Many friends have suggested a visit to Langdon Hall for a
great meal. It’s the place they go to celebrate an anniversary, propose, or
even attend a wedding. Langdon Hall is that special location combining
beautiful lush grounds, a historic stately mansion, and excellent dependable
cuisine that isn’t easy to come by. The most comparable experience I’ve had is
dinner at the French Laundry, which occupies a converted laundry house in Napa
Valley.
As I spoke to Executive Chef Jason Bangerter, passion simply
exuded from him; his love for the property and desire to push Canadian cuisine
to another level was apparent. As common with top restaurants, the menu
features local ingredients when possible and relies on the inn’s own
gardens for produce and garnishes. Even a drink like the Langdon Collins ($15)
is finished off with real lavender flowers, adding a light floral essence and isn’t overpowering like syrup.
There are many ways to dine at Langdon Hall, but if you have
the time and resources, their tasting menu ($165) is a top choice. The
experience combines so many ingredients and meticulously plated creations,
really creating an encounter that exemplifies what makes the restaurant
impressive.
Take the first bite, a cube of west coast albacore tuna
sitting on top of the fish’s bone (the actual specimen is actually an east coast tuna). The bite is sublime as the tuna melts onto the tongue
leaving a light citrusy herb finish, it’s over before you even know it.
Even if you’re not staying the night, arrive earlier to
stroll through their gardens; they’re opened to the public (it leads to their
spacious outdoor pool) and a visit before dinner service may allow you to pick
the chefs' brains as they gather ingredients.
We were lucky to have Chef Bangerter himself show us around
the property and sample a delicious crispy radish plucked from the ground and dipped
in butter for a fabulous taste of the produce. It was followed by nibbles of
various fauna bringing zips of flavours you wouldn’t think could come from a
simple leaf – my favourite: the typical small clovers you see in the yard that
exudes a citrusy kick.
You’ll find a lot of these herbs scattered on the actual
dishes. While dining at Langdon Hall be sure to eat everything, herbs aren’t
simply placed onto dishes to make things look good, it adds an extra element to
the dish as well.
The second dish of their tasting menu was inspired by their
greenhouses. As Chef Bangerter walked through them he was captured by the
beauty of the potted plants and decided to add it to his menu. A young
vegetable (we were served asparagus and fennel) is potted in “earth”, which isn’t
soil but rather quinoa mixed with green goddess sauce that has a sour cream
and onion essence. It’s a simple but tasty dish that I could see made into a
fulfilling lunch if it came in a larger pot.
More fish is served on the summer menu, a cheeky cod on cod
– in this case, a deep fried nugget on salted cod for presentation. The cod was
nicely battered but my piece was a bit chewy (while my husband’s spot on),
likely due to mine being thicker so hadn’t been cooked as thoroughly. On the
side, a beautiful oxeye daisy caper remoulade with a hint of fennel that combines
perfectly - it shows that any dish with the right herbs can really be elevated.
The duck foot, on the menu, refers to the vessel rather than the
actual appendage. The whimsical dish was filled with hen liver mixed with
chocolate to really augment the liver’s sweetness. Pieces of crispy skin added
a nice contrast and were great for digging into the silky mixture. To make it
really rich, shavings of white truffle lay on top, its earthiness pairing
nicely with the creamy liver texture. While this was a luxurious dish,
it was still balanced and the four-bite portion just enough to satisfy without
becoming overwhelming.
Who would think a dish simply named buttermilk would be so delicious? More aptly described as caviar
and cream, I’d suggest eating the dish in the order it’s presented rather than
picking and choosing ingredients. As you have each spoonful, a different
flavour emits itself: sometimes lemongrass, other times the sweetness of snow
crab, a briny touch from caviar, or a subtle fennel punch. Follow the journey
for rich and refreshing contrasts; as the ingredients combine with herbs the
flavours change again.
A refreshing strawberry gazpacho follows, the fruit’s
sweetness combining with the tomato and basil base nicely. A bit of mascarpone is
added to the broth for a hint of silkiness. A refreshing interlude.
I was surprised to see lamb tartare arrive for the
“marinated lamb”, thinking the whole time it’d be a seared version. My first
time having the ingredient raw, it actually works rather nicely as it’s less chewy
than beef. Dollops of aioli add a creaminess to the tartare, but it’s the pool
of lamb fat vinaigrette that provides a completely different rich tart kick to
everything. If only there were a couple more slices of black radish, its
crispiness went so nicely with the smooth tartare.
As the next course is presented, we’re advised the goat
cheese is made by a local purveyor Langdon Hall has featured for many years.
Turns out, this supplier is Monforte, a small artisanal cheese company often
only found in farmer’s markets (I’ve purchased things at Mel Lastman’s Square
and Evergreen Brickworks) or restaurants. Their subtle goat cheese adds a
creamy touch to the rhubarb. The green sliced ingredients are actually immature
almonds, which have that deep almond flavour but with a chewiness in lieu of
crunch.
For those who have read Gastro World for a while, you know I
rarely order roasted chicken at a restaurant. But, wow does Langdon Hall’s poussin impress. The breast is first
cooked on the bone and is then removed when serving with a lovely honey and
lavender glaze on the skin. The de-boned dark meat is wrapped in a thin prosciutto, making that one medallion so
tender and flavourful. A generous slice of seared foie gras accompanies and is thinly sliced allowing the crispy
coating to be tasted throughout. Finishing off the plate are just cooked
through sweet turnips and peas with their shoots and flowers… great for cutting
the fatness of the foie gras.
The first slightly sweet dish featured a “taste of the
garden” with a blackberry strawberry sorbet adorned with various foraged leaves
and edible flowers. A salty crumble sits at the bottom mixing with the sweet
sorbet, the garnishes are both citrusy and bitter. All together, the dish has a
Thai flare with its combination of flavours.
The plating is stunning with a pair of hands screened onto
the front and back of the dish, reminding diners of the caring hands require to
create the lovely dishes. Indeed, Langdon Hall employs a fleet of gardeners who
work with Chef Bangerter to cultivate the ingredients – including tropical
specimens you wouldn’t think could survive in the Ontario climate. The Chef’s
next challenge for them: possibly having his own cocoa trees on site.
As the Ontario bee population rebounds, their sweet nectar
is making its way back to desserts. Langdon Hall’s honey box (that’s what she
said), features a salty cube of honey comb with a light and fluffy honey foam
on top. A sprinkling of honey pollen completes the dessert adding a slight floral
essence.
To end, a gorgeous milk chocolate hazelnut bomb. As it’s
first presented, the half sphere looks like it could be a fruity dessert; get
through all the flowers and into the dome and you’ll find a chocolate mousse surprise,
which goes great with the crunchy hazelnuts.
All the chocolate used in the tasting menu is harvested from
a Dominican Republic plantation that Langdon Hall works with. In fact, Chef
Bangerter informed us he just returned from a trip there to participate in harvesting and roasting the cocoa. While he was there, he even whipped up a dinner for
everyone with local ingredients he could find on site: the main a delicious
sounding fish wrapped in banana leaves that one can only hope will make its way
onto the Ontario menu.
Aside from the citrusy kalamansi
jelly, the last bite of the tasting menu featured the cocoa in all its
glory: a chocolate truffle with powder and nibs on top. As the rich flavours
flood the mouth, you’re not greeted by the typical sweet melting pool of
ganache, rather the truffle is chewy and soft so it can be held longingly on
the tongue and you taste chocolate without sweetness… a rich but not heavy ending.
During such a long meal (it lasts about three hours), a trip
to their toilet is inevitable. Although it’s a bit of a journey, make sure to
go downstairs to see all the old photos of the property and the Wilks family
(the original owners of Langdon Hall). Of course, their home wasn’t quite as
stately as the current format (a new separated event area and spa has just been
constructed); nonetheless, you see pictures of the beautiful gardens that are
still a prominent feature of the current location.
For being in such a quaint countryside and the inn having a
relaxed cottage feel, it would be nice if they got rid of the antiquated no
denim and sports jacket dress code. Of course, I understand they don’t
want diners visiting in cut-off shorts, but there’s a friendlier way to create a
nice dining environment that’s also welcoming. For example, at Eleven Madison
Park, they stress that there’s no dress code but warn diners that people tend to
dress up for the occasion. Gentlemen dine in denim, but it’s still smartly
paired with a collared shirt and/or jacket. I was hardly offended to see jeans.
Aside from the dress code, I can see why Langdon Hall garners
all the praise including its long standing position in Canada’s Best
Restaurants list (they’re #15 in 2017). The
combination of meticulously prepared dishes and haunting beautiful surroundings
is hard to replicate. The inn is only an hour away from Toronto; in a short
drive you’ll be able to indulge and just get away from it all.
Overall mark - 9 out of 10
How To Find Them
Location: Cambridge, Canada
Address: 1 Langdon Drive
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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!
Is That It? I Want More!
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