A+ for School: our romantic dinner at The School fine dining restaurant

Tucked in the heart of Markham is The School restaurant. This restaurant is a converted school house, built in the mid 1800’s. In the past, we had driven by this heritage building and decided we would check it out one day. That day came on a cold Monday night, an actual school night.

Hubby took me to The School for a special date night. The dinner crowd was sparse and for a while we thought we would have the place all to ourselves. The host led us to cozy nook that was right beside the fireplace. The lovely warmth and flickering light set the mood for a romantic evening. The tables were spread apart, giving diners a chance at private conversations. The linen was crisp and the glassware and tableware were elegant. It would be the perfect setting for a proposal and definitely fitting for celebrations.

Our waiter served us garlic bread shortly after taking our order. The bread was warm with a crisp top and chewy bottom. It was generously buttered and topped with fresh garlic. The only thing I didn’t like was that it was served with foil underneath, which somehow took away from its elegance.

Yummy garlic bread

We had Tuna Sashimi for our appetizers. Of course, the serving is what you would expect from any fine dining restaurant--as each order cost about the same as a Japanese All-You-Can-Eat lunch. It was fresh and buttery.  You actually do not need the wasabi and soy sauce.

Tuna Sashimi

Next, we ordered some Caesar salad which was prepared by our table. It was the best Caesar salad we have ever had in Canada so far (and this includes our Winterlicious and Summerlicious restaurants!). The whipping of the dressing began with a freshly broken egg and ended with the iceberg lettuce tossed with bacon bits, croutons and Parmigiano-Reggiano. After whipping the dressing, our server took out a folded linen napkin with the greens inside. He then let these fall into the wooden bowl with flourish. The salad was creamy and garlicky, and the Tabasco and Worcestershire sauce gave it the right kick.  

Caesar salad being prepared by our table

Hubby even got extra bacon bits on request. Did I mention how fantastic this salad was? Anyway, the serving was generous and I was getting full. We had wanted to try some Lobster bisque, but we needed some space for our main course.

Best Caesar Salad I've had in Canada!

While I debated over scallops and swordfish, Hubby decided on a NY striploin. As I imagined his wonderful steak, I gave in to the carnivore in me and ended up ordering a Filet Mignon. Ok, ok, next time I will have the seafood! I did get a glass of Merlot to complement my steak. When our steaks arrived, our server also brought some butter, sour cream and horseradish for us to choose for the baked potato. Hubby and I both got sour cream. The Filet Mignon was wonderfully tender and perfectly broiled. The vegetable side dishes came in reasonable portions, but I was too full to even finish these.

Filet Mignon

I no longer had any space for either a Cherry Jubilee or some Crepes Suzette for dessert. We will save trying those for next time. And, as it was a school night, we also skipped having some tea after our meal. We sated romantics headed home still gushing over the Caesar salad! We craved it promptly the next day.

The School will definitely be in our list for celebrations. I highly recommend this restaurant. And, I can’t believe I’m actually saying this, but, I cannot wait to go back to the School.