THE MALLARD LOUNGE at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler

Comfort food is taken very seriously at the Mallard Lounge. Chef Devon Tolhurst serves a mac and cheese with orecchiette pasta, peas, bacon, Gruyere, white wine and a crunchy panko crust … and lobster … lots of succulent lobster. “There’s nothing classier than lobster,” she says. “It brings an extra level of decadence. This mac and cheese is the adult version.” The lobster – sustainable and certified Oceanwise – is flown in from the East Coast still alive to ensure it’s still fresh when cooked. It’s served as a main dish in the Mallard Room, or as a side in the Wildflower Restaurant where, Tolhurst says, it goes very nicely with a steak. “Just have a spoonful or eat a whole plate,” she says with a laugh. “It’s a great dish for when you’ve been out and active all day. You don’t feel so bad about indulging.” With all that delicious richness, you’re going to need a drink that can cut through with some acidity. General Manager Franz Zimmerman has just the thing: the Anarchist Mountain Chardonnay from Osoyoos, at the B.C. end of the Sonora Desert. “They struggle with water,” Zimmerman explains, “so the grapes are a lot smaller than those that are irrigated. It makes for a much more intense and focused flavour.”