Posts Tagged ‘Breakfast’

CENTO NOTTI

December 12th, 2011 admin

350 Davie Street, Vancouver

Tel: 604 642 0557

Web: http://centonotti.com/

Twitter: @CentoNotti

Advice: Take a long a friend and share some dishes.

Burrata

This Italian themed restaurant is the latest pop-up at the Opus which is all done up in gold. Italian influenced pop-art is served up with comfort food that they call Twisted Italian. My friend Joe Leary joined me for dinner last week and we began our meal by sharing the house made Burrata ($13) hannahbrook greens, okanagan quince and house pickles.

Seared Qualicum bay Scallops

We were then each served a delicious amuse of Seared Qualicum bay scallops, lobster ravioli, house smoked bacon, carrot butter.

Platter with Three Cheese Garlic Bread ,Spaghetti Bolognese, Lobster Agnolotti, Steamed Asparagus, Roasted Seasonal Vegetables

Then as we were about to share our entrees a massive platter arrived to our table that was filled with the Three Cheese Garlic Bread ($8) along with the delicious Spaghetti Bolognese ($16), Lobster Agnolotti ($27), roasted lobster bisque, pea shoots; Steamed Asparagus ($8) and Roasted Seasonal Vegetables ($8).

Platter with frozen Tiramisu and Lemon Tart

For dessert another platter arrived with the outstanding Frozen Tiramisu ($8) and the refreshing Lemon Tart($8). Loved the room from the golden walls to the gold sparkling ceiling, its an elegant atmosphere with attentive service!

Review By: Richard Wolak

Posted in Yaletown Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , No Comments »

Pan Pacific Christmas Wish Breakfast Dec 7

November 22nd, 2011 admin

The 24th Annual Pan Pacific Vancouver Christmas Wish Breakfast epic toy drive benefiting the Lower Mainland Christmas Bureau is being held on Wednesday, December 7, from 6am-9am.

Each year the Hotel hosts one of Canada’s largest toy drives where the public is asked to bring down a toy to donate to needy children around the Christmas Holiday season. As a thank you to everyone who makes a donation, the hotel will offer a hot buffet breakfast from the Cafe Pacifica Restaurant for free.

Last year the hotel saw over 5,000 visitors come through the hotel and received 27,000 toys and over $25,000 in cash donations. The Hotel served over 25,000 eggs, 20,000 sausages, 3,000 kilograms of potatoes and 5,000 croissants!

You’ll be treated to the sounds of the Good Noise Gospel Choir.

Come down this December 7th to contribute to the massive toy pile and join thousands in the spirit of Christmas!

Follow and contribute to the fun using this Twitter hashtag for the event #PanXmasWish

Posted in Great Ideas, Holiday Fare, Latest Tags: , , , , No Comments »

DIVA AT THE MET

November 18th, 2011 admin

645 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC

Tel: 604-602-7788

http://www.metropolitan.com/diva/about_diva.htm

Twitter: n/a

Advice: Offers tasting menus. Located inside the Metropolitan Hotel.

Over the years I had dined on weekend breakfasts at Diva, a couple weeks ago I followed one of my favourite chefs to his new abode for dinner. Executive Chef Hamid Salimian is a master of artistry and creation and his Tasting Menus are always an enchanting experience.

Black Olive Marshmallow

Cotton Candy Pizza

Piggy Puffs

Baked Potato and Chives

To start some snacks, each snack beautifully showcased, Black Olive Marshmallow, followed by Cotton Candy Pizza, followed by Piggy Puffs and then a Baked Potato and Chives.

Carbonated Grapefruit

To refresh the palate, Carbonated Grapefruit reminded me of Pop Rocks!

Sturgeon with house made salmon caviar and ash scallop

Tuna and Dungenous Crab Cannelloni

Beef Tartare

Fois Gras with fig molasses

Brioche

Next was the Sturgeon with house made salmon caviar and ash scallop followed by the Tuna and Dungenous Crab Cannelloni, next was the Beef Tartare (which was actually cooked) topped with beef tongue powder. Each dish had unique flavours, the next dish was the outstanding Fois Gras with fig molasses with pickled green strawberries and walnuts, with their housemade brioche.

Roasted Chantrelle Mushrooms

Ling cod with eggplant stew

Fesenjoon

Duo of Lamb

Next was exquisite Roasted Chantrelle Mushrooms followed by the delicious Ling cod with eggplant stew, squid noodles and chips. Next was Fesenjoon (Persian specialty)  duck, pomegranate, kale, Muscovy nuts followed by the Duo of Lamb with a study of Pemberton carrots with a Balsamic Lamb Jus.

Slow cooked Apple, yam pudding & Gingerbread cake, maple cotton candy

For dessert, Slow cooked Apple, yam pudding & Gingerbread cake, maple cotton candy.

Chef Hamid is one of those extraordinary chefs whose cuisine should be experienced in fine dining style!

Review By: Richard Wolak

Posted in Downtown Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , No Comments »

NELSON AND THE SEAGULL

August 26th, 2011 admin

315 Carrall Street, Vancouver

Tel:  (604) 681-5776

Web: http://www.nelsontheseagull.com/

Twitter: @gastownseagull

Advice: Have a seat at the communal table and meet other folk.

This is the living room we all once lived in, or want to escape to now. I have visited a few times over the summer and love the high ceilings, open kitchen, the large communal table and of course the living room. The café is large, spacious and inviting, it is also a great people watching spot too!

The café has become the new spot for the community, for the creative people who live and work inside and outside of the Gastown area.

Avocado on Toast

Espresso

Lemon Tart

Chocolate Lava Cake

On my last visit I had the Avocado on Toast ($5) and previously an Espresso ($2.50) along with one of their delicious Lemon Tarts ($3.50) that oozed with sweet lemon along with the Chocolate Lava Cake ($3.50). Asides from the coffees on order, they bake bread and not just any bread, it’s a Ciabatta which is moist and chewy on the inside and crunchy on the outer crust, all of their sandwiches and toasts are on this wonderful bread.

Review By: Richard Wolak

Posted in Bar & Cafe Reviews, Gastown Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , No Comments »

PHAT YALETOWN

August 24th, 2011 admin

 

1055 Mainland Street, Vancouver

Tel:  604.684.6239

Web:  http://www.phatdeli.com/

Twitter: @PHAT_Yaletown

Advice: Private room in the sports bar is a hockey lovers paradise. Get the Phat-Size sandwich and take home the other half.

Any of my visits to New York, Montreal or LA, have always resulted in visiting a Jewish deli for a Smoked Meat or a Pastrami sandwich. After a bit of banter over twitter and friends nudging me to get to PHAT in Yaletown, I joined up with Rachel Fox for a Smoked Meat dining adventure. What we discovered was a Smoked Meat paradise in our backyard so to speak, their smoked meat is prepared in Montreal and smoked in their deli in Vancouver and it’s the leanest type of meat which for us West-coasters makes us happy! PHAT has been serving up sandwiches, soups, salads and more for years, about a year ago they expanded doubling in size and adding a sports bar which looks more like a hockey wall or room of fame.

Skinny Matzo Ball Soup

Reuben Sandwich

Poutine

Coleslaw

I had the heart-warming Skinny Matzo Ball Soup ($4.25) which is made with one matzo ball, you can get the Phat size with two matzo balls in a chicken soup broth. Next was the delicious Reuben Sandwich ($11.99 phat size) with smoked meat, served on toasted Marble Rye with Saurkraut & Swiss Cheese along with the best Kosher Dill pickle; I shared the Poutine ($6.50) with phat fries along with the Coleslaw ($2.50) and for a refreshing beverage had a Limonata ($2.60). They have got bagels and bagels with lots of tasty toppings, breakfast, lunch, dinner and late night, here you can even get a bagel and a beer!

Review By: Richard Wolak

Posted in Yaletown Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 2 Comments »

HAWKSWORTH RESTAURANT

August 8th, 2011 admin

801 West Georgia Street, Vancouver

Tel: 604-673-7000

Web: http://www.hawksworthrestaurant.com/

Twitter: @hawksworthrest

Advice: the restaurant is located inside the Rosewood Hotel Georgia and advance reservations are recommended.

Salted Herb Bread

The star attraction at Hawksworth is the cooking from notable Chef David Hawksworth whom the restaurant is named. I have savoured David`s food over the years from when he cooked at West as well as at numerous events. Chef David is a perfectionist like none other, he has a well-executed style of cooking and is passionate about food.

I dined with my friend and fellow writer Sarah Rowland last week, we were seated in the Pearl room in close proximity of the stunning wine room as well as being next to the centre piece chandelier which graces the dining room. This was my second visit but the first for a sit down meal and it was wonderful to enjoy a fine dining experience with top notch service. We began with an order of their Salted Herb Bread ($4) with olive oil that tasted so good. Curious thought as to why a restaurant of this calibre would charge guests for bread, my only thought on that rationale would be to have the guests focus on the dishes rather than filling up on the bread.

Apple Beet Salad

Seared Weathervane Scallops

Dungeness Crab Salad

To start, we shared a few dishes including the outstanding and refreshing Apple Beet Salad ($11) chevre, walnut, dill, caramelized honey; the xo in the Seared Weathervane Scallops ($16) was the perfect spice for that dish which is also had xo, beech mushroom, edamame; and rounding out the starters the tasty Dungeness Crab Salad ($18) watermelon, mint, ver jus.

Beef Tenderloin

Black and White Truffle Risotto

For the mains, we both had the same dish which was divine the medium well preparation was perfectly done,  Beef Tenderloin ($34), smoked marrow, wild mushroom , cauliflower and chimmichurri. Additionally we shared the house special Black and White Truffle Risotto which was outstanding. I enjoyed my Beef Tenderloin with a glass of the Foxtrot `08 Pinot Noir (BC).

Valrhona Milk Chocolate Mousse

Dark Chocolate Cremeux

Macarons

For me, a creative dessert menu is an indication of a well thought out menu and the perfect ending to a meal. I had very high expectations for the desserts here at Hawksworth and even more so than the starters and mains as I knew David Hawksworth had created that part of the menu. The Pastry Chef is Wayne Kozinko he is also quite experienced having been the pastry chef at one of my other favourite restaurants YEW. The dessert selections that we ordered looked stunning, however in the end I was a tad disappointed with the flavours. We shared the Valrhona Milk Chocolate Mousse ($8) passion fruit, caramel ; the Dark Chocolate Cremeux ($8) sweet potato sorbet, and a hint of maple along with a plate of assorted Macarons ($12) .

After Dinner Mignardises

To end our meal we were served a complimentary plate of Mignardises, another little sweet to round out a fine meal. I will be back ton continue this culinary journey and to partake in Sunday Brunch one day soon!

Review by: Richard Wolak

Posted in Downtown Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment »

O’DOUL’S RESTAURANT

August 2nd, 2011 admin

1300 Robson Street, Vancouver

Tel: 604 661 1400

Web: http://www.odoulsrestaurant.com

Twitter: @odoulsonrobson

Advice: Offers jazz most nights, check their online jazz calendar for details.

Often visiting for some late night jazz, I turned it up a notch this year and had dinner here with my brother during the TD International Jazz Festival. This past year I had the opportunity to interview Chef Chris Whittaker here at O’Doul’s who is a master of the kitchen, for our dinner I left the menu up to him.

Bread Basket

Theissen Farm Duck “Prosciutto”

Lois Lake Steelhead Tartare

Heirloom Salad

Okanagan Goat Cheese Fritters

We began our meal with the Theissen Farm Duck “Prosciutto” ($14) duck confit and cherry arancini, arugula, rhubarb chutnea, then I had the Lois Lake Steelhead Tartare ($13) in a cold “pesto“ soup, gold beets, potato lattice, micro green while my brother enjoyed the Heirloom Salad. Next was the Okanagan Goat Cheese Fritters ($13) roast pepper olive tapenade, heirloom tomatoes, balsamic gelée, olive oil.

Citrus and Maple-cured BC Sablefish

Beef Short Rib with Oxtail Ravioli

On to the mains, we both loved the outstanding Citrus and Maple-cured BC Sablefish ($29) crispy rice, pacific seaweed, cultivated mushrooms, radish, dashi broth, which was our favourite, rarely do we enjoy a dish in unison. Next was the Beef Short Rib with Oxtail Ravioli to round out the savoury portion of our dinner.

White Chocolate Mousse and a Strawberry Lassi

For dessert we enjoyed the White Chocolate Mousse and a Strawberry Lassi ($9). While we were finishing up our dessert; The Tony Foster Quartet were playing near the bar, they were the performers of the night  as part of the TD International Vancouver Jazz Festival, this trio was made up of a pianist, bassist and drummer.

Review by: Richard Wolak

 

 

Posted in Downtown, Great Ideas Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , No Comments »

THE PERCH

June 5th, 2011 admin

1701 Powell Street, Vancouver

Tel: 604-568-3877

Web: http://www.eatdrinkperch.com/index.html

Twitter: @eatatperch

Advice: Play Bengo on Thursday nights, it’s like Bingo but named after Ben so it’s Bengo.

Pesto Flatbread

Thin Crust Pizza

I had high hopes for this vegan focussed restaurant when having lunch with friends recently. The room is quite funky on two levels with lots of light escaping from the large windows. My friends and I sat upstairs and ordered the Pesto Flatbread ($5) for us all to share that was too hard to eat. Since pizzas appeared to be quite popular with 2 tables surrounding us having ordered them, I decided to join them and had the Thin Crust Pizza ($11) with vegan cheese, yam, arugula, cashew on a gluten-free crust that looked good was a fairly good size for the price, though was quite bland in taste. Both of my friends had Omelettes ($7) with various fillings that again were of a good size and lacking in flavour. The music was blaring too loud for our liking, this was a restaurant not a nightclub, and it shouldn’t have taken us three requests to have the server turn down the music alas it did.

Review By: Richard Wolak

Posted in Eastside Tags: , , , , , , , No Comments »
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