WHEREmail

// January 2007

Dear Subscriber

WHERE's editors announce their picks for the 10 Best New Restaurants in Canada. Also, tips on driving abroad, news on U.S.-entry passport requirements, contests, travel specials and the hottest events and exhibitions in cities across Canada.

WHAT'S HOT IN January:

Halifax

The eyes of the figure-skating world are on Halifax from January 15 to 21, as the city hosts Skate Canada's Canadian Championships. About 250 of the country's best skaters compete to crown national champions in women's, men's, pair and ice-dance disciplines at the senior and junior levels. The roster includes top talents like Jeff Buttle and Joannie Rochette.

Toronto

Hunky Justin Timberlake makes his first Canadian tour stop in Toronto on January 30 at the Air Canada Centre. His second solo album, FutureSex/LoveSounds, debuted at number one, and its first single "SexyBack," topped the charts for seven consecutive weeks.

Ottawa

The man of a thousand voices and just as many facial expressions makes a return engagement at Le Théâtre du Casino (Jan 25, 26, and 27). Who can forget André-Philippe Gagnon's outrageously funny and beautifully crafted one-man version of "We Are The World", the performance that catapulted him onto the world stage.

Canadian Rockies

Watch teams turn massive blocks of ice into innovative and intricate sculptures during the Ice Magic International Ice Sculpture Competition Jan 26 to 28 at The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. Ice Magic is a highlight of the Jan 26 to Feb 4 Banff/Lake Louise Winter Festival that features fun events for the whole family.

Calgary

One Yellow Rabbit puts on their High Performance Rodeo: Calgary's International Festival of the Arts, featuring bold international-calibre acts in a month long celebration of music, dance, theatre and new media arts. Headline shows include Five Hole: Tales of Hockey Erotica, featuring music by the Rheostatics, and The Road to Rude, with New York's controversial Rude Pundit.

Edmonton

With 30-plus years under his cape, magician extraordinaire David Copperfield, who is widely considered to be the greatest illusionist of our time, visits the Jubilee Auditorium on January 15 and 16.

Vancouver

It's winter in Canada, and to most Canucks that means one thing: hockey. Vancouver might not have snow on the ground or frozen lakes to skate on, but we do have the Vancouver Canucks playing home games at GM Place.

Victoria

At the University of Victoria, the talented Phoenix Theatre performers present the renowned One Man Star Wars Trilogy, Jan 25 to Feb 3, and Cinnamon Shops, adapted from the stories of Bruno Schultz in which the author's vivid imagination merges myth and reality in stories of his childhood in pre-Second World War Poland.

Tourism Vancouver's Dine Out Vancouver™ presented by Visa turns five. To celebrate, it's bigger and better than ever. Savour Vancouver's delectable food and wine scene from January 19 to February 4.

• 17 delicious days
• 156 mouthwatering restaurants
• $15, $25 or $35 three-course menus**
• Vast selection of quality BC VQA wines

Find event info at tourismvancouver.com.
Plus book reservations online.
* Trademark of Visa International Service Association; Visa Canada is a licensed user.
** Exclusive of alcohol, taxes and gratuity.

The WHERE List:

The 10 Best New Restaurants of 2006

The regional editors of WHERE magazine announce their top ten new restaurants for 2006. After visiting hundreds of new establishments and sampling scores of menus, our editors have come up with a selection of the top ten new offerings from talented chefs and innovative restaurateurs from coast to coast.

Aroma Dining & Drinks, Muskoka

There was a time when Muskoka was better known for campfire cookouts than haute cuisine, but Aroma Dining & Drinks reaffirms the rustic stereotype no longer applies. In picturesque Huntsville, this upscale hotspot offers a sophisticated combination of Asian-inspired flavours and classical French techniques. Executive chef Jennifer McCague's menu highlights Certified Angus Beef steaks, plus seafood dishes such as lobster linguine with vermouth, spinach and tarragon cream—to be enjoyed in an elegant dining room featuring art by the Group of Seven and Tom Thompson.

The Bison Mountain Bistro, Banff

"You won't see tenderloin on our menu," boasts Ryan Rivard, owner of The Bison Mountain Bistro and 'slow food' advocate. But there are braised bison cheeks with red wine jus, Taleggio cheese polenta and smoked tomato. Regional in-season ingredients are the bistro's obsession: its suppliers include some of Alberta's finest, including Olsen's High Country Ranch (bison) and Gull Valley (tomatoes). Après skiers mingle easily with business people in the laid-back lounge or at the reclaimed Douglas Fir tables, while a show kitchen inspires "my God, it smells good in here" comments.

Capo Restaurant, Calgary

With more than 20 years experience in kitchens around the world, in recent years, chef Guiseppe Di Gennaro has established himself as one of the city's best. In March 2006, he opened the doors to Capo Restaurant, a cozy Italian boutique restaurant with a contemporary, artistic ambiance. The menu features dishes that are simple and authentically Italian, but with a flair for flavour and presentation. Chef Di Gennaro ensures every meal meets his perfectionist standards via what he calls "teatro della cucina"—he personally plates entrees in full view of the dining room. Capo was also featured in this year's Most Memorable Meal Awards.

Dandelion Eatery, Winnipeg

The food comes out looking fresh from the market, just as you would expect from a restaurant attached to an organic food store. While the Dandelion Eatery espouses organic and natural fruits and vegetables, it also celebrates meat and seafood in a large variety of excellent dishes. This is a serious kitchen run by acclaimed chef Ben Kramer, who revels in the selection of ingredients available from the adjoining Organza Market. Dandelion's stated mission is to create a menu based on regional ingredients and support sustainable agriculture practices.

Delux Burger Bar, Edmonton

A posh new spot in Edmonton's elite west end, Delux Burger Bar effortlessly combines style, ambience and comfort with terrific food. The focused menu offers gourmet twists on an assortment of classic and original burgers, as well as such memorable culinary creations as lobster nachos and coconut-breaded shrimp "popsicles." An impressive beer, wine and martini list along with chic upscale decor add to the appeal.

Gio, Halifax

The Prince George Hotel's new restaurant has become one of Halifax's premier dining destinations, thanks to award-winning chef Ray Bear. At Gio, he showcases global, New Age cuisine with a dynamic and constantly evolving menu. His ingenious signature dishes include creations like Arctic char with Peruvian potatoes, pulled pork ravioli with seared scallops, grilled lobster and much more. An extensive selection of wine and cocktails completes the dining experience, while chic decor and funky works of art make Gio an aesthetic delight.

Glo Europub and Grill, Victoria

A hip, contemporary atmosphere, innovative West Coast menu and a great location along Victoria's historic Gorge waterway combine to make Glo Europub and Grill the city's best new dining destination. Diners can enjoy the expansive patio, boasting a 180-degree view of the busy waterway, or settle into one of the restaurant's roomy, inviting booths and savour the scenery through floor-to-ceiling windows. Chef Marc Lagimodiere's diverse menu includes selections ranging from beef sirloin gorgonzola tortellini and a tandoori flatbread pizza to wild, seasonal salmon and mango-glazed Chilean back ribs.

Jamie Kennedy at The Gardiner Museum, Toronto

Executive chef Jamie Kennedy's newest eponymous hotspot opened this summer as part of a $20-million renovation to the city's ceramics museum. Kennedy is one of the leading figures on Toronto's dining scene, and his latest creation includes floor-to-ceiling louvred windows in the restaurant's Terrace Room, part of the third-floor addition by the renowned Canadian architecture firm Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg Architects. Kennedy's carte of small plates is seasonal. Wines by the glass feature prominently, with a suggested pairing for each menu item.

Salt Tasting Room, Vancouver

The options are endless at the Salt Tasting Room—charcuterie, wine bar, and all-around cool meeting space with its minimalist, Euro-chic interior. Sean Heather pairs his considerable knowledge of cured meats and specialty cheeses with a couple of the smartest sommeliers in town, Jay Jones and Chris Stearns. Choose your protein, cheese and condiment from expansive, ever-changing lists and have the staff match wines from an equally impressive collection. Among the savoury combinatons: Colston Bassett Stilton beside Similkameen Apiary honeycomb with hefty but silky d'Arenberg Laughing Magpie Shiraz Viognier. The Salt Tasting Room was featured as part of Vancouver's 2006 Most Memorable Meal Awards.

Stella Osteria, Ottawa

Chef Derek Benitz of Stella Osteria is one of Ottawa's most charming foodies: mention the luxurious texture of risotto or the gift that is carpaccio, and he'll wax eloquent. Since the ByWard Market-area restaurant first opened in the summer of 2006, Benitz has created a menu that draws on his many experiences with world cuisine while focusing on the flavours of Italy: lemon garlic shrimp with white wine, butternut-squash ravioloni, and Mediterranean seafood stew with roasted filet of halibut and spicy lobster butter. The atmosphere is contemporary, the setting is soothing and sumptuous, and the food is memorable.

Click here for the full press release for Canada's 10 Best New Restaurants on www.where.ca

TRAVEL SPECIALS

As a service to readers and our tourism partners, here's a selection of special travel deals. For more information or to book, please contact the providers directly.

Delta's Check In to Win

Delta returns with their "Check In to Win" contest; starting January 15, every time you stay at a Delta Hotel, collect a Check In to Win key card and visit the Delta Hotels Virtual Suite online to unlock one of seven doors leading to instant prizes ranging from Aeroplan miles, free hotel stays, LCD TVs and Sirius satellite radios. Grand prizes include a Gourmet Dining and Entertainment Experience, a Bed and Bathroom Makeover and 100,000 Aeroplan miles.

Book Early and Save in Whistler

Customers who book at The Fairmont Chateau Whistler 31 or more days in advance enjoy a 20% discount off the "Best Available" rate. Discount available for bookings made before December 21, 2007. Full payment must be made in advance.

Last Minute Flight Deals

Air Transat offers last minute deals from Montreal, Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver to destinations in the US, the Caribbean and Europe. Travellers departing from Toronto can fly to London-Gatwick for $461 (taxes included); Calgarians heading to Puerto Vallarta pay only $468 (taxes included); and Quebecers looking for some sunshine in Orlando fly for $259 (taxes included).

(All prices in Canadian dollars. WHERE accepts no responsibility for the accuracy or availability of these packages. Please contact package supplier directly.)

UNSUBSCRIBE | SEND TO A FRIEND | CONTACT US | PRIVACY

© 2003-2006.
All Rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part strictly prohibited.
WHERE Canada is a registered trademark of St. Joseph Media Inc.

St. Joseph Media
111 Queen St. East, Suite 320
Toronto, ON M5E 1S2