It’s certainly been a while since I’ve dined at Milestones… try around 10+ years. So it was definitely exciting to see their new seasonal tasting menu developed by Chef Rosso. Thanks to EatingWithKirby, I was able to attend this awesome dinner with fellow bloggers.
To kick off the meal, we had the Crispy Quinoa Shrimp w/ Chimichurri Aioli & Vegetable Slaw. Instead of battering up the shrimp with heavy flour, it’s deep fried with raw quinoa (yay, for whole grains)! It was ultra crunchy and not oily at all. However, the nuttiness of the quinoa slightly overshadowed the shrimp.
Each meal was specially paired with a wine provided by Constellation Brands. The quinoa shrimp was paired with the 2011 See Ya Later Ranch Pinot Gris, which was quite fruity. I’m not one to always drink wine, but I really enjoyed this one.
Next course was the Panko Blue Crab Cakes served with a chipotle aioli, as well as a fennel and arugula salad. I loved the crispy exterior and the soft, warm interior.
It was absolutely packed with crab! There were little chunks of bell pepper that provided pops of spice. I also enjoyed the chipotle aioli that I brushed across my plate with the crab cakes.
Paired with the crab cakes was the 2012 Kim Crawford Chardonnay, which was quite similar to the first wine.
Drawing from inspiration from Asian cookery, the Spicy Thai Basil Stirfry was our next dish. I’m sad to report that it was deeply disappointing. All of the noodles were broken and overcooked. Void of flavour, even spiciness was nowhere to be found.
This dish was paired with the 2011 NK’MIP Cellars Riesling, which was slightly more dry that the first two whites. Still, it had a clean citrus finish.
Marinated for 24 hours in rice wine, fish sauce and soy, the Grilled Japanese Tuna Tataki was one of my favourites. The vibrant red centre of the fish beautifully contrasted the outside sear. The fish went well with the mandarin dressing that lent some sweetness. Next to it was a asparagus fennel slaw.
Switching from the whites to the reds, the tuna was paired with a 2011 Mark West Pinot Noir. I usually hate drinking reds because of its dryness, but this one was quite nice.
Unlike the tuna tataki with its light and clean flavours, the Grilled Flat Iron Steak and Lobster Fricassee delivered bold and rich taste. At first, the lack of pinkness made the steak look overcooked, but that couldn’t be more false. It was perfectly cooked, tender and moist.
The lobster fricassee was incorporated into the mashed potatoes, and it was an absolute winner. So rich and delicious!
My only dislike about the dish was the deep fried onion ring. What was that doing there? It was oily, soft and slightly downplayed the awesomeness of this dish overall.
Meat pairs naturally with red wine. Hence, the steak was paired with the 2011 Dreaming Tree Crush, which had decent acidity and subtle sweet notes.
For dessert, we had an Avocado & Lime Tart w/ Brown Sugar Chantilly. It was an interesting mingle of flavours – avocado’s richness blending with lime’s acidity – but I wouldn’t order this again. I usually prefer sweet desserts :)
Our last wine pairing was the 2011 Inniskillin Okanagan Riseling Icewine. Much like other ice wines, this one was concentrated with sweetness.
It’s great to see Milestones revitalizing its dining experience by offering seasonal chef tasting menus. Granted, some of the dishes were off-point, but there were some shining stars. That steak was awesome!
* Disclosure: my meal was complimentary, but all views expressed are my own.
