Description: It’s not often that you get to indulge your palate with world-class cuisine while sitting on top of the world, but my family and I did just that recently in Toronto, Ontario.
If the old real estate adage of "location, location, location" holds weight, the CN Tower has nailed it. Situated on the northern shore of Lake Ontario, it defines the Toronto skyline at a height of over 1,815 feet. It is the world’s tallest building and includes Sky Pod, the world’s highest public observation gallery, at 1,465 feet. Thankfully, we visited during a crisp, clear January evening when the city was glowing like an ocean of miniature suns.
On the first observatory level, we found ourselves peering 1,221 feet straight down through the glass floor to the street. Walking across that invisible surface, my mind told me it was safe; my stomach, however, flipped and kicked.
Venturing outside to the adjacent observation deck came with a price because I had to brace my shoulder against the frigid winds as they whipped my hair and whistled in my ears. I call it altitude with attitude. But it was worth the effort as the city view was laid out before us like a giant, endless blanket; it was hard to tell where the city’s twinkling lights ended and the stars began. The sky was so clear we could see Niagara Falls, New York, across the lake, lit up.
We ended the evening by dining in the 360 Restaurant, a slowly revolving restaurant of epicurean delights sitting 1,150 feet in the atmosphere. "After three bottles of wine, everything will spin," our waiter, Wayne, told us with a smile.
My four-course dinner started with house smoked rainbow trout. This was the amuse bouche, which is French for "amuse the mouth," appropriate since the piece of fish, though tasty, was the size of a bottle cap. Next up was the smoked Atlantic salmon appetizer, which was tender and fleshy. My entrée of fish steak frites (grilled swordfish), garnished with red onion salad, reminded me why I love expertly prepared seafood so much. I topped off my meal with the Dark Chocolate Tower, a chocolate dessert shaped like a tower, but not the CN Tower, as one might expect. It was rich and creamy and the delightful complement to my meal. The meal wasn’t cheap--$386.11 (the tip was automatically added) for six--but how often do you get to dine in the clouds?
Wayne was aware of only one occasion when the CN Tower closed, when a snowstorm prevented anyone from navigating the city. Fortunately for us, this January night afforded a perfect opportunity to dine on fabulous culinary creations while enjoying the sky-high lights and sights of Toronto.
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