Are you ready for Winterlicious?

I'm lickin' my chops in anticipation. Thanks for the tips, Michelle :)

it's winter? thanks for the reminder ;)

don't go to monsoon. the executive chef and sous chef recently left due to management issues.

We always take advantage of it to check out new (to us) restaurants.

So many people say that they wouldn't judge the resto based on their Winterlicious menus offering.

Doesn't that sort of defeat the purpose?

It really is weird that people say that, but I agree with them all.

Although many restaurants take some of the dishes they actually serve and put it on the winterlicious menu, many others do not. Also, the entire experience is not the same. I always feel rushed and the service is not as good. YUp, this is the resto's problem...but the turnover is never as high as during winterlicious.

I have to admit, in all instances where I had visited a restaurant during wnterlicious and then went back for a meal not during the season, I enjoyed the latter more...even if I was paying the extra costs. Just my thoughts.

So your top 5 recommendations.... should I bother visiting during Winterlicious for $35, or should I visit during normal operations and spend the full prices to get the genuine experience?

Your advice is greatly appreciated :)

Depending on how much you eat, I would go during off season if you really want the real deal. The ones I listed - look really good. Are they worth $35 probably...but if you go during regular times - you will pay $25-$40 for a main add $15 give or take for an apptz and then $10 for dessert. So you can safely estimate to add $25 more. I think it is worth it.

Got a reservation at Canoe yesterday. Don't think they'll be any tables left once it opens up to the general public (I have an Amex card), there were only a couple left when I called. Took me 30 minutes on the phone before I finally got a hold of a person.

Yup, a girl in my office got 12 or so of us at Reds for lunch. Was the only place she could get into...and she was on the phone right when they opened. Was shut out of Canoe.

Definitely have been tremendously disappointed by some of my Winterlicious adventures this year. Globe was great, enjoyed Monsoon well enuff. Felt Rosewater Supper Club, Ultra Supper Club and Chez Victor underwhelmend (especially the Supper Clubs!). My 1st licious experience was with Ultra Supper Club which saw us waiting 45 minutes in a crowded bar section! This is the only one of 5 where we were told during our reminder call that normal seatings our 2.5 hours but our licious seating would be for 1.5 hours only. So felt strange to be kept waiting 45 minutes before seating. However, since we were kept waiting by bar we could drink liberally (the only way to dull our irritation at the wait - at least Cosmos tasted good) which added precipitously to bill needless to say. Irritation increased more when we were seated at the worst possible table - by entrance (cold, drafty; off to the side of action;by service table, so loud;by exit,so busy, etc.) Really, a dreadful start to the evening!

Rosewater was a real disappointment - ok starter soup, poor main (one chicken leg for one person; tiniest slice o beef + one rib for another), ending with one of worst tasting chocolate mousse things I've tasted, although the strudel & maple icecream were good. Fairly poor service - didn't ask how meal was until end (when chocolate thingy was clearly left uneaten), had to use butter knife to saw through beef (wasn't given steak knife, although did notice other patrons were), dining compatriot asked for pepper to season main which never arrived), etc.