Toque (meaning "crazy") serves seasonal cuisine that is classical French with a twist. It's truly edible art. It's haute cuisine without the pretension. Clearly Master Chef Normand Laprise has thought out each dish and what it will demand from each of your senses. The service staff is knowledgeable and attentive without being overbearing. The dining room bathes you in golden light. Be prepared to spend a couple of hours there as you savor each innovative dish from start to finish.
My meal began with an unusual starter: a diminutive Sinku oyster served in a Chinese soup spoon. On the oyster was a combination of vodka, fennel oil, clementine and shallots. A drizzle of cranberry juice made it a Christmasy red jewel.
I continued with a cauliflower soup appetizer, but that description oversimplifes what I was presented with. This isn't your grandmother's cauliflower soup. A creamy puree below its own froth, it's crowned with a generous slice of pan seared foie gras and a golden mound of deep fried leeks. A halo of black trumpet mushrooms finishes it off. You go from a crunch, to a chew, and then it slides down your throat all in one bite.
I chose a vegetarian risotto as my entree, not because I am one, but because I appreciate creativity with vegetables. I was not disappointed. Although the vegetables were not immediately recognizable on sight (except the lovely al dente carrots), the flavors were familiar as I took bite after bite of the creamy nut colored risotto.
My dining companion chose the sliced duck breast resting on a square of polenta and some Jerusalem artichokes. The breast was well dressed in licorice and carmalized kumquats, providing the requisite sweet flavor duck begs for, but in a non-traditional way.
We finished off our meal with a selection of local non-importable unpasteurized cheeses (cow, sheep and goat's milk), a treat when you come from the States.