Elora Mill Hotel & Spa – Extraordinary

David is our attentive server and he is top-notch. He greets us and also offers us sparkling or mineral water. David knows the menu inside out.

I inquire about drinks and wine and he recommends Tobias the bartender/sommelier.

The table is clean and neatly laid out. The chairs are immaculate with no bread crumbs.

Debbie orders the Frog  Splash and I go with the Ali Rosso.

I lavish the bread with the butter infused with honey and the right amount of Maldon salt and a sip of Rosso and I am ready.

I told David I am going to eat whatever he recommends. David recommends the rib eye medium rare. Debbie loves steak. I see the look in her eyes and she wants steak.

The steak comes with salad, vegetables, and potatoes.

The salad is green beans with red and white strawberries sprinkled with vinaigrette. At first, I thought the green beans were cooked or blanched. I have never seen a combo like this and it is outstanding.

For the vegetables, Debbie and I have an argument. I tell her the squash is outstanding. She tells me it is carrots. I am like no way. David informs me they are Thumbelina carrots. The gourmet mini carrot is drizzled with hazelnut sauce. Bellissimo.

Potatoes are grated and then deep fried and presented in Jenga style.

There is a reason why I am mentioning the steak the last.

I have eaten steak in Vegas, Dorchester, George V, Dubai, Montreal, and all the steak houses on Bay Street with peppercorn sauce, mustard cream, garlic mushroom, chimichurri, and Bearnaise, Cafe de Paris, and Salsa.

Elora Mill Hotel & Spa serves the steak with demiglace and capers. Capers?? Mon Dieu. Capers are salty and go with smoked salmon, anchovies, pasta, eggplant, and citrus. I have my doubts if this is the right combo with the steak.

The steak is the best I have ever eaten. It melts in your mouth. It is smoky and yet has all the grill flavors. I was a little hesitant to add the sauce. An old dog like me can be taught to be open to new taste buds. I tell Debbie next time we are grilling steak, I am serving it with capers.

The meal was flawless.

David brings the dessert menu and the ginger ice cream hits my eye. Debbie and I agree we have to try the dessert. Tobias recommends the Gran Marnier for her and the 16 yr Lagavulin for me as a digestif.

The pistachio cake with ginger ice cream is a perfect pairing made in heaven. I am washing it down with the Lagavulin and the beautiful view. It does not get any better than this.

David brings some macaroons for Debbie’s birthday.

At Elora Mill Hotel & Spa, customer service is a top priority and you can feel, sense, and see it in the care for the property, food served, cleanliness, and interactions with staff.

I have a nice chat with Michael Anderson the seasoned restaurant director. Most of the food is grown in-house at their own farms. The rest is sourced locally and they have a farm-to-table and everything made from scratch mentality.

This is the best dining experience I have experienced in Canada.

I strongly recommend that you make the drive to the Elora Mill Hotel & Spa and experience this unique dining experience. Make sure you read my tips on how to enjoy it.