Winterlicious at Weslodge

Yesterday was the first day of Winterlicious 2015 in Toronto so I gathered my favourite food blogging and Gastroposter girls together to go for lunch at Westlodge Saloon on King Street West.  It's a really beautiful space.

Winterlicious runs from January 30 to February 12th at over 200 restaurants in the city.

Most of the time we see each other at media tastings where we don't get to choose our food and are usually more focused on getting decent photos in a limited amount of time.  This time we just went for our own pleasure and I chose the restaurant.  It was actually my second choice because I wanted to go to America at the Trump Tower but they were booked up.  But I am really glad that I decided to go to Weslodge instead.   My friend Mary (Mary's Happy Belly) Carole (YumYum Factor) and Jenny (icecreamandknishes) met up on a bright sunny but cold friday afternoon.  As you can see from the photos the space was filled with bright sunshine which always makes a space look spectacular.  Because it was the first day and early on a friday in a normally club district busy weekend area but not as busy on weekdays so it wasn't as packed as it would normally be at night.  Good for us.  We didn't have to yell at each other to talk and had the best service because all of the servers were very relaxed.

 

With smart phones and cameras in hand we were ready to order from the Prix Fixe menu.

I ordered the Scotch Eggs to start.  These tiny little things were the best things I have had in a very long time.  A perfectly runny little quail egg surrounded by sausage in and coated in flavourful breadcrumbs and sitting in a pool of tomato jam.  Drool worthy. I wanted more.

Then I got my entree of Smoked Brisket Sandwich (open faced) with cabbage and a side of fries and a chipotle mayo.  I could smell how good it was going to taste before I took a bite.  The smokey brisket and chipotle mayo with the perfectly crispy and not greasy fries were a delicious pairing.

A couple of my friends ordered the Mushroom Tagliatelle which I sampled a bit of.  With freshly made pasta on a rich creamy tomato sauce.  I don't like mushrooms but I really liked this.

For dessert I chose the Chocolate Brownie with Bourbon whisky nuts and cream.  My friends thought it looked sad but it tasted so good I didn't even care.  Brownies aren't the best things to photograph but I love chocolate.

My friends chose this work of art of a dessert dish of Cheesecake with lime curd and crushed pretzels.  They all loved it.  I didn't try it but it was my second choice for dessert and I would have been happy with it if I had chosen it I am sure.

 I would have to say this is one of the best Winterlicious meals I have had in the past few years.  Normally you get 1 or 2 of the choices that you like or you don't like the food at all and have just taken a chance.  This time it was 3 for 3 for all of us and I can honestly say that we are tough critics because we all cook and some of us go to lot's of restaurants and media tastings.  That says a lot.  We all gave it a thumbs up.  We will be back for those Scotch eggs for sure.

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