Actinolite Restaurant

The food was very yummy, the service was great, it was an interesting and unique dining experience but sadly we left feeling quite hungry. There were 10 courses sure, but a “course” might be one oyster, or one delicious piece of cauliflower, a few sips of soup, or one tasty morsel of chicken. You blow through 6 courses and you’ve really only had a few bites to eat. The chef is extremely passionate about the food, the locally-sourced ingredients and the sustainable farming partners. The stories and background behind each dish were elaborate and enjoyable to listen to. The spoonful of lobster was really fantastic, as was the pear and blue cheese combo, the few bites we got of chicken and pine mushrooms were amazing - really all the food was super yummy but there was just so little of it. I’m not a particularly large person, my appetite is pretty average, but I could have easily eaten twice (my husband, three times) the amount of food served. The biggest criticism I have is about dessert. I absolutely love indulging in a decadent dessert at a restaurant but I was quite disappointed in both of the dessert courses - the corn (and possibly hay?) ice cream really didn’t work. Never before in my life have I not been able to eat a dessert at a nice restaurant, I’m not picky when it comes to desserts - it was simply unpalatable. While the mushroom ice cream was definitely better than the corn ice cream because it had chocolate shavings, I’m not sure why you need to shoehorn chanterelle mushrooms into being the star of any dessert. It wasn’t one of those times where you say, “I’d never have thought of using mushrooms in ice cream but WOW” - it was more like a “darn, I was so excited for dessert but this ice cream tastes like mushrooms”. Also, if two of your ten courses are desserts, can’t ONE of them be an actual dessert? Why do both have to be vegetable-flavoured ice creams? My guess is the chef just isn’t a dessert guy, doesn’t have a sweet tooth. Overall though, it was a lovely evening out - we enjoyed it, I was wavering between 3 or 4 stars. The menu I’m sure changes daily so you probably won’t have to try the corn or mushroom ice cream, maybe you’ll get lucky - it’s definitely worth a try (just maybe don’t arrive too hungry or you might be stopping for a burger on the way home).

The best meal that either of us have ever had. 9 courses of amazingness that was a culinary masterpiece, the chef seems to also be an artist and a scientist. We were stuffed after course seven. Great service and a little story with each course. Lovely atmosphere.

Highly recommend for a locally sourced fine dining experience that is extremely well thought out and clearly designed to entice the palate. I’ve been on two occasions and both times were amazing. If you truly appreciate a curated eating experience that subtly highlights the gorgeous tastes of each dish... go here. Definitely expensive but worth it for a special occasion.

Creative locally sourced food made with a tremendous amount of thought. You will certainly be served dishes you have never seen before, so dive in and experience an education in what is possible. The menu changes with what is fresh and in season. The owner / chef will probably come by the table and tell the whole story of what you are eating. Mind expanding and often mind blowing too.