Two Thursdays ago your fearless anti-hero embarked on a gluttonous feasting adventure at the new spot on Roncess, Workshop (by Latitude). It sits on the same latitude as the Georgetown location (how much wine do you have to drink to figure that one out?) and is actually the same people who formally brought you Fat Cat wine bar which I’ve also reviewed on one whimsical sloppy Christmas eve-eve evening, Melodie in-tow. I just remember it was slushy out, delicious, boozy and mega-fun. The night was black as coal. It’s totally the kind of place you could say shit like THE NIGHT WAS BLACK AS COAL about.

Workshop is touted as, and actually is, the best cheese and only all cheese menu’d resto in the city. I mean, one that specializes in cheeses. You can order a la carte or choose from a variety of pre-set flights. We went with the Amsterdam because one of us is Dutch and turns out it was a grand choice. We were also treated to others available. I think I felt fat for a few days after this dinner. Worth it.

Dreamy staff on board too. Warren is a cheese genius. It was very interesting to pick his brain, get him going off on dairy tangents and what not. I also felt like I knew him from somewhere before but maybe I just don’t get out much. I really enjoy people who have passions and are generally obsessive about “things”. Experts. It’s the greatest because I absorb all information privy to me like a sponge. Mathew Sutherland on the right IS Workshop. Bow down. I dig their Leatherface aprons I proclaimed about five times over the span of the evening.

Honestly, right?? It was the first week of opening and packed when we arrived, hard to get a table for two. I changed to Thursday from Wednesday because I forgot I had something booked (involving a moving van) after work Wednesday night and was freaked I wouldn’t be able to make it happen but they accommodated me oh so sweetly. Hashtag blessed.

We had a charcuterie board too. I love the board and a little birdie told me where you can source them…

Who doesn’t love a pile of pesto to mess around with? The red fluff stuff is beet wasabi, inventive and delectable. If you’re a foodie reading this then you know what meats you’re looking at and I honestly can’t remember because it was two Thursdays ago and they doused copious glasses of red wine on me throughout as chefs are wont to do when you come to feast like King George or whomever. Oh wait, from the mouth of babe himself…

Fresh grated beet and horseradish, basil walnut pesto, Spanish chorizo, bresola, pickled cherry peppers. Brillat Savarin, marcona almonds, grape must mustard. Cornichons. Cappcola, I think that’s it.

Say hello to Raymi for me.

Dooooon’t even get me started on how much chatter this picture generated.

I was pretty zonked after work to boot. Look at me I can’t even deal haha. The blond sommelier babe beside me, Rachel, runs the Georgetown joint. What a life that must be hey. Go over there, dazzle the folk then ditch dodge and flee back to city to be Queen of the urban eatery castle. I also love the farmy suburbs, the nothing, a lot right now. I’m like a guy watching his dog run away from home for three days in the prairies and gonna write a poem about it.

I am this (I took this last Sunday) but back to business…

Oh hi.

You want cheese you got cheese. That’s the copywriter coming out for sure.

Can’t afford a flight to Amsterdam? (Which’ll setcha back $1500+ trust me I know this) No problem, try one for $17 instead.

No shortage of quirk or hipster dining low-pretention chic. With a very nice back patio.

Pew Pew le Pew.

Sorry for the mommy cloth. Not sorry? Gimmicks are my jam.

I liked the stinky cheese so much I asked for more, got it. Then had thirds. YOLO.

Shroomapolooza.

Pretty much an all out goddamn indulgent night and I’d send my best friends there if I had any. Heh. Workshop is making the media rounds to boot. Toronto Life and BlogTo respectively. Nice, nice.

Mathew, with one t, is a great all around guy. I like guys who like wine. Right? Ladies, go see him.

Don’t worry, we left before anything got weird. Heheh.

You can take your mother, a date, family. Your bestie. Go solo. That guy you are kind of banging… it’s the new institution so familiarize thyselves. If you go (and you should) say Raymi sent you and you will probably most definitely (highly likely) get special treatment and/or snubbed. You choose you lose people! You could also go and say nothing which I expect 90% of you to do because that is “so” Toronto. Or, better yet if you’re in the foodie percintle then you’re already aware of everything I’m talking about and rolled your eyes a billion times. #Hater. .;)

It really is a special place. I’ll let you explore the front on your own. Sitting at the bar is just as dreamy, candles lit everywhere. Very cozy. Thanks Mathew!

And here are my legs. It’s nice to be back to blogging you guys! Sayonara!