Wine Dine and Play: The Watermark Restaurant

Dine Over The Falls

Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada

Dined in August 2011

By Sean Overpeck (CFE)

The Watermark Restaurant is a locally inspired menu, fresh farm to table continental cuisine on the 33rd floor of the Hilton Hotel Niagara, overlooking the Falls. Continental Cuisine originated as a style of cooking that includes the better-known dishes of various western European countries, but there are seven continents in the world. So, continental cuisine is best defined as food made from around that specific continent versus a specific region or country. In the case of the Watermark Restaurant continental cuisine would be a combination of Canadian and American dishes, possibly an inclusion of some Mexican dishes. The Watermark has multi level seating leading down to tables pushed against floor-to-ceiling windows with views of both the American and Canadian horseshoe falls.

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Executive Chef:

Chef Tim O’Donnell

Main review:

The elevator to the 33rd floor opens into a darker blue vestibule leading to a crashing wave arch in white, which leads into the main dining room, decorated in shades of blue and white. The Watermarks elegant contemporary ambiance is reminiscent of the falls itself.

Picture courtesy of New York By Design

I dined there in 2011 and though I do not remember much from the restaurant as it has been several years, to be fair and partial to this review, I will rate it based on it exceeding my expectations with 3 stars. I also do not have any pictures from what I ate, though do recall it being a good experience. Below I have included several pictures from the Watermark webpage to include one that the hilton uses to advertise the restaurant with a couple dining, and the falls right behind them. It is a perfect camera angle.

Advertised

Actual view - picture courtesy of Trip Advisor

From what I recall it looked very nice but not that close, as the Fallsview Hotel and Casino was in front and it held the view with the falls being on either the left or right side of that building. I do remember the picture above when doing my research, and it did its job to sell me on making a reservation. Though my views were not that impressive, I still enjoyed my meal. The pictures below are all courtesy of Watermark Restaurant:

Other Noteworthy Continental / American Favorites:

Wolfgang Puck in Orlando, Florida

Harvest Moon Cafe in Sonoma, California

FarmTable Kitchen in St. Petersburg, Florida

Bistro at Biltmore in Asheville, North Carolina

Final notes and observations:

What is a restaurant review? Is one better than the other? These and several other questions are what I hear from foodies, and readers alike. Restaurants ask how the rating system is broken down. Remember that reviews you read online are subjective, but they should also be responsibly, and respectfully written, upholding the truth and accurately conveying the experience. My job is to put you at the table next to me, and to always be objective and not subjective. Hopefully I succeeded with that. Being impeccable with my word, never taking anything that happens at the restaurant personally, being honest in the review, never make assumptions, and to always write to the best of my knowledge.

My ratings are notated by the level of stars awarded from 0 to 5. The star rating is based on the calculation and point accumulation of six separate factors with nearly seventy questions broken down by individual experiences such as wine and other beverage selection, plate presentation, customer service, restaurant or café ambiance, food quality, plus a bonus section called the wow factor. To see more details on how I do my ratings read this article:

What Is A Restaurant Review, And Am I Any Different?

Over all from this experience, and using my rating system linked above, I give The Watermark Restaurant a 3 out of 5 stars, meaning that they exceeded my expectations and were far above the average dining experience of most restaurants.

Review basics:

Corkage fee’s:	The Restaurant does not list any corkage fee’s however, most American restaurants charge $25.00 per bottle
Restaurant style:	Conservative, or Semi-formal dining
Reservations:	Not Required But Recommended Walk-Ins: Accepted, but not guaranteed
Dress code:	Business casual or Conservative attire
Child policy:	The Restaurants reviewed on this site may have a child’s menu or cater to them; however for full enjoyment of food and wine, it is recommended for children not to be in attendance, unless they have been trained in proper etiquette. If not then Hire a Babysitter!
Cuisine style:	Modern, Lounge, Seafood, American Continental, Canadian & Vegetarian
Experiences:	Trendy, Business parties, Romantic, Good for special occasions, Beautiful décor, Scenic views, Intimate, Classy, Upscale, and a Neighborhood gem.
Payments:	Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express
Parking:	Valet, or Hotel Parking 2 hour validated parking up until 6:00 PM, $8.00 charge
Wifi	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.
Noise level:	Low to Medium
Smoking:	Nonsmoking restaurant
Patio:	No

Other Niagara, Canada reviews on Wine, Dine, and Play:

Brasa Brazilian Steakhouse in the Hilton, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada

Ponte Vecchio in the Fallsview Hotel, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada

HobNob Restaurant The Charles Hotel, Niagara-on-the-Lake

Watermark Restaurant:

Hilton Hotel 33rd Floor

6361 Fallsview Blvd.
Niagara Falls, ON Canada
L2G 3V9

Contact Information:

Maître d or host:	+1 905 353 7138
Online reservations	OpenTable
Restaurant website:	The Watermark
Serving hours: Eastern Standard Time (GMT - 5:00)	Dinner: Mon-Sun 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Email or webpage contact:	Contact The Watermark
Social Media & Accolades:	Facebook link
	Twitter @Hilton_Niagara
	YouTube
	Instagram

****

The worlds best, based on my list of restaurants reviewed and rated at 4 or more stars. From the 300 published reviews as of March 2017, less than 15% hold that prestigious ranking of 4 or 5 stars, meaning that the visit was an outstanding or extraordinary experience. I have dined at restaurants on five continents from cafes, chains, and fine dining best of the world Michelin rated locations. Not all of the worlds best ratings are the same as mine.

Wine, Dine, and Play’s Favorites

Brick and Mortar Rustic New American Fare Saint Petersburg, Florida USA	Tetsuya’s Eclectic French-Asian Tasting Menu Sydney, Australia	The Test Kitchen Modern Eclectic African Cuisine Woodstock, South Africa
Aubergine Innovative East Meets West Menu Cape Town, South Africa	Qui Restaurant Modern Upscale Global Plates (Now Called Kuneho by Paul Qui) Austin, Texas, USA	Restaurant Le Gabriel Classic French Gastronomique Bordeaux, France
Vue de Monde Elegant Fine Australian Dining Melbourne, Australia	Constantia Uitsig La Colombe Chic Country-Style Vineyard Restaurant Constantia, Cape Town, South Africa	Zuma Hip Asian-Fusion Dubai, UAE
Grill 225 Ornate Top 10 American Chophouse Charleston, South Carolina, USA	La TABLE de Joël Robuchon Haute French Cuisine Paris, France	Alinea American-Global Molecular Menu Chicago, Illinois, USA
Quay Quintessential Modern Australian Cuisine Sydney, Australia	Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud Impeccably Acclaimed French Cuisine Dublin, Ireland	The French Laundry French-American Fine Dining Yountville, Napa, California, USA
At.mosphere High Rise Fine Global Dining, Highest Restaurant In The World Dubai, UAE	The Tasting Room at Le Quartier Français Contemporary, African-Inspired Tasting Journey Franschhoek, South Africa	Commanders Palace Upscale Creole Fare New Orlean’s, Louisiana, USA
Attica Inventive Eclectic Tasting Menus Ripponlea, Melbourne, Australia	Leopard Hills Lodge Safari + Upscale African Cuisine Sabi Sand Game Reserve, South Africa	Rioja Creative Mediterranean Cuisine Denver, Colorado, USA
Mr. Todiwala’s Kitchen Vibrant Pan-Indian Cuisine Slough, United Kingdom	Cook'n' With Gas Bistro High-End New Zealand Fare & Bistro Christchurch, New Zealand	Reflets par Pierre Gagnaire Posh French + A Culinary Experimentalism Festival City, Dubai, UAE
McCrady’s Inspired Farm-to-Table Dining Charleston, South Carolina, USA

So many great wines in this world, here are a few boutiques, cult wines, and favorites:

Meerlust Wine Estate Rubicon A 1756 Estate Famed Rubicon Blend Stellenbosch, South Africa	Hoopes Vineyard Big, Bold, Cult Cabernets Oakville, California, USA
Jonata Winery Screaming Eagles Sister Santa Barbara, California, USA	Yarra Yering Agincourt, Waterloo, Salamanca Yarra Valley, Australia
Penner Ash Wine Cellars Boutique Producers of Pinot Noir Willamette, Oregon	La Motte Old Huguenot Style Shiraz & Cabernets Franschhoek, South Africa
Biltmore Estate Winery 20+ Blue Ridge Handcrafted Wines Asheville, North Carolina, USA	Bergström Wines World Class Oregon Pinot Noir Willamette, Oregon
Ghost Block Vineyards Exceptional Cult Sauvignon Blanc & Cabernets Yountville, California	Eagles Nest Winery Not Kehlsteinhaus, Exceptional Shiraz Constantia, South Africa

Reviewed by:

Sean Overpeck (CFE)

Executive Chef

Father, Husband, Wine Drinker

Restaurant nut, History and

Star Trek lover

winedineandplayblog@gmail.com

Picture below was taken in 2014, Ross

Island, Antarctica

About Sean:

I am based out of St. Petersburg, Florida working in the food service industry for over twenty years, and am currently with the American Embassy as the Executive Chef. Formally I have worked with groups contracting in Afghanistan, and Antarctica, also working in restaurants in and around Atlanta, Georgia prior to the wars. I have also owned a catering company and served proudly in the United States Army Food Service Program. The idea for Wine, Dine, and Play started in late 2012 after a trip to Jordan, when I was asked by friends to write down the experiences from a few restaurants, wine from the region that I tasted, and locations of interest such as Petra. Since that time, over 300 articles have been written, including fifteen restaurants from the worlds top 100 lists of San Pellegrino and the Elite Travelers Guide. There are articles on exotic world locations such as Victoria Falls, and South African Safari’s; food recipes & Grand Food Dictionaries; ethnic country cuisines such as Afghan, and Peruvian; tasting tours of world cities like Charleston, Cape Town, and Dubai; and of course wine from vineyards in California, Oregon, the Carolina’s, South Africa, New Zealand, and Australia, with much more to see and write about.

Who is John Galt?

“Culinary perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things,

But in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”

-Angelique Arnauld (1591-1661)