An Escape to the Country: Vineland Estates Winery

Vineland Estates Winery.jpg — COVID-19 got us craving for quality meals

So we took a day off and drove to the Niagara region to grab some.

Eating at home is great - it’s cheap, efficient, healthy (clean), and leftovers make great ‘tomorrow-meals’. But there’s only so much you can make on your own… your cooking skills have a limit. First things first: I’ve recently been trying to practice gratitude for the small, seemingly most simple things in life: having clean water, having hot water, having food that can nourish the body and soul, etc. - things we can often take for granted. There are many who struggle to even have these survival basics on the daily. So with every meal I eat, I like to take the time to be thankful for the people that have cooked the meal for me, the animals (if you’re not vegetarian or vegan) that have given their lives in order to nourish mine, the water and sunshine that has fed the crops, and for the fact we’re able to afford a meal like this. It almost feels wrong to write about my foodie experiences when some people might never get to experience something like this in their lifetime… that’s the human guilt telling us that we can all do better and play our parts in our own communities, whether that be educating ourselves and others, making donations to local food banks, supporting the local farmers, and so on. Recognizing that we live a privileged life is the first baby steps of many adult steps; what we choose to do with that privilege, what we say and how we act, is up to us - which path will you take?

ebbony&lune // Vineland Estates Winery - Restaurant Patio

ebbony&lune // Vineland Estates Winery - Vineyard

That got a lot more serious than I had originally intended. Anyways, one day we decided that we would take a day off to go grab some good food to satisfy our foodie cravings. Some family friends had recommended this winery in the Niagara region that had a spacious COVID-safe patio and delicious dishes. And it didn’t disappoint! The service was great, the food was great, the wine was tasty (I’m nowhere near being a wine connoisseur, so I really don’t know how to compare, but it seemed good), the weather was refreshing, and most importantly, we felt safe. The restaurant had us write down our contact info on a slip of paper (by law, actually) in case we needed to be notified of potential COVID-19 contact. The tables were well spaced apart, with hand sanitizer at every door. Being outdoors helped us feel more comfortable as well.

Here’s the Dish (early Aug. 2020):

Sourdough Bread

Olive Oil & Balsamic, Olive Tapenade, Ricotta

Soup of the Day

Chilled tomato soup with watermelon, topped with shrimp

The Bread - I wanted more bread so I could finish the “sides”. I don’t usually like olives, but the olive tapenade was DELICIOUS mixed with the citrus-infused ricotta. It was the perfect balance of salty, refreshing, and a hint of sweetness from the pickled onions.

The Soup - I’ve never had chilled soup at a restaurant that wasn’t on a cruise ship. I was a little skeptical about the tomato x watermelon combination at first, but it actually goes quite well together, surprisingly enough! Anyone who knows me knows I LOVE my sweet+salty flavour combinations. Makes me wonder what a caesar with a splash of watermelon juice (or watermelon chunks) would taste like…

Grilled Calamari

Tabbouleh, Fried Chickpeas, Zaatar Aioli, Baba Ganoush

Ontario Trout

Smoked Ratatouille, Green Goddess, Celeriac Remoulade, Pickled Onion

The Calamari - I never knew fried chickpeas could be such a great way to salt a dish. Also, grilled calamari > deep fried calamari any day. The Middle Eastern spices (not sure exactly which ones they used) really stood out and brought all the pieces together.

The Trout - This was my main. I found the potato crisps to be slightly too oily for my liking, but it provided a nice contrast in texture to the fish and ratatouille. Speaking of the ratatouille… the best I’ve ever tasted! I love anything smoked, so that might be why. At first I thought the fish was way too small, but I was proven otherwise - it’s the perfect portion!

braised lamb shoulder

Bucatini, Rainbow Chard, Paillot de Chèvre, Dried Olive, Stewed Tomato

Beef Chuck Burger

Frites, Estate Made Ketchup, 16hr Short Rib, Niagara Gold, Triple Crunch

The Lamb - EW. Sorry, I’m not a lamb person at all - cannot stand the taste of it. This was my mom’s dish, and she quite frankly didn’t enjoy lamb cooked this way. The bucatini (thick spaghetti/pasta), on the other hand, was delicious! Very chewy, which I love.

The Burger - This was my Dad’s, so I didn’t really get a taste of it. From his verdict, it was good, but nothing particularly stood out to him as incredibly unique. Except the ketchup - that was DELECTABLE! I couldn’t get enough of it, and was stealing his fries in all directions.

Strawberry Panna Cotta

White Chocolate Milk Crumb, Roasted Strawberries, Key Lime Curd

Dark Chocolate Torte

Espresso Mousse, Smoked Hazelnuts, Salted Caramel, Passionfruit Gel

The Panna Cotta - OH. MY. WORD. This was amazing. The panna cotta itself was thicker than what I’m normally used to eating (the softer, more “pudding” kind), but that’s okay! The sourness of the key lime curd and the berry panna cotta was ingeniously balanced out by the sweetness of the white chocolate milk crumb.

The Torte - I actually didn’t try this… but my parents said it was VERY rich! The smoked hazelnuts were a great little addition as well, that I would love to have in my stash at home.

All this - appetizer + main course + dessert - was maybe about $45/person, which is actually quite a good deal for the high quality of food you get, if you think about it! It’s definitely a place that we will visit again in the near future. The Vineland Estates Winery has seasonal lunch and dinner menus, but you have to book in advance (as pretty much all places require now for COVID). You can check out the current menu selection here:

The Restaurant