AUBERGE DU POMMIER
Huîtres &  Caviar
Peter Oliver: I feel that Chef St. Jaques takes oysters to the next level with this dish. The poached oysters are placed on a bed of leek velouté, then topped with toasted brioche and caviar. It’s magnificent.
Boeuf Quatre Façons
Michael Bonacini: I love this dish as it gives you the opportunity to taste not one, but four styles of beef: ribeye, short rib, oxtail, and a ragoût. This is a rich dish, perfect for a chilly winter day.
Macaron
Oliver: These French macaroons just melt in your mouth. They are the perfect finishing touch to a wonderful Auberge du Pommier meal.

BANNOCK
Bannock Bannock
Bonacini: House-smoked salmon and cream cheese on freshly made bannock.  This is such a fun dish that blends Canadian traditions in a unique and interesting way.
Arcadian Court Chicken Pot Pie
Oliver: When we first announced that we were opening a restaurant in The Bay, people would stop me in the street and ask me about this pot pie! It has been a Toronto family favourite for many years, and we are thrilled to carry on the tradition.
Sour Cream Donuts
Bonacini: Real Canadian, eh?
Oliver: We know we couldn’t serve Canadian comfort food without a glazed donut on the menu. These are warm, doughy, a little crispy on the outside. Simple food – elevated.

OLIVER & BONACINI CAFÉ GRILL
Grilled Calamari
Bonacini: This calamari dish is adapted from the Jump lunch menu, and is one of my favourites.
O&B Macaroni and Cheese
Bonacini: This is classic mac and cheese for grown-ups.  With aged white cheddar, goat cheese, roasted chicken and sweet garden peas, it’s a fun spin on an old favourite.
Carrot Cake
Oliver: This is a carrot cake for real carrot cake lovers – moist, perfectly spiced and topped with a not-too-sweet cream cheese icing.

LUMA
Burrata
Bonacini: I love that this dish is rich and creamy but still feels light.
Steak Frites
Oliver: This is such a classic, timeless dish – a fantastic match with a bold red.
Opera Cake
Bonacini: A perfect end to dinner and a movie! If you forgot to buy your date a snack, the popcorn ice cream and caramel popcorn will more than make up for it.

Peter Oliver and Michael Bonacini Guest Food Editors
Two of Toronto’s best-known culinary entrepreneurs put it all on the table nearly two decades ago when they partnered to open Jump Café and Bar in 1993. At the time, Peter Oliver was a thriving Toronto restaurateur, and Michael Bonacini was the executive chef of Centro. Today, their lucrative food enterprise dots the city with restaurants and event spaces, which include Jump, Canoe, Biff’s Bistro, Auberge du Pommier, Oliver & Bonacini Café Grill, Luma, O&B Canteen, Malaparte and Bannock. Oliver is also the founder and president of The Stephen Leacock Foundation, a charitable organization that helps disadvantaged children in Canada and the developing world. www.oliverbonacini.com

2. Compass
For over 15 years, professional chef Antonio D’Anello has stuck to his philosophy of using only fresh, organic, sustainable and local fare. He picks the day’s freshest produce to create a savoury menu that shifts with the seasons. Sink your teeth into juicy Canadian Angus strip loin or relish in rich smoked chicken ravioli.
www.compassrestaurant.ca

3. Brunello
At the Regina Hotel Baglioni in Rome, time-honoured Italian elegance meets chic modern design at the Brunello. Stroll in from Via Veneto, one of the city’s most eminent streets, and breathe in the mouth-watering scent of Mediterranean cuisine, like rosemary marinated lamb, wild roasted sea bass, and roasted octopus with sweet pepper cream. www.baglionihotels.com

4. Toqué! Restaurant
With a plethora of awards commemorating its exceptional cuisine, Toqué! Restaurant is considered by many to be the pinnacle of Quebec dining. Norman Laprise, a Relais & Châteaux grand chef, heads the kitchen, crafting innovative dishes that earned him the title Chevalier de L’Ordre National du Québec in 2009. “The food is very modern and you have to be open with the flavour,” says Laprise, who is praised for his revolutionary blind-tasting menus.
www.restaurant-toque.com

5. Splendido
Under the guidance of veteran restaurateur Carlo Catallo and chef Victor Barry, Splendido brings that rustic flair to the Toronto dining scene. Their contemporary menu is prepared using local ingredients that fluctuate with the season, and each plate is displayed in a tasteful yet relaxed fashion.
www.splendido.ca

6. Montreal Xo
Housed in Montreal’s celebrated Hotel Le St-James, Xo Le Restaurant brings the historic city’s old-world charm into the spotlight. The traditional European atmosphere is complemented by a refined décor, while the creative menu adds regal flavour. Start with mouth-watering scallops or beef carpaccio, and dine like royalty on scrumptious venison and pheasant.
www.hotellestjames.com

CHEF McEWAN’S RECOMMENDATIONS
ONE – Appetizer: Soft scrambled eggs with crisp pork belly, crème fraîche, pork gravy and shaved black truffle. Main: Braised short ribs, caramelized parsnip, carrot-horseradish purée, Yorkshire pudding and natural sauce. Dessert: Sticky toffee pudding with brandy butter sauce. “I think for the fall they’re really reflective of the season, the scrambled eggs would sort of confuse most people, but it’s a really great item. The short ribs are classic for everybody, and there’s the dessert, the sticky toffee pudding, we basically put it back on in the fall and its always been a personal favourite of mine.”

BYMARK – Appetizer: Seared foie gras with sage donut, peach compote and white balsamic reduction. Main: Pappardelle with braised rabbit, lardons and squash. Dessert: Quince tart tatin with bourbon caramel mousse. “Rabbit is a personal favourite, it’s not necessarily the most popular dish, but it’s really interesting, it shows some diversity amongst the restaurants. The foie gras with the sage and the peach is really, really tasty. And the caramel mousse is – again caramel, fall – very different than the others, but it’s a dessert that works really well.”

FABBRICA – Appetizer: Grilled octopus with Genoa salami, chickpeas, peperonata, chili and wild arugula. Main: Black pepper potato gnocchi with braised baby goat and housemade sheep’s milk ricotta. Dessert: Zeppole – warm donuts with cinnamon sugar, orange cream and white chocolate sauce. “Octopus is a big favourite of mine, so I recommend it any time I have it on a menu. The gnocchi with the brazed meat, I just think it’s really delicious and very reflective of the restaurant in terms of its Italian roots. The donuts are a slam dunk.”

NORTH 44 – Appetizer: Grilled pizza with shaved truffle, fontina cheese, white rice and fresh thyme. Main: West Coast halibut baked in banana leaf with leek hearts, braised onions, coconut and coriander, served with basmati rice. Dessert: Fresh ginger cake, pear tatin with honey chèvre ice cream. “The halibut in the banana leaf I came up with the recipe 10 years ago. My interpretation of that recipe, and any time I have tried to take it off the menu, I have had riots from my clients. I like it for the fall season because it’s a hardy fish dish.”

Guest Food Editor, Mark McEwan
Mark McEwan: Host of The Heat on Food Network Canada and author of Mark McEwan’s Fabbrica: Great Italian Recipes Made Easy for Home and Great Food at Home. He’s also the lead judge on Top Chef Canada.

Pleasantly positioned on the 31st floor will be Stock Restaurant, a heightened culinary exploit. Hotel guests and residents will be able to indulge in the delicious creations of Todd Clarmo, former corporate executive chef at Oliver & Bonacini Restaurants. “Chef Clarmo is highly accomplished and has worked at the top restaurants in France,” says Trump. In addition to the panoramic views, Stock will be chock-full of the eye-catching contemporary interiors of renowned II BY IV Design Associates. Patrons will also have the luxury of dining in the sky – if they’re brave enough to perch themselves on a patio 31 storeys above the city. “[Stock] will definitely be a wonderful addition to the fine restaurant collection in Toronto,” adds the real estate mogul.

Trump International Hotel & Tower Toronto is expected to be complete before 2012.

www.trumptorontohotel.com

Gastro-maniacs from afar are licking their lips for June 23 when reservations will be accepted, so now’s the time to start mapping out your dining route. To help, we’ve compiled this list featuring just a few of the remarkable venues whetting the palates of famished food lovers. Bon appétit!

In 2002, Restaurant began slicing and dicing a list with the goal of establishing a hierarchy of the world’s finest dining venues. After nearly a decade of discovery, drinking and dining, the 50 Best Restaurants awards has garnished a prestigious list that restaurants around the world lick their lips over. “It has grown year on year for [nearly] the past decade,” explains Restaurant’s editor William Drew, “and has now become another huge and important – and quite powerful — listing.”

Those establishments featured on this highly regarded record are immediately thrust to the head of the culinary world’s table. Indeed, when the Danish restaurant Noma took last year’s top prize, more than 100,000 people wanted to sink their teeth into Noma’s suddenly sought-after reservation list.

To cover a broad range of areas, the contest splits the world into 27 regions. A chairperson is appointed to each region and selects 30 judges comprised of chefs, restaurateurs, food critics, writers, and what Drew calls gastronomes: individuals who travel and dine at some of the most preeminent – and sometimes unknown – restaurants across the far-reaching culinary spectrum. Each of these more than 800 judges selects the seven best restaurants they’ve sampled over the last 18 months. At least three of their selections have to be outside their own regions “to ensure that there’s a proper international flavour,” explains Drew. Other than that there are no rules. Judges scour, sample and salivate for the best dining experiences they can track down from across the globe. They search high and low for the crème de la crème of eating establishments.

Of course, the overall experience certainly entails the quality of the cuisine, but as Drew explains, it’s also about atmosphere, design, service and overall satisfaction. It certainly isn’t rare to have a more casual enterprise topple a more formal one due to an enjoyable setting and personable staff. Indeed, what represents the “best” for one judge may be completely different to another.

After months of searching for that little taste of paradise spread out with a butter knife, the votes were casted and the grills cooled off in anticipation of the April 18th award ceremony in London, England. So, which restaurant dazzled and delighted the gastromatic judges of the 2011 50 Best Restaurants awards? For a second straight year, the heavyweight champion of dining was the Danish restaurant Noma.

Serving a variety of Nordic gourmet cuisine, Noma’s co-owner and head chef, Rene Redzepi, combs the Scandinavian countryside and coastline in an effort to ascertain the most enchanting fare for his Copenhagen restaurant. As Drew describes, “It’s not necessarily that he’s doing extraordinary things with the food, but that he’s finding extraordinary food and doing just enough to make it delicious.” Noma also manages most of its produce preparations in-house. It salts, smokes, pickles, dries and grills all of its own ingredients, which include Icelandic skyr curd, halibut, Greenland musk ox, and when in season, local berries, vegetables, herbs, spices and wild plants.

Last year, Noma knocked off previous winner El Bulli, a Spanish restaurant that held the top spot since 2006 and has been in the top three since the list’s inception. This was also Noma’s fourth year in the top 10, and it’s third in the top three. It was also the highest climber in 2007, jumping to the 15th spot from 33rd in 2006.

“I don’t think it was a huge surprise within the industry, because Noma was a hugely popular winner last time,” says Drew in regards to Noma taking first prize for a second straight year. “There are other great restaurants out there, but no one else has come in to challenge it recently in terms of being a worldwide phenomenon.”

Even though Noma is considered the “best” restaurant in the world, just making the top 50 is an incredible accolade in itself. As I mentioned before, considering how many restaurants there are in the world, being recognized as one of the world’s 50 best restaurants is nothing to push aside. In fact, much like Noma’s sudden burst of popularity in 2010, all the restaurants on this list receive a huge boost in international acclaim. “The main increase you’ll get in inquiries is from overseas, that’s the key difference,” says Drew, who goes on to explain that even though a restaurant may be the big fish in a local pond, once on this list, an ocean of food lovers starts swarming.

One restaurant that will profit from its newfound fame is the British venue The Ledbury. Located in Notting Hill, London, this restaurant’s kitchen is captained by the award-winning Australian chef Brett Graham, and won this year’s Highest New Entry award after coming in at 34th. The young and enthusiastic Graham has constantly enhanced his entrees over the years, helping The Ledbury grow from a simple neighbourhood restaurant to an international destination. Its ever-growing reputation, spread mostly by word-of-mouth, has, according to Drew, seen The Ledbury develop with simply great food service and  not through mass marketing and PR campaigns.

A second noteworthy location is the Japanese restaurant Nihonryori RyuGin. Opened in 2003 in the Roppongi district of Minato, Tokyo by chef Seiji Yamamoto, Nihonryori RyuGin jumped from 48th to 20th on the 2011 50 Best Restaurants list, making it this year’s Highest Climber. With a menu formed around the four seasons, Yamamoto strives to maintain the traditional foundation of Japanese ingredients and cooking techniques while still exploring the possibilities of modern cuisine. This drastic jump in ranking will certainly see Tokyo-bound gastronomers reach for their chopsticks and graciously say, “itadakimasu.”

A final restaurant worth mentioning is Frantzén/Lindeberg. Located in Stockholm, Sweden, this fascinating restaurant received the One to Watch award at this year’s ceremony. What makes this establishment unique? The menu depends on what stock comes in. That’s right, the chefs at Frantzén/Lindeberg cook free-form. This innovative style has drawn the attention of many industry experts, and resulted in Frantzén/Lindeberg winning the Restaurant of the Year 2011 award from White Guide, a highly regarded Swedish restaurant guide.

Perhaps what is most disheartening is the lack of Canadian restaurants featured on this list. Even in the top 100, not one Canadian eatery broke bread – apparently Canada just isn’t cutting it on the international culinary stage. However, Drew feels Canadian restaurateurs shouldn’t close up shop just yet. “This might sound a bit trite, but the only thing you can do is produce a brilliant restaurant experience. So, if you are consistently producing great food, great service, a great overall experience, people will eventually discover it.”

www.theworlds50best.com

Restaurant Magazine’s 50 BEST RESTAURANTS

1. Villa Treville
Glowing with old-world Italian décor, this 16-bedroom revitalized villa rests on the molto bella Amalfi coast. www.villatreville.com

2. Dean Deluca Rose
A genuine rose is stabilized and crystallized in sugar to produce this elegant ornament for desserts. www.deandeluca.com

3. Epicurean Evening
Double your delights at Restaurant Eve, where husband-and-wife duo Cathal and Meshelle Armstrong parade their two spectacular menus – The Chef’s Tasting Room and The Bistro. www.restauranteve.com

4. Leaf long and prosper
Pink Flamingo, Fantasy Island and Goji Pop are just a few of the innovative flavours from around the world found at the fun and modern DavidsTea. www.davidstea.com

5. Graceful Gastronomy
For intimate gatherings or extravagant galas, the meticulous attention-to-detail of Marilyn Grace will transform your event into an unforgettable evening. www.marilyngrace.com.au

6. Big Cheese
The perfect partner for the sweet taste of Membrillo, this Spanish piquant sheep’s milk Manchego cheese melts in your mouth with a thick and rich flavour. www.deandeluca.com

7. Au Naturel
Strip down and oil up with The Naked Chef’s personal line of olive oil, extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar and green pesto. www.shalitfoods.com

8. My Cup of Tea
The delicious aroma of linden, rose, lemon verbena and summer fruits will waft through your home from Dean & Deluca’s signature medley of green and white tea. www.deandeluca.com

1. Simon at Palms Place
This Las Vegas resto-lounge is for anyone fed up with conventional cuisine. Executive chef Kerry Simon does more than satisfy with a menu that pushes the boundaries of mainstream prime meats and sushi.
www.simonatpalmsplace.com

2. Michael Mina
Michael Mina’s accolades as a world-class restaurateur are immeasurable. His eponymous Las Vegas venue ventures into the sea to bring dishes like chilled shellfish, cured ocean trout and Siberian osetra caviar to the table.
www.michaelmina.net

3. Aria Resort & Casino City Center
Sage: Your life may not need spice, but your palate is pleading for it. Western fare with flair is Sage’s ultimate seduction. Foodies that are fascinated by contemporary American interpretations will delight in their experience at Sage.
Sirio: Only those who are serious about food should consider sitting down at Sirio Ristorante. While this Tuscan-infused spot bellows the European philosophy of simplicity, all dishes are uniquely dressed for the discerning palate.
Julian Serrano: It might take two to tango, but at Julian Serrano, it takes two to tapas. French and Spanish whispers can be heard between the lines of one of Las Vegas’s sexiest sharing menus. Named one of Esquire Magazine’s 2010 Best New Restaurants, Julian Serrano will have you reminiscing for days.
www.arialasvegas.com

4. Rao’s Caesars Palace
With a history of remarkable reviews, the reservation book for Rao’s Restaurant in New York has already closed for 2011. If you can’t wait for a taste of acclaimed Neapolitan cuisine, you might want to try your luck in Las Vegas at the more recent Caesars Palace venture, where famed kitchen vixen Carla Pelligrino is currently the executive chef.
www.raos.com

Ingredients:

2 lamb racks, trimmed, 2-21/2 lb each

1 tbsp harissa paste

5 tbsp olive oil

3 cloves garlic, smashed

2 sprigs of thyme

1 sprig of rosemary

1 bay leaf

½ cup finely ground Sicilian pistachios

1 tsp maltodextrin

2 tbsp butter

salt & ground white pepper

Method:

In a shallow container, coat the lamb racks with the harissa, oil, garlic, thyme, rosemary and bay leaf. Marinate, covered, overnight in the refrigerator. Purée the pistachios and maltodextrin in a food processor until powdery. When ready to serve, preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove the lamb from the marinade, and wipe off excess oil; season all over. Heat the butter in a skillet over a medium-high heat. Add the lamb, garlic and herbs from the marinade. Sear on one side for approximately four minutes, while basting.

Turn the chops over and sear on the second side, continuing to baste for another four minutes, or until medium rare. Rest for four minutes, then coat with the powdered pistachio.

Chef Dale MacKay, Lumière

In 2007, Dale MacKay joined culinary great Chef Daniel Boulud at Lumière – one of Vancouver’s most elegant dining establishments. Since being appointed executive chef that same year, MacKay’s passion and creativity have flourished through his familiarity with a broad range of techniques and methods, making his phenomenal recipes an unforgettable experience.

The amazingly talented Saskatoon native has journeyed and adventured around the world to convey the fruits of his labour home to Canada. Dazzling the European culinary scene as a private chef in both Rome and Italy; bringing his talents to the Queen Charlotte Islands as executive chef at The West Coast Fishing Club; and working alongside the devilishly renowned Gordon Ramsay in several of his intensely managed kitchens, MacKay has established himself as true culinary connoisseur. www.lumiere.ca

2. LANDMARC
Husband-and-wife duo Marc Murphy and Pamela Schein Murphy ignite the New York restaurant scene with their exceptional bistro Landmarc. In 2007, the couple brought the Landmarc brand to the fabulous Time Warner Center, along with their simple yet delicious bistro cuisines that blend French and Italian favourites. www.landmarc-restaurant.com 212.823.6123

3. NOBU NEW YORK
In 1987, Nobuyuki (Nobu) Matsuhisa opened his first restaurant in Beverly Hills. Robert De Niro enjoyed the eatery so much that he encouraged Nobu to open a new restaurant in New York. Today, Nobu is considered a pioneer of Japanese cuisine. With an authentic atmosphere that induces the feeling of a Japanese countryside, Nobu restaurant is the ultimate experience for those who appreciate Japanese dining. www.noburestaurants.com 212.219.0500

4. THE VILLA BY BARTON G.
Located in Miami’s South Beach area, what was once the Versace Mansion is now The Villa By Barton G. This luxurious hotel has undergone an elegant $1 million facelift, and houses an intimate dining experience that features signature continental cuisines with that indistinguishable Barton G. flair. www.thevillabybartong.com 305.576.8003

5. NOVE ITALIANO
Situated high in the Fantasy Tower of the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nove Italiano re-imagines the Italian dining experience with an unparalleled atmosphere that blends classic styling with a modern edge. Enjoy a wide variety of seafood crudos, fresh fish and shellfish, or the spectacular Spaghetti Nove: a house specialty. www.n9negroup.com 702.942.6800

6. N9NE STEAKHOUSE
Ushering in a new age for the American steakhouse, N9NE Steakhouse redefines what the classic dining experience is all about. With an atmosphere that embodies the avant-garde spirit, sink your teeth into delicious rib-eye, porterhouse or New York sirloin cooked in N9NE’s intense 1,200-degree Fahrenheit ovens. www.n9negroup.com 702.933.9900

7. GARDUNOS
With a deep-rooted tradition in family-run restaurants, Garduno’s retains its love for nature through an unwavering dedication to using only fresh, native ingredients that radiate flavour. Selected eight times as “Best of Las Vegas,” Garduno’s award-winning recipes exuberate that authentic Mexican taste and are guaranteed to satisfy. www.gardunosrestaurants.com 702.942.7777

8. PANACHE
In 2004, the fabulous Auberge Saint-Antoine hotel unveiled its spectacular new restaurant, Panache. That same year, Panache dazzled the Quebec dining scene, winning the city’s Best New Restaurant award with its sensational French-Canadian cuisine. With a menu adjusting to the stock of the season, delve into many mouth-watering delicacies including venison, duck, lamb, lobster and snow crab. www.saint-antoine.com 418.692.1022