With the arrival of Executive Chef Anthony Mason in the kitchen at Canmore’s The Sensory, comes an exciting new menu that demonstrates Mason’s talent, creativity and commitment to his craft.
Having spent the last five years at Sky Bistro in Banff, Mason says his vision for the program at Sensory is to really honour the ingredients, to celebrate the bounty of the region and to create interesting, delicious food that is accessible to every sort of diner.
The new dinner menu launches April 11 with the lunch program following later in the spring. We were able to sample a few of the new dishes and had a beautiful meal full of surprises and delights.
We began with the frisée salad, a delicate and beautiful beginning resplendent with colour and flavour. Purple kale, pomegranate seeds and toasted puffed rice are grounded by an earthy Manchego cheese and a burnt citrus vinaigrette.
Next up was the fiery gambas featuring fresh sauteed prawns doused in garlic and chili oil on a bed of grilled sourdough. Created by Chef’s team, this spicy dish packs a punch heat-wise, but the flavour reward is robust with a great balance of sweetness and tang.
In a dish he says is close to his heart, Chef Anthony’s crispy lemon blueberry confit duck wings over kimchi salad with pickled sweet drops and pickled blueberries balances crispy skin with crunchy veg, sweet blueberries with savoury wings and a wonderful fermented zip with the rich confit duck.
We enjoyed two entrees including the gorgeous arctic char with a creamy truffle pomme purée at its base complemented by fresh, crisp cucumber basil salsa with compressed watermelon and topped with beautiful, crispy skins. The fish was simply seasoned, allowing the natural flavours to shine through. We were then onto the delightfully vegan (and gluten free) prairie grains. Exceptionally flavourful, this dish is rooted in earthy mushrooms, barley, wild rice and farrow and sent soaring with a tangy warm citrus dressing and bursts of pomegranate.
Chef Anthony says these dishes are just a small sample of the expansive new menu available soon at The Sensory. Watch for new bi-weekly Trust Me chef’s tasting menus that explore the region’s best producers as well as a return of the Dining in the Dark series that explores the sensory side of food.
Visit The Sensory Mon.-Thurs. and Sun. 5-9 p.m., Fri. and Sat. 5-10 p.m. (Lounge open until 11 p.m.)
