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Reviewed by Toronto Life
  • 160 Front St. (The Oban Inn) View on map »
  • Niagara-on-the-Lake
  • 866-394-7900 • 905-468-2165
Editorial Review

Nestled among heritage homes and manicured lawns, this restaurant at the Oban Inn affords a spectacular lakeside view. A $55 prix fixe menu is the only option for dinner, and there are moments when the hefty price tag can be difficult to swallow. Haute niçoise finds barely seared tuna fanned on a bed of frisée, haricots verts and purple potato coins; a squeeze of lemon and pinch of salt would elevate the salad to perfection. Cumbrae’s filet mignon does not get the respect it deserves: the meat is too rare, the red wine sauce is too thin, and the Benedictine blue cheese soufflé is too cold. Moist miso-glazed sablefish is much more successful. Pistachios lend their crunch to a slice of layer cake and a buttery miniature financier cake, both crowned with a scoop of gelato and fragrant saffron anglaise. Spiegelau stemware complements the Niagara-heavy wine list. Servers follow a that’s-not-my-section dogma—surprising for such a fine dining room.

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