An Extraordinary Game Dinner, With Truffle Accents and Extraordinary Wines at Nota Bene Restaurant, Toronto

Chef David Lee created an exceptionally rendered game dinner, hosted by a good friend. David is a Canadian gem and although Nota Bene is a favourite resto of mine, David's remarkably creative, high level skills that are so sensitive to the ingredients he works with, were particularly visible at former his haute cuisine resto, Splendido. Nota Bene has wonderful comfort food, but, one must ask David to create a special occasion meal to truly experience David's highest levels of culinary attainment. For this dinner, for the most part, Chef Lee worked with Alba white truffles and Alba, Molise and Burgundy (which have much less flavour and aroma) blacks.


Our first wine, gewurtztraminer "Hugel", Homage a Jean Hugel, !998, accompanied the next 3 dishes.


Church Hill Farms blue shelled, creamy and perfectly "loose" scrambled eggs with highly perfumed shaved white Alba truffles.

The chilled reduction gelee of poached wild Alaskan salmon with shaved white Alba truffles. What an extraordinary taste sensation. A subtle and sublime marriage of flavours made in heaven!!

Poached wild Alaskan salmon with a matsutake mushroom broth, roasted cilantro root on the side. Another wow of subtle flavours.

Domaine Romanee Conti Grands Echezeaux, 1988, accompanied the next 2 dishes.


Wild game terrine, foie gras, tendon and black Alba truffles were accompanied by toasted brioche and game gelee. For the game in the terrine, teal and mallard duck, pheasant and King City buck were used. Another remarkable experience in complex flavours and textures.

Mallard duck breast and pine mushroom salad with shaved Burgundy black truffles. 

Leroy Grands Echezeaux, 1959, accompanied the next 2 dishes.


Tagliolini pasta dressed with a touch of butter and parmesan cheese with shaved white Alba truffles. This pasta dish was as good as the best anywhere in Italy!

Butter poached wild turkey breast, brought to the table before slicing and prep.

The sliced butter poached wild turkey with shaved Molise white truffles (good, but not anywhere as intense in flavour or fragrance as the Alba whites). This combination of the beautifully tender turkey, the sauce and truffles was another heavenly match.

Marcel Guigal Cote Roti La Turque, !990, accompanied the next dish.


Game tortiere made with ground venison, moose and duck was accompanied by a pressure cooked, molasses lacquered duck leg and beans. A wonderful savoury experience.

Chateau de Beaucastel, 1989, accompanied the next dish.


Game consomme with stuffed game, salt pork and cabbage roll.

The sliced black Alba truffles are added to the above dish. Amazing flavours highlighted by  truffles!!

Chateau Mouton Rothschild 1986 went with the next dish.


Roasted elk and goose breast (the slice on the right) with potato pancake ("latke"), apple puree and clove dust. This part of the goose breast was remarkably tender. The clove dust was the counter punch in flavour.

Chateau Petrus, 1988, accompanied the following dish.

Roasted King City buck loin accompanied by Vickie's turnips, a roasted pearl onion and creamy mashed potatoes.

Chateau Coutet Barsac 1986, arrived with the next dish.


Apple galette with wild blueberries and vanilla ice cream.