For a person who loves food, I don’t particularly love cooking. It’s not a chore I hate and will cook about twice a week, but all the steps leading up to actually preparing the meal (grocery shopping and prep work) seems to take so much time. Meal kit delivery companies help reduce the effort, but may not be the optimal choice for people who like to create – after all, cooking is an art form combining ingredients to create something new. 

A company that delivers groceries can help save time and effort. Hence, when I was approached by Maillard, a Canadian company supplying premium meats across the country, to experience a selection of their offerings, my inner carnivore did a happy dance.

Maillard prides themselves by offering meat free of artificial colouring – those vibrantly red steaks you can see in grocery markets may not necessarily be natural. Moreover, except for the flattened chicken, everything is prepared and flash frozen in their facilities before being shipped as quickly as possible to ensure fresh products.

Meat is sent in an isotherm cooler packed with dry ice keeping products frozen for 30 hours – it’s quite a scene as you open cardboard box, lift the bags of dry ice and the smoke billows out (just take care not to touch the dry ice). Everything arrives separated and beautifully wrapped … a gift idea for any meat lover in your life.

My first dinner consisted of the flattened chicken ($21.24). Since it was fully prepared, my finishing touch was simply to marinate it in peri peri (a recipe is available on Maillard’s website, but I just used a bottle of Nando’s sauce) and bake the bird following the requisite time included on the packaging. It resulted in a lovely golden juicy chicken that cooked surprisingly fast (45 minutes) since it was flattened.

Using the trimmed boneless chicken breasts ($9.10 for pack of two), I whipped up a quick Cajun chicken for a weeknight meal. Even after fileting them (for a shorter cooking time), the chicken came out surprisingly moist.

Recipes suggest brining the Frenched bone-in pork chop ($6) prior to cooking as the meat is relatively lean and tends to dry out. Despite every intention to follow the advice, life took over and that evening I ended up slathering on an herb meat glaze and baking. Trust me, you don’t need to spend the extra time brining; the pork chop turned out succulent and one of best I’ve ever prepared.  

Since a boneless duck breast ($10.15) was included in the package, I expanded my cooking repertoire at home. Surprisingly, it wasn’t too difficult to prepare – you score the fat, slowly render skin side down in a pan, and finish off in a hot oven with a swish of maple syrup. In my haste to taste the duck I forgot to take a picture of the finished product. Next time, I’d definitely render the skin longer as there was still a bit of chewiness, but the duck meat was delicious and the quality comparable to restaurants.

Maillard’s products labelled as ‘Sélection 1913’ are their best cuts sourced from the highest grades (AAA and Prime), some are even aged 45 – 60 days to further enhance flavours. The 45-day aged boneless ribeye ($20.62) we sampled was fantastic crusted in Montreal steak spice and barbequed. The ribeye had such a lovely marbling throughout and the expected beefy taste (don’t you hate it when a steak looks great but tastes mild?)

If there are specific meats and cuts you’d like, items can be purchased on its own. For better value try their boxes containing 10-40 servings reducing the price per portion and providing variety. One like the ‘All Natural Box’ is $175 and includes steaks, ground beef, pork chop, pork tenderloin, chicken breast, chicken legs & drumsticks, and marinated chicken skewers, all together serving 40 portions.

For those who love great luxurious meats and also want to save time, having Maillard delivery a box to your house may be an ideal treat. And for those who still love to great creative - hopefully, Maillard will let out your inner ‘artist’ so you can transform ingredients and develop a beautiful and delicious dish.

As a special for Gastro World readers, Maillard is offering you 10% off orders $50+ and free shipping! Just use promo code gastro10 on their website.

Ardo isn’t flashy. The décor reminded me of someone’s kitchen, the tables neutral and sparse.  Even as the tin of bread arrived, the thick slices looked rather plain. Yet, one bite into the salted soft chewy bread and a dunk into the rich olive oil, I knew the restaurant doesn’t need pomp … using fresh ingredients and seasoning dishes just enough is their calling.

Take the carpaccio ($16), the dish incorporated a nice selection of flavours and textures with the leafy peppery arugula, salty preserved mushrooms, and a slight crunch from roasted pistachios. Sure there was cheese, but unlike other places that shave copious amounts of strong parmesan on top, Ardo showed restraint with smaller pieces of ragusano instead.  My only grievance was the cut of beef: perhaps it was sliced too thickly or cut with the grain, but they were a tad chewy for carpaccio.

Seeing arancino ($7) written in its singular form on the menu, I should have realized we may need more than one for a table of three. Nonetheless, the risotto starter was a decent size and could adequately satisfy two. Inside the cone shaped coating was the traditional creamy rice … but stuffed meat ragú, green peas, and a light caciocavallo cheese! One of the best arancino I have ever tasted, it would even pair nicely with a salad to make a light meal.

Yet, it’d be a shame to miss Ardo’s pasta. The anatra ($18) was fantastic: the fettuccine chewy and emitting a lovely egg flavour.  Although I couldn’t decipher the five secret spices in the duck ragu, it was delicious and with the sauce on the bottom added a buttery meaty essence to the dish. Even the crispy kale on top was a good touch – just eat it quickly before the heat starts wilting the kale and rendering it chewy. 

You really can’t go wrong with pasta; my friend’s salsiccia ($17) showcased soft chewy pieces of orecchiette. The house made Sicilian spicy sausage added a hearty richness to the dish but it was balanced with rapini and cherry tomatoes.

As much as I enjoy Neopolitian pizza, I’m glad restaurants are starting to branch out to other regions as well. Ardo’s Sicilian crust is crispy with huge air pockets – oh that lovely yeasty aroma that escapes as you bite through the pizza. The speck & ‘shroom ($19) incorporated copious amounts of prosciutto and the same salty preserved mushrooms used in the carpaccio. The thin layer of tomato sauce was enough to flavour the dough, but more fior di latte is required for creaminess.

Despite being in a Sicilian restaurant, we didn’t order the cannoli for dessert, instead settling on the torta all’arancia ($8) to share. I didn’t think I’d like the dish after reading there’s orange incorporated into the creamy mascarpone. But, it wasn’t bad. With the lady fingers, amaro liqueur and sprinkling of cocoa powder, the cake is essentially a tiramisu with fruit. It’s okay, but I’ll take the tried and true espresso any day.

Another thing I like about Ardo’s low key environment is the quieter setting. With all the loud music blasting at the “trendy” places, I’m delighted to find a place where the ambient noises are subdued and I don’t have to shout to catch up with friends. So yes, Ardo isn’t fancy … but that’s just the way I like it.  

When I hear a restaurant’s doing “Canadian” food right, they peak my interest; not only to support my national cuisine, but also to develop a deeper understanding of what it’s about. Certain items that are synonymous with Canada: tourtière, poutine and lobster are distinctly Quebecois or from the Maritimes. Antler’s menu incorporates numerous Ontario offerings from the large province’s forests and lakes.

The wild mushroom tarte tatin ($10) looked beautiful, the dark foraged mushrooms lightened with a vibrant sorrel walnut pesto and frisee salad. If only the mushrooms were softer, rather than having an almost deep fried quality, to set it apart from the already flaky and crisp puff pastry.

When meat is fresh and of high quality, preparing it simply is the way to go. Skewers of charcoal grilled chicken thigh and duck heart ($9 for two skewers) were tasty – the chicken oh so succulent and the duck heart much lighter than expected.

Reviews have praised Chef Hunter’s handling of venison and it’s certainly well deserved. The spice ash crusted rack of deer ($39) was fantastic, the thick chop well seared but left rare so the lean meat remained tender and moist. Sitting underneath was a hefty portion of flavourful braised pulled shoulder meat and a smooth parsnip purée: delicious even by itself. For those who are worried about the venison being gamey, it’s no stronger black angus.

The skin on the pan seared rainbow trout ($28) was done to perfection – crackling and lightly seasoned. Despite being a thinner cut, the trout was succulent: Antler cooks fish right. To balance the other heavier dishes, the charred kale, wilted swiss chard, celery root purée and bright salsa verde were a blessing.

I had my doubts about the chestnut gnocchi ($21), not being a fan of sweet mains (the dish contains brown butter and almond brittle). Yet it was scrumptious, the earthy fluffy gnocchi each having a well seared crust. Diced roasted squash, brussel sprout leaves and shaved parmesan kept the dish savoury.

The daily special, a duck duo ($35), incorporated a decently prepared duck breast – a large portion but the skin could have been further rendered. Yet, it was missing an important part to the dish: the duo. We even double checked to see how we’d expect the aforementioned leg to be served (incorporated into the lentil mixture on the side). Despite every one of us combing through it meticulously – squash … brussel sprout … lentil … kale … not an ounce of leg was found.

Ely, our server, was so funny and charming that I’ll begrudgingly look past the absent duck leg and incorrectly charged bottle of wine ($60 on the menu vs. $75 on the bill that wasn’t discovered until the writing of this post). Antler’s atmosphere is laid back and friendly, not unlike the Canadiana persona.  

I was hoping to try Canadian geese – through following Chef Hunter on Twitter realize these large waddling traffic inducing fowls are approved for hunting. Unfortunately for me (but luckily for the geese) it was out of season and not available on the winter menu. Oh, and ladies, Chef Hunter is certainly not hard on the eyes; if you’re in luck (like we were) he may just make an appearance to the front of the house.

Located on the 28^th floor of the Conrad Hotel, Collage offers soaring windows with an amazing view of Tokyo. Occupying the space of a former Gordon Ramsay restaurant, it also serves French creations but with a Japanese twist on account of Chef Shinya Maeda’s inspirations.

The interior dining space is a conservative mix of dark wood and cream linens with large but simplistic light fixtures. After settling into our plush chairs we decided on the “saison” tasting menu (¥15,000), the only one I’ve had that offers a bread pairing with each main dish.  I apologize as didn’t realize this happens until the third dish so didn’t take any pictures of the bread. As a carb lover I was in heaven - pretzel bread with the ballotine and tortellini, a fluffy squash water bread with the tilefish and a cocoa bun with the duck! What an interesting concept that I encourage other restaurants to adopt.

To begin a hot crunchy cheese croquette adorned with a cold dollop of smooth tangy ricotta. I love the beautiful dill imprinted into it and foreshadows the dishes to come – each carefully built to be a beautiful presentation.

Having had quite a bit of mackerel while visiting Japan, I wasn’t surprised to see a seared mackerel sashimi presented next. Disappointingly, it had a very fishy taste that could only be masked when eaten with the pickled peas (?) at the bottom. Luckily, it was a very small piece so with a couple of bites it was done.

After finishing the meal I’ve come to realize Chef Maeda likes to add a crunchy element to his dishes. Normally, I’m quite happy about this as the contrasting texture can work very well. But, as with all things, sometime it works and sometimes things should just be left alone. The king crab ballontine is an example of where I felt it didn’t work. Imagine… a succulent piece of crab wrapped in a delicate braised leek but then ruined with various crunchy bits that really add nothing to the dish. All the delicious natural sweetness of the crab and freshness in the leek gets lost when simplicity might have been better.  

Luckily, the tortellini was an improvement and affirms why Collage earned a Michelin star to begin with. The braised shredded lamb inside was spot on and wonderfully tender and flavourful. Although the pasta was a touch hard, after letting it sit in the au jus for a bit the dough soften up. But, it was the humble eggplant in the middle topped with crème fraiche that tied everything together so well, really brightening up what could have been a heavy dish.  

Up next was the cône de pin (translates into pinecone) tilefish, where the fish scales were crisped up to resemble a pinecone. The fish was cooked splendidly, flaking apart and tender, contrasting nicely with the crunchy fish scales. A thick red pepper bouillabaisse-like sauce added a great flavour to everything. The crunchy element in this dish was dried pieces of chorizo which I didn’t particularly like; but, at least it was on the side of the plate so could easily be left off depending on your preference.

The following dish had a lot of elements to it, all highlighting an ingredient I love – duck! Firstly, a perfectly cooked skinless duck breast topped with some undecipherable crunchy bits. In between were miniature duck confit tornado rolls, a rich take on spring rolls with a more gamey flavour. All this rests on a light and smooth foie gras sauce which went well with the meat. Some grains of barley sat around the dish as well soaking up all the delicious duck juices. Only the turnip sauce threw me off as I found some bites bitter and off putting.

Before dessert, a palate cleanser of sweet raspberry or pomegranate sorbet with pieces of a champagne (?) ice. It was nice and refreshing, especially after the heavier duck dish.

The first dessert was a beautifully risen chocolate soufflé and side of chestnut ice cream rolled in walnuts. The cake was perfectly fluffy with the edge toasted to let cocoa flavours out. Meanwhile, the ice cream was very cold and took a long time to melt enough so that my spoon could cut through it; personally, I prefer this as would rather the dessert not turn to mush as soon as the ice cream is placed into the soufflé. But, the best part was the chocolate pop rocks on the bottom of the ice cream which crackled as they melted in your mouth. I absolutely loved this dessert.       

In my view, I would have been perfectly happy ending on the soufflé high.  Surprisingly, another dessert arrived, this time a fruitier nougat parfait. Simply put, it was a creamy custard log covered with crunchy graham cracker bits. On top were some dots of bitter orange reduction which with the sweet custard wasn’t too bad. Beside the “nougat” was a delicious smooth cinnamon ice cream with thin meringue bits to contrast. All in all, a good dessert but nothing compared to the soufflé.   

Although the food wasn’t spectacular, it was nonetheless delicious and satisfying. I love the chic environment and traditional linen and silver service you’d expect from a French restaurant. Collage is a great venue for a long meal (ours lasted two and a half hours) with some special guests. Of course, its convenient location and spectacular views could also warrant a visit as well.  

Simply put Alinea is inventive and strives to provide a unique experience for their guests. Their reservation “ticketing” system is an economist’s dream – the price varies depending on the day and time you book. This means a table at 5pm or 9pm on Tuesday would be less expensive than a table for Saturday at 7pm.

The spaces are sold online ahead of time with patrons paying for food costs up front by purchasing tickets. We were able to secure the second cheapest table (a weeknight at 5:15pm) and with the mandatory 20% gratuity and taxes it totaled $298 per person. You decide on the drinks later - we opted out of the wine pairing and instead ordered glasses of champagne and wine ($24 each) and my husband added a hefty portion of cognac to end the night ($30).

The intrigue begins the moment you walk in the door. After finding the non-descript doorway (look for some valet gentlemen) you enter a dark hallway. Slowly, as your eyes adjust fuchsia pink lights start to shine and guide you along the way. We weren’t sure where to go; luckily, someone slid open the door to the left and welcomed us into the dining room.

As we were brought to our spacious table, we immediately noted the floating rhubarb suspended above us. Having read plenty of reviews about Alinea, I know everything has a purpose. However, not having read a post about their 2014 summer menu, it was unclear what the rhubarb was for and when we’d find out. Alas readers, you must also wait until later on in this post.

We started with osetra caviar, a delicacy second to only beluga, which was simply presented with complimenting ingredients. The briny caviar was paired with a puff of foam tasting like bread with its yeasty baked properties, a tangy gelee and a smooth savoury cream. It set the mood of things to come – each plate containing lots of intricate ingredients that diners can try separately, in combinations or altogether. Through trial and error we soon realize having everything as one was the tastiest choice. 

When a big nest was placed in front of us, I assumed it would be for another dish to come. But, the waiter advised that two pieces of dehydrated salsify were hidden amongst the twigs and we had to use touch to find them. The long thin root vegetable was dried to the point it blended perfectly into the nest and could only be found by its softer texture. The nest was a dish that puts diners at ease - yes it's fine dining but playing and touching your food is not prohibited. After finding the twisted salsify we happily munched on the salty preserved vegetable jerky which reminded me of Chinese dried mustard greens (“mui choy”).

It may be hard to decipher in the picture, but the next dish was served to us in our palms; the platr resembled a napkin and was designed to be held. So, even though we were seated we felt as if we've entered a dinner party and hors d'oeuvres were being passed around. Tender pieces of skate (a fish) was paired with brown butter crumble, floral & herb stems and lemon oil. The skate was so soft it tasted like crab and contrasted well with the crunch from the brown butter and brightness of the lemon and herbs.

The fourth dish was my favourite of the night. It appeared as roasted corn on the cob sitting on a burnt piece of wood. The smoky aroma were incredible and eating by a campfire was the image that entered my mind. Except Chef Achatz wouldn’t just serve an ear of corn! His version consisted of a bottom layer of creamy manchego grits flavoured with truffles and sherry. Then on top were niblets of perfectly reconstructed corn. Anyone who has cut corn off the cob knows how messy it can get; imagine the skill Alinea’s chefs must possess to be able to do it in a way that it can be reassembled so well.

It’s hard to go wrong with truffles and sweet corn, but when there’s also creamy grits with sharp manchego … it’s just so good! This is one of those dishes I’d want to eat on my death bed – with a lobster and fries on the side.

To follow, another deconstructed mix-and-match dish of sweet barely cooked lobster. It’s paired with curry cream, coconut dots, earl grey cream, crunchy puffed rice, cucumber, lobster bisque cream and what looks like fish roe but ends up being grape fruit. I could go on forever about how everything tastes given the plethora of choices. My husband really liked this dish. Personally, I found it delicious, but a bit of a shame, as the lobster became secondary to the other ingredients.

A centre piece of logs arrived and was lit on fire. As always, there’s no mention of what it’s for and thus our brainstorming begins. 

However, before we could decide, orange “chicken” was served complete with take-out carton and plastic bag. In lieu of chopsticks a split cinnamon stick was given and lit on one end so the essence permeated the air. The meat was actually nuggets of veal sweetbreads which tasted like very tender and juicy chicken. Deep fried and placed on a thick orange sauce with plenty of vegetables on top it was a dish of varying crunchy textures. I loved the fried chive blossoms mixed in to give it a rich grassy taste. Not having had much orange chicken in my life, I would eat it more if it tasted like this.

Our detective skills prevailed when we realized our next dish was likely already in the fire. Our suspicions were confirmed when the server came with a cutting board and picked up the platter of burning “logs”. Inside the fire were hidden pieces of wagyu beef and parsnip.

Served on a charred piece of wood, the smoky essence continued throughout the course. On the side was a squid ink ravioli filed with creamy parsnip puree, some bitter tasting mousse (could be the black trumpet mushrooms) and crunchy pieces of kombu. All the sides were fine but I found really weren’t required. The lightly cooked wagyu was the highlight with its warmed through temperature and delicious marbling. Eating it alone and savouring its rich juices were enough for me.

After such a strong dish, Alinea presented a palate cleanser of lily bulb, flowers, rambutan and tart caviar lime segments. This certainly was a stunning looking dish. The floral and crunchy lily bulb segments were good but became too much after several spoonful. Undeniably, my tastebuds felt amazingly clean afterwards and my breath smelt great. Word to the wise, don't have wine immediately afterwards as it ends up tasting like vinegar.

At last the rhubarb was removed from the ceiling and shaved into the next course. The crunchy tart slices were paired with braised rhubarb, celery root and a celery ribbon (?) flavoured with a creamy mousse on the bottom. A nice lighter dish after all the heavy ones. 

The following two courses became heavier again. First, a crispy fried pig ear accompanied by Asian pear, black garlic puree and black fungus (?).  The condiments, other than the pear, were a bit salty for my taste. But, the pig ear had a delightful chewy texture to it. At other restaurants it often gets fried so long that it’s dried out and resembles pork rind more than anything. 

Our server brought out a vase and added nitrogen so that smoke started billowing out. All this just to add a stir fry aroma while we ate the next dish! The duck sculpture, once opened, contained small steamed foie gras dumplings. They were tender and smooth but due to their richness compounded my already full feeling.

The blueberry dish was whimsical and played on a variety of tastes and textures. Honestly, I found it a bit disjointed and not something I’d want to eat again. The bubble gum flavoured nest in the middle was unique as it was cold and melted in your mouth. But, it had to be eaten quickly as it started turning into a sticky gel otherwise. The violet meringue pieces were also nice on its own but I found didn’t go as well with the other ingredients.

Alinea’s signature dish is their edible balloon. Handed to us by the server, we were advised everything was edible except for the metal pin weighing it down. We followed instructions and pressed our lips against the balloon until the sugar melted and we could suck out the helium. After laughing in a chipmunk voice I ate the sticky green apple balloon and munched on the delicious fruit string.

Alinea is not for everyone. If you prefer simply prepared ingredients left in their natural essence this isn’t the place for you. The flavours are intense with some elements being very sour, sweet, salty or bitter. Indeed, almost every dish had a mixture of textures and some ingredients meticulously prepared to change its normal structure. Certainly, if you’re not up for “playing” with your food and creating your own combinations from the deconstructed dishes you may leave frustrated.

But if you want to eat with all five senses and be entertained with every course along the way than go to Alinea. Their website describes it beautifully, “It’s not a restaurant … at least, not in the conventional sense”. It’s a dinner theatre with the servers, Chef Achatz and the dishes themselves being the actors. It’s an art gallery with each dish painstakingly crafted to please the eyes before the palate. And finally, it’s an experience that forces patrons to pay attention and talk about what’s happening in front of them. In an age where children play with electronic devices and adults are watching mounted tv screens while eating, perhaps it’s this togetherness and being in the present that makes Alinea truly special.

If you want to find out more about Chef Achatz amazing story, read his book 'Life, On the Line'. To try your hand at recreating some of these dishes (or just to look at the pictures), pick up the Alinea cookbook.