DINE FINE - DARK TABLE - KITSILANO VANCOUVER

When I saw Dark Table show up on my Inside Vancouver app on Facebook, I was excited beyond reach. I had heard about Noir a gaziliion times when I was in Toronto and Montreal but I never had the time to experience it. I am so glad Vancouver now has this uniques restaurant of its own.

This restaurant has an amazing and meaningful concept behind it, I am very excited to share my experience with you all.

The restaurant opened on Thursday, I was luckily able to a reservation on some of the last tables for Sunday. I am proud to say I am one of the first people to experience this! That said, I think excitement set me up for very high expectations, for I was very slightly... disappointed.

BACKGROUND | "Already a hit in major cities like London, Paris, New York, L.A. and Montreal, blind dining is finally coming to Vancouver, offering a unique opportunity to experience dining in a whole new way—in the dark. An evening at Dark table will take you on a culinary journey through uncharted territory, where the familiar—food, drink and friends—becomes a wonder to be explored and discovered, as if for the first time." 

- http://darktable.ca/about.html

TIPS & GUIDE | 

~ Dress warm but in layers. You wait outside, and fall weather is rather chilly. But the restaurant itself I believe, has low outside ventilation (windows and doors). I found it a touch stuffy, or maybe I was just nervous.

~ Do not wear anything super expensive. My friend's blob of butter fell off the container and she found it later on the edge of the table, one can only image what would happen if it fell onto clothes.

~ Do not wear any high heel shoes or flip flops. It is rather had to navigate, do not be burdened down with the hassle of platforms and stilettos. Secondly, one customer knocked a glass on the floor, they did not turn on the lights to clean it... benefit of the doubt, they had someone with night vision goggles come in to fix it. Still, feet shuffling is advised over taking large steps.

~ Do not bring large bags, or put it under your chair. I brought a smaller bag that fit between me and the chair, but large bags on the floor is a hazard to those walking around the restaurant. Also, I am paranoid for theft, keep things close to you and you won't be worried.

~ Do not bring children who cannot sit still for an hour and a half. The servers are you to pass the plates around and well, obvious hazards. 

~ Wash your hands BEFORE dinner. The salad is quite hands-on as I try to figure out what I am picking up with my fork.

~ There is a dim light in the washroom. The server will lead you there and come back in a few minutes. I went to the washroom just to experience walking in the dark again...

OUTSIDE | We were greeted outside the door (you wait outside, so dress warm) and handed menus to pick either 2 courses (entree plus appetizer/ dessert) or all 3 courses. Both the appetizers and desserts are "surprise" items - this got me very excited. The entree has quite a wide variety, but the peppercorn steak stole my heart. Then the hostess asked if we would like a drink and pointed to the second page.

Here was the first problem. Water was $3.00. Ummm what? A glass of water is $3.00?!! If I do not order a drink, will I have nothing to drink? Pop/Perrier were $3.50, assorted Virgin cocktails were $4.50-5.00. So... I thought,  since water was $3.00, I might as well order a Perrier. (By the way, there is no alcohol, I suppose either for licensing reasons or security reasons, probably both). It was not until 45 minutes into our dinner were we offered "water", free of charge. So, maybe I did not have to order a Perrier for $3.50, I could have just asked for tap water. In hindsight, I should have asked the hostess what "Water $3.00" meant. Perhaps "Distilled water $3.00" may have been better diction? Still, $3.00 for one glass of water was rather pricey. But yes, there is tap water for free!

INSIDE | If you all haven't already guessed, yes it was a very "dark table". The entire restaurant is black.We were kindly led by Amy, in my opinion one of the best servers I have ever encountered. I was slightly insecure when we were in the dark. I was first in line and had place my hand on Amy shoulders as we choo-choo-trained to our table. I was so terrified at first I felt myself squeezing her shoulders till she made fun of me and until we introduced ourselves. Amy had a great personality, we chatted about how opening day was, and even how she knew her way around (She was trained for many months).
The one downside were two particular spots of light. There were doors at the back of the restaurant, lighted by the sun, showing two odd rectangles of light. Secondly, the entrance. Everytime someone came into the restaurant, the doors would open and you could see a good half of the restaurant in light. Its actually quite an easy fix. I guess I'm just picky.

FOOD| Dark Table is not fine dining, so do not expect fine dining quality. The salad and steak are very average, very generic. The cutlery and presentation is also very average. (I may not be able to see, but I can certainly feel the weight of cutlery and glasses and the way the food is positioned).  The food is pre-cut, which... well I think would have had more of an interesting experience cutting, even though I'd probably make a huge mess. Next time however, I may choose to skip out on the dessert, it was far too sweet.

Come for the experience and enjoy figuring out the ingredients.

Have fun! Have fun stealing your friend's fork or bread as a good laugh! Keep it clean and do not be afraid to use your hands!  I agree that a restaurant with such a simply concept is quite hard to organize and administer. But the servers are absolutely amazing, their personality, their sense of humor, they are such a delight. 

Enjoy every minute of the experience, the dinner goes by very quickly.

Good luck and Have Fun!

2611 W4th Ave
Vancouver, BC
V6K 3V9
604-739-3275

Lunch Munch: STACKHOUSE BURGER BAR - DOWNTOWN VANCOUVER

I have found a new burger love! Burgers are the childhood love of all. But as I grew older, Ronald McDoodoo was no longer my idol and I slowly gravitated to more gourmet burgers. Burgers are usually hit and miss for me,   it tends to take a great deal of effort for me to find a perfect burger place. I find myself constantly complaining about the bun being soggy, or the patty being over cooked, or the presentation to sloppy, even little details like the onions aren't sweet enough. 

Burgers are such classic goods, it takes a quite a bit of oomph for a burger to bring itself out of the ordinary into something spectacular.

Stackhouse burger was definitely something different. It was amazing!

We ordered

Ahi Tuna Burger - 5oz Ahi tuna steak with miso aioli, watercress and creamy avocado. TOpped with fried onions, served on a brioche bun

Stackhouse Burger - 6.5 oz local prime rib patty with pancetta, portabellini, Cuiness cheddar, chipotle aioli and butter lettuce served on a brioche bun.

Poutine - seasoned fries served with local bocconcini, topped with truggle demi-glace

All entrees and sliders are served side fries of side mesclun salad

AMBIANCE | Despite the grey area its located in (the edge of downtown), the decor of the diner is surprising. The main theme of the restaurant is a fresh, but quirky feeling. Featuring ceiling to floor glass windows, a large mirror filled with graffiti, a white wall filled with booze and small random decors, Stackhouse has a minimalism, but bohemian texture. It reminds me of very chic, young, urban American cafes that are not popular here in Vancouver. 

FOOD | $15-20 a burger with fries is like 5 times the price of a McDoodoo burger. Was it worth it? Absolutely. The Ahi Tuna Burger with avocado was an interesting combo. I've never had anything quite like it. Ahi Tuna and avocado are two of my favourite things. I even upgraded the fries to my favourite POUTINE! The meal was a super favourite for me! I could use a little more avocado, and a warmer bun... but the Ahi Tuna was cooked to prefection - ever so slightly raw. The Classic Stackhouse burger was the special of the day at $10! I made Mr. F choose the Salad to make me feel better about eating such heavy lunches, and I could not have been more pleased with the salad. The salad is a simple veggie and vinegar x olive oil mix, but it has a touch of edamame beans! Such a wonderful surprise!

I have recommended Stackhouse to many people and each time they come back to me as pleased as can be. Stackhouse in my opinion, masters the art of creating a unique spirit in simple, classic foods. I will be back!

1224 Granville Street
Vancouver, BC V6B 2G6

Dine Fine - BEARFOOT BISTRO - WHISTLER

The unstable and unbalanced college life of me always looks for ways to loosen myself up, whether it a stroll by the Seawall or a massage at the Spa. By far, Whistler is one of my favourite places in the world to be. From the scenic drive on the Sea to Sky Highway to the natural aura of the Village, the commute already eases one's stressful mind. The shift of focus from the polluted streets to the breathing of frosty brisk fresh air - Whistler isn't just a place for those who ski and snowboard, its a place for everyone.

We walked into Bearfoot, which was located a little walk off of the Whistler main village, and to my surprise the restaurant was large, but with only a few tables seated. We were offered a seat by our lovely waiter towards the back of the restaurant, it felt like we had bought out the restaurant for the night. I immediately thought "Bearfoot Bistro is the most underrated restaurant I have ever been to. This restaurant deserves the much more recognition! Well, at least from what I see from the amount of people seated in the restaurant on a beautiful Sunday evening."

The restaurant is not only elegant, extravagant (though it a very approachable way), it holds the most unique food experience of my life - The Belvedere & Canada Goose Ice Room, Nitrogen Ice Cream and BC's largest Wine Cellar (excluding private collections).

Mr. F and I each ordered the three course menu.
Forgive me for forgetting the exact name of some dishes, they have either been taken off the online menu now or was a special item at that time

Mr. F ordered - Nova Scallop in Maple glaze

Braised beef shank
I ordered - Artic Char salad

Opal Valley Lamb Loin

Both finished off with Nitro Ice Cream (minimum two people to order)

The food was wonderful, but despite lengthy reviews of praise, I have decided to focus only on the top three most memorable moments of the night.

BELVEDERE & CANADA GOOSE ICE ROOM

There is a selection of over 50 different types of Vodka to choose from and your very own Vodka specialist to explain/tour, plus here's the cute part - learn how to say "cheers!" in the language of where your Vodka is originated. Intially we were going to go for the 2 shots each, but ended up going with the $98 per person deal for 4 shots (one in between each course of dinner and an additional one at the end). At -26 degrees, the chill of vodka is at its finest - a definite must try in Whistler.

NITROGEN ICE CREAM

Ever watch ice cream made in front of you? In less than 5 minutes? Using magic? Wheeling out a wooden cart and a large tin bowl, the server mixed a white vanilla liquid together with so liquid nitrogen, smoke and gas emerged and within minutes of mixing, fresh ice cream appeared. There was only two small golf ball sized lumps of ice cream for each of us, but the ice cream was velvety smooth and the toppings were cute. For an extra $20 per person, i'd say its a memorable experience.

BC'S LARGEST WINE CELLAR

Mr. F and I didn't order any additional alcohol other than the Vodka shots, but we didn't didn't find out about Bearfoot Bistro's amazing wine cellar until after dinner. The wine cellar is under the restaurant, its entrance way a discreet and narrow stairway in the middle of the dining room. Housing some of the world's finest and most expensive wine's and champagne, I can't wait to come back again.

Bearfoot Bistro has given me a moment that I cannot forget. Three surprises in one night  merely begins to describe the feeling of that night. The ambiance, the service and the food - you can get absolutely anything you want here: a relaxing lounge, chilled vodka room, any wine and champagne pairing you can name, any seafood and meat, even fresh ice cream. I cannot imagine anything that is missing from this restaurant. Perhaps though, many will argue, you will be missing an inch of paper from your wallet. This dinner was one of the most expensive dinners of my life - but dining is not always just about the food; its also about the atmosphere, the mood you came in with, the people you dine together with and most importantly, its about creating moments that you treasure and remember.

Hear me, one word - unforgettable. 

4121 Village Green
Whistler, BC

DineOut Vancouver 2012: LA VALLEE - DOWNTOWN VANCOUVER

My second and last Dine Out Vancouver of 2012. I dare say La Vallee has given me the worst fine dining experience of all time. Which is such a shame, the restaurant décor is absolute stunning, the food is amazing, but the service definitely could use much more improvement. Dine Out Vancouver is to incentive for Vancouverites to try out restaurants and enjoy a three course meals at a slightly cheaper price. It is not a surprise, as I have stated with Mistral French Bistro, that restaurant qualities fall slightly to accommodate the high volumes of customers. But La Vallee`s service has me extremely doubtful about giving it another chance.

SERVICE & FOOD | Normally I review AMBIANCE and  FOOD, but for lack of better words, I cannot wait to share my dining experience from beginning to end.

I had arrived with my party 7 people at 7pm. We ordered by 7:30 and the appetizer came about 20 minutes later. The bread, I must say, was the best of the night - it was deliciously fluffy and warm. The vinaigrette complemented the bread very well. Definitely a smile on my face. But when asked the server for some hot water, which she promptly plopped a large boiling teapot in front of me ON TOP of my fork - immediately I saw a tiny red flag. The crab cake was decent, but the salad I ordered was rather mediocre. I had read reviews on this restaurant stating that this salad seemed to have came straight from a Costco salad box, and as much as I hate to say, I do agree. The appetizers seemed rather "thrown together" - rather thoughtless.

However the disappointment lies in the entree. We had to wait an hour and a half after the appetizers until our main courses finally arrived -the dirty appetizer dishes were still sitting on the table the whole time. For the benefit of the doubt, we thought maybe the food was freshly cooked - that was the only way to explain the delay. But the food was not only cold, the server did not even try to remember who ordered which plate! She simply stood at the front of the table announcing the dish and expected us to raise our hands and say "mine!". I was over the top surprised at the service from a restaurant located in a formal hotel Downtown Vancouver. The food AND plates were not even warm, it was simply room temperature.  I could taste so much potential in my lamb shank. The side of potato was butter and soft, the tender lamb shank was cooked with a rich sauce. But the wait, shocking service, and room temperature food already made my tastebuds run away. 

Lastly the dessert, I took two bites of my Praline and it tasted wonderful! The layers of cake and crisp was intricate and not overbearingly sweet. But the pistachio parfait that my friends ordered, was ruined by the service. Originally the parfait was elegantly designed to stand freely in the middle of the plate, decorated with drizzles along the side. But one of my girlfriend's parfait had toppled over and buried the spoon by the time the server brought the dish to our table (please see the picture below) and the server clearly pretended not to notice. 

I walked out of this restaurant with utter disappointment and pity. Not once did the server come by to ask us if the food was alright or if we needed anything else. Not once did I feel like my money and presence was appreciated. The food in this restaurant - although lacking a tad of character and thought, was savoury and delightful.


I see so much potential in this restaurant, only for it to be masked behind such terrible service. I did say in my last review that Dine Out qualities are to be judged with discretion, but La Vallee has me again, extremely doubtful that I will return.  

1379 Howe St. Vancouver

604-696-6980

DineOut Vancouver 2012: MISTRAL FRENCH BISTRO - KITSLANO VANCOUVER

I never really hype about Dine Out Vancouver. To be honest, I think Dine Out Vancouver are not the "special deals" that they advertise themselves to be. As the years pass, while my food expectations have gone up, I feel the quality of Dine Out participants to significantly decrease.

Mistral French Bistro is the first Dine Out restaurant I went to this year ( I went to a total of 2, reviews to come soon). I have been eyeing this restaurant for a while to satisfy my escargot craving after Le Crocodile (escargots were not part of the Dine Out menu, but I was still excited to scope out the restaurant nonetheless). My girlfriend and I went for dinner after a long tiring day at school and as soon as we walked in, the both of us fell in love with the romantic decor and charming male french servers.

Miss Dimply ordered- Provencal Tomato Cream Soup - Pistrou Foam, Topenade Crouton
Daube de Boeuf - Beef cheeks in red wine stew, olives, carrots, mushrooms and pear onions, served with fresh spaghetti
Fresh pineapple in mint sirop, raspberry sorbet

I ordered - Soya and black pepper marinated Albacore Tuna - in Dijon-sesame crust, cucumber and celery salad, lemon-dijon dressing
Duck leg confit - duck jus with orange, green beans, Gratin Dauphinois
Giant macaron - Tiramisu cream


Both with added Gin and Tonics on the side

 

 

AMBIANCE | Mistral French Bistro itself is petite, delicate and cozy. Soft natural paintings and warm cream and golden flecks certainly creates a very sensual feel. That is, only when we first walked in. After about half an hour, the restaurant was filling up, people were lining out the door, the restaurant became irritably crowded. I had looked at pictures of the restaurant prior to going and I can almost guarantee they put in more tables and chairs. Dine Out Restaurants are constantly fully booked, reservations are to be made 2-3 weeks in advance - putting in a few extra tables are expected. There was a clear problem getting out of my seat and to the washroom, let alone the high noise level. I was almost yelling back and forth to have a conversation - not my definition of French fine dining.

FOOD | After less than 5 minutes of ordering, our appies came! Immediately after we were finished, the entrée came right away! I was famished so I was happy the food came at such a efficient pace. It is not a surprise that Dine Out sets are pre-made and re-heated, but perhaps I would appreciate a little white lie that made my dish was made timely with thought. Nonetheless, the food was pleasant - nothing out of the ordinary, but still very much enjoyed.
One critical critique (haha) that I must say, the bread was absolutely terrible. The dough was not only cold, but hard as rock. I could not cut it open or tear it with my hands without great difficulty. I took about one bite and decided to dip the rest into Miss Dimply's cream soup. Which by the way, Miss Dimply loaded the cream soup with Tabasco sauce, and as much as I cannot handle spicy foods, I'd say the soup is much more flavorful and outstanding.

Final thoughts, Mistral French Bistro is a wonderful and thoughtful restaurant. I will not judge the quality of the food and service from Dine Out session, because I definitely see a great potential in them. I will definitely return to try their main menu - especially escargots and French onion soup. Will keep you posted!

2585 West Broadway, Vancouver

604-733-0046

Lunch Munch - TRATTORIA ITALIAN KITCHEN - VANCOUVER

I have been to Trattoria many times for dinner, and decided on a sunny afternoon to enjoy a filling Italian lunch and then walk off the carbs by shopping in 4th avenue boutiques. 

  

Glowbal group never ceases to surprise me with delicious pieces. Their motto is "Every Neighborhood Needs a Trattoria". I agree, at the end of the day Trattoria is a glamorous, chic and upscale restaurant. The hip chandeliers and modern mirrored decor is the perfect counterpart for traditional italia pasta.

  Miss Dimplings and I ordered:

Beef Carpaccio - gorgonzola polenta, cipollini onion

Lasagna - kobe beef, ricotta, spinach, fresh herbs

FOOD |  For two constantly-on-a-diet-yet-food-lover gals, an appie and an entree is rather filling already. Plus, the portions are on the big side. I think we ordered the most popular and universal items on the entire menu. The both of us always order Beef Carpaccio whenever it is on the menu, always. The presentation of the dish, lacked some delicacy, it looked "thrown together" with some toppings and drizzle... Nonetheless, the portion was large and I was certainly not disappointed in the taste. Miss Dimply and I fought for the last bite. I will definitely order this again.

The Lasagna was pleasant, well around average. To be honest, a mixture of stringy, rich cheese, fresh tomato, imported kobe beef, and all that good stuff - it sounds like a delight already, but this was a tad heavy on the salt. Just a tad too flavourful for my liking. Nothing to complain about though. 

Oh, and P.S. I love the cute messages on their placemat. It teaches you how to speak italian!

I cannot constructively praise nor critique Trattoria. Trattoria is a affordable Italian kitchen with a young, light, modern attraction. The food is more often average than amazing - but still delicious. I had no problems with seating since it was an odd weekday 2pm lunch. But I have heard about an experienced terrible lineups and waiting frustrations all because they refuse to take reservations. Refusing to take reservations guarantee consistent and full business, but if having to wait over an hour for a seat is the extra price customers have to pay on top of their pasta, I am not surprised consumers will choose other restaurants. There are so many more choices on 4th street.

Overall, I am pleased with the quality of food and service, but I cannot say Trattoria is a place for fine food, but it is always a relaxed an comfortable dining experience.

1850 W 4th Avenue
Vancouver, B

Lunch Munch - MODAVIE - OLD MONTREAL

A panorama of flowered cobblestone streets, veined brick walls, mixed with smiles full of steak and gravy - Montreal is truly a perfect harmony of classic Parisian romance and relaxed Canadian informality.

During my 3 month stay in Toronto, I wanted to explore the East coast and hence, I picked Quebec as one of my destinations. Despite the 6 hour drive, I honestly could not be more happy with my choice of venue and travel buddy. Our trip was a total of three days, to which we dedicated one full day and a half browsing Old Montreal. To be honest, there were so many beautiful restaurants in every block I couldn't remember my way around the town, let alone remember the restaurant choices. Each diner roamed with the smell of garlic and cheese, together with a rainbow of tourists, it was rather overwhelming. Pleasantly overwhelming that is, you will never experience anything like this in homie Vancity. There's something about strolling through this city that leaves a warm feeling I've never felt in Vancouver - maybe it's the sense of craving poutine, maybe it's the sight of the sun reflecting in the sea, or maybe it's just the joy of R&R I haven't had in a while. With all, Montreal is definitely a place I will return to.

Now I normally don't write this much, it's a FOOD blog not a talk-about-yourself-jibberish blog. But really, I just had to document Montreal, at least for the whole world to see...

Mr. F and I were down to decide between Steak Frites and Modavie for lunch. Both on opposite corners, both specializing in different foods - steak and lamb, respectively. Modavie has a little stamp on their menu quoting "Lamb, our Speciality". Mr. F loves lamb - everything from Asian hot pot lamb chops to the classic herb rack of lamb, so the decision was obvious. 

Mr. F ordered the Rack of Lamb - with goat cheese, Dijon mustard and sesame

I ordered the Endive & Apple Salad - with Roquefort and walnut oil vinaigrette

Menu found here: http://www.modavie.com/Menus05/menu%20VM.pdf

      

DISHES | Mr. F loved the rack of lamb, and naturally I snitched a few bites from him. I actually don't have much to critique about the lamb - it was the same as I expected. I had high expectations for a restaurant claiming "lamb, our speciality", and I certainly was not disappointed. I didn't taste much of the Dijon mustard, which wasn't too big of a deal, because the blend of herbs and spices topped with sesame were already sufficient. In terms of the lamb being gamey, I'd say the lamb was cooked to a medium rare perfection - tender yet not gamey. Should be majority accepted... that said...

The goat cheese for my apple salad was incredibly gamey. But sooo good! It literally melts in your mouth! But I normally don't mind it being gamey anyways (perhaps because I'm born in the year on the lamb?), and thought the goat was a perfect addition to my simple salad. The cook cleverly toned down the already mild vinaigrette, allowing the strong goat cheese to be the main focus of the dish. The sweet apples and hints of walnuts together with the fresh greens acted as a light companion to the fabulous cheese. I really enjoyed the salad. A perfect portion for lunch.

AMBIENCE | We sat in the corner of the restaurant with wide wooden windows alluring a soft breeze. I have a soft spot for old school Mary Jane romance - paintings, wood, copper and cobblestone mixed with white table clothes and country flowers. Yup, just like pretty much every girl in the world, I loved the interior of this restaurant. The ceiling and walls were actually painted water stains and burnt brick residue to add to its mature aura. The old bar in the middle and wall of wines was very comfortable and inviting. It is such a nice break from the usual contemporary lounge-y feel of bling metropolitan cities. I love this authentic European feel thats only a few provinces away.

Would I try Modavie again? Mr. F and I both agree - Yes. The same dishes? Probably not. Given lamb is their specialty, next time I would try lamb again, but opt for another seasoning technique. Don't get me wrong, the rack of lamb was utterly amazing - but nothing completely outside the box. The apple salad was gorgeous - but I do scope more interesting dishes on the menu.
To try next time? Dinner. Absolutely. Had I known there would be live Jazz during dinner, I would have waited the one hour lineup.

While there are many food choices on the strips of Old Montreal, Modavie is definitely a comfortable and light restaurant to enjoy the classic life of the French Canadian fusion.

1 Rue Saint Paul Ouest

Montreal, QC

H2Y 1Y6, Canada(514) 287-9582