It’s like searching the world over only to find the love of your life right next door.
Heading off to France, say, for fine foie gras, used to be essential, much like Mumbai was where you went for tandoori and Naples for perfect pizza. But now you can travel North America for a cornucopia of culinary destinations. From buttery crustaceans in a chic setting to sweet curries streetside, from the simple pleasure of a perfectly ripe fruit at a farmers’ market to a melting champagne mousse, this is an exciting time to roam the continent. We’ve never been as keen to learn about where our foods come from and to seek out local flavours, which puts a whole new spin on packing up and going straight to the source. Aeroplan Arrival digs into city secrets, local gems and myriad multicultural discoveries to bring you the latest and greatest trends in culinary tourism. Pack a knife, a fork and a healthy appetite.
FROM FARM TO TABLE
Anthony Sedlak of the newly opened Corner Suite Bistro De Luxe in Vancouver. PHOTOGRAPHY NAOMI FINLAY
TOP FUEL
Ultra-rare albacore tuna from Fuel restaurant in Vancouver. PHOTOGRAPHY NAOMI FINLAY
Where to Find It
VANCOUVER, BC
Vancouver is home to the 100-Mile Diet phenomenon, which means the same farms, wineries and fishermen that fed the authors of that bestselling book are here for you to discover. Bring an appetite for abundant delights like spot prawns, striped beets, sparkling Chardonnays and creamy cheeses.
Chef Anthony Sedlak of the newly opened Corner Suite Bistro De Luxe pairs French traditions with the best of B.C. Consider the scallops — ethically caught on Vancouver Island — with crispy pork belly and butternut squash purée. “It’s the variety and freshness of local ingredients I like most,” he says.
A ferry boat will take you across the Georgia Strait to Vancouver Island and a true pioneer of eating local: the luxe, much-awarded Sooke Harbour House. Owners Sinclair and Frederique Philip opened this spot in the ’70s as a humble but elegant destination that celebrates the bounty of the lower Island. Treats range from seafood (sustainably harvested the same day it’s served) to pastured lamb, foraged greens, herbs and edible flowers grown in the property’s gardens.
B.C. seafood is world-renowned, and chefs such as Vikram Vij of Vij’s — whose Indian fare got Jamie Oliver’s top rating on his Canadian trip — are determined to choose their sources responsibly. Vij’s is a full-on promoter of the Ocean Wise program, a Vancouver-based initiative that certifies sustainable seafood.
Trip Tip
GET THERE WITH AIR CANADA
Air Canada offers the most non-stop service to Vancouver, featuring hundreds of hours of on-demand entertainment at every seat.
More Tastes of Terroir
SCOTTSDALE, AZ
Arizona’s year-round harvests have long fed its robust local food scene. “When you eat something that came out of the ground in the last 24 hours, the flavour profile of that item is top quality,” says chef James Porter of Scottsdale’s Petite Maison. Last year, his Locavore AZ initiative resulted in sold-out dinners at his restaurant; now he’s taking locavores to the source with “table in the field” outdoor dinners. Every sip and bite is a product of the Arizona sun and soil. —Sheila Callahan
CHARLEVOIX, QC
Quebec is a land of terroir treats, from roadside poutine shacks to the bakery chain Première Moisson, which uses locally grown wheat. But for the ultimate immersion, Charlevoix is a must. The region is famous for exceptional cheeses, like Ciel de Charlevoix, and, lately, a first in North America: Like Champagne in France, Charlevoix lamb is now destination-defined. Charlevoix is also the province’s original Route des Saveurs, or Taste Trail, with a wealth of restaurants, food shops, honour-system farmers’ stands and more.
HONOLULU, HI
For foodies, Honolulu is best known for the inventive menus of Alan Wong, who loves local. But there’s a new kid in town: chef Ed Kenney of casual bistro Town. Kenney changes menus daily according to what’s available. Salads pop with freshness, ditto the ahi tartare, and the coffee he pours is the locally grown Kona variety, which he sources from an organic, four-acre plantation. And it’s all served with an aloha.
ISLE OF PLENTY
Chef Gordon Bailey of Lot 30 in Charlottetown. PHOTOGRAPHY Shayne Laverdière
WHERE TO FIND IT
CHARLOTTETOWN, PEI
Forget Anne of Green Gables and give your 2-iron a rest. This island city has always had great food, especially shellfish and the famous Malpeque oysters, but most of it was for export. Lately, it’s become a destination for great dining — with a super-friendly welcome.
Chef Gordon Bailey of the very hot Lot 30 opened his new restaurant in the summer of 2008, and it’s been going gangbusters ever since. In a market created for summer tourists, most high-end restaurants are seasonal. But Bailey wanted a “year-round place for the locals, a restaurant that they could be proud of,” he says. With just one local farmer supplying most of his meats and produce, he keeps it simple. A popular dish is the lamb duo: a braised leg paired with another cut of the day, from the flank to the loin. And as a nod to the local tuber of fame, Bailey’s Melted Potato and Leek is a soft and savoury mash. “Everyone loves it,” he says.
Dayboat restaurant, once chef Bailey’s terrain, is led by chef John Pritchard. After living in Bermuda and racking up awards, he returned home to focus on the Island bounty. The star of the TV show Red, Hot & Ready is happily up to his culinary elbows in fresh seafood with such dishes as the Acadiana Bouillabaise, a symphony of lobster, scallops, mussels, clams and more.
More Secret Hot Spots
CALGARY, AB
Calgary isn’t known for its culinary sophistication, but locals know where to go: the River Café, which prides itself on regional cuisine and top Canadian products. Chef Scott Pohorelic’s simple yet masterful menus depend upon solid relationships with direct purveyors, like the Diamond Willow Organic cattle ranch that delivers tenderloins, plenty of Alberta bison and fresh seafood from B.C.
HALIFAX, NS
Craig Flinn, executive chef of Chives Bistro in Halifax, points out that while most of the local food traditions here are based on peasant cooking, so is a good part of the best eating anywhere. Flinn serves food that’s full of flavour and warmth. Don’t miss the butter-poached lobster, one of the regional specialties, which is served alongside Hodge Podge, a vegetable stew of the freshest seasonal offerings, gently cooked and garnished with more butter. Yum.
MAUI, HI
After selling David Paul’s Lahaina Grill and taking an eight-year hiatus from the biz, Hawaii’s star chef David Paul Johnson is back and better than ever. Johnson’s Island Grill opened in May and already has critics and fans lined up to taste his famously meticulous and wildly colourful dishes. Seafood and all the other ingredients reflect the chef’s passion for local and sustainable foods. Check out the wine cellar, where you can select your own bottle.
A CUT ABOVE
Chef Chris Cosentino at his San Francisco restaurant, Incanto. PHOTOGRAPHY Ed Anderson
WHERE TO FIND IT
SAN FRANCISCO, CA
Over the ages, San Francisco has developed a rep for organically minded restaurants. Little wonder, then, that out of all this comes a new addition to the ethics movement: whole-animal eating. Chef Chris Cosentino of Incanto restaurant has a personal history with this trend. His great-grandmother was from Naples, so “it was always around when I was a kid,” he says. But it was much later, as an accomplished chef and fan of charcuterie, that he became a devotee of offal when he “harvested” his first animals. Today, it’s a matter of principle that comes from “respect for the animal” and “appreciating how much we waste.” Cosentino longs for the day when offal will be commonly embraced. “Beef heart is the gateway offal,” he says. On the menu, he serves it as a tartare and also grilled with roasted beets and salsa verde. “It sells like mad,” he says.
Across the Bay, Berkeley is synonymous with Chez Panisse, a bastion of local eating. In keeping with the resto’s European sensibility, the entire beast is featured on the menu. Whether it’s served whole — as with the grilled quail alla diavola — or as a variety of cuts, everything feeds into the kitchen’s stocks, stews, soups and terrines.
More Offal Aficionados
MONTREAL, QC
It’s arguable that what Fergus Henderson did for England, Martin Picard has done for Canada. These two renegade chefs — Henderson of St. John in London and Picard of Au Pied de Cochon in Montreal — embrace whole-animal eating for its thrift, taste and pure experience. At Au Pied, expect to arrive early, eat for hours, be convivial and taste such rustic and refined classics as Duck In A Can, foie-gras poutine and pigs’ feet meatball ragout.
ATLANTA, GA
It takes a lot of gusto to call a restaurant Abattoir, but that’s exactly what Atlanta chef Anne Quatrano and Clifford Harrison of Bacchanalia fame have unapologetically done. Their venture opened just this spring in Atlanta’s meat-packing district, and the local-loving team has already created a hip and vibrant restaurant serving the best of locally raised meats with such winners (against the odds) as tripe stew.
TORONTO, ON
The wave of charcuterie loving continues to evolve, and with it comes new adventures. In Canada, horsemeat is a legal product and inspires many, including super-hot chef Grant van Gameren of the Black Hoof. The brief and meaty menu (which includes the belly, brains, heart, ears and livers of assorted beasts) usually features at least three horsemeat items. Check out the melt-in-the-mouth tartare in a raw-tenderloin sandwich or the sweet and lean bresaola, a dry-cured salami.
SOMETHING TO REMEMBER
Chef Anthony Walsh of Canoe in Toronto. PHOTOGRAPHY NAOMI FINLAY
WHERE TO FIND IT
TORONTO, ON
Hogtown loves its comforts. Tastes run high, and although there is plenty to discover for adventurous diners, there is a theme that runs through many of the city’s best spots: Standbys are given quality treatment. Mac-and-cheese meets truffles, foie gras finds its way onto hamburgers, and familiar favourites are perfected.
Canoe’s executive chef Anthony Walsh — who calls his refined restaurant “my baby” — is modest about the recent accolades the eatery has received as Toronto’s best. He prefers to emphasize what he calls “understatedness,” like the simple yet sublime caribou tourtière that he dares not remove from the menu for fear of annoying regulars. The recipe was inspired by Walsh’s mom, who hails from Montreal, and he has perfected it over the years. “It’s a piece of Canada’s humble history and we hope to leave people with a benchmark,” he says. “You know, something to remember.”
Classics are also given the star treatment at Chippy’s, where former Susur manager John Lee and ex-Rosewood chef Neil Coutinho turn out perfectly beer-battered fish ’n’ chips. And in the eclectic Kensington Market ’hood, Mexico City native Axel Arvizu is bringing his country’s comfort food to Toronto. Each day at La Tortilleria, thousands of tortillas are baked for authentic tacos. The mouth-watering choices include braised beef, slow-burning chicken mole and fresh vegetarian options. For a final kick, check out the café de olla, a sweet brew made with coffee and cinnamon.
More Homestyle Hideaways
NEW YORK, NY
It was the Gramercy Tavern, that helped make comfort food and fine dining good bedfellows — all without the attitude. The flavour is France meets America with a little Asia thrown in, the service is impeccable and the food is “farm to tavern,” as owner Danny Meyer has said.
LOS ANGELES, CA
LA loves Thai — and smack in the middle of Thaitown is local favourite Jitlada. Its owners venture back to their home province of Southern Thailand for specialties that, to those in the know, are comfort food from afar. Look out for the killer-hot curries and exotic ingredients such as tea leaves and catfish.
CHICAGO, IL
What’s more comforting than the sister café of President Obama’s favourite restaurant? Chicago’s Spiaggia is a local landmark led by chef Tony Mantuano. Who can resist sardines when they’re cured in-house and served with salsa verde and fennel?
Trip Tip
GET AROUND WITH AVIS
Gourmet travellers need wheels — you can cover more ground and there’s trunk space for goodies. Get your rental from Avis at the airport, where you can earn 500 Aeroplan Miles at participating locations. Plus, once enrolled, Avis Preferred service will allow you to skip the counter. Ask about a where2 GPS Navigation rental for turn-by-turn directions. See a full list of Avis locations.
Miles Ahead
Earn miles twice on the same transaction by using your Aeroplan-affiliated financial card when you pay for your rental car.
