Eight Wine Bar

I always look forward to Summerlicious because I discover new restaurants and great food. The varied restaurants charge $25.00, $35.00 or $45.00 for a 3 course prix fixe menu. The restaurants and all the menus are listed in the web site. Go to www.Summerlicious Toronto 2009.

I had never heard of the Cosmopolitan Hotel. It is a small boutique hotel at 8 Colborne St near Yonge St. What a charming little spot. At the end of the first floor there is a delightful bar and a small very smashing restaurant. I only discovered it because it was listed on the Summerlicious Program and I liked the menu. This was a real find. Colborne St is a small street running between Yonge St and Church St 1 block north of King St. There are several very up scale restaurants on this small street. It actually was very funny when Elaine and I entered a restaurant on Colborne St thinking it was where we were heading. The charming, very elegant man at the desk asked about our reservation. At that time we discovered that we were in Colborne Lane at 45 Colborne. We chatted for a while and discovered they offer a tasting menu. It is pricy but we intend to return to this spot in the near future.

Eight Wine Bar is a pleasant atmosphere. We enjoyed watching the young folk arrive throughout the evening. We didn’t care that we were the senior contingency especially as the food arrived. We knew we were in for a gourmet experience.

The 3 courses were $35.00 and well worth it. Elaine started with the Cold Pea Soup with mint. The color was so fresh and green and was topped with a dollop of crème fraise. I opted for the Green Salad. Once again I knew the freshest and best quality greens were used in the preparation. The salad was tasty and thoroughly enjoyed.

We both opted for the Halibut choice as the entrée. The fish was very thick and cooked to perfection. The small pieces of gnocchi were so delicious. This was an exquisite dish beautifully plated. We were also tempted by the Eggplant Lasagna. A third meat offering was possible.

I don’t usually have dessert but during Summerlicious I go crazy. The Strawberry Shortcake offered a plate of pound cake topped with preserved strawberries and whipped cream. Calories Calories Calories. Oh well we walked back home after such a great meal. Elaine opted for the Fruit Sorbet graced with biscotti.

It was such fun to discover a new place and to enjoy such exquisite food. I marveled at the servers who carried all the food from the kitchen down below. Have you ever tried to carry three plates on your arm and walk up the stairs? I watched them all evening doing this so gracefully.

It was such fun to walk by all the restaurants in the area and see where the action is. We were even offered free vodka at the Pravda Bar on Wellington St. The Book store at Church and Front is always open late. We spent some time browsing and then headed home feeling satisfied after a perfectly delightful evening.