Miguel Torres Salmos

26 Feb

The Torres family run  winery first tapped terroir for grapes in 1870. Torres’ headquarters in Vilafranca del Penedès are the roots of a great dream that has grown right from day one. Work developed in Spain, Chile and California that continues to bear excellent fruit.Today, Torres has more than 1300 hectares of vineyard and above all, presence in more than 140 countries where the Torres name is associated with some of the best wines in the world.

The wineries Miguel Torres Salmos is a homage to the monks of the courageous carthusian order, who arrived in ‘Priorat’, in 1095, where they cultivated vines. In 1835 a violent crowd destroyed the work of a lifetime and sacked the monastery, events which later culminated in the auctioning of church lands known as the “Desamortización de Mendizábal”. In 1996 the Torres Family began work on the planting of vineyards on the slopes strewn with the hard, black slate-like “Licorella” stone.

Dark in hue and almost opaque, it is fragrant and mineral on the nose while on the palate it is luxurious and oily, but also silky and with a long finish. This darkly coloured wine is reminiscent of jam and liquorish, over a smooth spicy and toasted background, which comes from The French oak barrels.

When I first sipped this wine I actually let out a little exclamation, a wee wow. I rarely find wines that I really rave about but the smoothness of this red is not easily matched. Salmos is most certainly on my Top Ten Reds go to list.

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288. Prime at the Windsor Arms Hotel

25 Feb

Every summer and winter Toronto foodies get hyper excited about the Licious Season. Reservations are made with urgency as diners take advantage of the incredible value and exclusive prix fixe menus offered at over 175 of the cities top restaurants. I have always been a hesitant Licious fan as as I am typically more keen to eat off a restaurants regular menu in order to get a better appreciation of the depth of its culinary repertoire. Some love Licious, searching out the best menus and getting great value for their money. Others have horror stories of Licious gone wrong (where restaurants put out a sloppy mediocre menu). I think we can all agree the publicity for Toronto restaurants is exceptional but not every apple in the bowl is as ripe as the next.

This past Winterlicious I coordinated five reviews with the Bloor Yorkville BIA to showcase some of the best Licious menu the city has to offer. As many of you know I moved to Yonge and College this past summer from the West End. With Yorkville a short walk north from my apartment this culinary assignment allowed me to discover five new restaurants just a hop skip and a jump away.

My final Winterlicious review in Yorkville was at the legendary Windsor Arms Hotel. I was joined by my friend Maxime for dinner at Prime. The restaurant is a modern steakhouse, its burning fireplace lighting two rooms of tan leather, dark wood and a collection of paintings by Canadian artist Charles Pachter. In the kitchen, certified dry-aged Kobe, organic lamb and beef steaks are prepared in an infrared broiler. Prime’s wine programme features a selection of the world’s finest, they have received the Award of Excellence by Wine Spectator for the past two years. The Windsor Arms has outfitted itself with a vegan chef, an unusual but welcome addition to a traditional steakhouse.

My most memorable moments at dinner included a glass of Windsor Arms Hotel Chardonnay, Steak (each bloody piece) and the phenomenal Chocolate Peanut Butter Bombe sweet finish.

We enjoyed (* notes my favorites):

Wild Mushroom Soup *

truffle oil croutons

Caesar Salad

reggiano, double smoked bacon

10 oz Char Grilled New York Striploin (21 Day Dry Aged) *

cremini mushroom and herb pomme puree

Crusted Tempeh Steaks, Spiced Sweet Potato Coconut Mash

steamed greens, caramelized onion, cherry tomato relish

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bombe *

milk chocolate peanut butter mousse, chocolate glaze, caramelized peanuts

Raw Raspberry Cashew Cheesecake

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287. Creme Brasserie

24 Feb

Every summer and winter Toronto foodies get hyper excited about the Licious Season. Reservations are made with urgency as diners take advantage of the incredible value and exclusive prix fixe menus offered at over 175 of the cities top restaurants. I have always been a hesitant Licious fan as as I am typically more keen to eat off a restaurants regular menu in order to get a better appreciation of the depth of its culinary repertoire. Some love Licious, searching out the best menus and getting great value for their money. Others have horror stories of Licious gone wrong (where restaurants put out a sloppy mediocre menu). I think we can all agree the publicity for Toronto restaurants is exceptional but not every apple in the bowl is as ripe as the next.

This past Winterlicious I coordinated five reviews with the Bloor Yorkville BIA to showcase some of the best Licious menus the city has to offer. As many of you know I moved to Yonge and College this past summer from the West End. With Yorkville a short walk north from my apartment this culinary assignment allowed me to discover five new restaurants just a hop skip and a jump away.

Lucky met me at my apartment on a Sunday evening, we chit chatted and enjoyed a few glasses of wine before heading over to Creme Brasserie for dinner. The restaurant is tucked away in the Renaissance Courtyard off Cumberland Street. The space features stunning crystal chandeliers and cream coloured walls. The menu is a compilation of simple, elegant French inspired classics with an emphasis on flavour and quality ingredients. I was so impressed by the execution of both of their entrees: cornish hen (which featured roast pork belly so it was a given I had to try that) and steak frites. I hope to return in the spring and summer as they have a beautiful patio space! Glass of wine, sunny day and you are set.

We enjoyed (* notes my favorites):

Shaved Root Vegetable Salad

red and yellow beets, turnips and carrots in hazelnut vinaigrette

Pickled Fig and Triple Cream Brie Crostini *

pistachio oil

Roast Cornish Hen *

confit pork belly, caramelized onion, fennel, spaghetti squash, walnut and cranberry wine jus

Steak Frites *

strip loin, frites, shallot jus

Creme Brule *

tahitian vanilla custard, wine poached plums, cookie

Chocolate Crepes

strawberries, bananas, caramel, cointreau

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