Insider’s Tips - Dec.19

We at GEORGE wish you, your family and friends all the best of the season! Many thanks for your patronage this year. We look forward to providing you with creative new seasonal recipes and warm hospitality in the coming year.

Executive Chef Lorenzo Loseto ventured out in the dark to the Ontario Food Terminal this week. Even in this grim part of the Ontario produce season, he still managed to find a new Ontario vegetable, heirloom squash, which he bought and proposes to use as the highlight of his pre-dinner amuse-bouche plate.

The American side of the Terminal was busy with lots of excellent citrus, good but expensive vegetables, as well as vanilla persimmon, which he recommends.

California blood oranges are now called raspberry oranges (removing the “blood” designation). So far, there is no one at the Terminal who seems willing to bring in Italian blood oranges, which are far superior to the sweeter California raspberry oranges.

There is no change to all the superb fish coming into the kitchen.

GEORGE won many awards this year, including being listed again in the Michelin Guide. Recently, we were chosen as one of Canada’s Top 100 Restaurants as a result of being at the top of OpenTable’s ratings given over the year by diners. We also won a Diners’ Choice award from OpenTable for both GEORGE and Secrette. As Chef has worked hard all year to develop the super Secrette bar food, we were especially thrilled to receive this award.

Remember that we no longer charge HST on food or beverages except for spirits.

On New Year’s Eve, we will offer a special five-course tasting menu for $199 pp. Optional extras include Fogo crab, cauliflower, shimeji, gnocchi, preserved lemon, tarragon, black truffle and Alberobello gelato.

After Christmas, we reopen from Dec 27 each night through to New Year’s Eve. This includes Sunday evening as well as a special seven-course tasting menu on Monday, December 30 for $125 pp, consisting of the best of his 2024 dishes.