The hubby and I have just returned from a 3 day vacation from the kids. We decided to go to Collingwood as it has a few enjoyable activities (Treetop excursion-zip lines- Scenic Caves and the awesome Scandinave Spa). Far too cold for Wasaga Beach unfortunately, and visiting Midland, Ontario was a huge dissappointment. Food-wise, we found two places worthy of discussion:
Our first proper dinner was at Three Guys and a Stove in the Village at Blue Mountain (a make-believe village that I liken to Disneyland for skiiers). The tag line of the restaurant is: "For People with Great Taste," reassuring the diner that they have made a sage decision to eat there. Friendly staff and a casual interior bedecked by framed photos of food taken from the cookbook of Jeff Suddaby. I thought this was kinda weird and tacky, almost like a take-out counter menu, it only lacked the prices. The menu looked promising. We started with a Risotto cake atop a seasoned, fried tomato. It was drizzled with what I can only describe as hot sauce and then adorned with a pickled onion chutney. We agreed that the intention and creativity was there but it lacked proper balance and execution. Too sour, too hot, too fried. If the chutney was replaced with fresh green grapes and the hot sauce with say, a balsamic vinegar drizzle, this dish would have greater harmony. Lamb meatballs on couscous and mushroom risotto with lamb had similar issues of discord. Again, great ideas...poor execution.
The next night, we went into the downtown strip of Collingwood to The Stuffed Peasant. A small but pleasant space, we chose this location because it was one of the few places that was open at 9:30 p.m. We started with grilled calamari on a bed of sauteed cabbage. It was so simple but so perfectly cooked. The calamari was fresh and whole and cooked til just tender and drizzled with oil, lemon, salt and pepper. Ballontine chicken with rapini and lentils and my dish, liver with beets and mashed potatoes were also perfectly cooked and properly seasoned. And thought we were full to bursting, we ended with Frangelico creme brulee because we wanted to know if this chef's skill extended to his desserts. It did.
It is so true what they say. Eat where the locals eat.
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