Le Maitre D' - Penetanguishene

I have been coming to Penetanguishene for the past four years due to the fact that my sailboat was stored there. One of the highlights of each years trip is the chance to have lunch and/or dinner at Le Maitre D'. Cannot remember any meal that was less than excellent. The owners and the wait staff are also great, as is the ambience. Only complaint is that Dave (the owner) likes the Blue Jays and not the Red Sox, but I have learned to forgive him.

We had heard Le Maitre D had been included in a recent edition of "Where to Eat in Canada" so we had high expectations especially after recent culinary disappointments in the area. Fortunately Le Maitre D did not let us down - we had a delicious dinner, charmingly served, at a fair price. David the owner (and Maitre D) welcomed us and told us a bit about his family's history in the area and it felt very genuine as did his commitment to serving local food and keeping alive local francophone food traditions like tourtière. We ordered the soup of the day which was homemade mushroom soup and delicious. We also had the remoulade - a baked cheese and fish dip with baguette rounds that was rich and satisfying. For main courses we had the fish of the day, Georgian Bay trout, which was simple and melt in the mouth and accompanied by the sweetest and most delectable glazed carrots, very nice asparagus and perfect potato croquette balls. We also had the shrimp/scallop crepe which was equally good. For dessert we shared the vanilla cake with maple syrup - down home sweet goodness.Very nice local white wine - who knew Owen Sound could do that?!? We'll be coming back!

Shared brie au four, good to share. Main was confit de canard, it was tender, needed a bit more salt though. Had dessert, shared between tarte au sucre and crêpe sucrée both were very good. Service was friendly.

Stumbled on this place when looking for a restaurant for dinner. It was bright and clean inside. There were a few other diners already there and they appeared to be regulars. Always a good sign. The menu was varied but nothing too dramatic. Service initially was slower than I like. When we asked for a recommendation on the wine for our meal the waitress had to get the manager and that took a bit of time. He recommended a wine not on the menu. His reasons for the choice proved spot on and it was appreciated. Main courses didn't leave us astounded but were delicious and well presented. The deserts were also very good. Overall a very solid choice for a quality meal.

Dinner for 5 proved to be an unexpected culinary delight at this Penetanguishene restaurant that now tops the list of my favourite dining destinations in the Georgian Bay area. We shared the smoked fish remoulade - and it was delicious. Being a larger party, we were able to sample each other’s dishes and give top marks to all of our selections, including a melt in your mouth medium rare rack of lamb, a scrumptious seafood crepe in a tarragon cream sauce, and perfectly pan-seared local fresh fish. Each dish was accompanied by the guest’s choice of potatos or rice and vegetables - which doesn’t sound particularly exciting, until you actually taste the crisp potato croquettes, well seasoned asparagus and delectable maple-glazed carrots that instantly turned me into a carrot lover. Our desert selections included sweet crepes balanced by tart berries and creamy ice cream, as well as a creme brûlée that was superb. You can bet we will be returning to feast on the yet untasted duck confit and steak frites. Based on our first experience, our expectations are high! We tip our hat to the chef, the gracious owner for his menu, as well as the friendly service.