A wine pairing dinner at the Chef's Table, Annona

The first night of my short trip to Toronto was a tasting menu at Executive chef Joan Monfaredi's chef's table at the Park Hyatt charmingly entitled "An evening inspired by the Spring thaw". It featured what I gather is going to be the pattern for the next few days - locally sourced Canadian ingredients paired with Canadian wines.

Icebowl of Beetroot and Dill Sorbet
A very pretty presentation of a small icebowl filled with a scoop of rich, earthy beetroot and dill sorbet. Topped, slightly inadvisedly with hot cider which ran out of the bottom of the bowl but a delicious palate cleanser

Lobster bisque with chilli crme fraiche
A classic rich bisque with a generous chunk of Canadian lobster - possibly slightly too rich for the accompanying Alsace-like 2005 Mission Hill Five Vineyards Pinot Grigio (the following Featherstone Chardonnay might have been better) but a more than workable combination.

Grilled Quebec foie gras sandwich with Cloudberry preserves
Passed on this one as I don't eat foie gras but the chosen pairing of a buttery Featherstone Canadian Oak Chardonnay from Niagara (which I did taste) worked pretty well according to a colleague

Grilled Jail Island ocean trout with a rice paper roll of microgreens and herbs and a Maple Tamarind Drizzle
And (not mentioned in the menu) a beurre blanc which made it slightly rich for the accompanying crisp, limey 2005 Thirty Bench Small Lot Riesling from Niagara. The Mission Hill Pinot Grigio worked well though. My favourite dish - the microgreen-filled rice paper rolls were a lovely idea

Orange Cap and Blackburn Ravioli with Concord Grape and Aged Sherry Reduction
Orange Cap is a mushroom, Blackburn a cheese which made this stuffed raviolo a good match for the accompanying 2006 Le Clos Jordanne Claystone Terrace Pinot Noir from Niagara, mellowing its slightly tough tannins (it was a young wine)

Charcoal BBQ Alberta Kobe with sherry consomm, green asparagus and tiny potatoes
A surprisingly light dish of rare-cooked beef in broth but still intensely flavoured enough to match the much-in-demand 2006 Laughing Stock Portfolio Red, a cult Meritage blend from the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia. Interesting that the almost raw asparagus held up too.

Canadian Artisanal cheese
A beautifully presented cheese course of Tiger Blue, Lavash and fresh pears also worked pretty well with the Laughing Stock Red, thanks to the spiciness of the Lavash

Rustic Rhubarb Tart with Maple Walnut ice-cream
Although this contained rhubarb the Maple syrup made the overall effect of this dessert quite sweet. The red Henry of Pelham Cabernet Franc icewine from Niagara (a bit like Willi Opitz' red TBA) was a great pairing

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