International Dining Series at Panache launches with Canadian Menu

VICTORIA

Last week, I went up Bear Mountain to Panache Restaurant for a media preview lunch of their new International Dining Series. Executive Chef Iain Rennie’s cooking is always top tier, and this lunch was no exception. Rennie’s food is polished, innovative and always delicious.

The International Dining Series is a culinary world tour of five countries’ cuisines and will feature 3-course menus with wine pairing for $69 ($49 without wines). Every three weeks, from July through October, Executive Chef Iain Rennie will take you on a new culinary journey. First up is Canada, which started on Canada Day, of course, and runs until July 21^st. Then it’s over to Portugal July 22^nd to August 11^th, back to North America with 3 weeks in the USA August 12 – September 1^st, and Australia Sept 2nd – 22^nd with a little shrimp on the barbie. The series wraps up in Germany with a salute to Oktoberfest September 23^rd-Oct 13^th.

Rennie and his crew created a sampler-style, three-course menu for our lunch, taking us on a whirlwind world tour. We started with a Canadian appetizer of Sockeye Salmon & Crab Cannelloni with pickled sea asparagus, wild sorrel and smoked aioli, moved west to Australia and an inspired main course of Tyroler bacon-wrapped lamb loin with an earthy wild mushroom crust, yam pavé, minted pea purée and pepper berry jus. For the sweet course, we flipped to Germany for a rich Black Forest cake accompanied by cherry jam, Kirsch ice cream and almond marzipan Berry Jus. The wines were appropriate to each dish and well paired.

In looking over the menus for the series, are a couple of dishes that caught my eye:

• Corned Duck Breast with Okanagan fluid gel, brioche flakes and salted walnuts (Canada)

• Octopus Press with house-made chouriço, fingerling potatoes, frisée, orange and chillies (Portugal)

• Compressed Watermelon with cilantro, cream, agave sorbet, lime meringue and honey caviar (USA)

• Ostrich with seared foie gras, figs, roasted beets and pomegranate (Australia)

• Flädlesuppe with herb crepe, house made bratwurst, black kale and caraway chip (Germany)

Visit www.bearmountain.ca/ids for menus or call 250.391.7160