Gary Danko

Even after hearing so many positive reviews about Gary Danko, it still lived up to my expectations. This fine dining restaurant offers up a very diverse menu where you can order items a la carte or go with a 3, 4 or 5-course tasting option. Since it was our first time, we decided to go all out with the 5-course and the wine pairing. It was ambitious of us, a little too ambitious. By the end of the second course, we were already full. I love that you can completely customize your meal. If you like a certain appetizer, you can get an entree size of that and vice versa. Next time I go back (yes, I'm already planning the next time) I'm opting for the 3-course.

Here were my picks for the evening:

• Risotto with Lobster, Rock Shrimp, Shimeji Mushrooms & Peas
• Roast Maine Lobster with Potato Puree, Pickled Radish, Spring Onions & Sauce Marechal
• Roasted Pork Belly & Tenderloin with Brussels Sprouts, Bacon, Parsnip Puree & Maple-Cider Glaze
• Lemon Pepper Duck Breast with Duck Hash, Celery Root-Garlic Puree and Roasted Grapes
• French Macaroon Ice Cream Sandwiches with Three Sauces

His picks (he's more of an adventurous eater):

• Foie Gras with Carmelized Onions
• Roast Maine Lobster with Potato Puree, Pickled Radish, Spring Onions & Sauce Marechal
• Quail Stuffed with Foie Gras, Mushrooms & Quinoa, Braised Artichokes, Peas, Prosciutto & Olive Butter
• Juniper Crusted Venison with King Trumpet Mushrooms, Glazed Cipollini Onions & Herb Spaetzle
• The famous Cheese cart (sadly, he was so full he didn't make it to this one - he loves cheese too)

My favorite was the lobster. It was the most tender lobster I have ever had in my life. How they get it so tender? I have no clue, but it was so delicious and I'm glad we each had our own because that's something I definitely didn't want to share. I had no idea they were going to bring me dessert for my birthday. Had I known, I wouldn't have ordered that for my 5th course because they even gave us a plate of bite-sized desserts on the house. At one point we had 3 dessert plates on our table haha. The photos don't do the food justice, but I am usually a bit shy about busting out my camera at nice establishments like this one. Anyway, try this place out and you won't be disappointed.