"Meet you        at Eight              at Eight                    at Eight." Translation: "Meet you at Eight Restaurant on 8 Colborne Street, at 8 PM. And if you keep that appointment, your palate will rate it a 10, your wine experience will reach new plateaus and you will have made new friends.

This Toronto Wine Bar continues to be the place for the most innovative wines and food pairings. Hand-picked staff are here to serve and to make your experience a most satisfying one. I was greeted at the door with the most radiant smile imaginable. The Server guided me to a booth with ease and anticipation. So far so great - and the evening is only 3 minutes old!

Eight Wine Bar is located in the new Cosmopolitan hotel in the financial district in Toronto. Both the bar and the hotel are presided over by Skyline Boutique Hotels. They also own Pantages Hotel, with its magnificent Martini Bar.  As I scan the bountiful evening menu (there's a new lunch menu also), the Manager tells me that they buy only local and fresh for all dishes. When you think about this, it means they consistently buy better stuff than you and I get in the supermarket. Of course, the pasta is made in-house. Same goes for the pastries. Same goes for everything. No packages, no tins, just fresh fresh fresh. Meats are from the finest sources... certified Angus, Triple A, which is the best in Canada. Butchered in-house. They're all set to plant an herb garden on the roof shortly. Yep, gurls, you may dig in.  Zoltan Szabo, Canada's most popular Sommelier,  hand-picks the finest wines of the world. Many are exclusive!

So, I settled in with a glass of Bordeaux. The Chateau des Jaubertes 2004 was simply stunning in its complexity and pedigreed history. Dark ruby, floral bouquet, violets and elements of blueberry and blackcurrant. A whisper of leather. Tannins are supple and ample, like some of the gorgeous babes standing over near the bar. I started with an assortment of appetizers. Tuna tartar, grilled shrimp with mango and dicon radish, fresh oysters. A preliminary feast. Then on to the Duck Shepherd's Pie and the Glazed Buffalo Shortrib. Alright, I was hungry. OK, I did share the two meals with my dining Buddy of the evening. More than enough for both of us. Eight serves perfect sized portions.

My hosts this evening were explaining that their ultimate goal is to serve guests good honest food and good honest wine along with the best service possible. They will move mountains to make this happen. A story was told of how a hotel guest came in wanting one last wonderful experience here, but his flight was fast approaching. He still had dry cleaning to pick up, yada yada. The manager sent out a staffer to pick up his dry-cleaning so he could savour his last few moments in this urban oasis. That's service. Will I be back for another visit? You bet!

The Buffalo Shortrib arrives

Details: Duck Shepherd's Pie   Confit duck, veal demi-glace, 20 year port wine, golden whipped potatoes. Glazed Buffalo Shortrib   With lentils du puy, pancetta, onion rings Chateau des Jaubertes 2004   ( the Chateau's history here ) The Wine List: about 40 additional wines, all available by the glass. Wines carefully selected for their uniqueness and satisfaction by Zoltan Szabo. Eight Wine Bar Website.