662542 Mon Oct 26 17:01:40 -0700 2009 9 23 Ontario (including Toronto) 0 5133003 I've been reading the posts since David Lee has left and it seems it's still worth the money to go. Planning to bring SO for his birthday .. but since I don't normally go fine dining I really want everything to be delicious (don't want to pay 20 bucks for an appetizer that's just okay).. I know taste can be very subjective.. but does anyone have any recommendations of what's a must order.. and what I should probably stay away from? On another note.. the alternative would be Colborne Lane or anything else.. Mon Oct 26 17:01:41 -0700 2009 132732 hippotatomus 1 5133534 foie gras parfait Mon Oct 26 20:48:05 -0700 2009 5133003 14629 aser 2 5134090 Agreed on the foie parfait. Although Le Paradis had exactly the same "parfait" (taste, size) for I think around $7-8. Its no longer on the menu there and you didn't get the brioche which is a nice accompaniment to the foie/chicken livers. SWS Tue Oct 27 07:16:12 -0700 2009 5133534 50683 Splendid Wine Snob 1 5134787 Agree about the foie gras parfait. The butter poached lobster is also delicious. Tue Oct 27 10:52:07 -0700 2009 5133003 20510 ER2 1 5135047 Agree with the dishes mentioned, but also, don't sleep on their pasta. The pappardelle with pulled rabbit and chanterelles was one of the best pastas I've had anywhere, Italy included. Tue Oct 27 12:08:57 -0700 2009 5133003 29140 childofthestorm 2 5135725 Agree on the parfait. When I was there about 2 weeks ago, they had a pasta special with black truffles that was superb (agnolotti I think). Tue Oct 27 16:27:28 -0700 2009 5135047 11134 estufarian 3 5139003 I'm sold on the parfait.. I love pappardelle and had a really delicious one at C5 one so I most likely will order it from Splendido as well... anything else? or things I shouldn't order? Wed Oct 28 18:35:28 -0700 2009 5135725 132732 hippotatomus 4 5143218 I went recently and had: foie gras parfait: Highly recommend, it is lovely pappardelle with black truffle: highly recommend, lovely! Lobster Saffron: Very decent Oysters done 3 ways, with passion fruit, wasabi and something else: totally bad, you could not taste the oysters as the toping flavours were too strong Steak and frites: Was OK, better off going to cumbreas and making it yourself Elk steak: really really nice with a good sauce, recommend as a main. Fri Oct 30 10:43:18 -0700 2009 5139003 117944 gastronom 5 5159344 I was thinking about getting the oysters because SO likes oysters.. but thanks for the warning! I wil stay away... and I was also thinking about getting steak from Cumbrae's for another night as well since the night we are going is not the actual birth date. If I get steak, will go with the elk.. Is the saffron lobster different from the butter poached as I don't see it on the menu.. Thu Nov 05 15:36:02 -0800 2009 5143218 132732 hippotatomus 1 5164965 Reporting back on our experience there. The service was superb.. I loved, LOVED the foie gras parfait.. it was so sweet and perfect with the brioche.. The server recommended us to have it with the cherry but it was very unnecessary because the cherry was too sour and overpowering for the foie gras. We were going to have the foie gras parfait and the charcuterie plate but the server also suggested we just get two charcuterie plates because the foie gras parfait is included in the charcuterie. When you order two it comes out on a gigantic board and you get a bigger slice of the foie gras parfait.. plus there are nine items on the board as opposed to the usual 7. I think everything on the board was okay, I enjoyed the one at Nota Bene more.. though after the foie gras I was hardly paying attention to anything else.. and there was so much of it too! We also had two starter sized pappardelle.. we ordered both the rabbit and the truffle. The SO preferred the rabbit, but I really enjoyed the truffle. Our mains consisted of the elk striploin and the butter poached lobster. I think after the charcuterie board everything was hard to please.. I would say my experience went from high to medium by the end of the night. I thought the rice that accompanied the lobster was not quite fitting... the taste didn't really compliment the lobster that well and when eaten together you can't even taste the lobster. For my SO's elk, I would say it was nothing special.. and again the beets didn't work with the elk.. Overall it was a good experience. I would probably go again and just order the charcuterie plate and nothing else.. My lips were ridiculously oily and I felt greased up after the charcuterie! It took us a long time to work through it and It was actually really filling so that may have lend to my decreasing enjoyment of the dishes to follow - it was partly because I was too full to really enjoy putting any more food in my mouth. Overall, it was a good experience.. I would probably return for the foie gras parfait and the truffle pappardelle which is not on the menu, but I suspect it probably is offered as a special most nights. Thanks for all your recommendations! Sun Nov 08 08:57:06 -0800 2009 5133003 132732 hippotatomus