Louieguini's Profile
Winterlicious and OpenTable.com
I don't think that OpenTable is advising you to "go around" the systems in place. The quote on their website when you look at the winterlicious section says "Please request the Restaurant Week menu when you are seated." This is in no way offering advice of how to get a table at C5. What restaurants do (to not anger their regulars that go year round) is offer a certain percentage of their seats to Licious and to hold some for their regulars. Imagine if you went to C5 twice a week and then all of a sudden couldn't even get in?! If you book under the guise of licious and then ask to switch menus, you are not being fair to the restaurant. If I were your server (who might get 1/2 of their section allocated as licious) and a few of my tables that were regular menu changed to licious, I might be a little upset as it would DIRECTLY affect my income. To be fair to C5 I would cancel that reservation. And I don't think that anyone is legally bound to do anything, they could ask you to leave if they wanted to.
Winterlicious 2008
Yes, Auberge and Canoe are probably the two "HotSpots" for this year. If you call and get through, they're probably sold out, but will most likely "release" more reservations over the next week or so. Call and ask when the new releases are going to be and then call back, you're almost guaranteed a prime reservation, and in some cases a better reservation than those that called for the AMEX front of the line!
wedding lunch (ceremony + reception) - possible restaurant ideas required
I was just at a wedding at Auberge du Pommier and it was fantastic... and from what I understand it was around your budget/person. I'm pretty sure that they are doing renovations now, but I would call to see.
Auberge du pommier
I have been there several times for both lunch and dinner. I have NEVER found the food to be too salty. The chef seasons his food, but I would consider the food and especially service at Auberge du Pommier to be the finest I have tried.
New Yorker ISO Best Restaurants in Toronto
As a New Yorker can trust James Beard I would go to CANOE. The chefs at Canoe will be going down to James Beard in New York this November. This is truly one of Canada's best. The 54th floor of the TD Tower gives a nice view as well.
