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Pullman, Montreal, Quebec

CANADA’S BEST NEW DINING TRENDS 2004

Text: CHRIS JOHNS

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Best Cocktail All aboard the Paris Express (Grey Goose vodka and absinthe) at Bouchons (Kelowna, B.C.). Induce a Zen state with Ginger Comfort (gin, jasmine green iced tea and ginger syrup) at Wild Tangerine Cucina Domestica (Edmonton). Alto Palato’s (Montreal) revved-up Bellini features prosecco, vodka and Campari. The City Hall martini at Aurora Bistro (Vancouver) blends Grey Goose with 15-year-old balsamic vinegar. But Parkside Restaurant (Vancouver) made the year’s best, juicing up the traditional negroni with blood-orange sorbet.

Canada’s Best New Wine List With so many restaurants moving toward simplified menus, the vast, big-money wine list is rare. Yet a few have made significant investments in their wine programs, including our winner, Arbutus Grille (Brentwood Bay, B.C.). By the glass, half bottle and double magnum (equals four bottles, if you’re counting) – the B.C.-heavy list offers a virtual tour of that province’s wine regions. California is also well represented with plenty of boutique wines; French producers include one shiny bit of window dressing, an 1888 Château Lafite for $1,888. In close second, Restaurant la Quintessence (Mont-Tremblant, Que.) has a strong French-leaning list well suited to its contemporary French cuisine. Alto Palato (Montreal) is notable for its interesting selection of Italian producers.

No Whining at the Bar Wine bars have some of the most exciting and clever wine lists this year. Cru (Vancouver) has created a brief but ingenious list and a pairing system that will undoubtedly be much copied. Bu (Montreal) has a more extensive French- and Italian-heavy list and new tasting flights every few weeks. Nearly half of the 150 bottles at Vintropolis (Vancouver) are available by the glass, while smaller lists at La Montée de lait and Pullman (Montreal) select interesting wines that work well with their menus. Fiction (Vancouver) takes the prize for most colourful wine descriptions: “A deep, brooding purple potion” and “finely chiselled by aromatic nuances.”

Sommelier of the Year Brian Storen at Arbutus Grille (Brentwood Bay, B.C.) is truly a sommelier for Lotus Land, with a passion for wine and idiosyncratic descriptions. He might (with a straight face) describe a rose brut as having “a bracing acidity; your first sip is like a kayak going over the waterfall” or rhapsodize over the flavour of a local chardonnay as “barely born apricots.”

They Are Canadian You can chug back beer-pairing dinners at Aurora Bistro (Vancouver) and Zest (Fonthill, Ont.).

More, Please After enjoying water lists a Pullman, À l’os (Montreal) and Restaurant la Quintessence (Mont-Tremblant, Que.), dining without one seems… dry. Dishes of designer salt and cracked pepper at À l’os, Alto Palato and Bu (Montreal) end the tyranny of the massive pepper grinder. Alternatives to beef: Sweetgrass Aboriginal Bistro’s (Ottawa) buffalo roast and burger, The Griesser Spoon’s (Canmore, Alta.) elk sirloin and terrine and Que Sera Sera’s (Quebec City) pan-seared caribou steak. Alternatives to chicken: Bistro La Cohue’s (Sainte-Foy, Que.) rabbit terrine, Ultra Supper Club’s (Toronto) boneless rabbit saddle, Luce’s (Toronto) rack of rabbit and Toast!’s (Quebec City) squab two ways. And food presented in individual cast-iron or copper pots at Bouchons (Kelowna, B.C.) just tastes better.

The New Bamboo Prepare to see lots of good old Canadian birch, from twigs at Aix Cuisine du Terroir (Montreal) to branches at Perspectives Restaurant (Kanata, Ont.) to trunks at Restaurant L’Utopie (Quebec City). Bark, but no bite.

Give a Little Bit The mass migration to smaller sized portions continued under various guises. Cru Restaurant (Vancouver) simply calls them “small plates,” while Wild Tangerine Cucina Domestica (Edmonton) opts for “first flavours and side dishes.” Parkside Restaurant’s (Vancouver) gimmick is 20 dishes under $20, and Jamie Kennedy Wine Bar (Toronto) has small plates under $15. Piato Greek House (Calgary) uses the culturally appropriate mezze. Suede Lounge (Edmonton) offers Asian, Italian, French and Mexican inspired tapas, while Umami Tapas & Wine Bar (Vancouver) has Japanese-fusion tapas. There’s even a restaurant called Tapas Restaurant (Canmore, Alta.) that serves Spanish tapas. Who knew?

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