With friends in tow, we went to the Naramata Bench area for wine tasting and lunch. We visited several wineries and while some were outstanding and only one was not so much.
The place to go for lunch, million dollar view and super great ambience, come here to the Hillside Winery and Bistro. https://www.google.ca/search?hl=en-CA&source=hp&q=hillside+winery+restaurant+&gbv=2&oq=hillside+winery+restaurant+&gs_l=heirloom
We deliberated over the menu and then finally ordered. My friend, Sharon, ordered the pork cheek lettuce wraps with puffed rice vermicelli, caramalized vegetables, crushed nuts and paired with a glass of old Vines Gamay Noir. She loved it.
Gary, her best other half, ordered the grilled chicken ciabatta with a tomato aioli, olive tapenade, field tomato and Alpine Gold cheese and paired this with the Viognier wine. He, also, loved it.
My best half, Don, ordered the salmon lox Panini with shaved red onion, caper berries and dill cream cheese. Uh! here there was a little hickup. With the salmon being put into the panini machine, it cooked the salmon and completely changed the texture and flavour.
Don politely questioned the type of salmon used and our server, Hannah, was so on top of it. She immediately went to the Chef and questioned him, came back immediately and informed Don. She then offered to get him anything else, and when he declined the offer, she took it off the bill. Kudos to our server who handled the situation with a smile, promptness and many apologies. She is so very, very professional.
I ordered the mixed green salad with Happy Days Chevre. It had so many different fresh fruits in it…blueberries, sliced strawberries, apple slices, and more. Also candied hazelnuts with the Roasted apple dressing. WOW! The dressing completely made this dish. I paired this, at their suggestion, with the K White wine. Perfect match.
After finishing our wine, we went down to the tasting room. I bought the large bottle of the roasted apple dressing. It is soooo awesome.
This was a complete reversal to our previous visit (2 years ago) and am so very pleased to tell you to visit, dine there and enjoy. It is so worth it.
