Food Review: Dining At The Waterlot
[Written by Mikaela Ian Pearman]
Dining at The Waterlot was always a luxury experience with excellent service, a fantastic atmosphere and fabulous food. When I heard it was reopening, I was curious to see if the reputation it’s had for decades would remain. I’m pleased to say it’s even better.
Over the weekend, I had the pleasure of dining at the reimagined The Waterlot and it felt like coming home. Much of the interior was the same and while I was surprised, it wasn’t a bad thing. My friend and I were welcomed in, checked our coats and were offered cocktails in the lounge in front of the fireplace before going down to our table.
The bartender, Hunter, artfully prepared an Espresso Martini for my friend and a High Tea in a Glass for me with vodka instead of gin. It was a refreshing cocktail with elderflower, cucumber, mint and prosecco. A perfect start to the evening.
And now for the main event! I’m a steakhouse girlie so I knew I was in for a treat. Our server Linda quickly came over and introduced herself before guiding us through the menu and making recommendations. Alex, the sommelier recommended a beautiful Sancerre to enjoy with our starters and a fabulous Malbec to enjoy with our mains.
For starters, we indulged in the Prawn Cocktail, a rift on a typical shrimp cocktail with Grilled King Prawn, Avocado Salsa, Capsicum Coulis, Pesto Oil and Basil. It was delicious, yet light. My only complaint was it could’ve used a sprinkle of finishing salt at the end.
We also enjoyed Rockfish Brioche – Toasted Brioche, Spiced Crusted Rockfish, Jalapeño & Wasabi Tartare and Raisin Gel. It was essentially a twist on the Bermuda fish sandwich and it was one of the best things I’ve eaten in awhile. When I tell you I could’ve eaten about five more, they were that good!
Before our mains came, we decided to indulge in The Waterlot Caesar and the waitstaff were kind enough to make it tableside for one person instead of two so that we wouldn’t be stuffed.
Vineeta, the Assistant Maitre’D prepared the salad for us and went through all the ingredients in the dressing: Roasted garlic, Anchovies, Capers, Shallots, Dijon mustard, Lemon Juice, Pasteurized Egg Yolk, Olive Oil to emulsify and finished with Parmesan. I haven’t had a table side Caesar in years so this was not only a great, interactive experience but also the salad was delicious – tangy dressing and perfectly crisp lettuce.
For the mains, we took Linda’s suggestion and ordered the Chef Hamish’s Tasting Trio – four oz each of Argentinian Striploin, Snake River Waygu Striploin Cap and Snake River Waygu Coulotte with Chimichurri, Red Wine Jus and Cognac and Green Peppercorn Sauce.
On the side, we enjoyed a decadent Truffle Mac and Cheese, Potato Gratin and Brussel Sprouts with Honey, Soy & Balsamic Caramel, and Sesame Seeds.
The steaks were tender, flavorful and cooked perfectly to medium rare. I’m absolutely a fillet mignon with peppercorn sauce kind of girl, but the Argentinian strip loin with chimichurri was my favourite bite of the trio.
As for the sides, the mac and cheese was decadent, creamy and paired perfectly with the steak. The potato gratin was my favorite but that’s because I grew up in a scalloped potato house, not a mac and cheese house. It was divine to say the least. And for a bit of roughage, the brussels were perfectly roasted and had a great umami flavour.
For dessert, we shared Sticky Toffee Pudding – Date & White Chocolate Cake, Whiskey Caramel, Rhubarb Gelato. I was pretty full so only had two bites, but if you love a sweet, rich dessert, this is the one for you.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the reimagined The Waterlot so much that I will likely be back next week for round two. If you enjoy a luxurious dinner experience with an old world vibe, fantastic service and incredible food, I highly recommend making a reservation and checking it out yourself.
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