Munshaw's Bistro

I’ve just returned from a perfect weekend up north near Collingwood. My son and daughter-in-law have been inviting me all summer (and even before) to come for a visit to the ’cabin’. The cabin is three floors of Canadiana. It is situated on rolling hills leading down to the beautiful pond. The wild flowers are in bloom and the place is exquisite. I always marvel at all the hard labor they continue to do to make this a perfect retreat and an aesthetic experience.

In the afternoon we had the good fun of visiting the Coffin Ridge Winery and having a delectable tasting experience. The winery is at Woodford at 2^nd concession N Sydenham. The Winery Pear Wine was our favorite and I can’t wait to open the bottle I purchased. Check them out on the web. They are a private winery and not listed with the LCBO.

We then drove to Flesherton for dinner at Munshaw’s Bistro. A reservation is definitely in order because this is a very attractive busy spot. They are open for dinner and lunch from Thursday until Sunday. Paul is the chef and his wife and son work the front of the restaurant. I was so fascinated to learn that Paul was not trained at some fancy cooking school. He is a creative genius who has picked up all his skill through experience and great creative talent. He worked in Windsor for many years and now happily keeps the Toronto weekenders well fed at this establishment up north.(about a 2 hour drive from Toronto)

The ambiance is charming. There is lots of parking right in front. The best part was the gourmet food that we found most pleasing to the palate, stomach and brain. Outstanding!

All three of us shared the Baked Goat Cheese appetizer.($9.00) I don’t have sufficient words to praise this dish. The cheese was warm and covered with pumpkin seeds. There was a warm leek marmalade that sent me into ecstasy. Apparently the leeks are cooked in brown sugar and balsamic vinegar for a very long time. All the flavors melded together and the large portion was so satisfying. We did consider the Artichoke Fritters with garlic yogurt dip.($7.00) We will have to leave that for another time. Perhaps we will decide to have the Tequila Lime Shrimp appetizer on chile corn bread.($11.00) Everything was so tempting.

Kathy ordered the Strip Steak with Frites.($24.00) It was tender, tasty and delicious. Ray and I opted for another special of the evening Grilled Salmon.($20.00) I don’t even know how it was cooked but it was fantastic. I can’t believe I actually got excited about the rice so I inquired about it. There were 7 grains involved and it took many hours of cooking to prepare the dish in various stages. The Ratatouille was fresh and tasty and completed this work of art.

I have already decided that for my next visit I will have the Garlic Shrimp Linguini served with garlic, olive oil, tomato and pasta.($19.00) The Grilled Tarragon Chicken Breast was a favorite of many in the restaurant.($12.00) It is served in a wine sauce with Yukon mashed potatoes.

I must tell you about the exotic dessert because I can’t stop thinking about it. I have tried Flourless Chocolate Cake before but this was the best ever. There were two layers of this moist, very chocolate delicious cake. There was even a peanut butter filling. Ice cream and whipping cream graced the plate. Great Food! A Wondrous experience! Wow!