Over its 36 years, this grand and deliberately old-school rural retreat has evolved and expanded in innumerable, dramatic ways. But its main restaurant is still showpiece and linchpin for all other burgeoning operations (conferences, weddings, banquets, romantic getaways, etc.). This is chef Jason Bangerter’s playground — and in his scheme of things, it extends well beyond the kitchen, to Langdon’s two sets of gardens and the surrounding forest where he likes to forage. Some 85 percent of the products served here are now Ontario-sourced, but the terroir-driven cuisine is about pleasure, and never doctrinaire: a course of panna cotta with house-made buttermilk and homegrown citrus is followed by delicacies from further afield, like lobster with wild sturgeon caviar. Sauces are beautifully judged. Local artichokes, squash and onions are treated with exacting care and garnished with black truffle or uni. The dining room is very proper: pressed linens, polished crystal, formal service. The drama is on the plate, often accented with edible flowers, tender leaves or other gathered things. Bangerter’s long run here (12 years and counting) is best celebrated with a signature nine-course tasting menu, which features many elaborate presentations, like juniper-smoked local trout served on a steaming rock in a nest of decorative juniper and pine. Wine pairings now come in two tiers: the Globe Trotter, and the ne plus ultra World Classics. Either way, wine director Faye MacLachlan’s choices are inspired, facilitated by the vast cellar.
Wine
The list is 1,400 labels deep — with many intriguing half bottles — so if overwhelmed, do heed the sommelier’s advice.
Tip
Bangerter’s signature truffle soup is usually available even when not listed à la carte — just ask.
Canada’s TOP RESORT, with FOOD to match. Howard Levitt
