Absinthe, a modern bistro in Wellington West, has brought their Swiss-inspired fondue back for another season. Known for its commitment to fine food prepared with classical French techniques using locally sourced ingredients from eastern Ontario and western Quebec, Absinthe’s Tuesday fondue nights should make their way onto your winter to-do list.
On a dark and icy Tuesday night, my partner and I met up after work in bustling Wellington West. We were a bit early for our 6pm reservation so grabbed a drink at a nearby chic bar before heading down the block to Absinthe.
Fondue isn’t just about the meal—it’s about creating moments of joy and connection We encourage our guests to put their elbows on the table, laugh out loud, and truly enjoy themselves. It’s unpretentious, French bistro-inspired food to be enjoyed as you are.—Chef Patrick Garland
Apt613 was invited to try the three-course fondue experience. While each course can be enjoyed individually, my vote would be to go all in on the three-course experience for $69 per person. We added a bottle of wine, a Crianza (Spanish red) expertly recommended by our server that paired nicely with each of the three courses.
Cave-aged Gruyère and Emmental cheese fondue served with house-made focaccia.
We started with the cheese fondue: cave-aged Gruyère and Emmental cheese served with house-made focaccia. A side of crudités was an optional add-on but we found the cheese and focaccia to be the perfect appetizer. While rich, the cheese was nicely seasoned and fun to dip into as it bubbled away in front of us.
Over the course of the evening, we struck up conversation with a table next to us who were a course ahead and enjoyed the sneak peek (and their recommendations of which sauce to try first with the beef tenderloin). The groups around us were a mix of couples, friends, and larger groups enjoying fondue pots. There is a limited menu of other options on Tuesday night, including a roasted salmon plate and steak frites. We heard our server explaining the dinner prix fixe menu to another table and agreed that we need to come back in the new year to give it a try.
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The main course is a Fondue Bourguignonne, featuring beef tenderloin and four signature sauces: green goddess, ramp relish, béarnaise, and lime habanero. With the first few pieces we worked our way through the different sauces. While all four were delicious, the clear winner at our table was the lime habanero, followed close by the ramp relish.
We were instructed to cook each piece of meat for about a minute and enjoyed the experience of cooking our meat to our personal liking. There were two distinct approaches at our table: my partner, who carefully timed each piece, and myself, who took a more laissez-faire approach. The meat was so tender and the sauces so delicious that you can’t really go wrong with either approach.
Dark chocolate fondue for two featuring fresh fruit and home-made baked goods.
As a final course, we indulged in a dark chocolate fondue. We both commented on the freshness of the fruit, a mix of banana, strawberry, kiwi, and clementine segments. We also enjoyed dipping house-made churros, brownies, banana bread, and chocolate chip cookies into the dark chocolate fondue. While I enjoyed the last of our wine, my partner ordered an Americano which he savoured with the sweet treats.
Overall, we found the fondue experience to be highly enjoyable with delicious food, great service, and a pleasant atmosphere. The relaxed pace of the evening allowed us to settle in and thoroughly appreciate the flavours of each course. By the end of the evening, we were nicely full and ready to bundle back up, head outside, and tackle the journey home.
Absinthe is located at 1208 Wellington Street. The three-course meal is $69 per person and requires a minimum of two people per pot. Reservations are highly recommended and can be made online. Note that there is a limited menu on Tuesday nights. There is street parking and the restaurant is fully wheelchair accessible.
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