124 on Queen

Last weekend we had the pleasure of being treated to a wonderful stay in Niagra-on-the-Lake. I was so excited to check out 124 on Queen Hotel and Spa. I had seen this hotel online, it looked lovely and seeing it in person; it did not disappoint!

Here’s a recap of our luxurious weekend in NOTL.

The Hotel

124 on Queen is a 72-room hotel offering a variety of luxurious guest room options ranging from deluxe rooms to fully-appointed two bedroom villas. The room I stayed in was modern, spacious and felt more like an apartment than a room. The hotel spans over 6 adjacent buildings which is important to note if you’re staying in a different part of the hotel.

My room was on the first floor of the main hotel building and had  an updated bathroom (with two sinks) featuring L’Occitane  amenities, totally luxurious. The bed had ample room and was so comfy! I’m a morning person and I’m usually up very early but I did sleep in at this hotel! The room also featured a sitting area, huge tv and gas fireplace. Another feature we enjoyed was the min-bar area which had a sink and nespresso machine. This made our mornings that much more enjoyable.

The Spa

In addition to its guest rooms 124 on Queen also features a 12000 square foot spa. The Spa at Q is Niagara’s newest destination spa. We tried out the hydro therapy circuit which included hot and warm pools, pools, a dry sauna, eucalyptus steam room and sensory showers. The most unique feature in the circuit is the snow room! This was the first time I had ever heard of such a concept and I was so excited to check it out. It actually snows on you in this room!

The Spa also offers many different beauty and wellness treatments such as massages, facials and mani/pedis. There is a great lounge for relaxing and a therapeutic salt room. If you haven’t visited the Spa at Q yet add it to your list!

The Food

124 on Queen features three options for dining, the Q lounge, Treadwell Cuisine and Gate House Pizza which opens this summer. We had the opportunity to check them out. If you’re looking for sophisticated cocktails, bites and food in a relaxed atmosphere then Q lounge is the place for you.

We tried out two of their cocktails, I opted for The Royal Treatment and Sashien tried out the Rolex. I am loving the names of these cocktails. We also enjoyed some light bites and got a chance to take in a hockey game on the tv.

The following evening we were treated to an amazing culinary experience at Treadwell Cuisine, a notable farm-to-table restaurant. We had a 4 course tasting menu and got to see the chefs in action. If you do visit Treadwell I’d recommend sitting by the bar so you can interact with the chefs and watch your food being plated. The restaurant has won many awards and was named one of the world’s best restaurants for wine by Wine Spectator Magazine. Treadwell has  one of the largest collections of Ontario wines in the world and boasts a large wine cellar in the basement. We really enjoyed our dinner there, a special thank you to Chef Gavin for making our experience one to remember.

The Verdict

If you haven’t been to NOTL or just haven’t visited in a while then I highly recommend staying at 124 on Queen. Not only are the staff so welcoming, the service is impeccable and the food is divine! The hotel is also very centrally located and close by to shops, parks and walking trails. One thing I forgot to mention is the Starbucks that’s in the hotel. Located close to the lobby, you don’t t even have to go outside to grab a coffee. When you’re in there be sure to check out the signature mugs featuring the hotel.

You’re probably thinking there’s something else that Niagara-on-the-Lake is famous for, and you’re right! Wine! We asked the concierge about nearby wineries and he was able to provide us with a great list to check out. We had some time on Sunday before dinner so we stopped by a few of our favourites during the day. You can also ask the hotel for their recommendations or even assistance with booking a wine tour.

A huge thank you to the staff at 124 on Queen for making our stay luxurious and relaxing! We will definitely be back!

All In Good Taste: Buyers+Cellars Tasting Room

Have you been to the newest wine spot in town? I’m talking about Buyers+Cellars tasting room in Ottawa. If you’re looking for a luxurious wine tasting experience without the pretentious attitude that usually accompanies such places, then this is the spot for you!

Founded in 2018, Buyers+Cellars is Ontario’s newest boutique wine company. Their business IS wine,  from curation, sales, tasting and education. Buyers + Cellars opened their Tasting Room in August and it’s just what Ottawa needed. The Tasting Room located at 327 Somerset St. West offers a curated 90 minute tasting experience to explore the uncorked potential of the wine world. The Tasting Room is also a local bottle shop for customers to come and purchase a few bottles to take home. Sash and I had the pleasure of being invited to experience a curated wine tasting experience and we absolutely loved it.

The Ambiance

As you walk in to the Tasting Room the first thing you notice is the decor. The entire space is newly renovated and gives off some major big city vibes. We felt like we were in New York City thanks to the lighting and decor. The space was designed by West of Main Design who did a phenomenal job with every aspect of the decor. The showstopper in the Tasting Room has got to be their wine wall. It’s absolutely exquisite and a great showpiece for their extensive collection of bottles from around the world. Another interesting feature is the Enomatic machine which staff use to serve you a perfectly measured sample of wine. The machine sits at the back of the bar and is just as much a design element as it is a piece of equipment. They also have all the Covid-19 safety protocols in place with hand sanitizer on hand and social distancing measures in place.

Now that we’ve talked about how fabulous the space looks, let’s get in to the wines! Our tasting experience was  guided by expert Sommelier and Tasting Room manager Curtis who was there to provide us with all the details about what we were drinking. We started off with white wines and then progressed to the heavier red wines in a beautifully curated journey.

The Whites

Our first white wine was Rosehall Run Ceremony Blanc de Blanc Brut NV(Non Vintage). This estate grown Chardonnay is a delicate and toasty sparkling wine from Prince Edward County, Ontario. It has a distinctive minerally finish which bares a dry yet fruity undertone of citrus.  This wine is perfect for a celebration.

We then moved away from Ontario and on to Europe with RAR Vin Singulars Bianco, Garnacha Blanc from the sought after Priorat region in Spain. This wine was full bodied with hints of apricot and floral notes.

Next we moved over to Germany with Weingut Huls Alte Reben Riesling Feinherb from Mosel. The grapes used for this wine are planted on steep slopes on the Mosel River which is rich in mineral clay soil. I love Riesling and this wine didn’t disappoint with intense aromatics of grapefruit, passion fruit and yellow plum.

After this we switched continents again and were off to Argentina with Alandes Paradoux White NV (Sauvingon Blanc and Semillon), a rare Non Vintage still wine from the Uco Valley in Mendoza, Argentina. This wine was by winemaker Karim Mussi who immigrated from Lebanon to make bordeaux style wines in Argentina. This was the last of our white wines.

I should also mention that we also got to see photos of the vineyards for each wine, which were projected on two tv screens behind the bar. It really felt like we were right there in each vineyard.

The Reds

We started off our red wine journey with Salcheto Rosso 2019 (Sangiovese) from  Tuscany, Italy. This wine is an Italian table wine so it’s a perfect everyday wine. It was light with a refreshing acidity which makes it a versatile wine to pair with food or drink by itself.  Curtis informed us that Salcheto  values biodiversity and has a zero carbon foot print, being off the grid in Tuscany.

We stayed in Salcheto for our next wine Salcheto Nobile 2016 (Sangiovese). This is the exact same wine as the Rosso but it was aged in oak for two years. Our Sommelier wanted us to see the differences between the wines and the flavours that resulted from the aging process. This wine had more tannins and a much bolder flavour. Between the two I preferred the Nobile and so did Sash.

Next we moved on to the Middle East with Jordan Classic Barbera 2018. This was truly a treat since this is the first time we have wines from Jordan in Canada. Prior to this I wasn’t aware that Jordan was a winemaking country. The winery Marfaq Plateau is located next to a volcano and we even got to hold one of the volcanic rocks from the region. This wine had a fruity flavour and I really enjoyed it as did Sash.

We came closer to home with the next wine Barnard Griffin Syrah from Washington State. This was a really enjoyable wine with flavours of dark cherry (I love wines with flavours of red fruit). The wine also had some bite to it with some acidity and spice.

The grand finale of our wine tasting experience was another Karim Mussi creation from Argentina, the Alandes Malbec. This was introduced to us as a big finish wine and is an example of an extreme elevation wine with grapes frown over 1000 meters above sea level. This was a big bold wine with a lot of character and we really enjoyed it. If you’re looking to impress someone special then this is the one I’d recommend 😉

The Food

Just to be clear we did have lots of food with all the wine 🙂 We were treated to a beautifully created charcuterie board by the resident chef at the Tasting Room. Our board had a great selection of locally sourced meats and cheeses finished off with some edible flowers. We also have a lovely selection of spreads and jellies to go along with our board and the bread.

The Verdict

Well what can I say if you haven’t been to The Tasting room yet then you’re surely missing out on a truly unique wine tasting experience. This is a hidden gem in Ottawa and I highly recommend trying it out. You can book a curated tasting through their website or Instagram page. We loved the decor, the design and the entire experience; this was something we will always remember. The Tasting Room is a great spot for a Fall date or a get together with a few close friends. I would highly recommend adding it to your list of place to visit in Ottawa. Keep in mind you can always stop by the Tasting Room to purchase wine as well. If you’re looking for a unique selection of wines from around the world that you won’t typically find at the LCBO then this is the spot for you.

Thank you to Buyers+Cellars and Curtis for this amazing wine tasting experience.

 

 

 

Italian Inspired Cuisine at Kara Mia

I love Italian cuisine so when I was thrilled to check out Kara Mia Restaurant which opened its Ottawa location earlier this year. This restaurant is definitely a hidden treasure located in Ottawa’s east end.

First Impressions

I was surprised I hadn’t noticed this place before. As you walk in the ambiance is amazing. Sashien and I were so pleased with the decor and set up of the restaurant. I actually forgot I was even in Ottawa, Kara Mia definitely gave me major Toronto vibes; which is not surprising since they also have a location in Markham. You could even feel like you’re in New York City when you step in to Kara Mia. The lighting, photos on the wall and set up definitely give the place an upscale big city feel.

The staff were also so warm and welcoming and in full compliance of City guidelines concerning COVID-19 protocols.

The Drinks

Kara Mia is open for lunch and dinner and has a large selection of dishes on their menu. We started off with some cocktails, keep in mind this is a Halal restaurant so none of the cocktails actually contain alcohol.  They were delicious none the less and I really didn’t miss having a glass of wine with my dinner. Sashien and I both tried the Kara Mia Cocktail which contained mango juice, guava juice and Sprite. I’d definitely try making this at home! Kara Mia also offers a Pina Colada, Strawberry Daiquiri and Peach Bellini as part of their non-alcoholic cocktail offering. You can also choose from some exotic juices on their beverages menu.

The Food

Saffron Poutine

Breaded Shrimp

We started off with some appetizers and our server Ayaan recommended we try the Saffron Poutine which consists of fries covered in Kara Mia’s signature Saffron sauce and baked with mozzarella. It was a great twist on a regular poutine. We also tried the Breaded Shrimp which was amazing!

Penne Picante Rosé

Penne Salciccia

For our mains we had to go with pasta because Kara Mia is after all an Italian inspired restaurant. My favourite pasta is Penne so I went with the Penne Picante Rosé. This dish contains diced chicken breast, onions, bell peppers and penne pasta in a spicy rosé sauce. The flavours in this dish were delicious and I loved rosé sauce. Sashien ordered the Penne Salciccia which consists of spicy Italian sausage sautéed with bell peppers, onions, cayenne peppers, finished in a spicy rosé sauce. The flavours in this dish were also amazing and the sausage was well seasoned and cured. We really enjoyed our pasta.

In addition to Pasta, Kara Mia also offers a selection of Burgers, Chicken and Steak dishes. There’s also a Kids Menu which adds to the family friendly feel of this restaurant.

The pasta dishes were so filling and the portions were generous so we ended up taking some home as well. We were so full we didn’t try dessert but I’m sure it would have been delicious.

The Verdict

Kara Mia is a family restaurant with an upscale feel, serving  flavourful food and offering great value for money. The ambiance is amazing and the prices are very reasonable. There is also ample parking in the plaza nearby. I would recommend adding Kara Mia to your list of Ottawa dining go-to’s. The restaurant also offers takeout via Uber Eats and Door Dash. Another service they offer is Catering for events, for details visit their website.

Thank you Kara Mia for this gifted dinner experience we really enjoyed it!

Dine like a Maharaja at the East India Company

The East India Company (EIC) is my favourite Indian restaurant in Ottawa. I have been frequenting their Somerset location (they also have a location in Bells Corners) for over 10 years. I have dined at this restaurant multiple times but it wasn’t until I was invited to try out their new Thali menu that I truly gained an appreciation for everything it has to offer.

The History

The East India Company restaurants were founded by Kamal and Sudha Mehra. The Mehras migrated to Canada in the 1970’s and opened their first restaurant Mehra’s Delicatessen in Wippineg, Manitoba. They then went on to open India Gardens, Winnipeg’s first North Indian restaurant. The East India Company restaurants came about when the Mehras decided to expand their business in 1994 and opened another restaurant in Winnipeg. Today the East India Company has two locations in Ottawa and one location in Winnipeg. The restaurants are now run by Kamal and Sudha’s children; Sachit, Anish, Divya and Nitin.

The Ambiance

The Mehras pride themselves on filling their restaurants with carefully curated pieces of art and antiques from India.  As you walk in to Somerset location you can’t help but notice the large mandap at the front of the restaurant. A mandap is a covered four pillared structure typically used for Hindu and Jain weddings. This particular mandap is 350 years old and was originally placed at a temple in India. Following the mandap you come across a Palki or palanquin, which is the oldest piece in the restaurant. The palanquin was used to transport brides on their wedding day and is around 400 years old. As you move towards the back of the restaurant you will find marble pieces including a marble window frame which is around 200 years old. Carved marble blocks with designs composed of semi-precious stones such as sapphires, emeralds and rubies also adorn the bar at the back of the restaurant. You really feel like you are in a museum as you dine at this location.

What restaurant isn’t complete without music right? Well you can listen to some of your favourite Bollywood tunes while you enjoy a meal at the East India Company.

The Food

Now the part that everyone’s been waiting for, the food! The food at EIC has always been fantastic, whether you’re at the buffet or dining a la carte you are guaranteed to leave this place feeling like a king. EIC is famous for their lunch and dinner buffets and a reservation is highly recommended. In order to keep up with the changing rules and restrictions on indoor dining during the COVID19 pandemic EIC now offers you the best of both worlds with their Thali menu.

The Thali

A thali is a meal that consists of multiple dishes in small portions, it is typically served on a round platter called a Thali. EIC offers two choices of Thali. The New Delhi Thali which offers you the choice four entrees and the Mumbai Thali which offers you a choice of 3 entrees. Both thalis come with basmati rice, papadum, salad, a samosa, and gulab jamun for dessert.

I chose the Mumbai Thali with Shrimp Curry, Chili Chicken and Navratan for my entrees. You can view the full Thali menu below which features some of the buffet favourites as entree choices:

In addition to their food the East India Company also offers a selection of wine, beer and their signature cocktails. I tried Mehra’s Special which is a tropical, fruity rum based cocktail. It was really refreshing and not overly strong. Sashien had the Kala Ice which is a stronger drink incorporating Irish whiskey, Black label and Kahlua. The cocktail menu also features liquor from local suppliers such as Dillon’s Gin and Top Shelf Vodka.

The Verdict

Both Sashien and I really enjoyed our dinner at the East India Company. I highly recommend checking out the new Thali menu. Don’t be fooled by the small portions of curries the thalis are very filling, in fact we ended up taking some food home with us. I’ve always enjoyed the food at the East India Company and this menu is no exception. If indoor dining isn’t your thing just yet you can always sit out on their patio where tables are placed a generous distance apart. It should also be noted that all COVID-19 safety measures are strictly followed at the restaurants. All staff wear masks and hand sanitizer is placed on each table. Physical distancing is also in place. You can also order a la carte at the restaurants or place a takeout order.  If you live in Ottawa and haven’t dined at the East India Company I suggest adding it to your list of must do’s in the city.

 

 

 

Oh My Honey Buns

Who doesn’t love something sweet? Well Ottawa friends, if you’re ready to try a sweet treat this Summer check out Oh My Honey Sweet Honeycomb Buns. This Ottawa based business launched just a month ago and has already become a favourite among locals.

Oh My Honey Co bakes and delivers sweet honeycomb buns to residents in the Ottawa/Aylmer area. The buns are so fresh and come in a variety of fillings. You can choose from Nutella, Cream Cheese, half/half or no filling based on your personal preference. I wanted to try the best of both worlds so I opted for half/half. My box came with 6 buns, 3 Nutella and 3 cream cheese.I loved both the cream cheese and Nutella fillings but if I had to choose a favourite it would definitely be the Nutella. Each box of buns also comes with  home made honey syrup which is perfect for dipping.

Honeycomb buns are a traditional East African and Middle Eastern sweet dish typically seen at events or special occasions. They are also eaten as a sweet treat at Breakfast. I had mine for breakfast and the buns pair beautifully with tea or coffee. I would even recommend including them as part of a high tea service.

If you’d like to try these sweet buns for yourself order via DM on their instagram page @ohmyhoneyco The buns cost $20 for a dozen and payment can be done via paypal or e-transfer. The owner Zein is as sweet as the buns she bakes so corresponding with them is a delight 🙂 You can also check the instagram page for order and delivery dates.

 

Skuish Cookies

Cookies make everyone’s day better! I love baking, so I was thrilled to come across Skuish cookies. This Ottawa based business delivers ready to bake cookies that are easy to make and even more fun to eat!

How to Order

Each box of Skuish cookies contains 12 cookies raw frozen cookies in 3 different flabours. You can’t choose which flavours you get but Skuish does announce “cookie drops” on their website where you can order your box of cookies. The tricky part of the website is that it is only open while cookie supplies last. Once they are sold out of a particular drop the website is closed until the next cookie drop announcement. I think this adds an element of fun to the whole ordering process, it’s like a race to grab your cookies although this may not be everyone’s idea of fun or smart marketing.

The box I received contained the following flavours: double chocolate chip with Cadbury mini eggs, red velvet chocolate chip and Oreo chocolate chip.

How to Bake

The cookies are huge and come already formed in to balls of dough. You need to keep the cookies frozen until you’d like to bake them so there’s no need to defrost your cookies. I recommended baking 1-2 cookies at a time because these cookies are huge and very filling. Each box also comes with baking instructions on the back. It’s best to preheat your oven to 350F.

Although the recommended baking time is 16-18 minutes I suggest baking your cookies for about 20-25 minutes. After 16 mins my cookies were still very soft and doughy. I’d also suggest letting the cookies cool for about 15 minutes before you move them. Try not to break the cookies in half  or “skuish” them before this as they will be very soft and runny.

The Verdict

Skuish cookies are a fun and easy baking activity. They’re great if you’re in the mood for baking but don’t feel like making the dough. They are also handy as a quick treat as you can choose to make one cookie at a time if you wish.  A box of a dozen Skuish cookies however is not cheap and will cost you $43 which is pretty steep for cookies. They are however more of a gourmet treat hence the higher price point. The cookies are jam packed with chocolate chips and treats like Cadbury mini eggs so I found them a little too sweet for my liking. They’re great in moderation though. I also think they’d be great paired with ice cream to balance out the sweetness.

I would still recommend supporting this Ottawa based business and perhaps sharing a box with friends.

 

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

It’s been a while since my last post! I’ve been very busy with work and of course Instagram. I post a lot more frequently there but I’ve decided to get back to blogging starting this month.

I don’t know about you but I’ve been doing a lot of quarantine baking. I recently made some white chocolate macadamia nut cookies, they’re one of Sash’s favourites. I had a lot of questions about them on Instagram so I thought I’d share my recipe 🙂

Here’s what you need:

2 and ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature (make sure it’s soft)
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup  granulated sugar
2 large eggs at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 and 1/2 cups white chocolate chips
1 and 1/2 cups chopped macadamia nuts

Let’s bake!

1. Mix the flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl and set aside.
2. Using a stand mixer or a hand mixer and a large bowl cream together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar for 1-2 minutes until well combined. Add the eggs and vanilla extract one at a time and mix until fully combined.
3.Slowly mix in the dry ingredients and continue mixing until just combined.
4. Mix in the white chocolate chips and chopped macadamia nuts do this slowly and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
5.Cover the cookie dough (I used Saran wrap) and transfer to the refrigerator to chill for 2 hours. I left mine in the fridge overnight.
6. When you’re ready to bake, take the dough out of the refrigerator and let it sit for about 15 mins. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
7. Spray cookie sheets with Pam or line with parchment paper.
8. Using a tablespoon scoop out the cookie dough and drop onto the prepared baking sheets. Leave a little room between each ball of cookie dough as they will spread a little while they bake.
9.Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are lightly golden brown and the tops are set. Remove from the oven and cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes you can then transfer them on to a dish.
Enjoy!

Le Sirenuse Miami

I’m excited to write about one of my favourite places we visited on our trip to Florida. For those of you who may not be aware Sash and I visited Florida at the beginning of February. We spent 3 days in Miami and 3 days in Fort Lauderdale. Prior to leaving we did a lot of research on the places we wanted to visit and created an itinerary for our trip, yes we like to plan everything! One of the places I came across during our research was Le Sirenuse Miami, a restaurant at the Four Seasons Surfside.

The Venue

Le Sirenuse Miami is a restaurant and champagne bar inspired by the Italian hotel Le Sirenuse in Positano on the Amalfi Coast. The Miami location is famous for its tropical decor with palm trees adorning every inch of the restaurant. The venue features a Champagne Bar and restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating.

The Cocktails

 

We decided to stop in at Le Sirenuse for a cocktail in the late afternoon. Aside from its Champagne Bar, Le Sirenuse Miami is famous for its hand crafted cocktails. The restaurant has its own signature cocktails which can be found on their Amore Eterno menu.

We were fortunate to get seated on the terrace overlooking the hotel pool and the ocean. It was so nice to sit outside and enjoy a cocktail while we looked out at the sea.  I was really excited to try the cocktails at Le Sirenuse.

Seeing as how there was a Champagne Bar I opted for one of their Champagne based cocktails. The Champagne cocktails are named after famous guests who have stayed at Le Sirenuse such as the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor and Winston Church Hill. I chose the Duke and Duchess of Windsor and was told that it was one of their most popular cocktails, especially for ladies. This was a light and sweet cocktail topped off with elderflower foam and garnished with a flower.

Sash generally prefers something on the stronger side so he decided to go with Mandolini Di Sorrento a bourbon based cocktail. This drink is named in honour of Andrea and Franco, a mandolin and guitar duo who have been fixtures at Le Sirenuse Positano’s  La Sponda restaurant since 1993.

We really enjoyed our experience at Le Sirenuse Miami. If you are ever in the vicinity I highly recommend stopping by and checking it out. Although items on the menus are quite pricey, the ambiance and decor are well worth the splurge.

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Fontana at the Biltmore Hotel

Hello again! I’m back from my mini vacation in Florida and I’m excited to share a few posts about my experience there. The first post I’ll be sharing is all about the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables, Florida; a city located about 20 mins away from Miami. We visited Miami and Fort Lauderdale on this trip.

I came across the Biltmore Hotel by accident when I was looking for some nice restaurants for us to visit for lunch and dinner. I noticed Fontana, the hotel’s Italian restaurant while I was searching for restaurants on OpenTable. What first got my attention was the location and ambiance.

Fontana

Fontana specializes in Italian cuisine and offers a service for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They also offer a Sunday Brunch. The restaurant has an indoor and outdoor dining area, with a large fountain in the middle of the outdoor courtyard surrounded by palm trees. I put in a special request for a table outside and they accommodated us with a table right next to the fountain. It was so nice to enjoy a meal outside with the fountain in the background. The courtyard has a covered high ceiling and open arches that allow a cool breeze to waft in and out of the outdoor dining area.

The restaurant offers a large choice of items on their lunch menu but of course we opted for pasta, because who goes to an Italian restaurant and doesn’t try the pasta. The staff were really helpful and accommodating, allowing us to customize the dishes to our liking. For example if there is a certain type of pasta or sauce you enjoy you can mix and match off the menu.

As it was quite warm that day we decided to avoid alcoholic beverages and opted for some freshly squeezed orange juice, a Florida special. It sure lived up to the hype.

The Hotel

The Biltmore Hotel was constructed in 1926 and the building has a vintage tropical flare to it. I thought it was a spectacular property with sprawling gardens, numerous fountains and a golf course on site. The hotel premises span over 150 acres and is home to a 271 room resort. One striking feature of the Biltmore is the architecture which has Italian, Moorish and Spanish touches.

We took a walk around the hotel and got to see the pool and some of the gardens. The hotels boasts the largest hotel pool on the East Coast of the United States. This place truly is a tropical paradise. The interior of the hotel has a vintage luxury feel to it and is decorated in a classic style. I would definitely visit this place again and possibly stay there.

Although the hotel has numerous restaurants and dining options, one thing I’d love to try is the Afternoon Tea service in the hotel’s lobby.

If you’re ever in Miami then the Biltmore is definitely worth the short drive to Coral Gables.

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Afternoon Tea at the Fairmont Chateau Laurier

 

 

I hope everyone is having a great 2020 so far. I’m so excited to tell you all about what I’ve been up to lately. My better half and I recently had the pleasure of checking out the new Winter Afternoon Tea menu at Zoe’s Lounge located inside the historic Fairmont Chateau Laurier hotel. The Fairmont Laurier is a notable landmark in Canada’s capital city. If you go downtown you cannot miss this castle in the city, named after Sir Wilfrid Laurier Canada’s 7th Prime Minister.  Subsequently the tea lounge and bar at the hotel is named after his wife Lady Zoe who was fond of afternoon tea.

Those of you that know me personally are aware that I too am a huge fan of afternoon tea and have visited the Chateau Laurier on countless occasions to try their new tea menus.  Zoe’s never ceases to impress and their Winter Afternoon Tea menu is no exception.

Cocktails anyone?
Afternoon tea doesn’t just have to be about tea. Zoe’s Tea Menu has a selection of sparkling wines, Champagnes, dessert wines and afternoon cocktails to choose from. We decided to kick off the afternoon with a glass of sparkling wine after all isn’t everything better with bubbles?

Choosing your tea
One of the great features of the tea at Zoe’s is of course their tea menu offering you the choice of 21 teas. Besides the teas on the menu you can also order traditional English Breakfast tea at Zoe’s. All the teas on the menu are blended specifically for Fairmont Hotels so you really get a special treat in choosing one of their teas. I decided to go with Something Sweet, a black tea that featured rich caramel and chocolate highlights. I really enjoyed this tea as it also had a coffee aroma to it. You could also smell the notes of chocolate in it. Sash opted for Mojo Mate, a green tea with fresh lemon highlights and a spearmint finish.

The Pastries
The Winter menu at Zoe’s features a carefully curated selection of savoury and sweet pastries prepared by Pastry Chef Anne Marie Milk and her team.  We started off with the savoury sandwiches and then progressed to the desserts. Some of our favourites were the Smoked Salmon Crepe and Chicken Liver Mousse sandwiches along with the Milk Chocolate and Caramel Chocolate Choux and the Rum and Brown Sugar Cake for dessert. Last but certainly not least we enjoyed some scones with mascarpone cream and strawberry jam because what afternoon tea is complete without scones?!   I’m very traditional when it comes to scones so I enjoyed the butter cream scone with jam and cream. Full details of the Winter menu can be found here.

The Experience
Afternoon tea is lovely at any time of the year however it’s a great way to stay warm and cozy in the Winter. We really enjoyed sitting in the warmth of this historic castle while watching the world go by outside. The Fairmont Chateau Laurier’s afternoon tea menu changes on a quarterly basis so the Winter menu will be around for a couple of months.  If you live in Ottawa or are going to be visiting soon I cannot recommend this experience enough!  In addition to the traditional tea menu Zoe’s also offers the Little  Prince and Princess Tea menus for children under 12.

What makes afternoon tea at Zoe’s a truly memorable experience is the staff and the ambiance, aside from the food of course 😉 We had a pleasant and relaxing time during our tea thanks to Deneen and her team and our server Garrick, who made this a wonderful experience for us. All staff at the hotel really live up to the Fairmont standard of service and this is quite evident in how popular the Fairmont Laurier is among Ottawa natives and tourists alike.

The afternoon tea service at Zoe’s is available Wednesday to Sunday. There is a 1pm and 3pm seating Wednesday-Friday and an additional 11am seating on Saturdays and Sundays. Reservations are highly recommended as the Zoe’s afternoon tea is quite popular.