Happy Birthday Joe!

To celebrate Joe's birthday, I decided to take him to a swanky restaurant called Ultra Supper Club. It occupies the space that used to be Bamboo, on Queen West and Peter. Right up until we arrived, I was lying through my teeth about where we were going:
Me: "We're going to the Train Vietnamese Restaurant! (read: very cheap)"
Joe (pained expression): "Oh, really?" (he's all dressed up)
Me: "Just kidding! How do you feel about Korean BBQ?"
Joe: (pained expression): "Why did I need to dress up for that?"
Me: "Just kidding!"
Joe: (pained expression becoming permanent): "Are we going to The Rivoli?"
Me: (silent pause) "Is that okay?"
Joe: (see above)
When I finally steered him through the hand carved Indian doors, we were both impressed. We were seated at one of the elevated booths overlooking the dining room. The decor was very luxurious and the dim, candle lighting made everyone sexy. By the time the waiter came, money was no object.
Joe ordered us a bottle of Italian Pinot Grigio, which he sampled and declared it to be very complex. I sampled it and declared that it must be good because it didn't make me shudder.
We shared the naughtiest appetizer that I could find: pan seared Quebec foie gras, quail confit, apple buckwheat pancake, with concord grape and ice wine reduction. I have never had foie gras before but enjoyed it so much that I'll be force feeding my cat in the hope of harvesting his liver as a delicacy. (I'm just kidding. Foie gras is a cruel food and you shouldn't support it, even though it is delicious.) (No, really, try not to eat it. See here.)
For the main course, Joe had the grilled rare yellowfin tuna, truffled du puy lentils, with pancetta and cabernet peppercorn glaze. When I had the truffled lentils, I finally understood why French hillbillies were running all over the countryside after their pigs, rutting for truffles. I had the grilled wild boar loin, braised pork belly, shittake mushrooms, with sweet potato-vanilla puree and spicy pineapple tamarind glaze. The pork belly and mushrooms were especially delicious, with layers upon layers of flavour.
And for dessert, Joe had the special, the Ultra Banana Split, which looked more like the miniature of a Cirque du Soleil set. I had the Chocolate Trio: chocolate peanut butter profiterole, ancho chocolate sorbet, and warm chocolate molten cake with godiva cream. Joe enjoyed his dessert so much that he failed to offer me any. Sadly, my dessert was a let down for me, after such a fabulous (and evil) appetizer and dinner.
The waiter was professional yet friendly. He didn't even blink when I got out my camera phone to photograph the experience. ("Put that away!" whispered Joe, slaps phone out of my hand).
After dinner, we walked happily towards the subway, full of rich and expensive food.
Me: "This is nice. We should do this once a month."
Joe: "No, more like once every two months. It was expensive."
Me: "Yes." (downcast look, pout)