The Westover ignites the senses

As featured in the September 13, 2012 edition of Dining Out, Waterloo Region Record (photo credit, The Record)

It’s a wonderful time of year for a drive as Mother Nature transforms autumn leaves into miraculous shades of gold, amber, crimson and bronze.

To savour the harvest season, I like to visit places that allow me to ignite all the senses, especially my taste buds, and so recently, my husband and I took a drive to the Westover Inn, located in St. Marys, just outside of Stratford. The best word to describe my experience: sense-ational.

Built in 1867, the Westover Inn got its start as a Victorian mansion. However, the gorgeous limestone building has seen many uses over its time, including a Catholic seminary, a commune and today’s designation as one of Ontario’s Finest Inns, showcasing an award-winning restaurant.

Our recent Westover lunch started with bread rolls, so cute and round they looked like Timbits. Oven-warm, they were served with homemade chive butter.

Next came the fresh organic greens ($5.25), popping with cherry tomatoes, Bermuda onion and English cucumber glazed in a honey-mustard vinaigrette. While salads aren’t always something to write home about, this rendition was made extraordinary by its freshness and layers of diverse greens —all organic —from Sebringville farmer, Antony John (remember the Food Network’s Manic Organic?). John’s company, Soiled Reputation, produces consistently über-fresh and perky greens that are fluffy and speckled with interesting varieties such as purslane; it looked like mistletoe and tasted like something a foodie would include in a list to Santa.

We also tried the marinated mussel salad ($12.95), also served atop those wonderful organic greens. The mussels were tender and fresh —a splendid way to rev up the senses.

I moved onto the quinoa cakes ($13.50), which were exquisite. Served piping hot, the chef prepared these using a polenta recipe, offering its same consistency and served on a bed of grilled zucchini, asparagus, bell peppers, tomato and red onion. The cakes were dolloped with deliciously tangy Shepherd Gourmet Dairy feta from St. Marys and fresh roasted tomato coulis. Fan. Tas. Tic.

My husband had the smoked salmon sandwich ($11.95), rounded out with fresh cucumber and served on oven-baked focaccia brushed with inn-made caramelized onion cream cheese and organic sprouts. High-brow meets delish. How civilized.

While portions were ample, dessert was a must, especially since the Westover boasts a talented in-house pastry chef. Varieties of homemade ice creams and sorbets live here. Despite some heavenly choices, reading “strawberry shortcake served with whipped cream, strawberry compote and mint” ($5.95) sealed the deal for me. I love when desserts like this aren’t dominated by sweetness, and offer the strength of natural flavours and textures. The dish was equally pleasing to the eye, as the cream-topped biscuit was jeweled with flower-carved strawberries on a plate dusted with snow-like confectioner’s sugar. Hail berry.

My husband selected the chocolate brownie with homemade vanilla ice cream ($5.95). It was heavy and doughy like fudge and the presentation was quite breathtaking with two cocoa-dusted triangles architecturally arranged with a heart-shaped strawberry.

Admiring the fresh black-eyed Susans on the turquoise-tiled table, I took a sip of bold coffee and peered past the terrace that spilled out onto a picturesque garden that would soon conduct a fall symphony. Ontario is beautiful. And I can’t think of better way to indulge the senses than by visiting one of our province’s finest inns and restaurants.

Hours
Breakfast served 7:30 to 10:30 daily; daily lunch and Sunday brunch served 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dinner seatings start 5 p.m. and run to 8:30 p.m. daily.

Wheelchair accessibility
Restaurant is accessible. Downstairs washrooms are not.

Cuisine
Regional cuisine prepared by a skilled and experienced chef. Several vegetarian options. The ‘epicurious’ dinner selections are a fun way to surprise yourself with the chef’s daily creation. Children’s menu available.

Reservations
Recommended. If you’re a party of two, ask for the alcove table in the red room.

Atmosphere
Charming Victorian inn with dining in the red room (my preference), yellow room or outdoor patio. Padded cherry furniture that invites you to stay awhile. The inn offers 22 guest rooms and hosts private functions and weddings amongst its 19 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds.

Drinks
Wine by the 6-oz glass ($7.95 to $11), half-litre or bottle ($30 to $475 a bottle). Selections from Ontario, B.C., France, California, Australia, New Zealand, Italy, Hungary, Chile, Argentina and South Africa. Cocktails, mocktails, coffees, teas, juices.

Service
Our server looked so young, curiosity got the better of me and I asked her age: 16. This surprised me, as it seemed like she had years of training. When she couldn’t answer a question, she came right back with an answer from the chef. I was impressed.

The bill
$83.39 (including tax, before tip) for two appetizers, mains, desserts, glasses of wine and a coffee.