Okay, really stupid name for a restaurant, granted. This place, G informs me, shut down in 2001, a victim of 9/11.  Our waitress (also a marathoner), Lois, informs us it reopened about 6 months ago. Good news for us I believe. Though the room is small, and frankly, uninspiring (save the very good works of art hung about the room), the food is excellent.

• an amuse bouche of a rabbit dumpling which was great except the dumpling wrapper was a little too dry;
  


• Warm Goat Cheese Salad with roasted Pear and caramelized onions;


• Chef Peter’s excellent asparagus soup;


• Novizio Olive oil poached Wild Alaskan Salmon, Wild Rice and Corn Cake with Tangerine Beurre Blanc (Blee had this); our waitress informs us the restaurant prepares salmon medium-rare yet it arrives medium-well;
  


• Lamb Shank Cassoulet, White bean ragout with Merguez, Smoked bacon and Duck Confit (G had this); the cassoulet was excellent! and what was with that mysterious wiener in the cassoulet???;
  


• Butternut Squash Risotto with Stilton Nuggets and Crisp Leek and Caramelized Onions (I had this); and,
  


• Lindt Chocolate Cone with Opaline Tuile and Pistachio Anglaise.

1) lamb shank; 2) salmon; 3) chocolate pyramid

… and a bottle of excellent, Mission Hill Five Vineyards Merlot (BC 2003). A note on this, unattainable in Ontario (ruddy LCBO!). In BC liquor stores this fabulous sipper costs $14.99; last night we paid $52.00. Oy!

Nods to my parents who travelled from London to join us for dinner but had to leave early wah wah wah …. granted, we did get to have the Ikea $1 breakfast together hehe .. now that’s going from the silly to the sublime in one day for sure.

Also last night, we had run-ins with a couple of famous folks. The King Eddy was hosting the pre-party for the 3rd Annual Canadian SongWriters Hall of Fame Awards (which are actually on tonight) and we had close encounters with the legendary Gordon Lightfoot and the not-so-legendary Kalen Porter. Kalen was being ascosted by a gaggle of Chinese ladies by the coat check. G happened upon this and found himself recruited to the role of family photographer (with cell phone?!). And wasn’t that ET Canada’s Rick Campanelli trapped in their little press booth?