I have the utmost respect for restaurants who have been in business for more than ten years. It’s an impressive achievement that not many places can boast. Auberge du Pommier is even more impressive having operated for over 25 years starting as the first restaurant of the Oliver and Bonacini empire. Situated in a cute free standing house, the dining room is strikingly beautiful with its exposed stone pillars and live fireplace. Just do yourself a favour and check your coat, otherwise it will smell like smoke afterwards.

The truffle noire ($19) showed promise with a beautifully poached egg topped with thinly sliced salty Bayonne ham. But, then it was doused with overwhelming amounts of crispy potato celeriac strings which simply drowned all the other ingredients. Since there was actually little Perigord black truffle shavings, they would have been better enhanced by having access to the warmth of the egg while being shaved on top. Alas, I had to pick out the black truffles and move away the celeriac potatoes to be able to enjoy the truffles with the egg.

After an amazing experience with suckling pig at Restaurant Montiel in Spain, I was excited to see it on Auberge’s menu. The porcelet de lait ($43) is made with Quebec’s delectable milk-fed St-Canut pork. You can see and taste the difference as the meat is much whiter and doesn’t have the strong pork flavour.

Alas, the “porcelet” deceived me as I mistakenly thought this would translate to piglet. Indeed, a dish that’s labelled “suckling” traditionally means that they are using a pig that has recently fed on their mother’s milk (hence still young). Nonetheless, what was used in Auberge’s dish was definitely not a piglet and the skin was so tough and poorly rendered that it was impossible to cut. First equipped with a butter dinner knife, I requested a steak knife and even then could not pierce through the skin. So, what should have been the best part of the dish was left untouched.

Luckily, sprinkled throughout the dish were smaller pieces of actual suckling pig so I could enjoy those. Also the pieces of braised pork shoulder were quite nice with the spices mixed into it. The crunchy fresh mustard greens and tart pickled apples were a good contrast to the heavier meat. But, I’d hardly say it was successful when the main part of the dish was so poorly executed.

My husband definitely had the better meal for the night. The tartare ($22), made with fresh hand-cut beef, was well flavoured with salty white anchovy, tart pickles and creamy raw quail egg yolk. The little cubes of egg white tossed on top was whimsical and a nice contrast to the stronger tartare. Plenty of pieces of toasted bread also accompanied it and thankfully it wasn’t too charred as to detract from the beef flavours.

The boeuf main ($48) with two perfectly cooked medium rare 48-day dry-aged ribeye was tender and juicy. His only qualm was they also gave him a butter dinner knife making cutting difficult. A restaurant needs to be pretty confident with their product to not provide patrons with steak knives when serving thick pieces of meat. Auberge, take it from me, your proteins aren’t tender enough that you should have that assurance.

The sides were delicious, especially the pomme surprise served separately. As you’re spooning the buttery silky mashed potatoes out, the “surprise” is that there were succulent pieces of oxtail mixed throughout. Beef fat roasted carrots and celeriac puree finish off this rich satisfying dish.

Certainly, Auberge appears to do beef well as my mother-in-law was also pleased with her boeuf and betterave ($22) starter. The smoked beef tenderloin was tender and roasted beets a great accompaniment to it.

Her Canard ($39) was a mixed experience. Although the roasted duck breast had great flavours and was an excellent cut (not overly fatty), it arrived cool despite having piping hot garnishes.  I can only imagine the Hell’s Kitchen moment Gordon Ramsay would have on this dish. Presumably, the duck was probably well rested and sliced only to be delayed as the endive gratin or Jerusalem artichoke puree was not done yet.

Not wanting dessert, it was nice that Auberge brought out some petite fours anyways to end the meal. The two bite capsules of custard was nice and reminded me of a chewier Portuguese egg tart.

Without speaking to the Chef, it’s impossible to determine what caused Auberge’s lackluster dinner. I hypothesize that they simply don’t perform well when busy. During our visit there was a wedding as well as a full dining room. Dishes were likely left out too long so that once they arrive the quality had deteriorated. Previous lunch and weekday visits were a much better experience. So, if you want to enjoy Auberge at its best, take it from me – don’t visit on weekends, holidays and likely during Winterlicious. Otherwise, stick with beef as it appears it lends itself to working under pressure.

Wanting some crunch to start the night, the calamari fritti ($13) seemed to be the right choice. The calamari was just lightly battered and arrived piping hot. The salsa rosa, a tomato mayo, was a miss for me. But, eating the calamari plain was still good as it was well seasoned.

Personally, I enjoyed the sauce that came with the mussels marinara ($13) more. The tomato sauce wasn’t too acidic and well balanced with garlic, herbs and splash of wine. Moreover, it was quite the substantial portion and easily could substitute for a main when accompanied by the soft crusty complementary bread.

The eggplant involtini ($12) was an interesting choice not normally found elsewhere. Slices of eggplant were filled with a ricotta & spinach filling and then baked in tomato sauce. A nice alternative to salad during a cold day.

I’m a little torn about the beef carpaccio ($13). On one hand, the drizzle of truffle oil, thick slides of parmigiano and dressed arugula were great. But, the meat itself was a bit disappointing requiring more flavour and was served much too cold.

Alas, the appetizers were much better than our mains. Don’t get me wrong, they are in no means inedible and in fact had great flavours. Rather they faltered because of the overcooked proteins. The linguine pescatore’s ($21) scallops, shrimp and mussels were shrunken and rubbery. Luckily, there was plenty of marinara sauce with it to mask the texture. But, the pasta itself was nicely cooked and the sauce had a great fragrant shellfish aroma.

Chicken is one of those dishes that can be a miss at restaurants. Tutto Pronto’s pollo al mattone ($22) was overcooked and dry. So despite being beautifully presented and well flavoured from the rosemary rub and red wine reduction, it could have been better.

The scaloppini ai funghi ($24) is another impressive looking dish - as soon as it was placed in front of my friend I had a pang of order’s remorse. Two large pieces of pan seared bread veal were drenched in a mushroom and marsala wine sauce. The sauce was tasty but the scaloppini just wasn’t as tender as you’d expect for pounded out veal.

Even for me, a person who likes well-seasoned dishes, I found the penne al pollo ($17) a tad salty. But, if you can get past that the pesto and pasta was quite nice. 

Luckily, the meal ended off on a high note. The tiramisu ($8) was a great representation: well soaked lady fingers, a balanced combination of mascarpone & biscuits and only a sprinkling of unsweetened cocoa powder (don’t ruin it with chocolate shavings or syrup). Absolutely delicious!

Fellow food blogger #Parv instantly knew she wanted to try to the coppa pistachio ($9). I had doubts – after all, Tutto Pronto isn’t a gelateria how good can a gelato based dessert taste? But, I stood corrected as the slight nuttiness of the pistachio mixed with the neutral white chocolate was a great combination. The bits of crushed pistachios sprinkled on top were just right.

A herbed bite of dough topped with rehydrated salted cod and salmon roe.

For the vegetarians a phyllo tart topped with bruschetta and beautiful baby basil. Or bundles of salad tossed in a vinaigrette and tied with chives.

But my favourite was the lobster roll. Filled to the brim with succulent lobster and stuffed into a savoury choux pastry which held it's shape and added an airy crispy texture to the creamy lobster mixture.

But, the event wasn't all about the food. There was plenty to sip on as well. In fact, based on all the laughter permeating the room, it seemed that people were sipping on plenty. I tried the Copperface made with Absolut Elyx, a copper distilled luxury vodka. Mixed with apple and apricot brandy then rubbed with orange rind it really helped to balance out the strong drink.

Plenty of wine was also being poured. I struck up the most interesting conversation with, Mikel, a representative from WBG Wines Basurato & Garcia that was showcasing delicious Spanish offerings. Sadly my picture didn't turn out very well (guess I may have sampled a few too many). But, I thoroughly enjoyed the Bellori Joven 2013 which was an easy drinking wine - dry but still have hints of fruit to it.


It was a delightful night with any wineries in attendance where we had the ability to sample items that may not be found in the LCBO.

The night ended on a sweet but somewhat hazy note with A La Carte's dessert station. 

The raspberry tarts went well with my remaining pinot with its crisp tarte, creamy filling and plump sweet raspberries. 

Both Gardiner Museum and A La Carte Kitchen helped portray what an event could be like at their venue. Everyone was having a blast and didn't want to leave - it was supposed to end at 8pm but by 10pm people were still mingling around. That's what makes a successful night, throwing an event that's so lovely and relaxing that individuals want to hang around like its as comforting as their homes.

Let’s put it out there – I’m not a food snob. If something tastes good, happens to be inexpensive and doesn’t require waiting for then life is good. That’s somewhat how I feel about ramen restaurants - many are delicious but requires too much effort to wait around for. Yes, I’d love a bowl of satisfyingly hot noodles, but I don’t want to stand around in the cold for half an hour first.

Which is why when the Kinton Ramen line gets too long in North York, I go to Ajisen Ramen instead. Personally, I find them just as satisfying and the numerous menu options a plus as well. Some may find Ajisen’s soup milder than other chains. For me, it’s flavourful enough without being overly oily & salty and as a bonus arrives piping hot. Ajisen’s soup base is what they call “white soup”, developed in southern Japan made from boiling pork bone with other ingredients and results in a lighter milkier colour. It’s not as oily so may lack that rich fatty essence people enjoy about chicken based soups.

My husband ordered the tender rib ramen ($9.50) which actually became my favourite one. There is an ample amount of meat which has sticky pieces of tendon attached to it. As a warning, tendon is an acquired taste – some will find the gummy soft texture gross. It took me a few years to develop a liking to it and now I love the contrast between the chewy tendon and soft meat.

The protein quantity in my corn and BBQ pork ramen ($8.99) paled in comparison, with a mere three slices of the smallest and thinnest pork I’ve ever seen. Instead there was a generous handful of frozen corn and half a hard-boiled egg. Which is what I miss most about other ramen restaurants – their lovely onsen soft-boiled eggs with the vibrant yellow yolks. Sadly, you won't find it here. 

You may also find Ajisen’s noodles thinner than others. But, they were still springy and didn’t get mushy in the soup. And what I enjoy most is sprinkling the flavourful chili powder over everything. Indeed, for a true ramen connoisseur this is likely akin to pouring HP1 sauce on steak, but for a non-ramen snob it’s delicious!

Their pan fried gyoza ($4.50) was where the quality faltered dramatically. As a plus they arrive searing hot with a nice crust on the bottom. But, the wrapper is also hard and sticks together so any chance of enjoying the juices in the dumplings is gone.

In the end, Ajisen’s not the best ramen you’ll ever have. But, for the price and the table availability they’re not bad either. So, next time there’s a long wait at a competing place, give them a try. It’s certainly not the finest, but sometimes satisfying a craving earlier makes things so much better. 

My husband and I had an amazing dinner at Monk Kitchen last Valentine’s Day and wanted to experience it again. Alas, Chef Fracchioni has since left its helm, hence our visit to Flor de Sal instead. Sadly, there’s no more kitchen table, but admittedly the dining room is so beautiful you would probably want to sit there anyways.

Situated in the redone Corner House the dining room is elegant and beautiful washed in white, silver and floral. The chairs are so comfortable that even after two hours we didn’t want to leave – this is quite impressive for my normally antsy husband.

Even before we ordered an inviting spread of crusty dense bread, rich olive oil and fresh olives were laid across the table. 

I couldn’t help but sprinkle some of the flor de sal (sea salt) left on the table into the oil to add a nice saltiness to the soft bread.

There was such a deep lovely crust on the scallops ($21). With the vibrant colours coming from the watercress puree and lemon cream, there was a refreshing hint of spring right in the middle of the cold winter. We swiped up the sauce, an interesting mix of saffron broth and cream with a bit of freshness from the watercress, edible flowers and lemon.

Flor de Sal’s whole roasted grouper ($39) is a generous portion and delicious as I finished every bite. The skin is crispy (albeit could use another scraping as there were a few remaining scales on mine) and encapsulated the tender neutral meaty fish. Just lightly seasoned, most of the flavours came from the fresh fish itself, the finely diced caponata or spicy romesco sauce on the side. As a warning, it does have a lot of smaller bones so eaters should be careful.

The lamb rack ($49) was even better. Cooked to a nice medium rare it was juicy and tender. All the accompanying sides were earthy and warming from the lentil rice, fried artichoke and chestnuts. But, it was the spaghetti squash that impressed me most, it had such a great texture and freshness to it (not resembling the soft mushier squash as mine normally turns out like).

For dessert, we ordered the cheese plate ($18) to continue enjoying the bottle of wine remaining. I loved that our waitress asked us what type of cheeses we liked to make a platter suited to our tastes. On ours, were four non-stinky cheeses ranging from a softer Spanish cheese to a hard parmesan. Plenty of crackers, grapes, strawberries, fig compote and a great date & nut “sausage” rounded everything off.   

The service was friendly and unhurried with the dishes paced in a well time succession. I really felt like we were welcomed and could feel free and sit there for hours and relax. With the cozy fire place and tranquil spa like environment around us, I certainly could have stayed longer. If you’re looking for a place for a romantic date, look no further than Flor de Sal.