Our day started with meeting up at the Artisano Cafe in Oakville. Splendid pastries, great coffee. I had a latte (nice layered presentation, very cute) with a cheese croissant. The smart eating and usual reverence for a low-carb lifestyle immediately was disregarded.
We hit Niagara On the Lake and went to our hotel - The Anchorage. The reservation was made weeks before after struggling to find a somewhat frugal hotel with vacancy. Alas, this one was it. While in need of some maintenance, it was, nonetheless, clean and tidy. Honestly, it was a place to lay our (fuzzy) heads at the end of the night. The price was right, it was fairly well appointed and would suffice. If I had to choose between luxurious accommodations and luxurious food... I choose food.
Lunch was at the Anchorage for convenience. Shrimp with a mixed green salad with goat cheese and a blue cheese dressing. Interesting. The produce was fresh. Not a usual mix of flavours, but nothing offensive. The shrimp, sadly, was overcooked, but the cheese was a delight, if not a bit overwhelming. The service was good though, the beer crisp and perfect for a warm afternoon, sitting on the patio watching the sailboats. Amazing how atmosphere can make adequate food seem a bit more palatable.
Once lunch was finished and we changed, we headed up to the theatre. Our show of choice was "Born Yesterday". In a word (and the interest of keeping this somewhat shorter): fabulous. Great cast, great energy, great show.
For the highlight of the weekend, it had to be our dinner at Tiara at Queen's Landing (clickety click). As it often goes with higher end restaurants, the expectation is extraordinarily high. You're paying what is, for this somewhat frugal foodie, a premium for excellent food and service to match.
I'm happy to report that everything at Tiara exceeded my expectations. I've often found myself in the "frou-frou" eateries only to be disappointed by snobbish staff and underwhelmed by overly fussy try-too-hard food. Chef James Olberg and Restaurant Chef Marc Lyons are doing things the way they should - quality and simplicity combined to create the extraordinary.
The decor was decadently opulent in a way that was not overdone, but rather, just enough to impress without intimidating. It is elegant without being fussy and each course was well-presented. Simplicity at it's finest. Our fare held unique flavour combinations, but didn't cross that thin line into indulgent and didn't stray too far from classic cuisine.
Of course, the food is only half the battle. It was made that much better by the staff, who excel at starting your experience with warmth and grace.
Now. Enough of the fawning all over the restaurant and let's get to the details. The nosh (mine is indicated in red).
Starters:
- Summer Field Greens with Vanilla Poached Pears, White Asparagus, Honey Toasted Walnuts and Blood Orange Vinaigrette
- P.E.I. Lobster Poutine with Peppercorn Béarnaise
Before getting into my order - a small mention of what seems like the simplest part of your meal: the bread basket. As I'm a bit of a carb-a-phobe on a regular day, this was a girl's weekend and I was indulgent and threw out all my usual restraint. Although, they could have put white Wonder Bread and I would have glazed over with longing. So, imagine my delight when I was met with a beautiful array of artisan style bread with butter that was scented with orange and ginger. Which makes me wonder... why doesn't my butter at home taste like this?! It's amazing. Delicious and a bit of a surprise. I love when restaurants turn something so routine like the bread basket and make it something a bit more special.
Although I felt it somewhat trite to order a "side" dish as an appetizer instead of taking advantage of the amazing appetizer selections, I couldn't help but need to try a lobster poutine. Honestly - how could this not be fabulous? Creamy sauce peppered (ha) with a hint of spice, PEI lobster so succulent it practically melted, combined with perfectly seasoned, crispy frites. I wasn't disappointed. It took a lot of willpower to not lick the bowl clean.
Mains:
- Grilled Alberta Beef Tenderloin Fillet Smoked Corn Potatoes, Foie Gras Torchon and Apple Jus- P.E.I. Lobster with Hand Cut Tagliatelle Pasta with summer tomatoes, spinach, pine nuts and brandy butter
I have to confess it here.. and I may lose my membership to the Food Fan Club (it's okay, the club only exists in my head). But here it goes. I have never before tried Foie Gras. I know, I know. A travesty. But, when you come from a small town and lived in Northern Ontario for years, Foie Gras isn't always in the budget, or even readily accessible. So, I had to try it here. And what better time to do that than with an amazing cut of beef? Overall, the jus was nothing short of perfection. The tenderloin was perfectly cooked and supple. The Haricots verts (added bonus points to the staff for not butchering the pronunciation a la that Iron Chef episode when Joe Bastianich kept saying "Harry cots vairts") and asparagus were tender without venturing into mush. The foie gras defied expectations and brought a smokey richness to the dish. Of course, the potatoes were delightful as well. My only critique would be the cinnamon on the apples included on top of the beef - a tiny bit heavy handed on the seasoning that often detracted from the wonderful taste of the aged beef. A small thing, easily overlooked when I consider the dish as a whole.
My main was complemented by a wonderful Henry of Pelham Baco Noir that I was so impressed with, we pit-stopped at the Estate on the way home to snag a few bottles.
Desserts:
- Belgium Dark Chocolate Fudge Cake with homemade Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream- Vanilla Lavender Crème Brulée with Honey Almond Biscotti
Dessert. Often an indulgence I don't partake in. Most restaurants disappoint with brought-in pies and cakes without the benefit of realizing that most people can taste the difference. I tire easily of "turtle" cakes and dry cheesecake. It's not often that I'm impressed with dessert. Maybe I've just been partaking at the wrong kinds of restaurants. Of course, lately, with 2 kids in tow and a picky eater husband, I'm often lamenting about my lack of good cuisine experiences and making up for what I miss in eating out by making it myself. But I digress. We're talking desserts.
Nothing beats a good creme brulee. Add in some fresh seasonal fruit and slight hints of vanilla and lavender and this was a good one. The biscotti was unnecessary, although I did enjoy dunking it in my spanish coffee. And while not needed with the amazing brulee, it was, nonetheless, delicious. I am, however, embarrassed to admit.. I couldn't finish it. The sugar cracked perfectly, the custard was light and smooth.. but my indulgences eventually caught up to me. And I will mention my friend Deb's dessert that included a homemade chocolate peanut butter ice cream. As a non-ice cream person (who knew that kind of person existed?!), she said that she would buy this ice cream by the carton.
Overall, the meal exceeded my expectations in both flavours and vibe. We were extremely well attended to, felt most welcome and enjoyed our meals immensely. From our initial impression while making our reservations earlier in the day to receiving a single red rose at the meal's completion (resigning my husband to have to hear "why don't YOU ever do that?!" for months to come), everything was perfection.
Tiara at Queen's Landing is truly a restaurant that seems to appreciate Anthony Bourdain's belief that context and memory play powerful roles in the truly great meals in one's life. And this was just that - a truly great meal.
Meals for the week - it was a morning of super-fast meal planning. Too much wine on the way home, I suppose.
Tonight: Whole wheat spaghetti with bolognese sauce and homemade garlic knots.
Tomorrow: Soccer night, but no homemade pizza. Mina requested smoked ham and fresh mozzarella quesadillas with side spinach salads.
Wednesday: Shrimp and sausage boil with baby red potatoes and fresh sweet corn.
Thursday: Pasta with fresh tomatoes and basil.
Friday: I'll be working, so the nanny will take care of dinner. Lucy loves grilled cheese as a treat, so I bought some nice cheddar for her and I'll pick up some fresh country bread for them to have their treat. Probably soup with it.
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