This 2015 Dine Out Vancouver Festival showcases 277 participating restaurants and it is the largest in its history, there is a challenge to find the best and most creative menu, unique flavours, value and most of all experience. To me Dine Out Vancouver is an experience, it gives the public, you and me a chance to try some new restaurants, it gives us a reason to go outside of our comfort zone and neighborhood to explore, savour and enjoy!
My picks this year are based on the most creative and unique dishes as well as those menus that provide a good value to the diners. Many of the chefs have spent countless hours designing their menus for this years Dine Out Vancouver festival of eating. I have provided you with restaurants and their standout dishes by price fixe categories.
$18 Category
Atithi Indian Cuisine $18
Unique dishes:
Jackfruit biriyani kathi roll.
Railway station Goat curry with cumin potato.
Date palm sugar rice pudding.
Vermicilly with raisins and cashew nuts.
Chutney Villa $18
Unique dishes:
Aachi Varuval Cauliflower fried in a crunchy, peppery, rice & lentil batter.
Fish Curry, old style of Tamil Nadu Fish curry with garlic, fenugreek, cumin and coriander, finished with tamarind and topped with eggplant.
Mango Ice Cream Hand chummed, Indian style ice cream, flavored with mangoes.
Luke’s Corner Bar + Kitchen $18
Unique dishes:
Butter Nut Squash Soup with Crispy sage, brown butter
Country Fried Chicken with braised greens, sweet potato mash, smoked pepper honey butter
S’more Ice Cream Sandwich ’
$28 Category
Arms reach bistro $28
Unique dishes:
Spiced Chickpea Puree, Moroccan Dukkah, roasted garlic, grilled pita.
Rocket Spaghetti. Oyster mushrooms, arugula, shallots, butter, truffle essence, Parmesan.
Pudding Chomeur. Ginger & pear ice cream.
Bogart’s Bar & Restaurant – Hampton Inn & Suites $28
Unique dishes:
Bison Ribs bacon and apple braised red cabbage and gruyere cheese potato gratin
Chicken Pot Pie house made puff pastry with roasted chicken and vegetable filling
Chocolate Molten Cake with berry coulis & vanilla ice cream
Catch 122 Cafe & Bistro $28
Unique dishes:
Roasted Winter Vegetable Soup Sweet corn fritters, fine herbs
House-made Ricotta GnocchiRoasted mushrooms, baby root vegetables, mushroom cream
Almond CakeGranny Smith apple compote, salted caramel ice-cream
Lemon ParfaitLemon curd, graham crunch, vanilla cream
Chicha Restaurant $28
Unique dishes:
Quinoa Ensalada~Quinoa, mango, and avocado salad; dressed with a Huacatay (Peruvian black mint), Jalepeno and lime vinaigrette and Rocoto Peruvian Chili dressing (v, gf)~
Lomo Saltado~Bavette steak, Kennebec fries, bell peppers, onions, tomatoes stir fried in a rich veal demi sauce (gf)~or/Rocoto Peruvian Chili Pepper braised lamb and Wine Chorizo Fettuccini~black olives, cilantro oil and shaved Parmesan~or/Pan seared Salmon
Spiced Aji Chili Dark Chocolate Bread Pudding~served with a dark rum dulche leche and pisco raspberry sauce~
Copper Chimney- Executive Hotel Le Soleil $28
Unique dishes:
Curried Cauliflower Velouté
Lamb Rack (3pc) with Mumbai Chili Saucepotato, kachcumber slaw, sweet chili sauce
Chai Infused Crème Brulee
Edible Canada $28
Unique dishes:
Hazelmere parsnip cream, mushroom broth, salsify chips, truffle salt
Black trumpet and barley risotto, grey owl cheese, swiss chard
Cascade Mountain Arctic char, tomato fume, cannelloni beans, collard greens
Chocolate Bread pudding, Canadian rye caramel
Okanagan Apple Tart tatin, Earnest vanilla ice cream
Exile Bistro $28
Unique dishes:
Lentil Paté juniper mustard, pickles, crackers (VE, GF opt)
Bison Short Ribs spelt kernels, chaga cream, birch syrup (GF opt)
Fondant cashew, dates, chocolate ganache, black sesame (VE + GF)
Pumpkin Tart almond spelt crust, spiced cashew cream, maple pecan, lingonberry sorbet
Forage $28
Unique dishes:
Smoked Sablefish and Chanterelle Mushroom Chowder, tin whistle sabayon, guanciale, bone marrow crouton
Winter Vegetable Biryani, foraged and cultivated mushrooms, quinoa, spelt, lentils, sunchoke raitha, pickled mustard seed
Chocolate Custard, Double Fried French Toast, Spruce Tip Cream
Frankie’s Italian Kitchen & Bar $28
Unique dishes:
Arancini sicilian risotto balls with mikuni wild mushrooms, grano padano parmesanand house-made aioli
Jumbo Shrimp Scampi lemon mascarpone cream, garlic, and shallots
Graze Restaurant $28
Unique dishes:
Soup – Sunchoke velouté with tarragon pistou and herbed mushrooms.
Eggplant Roulade – cherry braised eggplant wrapped around smoked sunchoke, walnut and creamed kale, with fig & coffee gastrique, poached figs, roasted squash purée (gluten free)
Warm Gingerbread Cake – hollowed & filled with spiced coconut cream, house made marmalade, salted caramel, candied ginger.
Morocco West $28
Unique dishes:
Wild Salmon Cake Pineapple salsa, cherry tomatoes, pomegranate vinaigrette and balsamic reduction (GF)
Roasted Chermoula Chicken Saffron couscous, carrots, squash and raisin jus
Moroccan Cauli-TaktoukaCauliflower, tomatoes, sweet peppers, chickpeas, olives and potato fondant (V) (GF)
Sweet Rice Bastilla Cinnamon, raisins, almonds and mixed fruit compote (V)
Persimmon CrumbleWith homemade ice cream (V) (GF)
Pier 7 Restaurant $28
Unique dishes:
Butternut Squash & Apple Soup cinnamon crème fraiche, herbs
Short Rib Poutinered wine braised short rib, cheese curds
Chai Tea Panna Cottaspiced caramel, citrus fruits
Showcase Restaurant & Bar – Marriott Pinnacle Downtown $28
Unique dishes:
Kabucha squash soup, grilled apple, pumpernickel V
Grilled New York strip, fingerling potatoes, baby carrots, porcini foam GF
Gluten free buttermilk gnocchi, sage, pickled shallot, brown butter tomato vinaigrette GF/V
Banoffee Pie, graham crumb, dulce de leche mousse, caramelized bananas
$38 Category
Bambudda $38
Unique dishes:
Albacore tuna tataki, salted plum purée, multiple garnishes
Dark soy and chili Braised tofu, assorted mushrooms, Chinese eggplant
Steamed cheesecake, papaya, walnut
Bistro Pastis $38
Unique dishes:
Cauliflower veloute, truffle pastry
Maple butter cake, butterscotch ice cream
Black+Blue $38
Unique dishes:
Beer, Bacon & Cheddar Chowder with heirloom carrots, kennebec potato
Black+Blue Jerk Chicken with cheesy grits & collard greens
Chestnut Almond Cake apricot jelly, lime meringue, salted caramel sauce
Federico’s Supper Club $38
Unique dishes:
Zuppa di cedano rapa e pera arrostita Celery root & roasted pear soup, fresh ginger (V) (GF)
Crema di Zucca e Cipolle CaramellatePumpkin & caramelized onion soup, Montassio cheese, sage (V) (GF)
Spaghetti con le nociroasted walnuts, Pecorino Romano, fried sage, chilies, aglio e olio (V)
Panna Cotta al Caffevanilla bean & coffee infused cream pudding (G)
Panpepato sweet cake with assorted nuts, dark chocolate, white wine, black pepper
L’Abattoir Restaurant $38
Unique dishes:
Duck ravioli Mushrooms, squash
Milk braised lamb Cabbage and herbs
Yogurt and vanilla pannacotta Honey & thyme granola, butterscotch, apple
West Restaurant + Bar $38
Unique dishes:
Parsnip and Vanilla Soup, caramelized onion jam with thyme chantilly
Lightly Smoked Keta Salmon Filet creamy polenta, cauliflower sherry brown buttter vinaigrette
Chocolate Raspberry Parfait vanilla chocolate cookie ice cream
For a full list of restaurants and menus, look HERE. Take a look at my EVENT picks for this 2015 festival HERE.
By: Richard Wolak