Taste of YaletownGourmet Prix-Fixe MenusOctober 12 - 28, 2007
Enjoy special three-course, prix-fixe meals at some of Yaletown's best restaurants.
Duration: Friday, October 12 through Sunday, October 28, 2007
Pricing: $25 - $45 lunches and dinners; prices are per person and do not include beverage, tax or gratuity
You guys must LOVE me!!! :D Heheheh! Okay so maybe that's reaching a bit too far but I have found ANOTHER price fix meals event for you to enjoy! The Taste of Yaletown is happening in the second half of October, which means that you all have another chance to get some good eats for great deals. Yay to not having to wait until Dine-Out in January! The participating restaurants are listed below and if you follow the link, you should be taken to the menu each restaurant is offering! I'm giving you plenty of time to prepare for this folks so don't miss out!
And if you do go, please let us know wut you think by leaving a comment! We can all benefit! Well at least our stomachs can! ;)
ENJOY AND HAPPY EATING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Participating Restaurants:
Click on the links below to view the participating restaurant's menus. Then call your favourites to make a reservation.
Amarcord Ristorante Italiano
Bardot Waterfront & Grille
Brix Restaurant & Wine Bar
Browns Restaurant & Bar
Cactus Club Cafe
Capones Restaurant & Live Jazz Club
Chopstick Café Shiru Bay
Coast Restaurant
Elixir
Fuse Pan Asian Express
George
Glowbal Grill & Satay Bar
GoldFish Pacific Kitchen
Hamilton Street Grill
La Terrazza
Milestones Yaletown
Provence Marinaside
Rodney's Oyster House
Section (3) Restaurant
Urban Thai Bistro
The Yaletown Brewing Company
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Friday, September 28, 2007
Bridges Restaurant
1696 Duranleau Street
Vancouver, B.C.
Granville Island
Sorry to break it to you all but City Dine is officially over (boo)…Well I guess we’ll have to console ourselves with the fact that Dine Out is just a few short months away. But amidst my super, duper, busy schedule (yeah right!), I was able to fit one of those special dinner menus in this past week. And the lucky restaurant? Bridges in Granville Island! *ding ding ding ding ding*
Bridges is nestled at the end of Granville Island, right on False Creek between the Burrard and the Granville Street bridge (duh! Bridges…) and it offers 2 very different dining experiences. The bottom floor is a casual bar/dinner room setting, great for grabbing a bite and throwing back a few beers. But walk upstairs and you are brought into a world of mahogany wood, chandeliers and oak furniture. It’s a really classy joint but it’s a bit weird to enter a casual place and then be brought upstairs to a fancy dining establishment. :P
I went this past Tuesday with Richard and we dined upstairs in the formal dining room with a beautiful view of False Creek. When you’re sitting there in this beautiful dining room with a view of Vancouver out in front of you on a beautiful day, it really is just a wonderful experience. We both ordered the off the $35 city dine menu. As part of this San Pellingrino City Dine, we got a bottle of the water for free. I started off with a thai green curry prawn, while Richard got the scallops. We also ordered a “lettuce wrap” to start. Oh before I forget, the bread they give you there is just delicious! I don’t usually eat bread but when they brought it to our table, you can just tell that it was fresh and soft and…well I just had to try a bite. And it was well worth it! Flavored with rosemary and sea salt, the bread was just perfect! But on to the actual meal.
Well the 2 starters we got as part of the Dine Out menu was sensational!!! The scallops were huge and seared to perfection! The thai curry prawns that I got was just great too! Hmm hmm delicious! Well like I said, we ordered the dine out menu plus a starter of a ahi tuna lettuce wrap. Well funnily enough, the most disappointing part of the meal came from the item NOT on the cheap menu! First off, it wasn’t really a lettuce wrap. It’s more like a shredded lettuce wrapped in a rice sheet with a piece of ahi tuna inside. Like I said, not very sensational.
Vancouver, B.C.
Granville Island
Sorry to break it to you all but City Dine is officially over (boo)…Well I guess we’ll have to console ourselves with the fact that Dine Out is just a few short months away. But amidst my super, duper, busy schedule (yeah right!), I was able to fit one of those special dinner menus in this past week. And the lucky restaurant? Bridges in Granville Island! *ding ding ding ding ding*
Bridges is nestled at the end of Granville Island, right on False Creek between the Burrard and the Granville Street bridge (duh! Bridges…) and it offers 2 very different dining experiences. The bottom floor is a casual bar/dinner room setting, great for grabbing a bite and throwing back a few beers. But walk upstairs and you are brought into a world of mahogany wood, chandeliers and oak furniture. It’s a really classy joint but it’s a bit weird to enter a casual place and then be brought upstairs to a fancy dining establishment. :P
I went this past Tuesday with Richard and we dined upstairs in the formal dining room with a beautiful view of False Creek. When you’re sitting there in this beautiful dining room with a view of Vancouver out in front of you on a beautiful day, it really is just a wonderful experience. We both ordered the off the $35 city dine menu. As part of this San Pellingrino City Dine, we got a bottle of the water for free. I started off with a thai green curry prawn, while Richard got the scallops. We also ordered a “lettuce wrap” to start. Oh before I forget, the bread they give you there is just delicious! I don’t usually eat bread but when they brought it to our table, you can just tell that it was fresh and soft and…well I just had to try a bite. And it was well worth it! Flavored with rosemary and sea salt, the bread was just perfect! But on to the actual meal.
Well the 2 starters we got as part of the Dine Out menu was sensational!!! The scallops were huge and seared to perfection! The thai curry prawns that I got was just great too! Hmm hmm delicious! Well like I said, we ordered the dine out menu plus a starter of a ahi tuna lettuce wrap. Well funnily enough, the most disappointing part of the meal came from the item NOT on the cheap menu! First off, it wasn’t really a lettuce wrap. It’s more like a shredded lettuce wrapped in a rice sheet with a piece of ahi tuna inside. Like I said, not very sensational.
For the main, I got a braised lamb shank and Richard on the spinach ricotta cannelloni. Richard was sure that his cannelloni was gonna be pretty small and that he’d only get like 1 or 2 piece. Well was he wrong! In a good way! He got 3 pieces of cannelloni and it was delicious! My braised lamb shank was actually quite dry…I mean it was good but definitely dry…some parts were just kinda hard. L Pretty disappointing I must say but the taste was good. I think they used a chocolate reduction sauce and it added a really cool taste to the lamb.For dessert, I got a tiramisu and Richard got the New York cheesecake. Yummo! It was the perfect way to end the meal. The portion we got was just amazing! But honestly, the portions we got for every dish was great! Totally worth the $35 we paid! Bridges is usually a pretty expensive high end place so this was a great treat!
Let me just say, I was very very happy with this meal! Not only was the food delicious, but the portions were amazing! Okay…so the “lettuce wrap” was a bit disappointing but that was our own fault…ordering off the normal a la carte menu…pffttt!!! Wutever! Definitely gonna go back to this place…but maybe only for Dine Out! ;)
Ps. Pictures of the food to come!
PPS. Pics are here!
Thomass Hass....orgasmic!
Thomas Haas Patisserie and Cappuccino Bar
Unit 128, 998 Harbourside Drive, North Vancouver, BC, V7P 3T2
Opening Hours:Tuesday - Saturday: 8am-5:30pm Sunday & Monday: Closed
I use to be a chocolate fiend. I am a woman! But in the past few years, I have really started to lose my interest. It all started when I was in Ireland and I decided to give up alcohol and chocolate for lent. I’m not even religious but I thought it’d be fun because every Irish person does it! Well I finished lent that year without cracking (and I was even in Belgium during Lent and I didn’t touch any chocolate!!!) and I was just really proud of myself. Anyways, ever since then, I was never hugely into chocolate.
But the tide might be turning. Tucked into a secluded corner in the middle of a non-descript industrial park in North Vancouver is Thomas Hass’s Patisserie and Cappuccino Bar! Oh thank heavens!!! If you haven’t heard about Thomas Hass, well you are missing out. This guy is a legend in the pastry world! In 2001, Thomas Hass won FIRST Prize in ALL categories (Best in Chocolate, Best in Sugar, Best in Table Design and Best Overall) at the Valrhona National (North American) Pastry Team Championships. In 2002, The Vancouver Sun Restaurant Awards awarded Thomas/Senses (RIP) with BEST Chocolates, BEST Desserts, BEST Croissant and BEST French Pastries. The Vancouver Magazine awarded Thomas/Diva at the Met with BEST LAST COURSE for the years 2001, 02, 03, 04, 05 & 06. Thomas Haas Chocolates & Patisserie was awarded BEST LAST COURSE for 2007. AND Thomas Haas Fine Chocolates was named one of the TOP 20 Artisan Chocolatiers in Chocolatier Magazine’s 20th anniversary issue (Feb/March 2004). Woah is right! So he knows a little something-something about desserts!
Well with all the accolades, I just had to try this place out and luckily, with work, I was in North Vancouver on Wednesday and made the trip to his little café. It really is in the most unassuming place. Right across from Bodwell High School (lucky kids!) and in some sort of business/industrial park, you can totally overlook it. Once you step inside of the place, though, it’s like heaven. I honestly felt like I was a kid in a candy store (duh! I was in a candy store!). I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face. It was just pure excitement! In front of me was a glass display of all the chocolates they hand make right in the back of the store. It was pretty full on this Tuesday afternoon and right away, you get a sense that these people come here often. I walked up to the counter, bright eyed and all and the girl who helped me was super helpful. It was obvious I was too overcome by anticipation and so she made a few suggestions and I ended up with 8 pieces of chocolate (at 95cents each), a non-fat latte and an almond sablee. As I was waiting for my items, the girl informs me that the merlot infused caramel chocolate was made fresh that day! She didn’t have to say anymore. Although I had bought one in my choice of 8, I decided that I just had to have one right then and there. She directed me to the wall on the side and said that they sometimes leave samples in the drawers and told me to check it out. The wall as actually just a thin divider between the café and the production line and behind there, I saw all the chocolate being delivered on a belt to be packaged!!!! It was soooo cool! Kinda like that “I Love Lucy” episode where Lucy and Ethel were working in some candy place! But these guys are professionals. If it was me in there tho, I’d defiantly be stuffing my face and shirt with as much chocolate as I can. So I didn’t get my free sample from the wall but I was just going to buy a piece separately, but the girl could see how much I wanted it so she just gave it to me for free! Amazing chocolate and for free?!?!? Yes…pure heaven. And so here goes, right then and there, I put the chocolate in my mouth and…well it was just perfect! The chocolate melts in your mouth and you can taste a hint of merlot in the soft, gooey caramel in the center. I must have had the look of pure ecstasy because this guy at the counter just stared smiling and said “It’s so nice to see someone just enjoy their chocolate.” Hahahha! Did I ever enjoy it! I collected my coffee and cookie and, with the sun shining in my face, I just thought to myself “boy it’s good to be alive!”
All the other pieces of chocolate was just as sensational too! Everyone I gave it to (yes..I actually did share!) said it was just perfectly made. The almond sable was full of buttery goodness and it was the perfect compliment with my coffee.
It is a bit of a trek to get out to Thomas’s patisserie but I wouldn’t think of it as a trek…more like a pilgrimage to the holy place…that is if you belong to the church of sweets like me! It’s defiantly worth it! Honestly though, with the discovery of this place, I don’t know if I can ever really give up chocolate again…kinda glad it’s so far from my house! But next time it’s on to the croissants and sandwiches. Oh here’s to counting down the days until I meet with Thomas Hass again!
PS. He was actually there! I saw Thomas Hass and he said hi to me! :D oh he’s soooo dreamy…..
Unit 128, 998 Harbourside Drive, North Vancouver, BC, V7P 3T2
Opening Hours:Tuesday - Saturday: 8am-5:30pm Sunday & Monday: Closed
I use to be a chocolate fiend. I am a woman! But in the past few years, I have really started to lose my interest. It all started when I was in Ireland and I decided to give up alcohol and chocolate for lent. I’m not even religious but I thought it’d be fun because every Irish person does it! Well I finished lent that year without cracking (and I was even in Belgium during Lent and I didn’t touch any chocolate!!!) and I was just really proud of myself. Anyways, ever since then, I was never hugely into chocolate.
But the tide might be turning. Tucked into a secluded corner in the middle of a non-descript industrial park in North Vancouver is Thomas Hass’s Patisserie and Cappuccino Bar! Oh thank heavens!!! If you haven’t heard about Thomas Hass, well you are missing out. This guy is a legend in the pastry world! In 2001, Thomas Hass won FIRST Prize in ALL categories (Best in Chocolate, Best in Sugar, Best in Table Design and Best Overall) at the Valrhona National (North American) Pastry Team Championships. In 2002, The Vancouver Sun Restaurant Awards awarded Thomas/Senses (RIP) with BEST Chocolates, BEST Desserts, BEST Croissant and BEST French Pastries. The Vancouver Magazine awarded Thomas/Diva at the Met with BEST LAST COURSE for the years 2001, 02, 03, 04, 05 & 06. Thomas Haas Chocolates & Patisserie was awarded BEST LAST COURSE for 2007. AND Thomas Haas Fine Chocolates was named one of the TOP 20 Artisan Chocolatiers in Chocolatier Magazine’s 20th anniversary issue (Feb/March 2004). Woah is right! So he knows a little something-something about desserts!
Well with all the accolades, I just had to try this place out and luckily, with work, I was in North Vancouver on Wednesday and made the trip to his little café. It really is in the most unassuming place. Right across from Bodwell High School (lucky kids!) and in some sort of business/industrial park, you can totally overlook it. Once you step inside of the place, though, it’s like heaven. I honestly felt like I was a kid in a candy store (duh! I was in a candy store!). I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face. It was just pure excitement! In front of me was a glass display of all the chocolates they hand make right in the back of the store. It was pretty full on this Tuesday afternoon and right away, you get a sense that these people come here often. I walked up to the counter, bright eyed and all and the girl who helped me was super helpful. It was obvious I was too overcome by anticipation and so she made a few suggestions and I ended up with 8 pieces of chocolate (at 95cents each), a non-fat latte and an almond sablee. As I was waiting for my items, the girl informs me that the merlot infused caramel chocolate was made fresh that day! She didn’t have to say anymore. Although I had bought one in my choice of 8, I decided that I just had to have one right then and there. She directed me to the wall on the side and said that they sometimes leave samples in the drawers and told me to check it out. The wall as actually just a thin divider between the café and the production line and behind there, I saw all the chocolate being delivered on a belt to be packaged!!!! It was soooo cool! Kinda like that “I Love Lucy” episode where Lucy and Ethel were working in some candy place! But these guys are professionals. If it was me in there tho, I’d defiantly be stuffing my face and shirt with as much chocolate as I can. So I didn’t get my free sample from the wall but I was just going to buy a piece separately, but the girl could see how much I wanted it so she just gave it to me for free! Amazing chocolate and for free?!?!? Yes…pure heaven. And so here goes, right then and there, I put the chocolate in my mouth and…well it was just perfect! The chocolate melts in your mouth and you can taste a hint of merlot in the soft, gooey caramel in the center. I must have had the look of pure ecstasy because this guy at the counter just stared smiling and said “It’s so nice to see someone just enjoy their chocolate.” Hahahha! Did I ever enjoy it! I collected my coffee and cookie and, with the sun shining in my face, I just thought to myself “boy it’s good to be alive!”
All the other pieces of chocolate was just as sensational too! Everyone I gave it to (yes..I actually did share!) said it was just perfectly made. The almond sable was full of buttery goodness and it was the perfect compliment with my coffee.
It is a bit of a trek to get out to Thomas’s patisserie but I wouldn’t think of it as a trek…more like a pilgrimage to the holy place…that is if you belong to the church of sweets like me! It’s defiantly worth it! Honestly though, with the discovery of this place, I don’t know if I can ever really give up chocolate again…kinda glad it’s so far from my house! But next time it’s on to the croissants and sandwiches. Oh here’s to counting down the days until I meet with Thomas Hass again!
PS. He was actually there! I saw Thomas Hass and he said hi to me! :D oh he’s soooo dreamy…..
Monday, September 24, 2007
CinCin
1154 Robson StreetVancouver, BC V6E 1B5
Vancouver sure does have its fair share of italian places. And you know I'm not the biggest fan of italian. (carbs! NO you evil doers!!! BACK!) But ever since I can remember, I've heard about CinCin's and for some reason, I've never been there to eat before...could have been because of the high price range but i digress...
I've heard good and bad about this celebrity magnet (yes...apprently, this is the place to go to, to get your famous-faces-fix) but I thought it was all hype. I never did have an urge to go there, thinking (and hearing) that it was overrated. But after years of shunning the place, curiosity finally got the best of me and I was able to con a friend from out of town to take me there (Thanks Pat! ;) and get my mom to take me and Richard out for a "simple" dinner . I did have high expectations though, even if my preconceived notion was that this place is overrated. I mean this place has become an institution in the Vancouver culinary scene. It's been around for like...FOREVER and...well it's famous! So i was hoping not to be disappointed.
Tuck between Zefferelli's and a currency exchange place, the entrance to CinCin is pretty unassuming. But once you make your way up the stairs, it's like you're transported from the busy street of Robson into an Italian villa. The room just oozes old world medditerranean flavour. The decor definatly wants to remind people they are in an italian restaurant...but not just Mario's pizzaria or anything...you have entered the world of Cristiano's tuscan vinyard! You know that movie "Under the Tuscan Sun?" with Diane Lane? Yeah...this place looks like that! A curved marble bar and stone walls adorned with art makes CinCin just a really comfortable place to enjoy a nice meal. The restaurant has a heated patio so you can people watch while you're enjoying your meal, but what I really liked was the open kitchen. You can see exactly what the cooks are doing in there and you can watch as they but their food into their great big wood fire oven.
From the greeters at the door to the wait staff, the service is pretty spot on. I mean it's not the warmest, greatest servers but definatly not bad. And the food....well...i am very glad to say, that I was very wrong in thinking that it's overrated! It was delicious! On my first visit, we started off with a shared anti-pasto plate, which was definatly good for the two of us. I had this fish (Halibut i think) and it was just perfect! I love fish and I always order it at a restaurant and this was really really good! CinCin received an honorable mention from the 18th Annual Vancouver Magazine Restaurant awards and so I just had to see what they had to offer. So I ordered an apple tart dessert served with house-made gelato and it was divine!!! Anything with apples and tart is good for me but this was just really really really good! :D
During my second visit, we started off with 2 appies-the scallops and....oh something else. But it was soooooo yummy! We clared both our plates! For the mains, I'm pretty sure I got the fish again but maybe a sablefish? My mom got the lamb and Richard ordered the risotto. No one had any complaints! The lamb was superb and it was a good sized portion too!!! Richard's risotto was cheesy and creamy and he said he enjoyed it very much!
Now the down side of CinCin is that it is EXPENSIVE!!! yeah...quite expensive! Main courses run from about $22 for a pizza to $43 for a tenderloin. So definatly try to scam the parents (or anyone else!) to take you or save it for a special occasion. But the food is definatly worth it and if you live in Vancouver, I would say you definatly have to try this place out. It is just a great dining experience and i promise you your taste buds will not be disappointed!
Vancouver sure does have its fair share of italian places. And you know I'm not the biggest fan of italian. (carbs! NO you evil doers!!! BACK!) But ever since I can remember, I've heard about CinCin's and for some reason, I've never been there to eat before...could have been because of the high price range but i digress...
I've heard good and bad about this celebrity magnet (yes...apprently, this is the place to go to, to get your famous-faces-fix) but I thought it was all hype. I never did have an urge to go there, thinking (and hearing) that it was overrated. But after years of shunning the place, curiosity finally got the best of me and I was able to con a friend from out of town to take me there (Thanks Pat! ;) and get my mom to take me and Richard out for a "simple" dinner . I did have high expectations though, even if my preconceived notion was that this place is overrated. I mean this place has become an institution in the Vancouver culinary scene. It's been around for like...FOREVER and...well it's famous! So i was hoping not to be disappointed.
Tuck between Zefferelli's and a currency exchange place, the entrance to CinCin is pretty unassuming. But once you make your way up the stairs, it's like you're transported from the busy street of Robson into an Italian villa. The room just oozes old world medditerranean flavour. The decor definatly wants to remind people they are in an italian restaurant...but not just Mario's pizzaria or anything...you have entered the world of Cristiano's tuscan vinyard! You know that movie "Under the Tuscan Sun?" with Diane Lane? Yeah...this place looks like that! A curved marble bar and stone walls adorned with art makes CinCin just a really comfortable place to enjoy a nice meal. The restaurant has a heated patio so you can people watch while you're enjoying your meal, but what I really liked was the open kitchen. You can see exactly what the cooks are doing in there and you can watch as they but their food into their great big wood fire oven.
From the greeters at the door to the wait staff, the service is pretty spot on. I mean it's not the warmest, greatest servers but definatly not bad. And the food....well...i am very glad to say, that I was very wrong in thinking that it's overrated! It was delicious! On my first visit, we started off with a shared anti-pasto plate, which was definatly good for the two of us. I had this fish (Halibut i think) and it was just perfect! I love fish and I always order it at a restaurant and this was really really good! CinCin received an honorable mention from the 18th Annual Vancouver Magazine Restaurant awards and so I just had to see what they had to offer. So I ordered an apple tart dessert served with house-made gelato and it was divine!!! Anything with apples and tart is good for me but this was just really really really good! :D
During my second visit, we started off with 2 appies-the scallops and....oh something else. But it was soooooo yummy! We clared both our plates! For the mains, I'm pretty sure I got the fish again but maybe a sablefish? My mom got the lamb and Richard ordered the risotto. No one had any complaints! The lamb was superb and it was a good sized portion too!!! Richard's risotto was cheesy and creamy and he said he enjoyed it very much!
Now the down side of CinCin is that it is EXPENSIVE!!! yeah...quite expensive! Main courses run from about $22 for a pizza to $43 for a tenderloin. So definatly try to scam the parents (or anyone else!) to take you or save it for a special occasion. But the food is definatly worth it and if you live in Vancouver, I would say you definatly have to try this place out. It is just a great dining experience and i promise you your taste buds will not be disappointed!
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Gastropod
1938 W. 4th Avenue Vancouver
I've heard so much about this place before I actually got there: Vancouver Magazine's Gold Medal winner for Best New Fine Dining, Silver award for Best Design..etc etc. And the buzz generated by Angus An...well you get the picture. I had high hopes for this place and was able to convince Mik to take me there (thanks hun!) on a sunny summer evening.
Maybe it was the hype...maybe it was my choices...but honestly, I wasn't all too impressed. Lets reminice shall we...?
Lets start off with the good. Gastropod is located right in the heart of Kits and falls comfortably into the whole gist of the area-it's simple, comfortable, and not overbearing at all. It's quite a small space but it definatly doesn't make you feel cramped. The use of neutral colours as their palate allows patrons to just fall into the place and settle in nicely. It definatly exudes a confident, but no-need-to-be-flashy type of feel. Our waitress was wearing a uniform that was the same colour scheme as the restaurant, which I thought was kind of amusing but we're here for the food, not a fashion show rite?
We began looking at the menu and the first thing that struck me was that the menu on the website did not match what was on the menu given to us. Now, you know I like eating out so I always do my homework. I had the entire meals planned out and now all of a sudden, I was thrown for a loop. This I did not appreciate! On top of that, the "new menu" didn't have anything I was too crazy for. Yes, it was small and I understand that at restaurants like this, the menus are usually small. But shouldn't they at least cover their basis and have at least a dish for every genre? Anyways, don't ask my why but I decided to get the salmon tartar as a starter and prbably a fish as my main (i'm really sorry people but I went a few months back and my old age is getting to me). So I don't eat raw fish and I'm not a big fan of salmon so why i ordered the tartar i don't know. But I was willing to give it a shot. I've had raw salmon before and there were times I enjoyed it. But not this time. It just had that harsh raw salmon taste to it. Bleh.... Okay you can blame it on my own stupidity but hell, I've definalty had better raw salmon! As for the main course, all I can say is that I didn't remember disliking it...but I dind't remember finding it fantastic either :
We did end the meal with a dessert and I believe Mik decided on a chocolate concoction and it was okay. Yes...even the dessert did not win me over! i'm sad to say that my whole experience at Gastropod was not the epicurial sensation that everyone seems to make it out to be. But maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I should give this joint another chance. I will...I'll go back...but I'm definatly in no rush......
I've heard so much about this place before I actually got there: Vancouver Magazine's Gold Medal winner for Best New Fine Dining, Silver award for Best Design..etc etc. And the buzz generated by Angus An...well you get the picture. I had high hopes for this place and was able to convince Mik to take me there (thanks hun!) on a sunny summer evening.
Maybe it was the hype...maybe it was my choices...but honestly, I wasn't all too impressed. Lets reminice shall we...?
Lets start off with the good. Gastropod is located right in the heart of Kits and falls comfortably into the whole gist of the area-it's simple, comfortable, and not overbearing at all. It's quite a small space but it definatly doesn't make you feel cramped. The use of neutral colours as their palate allows patrons to just fall into the place and settle in nicely. It definatly exudes a confident, but no-need-to-be-flashy type of feel. Our waitress was wearing a uniform that was the same colour scheme as the restaurant, which I thought was kind of amusing but we're here for the food, not a fashion show rite?
We began looking at the menu and the first thing that struck me was that the menu on the website did not match what was on the menu given to us. Now, you know I like eating out so I always do my homework. I had the entire meals planned out and now all of a sudden, I was thrown for a loop. This I did not appreciate! On top of that, the "new menu" didn't have anything I was too crazy for. Yes, it was small and I understand that at restaurants like this, the menus are usually small. But shouldn't they at least cover their basis and have at least a dish for every genre? Anyways, don't ask my why but I decided to get the salmon tartar as a starter and prbably a fish as my main (i'm really sorry people but I went a few months back and my old age is getting to me). So I don't eat raw fish and I'm not a big fan of salmon so why i ordered the tartar i don't know. But I was willing to give it a shot. I've had raw salmon before and there were times I enjoyed it. But not this time. It just had that harsh raw salmon taste to it. Bleh.... Okay you can blame it on my own stupidity but hell, I've definalty had better raw salmon! As for the main course, all I can say is that I didn't remember disliking it...but I dind't remember finding it fantastic either :
We did end the meal with a dessert and I believe Mik decided on a chocolate concoction and it was okay. Yes...even the dessert did not win me over! i'm sad to say that my whole experience at Gastropod was not the epicurial sensation that everyone seems to make it out to be. But maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I should give this joint another chance. I will...I'll go back...but I'm definatly in no rush......
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
2007 San Pellegrino City Dine
I'm not sure if you all know about this but the 2007 San Pellegrino City Dine benefitting the Canadian Association of Food Banks is currently taking place. The follwing restaurants are offering special three-course prix fixe meals from Sunday, September 16 - Thursday 20, 2007 and Sunday, September 23 - Thursday, September 27, 2007. Take advantage! I know you all all salivating for when Dine Out rolls around so this should tie you over until then! Bon Appetit!
a kettle of fish
aurora bistro
bardot
bistro pastis
bistrot bistro
bogart's chophouse & bar
bridges restaurant
caffé dé medici ristorante italiano
capones restaurant & live jazz club
chow
cru restaurant
delilah’s restaurant & martini bar
deuce restaurant
flux bistro
hamilton street grill
la terrazza
maurya indian cuisine
metro restaurant
ocean 6 seventeen
one 12 restaurant & lounge
provence marinaside
provence mediterranean grill on 10th
quattro on fourth
rare restaurant
savory coast cucina mediterranea
so.cial at le magasin
stonegrill
the hart house restaurant on deer lake
the transcontinental
watermark on kits beach
whine o's
wild rice restaurant
a kettle of fish
aurora bistro
bardot
bistro pastis
bistrot bistro
bogart's chophouse & bar
bridges restaurant
caffé dé medici ristorante italiano
capones restaurant & live jazz club
chow
cru restaurant
delilah’s restaurant & martini bar
deuce restaurant
flux bistro
hamilton street grill
la terrazza
maurya indian cuisine
metro restaurant
ocean 6 seventeen
one 12 restaurant & lounge
provence marinaside
provence mediterranean grill on 10th
quattro on fourth
rare restaurant
savory coast cucina mediterranea
so.cial at le magasin
stonegrill
the hart house restaurant on deer lake
the transcontinental
watermark on kits beach
whine o's
wild rice restaurant
Watermark on Kits Beach
1350 Arbutus Street (at Cornwall)
I often ask myself "Why did I move back to Vancouver???" The rain, the commute, the lack of culture...THE RAIN! Sure we really do have good food here (awesome selction, excellent quality and good prices) but is that enough to make you want to live here? To be honest, I was beginning to lose faith in the city. What does the UN know about quality of living? Ranking Vancouver as the most livable place on earth! Bah! But in one evening, I was re-introduced to all the beauty that was Vancouver. Okay, a bit melodramatic I know but Watermark at Kits Beach has that effect on you!
Watermark is located rite on Kits Beach at the end of Arbutus Street. Now when I say righ on Kits beach, i mean RIGH ON KITS BEACH! Spit off the patio and you will hit sand! It's a modern building, with concrete walls, huge dining area and floor to ceiling glass windows giving patrons a spectacular view of the Pacific Ocean and the mountains. It's a modern/minimalist decore design, which is fitting for the Kits area crowd. Don't think you have to dress up for this place either. It's really cazh and I think it's because they're really just trying to draw on the beach crowd. I really don't know how that's working for them tho. One one hand, the whole casual thing is great cuz it's right on the beach and people can go to the restaurant after a hard day laying out in the sand. But the menu and the prices are all more in line with a high end restaurant and personally, I was a bit confused by it all.
The view offered by this place is just spectacular...breath-taking, gorgeous...just take any superlative and insert it here folks! You are completely surrounded by the beauty of this city and this alone is worth the visit to this restaurant. I don't think you can find a nicer view at any other restaurant in the city!
We had made reservations earlier that day and I think that was a smart idea. While the place wasn't full when we got there at 6:30 on a Sunday, it was quickly filling up and I heard the hostess tell some people there was going to be a wait. I though that was odd since there was a few empty tables and this place was pretty huge! We sat out on the patio since it was a beautiful day and we had a fantastic view of the sunset! But bring your sunglasses cuz it gets pretty bright out there! Our server was nice enough but I don't think she was too enthralled with us-just mains, no drinks :P The main complaint I have here tho...the food took a long time. Now I understand that this is a large restaurant but they had plenty of servers. I even saw a few of them hanging out. And their kitchen was not as big as some others I've seen. But there was at least 5 guys in there cooking! You'd think they'd be able to get your food out in time. I think we waited about 40 minutes from when we ordered to when we actually got our food. And no bread people. So if you're hungry, you may want to reconsider
But how does the food fair? Well, I had high expectations for this place given that the executive chef here is Lynda Larouche, the former chef at Seasons in the Park. Heck if she's good enough to cook for Bill Clinton, she good enough to cook for me. And while I wasn't blown away by the cooking, I have to say it was up to par with similar restaurants of this calaber. My mom and I had the sablefish while my stepdad Ron had the rack of lamb. the portions were really good and we all left with a full stomach. In general, no one had any complaints about their food, but no one was raving either.
To be fair, we didn't have any appies or desserts and both my mom and I had the same dish. I think we came on a bit of an off night. But truly folks, you are coming here for the setting! This place is second to none in terms of the view and if you have people visiting, be sure to take them here so they can enjoy that world-famous Vancouver scenery! I'm definatly willing to give this place a second chance. Maybe those UN ranking people really do know what they are talking about....
I often ask myself "Why did I move back to Vancouver???" The rain, the commute, the lack of culture...THE RAIN! Sure we really do have good food here (awesome selction, excellent quality and good prices) but is that enough to make you want to live here? To be honest, I was beginning to lose faith in the city. What does the UN know about quality of living? Ranking Vancouver as the most livable place on earth! Bah! But in one evening, I was re-introduced to all the beauty that was Vancouver. Okay, a bit melodramatic I know but Watermark at Kits Beach has that effect on you!
Watermark is located rite on Kits Beach at the end of Arbutus Street. Now when I say righ on Kits beach, i mean RIGH ON KITS BEACH! Spit off the patio and you will hit sand! It's a modern building, with concrete walls, huge dining area and floor to ceiling glass windows giving patrons a spectacular view of the Pacific Ocean and the mountains. It's a modern/minimalist decore design, which is fitting for the Kits area crowd. Don't think you have to dress up for this place either. It's really cazh and I think it's because they're really just trying to draw on the beach crowd. I really don't know how that's working for them tho. One one hand, the whole casual thing is great cuz it's right on the beach and people can go to the restaurant after a hard day laying out in the sand. But the menu and the prices are all more in line with a high end restaurant and personally, I was a bit confused by it all.
The view offered by this place is just spectacular...breath-taking, gorgeous...just take any superlative and insert it here folks! You are completely surrounded by the beauty of this city and this alone is worth the visit to this restaurant. I don't think you can find a nicer view at any other restaurant in the city!
We had made reservations earlier that day and I think that was a smart idea. While the place wasn't full when we got there at 6:30 on a Sunday, it was quickly filling up and I heard the hostess tell some people there was going to be a wait. I though that was odd since there was a few empty tables and this place was pretty huge! We sat out on the patio since it was a beautiful day and we had a fantastic view of the sunset! But bring your sunglasses cuz it gets pretty bright out there! Our server was nice enough but I don't think she was too enthralled with us-just mains, no drinks :P The main complaint I have here tho...the food took a long time. Now I understand that this is a large restaurant but they had plenty of servers. I even saw a few of them hanging out. And their kitchen was not as big as some others I've seen. But there was at least 5 guys in there cooking! You'd think they'd be able to get your food out in time. I think we waited about 40 minutes from when we ordered to when we actually got our food. And no bread people. So if you're hungry, you may want to reconsider
But how does the food fair? Well, I had high expectations for this place given that the executive chef here is Lynda Larouche, the former chef at Seasons in the Park. Heck if she's good enough to cook for Bill Clinton, she good enough to cook for me. And while I wasn't blown away by the cooking, I have to say it was up to par with similar restaurants of this calaber. My mom and I had the sablefish while my stepdad Ron had the rack of lamb. the portions were really good and we all left with a full stomach. In general, no one had any complaints about their food, but no one was raving either.
To be fair, we didn't have any appies or desserts and both my mom and I had the same dish. I think we came on a bit of an off night. But truly folks, you are coming here for the setting! This place is second to none in terms of the view and if you have people visiting, be sure to take them here so they can enjoy that world-famous Vancouver scenery! I'm definatly willing to give this place a second chance. Maybe those UN ranking people really do know what they are talking about....
Monday, September 17, 2007
CRAVE on Main and 23rd
Well I guess I'll make my first post about the most recent dining experience I had. And it's not a bad way to start a blog about restaurants by writing about the hip-little-restaurant-that-could opened by the Former Four Seasons Vancouver Hotel Executive Chef Wayne Martin.
The restaurant is located on Main and 23rd and if you don't look, you could very well drive right past it! But with it's hightening reputation, this place will not be overlooked for that much longer. You might miss the sign but I doubt you'll miss the line-up of people waiting outside for a table.
Well my first (but definatly not the last) experience with this place was on Saturday with dear ol' mom. Actually, she was the one who suggested it since her friend was raving to her about it. And I've heard good things about this place so why not. I had actually called before to make sure we can get a table (6:30pm on a Saturday...you better be safe than sorry) but was a bit disappointed to find out that they don't take resos. They said they were pretty open but it was filling up fast so I hightailed it out there but once on Main, parking became a problem...a big problem! It took me quite awhile to finally find a spot and I can see this turning into quite a problem for this place. Nonetheless, we got to the restaurant and luckily, was able to get a table right away. Now if you are planning on a get together for a group of friends, this is probably not the place to hit up. This place is small...i mean small. They have a patio in the front and a patio in the back but if you're talking about just the inside, they can probably sit about 25 people. But it does make the space more intimate. The decor is very simple-dark walls, a few photographs and dim lighting but it really suits the style of the place.
As soon as we got comfortable (not as soon as we sat down mind you!) our server was there with a warm smile. My mom and I didn't order any drinks but their drink menu is pretty small. They had the traditional mojitos and stuff and an average selection of wine (no Reislings! Damn!) but for a restaurant that size, you can't be too choosy.
As for the food. They had a starter as well as a main course special. My mom settled on the corn chower (special) and the lamb while I went for the Alaskan smoked cod. The corn chowder was pretty good. I liked the fact that you can tell they didn't add alot of salt and stuff to it. However, I guess that was why it was lacking a bit in the taste department. But it was very chowder-y with a good amount of corn. As for the main course, the lamb was GREAT! Very tender and juicy and the potatoes that came with it was out of this world! I thought it tasted great but my mom thought it could be a little tastier. My cod was very good too! But bewarned, there was 2 small pices of corn with a LARGE salad beside it. It definatly looked more like a salad dish than a fish dish. But nonetheless, the cod was smooth and the texture was great. It did have quite a strong smoked taste to it but i guess that was what i ordered rite??? My bad! I topped off my dinner with a non-fat latte and it was the perfect way to end my dinner.
The best thing about this place is the price. We're talking under $20 for the main courses! This is from the former executive chef at the Four Seasons!!!! Trust me, that's a great deal! The food is definatly comparable to those restaurants in the $30 range. You are getting a good deal here folks! With such a trendy location, good pricing and great vibe of the restaurant, Crave is definatly a place to check out. But be careful, the waiting lines here will definatly be getting longer and longer!
The restaurant is located on Main and 23rd and if you don't look, you could very well drive right past it! But with it's hightening reputation, this place will not be overlooked for that much longer. You might miss the sign but I doubt you'll miss the line-up of people waiting outside for a table.
Well my first (but definatly not the last) experience with this place was on Saturday with dear ol' mom. Actually, she was the one who suggested it since her friend was raving to her about it. And I've heard good things about this place so why not. I had actually called before to make sure we can get a table (6:30pm on a Saturday...you better be safe than sorry) but was a bit disappointed to find out that they don't take resos. They said they were pretty open but it was filling up fast so I hightailed it out there but once on Main, parking became a problem...a big problem! It took me quite awhile to finally find a spot and I can see this turning into quite a problem for this place. Nonetheless, we got to the restaurant and luckily, was able to get a table right away. Now if you are planning on a get together for a group of friends, this is probably not the place to hit up. This place is small...i mean small. They have a patio in the front and a patio in the back but if you're talking about just the inside, they can probably sit about 25 people. But it does make the space more intimate. The decor is very simple-dark walls, a few photographs and dim lighting but it really suits the style of the place.
As soon as we got comfortable (not as soon as we sat down mind you!) our server was there with a warm smile. My mom and I didn't order any drinks but their drink menu is pretty small. They had the traditional mojitos and stuff and an average selection of wine (no Reislings! Damn!) but for a restaurant that size, you can't be too choosy.
As for the food. They had a starter as well as a main course special. My mom settled on the corn chower (special) and the lamb while I went for the Alaskan smoked cod. The corn chowder was pretty good. I liked the fact that you can tell they didn't add alot of salt and stuff to it. However, I guess that was why it was lacking a bit in the taste department. But it was very chowder-y with a good amount of corn. As for the main course, the lamb was GREAT! Very tender and juicy and the potatoes that came with it was out of this world! I thought it tasted great but my mom thought it could be a little tastier. My cod was very good too! But bewarned, there was 2 small pices of corn with a LARGE salad beside it. It definatly looked more like a salad dish than a fish dish. But nonetheless, the cod was smooth and the texture was great. It did have quite a strong smoked taste to it but i guess that was what i ordered rite??? My bad! I topped off my dinner with a non-fat latte and it was the perfect way to end my dinner.
The best thing about this place is the price. We're talking under $20 for the main courses! This is from the former executive chef at the Four Seasons!!!! Trust me, that's a great deal! The food is definatly comparable to those restaurants in the $30 range. You are getting a good deal here folks! With such a trendy location, good pricing and great vibe of the restaurant, Crave is definatly a place to check out. But be careful, the waiting lines here will definatly be getting longer and longer!
Finally! It's here! Welcome to a full stomach :D
Well I've finally done it! If you guys know me, i'm a total foodie! I LOVE FOOD! And I love going out and trying new places. If you know me, you know that I'm all about trying new restaurants in Vancouver and putting in my two cents worth on the place! Well with people always asking me about new restauratns and stuff, I figured i might as well make it (semi) official! So here it is folks! My very own blog about the great eats in Vancouver! Now keep in mind that this is just my own opinion and this is just for fun! Plus it's a good way for me to remember where I've actually been to! I'll try to update this as much as I can with any new place I go to-be if restaurants, lounges, cafes...etc.
I hope this will be as enjoyable for you as it is for me. Feel free to put your two cents in also and hopefully, if you guys are facing a dilemma on where to go for food, this can help point you in the right direction! Happy Eating! :D
I hope this will be as enjoyable for you as it is for me. Feel free to put your two cents in also and hopefully, if you guys are facing a dilemma on where to go for food, this can help point you in the right direction! Happy Eating! :D
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