My recent trip to western Canada began with an on-board flight announcement congratulating Chef Roger Ma on his recent win at the Canadian Culinary Championships in Ottawa. Being a foodie, I was very excited just to be in the same general vicinity of such an accomplished chef, and was blown away when two days later I had the opportunity not only to dine at his amazing Boulevard Kitchen and Oyster Bar, but also to meet the man in person.
I always like to try to figure out the atmosphere of a place and for Boulevard I`d have to say that it was “homey elegance”. Located in the luxurious Sutton Place Hotel – one of Canada’s two five-diamond hotels and once featured on the Conde Nast Gold List of the best hotels in the world – the restaurant is visually stunning. Everything from the table settings, the perfect glassware – all complete perfection, but somehow understated and not snobby. It exuded something very different from most restaurants. It was perfect, yet completely inviting – and we absolutely loved it!
The food followed suit, with each plate meticulously prepared and presented by a team of knowledgeable and talented serving staff. Being a huge fan of oysters I started off with a selection of these shelled superstars from British Columbia and Washington State. Being from Ontario, I am usually only able to get my hands on East Coast oysters from PEI and New Brunswick, so it was a real treat to try some from the West. Although I was bit surprised by the smaller size, they were every bit as tasty and each offered somewhat different flavours and textures.
These were complemented by an assortment of delicious mignonettes and sauces – one of which tasted like key lime pie – and fresh horseradish. For good measure, I also added on a couple of raw sea clams which are very popular in the area. Yum!
