Posts Tagged ‘Tapas’

HIDDEN TASTING BAR

May 26th, 2011 admin

433 Robson Street, Vancouver

Tel: 604-647-2521

Web:  http://starwood.webcanada.com/restaurant/?rid=5190

Twitter: @hiddenvancouver

Advice: Go with a friend and share the dishes. Located inside the Westin Grand Hotel on the 2nd floor.

Hidden off of Robson, off the hotel lobby is a somewhat secluded room awaiting your discovery. My friend Nikki joined me for dinner the other night, to enjoy some of their Libations, Hops and Cravings. First of all the menu is very well thought out, it is about having fun and amusing your palate.

Fancy Nancy

The Hef

Inukshuk Onion Rings

Cantaloupe Salad

It was the Libations aka cocktails first and she had the Fancy Nancy ($11) chambord, raspberry vodka, orange, cranberry, pineapple, lime; I had The Hef ($10) vanilla vodka, ginger liqueur, triple sec, pineapple, fizzy stuff. Then it was on to sharing a couple of their starters, we had the Inukshuk Onion Rings ($6) with a delicious smoked ketchup and a refreshing Cantaloupe Salad ($11) with goats cheese, tarragon & crispy prosciutto.

Lobster Poutine

Grilled Brie Cheese Sandwich

Baked Sautéed Bay Scallop Mac ‘n Cheese

Seared Black Cod

We then changed our liquids direction and went into the Hops, Nikki had the Fruili ($7) strawberry, belgian fruit, (Belgium) beer and I had the Kronenbourg 1664 ($7) white beer (France). Then it was on to sharing a few more dishes, we had the Lobster Poutine ($10) made with thick potato wedges, cheese and chunks of lobster; then the most delicious Grilled Brie Cheese Sandwich ($12), with short rib and cranberry purée; followed by the Baked Sautéed Bay Scallop Mac ‘n Cheese ($15) this dish although tasty had me a bit confused, the scallops served on the side should have been inside the Mac & Cheese; and the Seared Black Cod ($13) with an outstanding brown butter cauliflower puree, asparagus and fennel salad, lemon caper vinaigrette.

Oreo Cookie Cheesecake

Orange Infused Chocolate Tart

To finish our meal and further tempt our tastebuds we shared a couple of house-made desserts the Oreo Cookie Cheesecake ($8) and a stellar dessert that ranks high up on my favourite desserts list, Orange Infused Chocolate Tart ($8) topped with a maple gelato which was divine.

There is an ever evolving craft brew list that is global inspiring, a large wine list and inventive cocktail list and great music beats in the background. Go exploring and check out this hideway!

Review By: Richard Wolak

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

YUJI’S JAPANESE TAPAS

June 1st, 2010 admin

2059 W 4th Avenue, Vancouver

Tel: 604-734-4990

Web: http://yujis.ca/

Advice: Bring a friend so you can share the dishes. Brown rice can be requested for the sushi.

Maguro Avocado Crepe

Sweet Potato Tempura Sticks

Tuna & Salmon Wasabi Tempura

Gomaae

Agedashi Tofu

Found a gem, I had a heard about Yuji’s from friends and finally got in for a visit with a friend. All the dishes looked interesting on the menu and more so as they arrived to nearby tables. We began with the Maguro Avocado Crepe ($8), the next dish was the tasty Sweet Potato Tempura Sticks ($7.50) which was followed by the Tuna & Salmon Wasabi Tempura ($7.50), then some Gomaae ($5.00) and then the Agedashi Tofu ($6.50). Most of the items we had ordered were off the Tapas menu, the Sushi menu was vast and very appealing, they also have Sashimi, Nigiri.

Green Tea Cream Brule with Green Tea Ice cream

We ended off the delicious sharing meal with a dessert to share as well and went with the Green Tea Cream Brule with Green Tea Ice cream ($7.50). The service was friendly and efficient and the room was beautiful and cozy.

Review by: Richard Wolak

Posted in Kitsilano, Restaurant Reviews Tags: , , , , , , , , , No Comments »

JUDAS GOAT TABERNA

March 22nd, 2010 admin

27 Blood Alley, Vancouver

Tel: 604-681-5090

Web: http://www.judasgoat.ca

Advice: Go early or make an advance reservation.

Bruschetta selections

It’s as if I was back in Barcelona, sitting in a courtyard off the beaten path enjoying delicious tapas and tastes. This 28 seat, tiny restaurant is one of Sean Heather’s latest projects and he has nailed it with great food and great prices. Our server explained how we were to order, my friend and I then check marked each of the selections on the single sheet menu and handed it to him, voila it was just that easy. To begin our sharing meal we had two of the Bruschetta selections ($2.25 each or 4 for $8) the Stewed Mushrooms with Sherry and Comte ($2.25) and the Piquillo Peppers with Serrano Chilli & Goats Cheese ($2.25).

Beef Brisket Meatballs

Potted Prawns with Pistachio Butter and Croistini

Marinated Beet Salad

This followed by the outstanding and well presented Beef Brisket Meatballs ($6) with Rustic tomato sauce, topped with grated ricotta cheese. Next up was the surprisingly tasty Potted Prawns with Pistachio Butter ($7) this dish was intriguing, served cold in a pot with Croistini. We decided that having a salad was a good idea to add some vegetables to the mix and we enjoyed the Marinated Beet Salad ($7) with shaved ricotta salata and aged sherry vinegar.

Dark Chocolate Tart with Chili jam

To end the meal we chose one dessert and shared the divine Dark Chocolate Tart with Chili jam ($7). I was surprised to see how well Chef Lee Humphries and his chefs navigated around the small kitchen and turned out dish after dish. Although Spain is the inspiration, the tapas are also influenced by Italy, France, and beyond. The wine list is simple featuring a good selection of Sherry from Spain, along with some white, red and pink wines from Spain, France, Germany and one from BC and one from California. Next visit I must try the Spanish Coffee Truffles and I’ll make that two desserts.

Review by: Richard Wolak

Posted in Gastown, Restaurant Reviews Tags: , , , , , , , , , No Comments »

MIS TRUCOS

March 20th, 2010 admin

1141 Davie Street, Vancouver

Tel: 604-566-3960

Web: http://mistrucos.ca/

Twitter: @MisTrucos

Advice: Bring a friend or two along and share some dishes.

Coca

Crispy Bread Wrapped Wild Prawn

Loved the cozy room even though I felt like I was sitting in Ikea, as the décor is very Ikea like from the tables and chairs to the lamps. My foodie friend Mijune of Followmefoodie joined me for dinner last week and we both shared a variety of dishes. Our meal started off with a couple Tapas, we had the Crispy Bread Wrapped Wild Prawn ($2.50) & Alioli which was quite flavourful; and the Coca (Catalan flatbread) with Chorizo & Anchovy ($4).

Pine-nut, Raisin, Spinach & Parmesan dip with crostini

White Truffle & Lobster Risotto

Next was a Share plate where we had the Pine-nut, Raisin, Spinach & Parmesan dip with crostini ($7). For the Main we had the White Truffle & Lobster Risotto ($18), topped with herbed creme fraiche.

Molten Chocolate Cake with Coffee Ice

Hazelnut Pannecotta

To end this delicious meal we shared a couple desserts, my favourite was the Molten Chocolate Cake with Coffee Ice Cream ($7) and the crunchy topped Hazelnut Pannecotta ($7). This is a great place for late night tapas with friends.

Review by: Richard Wolak

Posted in Restaurant Reviews, Westend Tags: , , , , , , 2 Comments »

SHURAKU

March 7th, 2010 admin

833 Granville Street, Vancouver

Tel: 604-687-6622

Web: http://www.shuraku.net/

Advice: If dining with friends, try a few dishes and share. Go for the food and sake, not the dessert.

Sencha Green Tea

I love the room and the energy of this Izakaya eatery that plays to a hip crowd in this entertainment district restaurant. At ShuRaku, their kitchen is open with counter seating available both in front of the kitchen and the bar. The atmosphere is stylish and hip, warm colours, dark wood with almost 40 feet of hand-made illuminated Japanese rice paper and a bar area that features a live-edge maple wood bar, reclaimed fir and handmade copper wall scones.

Chicken Donburi

Ice Cream Sundae

I had the Chicken Donburi ($7.95) a filling rice dish with onions, sauce and chicken. For dessert, since I could only choose from 2 selections on the menu, I had the Ice Cream Sundae ($6.99) with 3 kinds of ice cream including green tea, black sesame and lychee, cornflakes, cream puffs, whipped cream and fresh fruits this dessert looked much better than it tasted. Sencha Green Tea ($2.80) pot of tea.

Each day there is a fresh sheet with daily specials to go along with the regular menu which features a good selection of appetizers, greens, seafood, sashimi, rice and noodle dishes, and sushi rolls. The Sake selection is one of the largest in the city, their also Japanese beers and other beverages to round out your dining experience

Review by: Richard Wolak

Posted in Granville, Restaurant Reviews Tags: , , , , , No Comments »

CAFÉ BARCELONA

January 24th, 2010 admin

1049 Granville Street, Vancouver

Tel: 604-909-2223

Web: http://www.cafebarcelona.ca/

Advice: Bring a long a friend or two to share the tapas. Call ahead for reservations and to find out which nights they have live music.

Pan con Tomate

I have been to Barcelona a few times and love the food and culture, I had hoped that the food at Café Barcelona would have equaled the flavours of the tapas I had longingly missed from the visits to Barcelona. The dishes that my friend Sophia and I had here wasn’t the same, the food selections were ok but not spectacular.

Escalivada con Quesco de cabra

Patatas Bravas

Gambas Ajillo

Tarta de Santiago

We started off our tapas sharing with the Pan con Tomate (catalan style) ($3.50) and Manchego cheese; Escalivada con Quesco de cabra ($7.50) red and green bell peppers, eggplant and tomato are grilled, then sliced and topped with a garlic dressing and goat cheese. The other two tapas dishes we had were the Patatas Bravas ($2.75) fried potato dices served with spicy tomato sauce and aioli; and the Gambas Ajillo ($6.50) prawns sauteed with garlic and parsley. For dessert we had the Tarta de Santiago ($4.50) almond pie filling principally consists of ground almond, eggs and sugar. The top of the pie was decorated with powdered sugar, masked by an imprint of the Saint James cross. They have a good selection of Spanish wines that go well with the tapas. The Escalivada con Quesco de cabra was the most unique dish we had, and we both loved it. If you are looking for a place to go after the symphony or the theatre then this would be an ideal place for tapas and drinks.

Review by: Richard Wolak

Posted in Granville, Restaurant Reviews Tags: , , , , 1 Comment »

KINGYO

January 4th, 2010 admin

871 Denman Street, Vancouver

Tel: 604-608-1677

Web: http://www.kingyo-izakaya.com/

Advice: The specials often sell out early, they are popular.

Crab Spring Rolls

Chicken Karaage with 3 salts

One of the best places in the city for Izakaya, the menu features a great selection of appetizers Japanese tapas along with some larger plates, some great beers from Japan, a good range of cocktails and a few desserts. The specials sheet always features an intriguing selection of items worth trying. On my recent visit with friends we shared the Crab Spring Rolls ($7), Chicken Karaage with 3 salts ($8) boneless pieces of fried chicken with three kinds of salt (Utah, Himalayan, Japanese)! Very cool. I loved the dessert, Sake Kasu Crème Brulee ($4.50) made this brulee from remnants of the sake making process into a divine brulee.

Sake Kasu Crème Brulee

The décor is very apropos and the bathrooms are quite unique as well. Great options for seating include the bar, sushi bar, small or large tables. The green tea is a good accompaniment and every meal is finished with a beautiful arrangement of frozen grapes on a skewer, in a tiny vase with an orchid, wonderful way to end the meal.

Review by: Richard Wolak

Posted in Restaurant Reviews, Westend Tags: , , , , , , , , , No Comments »

SIP RESTO LOUNGE

December 17th, 2009 admin

Sip Resto 003

1117 Granville Street, Vancouver

Tel: 604-687-7474

Web: www.siplounge.com

Twitter: @SIPLoungeVan

Advice: Sit up a front at the kitchen bar if your are dining solo and want to watch some kitchen action.

Soco Spicy Chicken

Soco Spicy Chicken

Love the vibe of the room, with the open kitchen at the front of the restaurant where the chefs create and plate up their boozy dishes. The teasers and inventive plates are just that tasty and creative. Most of the dishes are made with liquor from Southern Comfort to Vodka to Tequila. I sat at the bar so that I could watch the chefs in action, my chicken dish was awesome having had the Soco Spicy Chicken ($10) crispy chicken breast, southern comfort, sweet chili sauce, cucumber, scallions. Other rock star dishes to have on your own or to share with friends is the Pina Colada Prawns ($12) grilled prawns, Bacardi glaze, Malibu dip, tropical salad. For dessert try the Rustic Apple Gallette ($8) granny smith apples, puff pastry, goldshlager caramel and whipped cream. On the drinks side of things, try something off the spiked coffees list or one of their many inventive cocktails.

Review by: Richard Wolak

Posted in Granville, Restaurant Reviews Tags: , , , , , No Comments »
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