Winterlicious
Jan 27-Feb 9, 2012Lunch & Dinner Specials @ Toronto's top restaurants
Vary from $15-$45 for 3-course prix fixe meal
Reservations highly recommended!See menu & participating restaurants at: http://wx.toronto.ca/inter/se/restaurants.nsf/Winterlicious?Openform
If you miss this year's winterlicious, not to worry, they will have it again in the summer: Summerlicious 2012 (July 6-22, 2012)
Here is my review of 5 winterlicious experience:
Pure Spirits Oyster House & Gril l
Distillery District
55 Mill St, Building 62A
416-361-5859
http://purespirits.ca/
$20 Lunch plus taxes and gratu
ity
new england clam chowder with baby clams, back bacon and corn
or
mussels from prince edward island
malaysian laksa broth, wild lime leaves and coconut cream
or
mixed garden leaves (vegetarian)
oven dried cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, hothouse tomato vinaigrete
**********
slow roast prime rib baguette
shaved angus beef, au jus, freshly grated horseradish aioli
or
grilled chinook salmon with yukon
gold potato and garlic mash, grilled asparagus, yellow pepper and saffron veloute
or
whole wheat penne
rigate (vegetarian)
sundried
tomato, walnut pesto
**********
Chai tea creme brulee
spiced almond biscotti
or
bread and butter pudding
butterscotch caramel and whipped espresso cream
or
chef selection of sorbet and ice cream
fresh fruit
Food: 3.5/5 (Food is good, but has room for improvement)
Service: 3/5 (Friendly but slow, takes 2.5 hours to finish lunch!)
Decor: 4/5 (Distillery view outside, has both bar tables and dining tables options, not too noisy because of the high ceiling)
Comments: An overall positive experience. I may go again to try their oysters. The crab cake (ordered a-la-carte) is good but expensive. The clam chowder is too watery disappointing but the mussels and broth are tasty. Salmon is average but the prime rib baguette is below average because the bread is soggy and the beef is under seasoned. The chai tea creme brulee is tasty though, and the sorbet trio is a refreshing finish.
Linda Modern Thai
11 Karl Fraser Rd
416-642-3866
http://www.lindarestaurant.com/
$25 Dinner plus taxes and gratuity
Ho Mok Talay (Steamed Seafood
Custard)
Thai seafood custard made with egg, red curry, fish and shrimp
or
Grilled Chicken Lemongrass Skewers
Minced chicken with lemongrass and Thai
herbs grilled on lemongrass skewers, Sweet chili dipping sauce
or
Mieng Kum (for 2 persons)
A classic Thai street food. Make your own appetizer from peanut, dried shrimp, shredded coconut, lime, chili, shallot, wrapped in betel leaves, Sweet chili sauce or
Mango Salad (vegetarian)
Fresh mango, peanut, dry shrimp, lettuce, carrot, tomato, shallot, basil, Fish sauce, fresh lime juice, palm sugar
AND
Choice of Soup:
Tom Yum Goong (Hot & Sour Shrimp Soup)
Shrimp, mushroom, lemongrass, lemon leaf, galangal, home-made chili paste with our own home-made chicken, shrimp and Thai herb stock
or
Thin “Laksa” Soup
Linda’s interpretation of the curry Laksa soup made from shrimp stock, coconut milk and curry spices, with cuttlefish, shrimp, egg noodle, vermicelli
or
Lobster Bisque
Lobster, butter, home-made lobster broth
or
Vegetarian Tom Yum (vegetarian)
A vegetarian version of our classic Tom Yum soup. Mushroom, lemongrass, lemon leaf, galangal, home-made chili paste
**********
Crispy Beef in Panang Curry
A rich, creamy curry made from peanut, coconut milk, and our own Panang curry paste, Crispy beef brisket, bell pepper, peanut, Asian basil, lime leaf
or
Slow Poached Duck with Hawthorn and Cranberry Sauce
Duck breast cooked at a low temperature to preserve the texture and taste, Bok choy, Sweet and sour hawthorn and cranberry sauce
or
Salmon in Mango Ginger Sauce
Pan-seared pacific salmon, quinoa, fresh fruit, Tangy mango-ginger sauce
or
Vegetarian Curry Yuba Hot Pot (vegetarian)
Thai sour curry with coconut milk, Yuba (bean curd sheet), green pea, grape tomato, oyster mushroom, tofu
**********
Mango Sticky Rice (vegetarian)
Fresh mango, white glutinous rice, sesame seed, sweet coconut milk
or
Deep Fried Banana with Honey (vegetarian)
Battered, deep fried golden banana topped with honey and roasted sesame seed
or
Homemade Gelato (vegetarian)
Your choice from our selection of homemade gelato
Food: 4.5/5 (Food is really good and of great value!)
Service: 4/5 (Friendly, efficient, and the owner comes to chat with you about their cuisine)
Decor: 3.5/5
Comments: A great meal and great deal! Mieng Kum, the Thai street food is fun to eat (you put topppings inside a leaf wrap)! The lemongrass chicken skewer is delicious. The soups all have a wonderful aroma. Crispy beef brisket is original, the fruity salmon is refreshing, the duck is juicy, and the veggie paper hot pot is fun. All desserts are great, especially the black sesame gelato! This hand grind version probably is the best tasting black sesame gelato/ice-cream that I have ever tasted!
Bymark
66 Wellington St W, TD Tower Concourse Level
416-777-1144 ext 1
http://www.bymark.ca/
$25 Lunch plus taxes and gratuity
Romaine Hearts
honey smoked bacon, oven cured tomatoes, reggiano, caesar vinaigrette
or
Roasted Root Vegetable Salad
grapefruit segments & white balsamic dressing
or
Crisp Crab Cakes
celery root & apple remoulade
**********
Bymark 8oz U.S.D.A. Prime Burger
brie de meaux, grilled king mushrooms
or
Pappardelle & Braised Rabbit
winter vegetables, grainy mustard sauce
or
Pan Roasted Salmon
roasted root vegetables, dried cranberries, toasted pumpkin seed & arugula
**********
Gingerbread cake
sweet potato mousse, maple walnut fudge
or
Apple Crostata
caramel crunch ice cream
or
Orange Nanaimo Brownie
toasted meringue
Food: 4.3/5 (All dishes are tasty, though a bit pricy)
Service: 3.5/5 (Business-like friendliness)
Decor: 3.5/5
Comments: All three courses (crab cakes, rabbit pasta, gingerbread cake with yam mousse) are delicious! Chef Mark McEwan (owner of an organic supermarket) really makes good use of fresh ingredients!
JAMCafé
195 Carlton St
416-921-1255
http://www.jamcafe.net/
$25 Dinner plus taxes and gratuity
Daily Soup
(vegetarian)
or
JAM Salad Green Leaf, Radicchio and Baby Arugula, Pea Shoots, Wild Blueberry and Organic Cider Vinaigrette
(vegetarian)
or
Caesar Cardini
Croutons and Oaxaca Cheese
or
Popcorn Escargots
Tempura Fried, Spicy Curry Coconut Milk Sauce, Enoki Mushroom
or
Orr Lake Elk Sausage Slider on Pain au Lait, Maple
Syrup Caramelized Onion, Curry Salt Matchstick Frites
(local)
**********
Grilled Flat Iron Steak and Frites,
Grainy Dijon Mustard Sauce
or
Orr Lake Elk Bourguignon
Braised Ontario Elk With Mushrooms,
Pearl Onions, House Smoked Bacon, Winter Root Vegetable Mash, Elk Marrow Butter Toasts
(local)
or
Ricotta, Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese Crêpes
Light Cream Sauce With Wine and Sage, Fresh Herb Salad
(vegetarian)
or
Risotto With Alaskan Ling Cod, Leeks and Tomato Filet, Fennel Pollen
**********
Warm Apple Cinammon Cobbler
(local)
or
Brioche Bread Pudding, Brandy Caramel Sauce
or
Flourless Dark Chocolate Torte
Food: 3.5/5 (Love the appetizers but disappointed about the mains)
Service: 2.8/5 (Average, not especially attentive, doesn't have bread/butter to start)
Decor: 3.9/5 (Quite a romantically-lit small resto)
Comments: A bit disappointed with this meal. Both appetizers (popcorn escargot and elk slider) are really tasty, but the mains are not up to par. The steak is not too bad, but the fish is really undercooked in an unappetizing way (not like those melt in your mouth sashimi). The desserts are not particularly outstan
ding, but ok... the cobbler is like an interesting twist to french toast. The service is fast but not attentive. Not sure if I will come again.
The Wine Bar
9 Church St
416-504-9463
http://www.9church.com/
$15 Lunch plus taxes and gratuity
Cheddar & Apple Salad (vegetarian)
Grapes, spiced cashews, greens & mustard vinaigrette
or
Sweet Potato & Chipotle Soup (vegetarian)
Pepper Croutons & Parsley
or
Braised Beef & Wild Mushroom Poutine
Ontario Cheese Curds & Green Onions
**********
Wild Fish Ragout
Stewed Tomatoes, Fennel, Leeks & Fingerling Potatoes
or
Grilled Peameal Sandwich
Toasted Ancient Grain, Mustard Mayo, Fried Sunny side Egg & Baby Arugula
or
Warm Mediterranean Salad (vegetarian)
Chickpeas, Olives, Roasted red Peppers, Grilled Vegetables & Baby Spinach
**********
Maple Crème Brulée (vegetarian)
Walnut Biscotti
or
Egg Nog (vegetarian)
Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies
or
Bread & Butter Pudding (vege
tarian)
Crème Anglaise & Raspberry Compote
Food: 4/5 (portions are small but all dishes are tasty)
Service: 3.8/5 (friendly and efficient)
Decor: 3.5/5 (an interesting divide of area between the bar and the dining tables)
Comments: The poutine is really delicious and the peameal sandwich is an interesting choice. The egg nog & cookies is a cool variation on milk & cookies.
Overall, I'd rate my experience of the restaurants:
Linda > Bymark > Wine Bar > Pure Spirits > JAM
Some people ask me how do I pick which restaurants I want to try as the list is huge! My personal method is by browsing through their menus to see if they interest me, then look up their reviews.
Please feel free to recommend any restaurants that I should try next time. Thanks!
n S
cavenger Hunt: Given a list of items, each team needs to photograph as many as possible using knowledge of the city, strategy, creativity, and teamwork skills. A lot of walking but a lot of fun! Great team building activity.
