On the final day of our weekend trip, we took advantage of the summery temperatures to hop into the pool for a quick morning swim before returning to Allandale Waterfront for brunch at The Farmhouse.
The upper patio happened to be completely occupied, which actually turned out in our favour as we could enjoy the view of the skies and hanging lights above from ground level.
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Our server promptly welcomed us and allowed just enough time for settling in before returning to take our drink orders.
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Iced water was requested, along with an interesting cocktail of sweet tea, lemonade, and vodka - termed "John Daily" - were ordered to start. Honesty, I had high expectations for this drink, as they had claimed to brew their sweet tea from scratch, making the final product resemble a sweetened iced tea, but instead found that it tasted relatively alcohol-free. I hadn't bothered to question our waitress regarding this, though did ponder whether the reduced input of vodka was a consequence of my outwardly youthful appearance.
Not nearly as keen on the brunch items as I had been on our day or arrival, I opted for the lighter dish of Chilled Crab & Watermelon Salad. It was listed on the menu as a starter, though I figured it would be filling enough for me when consumed in conjunction with dessert afterwards.
Its arrival was less than grand, however, especially given its $14.50 price tag. A stout, circular stack veering profoundly far from the presentation I had expected, it was essentially a palm-sized chunk of semi-ripe watermelon topped with several spoonfuls of a crab meat-mayo-celery mixture and plated with painfully tiny dollops of "spicy aioli". Although more filling than its appearance told otherwise, the dish wasn't anything I couldn't have recreated at home at a much lower cost. (I mean, I purchased two extremely ripe watermelons from T&T and P.A.T. for less than the entire appetizer!) The spicy aioli sauce wasn't exactly impressive either: there was barely enough for dipping, and tasted like a mere combination of mayonnaise and Sriracha. (Also, the plate hadn't been cleaned properly at all. Sauce streaks wiped in a haphazard manner were clearly on display from all angles.)
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The Maple Syrup Smoked Trout Benny was one of The Farmhouse's own unique takes on the classic Eggs Benedict. Depicted as a mouthwatering platter of sweet, crispy fish, homefries, and fresh fruit, the result was kilometers short of amazing. All of the aforementioned elements were present, but in significantly smaller numbers (with the exception of the homefries, which were still done to perfection as our first visit).
A small plastic cup of fresh fruit had indeed been placed on the side of the plate, though its contents were simply two sad chunks of honeydew and watermelon (likely from the same fruit which my appetizer had been derived from).
A small plastic cup of fresh fruit had indeed been placed on the side of the plate, though its contents were simply two sad chunks of honeydew and watermelon (likely from the same fruit which my appetizer had been derived from).
On a more positive note, the poached eggs had been executed very well: runny, yolky goodness oozed out onto the dish from underneath a completely cooked soft white shell.
To this moment, I still can't believe that Eggs Benedict were more affordable than a tiny salad. Perhaps I'm just bitter, but it is, in fact, the truth.
To this moment, I still can't believe that Eggs Benedict were more affordable than a tiny salad. Perhaps I'm just bitter, but it is, in fact, the truth.
Ending the meal with a sweet finish, we collectively agreed on the Chocolate Torte with Gluten-Free Pecan Crust.
Despite its small stature, the dessert packed in a great deal of energy (cough CALORIES cough).
The roughly-sliced, 2 inch by 2 inch square piece of caramel-covered creaminess was equal parts crunchy pecan base and impossibly smooth chocolate cake. I do feel the need to complain that the dessert had been plated onto a warm, narrow dish, causing the vanilla ice cream to exhibit signs of liquification before even hitting the table; a whole strawberry had been added as the finishing touch, though its over-ripe properties lent a less-than-stellar vibe to the final product. While I don't believe the Chocolate Torte warrants its eight-dollar charge, it was still a splendid dessert to fill the void in my stomach post-poor decision-making.
The roughly-sliced, 2 inch by 2 inch square piece of caramel-covered creaminess was equal parts crunchy pecan base and impossibly smooth chocolate cake. I do feel the need to complain that the dessert had been plated onto a warm, narrow dish, causing the vanilla ice cream to exhibit signs of liquification before even hitting the table; a whole strawberry had been added as the finishing touch, though its over-ripe properties lent a less-than-stellar vibe to the final product. While I don't believe the Chocolate Torte warrants its eight-dollar charge, it was still a splendid dessert to fill the void in my stomach post-poor decision-making.
On the journey home, we stopped over at Tanger Outlets briefly to ease feelings of satiation. Unlike Toronto Premium outlets, this shopping destination was entirely indoors, meaning that A/C was in abundance. On the other hand though, selection and diversity of styles and sales falls far behind the former.
Nonetheless, I quite enjoyed the experience and was even able to pick up several deals!
Nonetheless, I quite enjoyed the experience and was even able to pick up several deals!
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See you next time, Barrie!!
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