Del's Enoteca Pizzeria

2980 King Street East
Kitchener, Ontario

519-893-2911

In her opinion:
Del's Enoteca Pizzeria was formerly known as Del Dente. It is part of the Charcoal Group and a personal favourite of mine. Once upon a time in our desolate region there was even less choice then there is now and Del Dente was the place to go to for all those special occasions...birthday, engagements, anniversaries, etc. But as new and different restaurants opened up...it got placed in a small recess of my brain. So this last week when we were trying to figure out where to have dinner with friends and little light bulb went off and I remember Del Dente...only it's not called Del Dente anymore!

Del's Enoteca Pizzeria is the reincarnation of Del Dente...it has a new menu, new look but it has kept the tried and true features. When I called to make a reservation for 7 people on Friday night at 6 pm, I was initially told that they couldn't accommodate us until 7:30 pm but when I explained that we had children and that time wouldn't work...they bent over backwards to make it happen. I was very impressed. 

When we arrived, the first thing I noticed was that the wonderful sign that hung facing King Street East with the kitchen utensils was gone. I was a little disappointed since I had always loved that sign...however, when we parked I noticed that they had recycled part of the old Del Dente sign and had indeed used the utensils near the entrance. The interior is also new and nicely decorated. Loved the vespa parked by the washrooms. 

We were shown to our table and were greeted right away by our server Jesse who was friendly and prompt. She filled our water glasses and asked if we wanted anything else to drink. After discovering that they served Coca Cola products, I ordered my usual Diet Coke.

We were then visited by the Manager, Jesse. It seems that Jesse plays soccer with Edgar...it really is a small world. Our server brought over the famous flower pot bread and a couple of savoury butters and the manager Jesse sent over a couple of appetizers for us to try.  The first one was the Mozzarella Frico. This which consisted of crisp mozzarella, tomato sugo, olive oil and fresh herbs.

This was really lovely. The mozzarella had the right amount of gooey goodness and the tomato sugo was delicious.  

The other appetizer was the Bruschetta. This consisted of artichoke, oven dried roma and fresh cherry tomatoes, red onion, arugula and grilled focaccia.

This was also really good. The flavours worked well together and there was a gorgeous stream of balsamic vinegar trying the whole thing together. Just excellent.

After studying the menu, I had opted to try the Veal Marsala. It is described in the menu as veal cutlets, caramelized onions, mushrooms, wilted baby spinach, spaghetti with garlic oil and fresh herbs with marsala cream sauce.

This was blow your mind good! Best veal marsala that I have had in a really long time. So incredibly tender and delectable. The spaghetti was cooked perfectly and the marsala cream sauce was just so lovely. It was well worth the $24 price tag. 

I wasn't planning on dessert as I was incredibly full but Jesse sent over a sample dessert platter for us to sample what they had available. This consisted of the lemon tart, the house made Sicilian cannoli and a scoop of raspberry sorbet.

The sorbet was light and lovely. The cannoli was so fresh and delicious. But the show stopper was the lemon tart. The best lemon tart that I have ever had...definitely the stuff of dreams or at least my foodie dreams!

I loved our dinner at Del's Enoteca Pizzeria! What a great dinner...it won't be ages until we return again.


In his opinion:

Revamping an old classic is always a tall order and I'm sure re-inventing the early success of Del Dente was on the forefront of The Charcoal Group's mind with this make-over. The restaurant now called Del's Enoteca has a totally different feel than it did before even though the space still kept the familiar layout and overall look. It feels fresher, more sophisticated and brighter.
Bringing Mark Andrew Brown (Chef de Cuisine) with his experience from the Breadalbane Inn and from teaching at Stratford Chef School is a great move and probably the reason that the focus is so high on local fresh ingredients.

We were shown our table quickly and the waitress was prompt in welcoming us and taking our drink orders. As I looked around, the room was filled with people enjoying themselves and that seemed somewhat oblivious to the background music that was a bit loud for regular conversation. After our drink orders went in, I had a chance to take a better look around and admire the nice new decor.

As I was browsing the menu, it was nice to see that not everything was changed in this restaurant. The hot bread in the clay pot survived the renovation and that was motive for joy, I really enjoy that bread and especially with the variety of spreads available for it. We were treated to some appetizers by the manager Jesse Corrall and that started our night off on the right foot. "Mozzarela Frico" with tomato sugo. This crispy mozzarella was perfect in consistency and the tomato sugo was very good. This was a bit different from the normal typical Italian sauce that we are used to but just as good. Olive oil and fresh herbs topped the plate for added taste.

For my entree, I ordered one of my favourite not Italian (but sounds like it should be) dishes, the Tetrazzini. Luisa, the Italian Opera singer for which the dish is supposed to be named after would have been proud. This was also the dish that I cooked when I proposed to my wife, so it holds a special place in my heart.

The dish was well presented, smelled great and completely covered in Parmesan at my request. This dish was made with fettuccine, generous pieces of herb roasted chicken, a combination of portobello and cremini mushrooms, fresh herbs, marinated tomatoes and a creamy yet subtle cream sauce. The pasta was perfectly cooked. It wasn't stuck together even though large amounts of Parmesan were present. I truly enjoyed this dish and it will rank up there with some of the best tetrazzini's that I have ever had (but slightly below my own of course)!

As I had devoured endless bread with my large portion (you get a choice of small or large size) of pasta, I had no room for dessert. Jesse was kind enough to send us a treat for dessert and it was much appreciated. It consisted of a small Sicilian cannoli, a lemon tart and a scoop of raspberry sorbet. I enjoyed the cannoli, brought me back to our old traditions of getting cannolis while watching episodes of the Sopranos but enough of Italian American references for this blog.

Unfortunately, we didn't get to try the pizza this time around but the reviews I heard about the "Stone Heart Oven" pizza were very good. A must for our next visit.

The Good: Well made food, very good service and an ambiance to match.

The Bad: Background music was a bit loud and I missed the old "Learning Italian" tapes playing in the washrooms.

The Verdict: Successful renovation with a great injection of life into a tired concept. The place feels alive and the change in cuisine, concept and ingredients add to the success of this place. The atmosphere is lively yet refined enough for a date night.

I give it 3 1/2 out of 5 Olives as rating

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Le Prieuré

7 Place du Chapitre
30400 Villeneuve-les-Avignon
France

In her opinion:
When we booked our South of France trip, we knew perfectly well that we would be adding some new posts to this blog! Afterall, French food is incredible and we wanted to share with our readers why we love it so much.

To be honest, I actually kept French food as my number two favourite foreign food after Spanish cuisine (of course it goes without saying that Portuguese food is what I consider food of my homeland and my overall pick) until I had lunch at Le Prieuré. When I was doing research for our trip, I stumbled upon Le Prieuré in the town of Villeneuve-les Avignon across the river from its famous neighbour Avignon. The setting is what captured my attention. It looked gorgeous and I wanted to eat there. I should also mention that this is a Michelin star restaurant...so, of course I knew that the food would be excellent as well. And it put French food back on top as my favourite type of foreign food.

Getting to Le Prieuré which translates to the priory was not an easy feat but when we reached the parking lot, I looked around and smiled...it was so worth it. The sweetly scented garden leads you to a gorgeous manner house which houses the hotel and restaurant. We were met by a hostess that seated us inside the beautiful dining room. We were then served by a team of 5 wait staff.

I began with a glass of Clos des Cimes "Prieuré". I have grown to appreciate a good glass of red wine. I had always heard that as your palate matures that you will grow to like a bolder red. I have steered away from tannins in the past but this wine was magical for a lack of a better word! The finish was chocolate...I have never had a better glass of wine in my life!

As we were studying the menu, a waiter brought over some hors d'oeuvres for us to munch on while making our choices. 

These included a lovely fried risotto ball, the most delicious salmon and citrus cream bite and a carrot wafer. This was a lovely start to our meal.

After inspecting the a la carte lunch menu, this is what I choose:

Amuse-bouche: 
The kitchen sent out a gorgeous gift - a "Cream of Fennel Soup".

This was rich, creamy and almost sinful. Just a wonderful tease of what lay ahead.

For my appetizer:
Dublin Bay Prawn Cannelloni and Fresh Crab
(Thin Shellfish Jelly, Acidulated creme from Bresse)

This was delectable. It was served cold. The sweetness of the prawns and crab worked very well with the saltiness of the caviar. It felt decadent eating this appetizer and every single bite was pure pleasure.


For my main:
 Milk Fed Lamb from Pyrenees Region in 3 Ways
(Grilled Chop, Candied Breast and rolled Saddle, eggplant cannelloni with mint and sweet garlic)

I was a little worried after I picked this main. Although I enjoy lamb...I like it when it's done right. Why was I even a little concerned? This was perfection on a plate. The lamb was perfectly cooked and absolutely delicious. I really enjoyed the eggplant cannelloni which was sweet and lacked any of the bitterness that can be associated with eggplant.

For my dessert:
Coffee and Calamansi Dessert
(Crispy Meringue and Smooth Caramel)

We had been warned by one of the wait staff that the dessert would be the show stopper. And it did not disappoint. Calamansi is a type of citrus often used in Asian desserts. It resembles a tiny decorative orange but the flavour is similar to lemonade with a tangerine essence. This was a chocolate, coffee and citrus masterpiece. I think I shed a tear or two as I enjoyed this beautifully presented piece of culinary art.

One of the sommeliers had suggested a sparkling rose to go with the dessert.

This was a perfect choice. It was the perfect accompaniment for the chocolate of both desserts.

With our bill, we were presented with a beautiful little gift of sweets. This consisted of coconut marshmallows and beautiful cherry bonbons.

Absolutely wonderful. This is why this is a Michelin star restaurant. It's little unexpected things like this that make meals unforgettable. 

I will go out on a limb and say that this was the best meal I have ever eaten in my entire life! I will never forget it as long as I live. Le Prieuré was perfection. I had very high expectations when I visited and it definitely did not disappoint.


In his opinion:
I find it hard for once to put into words the amazing experience that was dining at Le Prieuré. If I could plan and dream about the perfect lunch in the perfect small town in Provence, France, I'm sure it would be very close to what I actually saw, ate, drank and experienced in the town of Villeneuve-les Avignon.

The setting is perfect even as you drive into the parking lot. The tree shaded lot serves as a preface to what hides behind the walls surrounding the actual hotel and restaurant that sits where an actual Priory did in the 1300's.
The walk to the restaurant itself is magnificent as you stroll through the immaculately kept gardens, the pool and the outdoor sitting portion of the restaurant.

Every detail is carefully tended to and perfection seems to be the norm at every table and place setting. From the embroidered napkins, to the silver utensils, you feel that you are somewhere special even before the first bite. 

As we perused the menu, we received an incredibly beautiful treat in the form of hors d'oeuvres. Fried risotto balls, carrot wafers and a delicate bite of salmon and citrus. The presentation was great and the taste surpassed it. (Image shown above on blog.)

My appetizer of choice this day was the "Half Brittany Blue Lobster Roasted in a Shell then crusted with a slightly Salty Butter (Borage flower and sauteed spinach, reduced juice)" As much as the picture depicts the colour, complexity and beauty if this dish, it unfortunately does not do it justice compared to seeing it and tasting it in person.

Generous bits of lobster submerged in reduced juice and foamy spinach surrounded by edible Borage flower seemed complex but yet so simple. Textures dominate the palate and the flowers added to the extra sensory experience.

For my main dish, I opted for the "Filet of John Dory slowly seized with Olive Oil (Fennel mousseline and French caviar, Abers shellfishs)".

Again, the presentation was flawless and extremely appealing. The fish was so soft and moist that it melted in your mouth with every bite. The slightly pan seared exterior of the fish didn't take anything away from its softeness inside and the Albers shellfish as a topper was divine . The French caviar sat on a bed of pureed fennel and potato complimented the fish perfectly both in texture and flavour.

For dessert, the selections seemed to be all around chocolate, more chocolate and with more hints of chocolate. I chose the "Pure Caribbean ganache served in a Chocolate Case (Exotic fruits and lime bitter cocoa sorbet)". As the picture shows this was a work of art and highlights the restaurants reputation for elaborate desserts. The lime bitter cocoa sorbet had edible gold leaf on it and the passion fruit jus surrounding the chocolate base was a punch of flavour. The surrounding chocolate case completed the look very well.

As we enjoyed a lovely glass of sparkling rose recommended by our sommelier, our bill arrived with yet another treasure from the kitchen (pictured above). There were bites of coconut marshmallows and beautiful cherry bonbons served in spoons.

The Good: Impeccable customer service, amazingly executed dishes and flavours to match are a rare winning combination that this restaurant exudes so effortlessly.

The Bad: It's expensive (but well worth it) and the waiter failed to tell us that we couldn't have the lunch special (prix fix) because it was a bank holiday.

The Verdict: One of the best gastronomic experiences of my life. This bucolic restaurant sets a standard that is hard to beat or even reproduce. Using only seasonal produce they serve artistic yet simple dishes that are executed to perfection. Customer service and the setting are for lack of a better word, out of this world.


I give it 4 1/2 out of 5 Olives as rating

Upcoming Event - Feast of Fields 2014

25th Annual Feast of Fields
Sunday, September 7, 2014
1 - 6 pm

This year marks the 25th Anniversary of Organic Advocates Feast of Fields Organic Food Event.

We just wanted to advise everyone of a great upcoming event that celebrates everything organic! Organic Advocates presents their 25th Annual Feast of Fields event. The event is being held at Cold Creek Conservation Area in the Township of King. Directions are here.

This is a fabulous opportunity to experience different organic foods and drinks prepared by fantastic chefs, breweries, wineries and artisans. Check out the list of exhibitors here. Ticket are $100 a piece or $90 a piece for groups of 10 or more (online or by phone) to the event and included admission to the event, all day sampling from the different chefs, breweries and wineries. It also includes farmers market admission where you able to do further sampling and purchase goods. There is all day entertainment. This year a silent auction has also been added. Each guest will receive a gift bag which includes coupons, magazines and the Feast of Fields annual cookbook. Purchase your tickets here. 

Here are some names that will have all you foodies jumping at this opportunity...Anna Olson, Suman Roy, Emerie Brine, Ted Reader (labeled by GQ as the Crazy Canuck Barbecue Kingpin), Wanda Beaver (Wanda's Pie in the Sky fame) and more.

Don't miss this incredible opportunity.

Jake & Humphreys Bistro

196 Peel Street
New Hamburg, ON

519-662-1143

In her opinion:
It's always nice when you can have an adults only dinner with friends who appreciate food as much as we do! This last Saturday was adult date night. After some thought, I remembered that I had been wanting to try Jake & Humphreys Bistro in New Hamburg for some time.

The restaurant is housed in a old red house on the main strip in New Hamburg. As we walked into the old foyer, we were greeted by our server who showed us to our table. The restaurant was filled to capacity. But it did not seem crowded or too loud. I liked the ambiance of the room the minute I sat down.
Our water glasses were filled right away. I decided to have a glass of Megalomaniac Homegrown Riesling.

This is a gorgeous Riesling. Not too tart with just the right amount of sweetness. This is the first white I've had in a while and it was really good. Our waitress brought over some house made whole wheat and focaccia bread along with olive oil and balsamic for dipping.

For my appetizer, I decided to go with one of the feature appetizers. Six beautiful raw malpeque oysters with house made seafood sauce.

The best choice I could have made and probably the highlight of my meal. Super fresh. Super sweet. The seafood sauce was also delightful with the right amount of kick provided by the horseradish. Excellent!

I was debating about what to have for my main. I finally decided to have the "Poached Chicken Breast in a Creamy Wild Mushroom Sauce". This was served with polenta and sauted vegetables.

The chicken looked bland on the plate...what did I really expect from anything poached? But the chicken breast was definitely moist and flavourful and the creamy mushroom sauce was really delicious adding the right amount of zing to the otherwise boring looking chicken! The polenta was okay...not super creamy. The sauted vegetable were excellent. Fresh and flavourful. Big shout out to the red cabbage which stole the show and I was a really good girl and finished every piece of vegetable on my plate.

I didn't leave any room for dessert.

Overall, a nice dinner...the company probably improved the experience by a lot but I would say that Jack & Humphreys is a good place for dinner with friends or for a romantic dinner for two.

  
In his opinion:
Every time I dine in New Hamburg I have a pretty good experience so I was expecting more of the same. I usually encounter great unpretentious food prepared with care and featuring a lot of local ingredients which puts the New Hamburg dining scene at par with other Ontario cities for local fare.

Jake and Humphrey's is your typical house adapted restaurant venue with a mix of charm and close quarters that add to the ambience and mystic of the experience. I ordered a Rickard's Red while browsing the menu, this was mostly because I did not recognize any of the featured craft beers explained by the waitress but I recall the list of availability seemed to be short.

For starters, I ordered the "Butter Seared Scallops with Julienne Vegetable Salad served in a sesame soy dressing". When encountering words such as butter sea scallops in the same phrase, it is hard to look at anything else and I was drawn to it automatically.

The scallops were seared to perfection and even the slight burnt marks on them didn't take away for their moistness and taste and it actually added texture. The julienne vegetable salad was arguably the best I have ever had and that's admitting that I'm not a huge fan of this salad usually. This dish was fresh, light and perfect for a hot summer evening in the country.

For my entree, I chose the "Braised Beef Ribs with Hoisin and Dark Beer Sauce". This dish was served with Fettuccine noodles contrary to the description on the menu that stated mashed potato. A vegetable medley rounded out the dish and did it in great fashion. The braised ribs were very flavourful and tender. The dark beer sauce acted as the coating on the meat and added both the flavour and texture.

As we were pretty full, we opted out of dessert but I must add that the options the waitress explained didn't seem to be calling my name either. As a nice touch, we received chocolate caramels with our bill.

The Good: Very good unpretentious food served in a cozy romantic setting.
The Bad: Service was a bit aloof.
The Verdict: Again the food speaks volumes in New Hamburg. Food selection was good and the food was well prepared and flavourful. A great place to visit and try some of the good dishes coming out of this kitchen.

I give it 3 1/2 Out of 5 Olives as rating

Marcelo's Italian Restaurant

1-2435 Eagle Street North
Cambridge, ON

519-650-4257

Photograph property of Restaurant Food Pages

In her opinion:

Our awesome neighbours Rob and Rosanne have been talking about Marcelo's forever. Basically about how they are regulars and how fabulous the food was...that's all I needed to hear...fabulous food. I can honestly say that Italian food is not my favourite cuisine but when it is done right it can be marvellous and that is what I was hoping with Marcelo's.

Marcelo's is located in a strip mall on Eagle Street North. It's very unassuming. When you walk into Marcelo's you enter a nicely furnished room and you are greeted by the Marcelo's wife, Rodi who will show you to your seat. 

On his particular night, Marcelo's was happening. Our waitress came over and took our drink orders right away. We ordered sparkling water for the table and everyone got a Negroni (a fabulous combination of gin, sweet varmouth and Campari with orange peel) to start. This is becoming one of my favourite cocktails and this one did not disappoint.

Rodi brought over some delicious bread and dipping oil. It was so delectable. I loved the dripping oil with the wonderful olive tapenade, spicy pepper flakes and tanginess of the vinegar. They actually bake the bread in-house everyday and this wonderful bread is available for sale to take home.

We also ordered a bottle of Don Bosco red wine to share. A very nice Italian red. 

For my starter, I ordered "Rodi's Mussels" - mussels, cream, tomatoes, bacon ragu, scallions and gremolata bread crumbs.

The mussels were very good. They were fresh tasting and the flavours of the tomato, cream and bacon worked very well together.

For my main, I choose "the Veal Marsala" - milk fed veal in a Marsala sauce served with a vegetable risotto on this night and topped with Parmesan shavings.

In a word "orgasmic"! I think my eyes rolled to the back of my head when I bit into this veal. OMG! This was the best veal Marsala I have ever eaten. Marcelo is a magician in the kitchen and what is most impressive is that he's not even Italian. Not bad for a Romanian!

Marcelo visited our table at the end of our meal since we were the last patrons left. We basically closed down the place. He decided to make us a special dessert.

He presented us with a dessert gnocchi with stewed fruit and fresh ricotta. This was a savoury sweet dessert. The gnocchi was so fresh and perfectly executed. But for me the stewed fruit stole the show...so sweet and tasty.

I now know what Rob and Rosanne are talking about when they talk about the deliciousness of Marcelo's. This place is wonderful and the food incredible. Definitely worth a visit.

In his opinion:

Marcelo's has been on our radar for quite a while but we somehow never got around to try it. Granted that Italian food is not the top of our list but we do occasionally find good Italian experiences.

Marcelo's has an unassuming front facade but feels very Mediterranean inside. The open kitchen as you walk in to your right is a very nice touch and feels very inviting. Inside the dining area, you'll find the expected Italian style decorations like wall sconces, niches and faux old style plaster walls.

We were promptly seated with our friends and given our menus to peruse. The menu is extensive with the typical Italian dishes, both traditionally Italian and a couple of the expected "North American/Italian" dishes to satisfy some customers.

The bread served was top notch, baked in house and very well complimented by a dipping oil with a tapenade like base. We all got Negroni cocktails and a bottle of red Montepulciano D'Abruzzo Don Bosco (not to be confused with Donnie Brasco). It was a medium bodied red with great colour and gentle tannins, a wine traditionally known to be consumed with food.

For my starter, I chose the Calamari Peperonata - grilled calamari, peppers, greens, home dressing and balsamic. The generous portion of calamari rings were cooked very well as were the al dente vegetables that accompanied it. The balsamic kicks in a nice twist to the taste without overpowering the flavour.

For a main, I chose the Grilled Scallop Fettuccine served in a cream sauce, with tomatoes, bacon and spinach. The scallops were a good size, lightly seared and work well with the sauce. The fettuccine was well seasoned in pepper and aired very well with the spinach. The tomato rounded up the dish nicely to accentuate the Italian in it.

For dessert, we were treated by Marcelo himself to a gnocchi dessert that could easily feed 10 people. It was a gnocchi dessert with fresh ricotta and fruits, full of flavour and light. I had a few pieces myself. Marcelo visited our table and provided a bit of his food/restaurant knowledge as well as treating us to a bit of his dry Romanian humour.

The Good: Good food and service and friendly atmosphere.
The Bad: The fake exposed brick decor is unnecessary for an Italian feel.
The Verdict: Well executed food and gracious hosting make this place a welcoming and family friendly place. It's good to have a good Italian Restaurant in this town as so many don't live up to the exceptions.
I give it 3 1/2 out of 5 Olives as rating