Hey guys! I’m back- after a few weeks of dealing with the flu it feels good to be posting again! My next few blog posts will be on one of my favourite events of the year- #WINTERLICIOUS! I’m trying to make this a yearly series- let me know how you like it?

Anything that involves FOOD, food and even MORE FOOD- you know I’m already there. This year I thought I’d take this time to finally try out some restaurants that I’ve been wanting to go to- all for a great price might I add. One thing that really gets to me about Winterlicious is the fact that you get to try so much (usually a 3-course meal) at a curated but well “worth it” type of price. Adam and I recently tried out Holt’s Café at CF Yorkdale Mall and can I just say- WOW?! It was better than we had hoped it would be. Truth be told we didn’t really have any reservations about what the food would taste like but we were pleasantly surprised. I guess we should have expected it though- it’s a high-end mall so surely their tastes would also be “higher end?”

Either way- we honestly had such a good time & I would definitely pay go back and happily spend $ on their regular-priced menu!

BTW this series will be a quick overview on what to expect food-wise / money-wise. It’s a little post where I express my honest opinions & show you what some dishes were to look like if you do end up going. Also, halal-friendly items will be indicated.

Winterlicious is something that I look forward to every year and now that I’m older (and wiser/mature? LOL) I make it a tradition with the boyfriend to try out new things around this time, especially because the prices are so darn good… & AGAIN we both just love food in general. If you do end up going- let me know, I’d love to hear your thoughts!

WINTERLICIOUS RUNS FROM JANUARY 31-FEBRUARY 13, 2020

HOLT’S CAFÉ- Holt Renfrew Yorkdale Mall, 3401 Dufferin St, North York, ON M6A 2T9

PRICE PER PERSON- CAD $23.00

HALAL FRIENDLY OPTIONS (MARKED WITH *) / VEGETARIAN OPTIONS MARKED ON MENU

Seriously loved their iced latte- was really good. Light yet creamy.

The interiors… so clean & easy on the eyes!

The curated menu for #Winterlicious2020– had a few halal-friendly eats!

Adam got the Coconut Lentil Soup*– he said it tasted similar to dhal… needless to say he really enjoyed it!

Marinated Kale*… this salad still gives me the CRAVINGS.

Gemelli Mushroom Bolognese*… seriously has me wanting to come back here just for this.

Pan Seared Chicken Supreme– Adam said that this dish was cooked perfectly. Chicken was juicy & cooked thoroughly, & although it looked “small” the proportion of the meal was well balanced. He really liked it.

This was Adam’s favourite part of the meal & he would solely come back just for this- Sticky Toffee Pudding*

This Peach & Strawberry Crumble* was my dessert- probably my least favourite of the three dishes I tried. It was good but I felt like there needed to be more crumble… If you love “jam” then I feel like this dish would be for you. Had a lot of strawberry/peach preserve- I just needed a bit more crunch. Overall still a good dessert, just not for me.

*All opinions are honest & of my own accord. Not sponsored- just a big fan of trying out new foods!

Final Thoughts

There you have it guys- my first 2020 review for the Winterlicious mini yearly series! What did you think? Hope you enjoyed my thoughts & photos. Hopefully this also helps you in deciding whether you want to try these out or not! Let me know if you end up going & if there’s any place you recommend. I’m always down for trying new things- especially when it comes to food LOL.

Overall, I’d say this is a great place to try if you’re around the area. Would I go out of my way to eat here again? Honestly, we probably would. We thoroughly enjoyed our meal & really thought that the food & interiors were quite nice. It’s very bougie as well- located in the heart of Holt Renfrew so if you happen to be shopping there and spending them dolla’ bills then you might as well pop by here & try it. Hope you enjoyed this Winterlicious 2020 review loves, I’ll see you soon!