Food Day Canada - Celebrating Canadian Food

Little Louis’ Oyster Bar, Moncton, New Brunswick

Little Louis’ Oyster Bar dedicates its menu to stylishly celebrating the food life of the region. Tucked up a set of stairs on the second floor, this warm and inviting dining room is absolute proof that a climb doesn’t keep hungry (and wise) diners away. There you’ll find a wine list worthy of the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence and a chef who could be at home in any fine restaurant in the nation. The name, Little Louis’, is in honour of Louis Joseph Robichaud, (1925 – 2005), who served as Premier of New Brunswick from 1960 to 1970. He was a short, apparently memorable, man. Chef Pierre Richard was born and raised in Moncton where he learned to love great food in his mother’s kitchen and in her garden. That garden’s harvest became an artists palate for Pierre in the family kitchen and that was his first real cooking gig when he was put in charge of creating an array of family meals every week. Then a case of practical wanderlust struck and he headed west to work and learn and study. He spent time at CrazyWeed Cafe in Canmore, studied at S.A.I.T. and when he graduated with his Red Seal certification returned to New Brunwsick to work with Chef Axel Begner, one of a handful of classically-trained chefs in New Brunswick. Like his friend Michel Savoie, Pierre’s menus reflect his training, his joy of great flavours and his pride of place. There are copious amounts of fresh oysters and for those who prefer them cooked, he tops them with ‘Rockefeller’ herbs, spinach, a bit of double smoked bacon, a sprinkle of anise-scented Pastis. When they’re in season, he’ll marinate the tiniest fillets of smelts (eperlan) and serve them atop of the greens he buys at the Dieppe Market. There may be seared foie gras with apple and cranberry and balsamic or he may poach Atlantic halibut in olive oil, a timeless technique that ensures a perfectly cooked fish, then serves it with squid ink tagliatelle , almond butter, sweet chilies and tangy gremolata. His pappardelle are handmade and topped with butter poached lobster. Venison is seared in cocoa butter before being served with a wild blueberry sauce. One dish we loved on a recent visit was his version of the ploye — a small stack of buckwheat pancakes topped with sturgeon mousse and a generous spoonful of Acadian caviar. Contact Little Louis’ Oyster Bar at the number below to reserve a Food Day Canada table. Contactez Little Louis’ Oyster Bar directement, au numéro ci-dessous, afin de faire votre Journée des terroirs réservation Little Louis’ Oyster Bar, 245 Collishaw Street, 2nd floor, Moncton, New Brunswick E1C 9P9 T: 506-855-2022...

Atelier, Ottawa

This small, very intimate restaurant doesn’t even have a sign. And why should they? Anyone who’s heard of Atelier knows that their food speaks for itself. Chef Marc Lepine opened Atelier in 2008 after being named Ottawa Chef of the Year not once but twice by the Canadian Culinary Federation. In February 2016 he was dubbed Canadian Culinary Champion in Kelowna B.C. for the second time. And both times, a team of generous Ottawa chefs took over his restaurant so that he could leave. And in 2017 he was named Canada’s Most Creative Chef. The Food Network wrote had this to say about Chef Lapine’s attention to detail: “Marc and his team are venturing into the territory of molecular gastronomy and, as the servers will tell you, many items are whipped, foamed, dehydrated, freeze dried, cooked sous-vide for hours, spherified, and possibly dropped in liquid nitrogen to finish.” It’s no surprise that he asks his customers to trust him- the menu changes constantly and no one gets to see it before they dine. Serving a 12-course tasting menu every night, this is no place to grab a quick bite- meals last at least three hours. Food as art is taken to a whole new level at Atelier, which is French for “workshop,” and rightly so. We’d describe the food…but you’ll have to try it yourself. Just take Chef Lepine’s word for it. His Food Day Canada Menu will always be extraordinary. Menu Atelier FOOD DAY CANADA 2018 (1) Contact Atelier...

Rossmount Country Inn, St. Andrews, New Brunswick

Often it’s great innkeepers who want to share the successes of their friends. In this case, it was Bill Bennett of Langdon Hall in Ontario who guided me to Rossmount Inn, just outside the bustle of St. Andrews. It’s easy to miss. One word…DON’T! Chris and Graziella Aerni, a couple with huge food experience, bought Rossmount in 2001 and the gracious old property that came with it. A regional landmark high on a hill...

Mother’s, Halifax

Mother’s Pizza is the brainchild of Chef/Owner Tyson Wachter who already had a successful pizza restaurant in the Turks and Caicos. The goal was to open a first rate pizza restaurant while sourcing the most local ingredients possible. And he has! Baking is part of Tyson’s heritage – his grandfather was a baker who immigrated from Italy – but it wasn’t till university and working in a series of restaurant jobs to make ends...

Dosanko, Vancouver

The Japanese culture in British Columbia is centuries old. They came as fishing families and stayed. In Vancouver, the restaurants that sprang up were largely sushi places. Real Japanese cooking was found in the home kitchens of what is now loosely called Japantown. It’s those somewhat homespun interpretations of B.C. ingredients that have formed the basis of the menu for this lively restaurant. Dosanko began with a single dish: nikujaga, (at left) a hearty...

Le Select, Toronto

Le Select is the very essence of hospitality with food to match and is renowned for its stellar service! It would be interesting to know whether any restaurant of similar size in Toronto has as many ‘regulars’…somehow I doubt it. Chef Laura Maxwell and Frédéric Geisweiller, co-owner, share the same vision. The food they serve must be “good” as measured by three objective criteria: 1/ good for the health of the people who consume it,...