Perigee September 2005

[GordonCooks]

Here's the menu - as good as any meal I've had there and even more impressive due to the fact they were temporariry short staffed that evening. I apologize for the lack of photos this trip (forgot camera at the hotel) My dinner companions soundly thrashed me with lead pipes after dinner. I'm pretty sure everyone has heard me sing Perigee's and Pat Riley's praises so I'll forego a dish-by-dish commentary to field questions from the gallery

MENU

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2005

PENKO CRUSTED FRIED LITTLE NECK CLAM ON PECAN AND CABBAGE SLAW

BUTTER POACHED LOBSTER AND SMOKED POTATO SALAD ON ROAST GARLIC SAUCE

MINI SMOKED BISON BURGER ON NAPPA CABBAGE SLAW WITH DIJON MUSTARD

SHREDDED PHEASANT BREAST AND AVOCADO TACO

~

RAW & CURED SAMPLER

“MARGARITA” OYSTER SHOOTERS, BISON TARTARE WITH ARGON OIL AND FENNEL SLAW, BLUE FIN TUNA TARTARE WITH AMARANTH SALAD AND CILANTRO PESTO, DUCK PROSCUITTO WRAPPING GRILLED CAVAILLION MELON, SMOKED RED RIVER SALMON ON SPUN HEIRLOOM CARROT, ONION AND FRIED CAPER SALAD, BAY OF FUNDY SCALLOP CEVICHE

SERVED WITH:

TORTILLA CRISPS, POMPADOM, GYOZA AND WONTONS

PIERRE PETERS, BLANC DE BLANCS, BRUT, LE MESNIL-SUR-OGER, CHAMPAGNE, FRANCE N.V.

~

ROAST FILLET OF CAROLINA BLACK BASS ON CARROT AND GINGER SOUP WITH ZUCCHINI SALAD, CUMIN VINAIGRETTE, CHIVE CREAM AND SWEET ONION RINGS

LA TUNELLA, CAMPO MARZIO, COLLI ORIENTALI DEL FRIULI, ITALY 2002

FRIED OCTOPUS TENDRILS ON SALAD OF OCTOPUS MEDALLIONS, OLIVE BREAD, RED ONION AND CAPERS WITH KALAMATA OLIVES AND BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE

SPRINGFIELD ESTATE, SAUVIGNON BLANC, ROBERTSON, SOUTH AFRICA 2003

ROAST FILLET OF JOHN DORY ON SALAD OF FAVA BEANS, JAPANESE SOY BEANS AND DUNGENESS CRAB WITH BACON WATERCRESS CREAM

MALIVOIRE, PINOT GRIS, NIAGARA PENINSULA, CANADA 2004

MOLLUSK CHOWDER WITH POTATO, SWEET CORN AND ROAST PORK

AUVIGUE, CUVÉE ÉLEVÉE EN FILS, MÂCON SOLUTRÉ, BURGUNDY, FRANCE 2004

~

SAGE BUTTER FRIED CHESTNUTS AND LOBSTER MUSHROOMS WITH CHESTNUT GNOCCHI IN CRAB APPLE SAUCE TOPPED WITH SHAVED MONARQUE CHEESE

BOUCHARD FINLAYSON , “CROCODILE’S LAIR” , CHARDONNAY, OVERBERG, SOUTH AFRICA 2002

SUCCOTASH OF GRILLED VEGTABLES WITH POLENTA GNOCCHI, DUCK “HAM” AND BASIL IN A CORN CREAM

TERZETTO, TOCAI FRIULANO, CENTRAL COAST, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A. 2000

“CAPRESE” STYLE SALAD OF PENKO CRUSTED AND FRIED BUFFALO MOZZARELLA ON CHIAPPINO SAUCE WITH FRIED BASIL, BALSAMIC VINAIGRE REDUCTION AND ARUGULA PESTO

HENRI BOURGEOIS, “LES BARONNES”, SANCERRE, FRANCE 2003

TRUFFLED POTATO PEROGIES WITH FRIED CAULIFLOWER MUSHROOMS IN TRUFFLE JUS WITH CABBAGE SPROUTS

ROLLY GASSMANN, PINOT AUXERROIS, ALSACE, FRANCE 1999

~

SEARED JAPANESE DIVER SCALLOPS WITH GARLIC AND OIL CONFIT TURNIPS, SAUTEED SPINACH, MINTED CHICK PEAS AND RED PEPPER

TAWSE, CARLY’S BLOCK, SEMI – DRY RIESLING, VINELAND, CANADA 2002

PAN ROASTED MARYLAND BLUE AND DUNGENESS CRAB CAKES ON TOMATO GAZPACHO SAUCE WITH HEIRLOOM TOMATO SALAD

DOMAINE MITTNACHT-KLACK, RIESLING, ALSACE, FRANCE 2002

ROAST LOBSTER ON CELERY ROOT AND APPLE SALAD WITH CANDIED SHITAKI MUSHROOM, CANDIED WALNUTS AND A CHUNKY JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE SAUCE

MAISON MALLARD-GAULIN, CHABLIS, FRANCE 2003

GRILLED CALAMARI ON ISREALI COUS-COUS SALAD TOSSED WITH CANDIED ORANGE ZEST, SHREDDED OLIVES AND CHORIZO SAUSAGE ON A LEMON AND CAPER EMULSION SAUCE

TE MATA ESTATE, “WOODTHORPE”, SAUVIGNON BLANC, HAWKES BAY, NEW ZEALAND 2004

~

BARBEQUE CEVICHE OF GULF SHRIMP ON STEW OF TOMATO, PEANUT AND BRAISED OXTAIL

PIO CESARE, BARBERA D’ ALBA, ITALY 2002

BRAISED VEAL CHEEKS WITH ROAST TESTINA ON FIG VICCHY, CORN BREAD CROUTONS AND WARM FRISSÉE SALAD

WHALE HAVEN, PINOT NOIR, EGLIN, SOUTH AFRICA 1999

SESAME CRUSTED PROVIMI VEAL SWEETBREADS ON A FRESH AND DRIED DATE RAGOUT

MORGAN, “TWELVE CLONES”, PINOT NOIR, SANTA LUCIA HIGHLANDS, CALIFORNIA U.S.A. 2003

SHAVED CURED FOIE GRAS TORCHON WRAPPED IN LIGHTLY SEARED BLUE FIN TUNA WITH TRUFFLE AIOLI

IRON HORSE VINEYARDS, CHARDONNAY, GREEN VALLEY, SONOMA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A. 2000

MALIVOIRE, SINGLE BLOCK GAMAY, NIAGARA PENINSULA, CANADA 2002

~

CHARCUTERIE SAMPLER

GUINEA HEN BOUDIN BLANC & BALLONTINE WITH PLUM COMPOTE

GAME TERRINE WITH FIG JAM

GOAT POT PIE WITH ALMONDS AND OLIVES

ROMA TOMATO STUFFED WITH BRAISED GOAT, APPLE REDUCTION AND CANDIED GRAPES

FOIE GRAS TRIO INCLUDING MOUSSE WITH RYE CRISP, SEARED WITH ONION CARAMEL AND MADERIA GLAZE, TORCHON WITH STRAWBERRY JAM

ZAHEL, NUSSBERG, GRAND RESERVE, VIENNA, AUSTRIA 2004

CHARLES JOGUET, “LES VARENNES DU GRAND CLOS”, CHINON, LOIRE VALLEY, FRANCE 2002

~

PASSION FRUIT GELÉE WITH RASPBERRY SAUCE AND TOASTED MACADAMIA NUTS

COINTREAU MARINATED STRAWBERRY ON SWEET CRÈME FRAICHE WITH BLACK PEPPER

GINGER BEER “FLOAT” WITH LIME SORBET

WHITE WATERMELON ON BALSAMIC REDUCTION WITH CRUSHED PUMPKIN SEEDS

~

ROAST STRIP LOIN OF WILD BOAR ON LOOSE RISOTTO WITH SWEET PEAS, PROSCUITTO AND TOMATO GOAT’S CHEESE SALAD

MOUNT LANGI GHIRAN, SHIRAZ, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA 2000

ROAST BREAST OF SQUAB WITH GRATINÉED BUNDLES OF WHITE ASPARAGUS THAT HAVE BEEN WRAPPED WITH SYRRANO HAM AND TOPPED WITH BÉCHAMEL SAUCE AND SERVED WITH SESAME CRUSTED WILD MUSHROOMS

ARANZO, MONASTRELL RESERVA, JUMILLA, SPAIN 1996

ROAST LOIN OF ONTARIO GOAT WITH CUCUMBER AND BANANA PEPPER SALAD, MINTED YOGURT SAUCE AND BURNT HONEY GLAZE

J.L. CHAVE, “OFFERUS”, SAINT-JOSEPH, FRANCE 2001

ROAST LOIN OF VENISON ON BOULANGÈRE STYLE POTATO WITH FRIED BONE MARROW, ARTICHOKE CRAB APPLE SALAD AND BORDELAISE SAUCE

ROBERT BIALE VINEYARDS, ZINFANDEL, NAPA VALLEY, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A. 2002

~

CHEESE SAMPLER

LANGRES WASHED RIND COW’S MILK CHEESE FROM FRANCE WITH ARUGULA PURÉE, FRIED CHICK PEA AND FENNEL SALAD

VERDI DI FABROSA GOAT’S MILK BLUE CHEESE FROM ITALY WITH PENKO CRUSTED POACHED QUAIL EGG, MARINATED ZUCHINNI SALAD AND YUCCATEECAN SAUCE

BOUQ’ EMMISAIRE GOAT’S MILK CHEESE FROM FRANCE ON TESTINA WITH CORN SOUP AND MINT PESTO

IDIAZABEL SHEEP’S MILK CHEESE FROM SPAIN WITH MERINGUE COOKIE, CASSIS SORBET, PORT SOAKED RAISIN AND DICED PEAR

DOMAINE DU TRAGINIER, BANYULS BLANC, FRANCE, 2001

~

WHITE CHOCOLATE AND COCONUT MILK FLAN IN STRAWBERRY VANILLA SOUP WITH COCOA COATED MINI FUNNEL CAKE

THINLY SLICED HONEYDEW MELON WRAPPING APPLE GELÉE IN WATERMELON

SOUP WITH CANDIED PISTACHIO

OLIVE OIL SORBET WITH TOMATO SYRUP AND CANDIED MINT

NECTARINE BAVAROISE ON TERRAGON EMULSION WITH BITTER CHOCOLATE AND GRAPEFRUIT

~

PECAN COOKIE LAYERED WITH ROAST APRICOT AND FRESH RASPBERRY TOPPED WITH VANILLA CREAM CHEESE ICE CREAM RESTING ON APRICOT GLAZE AND RASPBERRY FOAM

CHATEAU MEGYER, 3 PUTTONYOS TOKAJI AZSU, HUNGARY 2000

CHOCOLATE SOFT CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE SORBET, COCOA NIB TUILLE, BLUEBERRY SPUMA AND MIXED BERRY REDUCTION

CAMPBELLS, RUTHERGLEN, MUSCAT, AUSTRALIA, N.V.

PEAR ASSIETTE WITH PEAR DONUT ON ANISE CHANTILLY CREAM AND BITTER CHOCOLATE SAUCE, CARAMALIZED PEAR ATOMS ON COCONUT LIME SAUCE, PEAR MOUSSE WITH SESHWAN PEPPER ON APPLE SOUP

SANTA BARBARA, LATE HARVEST SAUVIGNON BLANC, SANTA YNEZ VALLEY, U. S.A., 2001

LEMON CHIBOUST ON GUINESS POUND CAKE WITH MINTED CITRUS SALAD, PINEAPPLE ANGLAISE AND MINT JELLY CUBES

CHATEAU DES CHARMES, LATE HARVEST RIESLING, NIAGARA PENNINSULA, CANADA, 1999

[KevV]

Whoa - all that is almost too much for my modest brain to take in!

[GordonCooks]

Whoa - all that is almost too much for my modest brain to take in! 

←

I should add that there were 4 of us

[KevV]

I should add that there were 4 of us

I was going to joke that all that grub above was a bit too much for you alone. But in your 1st post you did mention 'dinner campanions' - and these, presumably, were people and not your many empty plates!

[Jake]

Gordon, I'm exhausted from turning a couple bushels of tomatos into sauce in my home kitchen today, don't even want to think of food. Then I read your post.....God I'm hungry!! Sounds wonderful, glad you enjoyed yourselves. From the sounds of it the staffing issue wasn't a problem for you.

Favourite dish(es) of the evening?

[GordonCooks]

Gordon, I'm exhausted from turning a couple bushels of tomatos into sauce in  my home kitchen today, don't even want to think of food.  Then I read your post.....God I'm hungry!!  Sounds wonderful, glad you enjoyed yourselves.  From the sounds of it the staffing issue wasn't a problem for you. 

Favourite dish(es) of the evening?

←

Favorites? It's difficult to say, it's probably because of the intricate preparations and ingredients that I concentrate on each specific dish. I always enjoy the food and wine as a whole experience - you have a really great sauce, then a great fish dish comes along, then a great meat dish comes along, etc, etc.

[battleofthebulge]

Well, I too was in Perigee Saturday 24th! Visiting with the out-laws who live in Etobicoke. We had some of the same dishes, but a goodly selection of different ones - a quite incredible tour-de-force. Some stand-outs were the squab (incredibly flavourful and juicy, well matched to the asparagus) and the shrimp ceviche on an oxtail and peanut 'stew'. The Whalehaven Pinot was superb - a nose that went on for hours and incredible depth of fruit.

However, just a few niggles. Dad said the peirogi were nasty. The sweet wine which accompanied my cheese course was just all wrong. (I'm not sure I agree with serving a dessert wine with cheese - where did this trend come from? Mutter mutter.) And the busser KEPT opening more and more bottles of water, when we didn't really need it and certainly didn't ask for them. Is this the trend in Toronto? I know that, in a meal as expensive as this, 20 bucks on water is a drop in the ocean, but I found it aggressive and something which quite spoiled the evening for me.

To be honest, we preferred our evening in Crush the following Saturday. Of course the cooking was nowhere near as spectacular, but it was also a much more enjoyable atmosphere. We felt like we'd been out for a good meal, with friendly staff who want you to have fun, rather than Perigee's succession of culinary fireworks served with much skill but also perhaps a little aggressively. Or maybe that's just me getting too much into the laid-back Canadian way of thinking!

Sarah

[GordonCooks]

Well, I too was in Perigee Saturday 24th! Visiting with the out-laws who live in Etobicoke. We had some of the same dishes, but a goodly selection of different ones - a quite incredible tour-de-force. Some stand-outs were the squab (incredibly flavourful and juicy, well matched to the asparagus) and the shrimp ceviche on an oxtail and peanut 'stew'. The Whalehaven Pinot was superb - a nose that went on for hours and incredible depth of fruit.

However, just a few niggles. Dad said the peirogi were nasty. The sweet wine which accompanied my cheese course was just all wrong. (I'm not sure I agree with serving a dessert wine with cheese - where did this trend come from? Mutter mutter.) And the busser KEPT opening more and more bottles of water, when we didn't really need it and certainly didn't ask for them. Is this the trend in Toronto? I know that, in a meal as expensive as this, 20 bucks on water is a drop in the ocean, but I found it aggressive and something which quite spoiled the evening for me.

To be honest, we preferred our evening in Crush the following Saturday. Of course the cooking was nowhere near as spectacular, but it was also a much more enjoyable atmosphere. We felt like we'd been out for a good meal, with friendly staff who want you to have fun, rather than Perigee's succession of culinary fireworks served with much skill but also perhaps a little aggressively. Or maybe that's just me getting too much into the laid-back Canadian way of thinking!

Sarah

←

Sounds like you did enjoy the meal as a whole - Did you have a similiar cheese selection? Dessert wines are best enjoyed with strong cheeses and the milder cheeses went well with the accoutrements I thought.

[battleofthebulge]

Sounds like you did enjoy the meal as a whole - Did you have a similiar cheese selection? Dessert wines are best enjoyed with strong cheeses and the milder cheeses went well with the accoutrements I thought.

←

Hiya,

Yes the four you had looks familiar - I remember someone having the goats cheese with quails egg. I'm pretty certain mine was the goat with corn pesto - quite bland (in a good way) and completely overwhelmed by the wine. But I still much prefer red wine with cheese - call me old fashioned! Dessert wine for me is best enjoyed with dessert - or foie gras.

Which reminds me - in the intro, when our tastes and preferences were discussed, our patron asked if we minded having foie gras, sweetmeats etc. I said 'oo yes I love foie gras', and also admitted I didn't mind sweetbreads. So in the offal course the other three got variants on foie gras and I got the sweetbreads! Strangely enough, no one would swap their fg for my glands!

Sarah

[GordonCooks]

Sounds like you did enjoy the meal as a whole - Did you have a similiar cheese selection? Dessert wines are best enjoyed with strong cheeses and the milder cheeses went well with the accoutrements I thought.

←

Hiya,

Yes the four you had looks familiar - I remember someone having the goats cheese with quails egg. I'm pretty certain mine was the goat with corn pesto - quite bland (in a good way) and completely overwhelmed by the wine. But I still much prefer red wine with cheese - call me old fashioned! Dessert wine for me is best enjoyed with dessert - or foie gras.

Which reminds me - in the intro, when our tastes and preferences were discussed, our patron asked if we minded having foie gras, sweetmeats etc. I said 'oo yes I love foie gras', and also admitted I didn't mind sweetbreads. So in the offal course the other three got variants on foie gras and I got the sweetbreads! Strangely enough, no one would swap their fg for my glands!

Sarah

←

No sharing of the Foie Gras Those devils!

[Tom Gandey]

BUTTER POACHED LOBSTER AND SMOKED POTATO SALAD ON ROAST GARLIC SAUCE

Had this and although it sounded great in theory... mine had very little lobster taste.

ROAST FILLET OF CAROLINA BLACK BASS ON CARROT AND GINGER SOUP WITH ZUCCHINI SALAD, CUMIN VINAIGRETTE, CHIVE CREAM AND SWEET ONION RINGS

Thought that black bass dish showed a great flavor balance.

SUCCOTASH OF GRILLED VEGTABLES WITH POLENTA GNOCCHI, DUCK “HAM” AND BASIL IN A CORN CREAM

TERZETTO, TOCAI FRIULANO, CENTRAL COAST, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A. 2000

They smoked the corn in the version I was served. Far too smoky and killed the dish.

SHAVED CURED FOIE GRAS TORCHON WRAPPED IN LIGHTLY SEARED BLUE FIN TUNA WITH TRUFFLE AIOLI

IRON HORSE VINEYARDS, CHARDONNAY, GREEN VALLEY, SONOMA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A. 2000

Thought the concept of this was good, but wished the tuna was of higher quality and man... that Iron Horse chard really sucked (Mike's only big mis-step).

ROAST BREAST OF SQUAB WITH GRATINÉED BUNDLES OF WHITE ASPARAGUS THAT HAVE BEEN WRAPPED WITH SYRRANO HAM AND TOPPED WITH BÉCHAMEL SAUCE AND SERVED WITH SESAME CRUSTED WILD MUSHROOMS

I loved the squab by itself (perfectly cooked, good quality) but thought the ham was WAY TOO SALTY and the coating on the mushrooms really detracted.

LEMON CHIBOUST ON GUINESS POUND CAKE WITH MINTED CITRUS SALAD, PINEAPPLE ANGLAISE AND MINT JELLY CUBES

CHATEAU DES CHARMES, LATE HARVEST RIESLING, NIAGARA PENNINSULA, CANADA, 1999

My favorite of the desserts served. I'm not a big dessert guy and it was pretty good.

I know it sounds fairly critical, but I was just commenting on the dishes that we both were served and only those that I had strong feelings about.

My assessment of Perigee is a little different than I had envisioned before the meal. I thought I would get a bunch of wows and a bunch of complete failures, instead a received a fairly consistant meal where I found the majority of the dishes were 7-8/10. Only 2 complete failures out of probably 25 and at the same time 2 outstanding dishes to balance the failures Very "Avalon" inspired, but at the same time uniquely Pat.

Next time you are up, let me know so we can doubleteam Pat. I love eating where the chef loves food as much as I do... Pat is one of those chefs and a very rare find.

[GordonCooks]

Glad to hear you enjoyed it.

[ComeUndone]

Just went to Perigee last night for the first time (kind of...I had their dessert tasting before). Over all, I was very impressed by the quality of the food. I have posted a more detail review here.

I would file Perigee along with Hashimoto as my favourite restaurants in Toronto when I want to splurge and enjoy the chef's creativity & skill.

[nsequitur]

Pardon this bumping of an old thread, but any thoughts on Perigee 2006?

Based on this forum, I'm planning a booking this summer when in town. I was particularly interested to see if any members had indulged in the 15-20 course "taste of perigee" menu. It's a whopping $225 pp., but includes wine pairings (I'm told with 10 or so of the courses). The 7-course menu ($115), with pairings ($70) comes in pretty close, so I'd like thoughts on whether the extra splurge is worth it (or whether the 15 courses are basically the same as the 7-course, but with both guests getting the same dishes rather than each getting a separate one with each course).

[GordonCooks]

Pardon this bumping of an old thread, but any thoughts on Perigee 2006?

Based on this forum, I'm planning a booking this summer when in town.  I was particularly interested to see if any members had indulged in the 15-20 course "taste of perigee" menu.  It's a whopping $225 pp., but includes wine pairings (I'm told with 10 or so of the courses).  The 7-course menu ($115), with pairings ($70) comes in pretty close, so I'd like thoughts on whether the extra splurge is worth it (or whether the 15 courses are basically the same as the 7-course, but with both guests getting the same dishes rather than each getting a separate one with each course).

←

I'm chomping at the bit for my next trip - my work schedule and along with my summer construction schedule has not been cooperating at all. The feedback I've been having flaunted in my face is that the food is still exceptional and the wine list is getting a little deeper. Trying to work out details for a July/Aug trip and will report back.