If you’re like me, you spend the first few weeks of the new year in hibernation to recover from holiday entertaining the month before. I find that the month of January is a great time not only to make resolutions, but also to declutter so I’ve been busy getting rid of stuff that I no longer want or need. It’s convenient that the weather has been below normal winter temperatures as I have not been tempted to go out except for walks or groceries or errands. But when the end of January arrives, I usually feel a little more refreshed and interested in seeing friends. What a perfect time to reacquaint with others during Winterlicious, which returns to Toronto from January 25, 2019 to February 7, 2019.
Here is a preview of some of the menus that I think are worth sampling during Winterlicious 2019:
Museum Tavern, 208 Bloor St. W., Unit 201, 416-920-0110
Cuisine: American
You might think you’ve stumbled into a Manhattan bar, but no, you’re in Toronto right across from the ROM. If you’re a beef eater, go for the Prime Beef Cheeseburgers…people say it’s the best in the city.
Lunch: $23
Appetizer: Butternut Squash Soup (vegan) OR Duck Bun OR Spicy Salmon & Nori OR Goat Cheese Salad
Main: Prime Beef Cheeseburger OR Fish & Chips OR Beer-Braised Chicken Stew OR Winter Bowl with tofu, almonds, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, ancient grains, chia seeds, kale, turmeric sauce (vegan)
Dessert: Double Chocolate Cake OR Banana Colada Cake OR Lemon Pot de Crème or Sorbet (vegan)
Dinner: $33
Same as lunch except Mains include Prime Beef Double Cheeseburger OR Seared Ahi Tuna Burger OR Beer-Braised Chicken Stew OR Winter Bowl (vegan)
Wynona, 819 Gerrard St. E., 416-778-5171
Cuisine: Italian & Mediterranean
Wynona opened last summer on the border of Chinatown East serving Riverdale and Leslieville clients with fish and pasta dishes.
Dinner: $43
Appetizer: Marinated Sardines from Portugal, Red Pepper, Breadcrumb, Pimenton OR Beef Carpaccio Crème Fraîche, Horse Radish, Beets, Walnut OR Hummus, Marinated Olives, Grilled Focaccia
Main: Cavatelli, Pomodoro, Stracciatella, Breadcrumb OR Grilled Branzino, Brown Butter, Capers, Olives OR Carrot Agnolotti, Maple Butter, Smoked Chestnut
Dessert: Canele, Dulce De Leche Mousse, Berries OR Tiramisu, Marsala Zabaione
OR Parisian Flan, Chantilly Cream
Bosk, Shangri-La Hotel, 188 University Avenue, 647-788-8294
Cuisine: Asian-inspired
Come and enjoy exceptional Asian fusion dining in a gorgeous, light-infused room with elegant furnishings.
Lunch: $33
Appetizer: Roasted Garlic Vichyssoise Chicken Skin, Mushrooms, Charred Leek, Sunflower Sprouts OR Smoked Potato Salad Broccolini, Celery, Guanciale, Buttermilk Dressing OR Prawn Terrine Nuoc Cham, Rice Cracker, Mint, Cucumber
Main: Steelhead Trout Beluga Lentils, Turnip, Bok Choy, Dashi Beurre Blanc OR
Crispy Pork Belly Fried Rice, Kimchi Slaw, Asian Pear, Gochujang Jus OR Hen Egg Pasta Sheets House-Made Ricotta, Kabocha Squash, Pinenuts, Rapini, Tomato Fondue
Dessert: Warm Toffee Pudding Bourbon Toffee Sauce, Apple Butter Ice Cream, Bourbon Spiked Apple and Raisin OR Tiramisu Coffee Amaretto Jelly, Espresso Sponge, Mascarpone Cream, Speculoos Crumbs OR Chocolate Mousse
Chocolate and Passion Fruit Mousse, Salted Caramel, Banana and Passion Fruit Sorbet
Dinner: $53
Same as lunch except Mains include Pacific Cod Parsley Spätzle, Salsify, Turnip, Brown Butter Caper Sauce OR Slow Cooked Beef Shortrib Parsnip, Cippolini Onion, Bacon, Mushroom, Bourguignon Jus OR Aged Duck Breast Cumin-Squash Puree, Duck Fat Potatoes, Kale, Curry Jus OR Hen Egg Pasta Sheets House-Made Ricotta, Kabocha Squash, Pinenuts, Rapini, Tomato Fondue
Montgomery’s Restaurant, 996 Queen St. W., 647-748-4416
Cuisine: Canadian
Dinner: $43
Appetizer: Handmade Sourdough Bread with House Made Cultured Butter and Fermented Vegetables with House Made Charcuterie and Smoked Mustard OR Shrimp with Dried Tomato Oil, Marigold and Crispy Potato Sheets OR Winter salad with apple mustard vinaigrette
Main: Dry Aged Beef with Salt-Baked Celeriac and Endive OR Roast Duck Leg with Salt-Baked Celeriac and Endive OR Hand cut Tagliatelle with Mushrooms and Catnip OR Mackerel with Charred Cabbage and Salted Stone Fruit
Dessert: Tarte Tatin with Sweet Fern Ice-Cream OR Quebec Cheese with Fruit Preserve OR Maple Ice-Cream, Black Peanuts, Preserved Cherry + Salt-Cured Foie Gras
Have a great time at Winterlicious 2019. Let me know in the comment section if you attend one of these restaurants.
