dbar’s Monday Night Charcuterie – Four Seasons Hotel Toronto

While most people need a pick-me-up on Fridays after a long week at work, I need mine on Mondays. I haven’t quite figured out why — perhaps it’s the return to the daily grind or maybe the sudden withdrawal of quality time with those I love. Whatever the case, by mid-afternoon I find myself in pursuit of a leisurely rendezvous as I daydream about wine, cheese and patios (regardless of the season). To remedy these musings, I head to dbar’s Monday night charcuterie…

Located in the historic Village of Yorkville, d|bar is an elegant street-level lounge at Four Seasons Hotel Toronto. Think: floor-to-ceiling windows, live DJ every night of the week (shout out to my friend Daniel of BELLOSOUND) and a gorg, seasonal terrace. This is comfortable luxury at its best. The kind of place I like to unwind pre/post dinner with good friends…

The wine list is exciting (curated by Wine Director Drew Walker, you’ll see selections from French appellations, the Mediterranean and North America, including some of Ontario’s finest), the bar bites are delightful (I’m a huge fan of the Nova Scotia Lobster Salad, Beaujolais Sausage and Crispy Artichokes), but most notably their charcuterie is to die for. Yes, let’s talk about that for a minute. These guys are serious about their charcuterie. And when one of the world’s most renowned chefs (Daniel Boulud) is at the helm, they better be. I’m talking pates that take days to craft, meats that are cured for months and housemade terrines that dreams are made of…

Put simply, these guys have the best charcuterie in Toronto. Prepared by an in-house specialist (who trained under master Charcutier Gilles Verot) it is authentic, diverse and delicious. I’m personally addicted to the Saucisson Sec (dry-aged sausage made with pork, spices, garlic and red wine) and Duck Aux Agrumes (braised duck with citrus fruits). Luckily, they’re both on dbar’s Monday Night Charcuterie menu. What is this magical menu I speak of? Well, every Monday night you can build your own board of charcuterie (five items) and pair it with a glass of wine selected by the Sommelier, Drew Walker, for $35! With the quality of meats, cheeses and wines served at d|bar, this is an incredible offer. Here’s an example of what you may find on the menu…

Heavenly, right?! I always have a difficult time deciding what to order since I want to devour everything. At a recent media tasting, I asked chef Boulud if he has a favourite charcuterie — while his reply was elaborate (and involved a mood-dependent thought process), he did reveal a soft spot for Pâté Grand Père (a pate that features pork, black truffle, foie gras and cognac). Something I subsequently tasted and loved. No surprise there. Four Seasons Hotel Toronto never disappoints: the food, service and ambiance is always on point (more about that here). If you haven’t already, I highly recommend trying dbar’s Monday Night Charcuterie. The expertly-selected wines, cheeses and charcuterie will brighten up any dreary Monday!

Huge thanks to Four Seasons Hotel Toronto for hosting me at dbar’s Monday Night Charcuterie media event. As always, all reviews and opinions are entirely my own.