Thu, Feb 26, 2015
Giles is in the unusual position in Québec, Québec, without Julia, the two who are still in telephone contact as they rely largely on the advice of a local food blogger. Giles is hoping that the local food scene is not just French food wannabe, and poutine, which he nonetheless has to eat before he leaves. He does learn that the local food scene is largely French fusion, which is reflected in the five restaurants chosen. The first restaurant he visits is Hosaka-Ya, a ramen noodle house, family owned and operated based on "mom"'s recipes. Although Giles does try the phallically shaped king clam aka geoduck there for the first time in his life, he will probably base his decision on whether to give them his million dollar review on the strength or weakness of the soup stock, the hallmark of any ramen place. The second restaurant is L'Affaire est Ketchup, a hipster joint, whose owners have no defined concept for the establishment, wanting the food and atmosphere to speak for themselves. Being hipster and warned by Julia, Giles is expecting extremely casual, but even Giles is surprised by the general lackadaisical attitude of the hipster owners and the state of the non-commercial kitchen. The food will have to win Giles over for them to get his review. The third restaurant is Soupe & Cie, which has the unusual concept of serving solely healthy soups (which Giles in general finds boring) and tartars. The food will have to wow him to overcome the uncomfortable tree stump seats to get the review. Giles does admit, however, that the internal scenery - the owner and staff - are nice to look at while he's waiting. The fourth restaurant is Panache, a fine dining establishment in the equally high end Auberge Saint-Antoine Hotel. It is run by a family with a two hundred year history in Québec. They will have to live up to their avant-garde label to get Giles' review. The final restaurant is La Traite, which serves a modern take on First Nations food. As is his custom, Giles orders what he considers the most disgusting thing on the menu - seal - the taste of which may decide if they get his review. In-between Giles' meals, he goes to a traditional sugar shack, sending him to which he may chastise Julia for more reasons than one. And about that poutine...
Thu, Feb 12, 2015
Giles arrives in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, with the threat of the worst snowstorm the city has ever faced, meaning he isn't sure he will make it out alive let alone eat at the five restaurants for his possible review. Despite the local restaurant scene burgeoning from the city's blue collar roots due to a recent upturn in the economy, Giles still expects to have many meals of simply prepared cod, but he finds two other St. John's trends instead, one which he ends up liking, the other not so much. The first restaurant he visits is Saltwater, serving Atlantic-Serbian fusion cuisine, cooked in part by its Serbian owner who only recently learned how to cook. The one thing that may work for or against it getting the review is if Giles can actually remember his dining experience beyond the liquid courses its owner provides him. The second restaurant is Chinched Bistro, a restaurant specializing in meat, most specifically locally raised and in-house prepared charcuterie. Because of that specialization, they need Giles' review to get the word out to a broader clientèle. The third restaurant is Raymonds, arguably the most critically acclaimed restaurant in the city as being named in several circles as among the best restaurants in all of Canada. They want Giles' review to take them to the next level, which is to have their name be known among the best in the world. As it is fine dining, Giles offers them a challenge, the outcome which may determine if they get Giles' review. The fourth restaurant is The Reluctant Chef, which only serves five-course tasting menus done out of necessity because of the restaurant's small size. They need Giles' review to be able to afford the recent additions of an expensive executive chef and sommelier to the staff. The final restaurant is Bacalao, the original St. John's establishment which took local cuisine to modern fine dining. As others have emerged in the category during St. John's' recent restaurant boom, they are getting lost in the pack and need Giles' review to reemerge as the top in this category. A photograph on the table may make or break Giles' dining experience. In-between his meals, he and Julia learn about what it means to be a true Newfoundlanders, namely in learning how to screech. And they go on a search for the "mythical" creature which has graced many of their dinner plates.