Delicious Summerlicious—10th event and some tips

This year marks the 10^th annual Summerlicious event, of which we missed the first three. For our 7^th Summerlicious, we went to Boiler House at the Distillery district. We wanted to get a patio seat but it was chilly.  Plus, there was a risk of showers so we settled for indoor seating.  It worked out alright as the indoors were quite cozy.

Hubby and I opted for the same starters and main course.  It was only dessert for which we had different choices. We started with Morrocan black mussels. The aroma of the tomato chermoula (marinade) brought promises of tasty dishes to come!  And tasty it was indeed! The mussels were well-cooked and plump, not at all rubbery. The bacon (more of cubed pork belly, actually) stood out without drowning the taste of the mussels.  And the cilantro further highlighted the flavours.  It could have used less salt, but since I am a bacon-lover, I didn’t really mind.

Next, we had char-broiled AAA striploin from Alberta. Cooked medium-well, the steak was perfectly seasoned and juicy. The sweet pea and tarragon risotto was creamy and not paste-y-- a good side dish, but I would have liked some Bearnaise sauce with my steak. I now wonder if the chef would have been insulted had I asked for some…Anyway, the steak was a good size and well-worth this Summerlicious meal.

For dessert, hubby chose the blood orange crème caramel which he regretted ordering. It was blah and, really, nothing beats my mom’s leche flan (her version of crème caramel)! I ordered coffee toffee frozen parfait which was delightful! The crunchy toffee bits provided the nice texture to the smooth coffee parfait. It was a great dinner and hubby swears the company was even better Jhaha. We capped the night with a stroll around the Distillery district (and some take home chocolate from Soma).

For the past 6 years we have been going to restaurants participating in Summerlicious (and Winterlicious). Some years we go to 2 or more places--well, because it’s summer! I don’t need a better reason than that! Below are our past Summerlicious adventures starting from the best (IMHO):

1.       Auberge du Pommier—this is one we highly recommend. Watermelon gazpacho is perfect for summer!

2.       Sassafraz—wonderful striploin (I love steak so this is what I often order)  with chipotle foam capped with our favorite dessert, Tiramisu (with Kahlua)

3.       Tundra/Canoe/Far Niente—great ambience and good food but no stand outs

4.       Bier Markt--awesome mussels!

5.       259 Host—so far the best Indian we have had

6.       Trappers—food was ok but service was great!  We brought our eldest, DD#1, along on our date and they offered to prepare a nice fetuccine carbonara for her while we had the Summerlicious dinner.

7.       La Bruschetta/BLD—the food was just so-so

And while these prix fixe meals were not as expensive as what they would usually cost, they still weren’t exactly cheap. So, to help ensure that you get the best bang for your buck, here are my Summerlicious tips:

·         Check out the reviews of restaurants you want to try. Go to several sites and blogs for a broader range of opinions. You may want to narrow your choices down to a specific district or cuisine.

·         Review the menus of your short-listed restaurants. Go for what you’d like to eat.

·         Make the reservation early and enjoy!