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!
Last month, I was fortunate enough to visit both the restaurants at the Vancouver Hyatt. The first event was the Grand Opening of their lounge, called Grain. The second one is my next post featuring an epic Chef's Table dinner from Chef Heinrich.
To accompany their tasty cocktails, they had a wide selection of Charcuterie featuring meats from Oyama Sausage Company. There is the usual Italian Salami, some Beef Bresaola and your trusty Prosciutto. But they also have more exotic things, such as a basque Style Chorizo, and a Duck Prosciutto.
We were treated to a bit of everything, and it was a huge smorgasbord of meaty goodness. And you can help yourself, going back for some of your favourites.
This was my first (of a few) plates, and I tried to get a bit of everything. I liked the Duck Prosciutto the best, but it was a bit fatty. The Toscano Prosciutto was a bit leaner and just as tender.
All their charcuterie boards are served with a Grainy and a non-Grainy Mustard (made in-house), some Pickled Capers and Gherkins. The tang of the veggies and mild heat of the mustard complement the meats very well. They also have a selection of seafood; the first one I sampled was their Prawn Cocktail. Served in individual plates with just a touch of Seafood Sauce, these prawns were plump and very sweet! I felt guilty but I think I inhaled about four of them, in about a minute. And the other amazing seafood appetizer they offered up were Freshly Shucked Oysters. Who can say now to these. Look how cleanly these are shucked, not a speck of shell anywhere!
This is my favourite cocktail of the evening, Vanilla Sky. Although the base is Canadian Club Whisky, this drink was surpringly light. I think the lemon juice really lightens it up, and the vanilla extract give it a rich sweetness. I think my favourite ingredient of them all if this Egg White. I'm in love with cocktails with egg whites lately, and this is a prime reason why. Try it for yourself, you'll love it!
And this is the chef that is overseeing all of the food, Chef Heinrich. My next post? His epic Chef's Table at Mosaic. Stay tuned!
Take Note:
Give their Ginger Pear Martini a try, perfect for a hot day!
Like it Spicy? Try the Kiwi's Big Adventure, with fresh jalapeno.
Best deal for lunch? Prime Rib Salad with a 64 degree egg for just $14
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.
