked Stephen what he wanted to do, this being his first time visiting the city. His reply was croissants and foie gras. With that in mind, I set out to research restaurants. In general when I’m travelling, I like to limit the number of reservations to 1 or 2 so that our schedule doesn’t feel too constrained. Once reservations are made, I like to bookmark a variety of restaurants in different neighbourhoods, which can be slotted into our itinerary depending on where we are when we get hungry. Lastly, having dinner options near our hotel is key, perfect for heading straight home after or fitting in an afternoon nap beforehand if need be.

Our first dinner in Paris was in response to Stephen’s foie gras request. Le Petit Canard was a cozy French restaurant located just blocks from either Pigalle or Saint-Georges metro station. We stopped by around 9pm, late for when we usually eat dinner but quite normal for Paris, and was seated right away. The restaurant only had about 10 tables, which quickly filled up after us. I loved how charming the space felt from the chili pepper table cloths to the collection of wooden duck figurines carefully balanced along a picture frame. Conversation hummed around us, there was a full wine glass by every hand, and the feel of comfort and happiness in the room was palpable.

I knew service in Paris could be a challenge and set my expectations for cold and aloof. Le Petit Canard was the exact opposite. Our server was friendly, warm, smiled a lot, and our food arrived quickly. An English menu was available and we had no language issues.

To start, Stephen and I ordered the Onion Soup and half a dozen Escargot. The soup, made with red wine, was thick and savoury with a thick layer of gooey melted cheese. Each plump snail was buried under a mound of butter and garlic. The texture was chewy but not rubbery and meaty.

On to the main event, a tasting plate of 3 types of Foie Gras. Duck shaped crostinis decorated the otherwise simple plate with a spoonful each of fig jam and caramelized onions. Usually when I eat foie gras, it’s been pan seared, and I really liked trying out the delicacy in its uncooked state. Each bite was just amazing. A touch of jam added sweetness and acidity to each bite, cutting through the pure richness and rounding out the flavour. With the foie gras tasting and starters, we decided to order only one main to split and chose the Duck Confit. Delicious. The duck was perfectly cooked and just fell off the bone.

Overall, dinner at Le Petit Canard was lovely. After a full day of running from one tourist attraction to another, the homey, delicious meal was the perfect note to end on.

To celebrate the launch of Zomato in Toronto, the company has been inviting bloggers from all over the city for meet-ups at some great restaurants (ie. Pai). The events are small, under 20 people and really gives everyone a chance to meet each other, put a face behind Twitter handles and share a great meal. Over dinner at The Harbord Room, I had the chance to meet some awesome Toronto food bloggers and the conversation was restaurant-centric.

Disclaimer: All drinks and dishes were provided free of charge. All opinions expressed below are wholly mine.

The Harbord Room assembled a special set dinner with wine pairings that was an excellent sample of their menu. Local, seasonal ingredients were highlighted each wine complimented the course. We started with a chestnut and chorizo soup, topped with toasted pumpkin seeds and sheep’s milk cheese that was thick, savoury and nutty. This was a great fall dish that was filling and had rich flavours.

Our second course was a refreshing grouper ceviche with coconut, basil, papaya, avocado, cashie and radish. The abundance of toppings kind of buried the grouper itself. I liked the nuttiness from the fresh radish and the bottom layer of avocado cream. For our entree, we were treated to a roast Quebec partridge pot pie with a duck fat crust, wild mushrooms and topped with a thin slice of foie gras. Served alongside this decadent creation was cauliflower gratin and charred squash with pomegranate. Personally, I found this course too rich. Compared to the previous grouper, the pot pie was on the heavy side, lots of fat, gravy and while delicious, I needed breaks in between bites. The slice of foie gras also added to the richness of the fish. I love foie gras and even for me the dish all together was a bit too much. Between the two sides, the cheesy, garlicy cauliflower gratin was amazing.

Dinner ended with a glass of Barbeito Malvasia, a sweet wine, paired with a complicated dessert. There was a scoop of ox blood plum ice cream and ginger snaps, on top of a baked pumpkin custard, topped with candied walnuts. I enjoyed the tartness of the ice cream and the sweetness of the walnuts. As for the custard and ginger snaps, they didn’t do much for me.

Overall, each dish at The Harbord Room was complex, built layers of flavour and the wine pairings showed off an impressive cellar. It was a great meal at a classic Toronto restaurant to celebrate a great new service for Toronto foodies. In the short time since the Zomato team has been in Toronto, they’ve truly worked to explore the city’s food scene and culture. I’m excited to see how they continue to expand and evolve.

For Valentine’s Day this year the BF and I decided to forgo gifts and instead splurge on a meal. He still got me macarons and I found him ravioli pans, but we kept ourselves in check. This was good because dinner at Jacobs & Co Steakhouse more than fit the definition of a splurge meal, or two. Located on Brant St, Jacobs & Co serves up various cuts of steak from all over the world ranging from farms across North America to authentic Japanese Wagyu. There are reasonably priced options, we chose to go for broke.

Atmosphere: While dinner wasn’t a black tie event the dress code in the restaurant did include a jacket and dress for most diners. We were seated in a secluded room with tables only for two so the noise level was hushed and the lighting dim, perfect for an intimate dinner. The outside dining area was more lively with larger groups and more open space. I appreciate that Jacobs offers both settings to chose from. The decor was elegant, featuring contemporary lines with traditional textures like rich leathers and dark woods. Dinner at Jacobs is a perfect excuse to get dressed up and try out a new dress or pair of shoes.

Service: Complimentary coat check is offered before the friendly hostess guides you to your table. Our server was friendly and stuck up a conversation with the BF with regards to his camera. After a small bit of dialogue he apologized for interrupting our dinner, which was sweet and unnecessary. The wine book at Jacobs was a little overwhelming for us so we asked our server to recommend something based on our price range and taste preferences. He took it away and returned with a bottle of Malbec from Argentina that the BF and I both liked. I felt well taken care of the entire dinner, without the servers feeling overbearing and loved the table side preparation of the caesar salad (I never knew so many ingredients went into the dressing).

Food: I need to preface this with the disclaimer that our eyes were far larger than our stomachs and my dress was uncomfortably tight as we left. It was a great meal, the best steaks I’ve had in Toronto but I’m still on the fence about whether or not the price tag was justified. I do believe it’s worth the cost by the excellent service and whole dining experience, but based on the food alone, I’m unsure.

Once we had placed our order with the helpful guidance of our knowledgeable server, he dropped off two popovers with a garlic chive butter. The bread was perfectly hollow and had buttery, flakey layers. I had to keep reminding myself about the ounces of steak to come so as not to fill up on carbs, a difficult task.

For sides we ordered the Jacobs Caesar Salad and the daily special of hash browns fried in duck fat topped with a soft boiled egg. It was fun to watch the preparation and care that went into the dish on top of it tasting great. I liked that the dressing was tangy and not too creamy. We ordered one portion size and it was a good amount split for two people. Before the hot dishes arrived, our server delivered a plate of salts and sauces to accompany the steak. Of these, my favourite was the chimichurri. We didn’t get through much of the hash browns, they were good. I would’ve liked the egg to be a bit more runny.

The BF had his heart set on the 36 oz bone-in ribeye, 26 oz without the bone, also named the “Swinging Steak” on the menu. So I ordered something smaller, the 10 oz Californian Cut Striploin from Snake River Farms Wagyu. Between the two US Wagyu farms we were told the Snake River had a gamier taste, while the Oakleigh was more buttery. Since the BF was getting a super marbled, fatty ribeye, I chose the Snake River in contrast. His ribeye was ordered medium and my striploin was medium rare. Both steaks came out at the right shade of pink and I added 2 oz of foie gras to mine. As I’ve mentioned before, this was the best steak I’ve had in Toronto. The steaks were well cooked with a beautiful caramelized crust and tender, flavourful middle. My personal preference leans towards fattier steaks so I liked the ribeye more but both were mouth watering. The BF likened the meal to steakhouse he had visited in Houston.

I was enticed by other tables and ordered the 12 layer chocolate cake for dessert. We didn’t need it and it was a dense cake. Beautiful presentation but I was hoping for a more airy texture. There was a mix up in the kitchen and the hash browns we had asked to be packed up were sent home with another table. Our server was so apologetic and he offered to have the dish re-made for us. He also sent us home with extra complimentary muffins.

Overall, Jacobs delivered an excellent experience with welcoming service in a polished environment and great food. It wasn’t the best meal I’ve ever had, in the top 10, but it was the one with the highest price tag.

The BF and I recently took a weekend trip to Montreal purely to enjoy the culinary scene. With so many restaurants in the city, I had a hard time narrowing down our itinerary. I wanted to visit old favourites like Schwartz’s and try classics. Gaining 5 lbs over a weekend, worth it.

These were my top 5 eats from this trip:

1. Foie Gras Poutine @ Au Pied de Cochon: 536 Duluth Street East
   • Best poutine I’ve ever had
   • Plentiful seared foie gras, melted cheese curds and perfect gravy
2. Pork Cheek Pate @ Kazu: 1862 St Catherine St W
   • Unique style to serve flavourful pork cheek with warm tortillas and great sauce
3. T-rex Poutine @ La Banquise: 994 Rue Rachel E
   • My favourite way to start a Montreal trip
   • Cheesy curds and toppings that spill off the plate
4. Brunch @ Le Cartet: 106 McGill St
   • Lots of options, rich and lighter fare, great fresh ingredients
   • Gift store at front of the restaurant offers gourmet chocolate and foods
5. Macarons @ La Maison du Macaron: 705 Rue Sainte-Catherine W
   • Convenient kiosk located in Eaton Centre
   • Lots of flavours, rich fillings and airy cookie

Brunch is my favourite meal of the day next to dinner. I’m never very hungry first thing in the morning, but by brunch time I’m happy to  indulge in a larger and usually more savory meal, and with less guilt (two meals in one!). After my visit to Farmhouse Tavern, they are now my favourite brunch place in the city and I can not stop recommending them to all of my friends.

Atmosphere: Stepping into Farmhouse Tavern, it felt like walking into a cottage. There was a lot of cowboy kitsch, and the walls were filled with unmatched frames. I also liked the unmatched mugs and plates, and the setting felt very comfortable. We sat in the dining area in front of the kitchen and the bench was lined with mismatched cushions. It really felt like a Sunday at the cottage, with a collection of serving ware from different times, places and people, ready to present a great meal.

Service: We didn’t have to wait long for a table. I could see it being a little awkward on a busy day as the front door opens into the dining area. You’d be waiting in the middle of the room, surrounded by tables. The menu items are written on the chalkboard, but with little to no description. Some were self explanatory (steak and eggs) but what’s a Cover Girl? Our server, who looked like a blonde Anna Kendrick, was happy to go over each item for us and even repeat some descriptions while we went back and forth on what to order. Coffees were refilled and our server chatted with us while the credit transaction was being processed.

Food: After asking about every item on the menu, the BF and I settled on the Mother and Child Reunion (two poached duck eggs, deep fried, with slices of cured duck breast) with the addition of Foie Gras and the Hangover Poutine (fries, with gravy, cheese curds, pulled pork and topped with a fried egg).

Both dishes were mouth watering. The layers of the poutine complimented each other and there was no clashing or over seasoning between the pulled pork and the gravy. The fried egg had a beautiful runny yolk and the curds were melted goodness. This dish on paper, easily sounded too heavy with all of the components, but somehow it wasn’t. We finished every bite of the dish and I would highly recommend it, hungover or not.

I also liked the mother and child. I do like the taste of duck and really enjoyed all the different parts of the dish. The foie gras is a must, if it’s something you partake in. It was creamy, and nutty and I loved every bite. There were only a few pieces of the thinly sliced cured duck breast, but each was very flavourful. I loved the crunch of the deep fried, poached duck eggs, which weren’t greasy and still had a nice runny yolk. The piece of bread that came with this dish was also crusty and buttered heavy handily. It was a great addition to dip into the yolks, but not absorbent to soak any up that spilled on your plate.

It was a great meal, and I can’t wait to be back.