As the air turns crisp and daylight dwindles, our palates crave richer, heartier fare. It’s the perfect opportunity to spotlight seasonal ingredients that delight and comfort the senses. Staying true to our ethos of embracing Canada’s impressive bounty, we’ve crafted a seven-course tasting menu that celebrates the rich flavours and colours offered exclusively in autumn.

Executive Chef Ron McKinlay is eager to give quintessential fall ingredients like local pumpkins, warm spices, and Brussels sprouts their moment in the spotlight. Featuring a seamless progression that nods to previous Canoe tasting menus and utilizes ingredients in their entirety, these dishes offer impressive new takes on locally sourced staples from our cherished partners. From braising to smoking, our team has mastered the art of putting autumn on a plate with no detail left unfinished. Join us as we walk you through Taste Canoe.

SMOKED OYSTER + VENISON (cranberry, pickled apple)
CHARCOAL GRISSINI (foie gras, cured lamb)

A signature tasting menu kickoff, Chef McKinlay primes the palate with a distinctly Canoe duo. Oysters are freshly shucked, cold-smoked, and served in their shells for a smoky and salty flavour that pairs perfectly with cured venison, locally sourced from top-tier suppliers. Fall staples like cranberries, pickled apple, and oats finish off the dish with a burst of flavour, texture, and colour.

Two black grissini are served alongside the oysters. Made with charcoal to achieve a bold appearance, they are dipped in fois gras parfait, wrapped with thinly sliced and cured Ontario lamb loin, and finished with sea lettuce dust. Together, the crunchy grissini and velvety lamb balance out the luscious texture of the smoked oyster and venison.

CREAMY PUMPKIN SOUP (butternut velouté, sweet potato, anise)

Next up is a direct nod to an all-time favourite autumnal ingredient: pumpkin. Featuring fresh butternut velouté, sweet potato, and subtly sweet anise, this rich, decadent soup is an elevated version of a well-loved rendition from last year’s fall tasting menu. Instead of typical bowls, Chef McKinlay chars local pumpkins—from Boots Farm, a family-run operation in Scotland, Ontario—and uses them as a serving vessel. Each component is delicately layered before the soup is poured on top for the finishing touch. The white of the pumpkin, peppered with black, creates a stunning visual contrast with the thick orange soup: a true ode to fall in both colour and taste.

CHICKEN WING (sturgeon + shrimp tortellini, sunchoke, crispy burdock, Madeira)

Next is a hot starter that balances complexity with nostalgia: a deboned chicken wing stuffed with farce of morel mushrooms and lap cheong sausage, topped by crispy chicken skin. Chef McKinlay then adds a unique twist to traditional tortellini by placing a dollop of sturgeon and shrimp mousse into a round of squid ink dough. Beside it, fresh sunchokes and charred Brussels sprouts are served atop a base of puréed beurre blanc (a thick butter-based sauce). Slices of crispy fried burdock, an Asian root vegetable with a subtle earthy flavour, garnish the dish to add complexity and texture.

LOBSTER (sake beurre blanc, kohlrabi, seaweed milk bun)

The next course serves up fresh East Coast lobster in an interactive way, starting with a velvety base of beurre blanc made with sake, a Japanese rice wine. Atop it, a delectable piece of lobster meat is served alongside a slaw made with kohlrabi—a seasonal wild cabbage—and thin apple slices to add acidity and a touch of sweetness. Served on the side is a housemade milk bun basted in seaweed butter, courtesy of Executive Pastry Chef Raffaele Stea: guests are invited to use it to soak up every last lobster-loaded drop of this exquisite seafood course.

VEAL (crispy sweetbread, shank tatin, caramelized celeriac, Bordelaise)

Modelled after a classic tarte tatin, Chef McKinlay presents a savoury pastry wrapped with collard greens and filled with braised veal shank, caramelized onion, and sausage made from veal trimmings. Atop it, a sprig of rosemary skewered with veal tongue, veal sweetbreads, and mushrooms from the Heartee Mushrooms team. For finishing touches, the tatin is drizzled with a generous serving of au jus and the rosemary skewer is torched right before being brought to the table, filling the restaurant with a warm, smoky aroma that beautifully encapsulates the scents of the season.

PRESERVED PINE (Granny Smith apple, verjus)

Time to switch gears! Executive Pastry Chef Stea takes care of the final courses of this autumnal journey. First comes a one-of-a-kind version of classic pre-dessert sorbet which Chef came up with in the spring, when our team had an abundance of green pinecones from our long-time partner Country Boys Produce. We make a green apple and pine sorbet, then dip the pinecones in sugar and leave them to ferment, resulting in a deep, syrup-like molasses. Green apple discs are then coated in ginger beer and dusted with anise powder. Finally, a drizzle of anise oil adds tartness and a hint of licorice flavour to transition diners to dessert.

CARROT CAKE (walnut ice cream, maple syrup, black garlic)

A classic fall favourite, Chef Stea brings carrots front and centre to close out Taste Canoe with a symphony of flavours and textures. His deconstructed take starts with a layer of rum raisin purée, sandwiched between two slices of carrot sponge cake and encased in a chocolate tuile shell. Chef then uses fermented carrot juice from Nantes carrots—a French variety known for its mildness—to create a naturally sweet carrot gel. Garnishes include chocolate soil, maple honeycomb, drizzles of black garlic shoyu, and maple verjus, as well as a sprinkle of carrot powder, carrot chips, and leaves. The finishing touches are a dehydrated carrot maple leaf—to honour the team’s love for Canadian ingredients—and a scoop of walnut ice cream. This dessert is, as Chef Stea calls it, a beautiful mess!

PETIT FOURS

For the final bites of the evening, guests are presented with a rotating selection of treats. Diners can expect elegant one-biters served with tonka bean chantilly, salted caramel, and Piment d’Espelette spiced pumpkin seeds. Other rotating options include vanilla parfait served with raspberry meringue and topped with raspberry crisp, and a hazelnut cream chou pastry with a coffee and cherry ganache.

Available through the fall months ahead, this seven-course offering is a true taste of Canadiana and a celebration of the autumnal ingredients our land has to offer. Pair your meal with a handcrafted cocktail or allow our in-house team of sommeliers to choose a special bottle to enjoy with your experience. Bask in the magic of golden hour in our expansive dining room overlooking the Toronto cityscape from 54 floors up. Reserve your table today!

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