French-Canadian Cuisine on the Lake
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada
Cuisine Style: French, Canadian
Average Price: $$
Overall Rating: 3/5
Dined in: August 2011
By Sean Overpeck (CFE)
**A full article and index glossary of restaurants, wines, recipes and travel for
Wine Dine and Play are in the pages section above, or by following these links:
Executive Chef:
Chef Steve Sperling
While on a wine tasting tour of Niagara, as part of the tour, the group stopped in the small town of Niagara-on-the-Lake where we all ate at the HobNob Restaurant lounge with wine bar at the CAA/AAA Four-Diamond rated Charles Hotel. They offer a casual and comfortable setting for guests and locals to enjoy lunch or dinner, savor a glass of wine and relax at the surroundings. Whether you eat in the dining room, Verandah, or patio you will get a good tasting of contemporary French and Canadian cuisine.
Menu:
- Starters
- Salads
- Soup du Jour
- Sandwiches
- Entrees
- Desserts
more menus:
- Tasting Menu
- Lounge and Patio
- Theatre-Goers’ Lunch
- Breakfast
Niagara-on-the-Lake is famous for its historic architecture, golf courses, and culinary prowess, so why not combine these into one wonderful experience? The HobNob Restaurant & Wine Bar is found in a beautifully restored 1832 manor house that overlooks the Niagara-on-the-Lake Golf Club. Combining farm to table excellence, a large world selection of wines, and a fantastic sampling of many Niagara and other Canadian wines, HobNob is your go-to destination.
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| The gardens |
The dining room offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner to guests seven days a week, topped off with a traditional afternoon tea, which features savory and sweet treats, a perfect mid-day retreat. As this wine tour was in 2011 and I’m writing this review in 2017, I don’t remember exact details of what I ate or have my own pictures, but I do remember that it was a pleasant lunch and look forward to one day returning. Until that time I give them accolades to whoever reads this review and have attached several pictures from either their webpage or other publisher sites on the web.
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Steak and marrow
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Dessert:
I did not have dessert but their lemon poppyseed cake with vanilla Crème anglaise and raspberry sorbet sounded amazing, as did the berry cheesecake tart with a quinoa and oat granola, puff pastry and berry compote.
Please see these guidelines for Tipping in Restaurants and on following proper etiquette, customs, cultures, and avoiding assumptions when you dine out.
Other Noteworthy Contemporary French Articles & Restaurants:
Aria Restaurant Modern Australian haute cuisine in Sydney, Australia
Bistrot La Minette Charming French Bistro with movie filmed terrace in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
La Colombe Country-style local ingredients w/French flair in Cape Town, South Africa
L’Ecrivain Seasonal Irish ingredients with full modern French gastronomic dining in Dublin, Ireland
The French Laundry French-American fine dining restaurant in Yountville, California
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary”
More Ontario, Canada restaurants, and articles on Wine Dine and Play:
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Rodízio buffet and churrascaria
Niagara Falls, Canada
|
Fine dining Italian classics
Niagara Falls, Canada
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Elegant seasonal Continental cuisine
Niagara Falls, Canada
|
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Award-winning ice wines
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada
|
Regional Canadian fare & view
Toronto, Canada
|
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary by country”
Final notes, review basics, observations and more pictures:
Most reviews are subjective, depending on the writer; but they should also be responsible, and respectfully written, upholding the truth, and accurately conveying the experience to the best of the writer's knowledge, even if it includes metaphors the restaurant may not like to read about. My ratings are by the stars I award (from 0 to 5). The rating is calculated on a point accumulation of six separate factors based on individual experience. They include wine and other beverage selections, plate presentation, customer service, restaurant or café ambiance, food quality, and wow factor. To see more details of this rating list, read this article:
Overall from this experience, and the score factors outlined in the ‘about page’ section, based on my individual experience and rating, I give HobNob a 3 out of 5 stars, meaning that they exceeded my expectations and were far above the average dining experience of most restaurants.
Scores are detailed in the factor chart below:
Formula Factor Conclusions and Overall Ratings
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Max Points Possible:
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Total Points Awarded:
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Total Points deducted:
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Ambiance
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10
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9
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1
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Food quality
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10
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8.5
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1.5
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Plate presentation
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10
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7
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3
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Customer service
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10
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8.5
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1.5
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Alcohol and other beverages
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10
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7
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3
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Total regular points awarded
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50
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40
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10
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Total percentage — less the Bonus
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0.8
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“Wow” factor BONUS
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5
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2
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0
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Total bonus percentage
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0.04
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Total percentage and bonus for a final star rating
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0.84
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Stars Awarded (see chart below)
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0 - 5
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3
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**A full break down and explanation of the observations and point disbursement is available in the linked article above. To receive a detailed copy of your score, feel free to contact me at any time and I will provide it to you.**
***
Overall Star Rating:
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3 of 5 Stars:
84% Rating with a 2 point “wow” bonus
An Extraordinary Dining Experience
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Wine List:
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Wine rating:
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4 of 10
Old World selections:
France
New World selections:
Canada
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Corkage fee’s:
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This Restaurant does not list any corkage fee’s however, most American restaurants charge
$25.00 per bottle
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Restaurant style:
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Casual dining
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Cuisine style:
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Continental-Canadian, French
Allergen or dietary accommodations:
Farm to Fork, Low Carb, Organic, Pescatarian, Vegan Options, Vegetarian
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Reservations:
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Not Required, But Recommended
Walk-Ins:
Accepted, but not guaranteed
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Dress code:
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Smart casual or Casual
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Child policy:
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The Restaurants reviewed on this site may have a kids menu or cater to them; however, for full enjoyment of food and wine, it is recommended that kids not to be in attendance, unless they have been trained in proper etiquette.
If not then:
Hire a Babysitter!
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Experiences:
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Place for foodies, Contemporary, Lounge, Great outdoor dining, Good for special occasions, Beautiful décor, Upscale, and a Neighborhood Gem.
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Payments:
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Cash, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express
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Parking:
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Private lot, or Street meter parking
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Wifi
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The restaurants reviewed on this site may have Wi-Fi, but do not require you to go online, because the excitement of the food and wine alone will keep you too entertained instead of checking your social media and emails.
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Noise level:
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Low
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Smoking:
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Nonsmoking restaurant, and nonsmoking patio
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Patio or terrace:
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Yes
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Food Prices
(excludes, alcohol, taxes & 20% gratuity’s)
$£€¥ - Under 50.00 (inexpensive)
$£€¥ x 2 - 51.00- 99.00 (moderate)
$£€¥ x 3 - Over 100.00 (pricy)
$£€¥ x 4 - Over 200.00 (expensive)
$£€¥ x 5 - Over 400.00 (very expensive)
**Currencies reflect the world’s major travelers, restaurant, or wine connoisseur’s**
Currency:
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Price
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Canadian Dollar (CAN)
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$$
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United States Dollar (USD)
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$$
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Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
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££
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Chinese Yuan (CNY)
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¥¥¥¥
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European Union (EUR)
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€€
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HobNob Restaurant:
209 Queen Street
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario
Canada L0S 1J0
Contact Information:
Maître d or host:
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+1 905-468-4588
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Online reservations
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Restaurant website:
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Serving hours:
Eastern Standard Time
(GMT - 5:00)
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Breakfast: Mon-Sun
8:00 am - 10:00 am
Lunch: Mon-Sun
11:00 am - 4:00 pm
Dinner: Mon-Sun
5:00 pm - 8:30 pm
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Email or webpage contact:
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Social Media
&
Accolades:
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****
The worlds best restaurants is a subjective list of who is writing it and changes on a regular basis. The Wine Dine and Play best experiences are based on my highest rated stared restaurants, meaning that the visit was an outstanding or extraordinary experience. From cafés, chains, mom + pops, hole in the walls, to fine dining including a few Michelin spots. Visit the Top 100 page to see the entire list.
A few to tease you with…
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Chain serving Chicago-style deep dish pizza & other Italian eats
Chicago, Illinois, USA
|
Acclaimed upmarket classic & innovative Italian
Dubai Marina, Dubai, UAE
|
Classic Mediterranean Cuisine
Charleston, South Carolina, USA
|
Other Pictures:
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| Cheesecake |
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| Salad Selections |
“Culinary perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things,
But in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”
-Angelique Arnauld (1591-1661)
Who is John Galt?
TTFN
