My Holiday Dinners and Feasts

Happy New Year!

So due to sleeping in and it being a holiday I didn't really update the blog this morning. I didn't know what to post and I wanted it to be a little different. So if you've been following my tweets I've had 8 or 9 Christmas dinners this year. Unfortunately I didn't get pics of all of them, but I did get a few. Just wanted to show you what I've been eating.

Some of the holiday meals were home cooked and some were dine outs. I don't review anything that is homemade by friends or family...because I still want to be invited for dinners! =p But to satisfy your curiosity everything was delicious and I'm so lucky to have friends and family who can cook.

Vancouver Food Blogger dinner at The Irish Heather...review posted tomorrow!
Duck leg with Mushroom & Foie Gras Jus

Christmas dinner with my best friend. We love cooking, we love eating, we love food! The dips we made for our crab cakes. 1) Pesto Cream sauce 2) Sweet Thai Chili with Edamame 3) Curry Pineapple Chutney with Coconut

The crab cakes we made. The only ingredient we prepared was crab meat...everything else was rummage around my kitchen and work with what we have.

1) Crab cake 1: Tropical East! Coconut Curry crab cake crusted with cashews, coconut, and coconut rice crackers. Served with curry pineapple chutney.

2) Crab cake 2: Asian style! Sweet Thai Chili crab cake crusted with peanuts and honey glazed sesame cashews. Topped with Sweet Thai Chili edamame beans.

3) Crab cake 3: Mediterranean style! Pesto and caper crab cakes with Pesto cream sauce.



Dessert after crab cakes was Egg Nog Cupcakes!...and Mochis! You can eat those whenever!


Christmas Eve dinner at Kirin - Peking Duck.
My appetizer. My own creation: Christmas all wrapped up! It was shredded turkey, stuffing, cranberries, mushrooms, purple potatoes wrapped up in filo. Served on home made cranberry sauce.

My friend's drunken risotto made with 2 bottles of Merlot! It also had Italian sausage, onions and spinach. Yum!

Sweet potato mash with toasted marshmallow bake..this was out "vegetable" dish.

Christmas dinner potluck with 6 friends. Sweet potato mash with toasted marshmallow bake, mac n' cheese 1, mac n' cheese with bacon 2, drunken risotto, and honey Dijon glazed ham.

Dessert from Kreation Artisan Cake Bakery

My New Year's Eve 2009 dinner at The Marriott hotel in Vancouver. Charred asparagus with papaya vinaigrette, steamed veggies, roast beef, roast chicken breast, wild mushroom and pearl onion ragout, ravioli with olives, artichokes, baby shrimp and radicchio, roast potatoes etc. etc.

The Shore Club

Restaurant: The Shore Club

Cuisine: Seafood/Steakhouse/West Coast/Fine Dining
Last visited: November 24, 09
Area: Vancouver, BC (Downtown)
688 Dunsmuir St

Price Range: $50+

1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very good 5: Excellent 6: Tres Excellent!!

Food: 4 (I only tried 4 things)
Service: (n/a…for details on why, keep reading…)
Ambiance: 4
Overall: 4
Additional comments:

• Fine dining in Vancouver
• Specializes in seafood and fish
• Relatively traditional mains, but creative starters
• Cocktail lounge
• Great for cocktails/appies
• Open kitchen upstairs
• Live pianist
• Extensive wine list
• Classic/modern decor
• Attracts ages 30+
• Smart casual
• Business, yet relaxed feel
• 2 floors
• Coat check service
• Private rooms available
• Valet parking available

**Recommendation: Vanilla-battered prawns, Dungeness crab cake

The Shore Club is a fine dining seafood restaurant in Vancouver. They specialize in seafood and fresh fish and it part of Gotham’s & Hy’s Steakhouse family. I already mentioned it once in my review for Hy’s Steakhouse…but it doesn’t hurt to say it again…it’s also part of The Keg.

The restaurant is huge with 2 floors. It’s very spacious and the downstairs is more of the lounge, while the upstairs is for dining. It has a business like ambiance, but it’s still fun and relatively casual because of the live piano music…which I always love. It’s definitely less pretentious than Hy’s and maybe even Gotham’s. The lighting isn’t as dark and there’s so much wide space so it doesn’t feel as intimate. Maybe also because we were sitting at the kitchen bar – which was very lively!

Service: My friend knows the manager of The Shore Club so the treatment we received was perhaps better than usual. Mind you anyone can sit at the kitchen counter. If I came again I would make the same request. It was awesome! I love watching the chefs and cooks do their thing – they were so passionate and you can see all the work that goes into your meal. It helps when I’m a foodie and I’m able to interact with them and talk to them. They answered all my questions and trust me; I can ask A LOT of questions. It was after the dinner rish (after 9pm) on a Tuesday so they were able to talk and didn't need to rush any part of the cooking.

I also never told them I was a “restaurant reviewer/blogger/critic”. They were friendly, outgoing, and passionate about the food. What more can I ask for?

On the table:

• **Vanilla-Battered Prawns 6/6
• Spicy sweet and sour sauce $15

• The first question I asked the chef was one of my typical questions: What would you order? Please don’t recommend me the most popular, but what would YOU order for yourself? He made a “sooo good face” and replied with “vanilla-battered prawns”…and finished with a “sooo good face”.
• Woohoo! These were amazing! Seriously, I think it could be the best deep fried prawn I have ever had.

  

• The prawns were pretty big, lightly battered, and very aromatic. They put pure vanilla extract into the batter. It’s a traditional flour batter that was slightly sweet from the vanilla. I’m glad it was simple because I wouldn’t want anything to distract me from the v anilla. It was creative enough already.
• The sauce was amazing…but a simple recipe. I mean I can’t say for sure, but I’m 98% sure it was that sweet chili sauce you can buy in the glass bottle from T&T. It’s not completely made in house; however they infuse it with the seeds from real vanilla beans. You can see all the seeds! It’s spicy, sour and had 2 levels of sweetness – the sweetness it comes with (sugar/plum sauce) and then the vanilla. The idea is genius so I’m fine with it if they use the bottled stuff.

• **Dungeness Crab Cake 5.5/6
• Horseradish dill mayonnaise $18

• So this one intrigued me, so I had to ask about it. Chef’s reply “it’s almost 99% Dungeness crab meat. No fillers.” And I was sold.
  
• It was pretty much almost eating pure Dungeness crab. But for $18 I better be getting a whole lot of crab…and I was.
• It was lightly breaded and had some minced red peppers, chives, and very little bread crumb in the mix just to hold it altogether. There’s no shrimp, no fish, no potatoes – just crab.
• It would have been a 6/6 if it was paired with a better sauce. I really wasn’t feeling the horseradish dill mayonnaise. I couldn’t taste the horseradish at a ll so it kind of tasted like a sauce for kids. It tasted like dill chip dip. I would have liked either more horseradish (freshly grated) or a garlic aioli.

• Bouillabaisse 2.5/6
• The classic, with king and snow crab, prawns and fresh fish in saffron broth $38

• Oh no! It was going all so well…ok I have to really explain this dish.It’s not that it tasted bad. It actually tasted really good. BUT it was not bouillabaisse. It was American bouillabaisse.

• Bouillabaisse is a traditional fish stew that originates from Marseilles – city in the South of France. It’s a fish soup made from slowly cooking fish, veggies, s hellfish and other herbs and spices including saffron. I’ve been to Marseilles and have tried authentic bouillabaisse…and this wasn’t close. The closest thing to the real deal that I’ve tried in Vancouver is the bouillabaisse from dB Moderne in Kitsilano.

• The problem with the one at Shore Club was that it was not an authentic bouillabaisse. It was more like seafood served with a saffron broth. I can’t even call it a seafood soup because all the seafood was cooked separately, plated, and then the saffron broth was served overtop. The seafood and fish should have been cooked right into the soup. The flavours of the seafood are what make the broth!

• It was hearty in seafood, but not in flavour. It kind of tasted like chicken saffron broth, not really seafood broth. It was too thin and it didn’t have that slow-cooked/reduced taste.
• The positive is that they don’t skimp on the fish or shellfish at all. This is almost 2 mains in 1.
  

  

• You get a huge piece of halibut and a huge piece of Sea bass, but both were skinless. The skin holds so much flavour and helps flavour the brot h too. The fish is all pan-fried, but their not oily and only fried until cooked and not browned, which is good for this dish.
• Shellfish includes: 2 prawns, 5 mussels, 4 clams, 3 King & snow crab legs, 2 giant scallops. The crab legs were very juicy and everything was cooked perfectly. What happened was that the actual bouillabaisse became secondary to the seafood.
• It came with a dipping sauce for the seafood which was a red pepper aioli. This was good! It was thickened with potatoes and made completely in house. It was very thick and I couldn’t tell they were potatoes until I was told…and then it was obvious.

• CHEF’S SPECIAL – Pan-fried Oyster
• Ok so this part was purely special treatment. The chef whipped us up one of his specialties – not available on the menu. So to be fair, I can’t rate it. They do offer another version of a pan-fried oyster as a starter but I haven't tried it. It would be the closest alternative I could recommend.
• I only like my oysters raw…except for this time. This is the best tasting cooked oyster I’ve ever had. I’m not saying that because it was a hook up too. It was actually amazing!
• From ingredients, to cooking technique, to plating…he nailed it. Simple plating for this starter actually works unlike the crab cake.
• It was a pan-fried oyster that was placed back its shell after it was cooked. It was accompanied with a sauce made of wilted spinach, cream and garlic. It was topped with foamy butter and served on a bed of sea salt.
• I think they could have been using a Chef's Creek oyster. It was medium medium sized and very plump. It had 3 levels of saltiness & 3 levels of creaminess without being too salty. The texture and flavour came from the butter, the cream, and then the natural salty brine of the oyster.
• It was divine! It was so smooth, so creamy, so rich, so decadent and just perfect.

Dessert

I came for dessert on another night (June 2009, before I started blogging), but I’m going to include it in this post anyways.

I’m actually quite taken back by their dessert menu. I was expecting more extravagant things, but everything was very simple and traditional. It was nothing I couldn’t find anywhere else…maybe even at The Keg =p…at least it’s all made in house though. They could do a way better job. I think they should invest more into their desserts and just offer 4 amazing ones rather than 9 ordinary ones. I can’t rate them because it was too long ago it wouldn’t be fair.

• Old Fashioned Chocolate Brownie $10
• To be honest I don’t remember it that much. I remember it being good at the moment, but it was also just a good chocolate brownie. I was impressed by the serving size though. I was expecting a homemade two-bite brownie.
• Key Lime Pie $10
• I remember it being a big slice. The crust was good and the filling was very sweet and tart…which key lime pie is, so that’s fine. It was rich and heavy though, lots of filling, so it was unfinished. I needed to eat it with the ice cream…from the brownie.
• Vanilla Bean Crème Brulee $10
• For someone who’s not a fan of crème brulee, but will still eat it or at least try it…it wasn’t bad. It was also very ordinary, but again a nice portion size.

Hy’s Steakhouse & Cocktail Bar

Restaurant: Hy’s Steakhouse & Cocktail Bar

Cuisine: American/Steakhouse/Fine Dining/Pacific Nrthwest
Last visited: November 24, 09
Area: Vancouver, BC (Robson Street/West End/Downtown)
637 Hornby St

Price Range: $50+

1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very good 5: Excellent 6: Tres Excellent!!

Food: 3.5 (I only tried 3 things)
Service: 3.5
Ambiance: 2.5
Overall: 3.5
Additional comments:

• Fine dining in Vancouver
• Traditional steakhouse, specializes in steaks
• Chain fine-dining steakhouse restaurant
• 40+ years
• Make Caesar salad & dressing at your table
• Extensive wine list
• Vintage/classic/old/traditional decor
• Cozy atmosphere
• Open flame display grill
• Romantic/Intimate dark lighting
• Attracts ages 45+ & couples
• Busy during dinner
• Coat check service
• Private rooms available
• The best after mints (almost like Mentos)

**Recommendation: Cheese Toast for Two, The ONLY New York Strip

Hy’s Steakhouse is a fine dining steakhouse chain restaurant in Canada. It’s also part of Gotham’s Steakhouse, Shore Club, and even….wait for it…The Keg! Yes, it is a secret – that I am telling. Nonetheless they are steak experts and do well in this category.

The atmosphere is cozy but a bit stuffy as well. The dark hardwood floors are old and creaking and it feels like walking into an old European library. When I say “classic” décor I mean “historic” or antique. From areas of carpeted floors to the series of portrait paintings and older demographic diners…it feels a bit “don’t talk too loud or you’ll disturb the others”. I actually prefer the atmosphere in Gotham’s or Shore Club better…but maybe it’s because of my age. Who knows? In 30 years Hy’s could be my special quiet time dinner place.

By the way, thank you to my friend for letting me know that they have the best mints here out of Gotham’s and Shore Club…and The Keg!

On the table:

• Cheese Toast for Two 6/6
• Cheese toast $5.95

• Fine dining food? Or hangover food?! I will seriously pose that question. This is really good. Indulgent good, comfort food good, and straight to the soul…or heart good!
• This is basically a grilled cheese sandwich without the extra slice of bread.
• It was one slice of really really soft white bread completely covered with a thick layer of baked cheddar cheese and grilled until perfection. I think they could use another cheese, I've heard Gorgonzola but it doesn't taste like it. My guess would be Gruyere or Brie but it has to be Gorgonzola becuase it's the only other cheese on the menu. I doubt they would get another cheese just to use for the cheese toast. I could see the charcoal grill marks on the underside of the bread. I don’t know if they bake it and then grill it, or grill it and then broil it. But the cooking method is perfect.
• Your teeth sink right into it and it’s the "taste so good, but so bad for you" feeling. It's oily, greasy, rich, hearty, very cheesy and stringy. The recipe is so simple, but so delicious and heavenly. You seriously might go to heaven after it though…
• They make it upon order and you’re getting it as close to “hot off the grill” as you can at a restaurant. It’s transferred right from the grill into this tin foil lined bread basket and covered with more tin foil to ensure it stays hot. Almost everyone h ad one on their table.

  

• Filet Steak Neptune 2.5/6
• Butterflied filet mignon, topped with fresh asparagus and blue crabmeat, finished with hollandaise sauce $40.95

• This is one of their house-specialties so that’s why I ordered it. My favourite cut of steak is filet mignon. I like the mignon at Gotham’s better, but I can’t really compare it because I didn’t try the traditional mignon here. I wish I went with that instead though.
• The problem with this one is that I couldn’t tell it was a filet mignon. The main reason is because it was butterflied (meaning sliced widthwise almost until all the way through and opened up) – by using this method it made the filet mignon taste like beef flank steak or maybe tenderloin. I actually had to ask the server if it was a filet mignon because it really didn’t taste like it.

The lighting was difficult for photos, but I want to show the thinness of the mignon after it's been butterflied.

• Out of curiosity, and not because I’m a diva, I had to get the server to explain it…they butterfly it because it has blue crabmeat on top, so they wanted to balance the crab with the steak. They wanted the mignon to actually hold the crab meat.
  
• I understand the explanation but I feel as though they sacrificed the filet mignon for the blue crabmeat. It was such a waste of the mignon because it didn’t end up tasting like one and it was overcooked because it was so thin. I ordered it medium rare and it came out medium to medium well. It was a bit rough and tough.
• There was lots of crab though, with tender asparagus underneath. It came with a divine hollandaise sauce that was baked like the cheese toat was. The sauce was rich, thick, and creamy and had the perfect ratio of butter and egg yolks. That was the best part of this dish, and it almost made up for my steak…that’s where the 3/6 comes from.
  
• I ordered it with pan-fried potatoes, but you have the option of rice, fries, a baked or double stuffed potato. They didn’t have mashed as an option which was unusual, unless our server just forgot to list it.
• These potatoes came with lightly sautéed veggies in olive oil, some herbs, and maybe a little butter too. The veggies weren’t tender but still very crunchy and the onions were still spicy rather than caramelized. I think this is what they were aiming for though, so I can’t really ding them for that.
• The pan-fried potatoes as a side was too simple for a restaurant like this – if I’m fine dining I want something I couldn’t do myself. The pan-fried potatoes I could do myself. I would have preferred thin round slices of Yukon Gold potatoes rather than the chunks I got. The thin slices would have matched the butterflied mignon & crab meat better too.
• The presentation was also too simple for a restaurant like this. I expected more.

• The “ONLY” New York Strip 5/6
• Our signature steak specially prepared with Hy's steak sauce – "Only" available at Hy's 10oz 32.95 14oz 36.95 18oz 40.95

• This is popular because of the ONLY sauce. The ONLY sauce is actually a homemade steak sauce with a kick – it tastes like gourmet HP sauce. It’s just thicker and heavier on the Worchestershire sauce and probably has some Dijon mustard. It’s much more bold and thick than regular steak sauce, almost like a thicker barbeque sauce. It does taste really good though.
• They use a thick layer to marinade the New York Strip before thy grill it. I think they let it rest and then layer on another layer and quickly put it under the broiler right before serving. Upon the cooking process the sauce thickens from a sauce into gravy.
• 
  

• It's hard to see in the picture becuase of lighting, but I wanted to capture the layer of sauce on top.
  

• This was ordered medium-rare and it was served medium rare. Now this was an excellent steak. Tender, flavorful and moist because it had some fat to lock in all the juices.
• We ordered this one with fries – which is a good match because those fries are good with the ONLY sauce.The fries were fresh, thin, crispy and nicely salted.
  

• Insider’s tip: There’s two ways you can order this but it’s not advertised. The first is the original way, how they used to do it – on a wooden plank (like the one in my pictures). The second is the new way – which is just on a plate. At least the presentation on the wooden plank is different. If it came on a round white dinner plate I would have been disappointed because I really expect some sort of presentation for fine dining. I don’t think that’s too much to ask for either.

Grand Lux Cafe

Restaurant: Grand Lux Cafe
Cuisine: American
Last visited: August 24, 09

Area: Las Vegas - Multiple
The Venetian Hotel & Casino 3355 Las Vegas Blvd
Price Range: $10-20

1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very good 5: Excellent 6: Tres Excellent!!

Food: 3.5
Service: 5
Ambiance: 3
Overall: 3
Additional comments:

• Founder of The Cheesecake Factory
• I prefer The Cheesecake Factory
• Big portions, large menu selection
• Very reasonably priced, a bit more expensive than Cheesecake Factory
• European decor, with typical American food
• Nothing gourmet, but just good/big portions of food served in a comfortable & nice atmosphere
• Casual
• Open 24 hours
• Breakfast served all day in Vegas location
• Lunch specials until 5pm

**Recommendation: Short Rib Grilled Cheese, The Max Burger, Chicken Pot Pie

I got this recommendation from the person sitting next to me on my flight down. I was staying at The Venetian and got in quite late so I thought it would be convenient to check it out. I didn't know it was from the same founders of The Cheesecake Factory, but after I found out it was quite obvious. Large portions, all American food, and that luxurious European cafe feel - overall a casual restaurant where you get a bang for your buck. I like the menu and food better at The Cheesecake Factory and they're almost the same menu, but Cheesecake Factory has an even larger menu.

Note: I got some of my photos off the internet, but I only used them if they were close to identical to what I was served. So these are trustworthy photos.

On the table:

• Crabcakes 4/6
• These were really good. They are a bit on the expensive side for I think $13 for 2 relatively normal sized crab cakes. A bit larger and thicker than a hockey puck. You do get a lot of dungeness crab though (just look at the picture) - so it's reasonable for what they charge.
  
• 
• You can actually break away at the crab with your fork and you don't get those cheap additional fillers, so you're actually eating a crab cake and not a shrimp cake. This isn't a high end restaurant or anything so I was quite impressed with the quality of crab cake I got. It wasn't the best I've had or anything, but for this type of chain restaurant I think it was great. It's served very lightly battered and golden brown with a spicy mustard sauce - I would share this if I were to order it again - 2 crab cakes gets a little repetitive and sickening, but one is good.


• **The Max Burger 5/6
• One of their famous selections. Certified Angus beef with cheddar cheese, bacon, sauteed mushrooms, onions and roasted short ribs. Served with fries.

• If you're a fan of a great tasting burger, you have to give this a shot. For me, I would normally pass on a burger at a restaurant like this because there's so many more options I would want to try something different. But my friend ordered it, and I'm glad he did. It's really big though, you have ahard time eating it cause the toppings keep slipping out. The great thing about this burger isn't the size though, it's the quality of the beef patty they used. You can tell that the patty is an Angus beef patty and it's nice and juicy, not dry at all. This isn't a diner or fast food burger and it's not a gourmet burger either (it's still served on a regular burger bun)...but it's just a classic American burger done well.
• Chicken Meatball Sandwich 2/6
• House-made chicken meatballs with melted Fontina cheese and marinara sauce on a buttered roll. Served with fries.

• This was kind of disappointing. Its drenched in marinara sauce so it's kind of hard to eat too. Really messy and soggy. Yes the meatballs are house made and they're quite large, but I think beef/pork meatballs are generally better. They weren't dry, but they come off as a dry because the beef meatballs we're typically used to are just juicier. They kinds of have this aftertaste that wasn't ideal too. I'm not sure what the herb or spice was cause I couldn't really put my finger on it - but it wasn't something you really want to remember. It's edible and ok tasting, but not something I'd care to order again.
• **Short Rib Grilled Cheese Sandwich 5/6
• Slow roasted short ribs, caramelized onions and lots of melted cheese on grilled bread. Served with fries.

• This is a great tasting sandwich. I would actually prefer it to the Max Burger. It tastes as good as it sounds, again well done on the execution. It was a tad greasy, but that's expected when you order something like this. I like that the bread they used, which is a country bread because it gave it this rustic texture and taste to the sandwich. It has a crispy/buttery exterior and it's not too thick so you can bite into it easily without the sandwich being too messy. You get a great amount of short ribs that are really tender, and a good amount of cheese too. I think it's just a cheddar cheese they use, maybe mixed with some Mozzarella too.
• Grilled Ahi Tuna Burger 2/6
• The description on the menu tells you nothing, except that its served on a brioche bun. It's served with grilled onions, lettuce and tomatoes though. It doesn't look great, and it's pretty plain and bland, it kind of was.

• This was good becuase we were hungry. I've had better before for sure! (Still the best at Joey's). This was better tasting than the one from Le Grande Orange Cafe though. The quality of tuna was alright, but it's very basic and something you could put together at home. There's no specialty here, so don't expect to be blown away or anything. I feel like they added it on the menu, just to have it on, but they didn't really put care into making it good - probably cause the clientèle wouldn't really order it. They did a great job on the grilled onions though - and it's nice to a have a brioche bun with this type of sandwich.
• Salisbury Chopped Steak 4/6
• Chopped steak mixed with onions, mushrooms, and garlic. Served with mashed potatoes, pickled shredded red beets, and veggies.

• This thing is HUGE! It's a lot of meat served with mashed potatoes in a rolled layer on top. Its the combination of the steak and the creamy whipped potatoes that made this really good. It's quite saucy and tastes like a traditional Salisbury steak - all American flavours and tastes. The meat was really ground up and it was almost like a meatloaf, but a bit drier - not dry though. Just drier compared to a meatloaf. The veggies were all ground into this steak patty so you weren't biting into chunks of it or anything. This was quite tasty - but I guess you can't really go wrong with beef, gravy, and creamy mashed potatoes. The steak was flavourful and tender on it's own, but when it's covered by gravy and mashed potatoes you can't really tell...whatever it was still good for what it was though; I can't rate this like I would a fine dining place, cause it's not.
• 
  
• The red beets were good, but I wasn't a fan of them being pickled. Thy taste better with this meal not pickled. It was almost like eating red sauerkraut.
• **Chicken Pot Pie
• I did not order this - but I will next time. The man next to me ordered it and it was SO big. The biggest I've seen. It came in a large bowl with a huge crust baked on top...so the bowl holds the filling and not the crust. It looked really impressive and tasty - all of us wanted to try it. We were considering going back to order this. The crust is made in house, and it's really big so I think the ratio of crust to pie filling would be perfect. I don't know how it tastes, but I will try it for sure!
• It was so big, I had to take a picture of it from the guy who ordered it beside me. The picture I used for this blog isn't the picture I took though...but it's almost the same, I just think this one was a better angle. (I had to take mine from a distance - which is understandable because it wasn't even my order...how odd would that have been?)
  

RauDZ Regional Table

Restaurant: RauDZ Regional Table
Cuisine: Contemporary/West coast/Seafood
Last visited: August 14, 09

Area: Kelowna, BC
1560 Water Street
Price Range: $20-30

1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very good 5: Excellent 6: Tres Excellent!!

Food: 5
Service: 3
Ambiance: 5, mainly b/c of history and concept
Overall: 5
Additional comments:

• To locals and tourists it's one of the best restaurant in Kelowna
• Reincarnation of a 4 diamond, award-winning fine dining restaurant - still same owner/chef
• All time favourites from Fresco are still on the menu
  
• Focus on organic, fresh, natural, all regional food
• Everything is from local bakeries/farms etc. in Kelowna
• Homemade sauces/condiments/dressings
• Very unique flavours and chef creations - but everything was missing a little salt and came across as a tad bland - yes, fresh ingredients, but when it all came together it was missing that punch
• Simple ingredients, but unique recipes and combination of flavours
  
• Excellent presentation with really decent portions - not huge, and not small
  
• Very reasonable prices for what you are getting - a gourmet bargain, however overall experience impressed me more than the food
• They offer a sample menu, but they don't advertise it and you need to ask your server
  
• They don't take reservations and open 5pm daily
• Drink specialties: Fresh fruit martinis
• Complimentary gourmet housemade lollipops when you get your bill eg: Tangerine & Thyme lollipop

**Recommendation: Crab Cappuccino, BLT, Arctic Char, Signature dessert, fresh fruit martinis

How I discovered this restaurant was completely by chance, luck was on my side...so I'm glad I fell upon it. If I were in Kelowna again I would go back to this restaurant to try other things are their menu.

I walked by the restaurant at around 5pm and stopped to take a look at their menu posted outside. There was a couple from Seattle waiting outside the restaurant for it to open and they strongly recommended us to try this restaurant. They said it was their favourite and that they dine here everytime they are in Kelowna. They said they come especially for their Crab Cappuccino which enticed my immediately. I took a quick look over their menu and saw the most creative dishes eg: hot dog with lavender mustard - right then and there I knew I had found my dinner spot for the night.

I went in to put my name down for a reservation but the hostess said it was so busy that reservations were not accepted...as if I wasn't convinced enough; now I knew I had to check out what the hype was all about. We basically ordered everything that was recommended on their menu, but I'll discuss the best out of those.

Overall, the experience was better than the food, although the food was by no means disappointing. It's comparable to great restaurants in Vancouver.

On the table:

• **Crab Cappuccino 4/6
• Dungeness crab, milk froth

• One of the most popular items on the menu. It actually originates from the old Fresco menu, the restaurant that came before RauDz...it's such a favourite it had to stay on.
• The presentation was lovely. It was good, but lacked a little bit of saltiness, it wasn't sweet either though...it was just a bit bland. The texture is not thick and creamy, it's the texture of a cappuccino made with whole milk, so it's not heavy or filling.
• It came with 2 larger pieces of dungeness crab which is a bit disappointing because I expected more. The dungeness crab flavour wasn't brewed into the cappuccino broth...it was more just 2 pieces of crab found in the broth. I found they should have chopped it up a bit more rather than just putting in 2 big chunks. I understand that they did this because it's called a "cappuccino" not a "soup"...but still.
• A nice subtle hint of cappuccino flavour and I think I tasted a little saffron which was great. It came with a nice frothy foam on top, and it's actually good as an appetizer or even order it for the end of your meal.
• It is a must try because it's unique and you can't find it anywhere, but I wouldn't need to order it again or anything. For $12 I found it on the expensive side, but because everyone orders it they can afford to keep it there.
• Calamari 4/6
• Another favourite item from the Fresco menu.
• Fresh calamari stuffed with sundried olive stuffing on a bed of roasted cauliflower salad.

• This calamari was very fresh and not the deep fried kind that you typically get served when you order a Calamari. You could really taste the freshness of these beautiful squids. Eat these little guys in one bite otherwise the stuffing oozes out and your ratio of calamari to stuffing is off. The stuffing is fabulous! Nice and salty, a great texture where you can taste the olives and the hint of sundried tomatoes. The squids don't taste salted, you get the saltiness from the olive stuffing. The olive stuffing was almost a spread - I would love to eat it with crostini or warm baguette.
• The cauliflower salad was very nice. Small pieces of roasted cauliflower, I think it could have used some capers in there because again it was a tad bland.
• ** BLT 5/6
• Grilled salmon, pancetta, fig anise toast, baked fries

• The fig anise toast made this sandwich! They order this fig & anise bread from the local bakery in Kelowna called The Bread Company - see my review on this bread and on this cafe because we tried it the next morning.
• Nice piece of fresh and moist salmon, you get a bit of saltiness from the pancetta and the sweetness of the figs. The taste is in the quality of ingredients.
• Fries - the fries they use made of Yukon Gold potatoes, and they aren't cut in house but they do bake them in house with their special infrared oven - these fries are really good and taste deep-fried...but they're not!
• I liked the little dish of salad it came with - that was actually not bland
  
• Fish & Chips 3/6
• Baked chickpea batter pacific rockfish, fennel spiced chips, cucumber tartar
• The picture for this was too blurry, so I didn't realize it at the time...so I apologize for having no picture.

• Nothing too spectacular, big pieces of fish and the fennel spiced chips are fries
  
• I'll repeat my fry message above - it's made of Yukon Gold potatoes and they're baked and are genuinely as good as deep fried ones.
• **Arctic Char 6/6
  
• Oat crusted, maple butter, potato, bacon & spinach sautee

• This was my favourite entree of the bunch. Another signature entree form the Fresco menu.
• For me the feature of your entree also known as the protein should be the stand out of your entree, for this dish - it was! The oat crust was amazing - I would order this again for sure.
• Halibut 4/6
• Raudz spice rub, grilled potato, and walla walla onion salad, blueberry and nectarine salsa

• Very good, but not excellent. What made this dish was the blueberry and nectarine salsa - I wish it was the halibut...but it wasn't. The Arctic char was better. The halibut was on the dry side for me and because it was such a thick piece and it was coated in this dry rub it became even more dry. I had to enjoy every bite with the salsa, and I think you should be able to enjoy your protein with or without condiments if it's done really well.
• Blueberry and nectarine salsa was excellent! Fresh local fruit, very well composed and great texture. You can see the quality and freshness. Could have used a squeeze of lime or maybe some lime zest to really bring out that fruity flavour. I'd ask for lime and do it myself next time. But I may not order this again, I would rather try something else.
• Best presentation out of all the entrees
• Lamb 5/6
• Bbq double chop and tenderloin, homemade gnocchi, oyster mushroom and arugula saute, tomato and molasses BBQ sauce

• This was better than the halibut, but not as good as the arctic char. Really decent sized portion and the lamb was very tender.
• The stand out of this dish was the homemade gnocchi, you could really taste the potato in it - best part of the dish, and one of the best gnocchi I've tried. It's easy to get the oyster mushrooms confused with the gnocchi though because they look the same and are same in size. The BBQ sauce was more tomato based, and it did have a unique homemade flavour - can really tell they put care into their sauces and the texture was perfect! - Not too runny and not too thick and bold enough to stand up to lamb, but subtle enough to not overpower the main ingredient.

Dessert

• **Signature 6/6
  
• Double chocolate mashed potato brioche, raspberry sorbet, warm chocolate sauce

• Holy crap...this was soooo good! We literally consumed it in under 45 seconds. This is a dessert I would dream about and what to go back for. This is SO their signature dessert and SHOULD NOT BE MISSED.
  
• It was $10 and I'd pay more for it.
  
• This potato brioche is amazing, it's so moist and decadent. The raspberry sorbet is made in house and was the perfect accompaniment to this dish.
• Blueberry Tart 4/6
  
• Apricot salad and sour cream ice cream

• This was good, but not the best tart I've had. The apricot salad was 2 apricots cut in half and I think they should have really chopped it up into smaller pieces. It would have been better and the apricots would have been more tender. The blueberries and apricots were all from local farmers and were fresh - so I think they wanted to let them stand out on their own...but they didn't. If I order it as a dessert I would prefer them to be used more creatively and then have them fresh as a garnish.
• Sour cream ice cream - homemade...and a great choice to match with this tart. This was my favourite part, you could tell that it was sour cream ice cream but it wasn't too sour or too pungent. Quality ice cream that was a perfect match for fruit.
• Hands down the Signature dessert was better

Drinks

• Must try their fresh fruit martinis - they have an extensive drink/wine menu, but their specials are their fresh fruit martinis.
  
• We tried their Blackberry martini made with a fresh blackberry puree and aloe - great texture and you can taste the aloe - brilliant ingredient to use with fresh fruit I have now discovered

NU Restaurant + Lounge

Complimentary Mini Scone, Raspberry Jam & Hot Chocolate

Restaurant: Nu Restaurant + Lounge - Brunch review
Cuisine: West Coast/Pacfic Northwest/French
Last visited: June 6, 09
Area: Vancouver - Downtown
1661 Granville Street
Price Range: $20-30

1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very good 5: Excellent 6: Tres Excellent!!

Food: 5
Service: 5
Ambiance: 5
Overall: 5
Additional comments:

• Great view, contemporary and posh decor and furniture (futuristic/space-like/groovy feel)
• Relaxed atmosphere
• Creative dishes - West coast flavours, seasonal menus
• Housemade gelato & sorbets (seasonal/changing flavours)
• Complimentary mini scone with raspberry jam & hot chocolate for brunch starter
• Live Jazz music for Sunday brunch
• Free parking

**Recommendation: Dungeness crab benedict, Brioche French Toast

I've been to Nu a few times, twice for dinner and once for brunch (on my birthday). This entry will focus specifically on their brunch. I thought everything on the whole was really good. However they could have done a better balancing the sweet and savoury aspects of each dish.

On the table:

• Okanagan Apple & Pear Fritters with maple yogurt 4/6
  
• I liked this as a dessert. It had a cinnamon sugar sprinkle and a light batter which was nice, so I felt as though I was actually eating apples and pears rather than just batter. The yogurt was a nice complimen t too. Great presentation.
  
• Smoked salmon benedict 5/6
• This was really nice. The eggs were poached to a medium, if I was dining alone I would have requested it to be a bit slighter on the undercooked side. It came with a side salad.
• **Dungeness crab benedict 6/6
  
• This was one of my favourites. You get a nice amount of crab for what you pay for. A gourmet benedict
• Brie & Black Truffle Omelette 2/6
  
• Nothing too spectacular. I probably wouldn't order it again, although there was nothing wrong with it. Lacked a bit of flavour or felt like something was missing with the texture.
  
• **Brioche French toast 6/6
  
• This was another favourite! Brioche French toast served with caramelized pear wedges. A nice amount of pecans pieces - not crumbs - served on top! The maple butter and syrup was a great touch. Very rich and very moist. We enjoyed this as a dessert. Loved the texture of soft brioche with crunchy pecans. I think it would have been extra tasty is they spiced the pecans with one or two seasonings just to add another dimension in flavour.
• Tomato & red pepper frittata 2/6
• Good, but there's better on the menu. It came with a lentil and chick pea stew - tomato based stew. The stew was meh...but was a unique side to the frittata.
• Mimosa
• Standard, nice and refreshing with the fritters.
• Mint Syrup
  
• Nice complement to the fruit salad.

• Dessert:
• Chocolate souffle 4/6
  
• This isn't on the menu for the summer though. They replaced it with a flourless chocolate cake. This chocolate souffle was coked halfway so the inside was still gooey and lava like. Very rich and moist. It was served with a coconut gelato, which is a must otherwise its hard to finish it alone...it's really decadent.
• Frozen orange mousse 5/6
  
• Perfect for the summer! Nice, light and refreshing. Really unique dessert. Advice: with every bite of the frozen mousse make sure you dip it into the passion fruit coulis it comes with. That is really the part that tops off this frozen orange mousse. Really good with a Mimosa!
• Sorbets: They change all the time. Made in house too. About 7 flavours at a time. We had their red current (which was the fav), the pink grapefruit, and green apple. All were good, and REAL fruit flavoured!