ETHICAL GOURMET / Remind me to Tell You About the Time I Looked in the Heart of an Artichoke

Little Red Riding Hood, You Sure are looking good. You're Everything a Big Bad Wolf Could Want. Woolfy's Restaurant and Little Red Café Woolfy’s at Wildwood is situated on Highway 7, and Perth Road 118, just outside St. Mary’s in an inconspicuous bungalow surrounded by a farmer’s field. Chris and Mary Woolf, make a sojourn to Woolfy’s well worth the drive. They know how to provide a warm and welcoming ambience. Over many years of dining at Woolfy’s I have never had a disappointing experience. Chef Chris Woolf is the back of the house and Mary Fuller Woolf a consummate host is the front. The Woolf’s are Perth County restaurant royalty. Their commitment to the hospitality industry is nothing short of formidable. I first encountered the Woolf’s while working in Stratford in the mid-eighties. Chris worked with Chef Jean Marie Lacroix at the Church and Chef Neil Baxter at Rundle’s and went on to teach at the Stratford Chefs School, in those early years when it was the onl

Let’s Send Visitors Home Praising London, Ontario Figure skating fans from around the world will be coming to London in March for the 2013 ISU World Figure Skating Championships. The best figure skaters in the world, from over 50 different countries, will participate in the event from March 10 to 17, 2013, at the Budweiser Gardens (formerly John Labatt Centre), as they compete for the title of World Champion. And the event’s festivities don’t end on the ice. Through the “Light up London” initiative and on-site Fan Fair, the entire London community will be engaged in a full week of celebrations. The Fan Fair will take place at the Covent Garden Market and Budweiser Gardens, and will feature family-oriented activities, including games, activity stations and an outdoor vendor marketplace. “Light up London” will cover the downtown core in purple, white and silver – the color themes of this year’s ISU World Figure Skating Championships – with participating restaurants featuring special

Che Resto Bar – Infused with Latin Flavour Marvin Rivas’s Che Resto Bar on Dundas is a big-ticket entry into downtown London’s dining scene. This is Latin-American cooking that personifies its origins but also highlights its potential. The menu has a distinct Peruvian flavour, influenced by Chef German Nunez’s heritage. Nuevo Latino cuisine is the rage right now, and Che is the ideal place to experience it. More than a restaurant, the bar/lounge area is a dominant feature and a prime focal point. The resto bar concept is about social interaction and Che has a great vibe. Rivas delivers the resto bar experience with panache: luxe surroundings, welcoming ambience, great cuisine, interesting wines and exotic cocktails. Try a signature capirinha (Brazil s national drink) or Cuba’s ubiquitous highball, a thirst-quenching mojito, or a pisco sour with lime juice, sugar, egg white and sparkling wine. A well-designed resto bar demands an in-depth understanding of how restaurants flow.