Story by Milli Thornton. Photos Copyright © Brian Williams.

VINELAND IS TRUE to name: the countryside’s covered in vineyards and wineries. What else could you possibly order with your gourmet dinner at About Thyme Bistro but a bottle of wine from a local winery?

And gourmet it was.

At first I was disappointed that the tables were so tiny and the room seemed narrow. But the atmosphere of bonhomie and the taste sensations soon made it feel appropriate.

Our dining companions at the next table were a jolly couple. I could see they were getting to the same point we were, where all you can do is burst out with public proclamations about the food. So we did! And then we tried to cover as many topics as possible before they had to leave.

Brian chose fish from the specials menu and I had duck breast with brandy and red peppercorn jus. But the true highlight of the evening was the heavenly appetizer.

The pan-seared foie gras with honey spiced cake was $15 for a few precious morsels, but to the tongue it was worth every cent.

Actually, it only felt like “morsels” because we were sharing it. The serving size was elegant—I’ve never agreed with Super-Size-Me portions for appetizers—it’s just that I didn’t want it to be over so soon!

Definitely one of the most splendiferous dishes I’ve ever tasted.

The 2007 Old Vines Foch from Malivoire Wine Company cast an extra rosy glow over the evening. (See Related Posts for an article about our visit to Malivoire.)

Perhaps everything also tasted better because we were in a foreign country. For a while after we crossed over into Canada, everything looked almost identical to back home: strip malls with most of the same familiar chains and fast-food joints you’d see in any American city. But once we reached the Twenty Valley (see links below for map) all that changed. Now we were in the land of quaint villages, teahouses and lush Canadian landscape. Not to mention gracious living.

In 2008 About Thyme Bistro was awarded the “Gold VQA Restaurant Award of Excellence.” This little bistro in the heart of West Niagara wine country certainly deserves its award for excellence.

About Thyme Bistro, Vineland, Ontario, Canada

The Twenty Valley is a short, pleasant drive into Ontario, just beyond Niagara Falls on the Canadian side.

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