What a Feast!

Gloria and I had our annual Anniversary Dinner Celebration yesterday and this year chose the Garden’s Gate Family Restaurant as our place to be. Normally we take the Chi-Cheemaun Dinner Cruise for the event, but the timing wasn’t right this year and we certainly picked a great substitute.

We started with an appetizer of the Country Mushroom and Nut Pate and this is one of the most fantastic things I have ever eaten! It's a creation of owner Rose herself and the menu description is “A combination of mushrooms, onion, garlic, almonds, hazelnuts, cream cheese, thyme are blended together and served with French Stick.” WOW! WOW! WOW! It was all I could do to NOT lick the bowl clean! There has to be one ingredient not listed though as there was a very definite and pleasant bite to the palate and I’m thinking there had to be a touch of jalapeno or some other hot pepper added in also. Not overpowering at all but just a very nice finish to it.

Following a wonderful potato soup as main courses Gloria opted for the Manitoulin Whitefish while I had the Manitoulin beef, both of us with superb mashed potatoes with yams, fresh carrots and string beans.

Sorry, I can’t comment on the desserts other than to say there was a great selection because neither of us had room to try them. I don’t believe I actually passed up a chocolate cheesecake! We’re already planning a return visit but will skip the main course next time and go straight from the appetizer to dessert and coffee.

The Garden’s Gate has been listed in many publications and touted on CBC as being one of THE places to eat in Ontario and I now know why. As many of the ingredients as possible are from Manitoulin itself including a great variety of herbs from their own gardens. Other items such as fresh blueberries may come from as far away as Sudbury but you know if something is available here on the island then that is where it is obtained.

So… all you out there that have recommended this establishment in the past all I can say is… you’re right, and why did it take me so long to try it out. We’ll be going back up that path to their door again, and it won’t wait until our 32nd either!