Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 325 Bay Street (inside the Trump Hotel, 3rd floor)
Address: 325 Bay Street (inside the Trump Hotel, 3rd floor)
Type of Meal: Dinner
If Stock was where Bay Street met to discuss deals, the new
America is where they go to celebrate afterwards. It’s much darker than the
former restaurant and lit in a lilac glow, giving you a glimpse of the lounge
it morphs into later in the night.
Gone from the menu are the seafood towers; American
favourites make up the options instead. Their Winterlicious menu ($45), although
offering little from their regular menu, provided tastes from various states.
From Hawaii, the heritage salmon poke ceviche was adorned with pineapple and
macadamia nuts. Despite the menu noting the dish having coffee and coconut in
it, the predominant flavour was citrus… to the point that it overpowered the
fish. Although was refreshing.
For me, the pressed BBQ pork was the better starter. The
meat was sweet and flavourful and resembled chunky pieces of pulled pork molded
together. Additionally, the braised apple mustard on the side complimented it
well. Tasso ham crackling and bacon powder finished off the dish, giving it flourish
but kept with the theme.
Our entire table opted for the Wellington County steak and
beef cheeks for the main. If you like meat, this is for you – a large portion
of ultra-tender beef cheeks and two generous slices of nicely cooked but
slightly chewy steak. Along with creamy heirloom grits, collard greens, roasted
carrots and a smoked bourbon butter topping it, this dish is delicious but heavy.
I rarely do not finish my plate, but the components were all so rich that I
simply couldn’t do it.
To be fair, it was likely due to my poor judgment with the
bread. I couldn’t help it, their jalapeno corn bread was so buttery and
delicious I just had to have a second piece! This is hands down the best corn
bread I’ve ever had – including all the ones I tried in New Orleans.
The granny apple sticky sourdough pudding was sweet and rich
sitting in a pool of Maker’s Mark bourbon pecan toffee sauce. But, the slightly
salty pretzel ice cream on top really helped to calm the sweetness. All in all,
a great dessert.
While the peanut butter panna cotta sounded delicious, the
consistency was way too rich and resembled nothing like the light panna cotta.
Instead, it felt like we were eating spoons of sweet creamy peanut butter –
tasty for one taste but really doesn’t leave you wanting more. Topped with
peaks of toasted marshmallow and chocolate this dessert is best split amongst a
table of four.
Despite being stuffed I couldn’t help but try a small piece
of the dark chocolate rocky road bar that accompanies the bill. It’s a nice
ending if you want something small to sweeten the end of your meal.
Luckily, America continued their former counterpart’s
attention to service. Everyone I encountered that evening was genuinely
friendly and warm. America, I salute you.
As a special feature to the Winterlicious blogs, I will attempt to calculate the savings being offered (based on my meal selection).
Winterlicious - $45
Regular menu* - $74 - salmon ceviche ($23), steak and cheek ($37) and sticky pudding ($14)
Savings - $29 or 39%
* At America, it's hard to determine the savings as most items aren't part of their regular menu; prices based on the fried oysters and pork loin
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Gastro World's Grading System
- Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
- 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
- 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
- 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
- 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
- 10 - absolute perfection!
