The Week in Yum - Terroir 10, Pearl Diver and a Girl's Night at Frings

Thanks to Gastropost and Maple Leaf foods, I finally got to attend a Terroir Symposium. In the past, Gastropost has treated me to some of the dinners and events leading up to the symposium but this was my first time at the actual event. It was 12 solid hours of culinary porn - wall to wall chefs, food writers, food photographers, food security warriors mingled with culinary obsessed super fans for a day of talks, workshops, presentations and lots and lots to eat and drink. At $300 a ticket, its only for the truly hard core, but if you have cash to burn and you want to rub shoulders with the tattooed, trucker hatted and bearded who's who in the culinary world, this is the place to be.

Pearl Diver

On Wednesdays, Pearl Diver hosts WeChat Wednesdays to promote their affiliation with the popular social media platform and this platter of 20 oysters is only $21.88  We sampled Kusshi and Fanny Bay oysters from BC, Clarenbridge oysters from Ireland and, from PEI, Pink Moons (my favourites)

WeChat is hugely popular in China with 600 million users and another 70 million non Chinese users worldwide. The restaurant is promoting the use of the app to interact with the restaurant, allowing you to amass reward credits as well as getting 10% off of your food bill if you post photos of your meal to your WeChat story just by downloading the WeChat app adding @PDTORONTO to your friend list.

So, a group of food bloggers were invited to come and learn more about WeChat and to introduce us to the app as well as the restaurant. I can't say that I totally get the app, to be perfectly honest, but the restaurant was fabulous. The oysters were fresh and briny, the trout was perfectly cooked and delicious - there was a lobster dish that I kind of missed as it was at the other end of the table but judging by everyone's reaction, it was great. The pork dish was proof that it's not just about the seafood and both of the desserts were absolutely my jam.

Mennonite Pork Chops - summer potato bacon hash, braised red cabbage and blackcurrant sauce

Steelhead Trout- avocado, edamame, brocollini and tomatillo dressing

Seared Diver Scallops - watercress, house smoked pork belly, rhubarb and brown butter vinaigrette

Dark Chocolate Delice- cherry compote, passion fruit coulis, cocoa nib and peanut brittle

Hibiscus Poached Peach and Hazelnut Cake- Mascarpone, blueberry compote and toasted pine nuts

On Tuesdays, they offer a Seafood Tower for two for only $28.88 from 6-9pm ,Wednesday is WeChat Wednesday and you get the oyster special for $21.88, Thursday you get to crush 100 oysters for $100 from 6-10pm ( I have already made reservations) and they have a Sunday brunch from 11am-3pm with live jazz at 2

I had never been here before and if what we tasted is indicative of what the kitchen is pumping out, I am all in. As I said, I have reservations to go back for oyster night and if their young, talented pastry chef, Sooji Jang -fresh from George Brown College- doesn't her Hibiscus Poached Peach and Hazelnut Cake on the menu, there will be blood. Oh yes, there will be blood.

The true highlight of the week was my evening out with my food girlies, all my first blogger pals - Robyn of Planet Byn, Libby Roach and Heather from The Tasty Gardener at Frings.

 Frings, owned by Susar Lee and Drake and managed by Lee's handsome sons, is far too hip for an old lady like me but the food was good, the cocktails were delicious and it was PRIME people watching. Thankfully we went on a Monday night because I don't think they would even let me past the front door from Thursday to Saturday.