English Inn & Resort’s Rosemeade Dining Room and Lounge: Much Ado About Something

Set in a 1906 Samuel McClure mansion, the Rosemeade Dining Room and Lounge at the English Inn and Resort is firmly anchored in the past with a determined eye on the future.

Following a stunning renovation adding sleek contemporary elements—including a stateof- the-art kitchen—the Rosemeade created an instant buzz when it opened its doors two years ago. With coffee-coloured African wenge wood and chrome tables complementing the Victoria manor’s original stonework Rare seared weathervane scallops, soy braised honeycomb
tripe, miso, grilled baby gailan (Shelora Sheldan)walls, the 60-seat dining room overlooks five tranquil acres of English-style gardens. The setting helps prepare you for chef Richard Luttman’s seasonal-focused menu.

With a deft hand and daring palate, his cooking moves contemporary a step forward, marrying Italian and Asian elements with classic French technique. Luttman successfully creates innovative combinations, using the wealth of locally grown ingredients as his palette.

Like the menu, a trendy cocktail list changes with the seasons. Wine, beer and spirits all become vehicles for delightful food pairing adventures.

Organic chicken liver, sautéed in cognac
with brioche, curried parsnip and
Concord-grape syrup. (Shelora Sheldan)For this delicious winter sojourn, I choose the Emperor Martini, a smooth, stylish concoction of sake, vodka and pear green tea. A star anise, floating atop like a lotus blossom, exudes a delicate aroma. Th is provides a refreshing Asian theme when combined with the Rosemeade’s winter, two-way treatment of half-shell oysters. One is topped with frozen green tea ice; the other, a jasmine tea jelly.

XO, the cognac-cask-aged beer is brilliantly matched with cognac-sautéed, organic chicken livers from Luttman’s winter appetizer menu. It is at once rich, floral and aromatic. Surrounded by verjus-steeped raisins and a brioche ‘hat’ that holds up a curried, julienned parsnip salad, delicate oxblood greens provide crunchy contrast, and the reduced Concord grape syrup, a hint of sweetness.