Tag: wine

Cover photo from NAO’s site

New And Old

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I’ve been intrigued by NAO Steakhouse — a Japanese-influenced steak place, in an old Yorkville house that used to be Boba — ever since it opened. A friend used to work there, but we never quite made it in during her tenure, and for whatever reason we just hadn’t gotten around to making reservations. This week was a tiring one at work though, so we decided on Thursday to try a new place to end the week on a fun note. So we landed here.

First we stopped in at Boxcar Social for an espresso and some drinks. I like that I can get great versions of both there.

Then, on to NAO. It’s a cool space, and they gave us a nice corner on the banquette, the feel of the place was a hit. And the food? Outstanding. The Japanese influence lent a little something to the typical steak experience, but the steak itself was top-notch. I also really liked the wine selection…not the kind of 4-pound wine list that confounds or overwhelms, but well-organized and well-thought-out. We tried to get a bottle of Rustenberg from South Africa, but someone snagged the last bottle just before we did. Instead we got a Chilean Carmenere/Cab blend that wasn’t on the list, which worked out just fine indeed.

Our meal:

  • Blanc de Blanc // Pearl Morissette Chardonnay
  • Hamachi with jalapeño and yuzu // Oysters from BC and PEI
  • 22oz swinging rib Canadian prime (Norwich, ON)
  • Broccolini with soy, chili, and garlic

Consider it added to the favourites section of my list.

.:.

Cover photo from NAO’s site

The California experiment

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Pearl Morissette is one of my favourite Canadian wineries, but until a month or so ago I didn’t know they were also producing wine in California. I found out when I saw an announcement about a dinner at hot new Toronto restaurant Alo, featuring these California wines from PM. It was such a hot ticket (and Alo is such a small restaurant) that the event sold out in minutes, but they scheduled a second seating and Nellie, Kaylea, and I got tickets.

Winemaker Francois Morissette was there to speak about each of the California wines, and a few surprise Ontario wines as well. All the wines were predictably delicious, but we were just so impressed with how he’s found a balance in the Californian wines: using all the advantages of the hot (but not too hot, based on their vineyard locations) without the overbearing, overwrought, over-oaked tendencies too often found in California bottles. These are California wines made with the restraint of a Burgundian winemaker.

The menu, as best I can remember provided by P-M…thanks Milt!:

  1. Pan au lait with fleur de sel
  2. Matsutake mushrooms, turnip, celery, chicken skin
  3. Carolina gold rice, foie gras, bonito
  4. Yorkshire rack of pork, romano bean, artichoke, mustard
  5. Beef brisket, king oyster mushroom, parsley, garlic
  6. White chocolate cremeux, toasted oats, quince (Note: Cori Murphy is a bad-ass pastry chef)

The rice + foie gras dish sounds like it should have been terrible, but it was goddamn delicious. And I hate foie gras.

The wines:

  • Blackball Riesling
  • 2012 Heintz Vineyard Chardonnay
  • 2012 Baranoff Vineyard Pinot Noir
  • 2012 Caldwell Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
  • Niagara Viognier
  • I know I’m missing another Ontario wine. I just can’t remember what it was, goddammit.

All in all, an outstanding meal. I really want to go back Alo now, and we’ve already ordered some of the California wine.

After dinner we still wanted more wine, so we decided to meet up with more friends at Archive. The girls started drinking sparkling; I stayed on the Pearl Morissette with the 2012 “Dix-Neuvième” Chardonnay. I lost track of what everyone got, but after we shared a bottle of Cab Franc from Saumur I was out of there. The rest of the group partied well into the night.

The little plate of digital evil

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This weekend has NOT been good for ye olde diet.

First, M+LK invite us over to their place for dinner, and it turns into the predictable feast: a huge charcuterie board, then grilled pork chops (finished with flaming bourbon), a (surprisingly?) delicious cabbage dish with pancetta, a butternut squash galette, and roasted veggies. Then a tray of desserts so ridiculous it beggared belief. Plus, a seemingly-endless supply of terrific wine, including a Thirty Bench 2010 Benchmark red.

In other news, my hand is scratched all to shit from playing with their kitties, Sam & Dean.

Today we welcomed Jenna (aka Nellie Jr) and a friend over for brunch. Nellie made Caesars and mimosas and cinnamon buttermilk pancakes and breakfast sausage and I needed a serious nap. I woke up just in time to see Josh Donaldson hit a walk-off home run.

Right now Nellie’s grilling up some steaks while a bottle of Two Sisters red warms up in the decanter.

The scale tomorrow will not be my friend.

Old-fashioned

Dan DickinsonLeave a comment

Last night I had occasion to eat at a steakhouse, but felt I had to switch it up a little — it can’t be Jacobs & Co every time, right? And so, I made my first visit to one of Toronto’s quintessential old-man steakhouses: Barberian’s.

Barberians doesn’t seem like it’s changed in fifty years. Even the font on the menu has remained the same. It takes a lot of intestinal fortitude to stay the course like that for so long, but it also takes good execution. And the execution was good: I ate only a tiny bit of the seafood starter, and didn’t really order a side: I just wanted to focus on my 10oz New York sirloin, cooked rare. My knife sliced through it like it was barely there, and it tasted fantastic. Nothing fancy…just a bad-ass steak.

Also, since the meal was on someone else’s dime, I was on the hunt for bargain red wines to have with the steak, and found a couple: first, the 2005 Catena Zapata Nicolas. Now, $305 might not seem like a bargain for one bottle, but that’s half of what we would have paid for a good Napa cab, and a fraction of what a comparable Bordeaux would have cost. And it was tremendous. After a few bottles of that  (plus cocktails before dinner) we’d had enough to drink that another such bottle might have been wasted on us, so we hunted down another bargain: the 2012 Thirty Bench Red. At $75 it was one of the cheapest bottles on the entire list, but a solid red blend from a great Ontario vintage.

After dinner the staff took us downstairs for a quick look at the wine cellar, and I almost committed grand larceny. I can’t talk about it. I’ll get emotional.

.:.

Cover photo from the Barberian’s website

I was on a boat

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Toronto has worked itself into an absolute froth at the idea of increased traffic due to the Pan Am Games. I’m still pretty confident that it’s going to be a non-event (in more ways than one) but it didn’t stop everyone from fleeing the city early on Friday. I’m sure many drove north to their cottages on Tuesday and Wednesday, taking the half-week off, but as of 4pm on Friday Google Maps still showed hideous traffic on all northbound routes out of the city. I really did think we were hosed, as we had plans to drive north around 6:15, but then…nothing. By the time we loaded the rental car and got underway the roads were moving well, and we had a completely non-stop drive (except for one little construction zone on the 400) all the way to Barrie. Calm yourselves, Toronto.

We found our friend Matt waiting for us in their backyard, and soon we were enjoying a beautiful Ontario evening with beer (and, once Kaylea got home, local blanc de noir: Trius 5 and Two Sisters Lush) in hand. Matt prepared a ridiculously delicious chicken, and potato salad made with bacon, and a very nice Lighthall Pinot Noir. Then I inhaled the strawberries and raspberries and whipped cream. And then I pretty much passed out. What hosts.

Speaking of the hosts, they were up and out of the house super-early, so we slept in a bit, collected our gear, and caught up with them at the Orillia farmer’s market. We scored a sweet parking spot, dropped off some supplies, got the tour, bought some lunch (giant homemade Oktoberfest sausage for $4 — check) and cheese and wine, and said goodbye.

We left Orillia and drove to a marina in Bolsover, where we met our friends Joe and Sheila to help them celebrate a big birthday. We hung out on their boat, cruised up the canal a bit to a nearby lake, dropped anchor and had a couple of beers in his honour (being the captain, he remained drink-less). I also acquired a slight sunburn. Yay. Back at the marina we snacked on cheese, scratched dogs, played with toy trains, and feasted on grilled lamb and strawberry shortcake.

The perfect, sunny day had tired us all, though, so we took our leave. Nellie drove home (again: zero traffic…though I suspect today might get hairy), we dropped the car, and I pretty much don’t remember anything else besides hitting the couch.

Happy birthday, Joe!

Cover photo by Alex Indigo, used under Creative Commons license

I am a negligent citizen

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I celebrated Canada Day by working from noon until 10:30pm. Such is life right now, I guess.

Thankfully Nellie didn’t have to work, and dedicated herself to grilling up delicious meals all day…apart from my gigantor cappuccino this morning, which was 100% Fahrenheit. Anyway, here’s what she made:

Lunch was burgers from Sausage King (I used a bourbon-chipotle barbecue sauce), with a Sawdust City Lone Pine IPA for me and a Red Racer ISA for her. We ate on the balcony for the first time this year, goddammit.

Dinner started with four jumbo scallops and two prawns the size of my hand paired with a Benjamin Bridge 2014 Riesling (part of their wine club* shipment last week), followed a while later by New York strip steaks (also from Sausage King) with Ontario asparagus and tomato, paired with a Black Hills 2013 Nota Bené. We decanted this one about 9 hours in advance, and it tasted much better than the one we drank one at Bat Lake in March.

I really only emerged from my work lair to eat and watch a bit of TV (a Daily Show, the first few episodes of TURN), then skulk back to the den to try to un-fuck the rest of my week. Nellie was the hero of the nation this July 1st; she even wore a red tank top all day.

Sorry for being lame on your birthday Canada. I’ll catch you next year.

* We actually dropped out of the BB wine club earlier this week. We love their sparkling, but they just cannot seem to make a decent still wine — their Sauvignon Blanc wasn’t good, their Chardonnay wasn’t good, and the Riesling was decent at best. I get that the vines are young, but given that our family connections in Nova Scotia can get us the sparkling when we want it, it just wasn’t worth paying the premium price (plus shipping) for the other wines in each shipment. We dropped that subscription (and Black Hills) and signed up for Le Vieux Pin‘s club today.

.:.

Cover photo by Alex Indigo, used under Creative Commons license

Cover photo from the Roselle website

“Squirrel! Where’d you hide your nuts?”

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In the week or so that we’ve been back from Berlin we’ve eaten out a lot, due in large part to our near-complete lack of groceries. New-found patio weather’s had something to do with it too. Needless to say, coming hot on the heels of the meat-and-beer frenzy that was Berlin, this has been a problem.

On Wednesday I met friends at Caren’s. I don’t remember eating much; it was all about the wine. Too much of it, probably. And it was too cold to sit on the back patio. More’s the pity.

On Friday Nellie and I met near my work to try out the new new-and-improved Jester On Yonge. Rumour had it they’d replaced many of their beer taps with local craft, and they did…but with more or less the most pedestrian offerings from each. I mean, I’d drink the Collective Arts Rhyme & Reason, Black Oak Nut Brown Ale, Side Launch Wheat, or Oast House Barnraiser all day long, but after that it’s a collection of middling beers like the Double Trouble Brewing Prison Break Pilsner, Flying Monkey Hoptical Illusion, Cameron’s Cream Ale, Steam Whistle, 5 different Amsterdams, 4 different Mill Streets, and so on. Not bad beers by any stretch…but if you’re going to carry 24 craft taps, pick a few adventurous ones. Plus, our server literally forgot my beer for 10 minutes until the chef (!) reminded her. Not so improved after all.

After the Jester we needed a comeback, so we turned to an old standby: Wine Bar. Great food (especially the duck slider) and outstanding wine. It never disappoints.

On Saturday I tried one of the new coffee additions to our neighbourhood: Sam James. I’ve visited the location in the PATH many times and very much enjoy their coffee. I can’t see myself switching from Fahrenheit — they taught me to appreciate coffee, after all — but it’s nice to have another great option so close.

Later that day, when I realized just how nice it was outside, we took a break from work and cooking to share a flight of wheat beers on the Bier Markt patio, then walk to G for Gelato for some…uh, gelato. Nellie had blueberry lavender; I had salted caramel peanut butter. We sat in St. James Park and ate it on a perfect spring day.

On our way between beer and gelato we walked past all the new restaurants on Market Street, and decided to try one of them for lunch on Sunday. We ended up trying Pastizza, which apart from a nice patio was pretty disappointing. Making up for it, though, were the pastries we picked up at Roselle for dessert. Nellie got a lemon tart and I got something called a Turtle tart, which was spectacular.

Oh, and we watched American Sniper (imdb | rotten tomatoes). Pretty good. Not great though.

.:.

Cover photo from the Roselle website

Cover photo by marc falaradeau, used under Creative Commons license

“Full Bloom” might have been a bit ambitious, since it’s supposed to snow tomorrow.

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Last Wednesday we reconvened with our friends Kaylea & Matt at “Full Bloom”, a Wine Society of Ontario event at Caren’s in Yorkville. In the crowded upstairs we sampled from three local wineries: Vineland Estates, Henry of Pelham, and Closson Chase.

I never did try HoP’s Baco Noir, but their Cuvée Catherine sparkling rosé is always top-notch. Vineland’s Riesling was drier than most but still too sweet for me — I think I’m just over Riesling now — but their Cab blend is as good as I remember. The real winner for me, though, was Closson Chase. Always one of our favourites from Prince Edward County, their CCV Chardonnay and KJ Watson Pinot were the standouts.

After the event wrapped up a few of us walked over to Fieramosca for a late dinner. It’s been too long since we dropped by, now that we no longer live or work in the area. It was nice to see everyone again. Plus: delicious.

.:.

Cover photo by marc falaradeau, used under Creative Commons license

Heluva Good dip weekend

Dan DickinsonLeave a comment

Last week our friends Kaylea & Matt offered to have us up to the cottage. We accepted; I needed a weekend off, and Nellie really needed a weekend off.

We dashed out of work and caught a Go Train to Barrie, where Kaylea picked us up and brought us to their place. We celebrated by breaking out some sparkling:

We had reservations at the Local Gastropub and, after some taxi qualms, took our seats in a booth by the bar. I had the battered cod n’ chips; Nellie had the triple smoked ontario bacon mac n’ cheese. We were in the mood for apostrophes apparently. I drank a Wellington brown ale and a Side Launch dark lager. We cabbed home and all fell asleep in front of the TV. It had been a long day.

The next day Kaylea had to work so Matt, Nellie, and I went for breakfast at the Midway Diner, which is exactly as authentic as it sounds. Nellie and I had full-on greasy breakfast: sausage (bacon for her), eggs, hash browns, toast, OJ, coffee/tea. It was goddamn delicious, and it more or less held us over until dinner.

Once Kaylea got back we loaded up the car, made a stop at Barnstormer for some beer, and drove to the cottage. We relaxed for a bit with some Barnstormers and then two amazing bottles of sparkling — a Benjamin Bridge 2008 Estate Brut which had just arrived in our mailbox that day, and a Two Sisters “Lush” sparkling rosé — until it was nearly dinner time, and Matt began prepping the meal.

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And quel meal it was:

  • roasted red pepper soup with shrimp and cumin (Creekside 2012 Reserve Viognier)
  • salmon in beurre blanc (Pentage 2012 Sauv Blanc / Semillon)
  • pappardelle with sausage and tomato (Niagara Teaching College 2011 “Dean’s List Desicatto” Cabernet Franc)
  • grilled ribeye (Black Hills 2013 Nota Bené bordeaux blend)
  • Pilliteri 2008 merlot icewine

We did our best to absorb all that, and eventually all fell asleep from the effort.

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The next morning we all slept in, except for when Kaylea’s phone alarm went off and it sounded like a jaunty police chase. Once we finally woke up Matt and Nellie prepared another big greasy breakfast (plenty of bacon, eggs, toast, Caesars, etc.) and we generally lay about for the whole day. Well, Matt and Nellie went for a walk, and I did some work, and we all watched many hours of news, but other than that: layabouts.

Finally we had to pack up the car, load up on Tim Horton’s, drop Matt off back in Barrie, and drive down to Toronto. The remaining trio of us ordered pizza, settled in to watch The Walking Dead, and went directly into pyjama mode.

Good weekend. Great weekend. But I’m going to pay for it this week.

Cover photo from Taste of Maclean's Dining Series website

You can really taste the Maclean

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So there’s some new thing called Taste Of Maclean’s Dining Series. Yes, that Maclean’s. Anyway, it’s a series of dinners at great restaurants in Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver, hosted by excellent sommeliers, with Australian wines poured at each. We attended the Toronto event last night at Nota Bene.

The hosts

Jacob Richler mumbled his way through hosting duties. David Lee is an amazing chef…let him speak with his food, don’t drag the poor guy out to talk about it. John Szabo should have “Wine Bard” on his business cards. Seriously, after hearing him speak about Australian wine regions I want very badly to go back.

The menu

CANAPÉS
Wolf Blass Gold Label Adelaide Hills Sparkling Pinot Noir/Chardonnay 2011; Annie’s Lane Clare Valley Riesling 2013

NOVA SCOTIA LOBSTER with Ataulfo mango, cashew milk, wakame, chili mint chutney
Wolf Blass Gold Label Adelaide Hills Chardonnay 2013

QUEBEC DUCK BREAST “PASTRAMI” with Lennox Farm rhubarb compôte, honeyed Cookstown sunchokes, pumpkin seeds
Wynn’s Coonawarra Estate Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

“TONGUE N’ CHEEK”: PERTH COUNTY BEEF CHEEK & CONFIT VEAL TONGUE with squash & jicama salsa, sweet English peas, smashed potato, Cotija cheese
Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 2011

ARTISANAL CHEESES: Picobello (cow’s milk, Holland); Grey Owl (goat’s milk, Quebec); Blue d’Elizabeth (cow’s milk, Quebec) with wildflower honey, lavash seed crackers
Penfolds Bin 28 Kalimna Shiraz 2011

DESSERT: salted caramel truffles; shaved almond biscotti; chocolate corn nuts

PORT: Penfolds Grandfather Rare Tawny

The verdict

THE FOOD: the lobster was fine. The beef cheek was very good, though Nellie didn’t like it. The veal tongue wasn’t for me; luckily I had Nellie’s extra beef cheek. The cheese were excellent. The duck, though, was SPECTACULAR.

THE WINE: the whites were decent, but just decent. The Wynn’s is, indeed, an excellent cab for the money. Both Penfolds were very good. But that port…good lort. That’s right, I said lort. Good lort. That port.

THE EVENT: good, and Szabo on his own is almost worth the price of admission, but I’m disappointed that with some kind of Australian wine association sponsoring (the name is Google-proof, alas) what they presented were Australian wine brands so well-known in Canada they’re practically clichés. Why not bring the 389 and Coonawarra to draw people in but then feature some lesser-known wineries? Not so small the LCBO can’t bring them in, but not Wolf Blass fucking Gold either.

.:.

Cover photo from Taste of Maclean’s Dining Series website