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| - There's not much choice in Pickering when you want something with good food and a great view. I had never even heard of The Port; my wife and I were given a gift card for this restaurant with a car purchase. As it's just around the corner from us, we decided to walk there for dinner and have a few drinks, too.
Once through the front door, it was almost as if we'd walked into any of a number of downtown restaurants. The decor was open and modern, and the music was unobtrusive "hip" dining music. (Somewhat electronic, with nothing at all to catch your attention either positively or negatively. There must be a small fortune in making this modern take on musak.)
We were offered a seat in the lounge as the dining room was full. We sat by the fireplace which was nice. Through the window we saw a great patio on Frenchman's Bay which will be a definite hang-out for us this summer!
We started with drinks which were very reasonably priced. (Five bucks for a bottle of Steamwhistle?! Maybe moving to the suburbs does have it's benefits!!!) We also got a small dish of spiced olives to nibble at while we waited. The staff was friendly, competent and efficient, and they all seemed to be working hard and cheerfully.
I ordered the free range chicken and my wife ordered the salmon.
Chicken:
A breast of free range chicken roasted with comfort cream cheese and topped with onion marmalade, served with a port poached pear and finished with wine syrup and sage aioli. This dish was absolutely fantastic. The harmony of these five ingredients was just wonderful. Every bite was something special and I thoroughly enjoyed this dish. The sweet pear and the savory sage aioli were a beautiful combination, the chicken was moist and cooked perfectly, and the wine syrup added a very pleasing bright note. I would order it again in a heartbeat. The applewood cheddar mashed potatoes were also excellent, with the cheddar adding a nicely muted sharpness to the potato. The other seasonal vegetables were asparagus, not overcooked, and possibly the best mashed turnip I've ever had.
Salmon:
This is a wasabi-pea encrusted salmon on a bed of basmati rice and vegetables. I didn't try the vegetables but they included soy glazed water chestnut, baby corn (which always fails to impress me as they often look like something taken straight from a can and put on a cheap salad bar), bamboo shoots, hearts of palm and bok choi. I tasted the salmon and the wasabi that encrusted the top of the fish was a very nice touch. She said she enjoyed the dish a lot but was a little underwhelmed with the vegetables. They were good, but nothing too special.
After another round of Steamwhistles, we decided to order a nightcap and head home. I had a Maker's Mark, she had a Bluberri Stoli. And here's the kicker: a small appetizer, four decent beers, two great meals, and two final drinks...... under a hundred bucks including tax (before tip). At that price, for that quality, tipping is a pleasure!
We will definitely be returning, often.
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