Restaurant review: Port

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Front of restaurant

  I should name this series of restaurant reviews a sailor’s guide to shoreline restaurants after having previously reviewed the Marina Grill and Bluffer’s. This set of summer reviews has started in downtown Toronto and moved east along the shore of Lake Ontario to Scarborough in the post about Bluffer’s and now further east along the shore to the Port restaurant in the port of Frenchman’s Bay, Pickering. I’ve eaten in this establishment for many years both inside and on the bay side patio. I took my mother on Thursday for my birthday and we got the best table which is in the corner of the patio. The weather was a bit overcast but the temperature was perfect for outside dining.

Restaurant patio from distance

Mother in corner table

View from table facing west towards Frenchman's Bay

Broiled calamari appetizer with peanut sauce

  For the appetizer, we shared a dish of calamari which was sautéed with chilli rub and a side dish of sauce romesco.

Arctic char with couscous

Cashew chicken breast with couscous

  For the main course, my mother had the Ontario Organic Arctic Char with couscous, cucumber slaw and tempura pea tendrils while I had cashew encrusted roasted free-range chicken breast with Dijon honey, couscous salad, tomato chow, cucumber slaw and tempura pea tendrils.

White cheesecake

  For dessert my mother had a white cheesecake and I had a red velvet cake with whipped cream.

Red velvet cake with whipped cream

  The service was slow but friendly. I think that the patio filled up after we sat and there wasn`t enough staff to handle all of the customers. The price of the various items was $13 for the Calamari, $23 for the Chicken, $28 for the Char, $8 for the cake, $8 for the cheesecake with a 9 oz. glass of Chardonnay``08 Camelot, California for $16, Cappuccino for $4 and English breakfast tea for $3. The total cost for two was $103 including drinks plus tax and gratuities. An excellent meal and experience for those who aren’t in a hurry.

Blues on the Beach concert

  After the meal, we went down to the beach at the end of the street to listen to a free jazz concert called “Blues on the Beach”- a nice ending to a beautiful evening and my birthday.

Concert close up - Frenchman`s bay on Lake Ontario