My friends and I went to Aria for this year's Winterlicious. I picked Aria because of the recommendations from many Toronto blogs. I chose the steak tartare, braised veal cheeks and the chocolate bonet dessert. For $45, this is one place you need to head to for Winterlicious.
The veal cheeks were the most tender cheeks I have ever had. A knife was not required for this dish. The cheeks were sitting on top of a potato/pumpkin puree which really enhanced the flavour of the meat. It was my first time having steak tartare and I enjoyed every bite of it. The texture at first can be unusual but as you dig in more, you start to enjoy it more and more.
Since the weather was pretty bad Saturday night, there were no issues with service. The server checked with us regularly and engaged in a friendly conversation about cheeks!