5251 Oak Street, Vancouver
Tel: 604-261-0011

Web: www.shaughnessyrestaurant.com

Advice: Request a window seat overlooking the gardens.

Mushroom Tart

Scallop on Celleric

B.C. Wild Salmon

Lemon Tart & Chocolate Pyramid

Sitting in a spectacular setting this is a delightful restaurant for lunch, dinner or brunch before or after a visit to VanDusen Gardens. The dining room is bright, looking outside you are surrounded by trees and floral beauty. Inside the chef creates tasty dishes, I shared the Mushroom tart appetizer along with the Scallop appetizer both complements of the chef with my friend and then I had the BC Wild Salmon ($18) special on top of a bed of vegetables with mango salsa. For dessert we shared their Lemon Tart ($8.50) and the Black & White Callebaut Chocolate Pyramid ($8.50) milk chocolate & pistachio mousse center. The restaurant offers daily Afternoon Tea with an array of sandwiches and desserts from 3:00pm – 4:30pm as well. The restaurant as well as the gardens is a gathering place for many weddings and other social engagements.

Review by: Richard Wolak

Tel: 604-915-9463

Web: www.brixvancouver.com

Twitter: @brixvan

Advice: Must try is their thin crust pizzas on their late night menu.

Buffalo Mozzarella Salad

Alberta AAA Beef Steak

Romantic, I always feel as I am in a secluded and intimate place when dining here as the setting is spectacle with its exposed bricks walls and the candlelit tables. Their glass ceiling covered courtyard is a great spot to enjoy a meal as if you were outside on a patio, you may also enjoy dining in the restaurant with its comfortable seating. I have dined here on many occasions and even attended a wedding this past summer and it is always special being in the heritage building that was built in 1912. The chefs do extraordinary cooking here and their food is seasonally changing, Modern Canadian Cuisine with local ingredients prepared with classic techniques borrowed from around the world. The wine list extensive with familiar wines, unusual finds and thoughtful choices. The wine bar serves over 50 wines by the glass and is well represented among the regions, this is one of the most extensive wine by the glass list in the city, each with its own description. Brix Wine Bar hosts various tasting events throughout the year ranging from sell-out wine “raves” to elegant wild game and syrah pairings. Back to the kitchen and the wonderful dishes here, recently I had the Buffalo Mozzarella Salad ($13) vine ripened tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, red onions, sundried tomato-olive tapenade; Alberta AAA Beef Steak ($37) 7oz beef tenderloin watercress – grape tomato, yukon gold potato hash, asparagus and button mushroom sauté, brie cheese, tawny port demi glace. The desserts are always stellar as well created in house by their pastry chef, some of her creations include Chocolate Brioche & English Toffee Bread Pudding ($10) cinnamon semifreddo, port macerated sour cherries and the Chilled S’mores ($10) frozen milk chocolate mousse, hot fudge sauce. Their late night menu features a gourmet line-up of thin crust pizzas (all $15) such as the Smoked free run chicken, grilled bell pepper, oven dried tomato and caramelized shallots or a classic like the Bocconcini, grape tomatoes, wild arugula. Come for dinner, stay for dessert, have a glass or wine and eat late into the night.

Review by: Richard Wolak