Dining in/around Canada…Barely

I wanted to take a minute to say how refreshing it was to dine just across the Canadian border in and around Niagara Falls – no pun intended.  It wasn’t long before we started to notice a consistent sincerity in the service staff.

We made a point to avoid the overly recognizable restaurants and instead opted for a Caesar (the Canadian version of the Bloody Mary) at Shoeless Joe’s (http://www.shoelessjoes.ca) or Tempura Snap Peas and Asparagus at The Keg Steakhouse & Bar (http://www.kegsteakhouse.com/en/.)

This is not about the food and beverages.  Nor was there was anything spectacular about the ambiance which is ironic given that both were next to one of the world’s greatest landmarks.  (The Keg actually did have a fantastic view of the Falls from their 9th floor restaurant.)  More breathtaking was that in this heavy tourist area, employees at both places appeared to have a vested interest in their roles.

At risk of offending some in my hometown of Orlando, I think the Central Florida service professionals (Disney excluded) could learn a thing or two from their counterparts in the Niagara Falls area.  I have lowered my expectations regarding service so much here in the States that it took me to leave the Country, if even for a few miles, to see it.

I won’t begin to sing the praises of the Niagara-area wines given my limited exposure during the extended Memorial Day weekend but I was very surprised at the areas significant number of wineries.  We attended a wedding reception at the beautiful  Peller Winery where the organizers did a fantastic job in pairing each course of our meal with a great-tasting wine.  It was only their “Ice Wine” served with dessert that I didn’t enjoy, but by that time I had several other pairings and didn’t pair it with dessert.  A good friend also had a Chardonnay by Jackson Triggs – another area winery and she said it was fantastic.

Lastly, we agreed with the valet at the Embassy Suites in Buffalo that the wings at The Pub (http://www.thepubwebsite.com/) were good.  He suggested The Pub over the Anchor Bar where most guests are directed.

Let me know your thoughts.