Archive for the ‘Gastown’ Category

MCLEAN’S

July 27th, 2010 admin
200 – 332 Water Street, Vancouver

Tel: 604-669-1112


Twitter: @Mcleansgastown

Advice: Reserve for the upstairs dining room.

Fior de Latte

Grilled Humbolt Squid

Had dinner recently with some media friends and shared several of the different dishes. We sat in the downstairs lounge, though next time I would prefer to dine in the beautiful dining room upstairs. To begin the meal, I tasted a couple of Appetizers that included the tasty Fior de Latte ($10) over roasted cherry tomatoes drizzled with a balsamic reduction & Spansih extra virgin olive oil with fresh basil; unfortunatley the Grilled Humbolt Squid ($12) with chorizo lime and sansho pepper aiolli was not too my liking.

Spinach and Ricotta Ravioli

Free Range Chicken Breast

Queen Charlotte Halibut

AAA 10oz Ribe Eye

For the main dishes I enjoyed my Queen Charlotte Halibut ($28) pan seared filet with pommes puree, green asparagus, & sauteed wild mushrooms finished with a lemon beurre blanc. I also tasted and liked the Spinach and Ricotta Ravioli ($21) in a white wine cream sauce, with sundried tomatoes & Italian parsley, finished pecorino pepato; the Free Range Chicken Breast ($21) was in a tasty pommes puree with seasonal vegetables. My favourite of all the main entrees was the AAA 10oz Ribe Eye ($29) the meat was delicious and perfectly prepared with pomme frites, balsamic glazed green asparagus, finished with a truffle demiglace.

Bread Pudding

Creme Brulee

Beet Sorbet

Chocolate Mouse

As full as I was I had to try some of the desserts, all of the ones that I sampled were quite good including the Bread Pudding ($8), Creme Brulee ($8), Beet Sorbet ($8) and the Chocolate Mouse ($8).

Review By: Richard Wolak

Map powered by MapPress

Posted in Gastown, Restaurant Reviews Tags: , , , , , , View 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

Map powered by MapPress
Posted in Gastown, Restaurant Reviews Tags: , , , , , , , , , View Comments

ALIBI ROOM

March 4th, 2010 admin

157 Alexander Street, Vancouver

Tel: 604-623-3383

Web: www.alibi.ca

Advice: Go for the beer and try something that you wouldn’t find anywhere else.

Howe Sound 3 Beavers Imperial Ale

This vibrant room is always filled with what seems to be patrons who are well educated on the many beers on offer. Their beer list numbers 100+ different beers, with 25+ beers on tap, others in casks or by the bottle. They have one of the largest beer selections of any restaurant in the city and they aren’t afraid of offering new beers to their devoted customers.

Chinatown Noodle Bowl

I was in for the food, though you couldn’t miss accompanying the food with a beer and I had the Howe Sound 3 Beavers Imperial Ale ($5.75). I ordered Chinatown Noodle Bowl with tofu ($13), Asian greens and peanut dressing. The menu offering is rather simple, you’ve got a selection of small & share plates, salads, sandwiches and larger plates. My go to guy for all things beer is Rick Green who is known as @BCBrews on Twitter, anything that I would ever want to know about beer I would ask Rick, he is a valuable resource for the team at Alibi as well, and he was one of the reasons that I revisited Alibi for dinner. I have always loved the exposed brick walls, shared table seating and the private bar/room downstairs for larger parties.

Review by: Richard Wolak

Map powered by MapPress
Posted in Eastside, Gastown, Restaurant Reviews Tags: , , , , , , , , , View Comments

COBRE

February 4th, 2010 admin

52 Powell Street, Vancouver

Tel: 604-669-2396

Web: http://cobrerestaurant.com/

Twitter: @cobrerestaurant

Advice: Bring a friend along to share dishes.

Sea Prawns

Corn Bread

Scallops

Bison

Dulce de Leche

Love the warmth and decor of the room that was designed by Ryan Murfitt, with the rounded copper roof in the front of the kitchen to the glass cube in the middle to the exposed brick walls. If you are in solo then have a seat at the bar, if your with friends then have a seat upstairs and if you are celebrating a special event with 12 or more friends then request their private room downstairs. You may want to begin with one of their Tequilla cocktails or just go the non-alcoholic beverage route which took on my recent visit. Started off my meal with the Sea Prawns appetizer with Poblano that was courtesy of Chef Stuart Irving. From there I had an order of their Corn Bread ($5) which was made with blue corn flour and topped with sweet chili butter, this was far too much corn bread for one serving so I took the rest to go. The next dish was the Scallops ($15) Jerk spiced local diver caught scallops; this was followed by the Bison ($15) Carmen creek bison ribeye, valden caramelized shallots, pupusa and mole demi. To finish off this meal I had to try one of the desserts that everyone was raving about, it was the Dulce de Leche ($7) – traditional Latin American caramel butterscotch pudding with an Apricot Brandy reduction that was topped with espresso cinnamon sugar dusted churros and this dessert was absolutely delicious.

Review by: Richard Wolak

Map powered by MapPress
Posted in Gastown, Restaurant Reviews Tags: , , , , , View Comments

THE DIAMOND

November 13th, 2009 admin

The Diamond 001

6 Powell Street, Vancouver

Tel:  n/a

Web: www.di6mond.com

Advice: Order a couple of different items if you are hungry as they are fairly small.

The Diamond Cup

The Diamond Cup

Buck Buck Mule

Buck Buck Mule

Soba Noodles

Soba Noodles

Love the room with their exposed brick walls, this is a shining star for cocktails and nibbles in Gastown, the bartenders are masters in mixing up interesting cocktails and they have quite the extensive list from boozy to refreshing to not so boozy. The drinks are well priced in the $7-$10 range which makes them affordable. My friend and I chose different cocktails and both were unique, The Diamond Cup (on the Not So Boozy list) and the Buck Buck Mule (on the Refreshing list). There is a small menu of small plates with an Asian influenced theme. I had the Soba Noodles in the duck broth with peking duck and market vegetables in a bowl of miso broth. My friend had the Salmon special and the Prawn salad. The Diamond is an ideal spot for a late afternoon or night time snack with cocktails not exactly a great spot for dinner with friends unless you order a few different items. We skipped dessert as the only had one dessert on offering. The servers were friendly and we liked that they dropped by to check in fairly often.

Review by: Richard Wolak

Map powered by MapPress
Posted in Bar & Cafe Reviews, Gastown Tags: , , , , , View Comments

POURHOUSE

October 22nd, 2009 admin

Pourhouse 027

162 Water Street, Vancouver

Tel:  604-568-7022

Web: http://www.pourhousevancouver.com/

Twitter: @pourhouse_van

Advice: If you are thinking of dining at their Chef’s Table (holds 6 people), one seating each night and must be booked at least 48 hours ahead, although since it is already quite popular you may want to reserve a couple weeks ahead.

It was great to hear of a restaurant in Gastown one of the oldest neighborhoods in Vancouver whose very mission was to celebrate the history of when Vancouver began. Pourhouse is a late 19th century inspiration with most of their furniture and antique pieces having been inspired by the mid 1800’s to early 20th century. Everything from the walls, tables, chairs, upholstery, crown molding, chandeliers and even the bathrooms have a history behind them. Welcome back to Gastown to where Vancouver’s history began and to Pourhouse where great food, drink and ambiance begins. The background music also plays to the era and you will hear delightful jazz and ragtime as you enjoy your food in comfort.

Charred Spinach Salad

Charred Spinach Salad

If you want to start your meal off with a cocktail, then I would suggest you choose from one of their six house creations, celebrate history and go with bartender Jay Jones ‘Gold Fashioned’ ($12) mix of Maker’s Mark Bourbon, maple syrup, d’oro sweet wine, old fashioned bitters, orange and lemon zest. If Jay is on the bar you will want to have a chat about old times and the history of the area and learn more about the great cocktail. If you prefer beer or wine instead of a cocktail, you may want to try one of their six hand-selected draft beers that are on tap.

Crispy Cheese with Tomato Soup

Crispy Cheese with Tomato Soup

Beef Shortribs

Beef Shortribs

My favourites thus far is the Charred Spinach Salad ($10) charred spinach, smoked and peppered salmon, pink peppercorn crème fraiche, fresh raspberries. One of their highlighted menu offerings is the Crispy Cheese ($10) a grilled cheese sandwich with a bowl of house roasted tomato soup which was delicious and was the best tomato soup that I have ever tasted. The Beef Shortribs ($16) espresso braised shortribs, carrot puree and browned sweet potato, I added a side of their Braised Red Cabbage ($6) which was divine. For dessert, I have only had the Warm Chocolate Cake ($10) served with salted caramel ice cream, this was the perfect ending to my meal, next time I must have a friend or two join me so that we could order the Apple Tartin (for two – $16) which is another of their house specialties that people are raving about.

Warm Chocolate Cake

Warm Chocolate Cake

Looking forward to my next visit, it may be for weekend brunch which goes from 11am-3pm on the weekends and serves up some more interesting and comforting dishes.

Review by: Richard Wolak

Map powered by MapPress
Posted in Bar & Cafe Reviews, Gastown, Restaurant Reviews Tags: , , , , , , , , View Comments

THE SHEBEEN WHISK(E)Y HOUSE

September 16th, 2009 admin

LongTable9.15.09 002

210 Carrall Street, Vancouver

Tel: 604-688-9779

Web:  http://www.irishheather.com/gallery.php?id=shebeen

Advice: Open nightly Tues – Sat, you won’t find an entrance on the street-front as they are located to the rear of The Irish Heather.

Located in the back behind The Irish Heather, Shabeen Is a whiskey house with an extensive menu of Whiskey from Scotland, Ireland and Wales as well as a Beer and Wine list. This is a hideaway that is a must find if you are on a quest for the best selection of whiskey in the city or if you are going to be dining at The Long Table series next door. If you don’t know what to have ask a bartender for a suggestion based on your personal tasting preferences.

Review by: Richard Wolak

Map powered by MapPress
Posted in Bar & Cafe Reviews, Gastown Tags: , , , View Comments

SALT TASTING ROOM

August 1st, 2009 admin

Salt

45 Blood Alley,  Vancouver

Tel: 604-633 – 1912
Web: www.salttastingroom.com

Twitter: @SaltTastingRoom

Advice: Look up Google maps to find the location.

Living in Vancouver all my life, I thought that I knew where everything was until I tried to locate Salt Tasting Room, after stopping to ask a couple of people in the Gastown area, I finally found the destination that I was searching. Enter Salt, a cool, out of the way, charcuterie, wine bar, and chill space in Blood Alley. I was by for lunch and had the Grilled Cheese ($12) which came with a fennel salad and black bean soup. This grilled cheese was like none other that I have ever had, a selection of artisan cheeses, Guinness grainy mustard and some other secret sauce and grilled to perfection, my tastebuds went wild. Salt

The space is exposed brick and concrete floors, and adorned with steel designer stools, an 18-foot-long communal table, simple hanging lighting, and heavy wood tables. Being located in historic Gastown, the feel of this room fits in well in the neighborhood.

It is charcuterie and wine bar that is a destination in the city, Salt Tasting Room has a great artisanal cheese selection, thin sheets of cured meats and an array of condiments. You simply create your own tasting plate by choosing three items from the daily blackboard. For $15, your little meal – chosen from a rotating roundup of specialty meats and artisan cheeses – is full of condiments. There is an extensive wine list with wines by the glass or bottle.

Review by: Richard Wolak

Map powered by MapPress
Posted in Gastown, Restaurant Reviews Tags: , , , , , View Comments

Switch to our mobile site

echo get_option('motion_footer') . "\n";