Located on the bucolic grounds of the Grand Pré winery, Le Caveau was the natural choice for mine…read moreand my wife's tenth (!) anniversary while staying at the winery's gorgeous inn.
We've been once before, dining on the patio with friends last summer, but our host suggested dining inside to avoid a buggy spring evening. The quaint interior has the feel of an old world, European restaurant thanks to the stucco-slatgered walls, wood paneling and arches windows which looked out to the stone-paved courtyard.
I was drawn to the tasting menu, which at four courses gives you a good chunk of the menu to enjoy, but it isn't a three to four hour commitment like larger tasting menus. At $80 and $35 extra for the estate wine pairing, it felt like a good value too!
Up first were the lobster croquettes. The crisp exteriors of the croquettes contrasted sharply against the soft, lightly lobster-y goodness within. A marinated lobster and tomato salad brought some refreshing acidity to the dish as well, and the marinated lobster meat had to have been some of the most tender lobster that I've ever had.
Next for me was the fazzoletti. This cut of pasta, named for its form which is similar to a handkerchief, was topped with a tomato and mint "tartare", confit garlic and a whipped cod sauce. The house-made pasta had a great, toothsome texture, although the flavours of its accoutrements were a little flat. The mint didn't really figure, and I'm not sure what a tomato tartare is supposed to be other than some diced tomato? Look, I'm all for fine dining, but sometimes the effort that's put in to punch-up the verbiage on the menu can be eye roll inducing. The whipped cod was creamy and rich, but again, the cod was not prominent at all.
While I was gorging, my wife did have her own appetizer, the pan roasted asparagus. The verdant spears of asparagus had a little touch of char from the pan, and they paired well with a creamy burrata, and sweet and tangy relish of cherry tomatoes and lemon. The bright flavours and creamy burrata were a great way to highlight some of early pieces of the harvest.
For my main, it was a confit lamb leg adobo. The thick slices of lamb were some of the most tender, succulent lamb I've ever had. I'm a big, big fan of Filipino food, but no flavours of vinegar, soy or garlic really made themselves known here. A smooth potato puree doubled down on the richness, while a mix of crisp kale and pea shoots brought some textural contrast and balanced out the palate.
My wife had the gnocchi Parisienne for her main course, which had the pillowy bundles of carbs in a luscious sauce of Grand Pre's L'Acadie Blanc, cream and scallion butter, with an almond crumble for a little crispness.
For the last of my four courses, chocolate marquise filled the dessert slot. The decadent slice of chocolate was similar to fudge, but not *quite* that dense, although it was certainly just as rich and indulgent. A pool of crème anglaise added to said indulgence, while ginger cookies brought some crunch and the bite of ginger to cut through it all.
The dish with the most "wow" factor was definitely my wife's zeppole. These deep-fried balls of dough were wonderfully crisp on the outside, with moist and pleasantly doughy interiors. Dusted with sugar and nutmeg, they put Timbits to absolute shame. Sorry, not sorry, Canada. It didn't stop there though, as they came with almond ice cream, whipped cream, and a sour cherry compote that had that delicious mix of sweet and tart. I was lucky that it was a generous portion, because I was able to do my husbandly duties and finish off the dish.
Service was warm and attentive, and the atmosphere is such a unique little getaway. I hold them to a high bar due to reputation, expectation and to be honest, pricing, and while perfection may not have been met, it was still a delicious meal and great experience. There's a reason Le Caveau has been around for so long, and will continue to be for years to come.
