Air Canada’s enRoute magazine is one of my favorite in-flight reads.
It’s smart, witty and bi-lingual to boot.
And now its come up with its 10 Best New Tables of 2007.
Travel and food writer Chris Johns of Toronto, who ate his way across Canada, teamed up with a panel of top foodies to come up with an electic selection for the sixth annual survey. The criteria was based on restaurants that opened between July 2006 and June 2007.
Here are the top ten along with comments by the judges.
Bon appetit!
1. Atlantica, Newfoundland and Labrador: Just finding this place is a bit of an accomplishment. Although it’s tempting to turn at the signpost leading to “Paradise,” keep driving and you’ll find another kind of paradise further down the road.
2. Kingyo Izakaya, Vancouver: If this were a search for Canada’s most dangerous new restaurant, Kingyo would be a shoo-in.
3. Salt Tasting Room, Vancouver: It takes guts to open a restaurant without a kitchen on a street known as blood alley and then decorate it like a prison cafeteria. Photo below of Salt Tasting Room by Sue Frause.
4. Bistro Bienville, Montreal: This is exactly the kind of food we would all cook at home if we could.
5. Colborne Lane, Toronto: Chef Claudio Aprile has the confidence to create dishes that approach but never quite go over the top.
6. Le Moine Echanson, Quebec: Cooking this confident and cultivated needs no ornamentation.
7. The Trough Dining Co., Canmore, Alberta: Both the servings and the flavours are big and generous.
8. Restaurant L’Idylle, Dieppe, New Brunswick: The oldest house in Dieppe is serving some very modern food.
9. Blink Restaurant, Calgary, Alberta: A good old-fashioned restaurant with plenty of vegetarian food which may be revolutionary for Calgary.
10. Foxley Bistro & Bar, Toronto: The kitchen isn’t afraid to get Cro-Magnon — pork ribs require not only a finger bath but possibly a post-dinner bath.
As a complement to the Top 10 list, the November issue of enRoute also premieres The Next 20 restaurants. From west to east, these are the picks:
Niche, Victoria
Smoken Bones Cookshack, Victoria
Chow, Vancouver
Fuel Restaurant, Vancouver
Gastropod, Vancouver
So.Cial at Le Magasin, Vancouver
The Taco Shack, Vancouver
Skinny Legs and Cowgirls, Edmonton
Oui Bistro & Wine Bar, Winnipeg
Coca Tapas and Wine Bar, Toronto
Globe Bistro, Toronto
Kaiseki Sakura, Toronto
Karuchie, Toronto
Kultura, Toronto
The Whalesbone Oyster House, Ottawa
Les Trois Petits Bouchons, Montreal
Vella, Montreal
Gio, Halifax
Mosaic Social Dining Lounge, Halifax
The Gourmet Food and Wine Expo is coming to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre November 15-18th, 2007.
The 2007 Gourmet Food & Wine Expo offers our 35,000 guests an unparalleled opportunity to sample over 1200 fine wines, spirits and beers from around the globe. We are pleased to announce Chile as our theme country; enjoy exciting Chilean wines, and experience an up-and-coming hot spot. Chile is currently experiencing record breaking sales and is the leading growth category at the LCBO.
Don’t miss some of our great show features including; The Food Network Stage, playing host to some of the best chefs in Toronto. Increase your wine knowledge at the Independent Wine Education Guild’s Connoisseurs Corner Stage. Let renowned wine celebrities and sommeliers guide you through exquisite wines in the Vintages Tutored Tastings Program. The Fine Wine Tasting lounge, the Art of the Cocktail Area and the Cheese Corner, presented by The Dairy Farmers of Canada offer further sampling experiences.
With environmental issues on everyone’s mind, Tetra Pak will be returning this year to display the new trends in wine packaging and its environmental benefits. Check out all the fabulous Expo highlights at http://www.foodandwineshow.ca
Sounds yummy, thanks for the heads up! Sorry I won’t be in the neighborhood. What a fun way to spend a weekend in Toronto!