Vancouver Food, Travel, Lifestyle & Photography Blog
Things got really “out of hand” at the Halloween party this year…
I picked up these Halloween goodies from Breka Bakery: Pumpkin Dule De Leche Donut, Long-John Ghost Donut, Chocolate Spider-Web Donut, and Finger Cookies. Hope you had a spooktacular Halloween!
Say “Aloha” to Sneeki Tiki, Vancouver’s newest Tiki experience located on Granville Street in Downtown Vancouver. Inspired in part by tiki carvings and mythology, Tiki culture began in the United Stations and is a 20th-century theme used in Polynesian-style restaurants and clubs.
Disclosure: I was invited to a media event where all food and drinks were complimentary. Opinions are my own.
At Sneeki Tiki, you will be transported to a tropical paradise with their Tiki-inspired drinks and food menu. I was invited to a media event at Sneeki Tiki. Here’s a look at what you can expect.
For drinks, Sneeki Tiki offers Signature and classic rum-based cocktails, Tiki Bowls to be shared between 2-4 people, Sneeki Cocktail creations, draft beer and wine.
We orderd the Scorpion Tiki Bowl featuring light rum, gin, brandy, triple sec, orgeat, falernum, cane sugar, guava, and papaya juice.
To accompany these drinks, Sneeki Tiki has a menu of Island-inspired eats with a twist. There are Maui Sliders featuring 2 mini pineapple buns stuffed with braised short ribs and kale slaw, the Tiki Bap (their take on the Korean bibimbap) and the Rockin the Stick ( mahi mahi fish sticks panko served with potato wedges or asian slaw) and so forth.
Polynesian dance and live music will also be featured at Sneeki Tiki on select dates and times.
For a funky, playing and unique experience, Sneeki Tiki might be worth checking out.
Sneeki Tiki
Address: 1100 Granville St, Vancouver, BC
Website: sneekitiki.com/
One of the most exciting new restaurant openings that took place last year was Botanist at the Fairmont Pacific Rim. The restaurant showcases the botany of British Columbia from a culinary perspective. Botanist is open 7 days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner and features a cocktail bar and lab, garden, dining room, and champagne lounge – all inspired by the principals of botany.
Last December, Diana (foodology.ca), David (pickydiners.com) and I visited Botanist to try their multi-course dinner tasting menu priced at $108 per person. Note: This is not a sponsored post. The food and drinks were not complimentary. Opinions are my own.
We came in on a Friday night for an 8 pm reservation and the restaurant was buzzing. The lighting was dim in the main dining area which was a contrast to the well-lit open kitchen.
To start, I had the Not Yet, a spirit-free drink featuring carrot, beet, ginger, lemon and sparkling water.
We then received a complimentary order of bread topped with herbs and seeds.
With a vibrant presentation, the crispy, crackly dried sturgeon chicharron with fermented vegetables was a great start.
We were then presented with a salad made with beets, pecans, oranges, and Ashley’s Goat cheese. The ingredients were fresh and flavourful and the arrangement of the salad was very pretty.
Next was the lobster with a sunchoke veloute and chive chantilly. The buttery, tender and juicy lobster went well with the creamy, nutty and smooth lobster veloute.
The diver scallop was seared perfectly and was very tender. It was accompanied by Brussel sprouts, guanciale (Italian cured pork) and celeriac foam.
Our fourth dish was the bison which was lean, slightly gamy, slightly sweet. At this point, we were getting pretty full but we pushed on! The meat was accompanied by Saskatoon Berry which added to the sweetness, mushrooms and cauliflower.
For dessert, we had the Hakuju chocolate pate, passionfruit pulp and licorice ice cream. It was a creative dessert with a unique presentation that had sweet, bitter, salty and sour flavours.
The server for our meal was stellar and she explained all the dishes wonderfully. The pace of our multi-course meal was also on point.
We had a great time with the tasting menu at Botanist. I enjoyed the creative take on the dishes featuring BC ingredients, the super service, and the inviting environment. I would recommend the tasting menu at Botanist and at a price of $108 per person I thought it was fairly valued. Rating: 5/5
Botanist at Fairmont Pacific Rim
Address: 1038 Canada Pl, Vancouver, BC
Website: www.botanistrestaurant.com
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The sun is shining and there’s no better way to spend summer in Vancouver than sipping cocktails on a rooftop patio. The patio at D/6 Lounge and Bar in Parq Vancouver is now open for all-day dining (11:30 am – 9:30 pm). Whether it’s lunch with a laptop or a lavish affair with your crew, D/6’s thoughtful all-day fare menu works for any occasion. I was recently invited to long table lunch at D/6 Bar and Lounge. Here’s a look at the delicious eats and sips I enjoyed.
Disclosure: All food and drinks at this media event were complimentary.
Perched beneath the eaves of BC Place on the 6th floor of Parq Vancouver, D/6’s patio is a great place to enjoy cocktails al fresco.
My favourites from the luncheon were the Trio, Edamame Hummus, Chicken Wing Bar, Farmstead Greek Feta Salad, and Pride Cake.
D/6 Bar & Lounge at Parq Vancouver
Address: 39 Smithe St, Vancouver, BC
Website: www.parqvancouver.com/restaurants/d6/
Taking part in weekend brunch is a decidedly indulgent and wonderful way to enjoy your time off. At Notch 8 Restaurant located inside the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, weekend brunch is a delicious affair with Chef-led action stations, hot and cold offerings and a decadent dessert bar. The brunch is available on Sundays from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm; adults $59 and $29 for kid 12 and under. Having enjoyed Notch 8’s breakfast buffet, I was excited to try Notch 8’s weekend brunch. Here is a look at my experience.
Disclosure: I visited Notch 8 as media where my meal was complimentary. Opinions are my own.
To start, diners can choose from either a mimosa or Caesar cocktail as part of the buffet.
The buffet has a variety of offerings and is organized into different sections.
The pastry section features rustic artisanal bread, cereals, fresh pastries, juice, smoothies, whole fruits as well as carved fruits. Some of the cold offerings include coconut chia seed pudding and salads (like heirloom tomato bruschetta salad).
The charcuterie section features cheese boards as well as seafood platter with hot smoked salmon, sockeye candied salmon and cold smoked prawns.
Hot offerings are aplenty and include steamed dumplings (like har gaw and siew mai), French toast, wild salmon frittata, Canadian Bacon Benedicts, Porchetta Hash and more.
At the carving station, you’ll find classic prime rib, the feature rotisserie (it was Turkey when I was there) as well as Yorkshire Pudding and gravy.
Notch 8’s Chef de Cuisine Will Lew leads a very elaborate “Eggs on Toast“ action station. The dish can certainly be customized to your liking and here is the impressive list of ingredients available:
It was very entertaining to watch Chef Will create my customized Eggs on Toast creation complete with a fiery torching.
The drool-worthy dessert bar comes complete with a decadent selection that includes strawberry cake, pumpkin bundt cake, crème brulee, pecan pie, sticky toffee pudding, blueberry crumble, the OMG cake, cheesecake.
Diners can also enjoy music from a live DJ.
I certainly enjoyed the sweet and savoury offerings at Notch 8’s decadent brunch buffet. The weekend brunch buffet at Notch 8 is a great way to gather with friends and family over delicious food in a warm and inviting environment. I would love to revisit in the future and would recommend the buffet to others.
For reservations or more information, 604-662-1900 or email hvc.concierge@fairmont.com.
Notch 8 Restaurant & Bar
Address: 900 W Georgia St, Vancouver, BC
Website: www.notch8-dining.com
Granville Street’s only rooftop patio and bar is now open! At the Dublin Calling Rooftop, guests can enjoy the sun while indulging in beverages and bites, weekend brunch or catching a game in an upbeat and inviting outdoor location. The Dublin Calling Rooftop will be open from Monday until Sunday daily from 11 am to 1 am.
Special weekend brunch includes avocado toast topped with a sunny side up egg as well a sweet bailey’s cheesecake stuffed French toast. Along with these brunch items guests can indulge in classic pub fare and daily drink specials.
The Dublin Calling Rooftop is an outdoor expansion of the popular Dublin Calling Party Pub & Kitchen. There you’ll find pub grub, Pool, Ping Pong, Skee Ball, Dart lanes, Foosball, Extreme Shot Basketball, BuckHunter and Golden Tee, along with 35 big screen TVs. Broadcasting sports matches of every kind, Dart Lanes and Pool tables can also be reserved every day of the week from 11 a.m. until late.
Here are a few photos from last night’s media launch:
Dublin Calling
Address: 900 Granville St, Vancouver, BC
Website: dublincalling.com/vancouver
I’m a fan of Notch 8 restaurant having tried their afternoon tea a few times as well as dinner. This past weekend, we celebrated my friend’s birthday with a breakfast get-together at Notch 8 Restaurant inside the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. For breakfast, there is the buffet option as well as a la carte options. Here’s a look at my breakfast experience at Notch 8.
Notch 8 offers two breakfast buffet options. There is the Continental Buffet ($28 per person) which includes a selection of breakfast pastries, cereal, granola, fresh fruit and berries with your choice of fresh juice, freshly brewed coffee or Fairmont teas. You can also opt for the Full Breakfast Buffet which includes both hot and cold morning selections ($34 per person). The hot and cold items are in separate sections of the buffet area.
In general, I thought that there was a lot of variety with the breakfast buffet. It was nice that they offered gluten-free breakfast bread and muffins. For the hot section, there were buttermilk pancakes, Irish steel cut oatmeal, crepes with poached pear compote, porchetta hash, herb roasted nugget potato, and chicken & apple sausage. There were even some dim sum: steamed pork and shrimp dumplings. The hot food were kept warm in oval stoneware dishes as opposed to the usual stainless steel buffet tray.
One standout was the hot maple smoked salmon toast with poached egg and hollandaise sauce.
In general, I really enjoyed how everything tasted and the type of food offered. Below is a photo of my plate from the buffet. We had one main server for our party and service was excellent. All hot drinks were ordered through her and she brought them out in a timely manner. There was an automatic 15% gratuity which was added to our bill.
What was also great about dining at Notch 8 was that our party could opt for the buffet and a la carte. That is, they did not enforce everyone at the table to have the same thing. It was really nice of them to be flexible in that sense. One of girls in our group had this lovely Ricotta Honey Toast featuring honey fig walnut whole wheat loaf, stone fruits, vanilla mascarpone, pistachio brittle and maple syrup.
Thanks to Notch 8 restaurant, the birthday girl received a special dessert platter featuring some of Notch 8’s popular desserts. This included the following:
Birthday candles were placed on the two #OMG cake slices. After we sang Happy Birthday, the birthday girl blew out the candles.
I really enjoyed the breakfast buffet experience at Notch 8 restaurant. Food tasted great; options were plentiful; and service was 5-star. Our party of 10 had a wonderful time and I would definitely recommend Notch 8 for special events and group dining. Rating: 5/5
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Notch 8 Restaurant & Bar
Address: 900 W Georgia St, Vancouver, BC
Website: www.notch8-dining.com
Cambie Village’s build-your-own pizza and salad eatery, Assembli, has just opened a second location in Downtown Vancouver. Located in the heart of the financial district at 1066 West Hastings, Assembli’s newest location allows customers to customize their own meal at one set price. I was invited to a media event at Assembli last night. Here’s a look at what you can expect.
Disclosure: All food and drinks in this post were complimentary. Opinions are my own.
Pizzas and salads are made fresh-to-order at Assembli and all priced at $14. The ingredients are presented and labeled in their “assembly” bar. Assembli takes pride in their quality ingredients: fresh, non-GMO, hormone-free, antibiotic-free, and local and organic when possible.
If you’re feeling adventurous, the DIY option is certainly the way to go with all the toppings you want. Salad bases include organic mixed greens, romaine, kale and more while pizza bases come in original crust or gluten-free (+$3). Protein choices are aplenty including herb-roasted chicken, cajun chicken, pepperoni, genoa salami, ham, spicy chorizo, bacon, shrimp, herb and olive oil tofu, and more. And there is certainly no shortage of toppings like chili pineapple, pineapple, roasted garlic, roasted root veggies, roasted red peppers and more. There are over 50 toppings to choose from.
Now if you’re feeling lazy and want to keep it simple, Assembli offers house-made selections. For pizza, the selection includes Smooth Crimini Kale (sautéed mushrooms, mozzarella, olive oil tossed kale, artichoke, red onion, white sauce), Carne-Dian (seasoned ground beef, pepperoni, bacon, mozzarella, sautéed mushrooms, red onion, spicy tomato sauce) and more. For salads, there is the O-Mega Braniac (mixed greens, quinoa, cucumber, cabbage, blueberries, beets, avocado salsa, walnuts, seed mix, glory dressing) and so forth.
Having tried Assembli before, I have a few personal favourites. I had to have (again) the Sexy Hippie Salad (brown rice, quinoa, roasted root veggies, celery, beets, parsley, walnuts, apple, honey and dijon dressing) and the Hawaii 5-0 (ham, mozzarella, chili pineapple, spicy tomato sauce).
One attendee ordered a gluten-free crust; the shape of the crust is rather pretty!
Red Truck Beer provided beer pairings for the evening. The selection included Red Truck Lager, Red Truck Ale, and Northwest IPA.
Assembli – Downtown Vancouver
Address: 1066 West Hastings
Website: http://www.assembli.ca
Mosaic Grille at the Hyatt Regency Hotel is a destination for modern casual dining in the heart of Downtown Vancouver. Their seasonally-inspired contemporary menu features locally sourced produce, sustainable seafood and fresh ingredients. I had the opportunity to try their winter season dinner features. Here’s a look at the delicious creations by the Mosaic Grill team.
Disclosure: All food and drinks in this review were complimentary. Opinions are my own.
Mosaic Grill’s spacious dining space is in a prime location which allows diners to enjoy views of Downtown Vancouver.
To start, complimentary dinner rolls in a basket arrived at the table.
One of the appetizers we tried was the squash salad featuring ash ripened goat cheese, pomegranate, baby kale, puffed grains, pumpkin seeds and honey vinaigrette. A very tasty winter salad with tanginess from the goat cheese, bursts of sweetness from the pomegranate and honey vinaigrette.
This dish spelled all sorts of wintry comfort with the creamy, smooth roasted parsnip veloute and the chestnuts, mushroom pate, sage on rye bread.
The farm fed game hen entree featured celeriac puree, wild mushrooms, foie gras potato croquette, roasted pear, and glazed cipollini onion jus. The chicken was wonderfully tender and the croquette was nicely golden on the inside with a tender, hot fois gras potato filling.
Another entree I tried was the bison short ribs with smoked carrot puree, salt baked turnips, spiced brown butter mash potato, preserved ramps, puffed beef crisp and merlot shallot jus. The dish was particularly interesting in terms of presentation with the puffed beef crisp.
For dessert, a Pumpkin Pie Parfait – a sort of deconstructed dessert with Earl Gray short bread, candied walnuts, white chocolate and coconut lemon cream.
A rich and flavourful dessert, this spiced pear crumble featured a cardamom poached pear, bourbon gelato, fennel pollen anglaise and cinnamon tuile.
The Mosaic Grille culinary team never ceases to impress me with their well-executed and creative dishes. Their winter menu is worth trying before the season ends. My ideal three-course menu would be the Roasted Parsnip Veloute, Bison Short Ribs and Spiced Pear Crumble.
Mosaic Grille & Bar
Address: 655 Burrard St, Vancouver, BC V6C 2R7
Website: https://vancouver.regency.hyatt.com/en/hotel/dining/MosaicGrille.html
If you’re a fan of classical Hollywood cinema, you most definitely need to indulge in Notch 8‘s newest afternoon tea theme. The Silver Screen Hollywood Afternoon Tea celebrates the golden age of Hollywood when Marilyn Monroe, Grace Kelly, Humphrey Bogart and Marlon Brando graced the screens. This afternoon tea set is available now until April 1st with sittings at 11am, 1pm & 3pm from Wednesday to Sundays and priced $65 for adults and $32.50 for children. I recently had the opportunity to try out the Silver Screen Hollywood Afternoon Tea. Here’s a look at what you can expect.
Disclosure: I was invited for a media tasting. All food and drinks in this review were complimentary. Opinions are my own.
The afternoon tea experience at Notch 8 is not just about the food but in the decor and ambiance as well. Placted throughout the room are photos of revered Hollywood stars from the past, movie clapboards and even the occasional Oscar trophy.
On one side of the room, there was a movie screen playing a black and white movie under red velvet curtains.
This tea set features three “courses”: The Red Carpet, The Matinee, and The Silver Screen Premiere. Guests will receive scones with clotted cream, delectable savory bites like the Steak ‘Oscar’ Truffle Sandwich with Tenderloin and Dungeness Crab, and the Caviar & Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs, as well as mouthwatering sweets like the Lights, Camera, Action – Green Tea & Cherry Gateaux Clapboard. You also have choice of Fairmont teas and themed cocktails are available at extra.
Notch 8 is known for their creative cocktails and they have a few created for the Silver Screen Hollywood Afternooon Tea.
Paying tribute to the one and only Marilyn Monroe, The Marilyn features Finlandia, fresh raspberries, fresh lemon with sparkling water.
Named after Humphrey Bogart, The Bogart has Kraken spiced Rum, Crème de Cacao, Fernet Branca, and chocolate bitters.
To start, a refreshing, creamy and berry-licious palate cleanser.
We received two scone flavours, Cranberry and Giandujia Chocolate, along with clotted cream and citrus butter on the side. The scones were amazing as usual being very light, buttery and flaky.
Our three-tier afternoon tea set consisted of The Matinee (savouries) and The Silver Screen Premier (sweets).
The savories included the Steak “Oscar” Truffle Sandwich; Cobb Salad on Melba Toast; Green Goddess Salad with Lobster and Ruby Red Grapefruit; Chicken A la Keene Gougère; and Caviar and Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs.
One of my favourite savoury items was the steak truffle sandwich which had tenderloin steak, dungeness crab, Béarnaise aioli and truffle. The aroma and flavour from the truffle made this sandwich very appealing.
I also very much enjoyed the deviled eggs with caviar. Definitely one of the more beautifully yet also tasty items from the savoury selection.
For sweets, there were some very creative and beautifully presented treats: Chocolate Tuxedo, Lights, Camera, Action, Reel to Reel, Walk of Fame and Marilyn Linzer.
Underneath this well-dressed treat was a flourless chocolate cake. Very moist and just right in terms of decadence.
Green tea lovers, rejoice! This movie clapboard-inspired treat had a mix of green tea and cherry gateaux.
Inspired by movie reel, this shortbread cookie featured burnt caramel cream and cocoa nib.
If a tart were made to look like you, what would it be? This Marilyn Monroe-inspired Linzer Tart had passion & mango fluid gel, almond crisp and passion fruit foam (to mimic Marilyn’s blonde hair).
Notch 8 continues to put out entertaining, creative and most definitely delicious afternoon tea themes. The Silver Screen Hollywood theme is one of my favourites yet. For reservations or more information, please call 604-662-1900, email hvc.concierge@fairmont.com or book on OpenTable.
