Dinner at The Dog & Tiger with Fogo Island Fish

STYLE Canada was invited to the Fogo Island event at The Dog & Tiger in Toronto. We were served the highly anticipated set menu designed by the chefs at The Dog & Tiger and Fogo Island Fish, and it was an unique evening honouring Newfoundland’s culinary and wine culture.

Chefs Thomas Salvo (The Dog & Tiger) and Taylor McMeekin (Fogo Island Fish) collaborated to create a menu that they were confident would please their guests – and they were correct! They created a menu that not only showed the various varieties of fish available on Fogo Island, but also told a storey and communicated a message about the community . The five-course meal included line-caught Fogo Island Cod and Maritime specialties, and was matched with wine from Rosewood Estates, an award-winning Niagara winery.

Fogo Island is a secluded fishing town that has been an important part of Newfoundland’s history and culture for over 300 years, and Fogo Islanders are seafarers who make their living by fishing in the North Atlantic. If you’ve ever visited Fogo Island or intend to, you’ll know that eating fish is the most popular tourist activity, aside from the wide hiking paths. Because the seafood is so fresh and distinctive to this region, many restaurants, like The Dog & Tiger (and others who are not from Newfoundland), choose to import their fish from Fogo Island Fish. Fogo Island Fish supplies restaurants across Canada with superior hand-lined fish and sustainably caught seafood. The Dog & Tiger works directly with fishermen on Fogo Island, Newfoundland, to ensure that their catch is sourced locally and ethically, while also maintaining a historic community and providing the highest possible quality to its consumers.

It’s also great to hear that by purchasing from this company, you’re not only supporting local and historic communities, but also a future community, because 100% of the surpluses generated at Fogo Island Fish go to support the registered charity’s ongoing community development initiatives on Fogo Island.

We knew the meal would exceed our expectations because we had previously attended events with Fogo Island. Walking into The Dog & Tiger location on College Street, it felt as though we had walked into a scene from the film, “The Holiday”. The area, built by MAED Collective of Toronto, provides everything you need for a relaxing lunch. The atmosphere was just what we needed on a cold winter night, thanks to the dining room fireplace, wall décor, and exposed brick.

 

The Dog & Tiger is a farm-to-table eatery and bar recognised for their superb handcrafted drinks and seasonal meals, despite the fact that this evening’s dinner was a special occasion. They are known for obtaining the highest quality cuisine and the most ethically sourced fish available.

Wines from Ontario Rosewood Estates, an award-winning boutique winery located on the Beamsville Bench, were included in the menu. The winery is family-owned and pleased to make 100 percent VQA Ontario wines, as well as Niagara’s first honey wine. Rosewood Estates‘ goal in the Niagara Region is to make honest, low-intervention wine, inventive mead, and local honey that reflects their distinct and particular style. Needless to say, we’ll be going by the estate this holiday season to pick up some of our favourite bottles.

Finally, but certainly not least, dessert! Stef Scrivens, our excellent friend and pastry chef, rounded off the evening with the most delectable dessert, complete with popcorn on top!

Needless to say, all parties involved made it a memorable evening, and we will be returning to The Dog & Tiger soon to sample their regular programming.