Air Canada's enRoute magazine announces the winner of Canada's Best New
Restaurant 2009

MONTREAL , Oct. 28 /CNW Telbec/ - Following an intensive countrywide search, enRoute magazine has come up with what is possibly the most exciting and eclectic list of the country's top ten restaurants for its 8th annual survey, Canada's most respected restaurant honours. The restaurants (opened between summer 2008 and summer 2009) turned out extraordinarily good cooking from largely young chefs using simple ingredients, traditional techniques and a fresh perspective. Air Canada's enRoute Magazine and its contributing food writer, Chris Nuttall-Smith are proud to honour the winning restaurant.

    
                                enRoute names
                         Cibo Trattoria (Vancouver)
                      Canada's Best New Restaurant 2009
    "This is decadence, circa 2009. It's also one of the most exciting things
                    to happen to the way we eat in years."
    Chris Nuttall-Smith on Cibo Trattoria, Canada's Best New Restaurant 2009.

     The top ten Best New Restaurants in Canada on enRoute's 2009 list are:

    2.  The Black Hoof Toronto. "...known almost entirely for its excellent
        cured meats... And unlike at most other charcuterie bars around North
        America, the 28-year-old chef at The Black Hoof, Grant van Gameren,
        makes nearly all of the 40-odd meats on rotation here in-house."
    3.  Rush Calgary. "Chef Justin Leboe's local-inspired menu is smart,
        cosmopolitan and completely delicious."
    4.  Atelier Ottawa. "Chef Marc Lépine's labour of love is one of those
        rare science-inspired kitchens where the food isn't a chore to eat -
        it's maddeningly good."
    5.  Murray Street Ottawa. "Steve Mitton's accomplished kitchen does Upper
        Canadian farmhouse cooking at its exuberant best..."
    6.  Cabane à sucre Au pied de cochon Saint-Benoît de Mirabel. "This
        backwoods outpost of Martin Picard's Au pied de cochon reimagines a
        beloved Quebecois custom into something more finely wrought than
        tradition ever could have dreamed."
    7.  Ship to Shore Malpeque Bay, PEI. "...a 1970s roadhouse was rescued
        from oblivion last spring and refurbished by a shellfish fisherman,
        Stephen Stewart, and a champion oyster shucker, John Bil. They do
        seafood the way it was before long-haul refrigeration and Mrs. Dash
        got in the way."
    8.  Pizzeria Libretto Toronto. "This is the only place in Canada to bear
        the pizza police's stamp of approval."
    9.  Culina Highlands Edmonton. "Modern Ukrainian? This deeply charming
        Edmonton room (picture Grandma's farmhouse kitchen with Nelson bubble
        lamps), does it with a silky reduction of beet juice and local honey,
        which is drizzled over whipped goat cheese and poppy-seed custard and
        crispy bread."
    10. La Salle à manger Montréal. "Can a bistro be a bistro and still feel
        exciting? At Montreal's La Salle à Manger, the answer is an emphatic
        yes."
    

Air Canada's enRoute magazine looks for new restaurants that advance the Canadian culinary identity; they are places where the overall dining experience will have a lasting and significant impact on our restaurant culture. Pick up a copy of enRoute's November issue or visit the magazine at enroute.aircanada.com to read the full article and also discover the latest trends in Canadian dining. You can also follow us on Twitter at enRouteOnline.

    
                     Where Canada and the World Intersect
                            enroute.aircanada.com
    

enRoute, Canada's premier travel lifestyle magazine, reaches over 1 million readers each month on all Air Canada flights and in Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges around the world. Targeting a highly edited selection of luxury and boutique hotels, specialty fashion and design boutiques, top fitness centres, exclusive spas and fine restaurants, enRoute now connects with its audience even after they have landed by reaching them where they shop, where they stay, where they dine, even where they play. enRoute is published by Spafax Canada Inc. Spafax is one of the world's leading providers of custom media. Magazines published by Spafax include Air Canada's award-winning enRoute, Fairmont for Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Pure Canada (for the Canadian Tourism Commission), Home Spa (for BainUltra) and a host of other titles, e-zines and websites. Spafax is a part of the specialist media division of WPP, one of the world's leading communications companies.

For further information: Fiona Dalrymple, ZOÏ Agency, [phone] ext 25, [email protected]