Fall's hot ingredient: Fresh and fruity vinegar

Put balsamic on the back burner with this creative take on flavouring! It’s all about the fresh and fruity side of vinegar—and it’s finding its way into everything from saucy reductions to classy cocktails.

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Araxi 
4222 Village Square, Whistler, B.C.

Located in the heart of Whistler Village, this is the place for a swanky night out after swishing down the slopes.

The chef: James Walt sees to it that his coastal cuisine is the best in the West. Araxi is routinely rated one of the country’s top restaurants.

The dish: Fresh farmed B.C. oysters come with a simple mignonette sauce made from shallots, thyme, a touch of honey and local Shady Glen raspberry vinegar.

Les Fougères
783 Rte. 105, Chelsea, Que.

Fresh field flowers decorate the intimate restaurant where Québécois ingredients are turned into country-style dishes with French flair. (Tip: Pop into the amazing shop, which sells homemade tourtières, duck confit and other local specialties.)

The chef: Go big and settle in for co-owner Charles Part’s nine-course tasting menu. He even has a separate one for vegetarians!

The dish: Seared Quebec foie gras is deglazed with a summer- fruit-vinegar syrup and served with homemade rosemary brioche toasts.

THR & Co.
97 Harbord St., Toronto, Ont.

With model good looks, a fun soundtrack and a convivial bar, this is a great place to eat — and be seen.

The chef: Curt Martin turns out everything from appealing feats of nose-to-tail eats (beef- heart tartare, lamb neck) to approachable pizzas and pastas.

The dish: As you dig into warm olives and Marcona almonds, order the SOA, a winning cocktail mixed up with Tromba tequila, wild berry and balsamic shrub (a vinegar syrup), fresh lime and fizzy ginger beer.

ArtBar
40 Edwin Land Blvd., Cambridge, Mass.

Riverside dining with views of the Boston skyline makes the restaurant a destination for tourists, proud parents of Harvard students and Cambridge residents alike.

The chef: Brian Dandro’s food reflects the seasons and farmers’ fields around Boston, be it gazpacho made with local tomatoes or the ArtBar burger topped with cheddar that’s been aged in cheesecloth.

The dish: Local scallops with pea purée, baby greens and radish dressed with stone fruit vinegar are served with a parmesan crisp.