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The  Toronto Market Company brought us the deliciously successful Front Street Foods this summer and they are at it again with the Union Station Holiday Market. Though much smaller than the summer version, this artisan market is the perfect stop to grabbing those unique and thoughtful holiday gifts. Just realized you forgot to pick up a gift for your great-uncle Joe while you’re on route to grandma’s house for Christmas? From December 5 – 16, travellers can stop by the market to grab those last minute, one-of-a-kind gifts.

Throughout the month, guests have been able to enjoy the enormous sandwich with a side of perfectly crisp fries for only $20, with the purchase of an Alexander Keith’s – a real steal given the size of the offering compared to other lobster burgers in the city. Similar to a crab cake, this massive panko-crusted lobster patty is stuffed with fresh chunks of lobster and deep-fried to crispy, golden-brown perfection. Garnished the usual burger suspects in addition to pit-smoked bacon, old bay mayo and an enormous dollop of truffled hollandaise, there’s not too much else you could ask for when it comes to a dream wish list on your lobster burger. While tasty, the hollandaise was seriously lacking truffle flavour and the mayo was fairly light on the Old Bay seasoning.

Bustling with stylish young professionals sipping Moscow Mules and tossing back freshly-shucked oysters, it was clear that the “Summer of NAO” had officially started. Here, East Coast oysters shucked-to-serve were available to be topped with your choice of fresh horseradish, homemade cocktail sauce and a wide variety of fruit vinegar mignonettes. On the deep fried front, panko-crusted, kimchi-topped crab cakes and delicately battered tempura shrimp were each served with their own unique house-mayo as garnish. Sitting on homemade truffle aioli and topped with caramelized onions, two succulent mini beef patties lay sandwiched between a freshly baked house slider bun.

Using on-trend ingredients and innovative techniques, Encore’s new menu is filled with dozens of new ethnic–inspired fusion dishes. The tangy notes of Gorgonzola paired nicely with the sweet pear compote which were completely rounded out by the crispy oat crumble that the panna cotta sat on. Absolutely floored and excited by the fact that I can finally say I like blue cheese, the flavours of dish were certainly memorable – not to mention the beautiful plating in the delicate hollowed out egg shell that the panna cotta was served in! With examples such as ‘salad bars’ served in shot glasses, indulgent made-to-order cinnamon Nutella pastries and absolutely decadent alcoholic milkshakes, I am truly excited to see what’s up their sleeves at future Encore-catered events.