Dineout Archives - Foodology

In Chinatown

[Sneak Peek] Torafuku Dine Out Vancouver 2020 Menu

January 18, 2020

Dine Out Vancouver begins today and we got a sneak peak of the $45 Torafuku dinner menu. If you don’t have your reservations yet, book them now as its 80% all filled up. Unlike last year, they do not have a Dine Out lunch option this year, but their regular lunch menu is available and it’s quite fantastic.

5 courses shared plates with a minimum of 2 people is a great price. You get to pick and choose the courses you want from the menu and it’s a pretty solid menu to check out their classic dishes or some new ones.

Bread & Butter

The meals starts off with warm baguette with their daily spread.

Got Beef

This dish is wagyu beef tartar, galbi sauce, quails’ egg yolk, charred pineapple puree, crispy rice puff, and wasabi greens. It’s also a gluten-free dish on the menu too. The crispy rice puffs is a great texture to go with the beef tartar. Very good flavours.

Calamari + Caesar

There is calamari hiding inside the warm romaine salad, which is topped with shaved parmesan, radishes, tempura crisp, and their sake kasu miso Caesar dressing. The dressing and miso go so well together. I was so surprised. One of my favourite dishes.

Garden Party

Named after Torafuku’s dedicated florist – Garden Party Flowers. This dish is gorgeous and made of burrata, lollarosa, oakleaf lettuce, radicchio, Belgium endive, tofu pear butter, roasted kabocha squash, edible flowers, and a lemon shallot chardonnay vinaigrette.

It’s so vibrant and delicious. The burrata just melts in your mouth. It’s just that good.

Donald Duck Confit

This has pieces of duck, peking duck style salad, arugula, grapefruit, micro herbs, dumpling crisp, taro chips, hoisin plum vinaigrette. Another fun dish. Good textures from the crisps and well balanced.

Kingsman Eggsy

This is a Chawanmushi mushroom steamed egg royale with winter root vegetables, and seaweed. It is gluten-free and vegetarian. The savoury egg custard is so delicate and the flavours are light and the go with each other.

Everyday I’m Brusseling

This is a classic item on the menu and it’s so popular. It has fried brussel sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, crispy quinoa, chickpeas, roasted almond, and a black bean balsamic vinaigrette. I’ve had this dish so many times and it rocks. Textures and flavours are all there. Highly recommend if this is your first time here.

Highest Steak

This has AAA Striploin Steak, saute kimchi, pickled cipolini onion, French beans, root veggies, fingerling potato, and a tamari brown butter beef jus. This dish is gluten-free and it was delicious as always. The steak is beautifully cooked and that brown butter beef jus hits the spot.

Why So Shellfish

This dish is a bit lighter and it has seared scallop, risotto, fermented radish, swirl egg, kalamansi watercress salad, and black bean brown butter sauce. The risotto is nice and creamy with the deliciously seared scallops.

Magic Mushroom

This has Bucatini pasta, mixed mushroom, lemon essence, kale, gem tomato, onion, yuzu brown butter, ricotta cheese, and gremolata. This was ok and a filling dish but it was a tad on the salty side.

Humble Pie

This is a dessert newer on the menu and it is a Japanese Kabocha squash pie topped with brown sugar bobba. The execution of this dish was a bit off when we dined here, so the pie and bobba were a bit dense.

Magic Stick

This is a staple dessert and it’s been on their menu for some time. It has chocolate ganache, hazelnut feuilletine, raspberry coulis, and coffee mascarpone mousse. Good for the chocolate lovers.

Milk & Cookie

This has a Thai milk tea panna cotta with coconut brown butter caramel, and a sesame cookie. The Thai tea was very nice and strong. Very fragrant and it was enjoyable. My favourite dessert of the evening.

Final Thoughts

Overall, if it’s your first time dining at Torafuku, it’s a good introduction to their menu with the limited Dine Out Vancouver menu. There are only limited reservation spots left, so if you luck out, they still have lunch service for their regular lunch menu. If you can’t make itout for dine out either, their Omakase is amazing too.

Address:
958 Main Street, Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://torafuku.ca/

In Dineout

[Sneak Peek] Italian Kitchen: Dine Out Vancouver 2020 Review

January 17, 2020

Dine Out Vancouver is upon us and Italian Kitchen by the Glowbal Group is participating again this year with their $45 dinner menu including an appetizer, entree, and dessert. There is also option for wine pairings as well.

It’s been a while since I’ve been to Italian Kitchen and the new location sets the mood with its Italian charm. We were invited to have a sneak peek of the Dine Out Vancouver menu before the festival begins. We tried all the dishes to help you make an informed decision.

Interior

There are different seating areas in the restaurant. It’s a nice space for all sorts of occasions. They can seat small to large groups which is nice.

Focaccia

The meals starts with complimentary focaccia, olive oil and balsamic. A nice nibble to begin the meal.

Confit of Duck Salad

There is a bed of grilled radicchio, roasted fennel & beets, watercress, spelt, and orange balsamic vinaigrette. The confit duck is a bit dry on the outside, but it is tender inside. Great portion size for an appetizer.

Risotto Milanese

The risotto has asparagus, shrimp and crispy artichokes. The shrimp are nice and plump, and the crispy artichokes add great texture. The risotto itself was a tad on the salty side. Nonetheless, it was still very enjoyable.

Galletto al Mattone

This dish has a salt brick pressed half Maple Hills Farm chicken marinated with herbs, garlic & lemon, and served with smashed herb potatoes. I really enjoyed this dish a lot. The chicken was moist and the skin had so much flavour. I was very impressed. Great portion size too.

Filetto di Branzino

The dish has sauteed mediterranean bass filet with blistered cherry tomatoes, calabrese olives, peppers, and basil. The Branzino has a lovely crust on its skin. The tomatoes, olives, and pappers paired nicely with it. It’s not as filling as the chicken option, but this dish was well executed.

Ravioli Cacio e Pere

The ravioli is stuffed with pear and stracciatella and topped with black pepper & pecorino, and arugula. Don’t be shy to have more cheese added on top, so no shame in having more cheese. Of all the entrees, this was my least favourite. It’s a good dish, but I just thought the other proteins were well executed.

Butterscotch Budino

This decadent dessert has the base of the butterscotch pudding and topped with dark chocolate sauce, chantilly cream and a pistachio crumble. This was absolutely delicious. Very generous portion size and that dark chocolate sauce balanced out the butterscotch pudding. Not to sweet either, which was fantastic.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I was really impressed by the $45 menu at Italian Kitchen. Great value and you won’t be disappointed. If you’re looking for an Italian restaurant for Dine Out Vancouver, definitely check it out. My favourites were the risotto and chicken dishes.

Make sure to get reservations so you don’t get disappointed.

Address:
860 Burrard St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
https://glowbalgroup.com/italiankitchen/

In Dineout

[Sneak Peek] Pidgin: $45 Omnivore and Vegetarian Menu for Dine Out Vancouver 2020

January 15, 2020

Pidgin is back for Dine Out Vancouver 2020 with a 6 course menu for $45. The meal is shared family style and they have an omnivore and vegetarian option available. The 6 dishes are shared among a minimum of 2 people. They regular menu is also available during this time.

Omnivore Menu

Vegetarian Menu

Interior

Whether you are with a small or large group, the space is very inviting. In the evening, its dim inside and sets the mood.

Fried Brussel Sprouts

The mean starts off with pickled turnips, miso dressing, fennel and caraway salt, and a brown butter crumb. Very delicious and I just love the miso dressing with the brown butter crumb.

Tuna Tartare

The next dish is paired with pickled mustard seeds, mentaiko mayo, shallots, chives, shiso, and lotus root chips. With all the other ingredients in this tuna tartare, the flavour of the tuna itself blended in the background so all you can really taste was the dominant mentaiko mayo.

Cultivated Mushrooms

This dish was my favourite of the night since I absolutely adore mushrooms and eggs. There is yuzu-soy brown butter, truffle celeriac puree and a ramen egg. It was very delicious with a lot of umami but it was a touch salty.

Sablefish

The sablefish is surrounded by a seafood dashi, side stripe prawns, shoyu dashi, potato, wakame, and enoki. The sablefish was undercooked so the centre of it was still raw. Besides that, the dashi broth was very nice.

Magret Duck Breast

This has a hoisin glaze and it is paired with radish cake and Chinese greens. The duck breast was beautifully cooked and it is a great melding of Asian and French cultures in this dish. The radish cake was a bit on the salty side as well. The duck was well rendered and flavourful.

Yuzu Creme Brulee

For dessert, the yuzu creme brulee also has sudachi pepper, and candied castelvetrano olives. I wasn’t a fan of the candied olives.

Beet Tartare

The beet Tartare replaces the tuna tartare on the omnivore menu. this also has mustard seed, celeriac, mirepoix, and lotus chips. I was very surprised by this and absolutely loved it. Well balanced in flavour and would never have thought it would make a great beet tartare.

Vegetable Oden

This dish replaces the Sablefish in the Omnivore menu. There is tofu, cabbage, squash, enoki, wakame, potato, daikon, and garlic oil. This dish has a lot of different components and it is a nice little oden. Different textures work well together.

Carnaroli Risotto

This dish replaces the Magret Duck Breast on the Omnivore Menu. There are sunchokes, miso butter, pecorino, and spruce tip oil. The sunchokes were delicious and was a pretty decent vegetarian risotto.

Drink Pairings

You can add $40 for drink pairings for all 6 dishes which include 2 white wines, 2 sakes, 1 red wine, and 2 cocktails. Not a bad deal for 6 drinks.

If you love a variety of drinks, this is for you. They take a lot of care into pairing each beverage with the dishes.

Oyster Shot

This is an add on item for $4.50 if you choose to add it to your meal. It has a raw oyster on the bottom and topped with a horseradish emulsion, and celery lime granite.

Beef Tendon Chicharron

A lot of work going into these beef tendon chicharron and it shows. It is then topped with gochugaru citrus spice for extra dimension of flavour.

Daily Pickles

For $5 extra, you can get a tasting of their daily pickles that change regularly. It’s nice to munch on them before the meal begins.

Final Thoughts

It’s great they try to keep it as close to their prix-fixe experience where you get to try a variety of items on the menu. The dishes in the omnivore menu had a few technical issues, but the vegetarian was pretty good. They got creative with the dishes and I enjoyed it a lot more.

What sets Pidgin apart is that you get to try 6 dishes instead of the standard 3 for Dine Out. If you want to add more to the menu, they have such a flexible menu for additional add-ons.

Address:
350 Carrall St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://www.pidginvancouver.com/

In Dineout

[Sneak Peek] Dine Out Vancouver 2019 at Rocky Mountain Flatbread

January 25, 2019

Rocky Mountain Flatbread Co. has 2 locations in the Lower Mainland; one on Main Street and another in Kitsilano. The other 2 locations are in Banff and Canmore. They serve up handcrafted organic flatbreads and bakes them in their wood fired oven. They also have organic pasta dishes, salads, soups and decadent desserts. They are also know to have a very family friendly atmosphere with a play area too.

They are one of the participating restaurants on the Dine Out Vancouver 2019 list. We got a special sneak peek to see what they are offering customers. You will be treated to their $25 menu lunch or dinner menu.

Interior

There are lots of tables for small to large groups. Best to make reservations just in case it gets busy during peak hours.

Dine Out Menu

What is great about this menu is that there are so many options to craft your meal and you’re not limited to just whats on the Dine Out Menu.

Paloma Mocktail

The meal starts with their house craft mocktail. When we were here, it was the Paloma mocktail with pink grapefruit juice, freshly squeezed lime, simple syrup and soda. You can spice this up with tequila or vodka for $5 extra.

Appetizers

For appetizers, you have 3 choices of a salad, Mushroom Caps or house made soup.

For the salad option you have a few to choose from so you’re not limited to just one kind. Your choices are Fresh Herb Salad (Vegan), Basil & Blackberry Salad, or Fig & Goat Cheese Salad. They have pretty good salads but my favourite is the fig & goat cheese salad.

The BC Mushroom Caps have 4 different flavours to choose from:

Bacon, Leek & Cheddar
Spinach & Goat Cheese
Roasted Veggies
Sundried Tomato Hummus

Of the ones we tried, the bacon, leek and cheddar was my favourite as the saltiness from the bacon married well with the mushroom.

As for soups, there are 2 to choose from – Seasonal Soup or their Spicy Organic Tomato Soup, which is vegan. The seasonal soup was potato and leek but it can change depending on when you go. Very comforting and not salty at all.

Entrees

For the main dishes, you can choose from pizza or pastas on their menu.

There are 12 different pizzas to choose from on the menu and you can customize for gluten-free pizza crust or artisan pizza for an extra charge.

Some of my favourites are the Fig & Brie Artisan Pizza, Farmers Market, and Pesto Chicken.

Pasta is the other entree option and you have 4 types to choose from:

Chef’s Pasta Feature
Roasted Vegetable Rotini
Bacon and Three Cheese Penne
Penne Bolognese

The pastas are created with organic pasta and local seasonal veggies. I really enjoyed the bacon and three cheese penne. Delicious!

Dessert

The best part of the meal is when it comes to dessert. You can choose from:

Warm Double Chocolate Brownies Served With Vanilla Ice Cream
Baked Cheesecake With A Toasted Coconut Base (Gluten Free)
Seasonal Sorbet (Gluten Free & Vegan)
Apple Cinnamon Crumble Served With Coconut Vanilla Ice Cream (Gluten Free + Vegan)

A good selection but the warm double chocolate brownie is by for the most popular. I tried the apple cinnamon crumble and it was also very very good.

Final Thoughts

For $25 3-course menu and a mocktail, it’s a good price. There is a lot of flexibility to the menu for lunch and dinner to cater to varying dietary needs and it’s very family-friendly. Kids can choose items from the regular menu or even do the kids 3-course menu for $13.50. Highly recommended for parents that want a night out and may have to bring kids along.

Address:
4186 Main St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
https://www.rockymountainflatbread.ca/

In Dineout

[Sneak Peek] Dine Out Vancouver 2019 at Donsanko Restaurant

January 18, 2019

Dosanko Restaurant serves up Yōshoku-style Japanese cuisine using seasonally inspired, local ingredients following Japanese traditions of using what’s around you.

Interior

The space is very rustic and features a bar and a good amount of seating. Best to make reservations as it will be pretty busy during Dine Out Vancouver to ensure a seat for your party.

Appetizers

Potato and leek soup is a vegetarian option and made from scratch. Good depth of flavour and a good way to start the meal.

Smoked Saba Croquette is outstanding. The exterior is crisp and the inside if fluffy and has a good smoked saba flavour inside. My favourite of the 3 appetizers.

Aki’s Salad is vegan and it has seasonal greens, vegetable, seeds, grains and a koji dressing. Light and refreshing.

Entrees

Cabbage Rolls are stuffed with a pork mixture and comes in 2 varieties of sauces. Very comforting and the sauces were very complimentary to the cabbage roll. An interesting twist to the dish.

Winter Veggie Doria is a vegetarian dish and is served in a hot stone bowl. There is rice on the bottom, an assortment of veggies and a delicious white cream sauce. Very filling, good flavours, and like comfort in a bowl.

Hayashi-Rice has their hayashi sauce made of beef shank and caramelized onion and served with pickled veg and rice. So comforting! A good potion size too. This was the favourite of the entrees.

Dessert

Panna Cotta with Citrus was a treat. The vanilla in the panna cotta was really good and the grapefruit and orange segments are beautiful and paired well with its bright flavours.

Amazake Rice Pudding is vegetarian and was the most surprising item on the menu that I adored. It has fermented rice with koji, rice pudding, azuki red beans, vanilla ice cream and kinako. Wow, just so damn good. No words to express how much I loved it.

Sorbet is the vegan option. 3 flavours – quince, peach, and berries. Good options for those who can’t have the other 2 dessert options. Very good flavours too.

Final Thoughts

For a $25 3-course menu, it’s one of the better values on the Dine Out Vancouver options. Highly recommend Dosanko for either lunch or dinner. One of my favourite dine out meals so far.

Address:
66 Powell St Unit #100, Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://dosankorestaurant.ca/

In Dineout

[Sneak Peek] Dine Out 2019 at PiDGiN Restaurant

January 17, 2019

PiDGiN Restaura nt is located between Chinatown and Gastown. They specialize in Asian and French fusion cuisine paired with craft cocktails.

They are one of the participating restaurants on the Dine Out Vancouver 2019 list. We got a special sneak peek to see what they are offering customers. You will be treated to their $45 menu which is served family-style. You can get the Omnivore menu or the vegetarian menu. Great to have both options.

Dine Out 2019 Menu + Drink Menu

Wine and Sake Pairings

You can add on wine and sake pairings to your dine out meal to really accentuate your experience at PiDGiN. They are known for their wine and sake program, so sit back and relax as they educate you on a variety of drinks. It is a $45 add on, but it’s a great selection.

Head Cheese Terrine

This was one of my favourite dishes of the evening. The smooth texture of the terrine was so good when paired with the crispy puffed beef tendon and savoury pickled shiitake mushrooms.

Corned Beet Salad

No beef found here, but only beets. The ricotta and the pumpkin seed crackers add much needed texture and complimentary flavours that go well together. There is also a ume vinaigrette and fermented daikon in it.

Okonomiyaki

The Okonomiyaki is topped with green onions, Bulldog sauce and KewPie Japanese Mayonnaise. It’s a bit dense like it’s a Japanese pancake pizza.

Seared Pacific Rockfish

It also has riesling choucroute. The rockfish was delicious and full of flavour.

Cache Creek Skirt Steak Ssam

This dish is more interactive and you put a bit of steak, kimchi, daikon, garlic, and ssamjang and eat it like a lettuce wrap. The steak was made medium rare but was a bit tough and not as tender than we initially thought.

Chocolate and Black Tea Parfait

To end the meal, this is the chocolate and black tea parfait with Ovaltine crumble. The parfait and the foam has a very similar texture so it blended together, so it was hard to differentiate the strong chocolate taste. The Ovaltine crumble was a nice added texture.

The following dishes below are a few different dishes on their Dine Out Vegetarian menu or add ons.

Spicy Miso Fried Cauliflower

It also has sesame seeds, basil, and mint. This is a vegetarian dish and can be found on their Vegetarian Dine Out Menu. It is packed with so much umami flavour from the miso. Great combination.

Kombu Risotto

This has soy braised fennel, confit leeks, wakame and pickled kombu. This was my least favourite vegetarian dish as it felt more like a congee rather than a risotto. Lacked a bit of seasoning and needed more flavour.

Cultivated Mushrooms

I could have this plate all to myself. It also has squash puree, yuzu brown butter, and a ramen egg. So damn good. Highly recommended!

Oyster Shot

This is an add on for an extra $4.50 and it is served in a shot glass with a horseradish emulsion and apple granite on top. A fun way to start the meal.

Final Thoughts

The menu is pretty solid and there are so many ways to elevate your experience here with add-ons as well as wine and sake pairings. You can stick with the basics or go beyond it. The family-style concept is nice and refreshing if you like sharing but maybe not for everyone.

Address:
350 Carrall St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://www.pidginvancouver.com/

In Dineout

[Sneak Peek] Dine Out 2019 at The Vancouver Fish Company

January 11, 2019

The Vancouver Fish Company is back as one of the participating restaurants on the Dine Out Vancouver 2019 list. We got a special sneak peek to see what they are offering customers. You will be treated to their $45 dinner and lunch menus.

We were invited to get a sneak peek of the menu.

1st Course

Seafood Chowder has fresh seafood, clams, bacon, thyme and cream. It has a thick creamy consistency with hints of the bacon and thyme in the chowder. This dish uses OceanWise seafood and is also gluten-free.

Suggested Wine Pairing: Mission Hill Reserve Chardonnay

Maple Walnut Prawns are lightly fried tempura prawns with Yuzu mayo, walnuts, toasted sesame, and Togarashi. This dish uses OceanWise seafood and is also gluten-free.

Suggested Wine Pairing: 50th Parallel Riesling

Organic Beet Salad with Klipper’s Farm organic beets, toasted pistachios, baby arugula, avocado rosemary vinaigrette, and shaved parmesan. This dish is gluten-free and vegetarian.

Suggested Wine Pairing: Dirty Laundry Rose

2nd Course

Poached Atlantic Lobster uses a whole Nova Scotia lobster and served with Klipper’s Farm organic vegetables, garlic roasted potatoes, and drawn butter. This dish is gluten-free.

Suggested Wine Pairing: Perseus Select Lots Chardonnay

Seafood Hot Pot has Dungeness crab, pink scallops, prawns, mussels, clams, baby Yukon Gold potatoes, corn, saffron fennel nage, and garlic toast. The broth is more of a tomato base with lots of seafood on top. This dish uses OceanWise seafood.

Suggested Wine Pairing: Burrowing Owl Pinot Gris

Surf & Turf has an 6 oz Alberta Striploin, scallop & prawn skewer, confit garlic whipped potatoes, roasted acorn squash, Klipper’s Farm organic vegetable medley, celeriac puree, and red wine jus. This dish uses OceanWise seafood and is also gluten-free.

Suggested Wine Pairing: Adega Syrah

Desserts

New York Cheesecake has traditional cheesecake, strawberry compote, and chantilly cream. This is vegetarian.

Suggested Wine Pairing: Taylor Fladgate Tawny Port 10 Year

Apple Tarte Tatin has caramel Granny Smith apples and vanilla gelato.

Suggested Wine Pairing: Hester Creek Late Harvest Pinot Blanc

Final Thoughts

For $45 its a bit high compared to other restaurants also participating in DineOut Vancouver, but their menu does boast a lot of seafood options.

Address:
517 Anderson St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
https://www.dineoutvancouver.com/listings/the-vancouver-fish-company-restaurant-%26-bar/39256/

In Dineout

[Sneak Peek] Dine Out 2019 at The Sandbar Seafood Restaurant

January 10, 2019

The Sandbar Seafood Restaurant is back as one of the participating restaurants on the Dine Out Vancouver 2019 list. We got a special sneak peek to see what they are offering customers. You will be treated to their $35 dinner menu or lunch menu.

Appetizers

Sablefish Croquette comes with 3 pieces and paired with their miso aioli. The taste of the sablefish in the croquette was more muted so it didn’t stand out. This dish is gluten-free.

This is a Beet & Arugula Salad with goat cheese, and a fig balsamic vinaigrette. This dish is vegetarian and gluten-free.

Their Clam Chowder is housemade and it has clams and hearty potatoes inside. We enjoyed this.

Entrees

Cioppino has prawns, mussels, clams, cod, and snow crab.

6 oz Prime New York Striploin alderwood grilled with market vegetables and roasted potatoes. A good steak best done medium rare with all the veggies that make a good pairing. Also, this dish is gluten-free.

Sapa Rau Bowl has coconut jasmine rice, lemongrass yogurt, pickled papaya, mushrooms, yams, fresh vegetables, cashews, and a Singapore sauce. This is the vegetarian option.

Enhancements

You can swap out dishes for either of these for a set menu of $45 rather than $35.

Crab Crusted BC Lingcod forno baked with market vegetables, coconut jasmine rice, and beurre blanc sauce. The lingcod is Oceanwise too.

Sesame Crusted Albacore Tuna seared rare with soy mustard, wasabi, and cucumber salsa. The tuna is Oceanwise and the whole dish is gluten-free.

Desserts

Chocolate Truffle Cake is decadent and satisfied those dessert cravings.

Buttermilk Pannacotta with a berry compote and citrus crumble on top.

Final Thoughts

Overall, decent dish options here with flexibility to swap for enhanced dishes. I like how they are committed to using Oceanwise seafood where possible.

Address:
1535 Johnston St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
https://www.vancouverdine.com/sandbar/

In Dineout

[Sneak Peek] Dine Out 2019 at Dockside Restaurant

January 10, 2019

Dockside Restaurant is back as one of the participating restaurants on the Dine Out Vancouver 2019 list. We got a special sneak peek to see what they are offering customers. You will be treated to their $35 menu which has 3 courses per person.

They are located on Granville Island specializing in West Coast Cuisine. Popular in the Summer for their fresh seafood and patio views.

Dine Out 2019 Menu

You choose 1 dish from the 3 categories and you have the option of wine pairings for $12 extra.

Appetizers

Cucumber Caprese comes with 3 pieces on a plate and it has cucumber, bocconcini, strawberry, and a pomegranate reduction. This is gluten-free and vegetarian. A good fresh and crisp way to start the meal.

Wine pairing: Fitzpatrick Pinot Blanc

Korean Spiced Arancini is paired with their chili lime aioli. This is a vegetarian dish as well and it comes in 2 pieces per order. It was delicious and not spicy at all. A good use of Korean spices to go with this traditional Italian snack.

Wine Pairing: Perseus Pinot Grigio

Beef Empanada comes with 2 pieces and it has avocado crema, and a charred tomato bell pepper relish. The exterior was really crisp, but the empanada isn’t fully closed, so if you eat it with your hands, some filling might fall out.

Wine Pairing: Skaha Cabernet Franc

Main

Singapore Seafood curry is a gluten-free dish and it has seafood in it and topped with pieces of coconut rice cake. It has a rich coconut flavour but not too heavy.

Wine Pairing: Road 13 Viognier

Crispy Braised Chicken uses chicken thighs, flageolet bean cassoulet, and pan jus. A hearty dish and the chicken thighs were juicy. This is also a gluten-free dish too.

Wine Pairing: Sperling Pinot Noir

Grilled Lamb Rack comes with 3 pieces a top lemon herb gnocchi, veggies and chimichurri sauce. The lamb was delicious and cooked perfectly, but the gnocchi wasn’t as soft and fluffy as I thought it would have been.

Wine Pairing: Ravens Wood Cabernet Sauvignon

Mushroom Goat Cheese Risotto is their vegetarian dish for the entrees. It has forged wild mushrooms, and goat cheese. The dish smelled vibrant of truffles, but when we ate into it, it was a tad bland like it needed a bit more salt.

Wine Pairing: Dessert Hills Chardonnay

Dessert

Chocolate Crème Brûlée is topped with berries and served with a house made biscotti on the side. It was ok.

Apple Pie “lollipop” a la mode is served with vanilla gelato. I preferred this dish over the chocolate crème brûlée, but that’s just my personal preference.

Final Thoughts

Overall, some hits and misses on the menu, but there is variety that not just all seafood. It’s good they have gluten-free and vegetarian options on the menu so everyone can enjoy.

Address:
1253 Johnston St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
https://www.dineoutvancouver.com/listings/dockside-restaurant/18449/

In British Columbia

All Aboard Rocky Mountaineer: Rail Car Pop-up Recap

February 2, 2018

I was introduced to a unique dining experience aboard the Rocky Mountaineer train as a pop-up restaurant for the 2018 Dine Out Vancouver Festival. It was held at their Vancouver station for two nights only. This is the very first time that guests get the opportunity to dine on-board the Rocky Mountaineer, without travelling into the Rockies. The train stays stationary for the duration of the event, so we didn’t have to worry about any turbulence. It brought me back to my childhood when we would take the train to Whistler back in the early 90’s with our relatives to explore the beauty of British Columbia.

Welcome + Tour

We were greeted with a welcome beverage aboard the luxurious GoldLeaf railcar, as is customary on a Rocky Mountaineer train journey. Cheers!

We spent about 10 minutes exploring the bi-level, glass-domed train car and played around with all the seat features like heated seats, adjustable lumbar support, and reclining seats.

We got a glimpse into a Rocky Mountaineer journey on this luxury train with our wonderful hosts on-hand to educate us.

3- Course Dinner + Drink Pairings

We went back downstairs to the dining room to begin the meal. All the seats were in groups of 4 and I had a blast dining with a lovely couple throughout the entire evening. I don’t usually like dining on my own, but this was a great way to make new friends and share a unique experience.

We got to enjoy a delectable three-course meal, featuring fresh, local ingredients, prepared by Rocky Mountaineer’s acclaimed culinary team. Plus, a selection of BC wines. The menu is inspired by the Western Canadian regions the train travels through. Beautiful crisp clean flavours.

Bread and Butter

Before the meal began, we all got some bread and butter to share among the table.

Appetizer

We got a choice of the Butternut Squash Soup or Winter Greens Salad. I chose the Winter Green Salad as I love seasonal veggies. Plus, the addition of caramelized pears and the stilton crostini went well together to add texture. This was paired with the Sumac Ridge Gewurtztraminer.

Main

For the main course, we had a choice between Steelhead Salmon, Beef Short Ribs, or the Farmers Market Risotto. I had a hard time deciding, but I went with the Steelhead Salmon.

At first, I was a bit unsure about getting this dish, but the salmon was very moist and delicate. It is served with garlic herb jasmine rice risotto, local market vegetables and a grainy mustard seed vinaigrette. I was not disappointed at all. I would have like more of it. This was paired with the Sumac Ridge Sauvignon Blanc.

My friends both got the Beef Short Ribs, which are braised in Okanagan Valley Merlot, with mashed horseradish potatoes and local market vegetables. The wine pairing was the Black Sage Vineyard Shiraz. They finished every bite on their plate, so it was a very good sign.

Dessert: Decadent Chocolate Brownie

For dessert, we were treated to their decadent chocolate brownie covered in a warm fudge sauce and then vanilla ice cream with a raspberry coulis. This is paired with the Black Sage Vineyard Pipe is a port with a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Pairs well with chocolate desserts like this brownie.

Farewell

At the end of the meal, the lovely staff signed a card for each guest. A great personal touch to remember this experience. The spots for this Rail Car Pop-up sold out very quickly and I really enjoyed it. If they have this again next year, definitely take a look into because it was fun.

If you’re interested in learning more about Rocky Mountaineer, they offer more than 65 uniquely Canadian luxury rail vacation packages and travels only by daylight through the wild beauty of the Pacific Northwest and Western Canada. Especially in the Summer, the views are just stunning.

Website:
https://www.rockymountaineer.com/

Address:
1755 Cottrell St, Vancouver, BC

In Dineout

BlackBird Pub House: $20 Dine Out Vancouver Menu

January 20, 2018

This year’s Donnelly Group Dine Out Vancouver menus blend new food program highlights with a number of fresh dishes created by the culinary team. With hearty entrees, satisfying vegetarian options, and tempting desserts-all made-from-scratch-Donnelly Group is proud to offer delicious, value-packed $20 Dine Out menus. Donnelly Group’s culinary team Alvin Pillay, Sarah Stewart, and Chris Stewart have put their stamp on menus which are built around a core group of 14 dishes, mixed and matched to create unique offerings with multiple options at each location.

I went to dine at BlackBird Pub House near Burrard and Dunsmuir with my husband with the added wine pairings too.

This special menu goes on from January 19th till February 4th 2018.

Interior

The space is large and super packed during happy hour, but if you come after 6:30pm, it’s not as crazy.

Kale Caesar

The kale caesar has green apple, garlic croutons, and pumpkin seeds. A good portion for the first course and the dressing is light which I enjoyed a lot. It is paired with Summerhill ‘alive’ organic white from the Okanagan. It was delicious and I liked how the green apple played off notes from the wine.

The BC VQA wine suggestions are from Bar & Beverage Director Trevor Kallies, and this year, each selection is available singly and in different sized pours for sipping, sampling, and sharing.

Cauliflower & Brie Soup

The soup had a hearty depth of flavour with a base of charred lemon yogurt. This was paired with the Gehringer Cabernet Merlot.

Brisket Cavatappi

There is tomato, oregano, olives and grana padano. It’s a pretty big portion with a big chunk of tender shredded brisket. Very comforting and not overly complicated. The only ingredient that threw me off a little bit were the olives.

This dish is paired with Tinhorn Creek Merlot which goes well with the sauce.

Spicy Lamb Shepherd’s Pie

On top is the sweet potato mash with bourbon bbq gravy and on the bottom is the spicy lamb. It was interesting to see it some in a pot since it’s not really a shepherd’s pie.

This was paired with Adega Malbec.

Chocolate Praline Bar

It has peanut butter in the centre and topped with sweet cream and bits of peanuts.

It is pair with the Glenlivet Founder’s Reserve, which pairs really well with the dessert. My husband loved it as it has a palate of citrus, baking spices and toffee framed by notes of vanilla and oak.

Coconut Panna Cotta

The coconut panna cotta is topped with peach compote and candied ginger. Along with 2 ginger cookies. This portion was larger than the chocolate praline bar and there’s quite a bit to it.

I had it with the Monkey Shoulder, a blend of three Speyside Single Malts aged in ex-bourbon casks which impart a smooth and mellow vanilla flavour into the whisky with hints of zesty orange, honey and spiced oak.

Final Thoughts

For a $20 3-course set meal, this was pretty good and affordable. If you get the pairings, it will definitely be a lot more than you imagined, but you don’t have to pair with every single dish. All the dishes were good except, the Spicy Lamb Shepherd’s Pie. The best dish of the night was the coconut panna cotta.

We rate BlackBird:

Address:
905 Dunsmuir St, Vancouver

Website:
http://donnellygroup.ca/the-blackbird

In Dineout

Dockside Seafood Restaurant: Dineout Vancouver

January 9, 2017

Dockside Restaurant is participating again in Dine Out Vancouver from January 20 to February 5, 2017. They are offering guests with their 3 course meal on Granville Island for West Coast Cuisine for $40. Reservations should be made in advance.

I came here for a preview of the menu prior to Dine Out Vancouver with a few other media people to see how their menu is like.

Dine Out 2017 Menu at Dockside

Appetizer

Dockside Crab & Shrimp Cakes
Duck Prosciutto Tart
Winter Green Salad

Entree

Linguini Vongole
Roasted Zucchini
Beef Wellington

Dessert

Panna Cotta
Chocolate and Apricot Mousse

Appetizer

Winter Green Salad has Manchego polenta croutons, French beans and a herb vinaigrette. A good start of the meal as its light and refreshing. The polenta croutons add a bit of crunch and texture to the salad.

Dockside Crab & Shrimp Cakes has charred lemon aioli, and mango salsa on top. 3 pieces to each plate.

Duck Prosciutto Tart has housemade duck prosciutto, onion jam, arugula and balsamic reduction. The delicious fatty duck prosciutto pairs balances with the arugula. The tart gives it a crunchy texture.

Entree

Beef Wellington Truffle has mash potatoes, market vegetables and red wine jus. I felt that the meat was cooked more to a well doneness.

Linguini Vongole has Manila clams, white wine cream sauce, and reggiano cheese. The pasta was creamy and there was a good amount of clams. Since the clams were cooked separately, it didn’t integrate too well with the pasta.

Roasted Zucchini is the vegetarian option. It has eggplant puree, cucumber and fennel salad and topped with toasted pine nuts.

Dessert

Chocolate and Apricot Mousse Layer Cake is lined with apricot puree and fresh berries.

Panna Cotta has lemon grass, lime leaf, passion fruit puree and mint. A refreshing end to the evening meal.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the menu is pretty balanced to cater to those with different tastebuds. The portions are a good size too.

We Rate Dockside Seafood Restaurant:

Address:
1253 Johnston Street, Vancouver

Website:
http://docksidevancouver.com/

In Dineout

Vancouver Fish Company: Dine Out Vancouver

January 9, 2017

The Vancouver Fish Company is participating in Dine Out Vancouver from January 20 to February 5, 2017. They are offering guests with their 3 course meal on Granville Island for West Coast Cuisine for $40 or $29 for lunch. Reservations should be made in advance.

Dine Out 2017 Menu at The Vancouver Fish Company

Appetizers

VFC seafood chowder
Lentil soup
Humboldt squid salad
Maple walnut prawns

Entree

Lobster mac’n’cheese
Thai chicken curry
Crab-stuffed sole wellington
Steak oscar

Dessert

Apple bread pudding
Mango sorbet

As I came during a preview night, the items pictured might not be 100% how it looks when it arrives at your table.

Appetizers

Lentil soup has organic red lentils, and garam masala cream sauce. It is Vegetarian and gluten-free friendly.

Maple walnut prawns has lightly fried prawns, seaweed salad, maple, spiced walnuts, and sesame. It comes with 3 pieces to an order.

VFC seafood chowder has fresh seafood, fresh clams, thyme cream, and bacon.

Entree

Lobster mac’n’cheese has baked lobster casserole, creamy cheddar, and bread crumbs.

Thai chicken curry has braised chicken, scented basmati rice, coconut curry sauce, julienne vegetables, roasted peanuts, and cilantro. It has a nice kick of spice to this dish.

Crab-stuffed sole wellington with fresh sole, crab meat, cream cheese, puff pastry, braised kale, and lobster bisque. I found with this dish, the cream cheese and puff pastry masked the sole and the crab meat.

Steak oscar has seared skirt steak, crab meat, baby shrimp, hannah brook farm vegetables, garlic confit mashed potatoes, bernaise, and peppercorn jus.

Dessert

Mango sorbet has mango, coconut cream, and lime dust. I enjoyed this one as it felt like a palate cleanser.

Apple bread pudding has warm bread pudding, caramel sauce, and spiced walnuts. I felt it was a bit on the sweet side.

Overall, I felt the menu had a good amount of choices but the tastes were just ok. I felt the menu was lacking dishes that highlighted fresh piece of fish. For a $40 dinner option, it is a bit pricey for what you get.

We Rate The Vancouver Fish Company:

Address:
1517 Anderson Street, Vancouver

Website:
http://www.vanfish.com/

In Canadian

Edible Canada: Dine Out Vancouver

January 9, 2017

Edible Canada is participating again in Dine Out Vancouver from January 20 to February 5, 2017. They are offering guests with their 3 course meal on Granville Island for Canadian Cuisine for $30. Reservations should be made in advance.

I came here for a sneak peek of the full Dine Out menu to show potential guests what the menu would look and taste like. You’ll notice on their menus, there are a few menu items that you need to add extra money to the meal.

Dine Out 2017 Menu at Edible Canada

Appetizer

Hazelmere Roasted Carrot Soup
Pacific Cod and Pemberton Potato Pakoras
Hazelmere Kale Salad
Crispy West Coast Humbolt Squid + $3
Grilled Alberta Lamb Heart + $4
Range Land Bison Tartar + $5

Entree

Honey Butter Basted Fried Chicken
Prairie Farro Risotto
Haida Gwaii Rockfish & Mussel Stew
Newfoundland Seal Pappardelle + $3
Quebec Rabbit Orecchiette + $4
Char Grilled Alberta Hanger Steak + $6

Dessert

Chocolate Pot du Crème
Pumpkin Sticky Toffee Pudding

Appetizers

Pacific Cod and Pemberton Potato Pakoras has jalapeño apple chutney, fresh mint and pickles. It is served on a mini skillet pan. Very good start to the meal. The pakoras were crisp and went very well with the chutney.

Crispy West Coast Humbolt Squid has chermoula vinaigrette, white bean hummus, and dried olives. This is a dish where you need to add $3 on top of the Dine Out Vancouver menu. Squid was tender and was like a glamorous calamari.

Grilled Alberta Lamb Heart has Gaujillo adobo, cilantro, and hominy corn grits. You need to add $4 to get this dish. Man, those lamb hearts were tender. I love how Edible Canada uses all different parts of each animal.

Entree

Haida Gwaii Rockfish & Mussel Stew has a Moroccan tomato broth, heirloom carrots, chickpeas, and cilantro. A good portion of seafood in this stew. Beautiful flavours too.

Quebec Rabbit Orecchiette has mushrooms, confit onions, shaved brussels sprouts, and parmesan. You need to add $4 extra to get this dish. The rabbit a nice unique protein to have with this meal as it brings you out of your comfort zone. Pasta was cooked perfectly and the sauce just covered nicely.

Dessert

Chocolate Pot du Crème has cassis, and crystallized ginger. This dessert was ok, but I felt the berries on top was a bit sour.

Pumpkin Sticky Toffee Pudding has maple bourbon custard, and candied walnuts. This dessert was my favourite as it wasn’t too sweet and it just warms you up for the end of the meal.

Final Thoughts

Overall, Edible Canada has always been a good pick for Dine Out Vancouver. The use of their proteins are adventurous. They have more options on the menu, but some items you do have to pay extra for it. I’ve been here in the past before for Dine Out and it’s very good.

We Rate Edible Canada:

Address:
1596 Johnston Street, Vancouver

Website:
https://ediblecanada.com/

In Canadian

The Oakwood: Dine Out Vancouver

January 23, 2016

The Oakwood Canadian Bistro is located in Kitsilano. I’ve been here before for brunch and dinner but I thought it would be great to take a few friends to Oakwood for Dine Out Vancouver. A 3-course meal for $29 is a pretty good price for this place. To add on wine pairings, its an additional $20.

Dine Out Menu

You get to choose 1 item from each category

Course 1

Potato and leek soup with bacon and cheddar roll
Lemon pepper calamari with blistered green beans and sauce rouille
Buttermilk fried chicken, endive and pear salad with honey mustard ginger dressing

Course 2

Braised beef shank bourguignon, pomme puree, gherkins, and crispy onions
Olive oil poached ling cod, wild rice, puffed rice, cauliflower puree, coconut curry, and pickled fennel
Smoked ham hock orecchiette, shemiji mushrooms, brussel sprouts, creme fraiche, and pangratatto

Dessert

Salted Caramel and Apple Cheesecake
Chocolate and orange tres leches cake

Their space is quite cozy even on their patio. Its heated and theres blankets to keep you extra toasty.

Our table sat inside right by the fireplace in a large booth for the 4 of us.

Drinks

Before we dug into the menu, drinks are needed! They have a good selection of wines, cocktails and beer on the menu. Also, the bar looks pretty nice.

Bomber Pilsner has a floral aroma, which makes it a refreshing and clean-drinking lager. It won a gold medal in Vancouver Magazine’s International Craft Beer Awards in 2015.

Nagging Doubt Pinot Noir has intense strawberry, red cherry, spice, and pepper notes. Medium-bodied with nice acidity and extremely soft tannins, this pinot will pair well with duck and salmon.

Buffalo Eat Grapes ($11) buffalo trace bourbon, pinot noir syrup, lemon and bitters.

Course 1

Buttermilk fried chicken has endive and pear salad with honey mustard ginger dressing. It tasted delicious, but it was a bit small and the presentation was pretty much lacking. It looked like chicken nuggets on top of salad. It’s hard to not judge it by its presentation, but when you taste the fried chicken, its very delicious and tender! The endive worked very well in this dish to give more texture to the rest of the greens.

Lemon pepper calamari is served with blistered green beans and sauce rouille. The calamari is very tender with delicious green beans. Since it was a small starter, we wish we had more.

Course 2

Braised beef shank bourguignon comes with pomme puree, gherkins, and crispy onions. The gherkins felt like it was oddly placed in the dish. The dish was delicious but we wished there as more beef. The beef was super tender, but there were only a few pieces.

Smoked ham hock orecchiette has shemiji mushrooms, brussel sprouts, creme fraiche, and pangrattato. It was more filling than the other dish. I love this grungy presentation and the flavours of the brussel sprouts are awesome. The pangrattato add awesome texture too.

Dessert

Salted Caramel and Apple Cheesecake is what half the table ordered. Pretty average tasting.

Chocolate and orange tres leches cake came in a jar as well. I wasn’t very impressed by the dessert as the flavours didn’t shine through. It was a cute idea to have it in the jar, but felt below par for what they usually serve.

Overall, I find with Dine Out that its a love-hate relationship. I love a 3-course menu at a reduced price, but i just hate how there are time limits imposed on eat seating, and also the quality decreases since its all batch cooked. Thats what they need to do since it’s a packed night every night. Oakwood has amazing dishes but this visit was average. The entrees were definitely worth devouring and I’ll be back again for a regular dining experience.

We Rate Oakwood:

Address:
2741 West 4th Avenue, Vancouver

Website:
http://www.theoakwood.ca/

In British Columbia

Donnelly Group: Dine Out Vancouver

January 15, 2016

Tourism Vancouver’s Dine Out Vancouver Festival begins today! It will run from January 15th till January 31st, 2016. The festival takes over the city with 17 days of culinary events, prix fixe,
three-course menus at 288 restaurants (at $20, $30 or $40 CAD price points).

The Donnelly Group has a few of their locations participating in Dine Out Vancouver at the $20 price point.

The Lamplighter
Clough Club
The Bimini
Cinema
The Blackbird
The Butcher & Bullock
Library Square
The New Oxford
Granville Room
The Three Brits

All have similar menus, but each restaurant has a different entree unique to their restaurant.

Donnelly’s Food Director – Alvin Pillay, Bar & Beverage Director – Trevor Kallies, and Beer Ambassador – Liam Peyton put together a good $20 menu with additional alcohol pairings. I went on a media preview of their menus at 4 locations to get a sense of what they will be presenting diners for Dine Out Vancouver.

The New Oxford

The New Oxford is located right in Yaletown and was the first stop of the night.

I love this space to just gather with a few friends and have a drink. We started off with 2 of the appetizers from all the $20 menus.

Curried Parsnip Soup has roasted apples, brown butter, honey yogurt and some chives.

I was surprised by the size of the soup, it’s pretty substantial. It had a good amount of aromatics in the soup and was delicious.

It is paired with Volcanic Hills Pinot Gris if you wanted to pay a little bit more for the pairing.

Winter Salad has red beets, romaine lettuce, grilled onion, parsley, mint, buttermilk sumac dressing, pita bread and black sesame. The salad was quite simple compared to the soup but I personally preferred this a little bit more. I’m just not a soup person, but I love fresh veggies with a nice crunch.

The salad is paired with 50th Parallel Riesling.

The Blackbird Public House

Our next stop was The BlackBird Public House where we would enjoy a variety of entrees across all their restaurants participating in Dine Out Vancouver.

Bangers & Mash has pork shoulder sausages, blue cheese mash, bacon onion gravy, crispy onions, and arugula. The full entrée is a bit bigger with 2 sausages. This was my favourite entrée out of the bunch as the textures and flavours were pretty good. The creamy potatoes with the crisp onion and all that gravy! You can’t go wrong.

The Bangers & Mash is paired with the Tinhorn Creek Merlot.

Mac & Cheese has cavatappi pasta, parmesan, Quebec cheese curds, roasted bell peppers and a garlic gremolata. It also comes with a side salad too, which isn’t pictured. A decent amount of creaminess of the mac & cheese. You can add bacon or mushrooms to it for an additional $2.

Salmon & Yam Chips can be found at the Three Brits and The New Oxford location. It has Parallel 49 Gypsy Ruby Ale batter, baked yams and a caper lemon tartar sauce. I thought this dish was a tad dry.

Octopus Bolognese has pacific octopus, pork shoulder, spaghettini, and charred caper garlic bread. It is paired with the Okanagan Crush Pad Narrative Red. The bolognese was very delicious! I would recommend it.

Slow Braised Beef Short Rib can be found the the Butcher and Bullock menu. It has parmesan and sea salted fries, garlic spinach and a red wine demi. It is paired with Gehringer Cabernet Merlot. I didn’t get a chance to taste this since it was gobbled up pretty quickly by the group.

Chicken Pot Pie is on the Lamplighter’s dine out menu. It has free run chicken, root veggies, butter pastry and surrounded by kale salad.

You will definitely have to look into their different menus to see which one suits you and your friends best. The portion sizes are pretty good for a $20 3 course menu.

The Lamplighter

Our next stop was at the Lamplighter to enjoy some dessert. I’ve actually never been to the Lamplighter but the Donnelly Group seems to have really turned this place around.

They have pinball machines, pool, arcade games and trivia nights. This place looks like a lot of fun.

S’more Jar has scotch caramel, chocolate, graham cracker and marshmallows. It was good especially paired with the Glenlivet Founders Reserve.

Clough Club

Next stop was the Clough Club, which is right next door to Lamplighter. The Clough Club has a different menu for Dine Out but it is also $20.

They crank out some awesome cocktails in this cute space.

Ice Cream Sandwich has double chocolate cookies salted caramel, and mint chocolate ice cream. It is paired with 33 Acres Of Darkness Black Lager. It was messy to eat since the cookie was on the harder side. Would have been a bit better if it was softer.

With so many options for Dine Out Vancouver, there’s lots to explore. Choose your restaurants wisely. With the Donnelly Group locations, the atmosphere does vary, so when you are making reservations, you probably don’t want to be taking your parents to The Lamplighter. The locations are generally better for those who are younger who want a lively fun atmosphere. The menu is only $20 and the portion sizes are pretty good. I’ve been to a few $20 dine outs in the past and you do get good value at their locations.

Foodology Disclaimer: I was invited by Donnelly Group to the Dine Out Preview Tour and my meal was comped. All thoughts are my own.

Website:
www.dineoutvancouver.com
http://donnellygroup.ca

In Dineout

Left Bank: Dine Out Vancouver

January 21, 2015

Left Bank is a French Bistro located on Denman Street close to Stanley Park. They participated in Dine Out Vancouver and had both a $28 and $38 menu to choose from. Their $38 menu wasn’t advertised anywhere, so we didn’t know about it until we sat down. We stuck with their $28 menu.

Complimentary popcorn coated in duck fat was quite interesting to eat. The texture of popcorn but tastes like pork belly.

Smoked steelhead croquettes with tomato vierge and lemon mayo. Everyone else at the table ordered this as it was the only option with meat. The croquettes were crispy on the outside and fluffy soft on the inside.

Curried butternut squash velouté topped with pumpkin seeds and raita. The raita is like a yogurt and adds a nice zing to the dish.

Braised chicken leg has potato cake, peas, veggies and mint pesto sauce. The chicken leg skin was crisp, full of flavour and the meat was tender.

Steak frites has flank steak, Szechwan peppercorn sauce and half a plate of crisp fries. The steak was cooked to medium, but could have been more of a medium rare. This dish was good but it wasn’t mind blowing.

Pan seared sockeye has beluga lentil and cabbage fricassee, and smoked red pepper coulis.

Yogurt and meyer lemon panna cotta is topped with maple oat crumble. M said it tasted like froyo because of the yogurt. Interesting taste but not as good as traditional panna cotta.

Chocolate and espresso torte comes with toasted marshmallows and an amaretto crème anglaise. The chocolate really packs a punch and is quite sweet and rich.

Overall, it was a decent meal for $28 but I didn’t find any of the dishes outstanding. Service was good and all the staff was friendly. Food came out at a nice pace.

We Rate Left Bank:

Address:
751 Denman St
Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://leftbankvancouver.com./index.php

In Dineout

Dine Out Vancouver: Oru at Fairmont Pacific Rim

February 8, 2014

The last Dine Out I did this year was at Oru at the Fairmont Pacific Rim in Downtown Vancouver. They were offering a $38 3-course meal. It seemed reasonable and their menu had lobster. When I was looking for a place for my family, I had my eye on a place with great ambiance and West Coast food. Oru seemed perfect and the menu sounded yummy.

I would not normally come here unless it was a special occasion as it is quite pricey on a regular night.

The interior was beautiful and if you get seated in a nice spot, you might even get a good view of the Convention Centre or the Olympic Cauldron.

We were seated near the kitchen, so we could watch their every move.

I would stare and see when our dishes would be coming. They put a lot of effort into those dishes and its fun to see them be prepared and plated.

Complimentary bread arrives at the table with butter. We had olive bread and I think whole wheat. Both were very light and airy, so it was enjoyable.

While we waited for our food, we saw that the drink menus were on an iPad. Pretty cool because you can see what drinks they have and what they look like.

Strawberry Rhubarb Soda (right) has elderflower, strawberry purée, yuzu, and rhubarb bitters. My little sister loved it. It was bubbly and refreshing. This drink was the best out of all of them.

Raspberry Iced Tea (left) hasvearl grey tea, homemade raspberry syrup, and lemon juice.

Shirley Temple (centre) is made with ginger ale and grenadine syrup.

All mocktails were $8.50. Quite pricey and more expensive than beer.

Oru Winter Salad has kale, roasted squash, lime, pumpkin seeds with a chipotle caesar dressing. It tasted great and not overpowered by the dressing. A filling item for the first course.

Pork Belly dish has lotus root poi, baby bok choy, crispy sage, pineapple-maple and mustard glaze. The pork belly was crispy on the outside which made it extra enjoyable. It’s a small appetizer, but bacon lovers will enjoy this dish.

Roasted Sunchoke “Mocha” has a sunchoke veloute, truffled milk foam and a morel cocoa powder. It was a good portion side and filled my sister up. The texture was very smooth and great for the cold weather.

Cape Breton Lobster has a paprika lime butter sauce with a bed of warm brussel sprouts and chorizo salad. This dish was amazing! Every last bite of this dish was enjoyed. The brussel sprouts were highly addictive and everyone at the table just had to have a bite. The lobster wasn’t very large, but it was cooked perfectly and the flavour of the sauce really enhanced it.

Angus Reserve Short Rib is topped with a mole sauce and has a bed of guajilo spiced mashed potato, black bean, corn, and zucchini succotash. The meat is tender and fell apart nicely.

Malted Peanut Butter and Beer Nut Bar consists of chocolate ganache, peanut butter mousse, salted caramel peanuts, and a malted milk ice cream. The bar was very rich and sweet. We couldn’t finish the whole thing.

Local cheeses is what my little sister ordered. It has natural Pastures aged farmhouse cheddar, black pepper verdelait, Golden Ears Cheeseworks brie. You also get crisps and quince mostarda on the plate. It’s great for cheese lovers and a nice way to taste unique cheeses.

Strawberry Shortcake ‘Millefeuille’ has strawberry compote, sweet puff pastry, diplomat cream and lemon curd. Good contrast of flavours that blend together nicely.

When you leave, take a stop by the Lobby Lounge if there is a live Orchestra. The music is really amazing!

The dineout was well worth $38 per person for the 3 courses. My family enjoyed the food, ambiance and service. In the future, definitely check out the menu to see whats on it. If you spot a protein that you will enjoy, you won’t be disappointed. We were eyeing the lobster and it was so worth it.

We Rate Oru:

Address:
1038 Canada Pl
Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://www.orucuisine.com/

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