Walking into Polo Grill the beautiful mosaic floor greets you and sets the mood of luxurious comfort.
Classic Oysters Rockefeller, Onion Soup au Gratin and Caesar Salad served table side recall days of formal dining supper clubs.
Steaks include Porterhouse, Ribeye, New York Strip and Filet Mignon are offered with traditional toppings and sauces.
Options like lobster, lamb and fish ensure there are options for everyone.
Oysters and lobster bisque got a Yums Up at our table. The lamb didn’t do as well. Halibut was a perfectly cooked, excellent piece of fish but overwhelmed by the sauce. The Porterhouse got a big Yums Up.
Oysters Rockefeller Halibut with Firecracker SauceRack of LambPorterhouse Steak
Hits and misses on the main courses were made up for with side dishes and excellent service.
Vista is a beautiful ship with some stunning restaurants. After a cocktail reception with champagne and canapés we had our first dinner in the grand dining room. Mussels in a coconut broth and lobster bisque were the highlights of dinner.
Tuna Tartare, Tomato Mozzarella and Crab Salad Mussels in Coconut Cream
This year I’m going to witness a culinary cage match at sea. In May I’m sailing on Oceania Cruises new ship the Vista for her christening. Then in August I’ll board Explora I, the first ship from new luxury lifestyle brand Explora Journeys.
In 2013, Oceania Cruises started operations with the intention to change the ocean cruising food and beverage experience. With The Finest Cuisine at Sea as their goal and Jacques Pepin guiding, they effectively set a new benchmark. Until then cruising was defined by midnight buffets and formal dining rooms with average to good food. Oceania successfully changed that. In May, when Giada De Laurentis, Vista’s godmother, breaks the champagne on the bow, the message is clear that Oceania intends to maintain their goal of serving the Finest Cuisine at Sea.
Explora Journeys is the challenger. Explora’s new Head of Culinary is Franck Garanger former Culinary Director, Oceania Cruises. Chef Franck eats plant-based in his home to support his marathon lifestyle and there will always be a plant-based option available on board. But carnivores don’t fret, ingredients offerings include Wagyu beef and a Tuna Tataki that I’m trying first chance.
Explora wants to Create an Ocean State of Mind. For me, that has yet to be defined but they have more restaurant, bar and lounge options than any other ship of their size. There are 3 Steinway pianos on board and that says something about the entertainment. Every suite has an ocean terrace. It’s bold and exciting.
I think the gauntlet (skillet?) has been thrown down and I’m keen to try the results.
We rented a house in Penticton this year and enjoyed the well equipped and comfortable space while testing some of our purchases around the fire pit. We argued about the best wines and meals and came up with our top picks at the end of 3 busy days eating and drinking our way through Peachland, Summerland, Penticton and Naramata.
It was a beautiful drive and our first stop was Fitzpatrick Family Vineyards in Peachland. A tasting by Brenda on the patio with an expansive view of the lake ended with my first purchases, a delicious Brut and a Pinot Blanc. Tasting $7.50.
Lunch on their patio at 19 Bistro Fitz was good. It was their final day of the season so a few things weren’t available, but all 6 of us liked our meals. I had the tuna on crispy rice. Delicious rice made a crispy bed for avocado, tuna, greens, red curry aioli & cilantro vinaigrette. Fries replaced the potato wedges on the menu and they were perfect and the saffron sauce was a great topper.
Togarashi Tuna at 19 Bistro at Fritz
Next stop Lightning Rock Winery. Tasting was $10pp but they didn’t have many wines left to taste so a bit disappointing. Beautiful location. Maybe worth keeping an eye on.
Lightning Rock Summerland
Our final winery of the day was Time Winery in Penticton. There was lots to taste and we left with McWatters Collection Meritage and Time Syrah. Fees waived for Visa Infinite cardholders. Great atmosphere.
So many wines at Time. Fancy cooler at Time.
Dinner saw us returning to Play Winery. We’d had a bad dinner experience there a few years ago but Sonetta at Play was a complete turn around. From the warm welcome to the delicious food we were impressed. The chef was away due to a family emergency so there were a few delays but the food, service and clear team effort made up for it. The Humboldt squid steak was pronounced the best ever tasted. Don’t miss the bread.
Day 2 and we had 5 wineries booked on the Naramata Bench. Starting at Wesbert, a South African family owned winery. We hoped for an opportunity to add local pinotage to our cellar and weren’t disappointed. I’m going to try and give them a little time to age.
Wesbert PatioWine flights make service more efficient when it’s busy and mean a glass for each wine but I’m not a fan.
We were the only people there at 10:30am and Marianne did her best to organize us within the rules of the tasting plan, served as a flight for the table. 6 of us have some strong opinions so it wasn’t easy. Wesbert has a nice covered patio, serves pizza in high season and has suites to rent. $10pp tasting fee.
Next up another new one for us, Moraine Estate Winery. Simon graciously hosted us on the covered patio overlooking the vineyard and lake. The wines were everything we wanted and we came home with a mixed case of Cab Franc, Malbec and Syrah. The Malbec another chance to add a rare local varietal to our stock. The bathroom with the « special » mirror is not to be missed either. $15 tasting fee waived with purchase.
Magic Mirror on the WallFancy bathroom. Push the blue light on the mirror and you’ll be the fairest of all.
We’d never been to Therapy Winery either and wanted to check out the deluxe suites. The outside patio tasting is luxurious and so are the suites. I was on the fence about the wines and feel this is a winery in transition and maybe worth checking again in the future.
I can hardly believe we pulled off a forth tasting before lunch. Darrell at Lake Breeze is one efficient dude, keeping the info and wine flowing. I love this place, the wine, the food and the physical space make for an exceptional experience.
Lunch on the patio was excellent as usual.
Smoked Trout with mascarpone, dill and Northern Divine Caviar on Charred onion petals
I was sad to be sharing the trout.
Capellini with harrisa & cream, pine nut crumble and prawns at The Patio at Lake Breeze
Our final winery was Hillside, another favourite, but the wines were poured as a flight and the heavy reds were hot in the sun by the time we got to them. Our host David was knowledgeable and friendly.
A break back at our rental and we tried to work up an appetite for dinner playing bacci and shooting hoops.
Time Winery & Kitchen lighting is in every glass.
Dinner at Time Winery & Kitchen was a hit. The service exceptional. Starting with a complimentary glass of Chronos Brut was a lovely way to set the mood. There’s something for everyone on the menu. The fries were great with several options. I loved the Parmesan topping with black garlic mayo. Deep fried confit duck wings are a must, even for this vegaquarian.
Duck wings in hot sauce and buttermilk scallion dip.
Day 3 and our pallets were tired. We had a plan to taste only the varietals on our shopping list. Good luck.
First stop Lock & Worth, a collaboration with Poplar Grove Creamery. The tasting in the garden pairs 3 cheeses with 3 wines and we loved it. Left with 2 excellent Sauvignon Blancs and 3 cheeses.
Lock & WorthBeautiful setting for cheese & wine tasting at Lock & Worth
Next stop La Frenz, we finally gave in and joined the club. The wines are so good but always sold out. Another tasting served as a flight though. I hope this is a trend that goes away.
Lunch was booked at Poplar Grove’s restaurant Vanilla Pod, but first an exclusive club member tasting in the private room. Our host Laura really knew her stuff and had our compete attention.
And we merrily moved to the dining room. I’d go just for the Parker Rolls but fried oysters and Tom Kha were great too. This was our all around favourite meal last year. Was it going to be a repeat winner ?
Parker Rolls at Vanilla PodTom Kha at Vanilla P
The last winery of our trip was Da Silva an elevated tasting experience with 6 Riedel varietal specific glasses at each seat. Allison poured, described and guided us through the excellent selection of wines. One of the best of of the trip.
We returned to The Kitchen @ Da Silva for dinner and although the food was very good the overall experience is not as good. The menu is tapas and paella. All tapas must be ordered at once so if you like something and it’s not quite enough for the table you’re out of luck. The paella didn’t have those crispy rice edges and should probably only be served if it’s for the whole table. They tell you to expect to be there for several hours but the over half the chairs are incredibly uncomfortable. I would say it’s not a good choice for a group and would give it another try if it were just 2 of us.
We also visited the VQA Information Centre in Penticton and picked up some wines that were hard to find. They have an excellent gift shop. Well worth a visit.
I’m conclusion we decided the best Winery visit was Moraine, with Da Silva and Lock & Worth definitely in the discussion. Our favourite restaurant was Sonetta @ Play and The Patio @ Lake Breeze coming in a close second.
For Kelowna trip #2 we drove. It was exciting to be out on the road and with travel restrictions still in place, traffic was light.
We stayed at the Manteo and arrived Friday night so had dinner at Smack Dab. Great location but the food is nothing to get excited about. The next day we did much better.
We love to try new wineries and were the first tasters of the day on the patio at Frind Estate Winery. What a spot! The former home of WAC Bennett is on the beach and has a cafe and bistro. Buy a bottle of wine at retail price and have a picnic on the beach. Go early, this will be a popular place. I liked the bubbly wine best. The reds are young, low alcohol wines. I’d bet the vines are young.
Just up the hill we were able to walk into Old Vines at Quail’s Gate and get a table on the beautiful patio. (That won’t happen again this year). The food, as usual, was perfect. But this time it was more fun to share with David. Pommé Frites? Bien sûr!
Old Vines Halibut
The halibut with radishes and rhubarb was extraordinary. I tried to reproduce it at home but it surely wasn’t as good. Old Vines is still my favourite restaurant in the north Okanagan.
We even went all the way and had dessert. Definitely not a typical early brunch.
Old Vines dessert
We also had another good meal at Dawett Fine Indian Cuisine in downtown Kelowna. I think that will be a regular spot for us.
The take out place at CodFathers has changed names to Broken Anchor. No change in the great fish and chips though. Another must have for us. Great picnic food.
We had 2 new discoveries on this trip.
Bright Jenny’s coffee bar was a delight.
Bright Jenny’s entrance and take away windowBright Jenny’s patio
And then we found Sunny’s, an all day breakfast joint by RauDZ. No fasting for me when there’s a Benny this good.
Sunny’s Modern DinerHoly Prawns – Batman
The crispy prawns with, poached eggs, leek & corn brioche bread pudding, hollandaise and griddle hash browns is craveable. We’ll be back.
We visited a few wineries. We enjoyed Spearhead so much last year we went back to pick up some of the Pinot Noir and spent an hour on their patio and joined the wine club. Definitely worth a visit and just the kind of small family winery I like best.
The patio at Spearhead Winery.
Definitely not a small family winery but every visit to CedarCreek is as good or better than the last. Outstanding service, great wine & food, and the buildings are gorgeous.
CedarCreek tasting patio
We did the Farm to Table experience with an added food pairing and left wishing we could stay and have dinner at Home Block. Next time.
Homeward bound we were already planning the next trip. Cheers🥂
I’ve been Looking back over a few weekends of essential travel to Kelowna both during lock down and as we reopen. I reluctantly flew the end of April, the weather was just too dodgy to drive. I was starting in Lake Country and ending in West Kelowna so I spent the first night at the Four Points at the airport and since I had to eat and hoped to buy some cans of wine from 50th Parallel I drove up and chanced a walk in patio lunch. Easy, I was one of 3 tables for an early lunch. They have a big tent patio and with all the walls in place, it felt much like inside so I was glad for the social distance. I’d only had my 1st vaccine dose a few days before.
Halibut at Block One
Wow! I loved it though. My first fresh halibut of the season with puréed spring veggies, whipped potatoes and pickled fiddleheads. It was excellent. Dessert? Yes please.
Dark Chocolate at Block One
The dessert called Dark Chocolate was actually chocolate 4 ways with raspberries, a recommendation from my very excellent server. The coffee was even good. And I’m enjoying the cans of Pinot Gris.
And that happily ended my first restaurant experience in months.
I moved to The Manteo for the next couple of days and had take out and room service but on my last day, with just enough time for lunch before my flight back, I walked into one of my favourite restaurants in the Okanagan, Old Vines at Quail’s Gate.
I was the first person in the door that day and was warmly welcomed. Old Vines has one of the nicest patios and they seem to keep their staff forever. As for food the Truffle Parmesan fries, that every restaurant in the valley tries to match would keep me coming back, but they are so consistently good and the menu so interesting, that I would have to say it is my favourite restaurant in the North Okanagan.
Old Vines Truffle Parmesan Fries
Of course I had the fries and then a chickpea plate. Another exceptional meal.
On our final day as we headed home we stopped at our 2 last wineries; La Stella in Oliver and Corcelette in Cawston.
La Stella
La Stella’s wines and winery are Italian inspired, beautiful and sophisticated. We’ve visited many times and we never leave empty handed.
Corcelette was our final winery and another regular stop for us. Owned by young local people who have wine flowing in their blood, they represent the best of the wine industry. Buy the Malbec if you get the chance.
With our trip coming to and end I started asking each of my fellow travellers about their favourite wineries and favourite meals.
The judges
Of course there was no consensus but some clear winners. Miradoro restaurant at Tinhorn Creek got 6 out of 8 votes with Terrafina at Hester Creek getting the other 2. Special mention to the scallops and the bannock and spreads at The Bear, The Fish, The Root and The Berry and the flatbreads at Black Hills.
Feedback on wineries was even more complicated. Second Chapter in Oliver was the most mentioned for both the quality of the wine and presentation by host Diane.
At La Stella you feel like you could be on Italy
La Stella was another clear favourite. Our host Sankara, kept us focused on the wine in our glass and was judged the most informative.
La Stella Most Informative
Checkmate came up for the opportunity to taste and compare several Chardonnays and Merlots. The wines were fantastic and the chance to see how varietals from different vineyards compared side by side was unique. Our host there was also charming.
Clos du Soleil – Best Value Red Blend
We also judged Clos du Soleil’s Celestial red blend to be the best value wine of the trip.
Day 3 started across the valleyin Oliver on the Black Sage Bench at Here’s The Thing Vineyards. Leah and Jamie owned our neighbourhood VQA store for years and I developed my love of BC wine under Leah’s guiding hand. Together with consultant Michael Bartier they are developing a style to express their personal taste. The Gorgeous Gamay is a great summer wine, I have it lightly chilled with almost any summer salad. David grabs the Seriously Syrah for his Sunday afternoon cooking sessions and I’m a fan of Clearly Cabernet Franc. We even got to barrel test a reserve cab franc. Many thanks for the warm welcome.
Beautiful set up at Noble Ridge
One of our group is a member at Noble Ridge Winery so off we went to OKanagan Falls.
OK Falls is one of my favourite areas full of small independent wineries but today lunch was back on the Black Sage Bench and the conversation kept turning to food so we turned back south.
I’ve been a member at Black Hills for a long time and they treat members to a special experience in a Cabana by the pool. They added food a few years ago so now we have lunch and it is one of my favourite visits. I like the chance to try wines I’m planning to age and food really makes it better.
Nota Bene 3 year vertical
We were inspired to try some older Note Bene recently. Nothing like a few days in the Okanagan to get your cellar reorganized.
Lunch and red wine flight at Black Hills.
Lunch was great at our table. The big box of warm olives with sherry and orange were gobbled up with 3 flatbreads. All delicious, the but the Okanagan with peach, prosciutto, arugula, mozzarella and chili honey was the bomb. They are doing interesting things with honey in the Okanagan, that’s for sure.
Our friends at the next table chose the charcuterie platters and were unanimously disappointed. Stick to the flatbreads.
Phantom Creek
Phantom Creek is the latest hot spot to visit. We’ve watched that spot as development dragged over years knowing that it had to be a great site. It’s going to be beautiful. It’s still unfinished and needs some maturing. I look forward to visiting again.
We’d tried to keep lunch light so we could save ourselves for dinner at Terrafina at Hester Creek. We hadn’t done the tasting their but I was hoping for a Cab Franc with dinner and I wasn’t disappointed. One of the great things about dining at a winery is getting access to their library wines and wines that are perfectly aged. I learned to love the Cab Franc varietal drinking Hester Creek’s ‘07 vintage.
The cioppino was delicious and the chicken with creamed corn and Asiago biscuit won a best meal vote.
Cioppino at Terrafina restaurant Hester Creek.
A night in the villas at Hester Creek with dinner at Terrafina is one of the most romantic nights you could spend in the Okanagan.
Day Three 4 wineries and 2 meal. Heading home tomorrow.
Cathy’s Taste @TheTravelGroup 