Winterlicious 2011

January 30, 2011

Winterlicious (1)
Winterlicious (2)
Winterlicious (3)
Winterlicious (4)
Winterlicious (5)
Butternut Squash Bisque

Winterlicious (6)
Niagara Pinot Noir Braised Beef

Winterlicious (7)
Southern Ontario Apple Crumble

Winterlicious (8)
Winterlicious (9)
Winterlicious (9a)
Winterlicious (10)
Winterlicious (11)
Winterlicious (12)
Winterlicious (13)
Famous Baked Lobster & Crab Soup

Winterlicious (14)
Wood Grilled New York Strip Steak with Vegetables & Duck Fat Frites

Winterlicious (15)
Vanilla Bean Cheesecake


One thing that I have learned to love about Toronto are the Summerlicious and Winterlicious events that happen year to year, where you can dine at the most exquisite restaurants and enjoy savory 3-course meals for a fixed, lower price. I remember feeling completely bitter about it just last week and lost all sorts of excitement for it, but I’m glad I didn’t end up canceling out on the reservations. With the failure of last year’s Winterlicious plans, it only meant for better planning and searching up the location way ahead of time this year. Café Moroc, Horizons, and Fred’s Not Here were the selected three restaurants that my friends and I had attended within the past weekend.

I wasn’t able to capture any photos from Café Moroc (except the ones that were taken with my phone camera which projected terrible quality photos) since I was in the process of getting my T2i. Thankfully, my friend had her camera for our trip to Horizons so I resorted to her photo album. There wasn’t anything special about Café Moroc, but the eastern décor. For my appetizer, I had the Maftoul which was pretty much like a spring roll with chipotle drizzled over top. As for my main and dessert, I had the mango salmon and the brulee royale (essentially a normal crème brulee). The food was certainly nothing I expected, but what counts was that I got the opportunity to sit down with a few of my favourite girls that I haven’t seen since the holidays.

As for the evening, my boyfriend and I, along with two other couples, dressed up for a lovely evening high up at the CN Tower overlooking Lake Ontario. We dined at Horizons and enjoyed a tasteful 3-course meal complemented by the beautiful view from our window. It was well worth the frightful ride up.

We had our last reservation made for Fred’s Not Here. Upon arriving, we were disappointed by the impression we got from the broken blue Fred’s Not Here sign hanging outside and how clustered it was inside, but everything changed when we got seated. We were seated at the largest table directly under a crystal chandelier with a gleam of sunlight entering from the ceiling windows. Our server was spectacular, as was the food. The lobster and crab soup topped with a baked pastry bun and the vanilla bean cheesecake tasted incredible. It was an eventful weekend accompanied by great friends + pleasant tasting food. I couldn’t have enjoyed a more perfect weekend.

31 comments:

  1. The food looks so amazing! Yum.
    Your dress is gorgeous.

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  2. gorgeous photos. summerlicious/winterlicious sounds similar to Dine LA week in los angeles. xo

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  3. goodness that cheese cake looks absolutely delicious! :)

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  4. food looks so good! making my mouth water!
    i've never been to winterlicious/summerlicious but i'm so excited to try! it's a wonderful excuse to dress up and eat food that's usually way overpriced :)

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  5. I love Winter/Summerlicious! Always a blast trying new restaurants out. : ) Fred's is always booked for my friends & I, and we've yet to try it out. I've heard mixed reviews, but it really can't be that bad since it's so hard to get a spot. :P Loving the silly photo!

    xx The Little Dust Princess

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  6. holy crap vanilla bean cheesecake?! looks freaking delicious!

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  7. I'm soo jealous, the food looks sooo good!!!! :)
    and you all look glamourous

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  8. looks like you had a lot of fun!! And wow, that food!!

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  9. beautiful photos! the fooood omg made me so hungryyy

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  10. Fred's Not Here's winterlicious menu this year looks amazing :) Glad you had a great time! I need to start dressing up for my outings too hehe

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  11. OMG food looks soo good! especially that juicy steak!

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  12. miaaaam. good-looking food indeed! love food photography ahah

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  13. you look stunning babe!

    xo model from holland

    got a new outfit post come check it (L)

    www.mirfashion.blogspot.com
    everyday new post

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  14. OMG I'm completely stoked as well. I'm hitting 3 places starting Saturday night. I've written down the last restaurant you went to- I must take a visit during reading week. Good food relieves me from the depression of school.

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  15. were the pictures from fred's not here taken by the t2i? JEALOUS! You have to let me play with it sometimes :) lucky TL and his recent stakings ;)

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  16. I've just seen your Christmas pics. How do you make the cupcake frosting? :-)

    x

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  17. Wow, as a beginning photographer I can say that I really like your pictures!

    From now on, I follow you


    xxx

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  18. LOVE YOUR DRESS :D
    where did yu get it?

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  19. gorgeous dress and the food you're eating is making me jealous!

    -xo angela

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  20. I'm skipping winterlicious this year, but boy, your pictures make me drooooll!! Especially that Niagara Braised Beef, mmmmm... I love meat! :D

    I actually went to Fred's Not Here a few years ago and I was quite disappointed with the overall experience. The food was ok, but the service was just bad :( But glad to hear you enjoyed your stay there though! Maybe I was just unlucky :p

    www.monochromachic.com

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  21. Aww everything looks so delicious and you girls and guys look like you're having so much fun. Love it!

    xx THE CHEAP

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  22. This place looks so so amazing!

    xoxo,

    colormenana.blogspot.com

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  23. super cool! the food looks delicious! so jealous! ha! and you look marvelous dear! love your pics! p.s. definitely following! i would love it if you would follow mine as well!

    love from,
    raeshelle!

    www.hellobombshellblog.blogspot.com

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  24. That looks fun and yummy. Oh and you guys all look fab!

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  25. you and your crew look so fabulous! I love the photo's ^^ an that Southern Ontario Apple Crumble looks soooooooooo good! I am going to look up the recipe to that! x

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  26. Did you curl your hair? You look fab! I remember Horizons from last year - the food was alright but the view was amazing. And the free trip up the CN Tower wasn't a bad touch either :P

    Too bad we didn't get to go to Winterlicious this year (not that you missed much, Bodega was meeeeehhhhh).

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  27. oh my god you really know how to fine dine!! that apple crumble looks AMAZING i'm so hungry now!!

    F. (opinionslave.blogspot.com) x

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  28. you looks all so cute! looks to be a fun evening.
    you have a nice blog, feel free to follow my blog and i will follow you back
    kisses from Belgium xxx

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