My hubby took me to Ruby last night for my birthday and what a fantastic way to end the day! Overall, the best meal I've had this year (which really is a fun thing to say since the year is only 2.5 weeks old).
Our menu was very eclectic but delicious. The meal was truly thought out to balance the sweetness from the meats with the right acids and palate cleansers. Highlights included pork belly in a rich apple-butter sauce, parsnips that were smashed and covered with a salsa verde and the main course, slow roasted pork, with a cornbread chorizo and poached cherry stuffing.
I'm already a big fan of Grey Owl cheese so was thrilled to see it on our menu. It was served with a golden raisin puree, pickled grapes & toasted almonds. Unfortunately, the pickled grapes got lost in the dish but that didn't detract from the flavours.
Our dessert was truly out of this world. It was listed as a butterscotch pudding but was so rich and creamy that it was almost like a butterscotch creme. I can't fully describe the wonders that this pudding gave to us and it was such a perfect complement with what came before.
We chose to have the wine pairings with the first three courses and all three were perfectly matched. The highlight is the wine served with the Grey Owl which on its own was a sweet, heavy almost dessert wine but when paired with the Grey Owl opened up and became lighter in body and fully in flavour.
In the past, when I've gone to other celebrity-chef restaurants, the celebrity is nowhere to be found. That's not the case here. Lyn was in the kitchen, expediting the dishes and making sure they were perfect for each table. The staff all looked to be having a great time which helped make the ambiance that much warmer.
I highly recommend Ruby Watchco for anyone looking to have a special night out. Even with the volume cranked up (and my hearing being shitty) it was one of the best meals I've had in a long time!