WHEREmail

// January 2009

Dear Subscriber

In this issue, regional Where editors announce their picks for the Best New Restaurants in Canada in 2008. You'll also find a rundown on the hottest events happening across the country, travel deals and the 411 on what you get for booking a first-class airline ticket. Plus, you could win two free tickets to a Calgary Flames game, the Vancouver Book of Everything, and more.

WHAT'S HOT IN JANUARY:

Canadian Rockies

Watch as teams carve massive blocks of ice into glittering crystalline sculptures during the Ice Magic International Ice Sculpture Competition at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, January 23 to 25. If you can't catch the carving, admire the art until it melts away in a few months.

Halifax

Halifax's music scene heats up this month, with the In the Dead of Winter Festival. Running from January 27 to 31 at various venues around the city, the event celebrates the best in acoustic music. The lineup includes bluesman Thom Swift, songstress Amelia Curran and urban-music guru Buck 65.

Ottawa

The hilarious trio, the Trailer Park Boys, hit the road with The Ricky, Julian and Bubbles Community Service Variety Show, in which the boys are forced to complete court-ordered community service requirements by performing an "educational" puppet show. It's on January 20 and 27.

Winnipeg

From January 22 to February 8, Manitoba Theatre Centre's 9th Master Playwright Festival honours notable playwright Arthur Miller. Millerfest features 15 plays at various venues including the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning Death of a Salesman, the controversial play The Crucible, and the nostalgic drama The Price. Various venues. Main box office at Manitoba Theatre Centre, 174 Market Ave, 204-942-6537 for ticket info.

Vancouver

In January, three words occupy the thoughts of Vancouverites: hitting the slopes. Thanks to local mountains Cypress, Grouse and Seymour, you can carve fresh powder — while admiring spectacular ocean views — and be back in the city in time to catch a Canucks game. Meanwhile, Whistler Blackcomb lures ski bums with the new Peak 2 Peak Gondola, which moves 4,100 people per hour on an 11-minute, 4.4-km (2.73-mi) ride.

Whistler

Nearby Brackendale bills itself as the world's eagle capital. From November to February, thousands of bald eagles spend their winter vacations here. For the entire month of January, the Brackendale Winter Eagle Festival & Count celebrates this majestic bird with walking tours, concerts and art shows.

Calgary

The international success Stomp returns to Calgary with new surprises including restructured past favourites and two new full-scale routines. This unique show fuses live music created from trashcans, brooms, plungers and hubcaps with dance and comedy. At the Jubilee Auditorium, January 13 to 17.

Victoria

Get a glimpse of the spring to come with the Butchart Gardens' annual Spring Prelude, a spectacular indoor display featuring an array of plants soon to be found outdoors in the spring garden, along with inspired water features and stunning orchids. The exhibit continues through March 31.

Toronto

Canadian drama darling Seana McKenna stars as the tragic and scorned heroine in Medea playing at the Canon Theatre January 9 to February 8. The Manitoba Theatre Company joins Mirvish Productions to present Euripedes' mythological drama about a wronged princess who seeks to settle the score against her spouse. From January 30 to February 12, brave Toronto's cold to celebrate the WinterCity Festival. The free citywide showcase of culture, creativity and cuisine includes weekend skating parties as well as theatrical and musical performances.

Edmonton

It's a fool's errand to try to categorize the rock of the Sam Roberts Band – it runs the gamut from indie rock to intricate rhythmic tones. Their new album, Love At The End Of The World, debuted at No. 1 on the Canadian Albums Chart. They play with special guests The Stills, January 17 at the Jubilee Auditorium.

Vancouver's celebration of BC food and wine
From January 14 to February 1, enjoy a three-course dinner at over 180 of Vancouver's hottest restaurants for $18, $28 & $38** per person complemented by quality BC VQA wine pairing suggestions.
Restaurant menus and complete event info online at tourismvancouver.com
** Exclusive of alcohol, taxes and gratuity.

The WHERE List:

BEST NEW RESTAURANTS

Where editors from across the country have cast their ballots for the Best New Restaurants to open in Canada in 2008. From creative twists on traditional cuisines to stylish décors and breathtaking scenery, these are the eateries you won't want to miss from coast to coast. Click here for the full press release for Canada's Best New Restaurants on www.where.ca.

Aura, Victoria

With spectacular views of Victoria's Inner Harbour and a menu to match, Aura, one of the city's newest restaurants, is generating a buzz in the Garden City. Floor-to-ceiling windows, contemporary furniture, modern accents and a central bar with a sparkling tile backsplash combine to create a special aura that inspired the restaurant's name. In the warmer months, guests can also take in the busy harbour activity from the waterfront patio. Inside or out, Aura is the ideal spot to enjoy a multi-course meal, celebrated Point Burger or appy, paired with a regional artisan wine or cocktail made with premium spirits and locally grown ingredients.

Boneta, Vancouver

In happenin' Gastown, Boneta, a buzz-worthy room housed in a former bank, is a showcase for serious talent throughout: in the kitchen, on the floor and behind the bar. Chef Jeremie Bastien's classic-contemporary tastes tempt with the likes of Berkshire pork tenderloin with peach purée, and grilled AAA strip loin with smoked tomato chutney. Bartender extraordinaire Mark Brand shakes things up with an El Diablo and a Shochu Sartori, while sommelier Neil Ingram, never lost for a wine match (or words, for that matter), delights in pouring the perfect and often highly esoteric pairing.

Olives Restaurant, Calgary

Olives Restaurant, the latest project from the stylish Hotel Arts Group, features innovative Italian cuisine, urban-chic décor and a display bar so diners can watch the kitchen team prep plates. Diners can sample dishes like potato-herb gnocchi with braised-oxtail ragout and wilted mache or organic-tomato gazpacho with Ahi tuna tartar and roasted fennel, while surrounded by large-scale Bisazza tile murals; lounge with glass of wine or wander over to "Olives to Go"—their gourmet market deli.

Wildflower Grill, Edmonton

With its wood-fired grilling, Wildflower Grill heats up appetites with a "new Canadian cuisine" that marries freshness and flavours with eye-candy culinary presentation. Chef Yoshi Chubachi, with his European training and love of the Canadian West, creates palate pleasers such as coconut-buttered tiger prawns with lobster and scallops, oriental greens in a potato crown, green and red curry sauce, and rack of Alberta lamb with pomegranate glaze, panko crust, Yorkshire pudding, and creamy fontina herb-garlic fondue. The décor, clean and contemporary with dark wood and earthy tones, adds to the crisp precision and class of this cozy grill.

Pizzeria Gusto, Winnipeg

Hotshot chef Scott Bagshaw works both the deluxe wood-fired oven and the well-heeled crowd at Pizzeria Gusto. The open room is minimally decorated, allowing fine elements like granite bar tops, dark woods and leather chairs to speak for themselves. Back-lit photographs of owner Bobby Mottola's ancestors—tough-looking men in suits and fedoras—watch over diners, while scenes from The Godfather play on a flat screen TV. Friends gather at this neighbourhood eatery mainly for the designer pies that flaunt nouveau toppings. The Miki is slathered in fig jam, and topped with globes of gorgonzola and ribbons of proscuitto.

Bliss Restaurant & Bar, Mississauga

Bliss, the new fusion restaurant at the Hilton Toronto Airport hotel, is a welcome oasis for locals and travellers alike. A muted, modern palette of charcoal, mustard and chocolate-brown lend sophistication to both the dining room (with the added bonus of televisions embedded into each banquette) and the lounge—a perfect spot to enjoy WiFi and a cocktail while waiting for a connecting flight. Entrees from the cosmopolitan carte created by chef de cuisine William Huang are eclectically paired with offerings from an international wine list. Try an American chardonnay with warm Singapore noodles wrapped around shrimp, chicken and Chinese sausage, or a full-bodied Australian shiraz to compliment venison loin served atop cranberry-barley pilaf.

Nota Bene, Toronto

A citrus-coloured stripe along the windows is all that alerts you to the welcome arrival, for foodies and arts lovers alike, of Nota Bene. Executive chef David Lee, already celebrated for his Splendido restaurant, firmly sets the culinary boundaries: "No tapas, no bistro, no molecular." Instead, the superlative Canadian cuisine ranges from verdant-hued, beautifully garnished chilled courgette soup to wild Digby sea scallops to a menu section called "David's Private Stock," featuring top-quality steak and beef tenderloin selections. The popularity of the cheese course has not gone unnoticed here—fromage expert Cole Snell offers a carefully curated spread from Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec, as well as Italy and Holland.

North Restaurant and Lounge, Muskoka

Nestled in the heart of Muskoka, North is the offshoot restaurant of Gravenhurst's popular gourmet store, Irvine & Sons Fine Foods. Outwardly reminiscent of a rustic cottage, North's interior simultaneously exudes country warmth and urban chic. Leather chairs rest atop worn pine planks, infusing the space with rich, earthy tones, while local art on the walls provides an authentic Muskoka feel. Award-winning chef Alain Irvine draws on 30 years of culinary experience to craft seasonal menus that blend Canadian and international influences through fresh, often local ingredients.

Navarra, Ottawa

Navarra is an intimate and chic Basque-style restaurant that serves contemporary Spanish cuisine with a twist. The brainchild of prominent local chef René Rodriguez, this resto has already been garnering its fair share of buzz. Local ingredients are combined with Spanish standards to create an experimental and innovative menu—dishes stay true to the culture and cuisine of northern Spain, but make use of some of our region's finest foods: think lamb sirloin with accoutrements like tarragon emulsion, beets, and goat's cheese.

Cut Steakhouse & Urban Grill, Halifax

Since opening in early 2008, Cut has raised the bar for dining in downtown Halifax and drawn praise for offering the finest cuts of beef around. The main floor grill has a contemporary atmosphere, with an open kitchen where diners can watch the chefs in action. The second-floor steakhouse boasts high quality service, private dining areas and richly textured yet whimsical décor. The menu emphasizes world-class cuisine, with USDA Prime beef dry aged on site.

TRAVEL SPECIALS

As a service to readers and our tourism partners, here's a selection of special travel deals. For more information or to book, please contact the providers directly.

Four flights to New York for $640 with Air Canada

Get a New York Weekender Pass from Air Canada and pay only $640 for four flight credits between New York and Toronto, Ottawa or Montreal. Taxes not included, valid for twelve months from date of purchase.

Skip the taxes at the Delta Fredericton

Book a five-night package with United Vacations (including airfare) and save. Promo includes an instant $100 USD discount, extra nights free and no charge for children. Offer expires February 28, valid for travel until March 31.

Save on a Florida getaway with United Vacations

Save between 45 per cent to 60 per cent at Sandals resorts across the Caribbean, including destinations in Montego Bay, St Lucia and Antigua. Limited time offer.

(All prices in Canadian dollars. WHERE accepts no responsibility for the accuracy or availability of these packages. Please contact package supplier directly.)