Sunday 8.6
This morning Thomas and I went to Byward Market to get breakfast from Le Moulin de Provence. I got the German Strudel, but also had some of my son’s Chain Chomper cookie and my wife’s black forest danish. The danish was the best. We stopped at a McDonald’s on the drive to Toronto and I had a bite of my son’s McNuggets and Fries, but I was trying to save room for dinner.
We met with friends we haven’t seen in years, Tina and Khizer and their son, and went to R&D, a Bib Gourmand restaurant. I preordered their duck which they call “best duck in the city”. We also got some beef bao, siu mai, beef tartare, and brussels sprouts. For dessert, we shared the sticky toffee pudding. I also tried another new gin.
Monday 8.7
We had big plans for dinner tonight so we stopped in to get a little lunch at Kelly’s Landing. My wife and I shared fish tacos which were pretty good and I helped my son finish his pizza and french fries. I also tried Dillon’s Unfiltered Gin with tonic. After lunch we went up in CN Tower and I got another gin and tonic at VUE Bistro in the observation deck. Just wait, there was a lot of drinking today.
For dinner we went to Osteria Giulia, a Michelin Star restaurant near the University of Toronto. The space was absolutely beautiful and I was excited that Thomas ate something off the menu. This was his third Michelin Star restaurant but the first time we ordered something for him, even if it was more or less grilled cheese. Our waitress wasn’t great, she was new and it showed, but the food was good, except for the dish that had almonds in it that we weren’t told about, oh and the one that had a hair. The bartender, Sam, however was outstanding and he introduced me to two more new gins. They were both from Italy. In the end, we had a great time, even if there were a few bumps.
Tuesday 8.8
We left Toronto this morning and drove to the Royal Botanical Garden. We started at the rock garden which is a little piece of heaven. Before walking through the grounds, we stopped to have lunch at the Rock Garden Bistro. We had a pickerel cake which is a fish caught in Lake Erie. It was very good. I had a French dip that was also really good. And of course I helped my son with his grilled cheese and fries. I tried another new gin and I also bought a bottle of what will be gin no. 081, RBG Lilac Gin.
By dinner time we were in Niagara Falls and there really aren’t a lot of great food options. We tried to go to a hot dog stand but it was just nuts so we ended un at Kelsey’s which was just ok. My son’s pizza was better than our nachos, but the cookie we got to go was pretty bad. I ended up having a chocolate covered apricot which was way better.
Wednesday 8.9
We went on the Journey Behind the Falls this morning and so didn’t get to lunch until almost two. By then I was starving. Kelly and I split a brisket sandwich and poutine at Niagara Distillery where, you guessed it, I tried another new gin. I also helped Thomas eat his meal again, this time chicken fingers. I need to be done with vacation so I stop eating his food.
We really weren’t too hungry for dinner, but we went to the Hershey Store and bought Thomas a big bag of chocolates, then we stopped next door to the Coca Cola Store and I got a coke float. But that made me need something more substantial so I walked over to Pizza Pizza and got a slice of pepperoni for $10. That was a rip off. I took it back to the room and ate it along with some pretzels and another chocolate covered apricot.
Thursday 8.10
We walked from Canada to the US today. It was just a matter of crossing a bridge but once we went there and back I was pretty hungry, so I ate at the first place I saw. A little cafe called The Secret Garden. It’s not really a secret because they have signs for it everywhere and it gets decent reviews on yelp/google but not from me. We had a chicken sandwich special and some soup. Neither was very good.
It got better from there. We drove out to Niagara on the Lake to Wayne Gretzky Estates. There we had a spicy calamari that came with some really excellent coleslaw and did a small tasting that included a really delicious Salted Caramel Cream Liquor. After that things got even better when we stopped by Spirit in Niagara Distillery. We did another tasting and I bought a bottle of gin that will be gin no. 082. But even more exciting was the food. We had a roast beef crostini that was very good and a Cornish hen entree that was amazing. It had wonderful brussels sprouts and a root puree that I would have eaten a bowl of. I finished off the night with a few chocolates.
Friday 8.11
We ended our vacation today. We drove all the way from Niagara to Concord. But before we really got going we stopped in Buffalo to grab some wings. It was hard to decide where to go, but we settled on Gabriel’s Gate which had very good wings, but not better than I’ve ever had. I guess I was expecting something magical in Buffalo, but they were just very good wings. I also split a Cottage St. with onion rings, their version of Beef on Weck. And of course, I helped my son with his grilled cheese and fries.
I munched on some M&M’s on the long drive and eventually stopped at a McDonald’s on the Mass Pike where I got a quarter pounder with cheese and shared fries and a coke with Kelly.
Saturday 8.12
I knew my dad was coming to visit, but I didn’t realize he would be in Boston today. I thought he was passing through tomorrow, but that’s what a long vacation will do to you. I went to Crosby’s this morning and got deli meat and stock-up food since we had been away. Then I went to the Cheese Shop to get food for dinner. Only when I was eating my lunch of a ham and turkey sandwich with chips, did I realize my dad was in town. So I gave him a call and Thomas and I went to meet him and Elias for dinner.
I picked 1928 Beacon Hill, which Gretchen had recommended to me. We shared deviled eggs, carpaccio, spinach artichoke dip, and chocolate cake. I avoided Thomas’s french fries and chicken fingers. Now that vacation is over, I can’t keep doing that.
Top Three
I went to two Michelin recommended restaurants this week. I also toured three distilleries, bought two new bottles of gin, and had a dinner out at a new spot in Boston. If that wasn’t enough I had Buffalo wings in Buffalo. Don’t ask what my favorites were, at this point I’m just guessing. Here are the three best things I ate:
3. Buffalo Wings (Saturday)
2. Tiramisu (Monday)
1. Cornish Hen (Thursday)
Links:
R&D – Bib Gourmand
Osteria Giulia – One Michelin Star
Michelin Dining
Gabriel’s Gate – Buffalo
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Concord Culinary Lyceum 
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