Wedding Menu

Finally, we're getting to the FOOD portion of our wedding! One of the main reasons we picked Auberge du Pommier as our venue was for the food. Yes, you can call me a baker, a foodie, or someone who takes photos of her food, and this meant that I wanted our guests to be given various choices and to be well fed at our wedding. We decided on a French restaurant because most of our fond dining experiences happened in French restaurants.

The restaurant doesn't offer a complimentary tasting, but you are able to schedule one for an additional cost. We felt pretty confident that the food would be good, so we skipped the option and picked the dishes based on the menu descriptions.

Of course, the first edible treat they received was part of the program. After the ceremony, the drinks were generously circulated to our guests. Lots of wine and cocktails to start the party with.

We also ordered three types of canapés to be circulated at this time. A vegetarian pick - savoury scallion madeleines with lemon crème fraîche - as you may know, I love madeleines! Next up, a seafood option - grilled octopus brochettes with strawberry gastrique. Then, because most people love meatballs, grilled Moroccan lamb on a stick.

Auberge du Pommier printed the menus for every guest, but the children's menu wasn't included in it. But our flower girl and ring bearer had some great choices for dinner as well! Caesar salad, crudités and dips, or greens with house vinaigrette for an appetizer. Fish goujonettes with chips and tartar sauce, petit filet of beef with vegetables and potatoes, or roasted chicken with vegetables and potatoes for their entrée choice. Then for dessert, they could pick a chocolate brownie with vanilla ice cream, a banana split, or fruit salad with cookies. The children's portion were actually really large so the parents happily helped finish all the food.

For the adult guests, they could order the soup of the day which was fennel and leek vichyssoise with fennel front mascarpone and mint pesto or the chou frisé consisting of kale, radish, pickled granny apple, and horseradish kefir vinaigrette.

One of the popular mains that guests ordered was the canard: roasted duck breast with apricot, coriander tabbouleh, fennel salad, pickled red onion, and grilled lemon jus.

Next, the boeuf: a beef tenderloin with braised broccolini, pommes purée, shallot confit, a scallion compte, and bordelaise sauce.

And since no one RSVPed with food restrictions, we offered a saumon choice instead of a vegetarian one: B.C. salmon with charred romaine, braised radish, spicy pea purée, and goat cheese cream.

Even though there would be cake, we still wanted a dessert course (who doesn't want more dessert?) The mousse au chocolat was served with a mixed berry compote, nut clusters, and salted caramel.

And the rhubarbe consisted of chilled rhubarb coulis, yoghurt gâteau, toasted almonds, and crème fraîche ice cream. Howard's and my plate were personalized from the chef with a note of congratulations (the only photo I took that day).

Cheers! More about those cakes next time . . .

Wedding Photography: Ikonica | Venue: Auberge du Pommier | Food and Drink: Auberge du Pommier | Printed Menus: Auberge du Pommier

Wedding Venue

Here's a blast from the past! I've been writing these posts since the beginning of the year by jotting down my thoughts in hopes of helping those who might be planning a wedding. So it's a combination of things I drafted months ago and thoughts from today.

I think choosing the venue was the hardest part of the wedding because everything else falls in place once it's decided. You might have read an earlier post where I was feeling the blues because we didn't know what to do. Did we want to do a destination wedding or a wedding in our city? There were so many pros and cons and we debated for a long time. In the end, we decided to have the wedding in our home city with the following requirements:

1. We had to stay within a budget.
2. There had to be good food (right? We have a food blog of goodness sake).
3. Ideally, it could host the ceremony and the reception.
4. Free parking for our guests.
5. Someplace easy to get to.

One of our earlier plans was to go the route of a hall rental like everybody else. We wanted the ceremony and reception at the Toronto Botanical Garden because it was adjacent to Edwards Garden. This was when we thought we should continue our park theme (having met on the job while working for Toronto Parks and Rec and being engaged at Central Park in New York). But bringing in a caterer, renting furniture, and all the fees associated with the space meant we would be doubling our budget. *faint*

Another idea was to do a really simple wedding by getting married at City Hall and then having dinner at a restaurant. Then we found out that those wedding chambers at City Hall weren't included, there was a rental fee! And we'd have to pay for parking. If I was going to be spending money on renting a space for the ceremony, I might as well find a prettier spot!

And a prettier spot we did find! We were so happy to learn that Auberge du Pommier was available (do book ahead, we reserved it a year in advance). This charming French restaurant includes a terrace space for ceremonies. It's covered in case there's rain (which it did) and includes heaters if it gets a bit chilly (which it did). We also still get the greenery with the trees, shrubs, and plants - so we're still with the park theme here with it being airy with fresh air.

The lower terrace was transformed by the amazing staff who arranged the chairs in theatre setting and for hanging our decorative bunting at the front. Unlike other venues, you don't have to rent chairs or tables! The area is also completely private and not visible from the road or parking lot. Bonus, the aisle isn't too long so I didn't have to walk too far to get to the front (was seriously stressed about walking in heels in a gown. A simple thing like walking, geez)!

We wanted a small wedding, but we still ended up booking the largest private room that Auberge du Pommier had - which seats 48. The Oscar room had the perfect set up for us, there were six tables of eight, a fireplace, a cake table, and a hutch.

We had the option of reserving the second private room for late night dancing and food too, but they weren't next to each other so it felt disconnected and we declined the space. Another small wedding group was there that night, but we didn't see much of them since we were separated by the concierge. If you're wondering about the main dining room space, Auberge du Pommier doesn't offer full restaurant buyouts on Saturday evenings, only during lunch or on Sundays.

It was tricky narrowing down the guest list to 46, but we did it. You know what's trickier after? The seating chart! We actually had our head table split in two, so the ones in the middle were for us and our wedding party. Then Howard's family and friends on the left and my family and friends on the right.

Now that we've had our wedding, we only have praises and good things to say. The event specialists at Oliver & Bonacini are courteous, helpful, and so great to work with. We were so lucky to have Jessie along the way to answer our questions and organize our ceremony and reception schedule. The on-site manager and staff that day were also top notch. We felt that they went above and beyond with our requests and even on things we didn't ask for or think about. They were all truly professional and thoughtful in presentation and interacting with our guests.

If you're thinking about an event or reception at a restaurant, I highly recommend it. Auberge du Pommier included candles, linens, printed menus, cake knife and lifter, booster seats for kids, card vessel, bouquet vases, coat check, parking vouchers, and reserved signs. And if you have elders or children, they have accessible washrooms on the main floor. Not to mention all the charm of a rustic woodcutters' cottages!

Venue: Auberge du Pommier, Lower Terrace and Oscar Room | Photography: Ikonica | Bunting: Samantha Swenson

Chicago 2015: Day 4

Remember how it snowed and snowed on our previous day? Turns out Chicago was was hit by the fifth largest blizzard. My day at the convention center was slow as flights were cancelled and attendance dipped. It was difficult to travel anywhere in the city. Taxis were scarce and those that were available were charging exorbitant fees. By the luck of the blizzard, we were able to get reservations at Girl and the Goat for dinner. We had been trying all week to secure a table at this restaurant, Little Goat Diner, and other places in Chicago. This blizzard wasn't going to stop us, we went out as planned and I'm so glad we did!

There were so many items on the menu that sounded intriguing and it was difficult to narrow it down - which shared plates were we going to try? To start, we had the hamachi crudo with crisp pork belly, chili aioli, and caperberries (photo above). Beautiful and light, I only wished there were more. Next, the roasted cauliflower with pickled peppers, pine nuts, and mint. I love roasted cauliflower but Howard does not - until he tried this dish!

I ordered this because I was curious about the brown butter kimchi. These are celery root and cheddar pierogies with brown butter kimchi and cara cara orange. My two dinner mates weren't loving this dish, so I got to finish it. The pierogies didn't stand out, but I enjoyed the sauce and oranges that were garnished on top.

Another mix-reviewed dish was the grilled marinated pork belly with castelfranco, sauce green, and blood orange. This one went to Howard as my boss and I didn't care for it.

Now for the group favourites: the crispy beef short ribs with avocado, ruby red grapefruit, and chermoula. I could eat this every day. It was so delicious and the pairing was perfect. The short ribs were truly crispy and the sauce in this bowl was absolutely drinkable. I mean, I would drink it because it was that good.

We also couldn't eat here without trying a goat dish! We decided on the goat shoulder with goat​ xo,  root vegetable caponata, hazelnuts, and spaghetti squash. The table beside us had ham frites and after eyeing them all night, we ordered one. They're served with smoked tomato aioli and a cheddar beer sauce. Without the dipping sauces the frites were amazing because they were dusted with ham.

Now to the grand finale! Were we full? Yes! Should we try a dessert anyways? Yes! The citrus pavlova blood orange-vanilla semifreddo with yuzu curd and kumquats was a good choice to end the night. Chewy, crunchy, sour, and tart, this frozen treat had it all.

Time to find a taxi and brave the ride back. Tomorrow will be a better day . . .

The Chase Fish and Oyster

The Chase Fish and Oyster

10 Temperance Street

Toronto, ON M5H 1Y4

647-348-7000

Birthday weekends are the best! We haven't eaten out and tried a new restaurant in a long time, so Howard did a little research and picked a restaurant for my birthday dinner last week. The only stipulation I gave him was that I wanted oysters. I think it's been more than a year since I've had a good oyster platter!

Oyster platter delivered. Each table is given a card and pencil to mark the amount of raw seafood they would like to order. So I penciled in three Foxley Bay oysters and three Salt Grass oysters after our knowledgeable waiter went through the description. All oyster platters come with fish and oyster hot sauce, cocktail sauce, and migonette. Just so perfect that I could try each sauce per oyster. Maybe eight next time so I can really load up the lemon and horseradish on one.

We tried a bunch of sharing plates and this was by far our favourite. The big eye tuna "nachos" - in quotation marks because it was made with crispy taro root chips, hot mustard saffron emulsion, and sweet onion and shoyu dressing. Delicious and refreshing, it was so good during this chilly winter, imagine how much better it would be eaten on the patio during the summer!

Next up, the hot smoked white fish on toast with caviar and pickles. Great flavours and I don't even like pickles! But everything worked together to form that perfect bite.

Couldn't resist a side of shoestring fries. I love fries.

Octopus with harissa, spiced merguez sausage, mustard greens, and sauteed red onions. We made merguez sausages last summer and I thought they were pretty awesome. But this one was a hundred percent stronger and punchier in flavour. There were only a few slices on the plate, which is a good idea because it can easily overpower the octopus.

We decided to share a main, but thought that the portion was similar to the sharing plates. Regardless, the scallops with pumpkin ravioli, foie gras butter, and arugula was rich and creamy.

I always look forward to dessert, but felt this was too much chocolate and sugar for one person. Did I just say that? Darn, I am getting old! But thank goodness we shared it because it could not be finished as a single serving. The hazelnut bombe with hazelnut whipped ganache, dark chocolate cream, chocolate cake, and candied hazelnuts was like a giant Ferrero Roche minus the thin wafer shell. I can't believe I'm going to say this as well, but dessert was our least favourite dish of the meal!

But that doesn't matter, we are definitely going back and looking forward to trying the other restaurants from this hospitality group: The Chase (which is upstairs), Little Fin (right beside), and Colette Grand Café.

Gordon Ramsay Steak

Gordon Ramsay Steak

3655 Las Vegas Boulevard South

Las Vegas, NV 89109

(877) 346-4642

To celebrate the end of the conference, a bunch of colleagues and us went to have dinner at Gordon Ramsay Steak. (A few of us were also adding on a few extra days in Vegas since we didn't have that much time to explore the city during work hours.)

The hostess pointed items out in the restaurant as she led us to our table upstairs. The room upstairs was quite different from the main dining room on the main floor. It was quiet, dark, and conversations at a hushed tone in the wood-paneled room.

Since we were at a steakhouse, we were introduced to all the different cuts of meat they carried. Yup, a steak trolley.

Bread platter, probably the most excited shared dish we had!

Howard and I shared the fried Blue Point oysters in herb breadcrumbs, served with a crème fraîche tartar sauce. Sadly, nothing to be impressed by as the breaded portion overpowered everything, so it was pretty one note in flavor.

We had our steak with spinach sautéed with parmesan cream and fingerling potatoes with parmesan and truffle. This was delicious, so we recommend that you stick to the entrées and avoid the fried oyster appetizers.

Lotus of Siam

Lotus of Siam

953 East Sahara Avenue, Suite A5

Las Vegas, NV 89104

(702) 735-3033

We've heard such good things about this place that we knew that it had to be one of our destinations this trip. Commonly listed as one of the best restaurants in Vegas and best Thai restaurants in the United States, Lotus of Siam is a popular spot. We went after work and as the taxi was dropping us off, my heart sank a little. There was a line about 30 customers long. How many tables were inside? How big is this place? How long will the wait be? Fortunately, we were all here for the first seating as dinner service wasn't open yet. So once the doors opened, we waited about five minutes for the hostess to seat us. Not too bad!

The menu is quite extensive and for our first time here, we had our waitress recommend dishes to us. We wanted to know what the favourites and popular plates were. First up, we had the Nam Kao Tod. A crispy rice mixed with sour minced pork sausages, green onions, fresh chilies, ginger, peanuts, and lime juice.

Oh my goodness this was so delicious! Flavours everywhere and yet so refreshing despite the heat it gave. I've been trying to find a version of this in Toronto lately, but nothing compares.

Next up, the crispy duck with drunken noodles (pan fried flat rice noodles) topped with fresh homemade chili and Thai basils.

The braised short rib with panang, a Thai style red cream curry sauce with cognac.

Howard was still feeling hungry so our waitress recommended this last dish for us. Sadly, we didn't catch the name of it, but it was delicious just the same.

I wish I could have eaten more, I wasn't feeling in tip top shape that night, but couldn't deny how great the food was. I was so jealous seeing the large tables around us because they got to sample so many more bites.

We can unanimously agree that this was our favourite meal of our trip. We highly recommend you visit Lotus of Siam!

Alder

Alder

157 Second Avenue

New York, NY 10003

(212) 539-1900

Howard and I tend to make early dinner reservations when we're on vacation in New York. There are various reasons for this purpose. First, it's easier to eat at popular restaurants during the first dinner service. Second, it allows us to commute back to my aunt and uncle's place before it gets too dark. Alder fell into the first category as this 56-seat restaurant starts off quiet, but quickly got packed by the time our third plate was out.

We picked Alder because we have always wanted to try a restaurant by Chef Wylie Dufresne. Unfortunately, the price of New York City tasting menus are out of our budget, so that eliminated wd~50 from our list. But when we heard of Alder opening up, a more casual and affordable restaurant, we were very excited!

Since we were early for our dinner reservation, we waited outside as the front of the house staff finished their set up. I found the hostess a bit patronizing as we waited to be seated, but we were in very good hands with our waitress. She kept our glasses full and explained the menu and specials for the day. She made some good recommendations and we felt like she was honest in answering our questions. She also suggested we each order three dishes to share and the kitchen would decide which order to serve them in.

To start, we were offered an amuse bouche, a small bowl of pickled vegetables.

Served first, the Pigs in a Blanket which consisted of Chinese sausage, Japanese mustard, and sweet chili sauce. These were the classiest and tidiest pigs in a blanket we've ever had, but I'm sad to say that there weren't anything surprising or unique in the flavours so it was a lackluster beginning to the meal.

Next up, Chicken Liver Toast with cornbread, grapefruit marmalade, and crispy chicken skin. I liked the usage of the cornbread as toast and the chicken skin while Howard really enjoyed the chicken liver.

I see the Cured Alaskan King Salmon as a light and healthy snack. Served with pine nut granola, tahini yogurt, and slices of nectarine, this was a great third dish in the procession.

I was really excited to order the New England Clam Chowder. It's one of Howard's favourite soups, so when I saw it on the menu, I said we should order it. See how it compares to ones he's had in the past. The kitchen kindly served our portions separately, but we had a bowl of "oyster crackers" to share. I read that Wylie Dufresne purées oysters and mixes them with corn and tapioca starches before frying them to resemble crackers. Needless to say, they were delicious and we could have used more!

We had some larger dishes in the end to help fill our stomachs up. I marveled at how the fish and chips were not overly oily or greasy. The Fish and Chips are served with a sweet pea-ramp tartar sauce and malt vinegar powder. Yup, powder! You roll your fish or chips in it and they become coated with vinegar goodness.

One of their most lauded dishes is the Rye Pasta with shaved pastrami. You can even watch how they make the rye pasta in their video here or in the slideshow here.

Summerlicious: Bent

Bent

777 Dundas Street West

Toronto, ON M6J 1V2

(647) 352-0092

We risked rainstorms warnings and floods to have dinner at Bent. In fact, the moment we stepped out of the car and walked towards Dundas, lightning struck. Right across the street. Boy was it loud. I don't know if you've ever seen and heard lightning that was just a crosswalk in front of you, but it is scary. Your heart flutters and yours ears require adjustment. You might shriek and jump a little. Smile nervously at your friends. Then you're left with the pounding of your heart as you realize that you were darn lucky escaping that.

But we lived to tell you about our Summerlicious experience at Bent!

Our group of six was seated near the front and our server took our drink order. Note to self, ask what the price is for drinks that have none listed! They had a great mojito line up in which most of us took part in, but it was expensive and took us by surprise when the bill arrived. On one hand, I felt it was expected as they needed to make up their costs elsewhere, but for that price, I would have expected a pitcher, or the world's best mojito!

While we kept perusing the menu, we actually took to ordering some appetizers off of the Summerlicious offerings because they sounded so delicious!

Here's one of them, a spicy tuna and watermelon ceviche with shaved red onion, cilantro, crispy shallots, fresh citrus juice, Rocoto chili, and Chinese doughnut fritter. I really liked the addition of the yau ja gwai, this was unique and we've never seen it done before. The tuna and watermelon was a good combination and we liked how juicy and large the chunks were.

The second one we tried were the duck confit spring rolls with braised onion sweet tamarind sauce. Quite filling as the spring roll was stuffed to the brim! Admirably, the duck wasn't dried inside and had a good sauce to it.

This was the popular Summerlicious appetizer choice as we saw servers carry these olive trays out of the kitchen again and again. Shrimp tacos with charred onion tomato salsa, chipotle, and avocado in a taro shell. Mini bites consisting of a great flavour combination.

I had thought the shells were fried wonton wrappers since the taro didn't stand out, but the filling more than made up for it.

Howard's Summerlicious appetizer was a crispy chicken dumpling served with roasted chorizo, a maple syrup and smoked chili lime glaze, and Parmesan emulsion with salad of watercress and frisée. This surprised me the most as it had quite the kick. Not the pick for those who can't handle their hot and fiery, but for those who can, this was delicious!

Time for our mains! I had the crispy Assam-styled salmon with tamarind, ginger flower, four citrus, mustard and fruit. That's right, fruit! Little bits of green grapes and grapefruit, accompanied the perfectly cooked salmon.

Howard had the largest ravioli I've ever seen. Pulled beef ravioli with Malay black pepper emulsion, garlic mushroom, and confit tomato. This dish won raves all around the table, from those who had ordered it and from those of us who were lucky enough to try a bite or two. It was so good that our friends joked about ordering another one.

Finally, they also switched it up by not having you pick one of the three dessert items on the Summerlicious menu. You get all three! From left to right: strawberry, rhubarb, and lemongrass compote with a Grand Marnier crème fraiche and a butterfly pastry; passion fruit and mango panna cotta topped with coconut tapioca, pineapple, and passion fruit granitée; and profiterole with vanilla custard served with hot chocolate sauce and sesame brittle.

The all-round favourites of the trio was the mango panna cotta and the profiterole! Please Sur (see what I did there?), can I have some more?

The next time you're walking down Dundas Street West and you see that arrow? Go in.