Nibbles at Nightingale

During Lent 2017, I restricted myself to a whole host of dietary rules, meaning that I can only eat poultry and seafood, no pasta and no fast food. One such meal was at The Oakwood. Here is another one I tried at Nightingale.

Our first plate was from their Raw section, the Yellowtail Crudo, dotted with bits of roasted poblano, and a meyer lemon and 'monti iblei' olive oil emulsion. This was tasty, and super fresh. Each slice was delicate, sweet and stood its own with the lemony flavours. 

Our first Vegetable plate was their Roasted Acorn Squash with walla walla onion puree. Then it's topped with crumMacedonianonian feta and crispy sage. The texture of the squash was tender and the feta gave the dish a richness I didn't expect. Crispy herbs are always fun, but the sage flavours really did enhance the squash.

The second Vegetable dish was the Roasted Maitake Mushroom, topped with pecorino and hazelnut on a bed of brown butter. The juicy mushrooms were earthy and the hazelnut crunch was delightful. 

From their Small plates, we opted for the Crispy Fried Chicken. This was probably the most disappointing dish. The chicken was dry and the batter was thick and heavy. The dill and preserved lemon yogurt dip, and the dusting of espelette pepper did little to help matters. 

From the Large plates, we tried the Grilled Arctic Char. This was by far my favourite dish of the night! Chunks of fingerling potato and artichoke salad gave the dish some weight, and the toasted almond silvers had a nice smoky crunch. The lemon lightened the dish and really gave the fish a wonderful citrus flavour.

Second of two amazing meals during Lent, come back for more in the next few weeks!

Spring Tasting Menu at The Blackbird

Last week, I was invited to taste the new Spring menu at The Blackbird, created by Chef Alvin Pillay, Research & Development of the Donnelly Group as well as new cocktails made by Trevor Kallies, the group's Bar & Beverage Director. The Blackbird is an interesting space, with barber shop, scotch tasting bar, pub and an oyster bar. Located on two floors in the Financial District, it's open daily at 11am, perfect for people to grab a quick lunch. Above is the hustle and bustle at the lower level restaurant. We started off with a cocktail called the Vitner's Brunch. The wine is a Charles & Charles Cabernet Sauvignon, and into the mix are Victoria Oaken gin, Luxardo Cherry Morlaco Sangue, Scrappy's Cardamom bitters and a touch of lemon zest. It's a rather light cocktail, perfect for a starter beverage. Following a few sips, we were treated to an Oyster Tasting Trio. They are (from left to right), a Reed Island Oyster with bacon and sherry vinegar mignonette, a Royal Miyagi Oyster with wasabi horseradish cocktail sauce, and a Sawmill Bay Oyster with cucumber and kombu. I loved the bacon mignonette, it gave the oyster a rich and meaty texture. The cucumber & kombu topping was also well-paired with the Sawmill Bay. Next followed two salads, the first of which was the Tempura Albacore Tuna salad. The tuna is first wrapped in nor before being battered and fried. The inside was still a nice rare with a slightly crispy exterior. There wasn't a lot of greens but the cucumber and cilantro was very flavourful. I'm not a huge fan of avocado, but if you are, you're in luck, there was plenty of it here amongst the greens! Our second salad was my favourite (except for the dessert, I'll get to that later), a Duck Confit salad. I love the crispy skin of duck confit and this did not disappoint! And the portion was great for a salad. Rounding out the plate were lots of Fraser Valley beets and arugula, and lightly flavoured by an aged balsamic dressing.

 

The dessert was a knockout. I love lemon so I was ecstatic that they went with a tart offering instead of chocolate. It's a Frozen Lemon Bar (with a layer of curd and mousse!). A nice crumble surrounded this, and it was topped with just a few dollops of Italian meringue. Surrounding the star were some rhubarb chunks as well as a bright green pistachio smear. All the flavours blended well and perfectly complemented a nice light lunch. 

Our final taste of the afternoon was another cocktail, called One to Grow On. As explained by Trevor, it's a throwback to the PSAs which aired during Saturday morning cartoons that he grew up on. This cocktail is served with an old-time striped paper straw and is made with a Golden Grahams infused Absolut Elyx vodka, a nod to the cereals kids usually eat while watching morning cartoons. The cocktail also contains egg white and egg yolk. There is also a bit of Pale Ale and Averna Amaro, which has a rich caramel taste. All served in a mini milk bottle, to complete the imagery of a time in history. 

The food was delicious, the servings portions are perfect for lunch and the price points are definitely comparable with the other restaurants in the area. If you are looking for a casual lunch in a fun atmosphere, be sure to give The Blackbird a try. And if you're just looking to get your drink on after work, be sure to check out the scotch tasting bar upstairs!

They are hosting a Spot Prawn Boil on May 18th, give them a call for all the details!

  **disclaimer - my lunch was complimentary but my opinions are my own. 

Take Note:

• The Duck Confit Salad is amazing!
• Skip the wine and give their cocktails a try.
• $1.50 Oysters 4-6pm daily! 

Lunch at Hawksworth

I decided to head to Hawksworth for lunch with my boss last month. We usually go to Kirin but I wanted a change of pace. I am not a huge scallop fan, but when I saw this on the menu, I couldn't resist. The Pan Seared Scallop caught my eye, not because of the scallops, but because of the accompaniments. It arrives on a bed of rice noodles, in a Vietnamese broth with some crispy pork. So, it's like Pho? Yes, this was super reminiscent of pho. Complete with a bit of sprouts and jalapenos. The crispy pork is really interesting, I haven't had anything like this before. When dipped into the broth, it softens and has a nice chew to it. There's plenty of scallops (about 8 in total) and they were seared to a perfect doneness. You are also presented with some chilies and limes to fully evoke the sense of Pho. I used a bit of the lime but all of the chilies. This was really fun and elegant version of pho. Loved it! My boss went for another option of a high-end version of a "low brow" food He got the Hot Dog. It was a bison sausage in a poppy seed pretzel bun, topped with greens and fried onions. On the side was some tempura cauliflower. He throughly enjoyed it, although eating it was a bit messy. Better to knife and fork this baby.
Take Note:
Prices are higher than normal, but you are dining at the Georgia.
Bar menu's Beef Burger is huge and you could probably share it with a friend.
Brunch is served 10:30-2 on Saturdays and Sundays

Lunch at Gotham

A few weeks ago, I decided to head over to Gotham's for lunch for the very first time. Though I've been there for dinner and parties, I've never really thought of it as a lunch spot.
I know this is weird, but for some reason, we didn't order steaks, even though they are know as a steakhouse. Instead, we started off with the Salmon Cakes, which were a bit mealy and more filler than salmon. I don't think I have to say anything about the fries, they were flaccid and unseasoned. This was a disappointing start but we hoped it would get better.  Our next arrival was the Lobster Cobb Salad, and this was amazing. Loaded with lettuce, bacon, blue cheese and avocado, this would have been a great salad on its own. Add that half a lobster on there and you've got a winner. We asked for the dressing on the side,  but truth be told, we hardly needed it. One thing I was surprised by was the greenish ring around the hard boiled egg. We were there for lunch, I'd say around noon. How long does it take for a ring like that to form on an egg?   Now, another appetizer dish, their Black and Blue Ahi Tuna. It's served simply seared with a bit of soya sauce and wasabi. I really like the crust on this and found the portion to be rather generous as well. I could have had thinner slices though, as these were a touch too thick. And our final dish was our only meat dish, and that was the Prime Rib Tartare. It's hand chopped, topped with two whole anchovies! If you like steak tartare, I'd say it's one of the best in the city. The beef is well seasoned with onions, capers and made super creamy with the egg yolks. The bread was nice and soft and made for an excellent vessel for the beef.

Take Note:

• Great patio in the back on sunny days
• Solid salads, generous portions
• Save room for the Key Lime Pie

Downtown Eats: Keg on Dunsmuir

After The Shore Club closed earlier this year, it was slated to be reinvented as The Keg. I finally paid a visit for lunch last month, and I'd say that most of the decor remained the same, but it had been slightly "keg-afied". The entrance wasn't very well organized, as there was a lineup out the door at lunchtime, despite a fairly empty restaurant inside. It seems as though there are a lot of hostesses manning the entry, but not enough people to actually bring people to their table. Hopefully, this will be resolved soon.
Instead of the usual basket where the bread is encased in, the bread here is simply served on a place. And it's not as crusty as I remember. But at least it is served piping hot! 
One thing that I've always loved the Keg for is their French Onion Soup. IMHO, it's the best in the city. I like my cheese just a bit burnt, and I always ask for extra cheese. They never disappoint and this was the case again. Their broth isn't too salty, and there are loads of onions and the gooey cheese is amazing. This is a perfect way to ward off any winter chills. 
For my main, and to be slightly healthy, I opted for the Steak Sandwich with a side Caesar. I asked for a light dressing on the Caesar instead of dressing on the side, since the thick dressing makes it harder to DIY.
The open-faced sandwich was loaded with sliced medium rare steak and a generous portion of cremini mushrooms. The bread had a nice char on it, but regrettably, I passed on it and just devoured the steak and mushrooms. This isn't so much due to an effort to avoid carbs as a result of the fact that open-faced sandwiches always confuse me. I find it weird eating a sandwich with a knife and fork.

Take Note:

• Making reservations doesnt mean you'll get seated faster
• Staff seem fairly new and slightly inexperienced
• Avoid the Keg Dog 

Dinesty on Robson

The new location of Dinesty has been opened for a few months now, and I was delighted to give it a try with some friends last month. I have been to the Richmond location several times, and hoped that the food would be just as good. We started off with the Xiao Long Baos (obviously), since it's a tradition at most Shanghainese places, sometimes for dinner but always for lunch! As with the Richmond locations, these are deliciously soupy, and the skin is just chewy enough to hold all the delicious pork and soup inside.  Another steamer basket arrived filled with Shrimp and Pork Siu Mai. The pork layer is on the bottom with the shrimp on top. I found the pork a bit dry but the shrimp was nice and juicy. I tend to deconstruct my food when I am eating, so it might have been just fine if I ate it as it was served. This dish is new to me, it's Deep Fried Chicken With Asparagus And Ham. The coating on this was nice and light, and the chicken was really juicy. I didn't find the mayonnaise sauce necessary as the chicken had enough seasoning. I did, however, use some hot sauce to give this dish a bit more punch. It's a fairly large portion, but the beauty is that it can be packed as leftovers quite easily.  Our final savoury dish was the Pork Potstickers. I loved the presentation, love how they fry all the potstickers together and serve it as one gigantic dish. And lots of extra crispiness, which I always appreciate. The potstickers are larger than normal, about 3-4 inches long, The filling to wrapper ratio is good, although I could used a bit of more of ginger in the filling. For dessert, we got the Black Sesame Buns. These were really good, with lots of black sesame on the inside. The bun is soft and the whole package is a warm handful. It's probably too filling after a full lunch, but it's still a good treat. Eat half and share with a friend.

Take Note:

• Go before noon to avoid long lines
• Avoid the lunch "Specials" menu, it's reminiscent of mall food court dishes
• Service is quick and it's a good option for a quick lunch 

 

Ten Ten Tapas - Grand Opening

Although Ten Ten Tapas has been open for a few months now, they held their Grand Opening Party just a few weeks ago. Located at 1010 Burrard, the place is gorgeous with breathtaking views. All the menu items are meant for sharing and we got to sample a few signature items.   Our first bite was the Vegetarian Spring Rolls. The skin was nice and crispy, and I enjoyed the freshness of the mixed veggies inside the crunchy exterior. The dressing was tangy and complemented the salty shell nicely.    The next dish was the Shrimp Parcel, delicate little shrimp wontons topped with a ponzu-siracha glaze. These bite-sized morsels are great for cocktail parties, since they are easy to pop into your mouth, one bite wonders!  
A more substantial offering was the Mini Beef Wellingtons. These pastry wrapped beef bites was served with a red wine jus and a touch of grainy dijon mustard. Although they look tiny, these are quite filling.   The last item I sampled was the Coconut Prawns. These had a light coconut coating and had a bit of sweet chili sauce drizzled on top. Deep fried to a golden crisp, the coconut flavour is quite mild. I am not usually a fan of coconut, but in this version, I quite enjoyed it! 

Take note:

• Dinner nightly, but closed on Tuesdays, Weekend Brunch
• Gorgeous views
• Heated outdoor patio

Rogue - new location by the Convention Centre

A few months ago, I tried out the Rogue Kitchen and Wet Bar on Broadway. I enjoyed the brunch but found parking to be a hassle. Recently, they opened up a new location by my work, so I decided to stop by for a light lunch. My mom had this last time, and it's a hefty meal. It's their Half Turkey Sandwich with Soup and Salad. Sheesh, it's a mouthful just to order it! The sandwich is on slices of cranberry sourdough, and there is plenty of sliced turkey breast too. Add your usual lettuce and tomato and this sandwich is quite a handful. We asked for the bourbon bacon jam and dijon-mayo to be served on the side, not wanting the kitchen to err on the side of over-sauciness. 

The seafood chowder is quite rich and creamy, and is loaded with fish, clams, mussels and chunks of potato. And the little salad that it comes with is really cute, lots of pretty and fresh organic greens. It's definitely a well-rounded entree and absolutely more than enough food for lunch.

 

This is quite a healthy dish, it's their Baja Fish Tacos. Instead of having it on soft tortillas, I opted for the paleo version and had it on several leaves of romaine instead. I wish more places would offer this option (and at no extra charge). I know Romer's allows you to switch out their bun for two halves of an iceberg lettuce, but it's an extra $0.75 to "make it green". I know, it's not a lot of money, so why bother? 

 

My side salad was okay, lots more romaine and just a touch of parmesan. The dressing was creamy and a little bit goes a long way. The best thing about this salad is the corn bread croutons. You can really tell the difference! 

 

What I liked most about these tacos is the basa. They are Cajun spiced, but not breaded like the ones I had a Joey's. The pineapple salsa is quite light and has good citrus flavours. I asked for the avocado cream on the side, and I'm glad I did, it was really rich. My only complaint is that the romaine was a bit soft, probably due to the warm fish inside. Perhaps a few extra leaves would prevent some of the wilting? Or, why not serve them separate, sort of like Cactus Club's lettuce wraps!?

Take Note:

• Great patio but gets full fast
• Casual food and setting, good for a workday lunch
• Service can be slow at times, servers like to chat with big tippers 

Scallops, Seafood and Salad at Mosaic

Although I have had Chef Heinrich's food at Mosaic for dinner several times, most notably the Spot Prawn Tasting, this would be the first time I'm visiting at lunch. The space has lots of natural light during the day. Although it's located in the Hyatt Regency, it's a popular lunch spot for the downtown work crowd, so it's great for locals and tourists alike.

If there is Bread and Butter on the table, I find it hard to resist taking a photo, since I'm still trying to learn how to take good shots of paler foods (like butter, cheese, etc.) I was actually surprised that they served bread and butter even at lunch. It's something I do expect or enjoy for dinner, but didn't think it would be offered at lunch.
For starters, we tried the Weathervane Scallops off the bar menu. These were gigantic, and just simply seasoned and then quickly seared. There sit atop a few thin slices of tomatoes and a pile of lovely greens. The scallops were so thick you could actually halve them through the middle.
The special of the day was a Seafood Curry with Basmati Rice. The rice was nice and fluffy, but it was sure hard to take this picture (foiled by paler foods again). Thankfully, the rest of the dish was brilliantly coloured! Nestled on top of the rice is a variety of seafood consisting of white fish, salmon, mussels and clams. Rounding out the dish are some carrots and broccoli. This curry is not a super heavy curry, rather light in texture, more fragrant than overwhelming pungent, as some curries can be. The light Thai flavours were clear and crisp, with hints of lemongrass and coriander. And although there was a bit of heat, it was very mild.
And this is the Big Salad, well, they don't actually call it that, it's called the Cobb Salad. Underneath the toppings of bacon, blue cheese, chicken breast, hard boiled eggs and chopped tomatoes, there is a large mound of romaine as well. The dressing is a lemon-dijon vinaigrette, but I didn't really use too much of it. Instead, I just squired some lemon juice on everything. I only finished a third of this...mostly the tomato, eggs and some bacon! I packed the rest to go and still think I have enough toppings for another whole salad. Note: said salad usually comes with avocado, but I asked for it without.

Take Note:

• Great for working lunches, bright and lots of large tables
• Staff are friendly and very courteous
• Chef's Tasting Menus rotate every two weeks and are amazing! 

Lift for Lunch

Early May, on a particularly sunny day, we decided to venture to Lift at Coal Harbour. The lunch started off  with a drink at the bar, and we were then told that our patio table was ready. The bartender took our drinks on a tray and we met him at the stairs to head up to the patio. 

The hostess (I think that's what her purpose was) said that we couldn't go up yet. So we stood at the bottom of the stairs ( by the kitchen) for about 5 minutes. Then, we were told that we could head up. Weird thing is? No one came down the whole time we were waiting! Why couldn't we head upstairs to wait instead of being told to wait by the kitchen? Anyways, we sat down and perused the menu.

Bread arrived promptly, some Baguette Slices and Crisps, I liked the blend of sesame and poppy seeds. It would have been nice if they told us what the difference between the two spreads were, but I'm guessing butter and margarine? I didn't bother to ask because I don't use either anyways. 
I actually wanted to have their Grilled Octopus but the waitress said they were out. Weird, it was 1:30 and the item was on their dinner menu. Oh well, I decided to get two sides to compensate. The first is the Heirloom Tomato & Burrata Salad. This is made with heirloom tomatoes and fairly generous serving of burrata (more on the other side). There are a few croutons and what looks like black pepper is actually black olive salt. Good thing we had some bread because I needed it to eat the salad. The next item on the menu to round out my lunch was the Salmon Tuna Roll.This is your basic Tuna Roll embellished with some avocado (not listed on the menu so I had to poke it out) and topped with some raw salmon and black tobiko. The presentation is quite pretty and the fish were quite fresh. The only thing could have made it better was the mention of the avocado, I would have asked for it to be made without it, had I know. The fish is sweet and you don't even really need the wasabi and soy but it's a nice to have. For those of you craving something a bit heavier, give their Classic Fish and Chips a try. They use halibut here, which I appreciate but the batter was a touch thick. Parts of the batter had a good crunch, but some bits were a bit doughy. The fries were good, and I do prefer it thin cut. 

Take Note:

• Service is hit and miss, thankfully the food is good.
• Amazing views on a sunny day.
• Free valet at lunch.