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Assembli in Downtown Vancouver Now Open

March 14, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

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.

Build Your 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.

What I Tried

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

Dinner at Hyatt Regency Vancouver’s Mosaic Grille

February 25, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

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.

Prime Location

Mosaic Grill’s spacious dining space is in a prime location which allows diners to enjoy views of Downtown Vancouver.

What I Tried

Dinner Rolls

To start, complimentary dinner rolls in a basket arrived at the table.

Appetizer: Delicata Squash Salad ($14)

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.

Appetizer: Roasted Parsnip Veloute ($12)

This dish spelled all sorts of wintry comfort with the creamy, smooth roasted parsnip veloute and the chestnuts, mushroom pate, sage on rye bread.

Entree: Farm Fed Game Hen ($30)

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.

Entree: Bison Short Ribs ($31)

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.

Dessert: Pumpkin Pie Parfait ($11)

For dessert, a Pumpkin Pie Parfait – a sort of deconstructed dessert with Earl Gray short bread, candied walnuts, white chocolate and coconut lemon cream.

Spiced Pear Crumble ($12)

A rich and flavourful dessert, this spiced pear crumble featured a cardamom poached pear, bourbon gelato, fennel pollen anglaise and cinnamon tuile.

Overall Impression

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

Silver Screen Hollywood Afternoon Tea

February 6, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

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.

Old Hollywood Glamour

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.

Silver Screen Hollywood Afternoon Tea Menu

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.

Silver Screen Cocktails

Notch 8 is known for their creative cocktails and they have a few created for the Silver Screen Hollywood Afternooon Tea.

The Marilyn

Paying tribute to the one and only Marilyn Monroe, The Marilyn features Finlandia, fresh raspberries, fresh lemon with sparkling water.

The Bogart

Named after Humphrey Bogart, The Bogart has Kraken spiced Rum, Crème de Cacao, Fernet Branca, and chocolate bitters.

THE RED CARPET

Raspberry & Cranberry Cremeaux, Golden Streusel

To start, a refreshing, creamy and berry-licious palate cleanser.

Scones

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 Matinee

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.

Steak “Oscar” Truffle Sandwich

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.

Caviar and Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs

I also very much enjoyed the deviled eggs with caviar. Definitely one of the more beautifully yet also tasty items from the savoury selection.

The Silver Screen Premier

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.

Chocolate Tuxedo

Underneath this well-dressed treat was a flourless chocolate cake. Very moist and just right in terms of decadence.

Lights, Camera, Action

Green tea lovers, rejoice! This movie clapboard-inspired treat had a mix of green tea and cherry gateaux.

Reel to Reel

Inspired by movie reel, this shortbread cookie featured burnt caramel cream and cocoa nib.

Marilyn Linzer

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).

Walk of Fame

This Hollywood Walk of Fame-inspired treat was made of Devil’s Chocolate Cake with Milk Chocolate Cremeux Star.

Overall Impression

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.

The Victor at Parq Vancouver: Steak, seafood & wine

January 24, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

Vancouver’s newest entertainment destination, Parq Vancouver, has officially unveiled a new restaurant, The Victor. The restaurant’s Pacific-Northwest-focused cuisine features contemporary and classic seafood, steak, a sushi and raw bar, paired with a curated wine, craft beer and cocktail program. This is Parq Vancouver’s largest restaurant with 170 dining room seats, 80 bar seats, and 55 patio seats. Last week, I was invited to a media event to celebrate the grand opening of The Victor. Here’s a look at what you can expect at the hottest new restaurant in town.

Outdoor Park with Stunning Views

The Victor offers an elevated dining experience on the sixth floor of the DOUGLAS, accessible through the lush outdoor park and showcasing stunning views of BC Place Stadium and Vancouver’s skyline. In the spring, those seeking full immersion in nature can lounge on the elegant patio leading out to the park, the resort’s sixth-level elevated green space comprising 30,000 square feet of verdant greenery, ponds and walkways.

Cocktails, Wine, Seafood & Sushi

The center focal design element of The Victor is an elegant bar that flanks one side of the restaurant and an elevated seafood and a sushi and raw bar on the other. The seafood counter features an abundant display of live oysters, lobsters, crabs, clams, mussels and other fresh local seafood and shellfish.

Inspired by Queen Victoria

The interior design of The Victor was inspired by the reign of Queen Victoria. Paying homage to the adage “To the victor belongs the spoils,” the room immerses guests in a rich and intimate décor, incorporating earthy tones, commanding oak tables and banquets reminiscent of the green leather benches seen in London’s chamber of the House of Commons.

The Victor Menu

The Victor is open for dinner nightly from 5:00pm to 10:30pm (11:00pm on Friday and Saturday). Entrée prices range from $18 to $79. Steak selections include wagyu, striploin and bone-in tomahawk, as well as a delectable selection of sides. Sushi fans can take a seat at the sushi and raw bar and sample classic selections made with a modern twist. The journey continues into dessert with decadent dishes such as crème brulée donuts, perfectly caramelized and topped with a cloud of maple cotton candy. All dishes are crafted by a powerhouse kitchen team led by Kim Canteenwalla.

Wine List

The wine list at The Victor is comprised of quality bottles sourced from around the globe, with a focus on BC, California and regions of France. This extensive selection is supplemented by one of Canada’s largest wine Enomatics; a preservation system that allows for high-end wines to be served by the glass. Craft beer selections extend a special nod to local breweries with Steamworks, 33 Acres and Postmark Brewing on the menu. Cocktail aficionados will delight in adventurous drinks separated into the categories of ‘Diplomacy’ (light and delicate) and ‘Campaign’ (strong and battle-ready), including the signature Emperor’s Sour and the Smoke and Oak house martini.

For more information, visit http://www.parqvancouver.com/restaurants/the-victor/.

The Victor @ Parq Vancouver
Address: 39 Smithe St, Vancouver, BC
Website: www.parqvancouver.com/restaurants/the-victor/

Downtown Lunch Spot: Finch’s Tea & Coffee House

January 22, 2018 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

Finch’s Tea & Coffee House is a legendary lunch spot in Downtown Vancouver that is known for their European-style, gourmet artisan baguette sandwiches and salads. The place is so popular that they regularly have lineups. I visited Finch’s for the first time recently with a friend who works in the area and who goes there for lunch often. I’m normally not a “salad or sandwich for lunch” type of person but I was interested to see what the appeal of Finch’s.

Disclosure: None of the food in this review was complimentary. This review is done anonymously.

Old-World Charm

The interior of Finch’s exudes an old-world charm. It’s all in the details like the vintage dresser, antique chest, distressed wooden floors etc. The staff who operate the cafe seemed young and hipster. Definitely a quirky and kind of artsy sort of place.

Coming in a lunch, there was a lineup of what looked like people who mostly worked in the nearby office buildings. Getting a seat seems to be hard during this time but my friend arrived early enough to save us two seats at one of the communal tables.

What I Tried

Not being much of a sandwich person, I ordered the Prosciutto & Vine Tomato Salad with a free range egg (~$15). I don’t like the idea of having too much bread but I could see that Finch’s baguettes had a good proportion of filling to bread. My friend had the Avocado & Walnut Salad.

We waited in our seats for the food to arrive which took maybe about 10 minutes. A staff person came into the dining area, called out our names associated with the order and brought the food to us.

After taking a few photos of the food, I noticed that my free range egg was missing from my salad. I went up to the front and notified the staff who gave me the egg afterwards.

The Prosciutto & Vine Tomato salad came with red onion, red leaf lettuce, fresh dill, extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. It was also served with buttered baguette. The portions of prosciutto seemed pretty reasonable but I was hoping that it would be arranged more nicely – like in a rose-shape – as I had seen on Instagram. The fresh dill was a nice touch but the perhaps could be cut smaller. The dill had both leaves and stem and they kind of got stuck in my throat. Also, the amount of dill could be less as I felt the salad got too bitter. I end up picking a lot of the dill off. The baguette on the side was a nice touch as a filler item. Sometimes, you can get so hungry from eating salad only.

On the plus side, if you don’t want to order coffee or tea, they have self-serve water pitchers at the front.

Ambiance

Finch’s is a busy cafe as expected, but sitting at the communal table was a bit weird (depending on who is next to you). My friend and I were chatting over lunch but the lady sitting next to us didn’t seem impressed as she was trying to read a book. The hipster staff could be friendlier but perhaps they were just too busy managing a lunchtime crowd.

Overall Impression of Finch’s

I thought my Prosciutto & Vine salad was overall OK; it had too much dill but the portions were reasonable and ingredients were fresh. The interior of cute and artsy but the cafe is so busy that it makes it hard to appreciate all these charming details. I personally wouldn’t return as sandwiches and salad establishments are not really my thing. Rating: 3.5/5

Finch’s Tea & Coffee House
Address: 353 W Pender St, Vancouver, BC
Website: www.finchteahouse.com‎

Johnny Rockets Vancouver Now Open

January 5, 2018 by foodgressing 1 Comment

In recent years, Vancouver has seen a few burger chains expand into the city. Unfortunately, these new openings were met with subsequent closures like Relish Gourmet Burgers location on Davie and Caliburger on Thurlow. New to Vancouver’s restaurant scene is Johnny Rockets, a L.A.-based franchise which was founded in 1986. Johnny Rockets Vancouver opened at 755 Nelson Street this past fall while two other Canadian locations are already operating in Victoria. I visited this Vancouver location a few months ago with a few other foodies to try them out.

Note: Except for a small sample, none of the food in this review was complimentary. This review is done anonymously. Opinions are my own.

Johnny Rockets Menu

Known for a retro diner-style menu, Johnny Rockets Vancouver serves classic hamburgers, fries, onion rings, and world famous milkshakes. Since my visit a few months ago, burger combos with a large fries and large soda ranged between $13 – $15. Since then, it appears the restaurant has lowered its pricing to be just $9.99. A new milkshake flavour that was developed just for the Vancouver market is the Matcha Green Tea Milkshake.

Clean & Modern

I was expecting Johnny Rockets to have a sort of retro-diner vibe but this didn’t seem to be the case with their Vancouver restaurant. The interior seemed modern with a mix of dining tables, high top tables and booth seating.

What I Tried

I ordered The Rocket which was a classic cheeseburger featuring Canadian cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, white onion and special sauce. For a side, I went with regular French Fries.

The burger was simple and good. The patty size was OK (maybe could be a bit thicker), had a reasonable meat flavour and juiciness. Lettuce was nicely crisp while onions and tomatoes seemed fresh. The melted cheddar was on point.

One person from the group had The Smokehouse – thick-cut smoked bacon, crispy onion rings, Canadian cheddar cheese and their special
recipe “Smoke House” BBQ Sauce.

We were also given a complimentary Chocolate Milkshake sample which I found to be too thick and sweet.

Overall Impression of Johnny Rockets Vancouver

The Rocket burger I had was simple and reasonably satisfying. I can’t comment on the value as much because prices have lowered and I don’t know if the portions have changed. They are opening a location on Oak Street in 2018 and I would be interested in revisiting. All in all, it seems that their food seems reasonably priced for quality and taste. Rating: 3.5/5

Johnny Rocket’s
Address: 755 Nelson St, Vancouver, BC
Website: ‎www.johnnyrockets.ca

TWG Tea Festive Offerings & Gift Ideas 2017

December 14, 2017 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

This season, TWG Tea has numerous festive offerings to be gifted, enjoyed at their on-site cafe, or simply to indulge by oneself. Here’s a look at what they have to offer.

Disclosure: I was invited to a media event.

12 Days of Christmas Gift Box

TWG Tea’s ultimate festive offering, the 12 Days of Christmas Gift Box, is composed of an enchanting collection of 12 ornament-sized mini 25 gram tea tins filled with TWG’s favourite fine harvest teas and most beloved blends. Enclosed in a gold and ruby-red chest and elegant sleeve, the 12 Days of Christmas Gift Box is an advent calendar in your teacup. On the first day of Christmas, awaken the frosty morning with a spirited cup of Joy of Christmas Tea, a tantalizing mélange of black tea blended with warm spices, rare fruits and malty chocolate. On the days following, discover other classic favourites such as Milky Oolong Tea, White Night Jasmine Tea and Darjeeling Princess Tea. The 12 Days of Christmas Gift box retails at $198 and is available at the TWG Tea Salon and Boutique in Vancouver.

Joy of Christmas Tea

For the season that keeps on giving, TWG Tea also celebrates the blessed time with a limited edition Joy of Christmas Tea as part of TWG Tea’s seasonal Haute Couture Tea Collection. As the fiery yule log crackles in the fire and family and friends gather to celebrate, indulge in a warm and sparkling cup of black tea blended with spiced fruits and velvety chocolate just in time for the joyous festivities. The Joy of Christmas in Haute Couture Tea Collection retails at $48 and is available at the TWG Tea Salon and Boutique in Vancouver.

TWG Tea Festive Set Menu

With the cheers of merriment and chimes of sleigh bells echoing around the fireplace, indulge in the warm flavours of luscious chocolate, succulent fruits and Christmas spices in a tantalizing yuletide feast with TWG Tea this December. Let the festivities begin with a magical cocktail infused with Joy of Christmas Tea or opt for an eggnog-inspired mocktail infused with tea, almond, cinnamon and a sprinkle of cocoa.

For your main course, tuck into a succulent feast of grilled wagyu beef with black truffle and foie gras beef jus, accompanied by charred pears poached in Red Christmas Tea, served with silky mash potato and cabbage braised with veal bacon and chestnut.

TWG Tea Festive Offerings & Gift Ideas 2017

Credit: TWG Tea

For a sweet nightcap, end the festivities with a Joy of Christmas Tea infused yule log, encasing a chocolate hazelnut sponge cake filled with a luscious Joy of Christmas Tea-infused cream mousse accented with vanilla & orange custard and cinnamon Streudel, coated with a milk chocolate glaze. Adorned in joyous colours of red and gold accented with delicate chocolate snowflake and ornament pieces, this unique creation is the perfect topping for any Christmas dinner.

Credit: TWG Tea

TWG Tea’s full Festive Set Menu is priced at $42 for a main course, tea and dessert. Cocktails or mocktails are available for an additional $16 and $12 each respectively. The Joy of Christmas Tea Yule Log is also available in small or large sizes and is priced at $9.50 and $68 respectively. Available at the TWG Tea Salon & Boutique in Vancouver until December 31, 2017.

Joy of Christmas Tea Macarons

In sparkling shades of snowy white, luscious ruby-red and hints of gold, TWG Tea has transformed its signature macarons into delicious jewels of bite-sized confection. The limited edition Joy of Christmas Tea infused macaron showcases a smooth and crisp white almond shell topped with gold leaf, tenderly filled with a velvety smooth ruby-red ganache infused with exotic notes of pineapple and spiced fruits, the perfect sweet treat to delight your loved ones. The Joy of Christmas Tea macarons are available in limited edition gift boxes of 6, 12 or 20 count and priced at $18, $36 and $60 respectively.

Credit: TWG Tea

Red Christmas Tea Shortbread Cookies

Treat Father Christmas with a warm glass of milk and a serving of Red Christmas Tea Shortbread Cookies, a marvelous biscuit infused with theine-free red tea and spiced orange flavours to illuminate any cold frosty night. The Red Christmas Tea Shortbread Cookies are priced at $12 for 12 cookies.

For more information on TWG Tea’s offerings, visit www.VanSingDG.com

Weekend Brunch Buffet at H2 Restaurant

October 27, 2017 by foodgressing 2 Comments

H2 Rotisserie & Bar launched this summer at the Westin Bayshore in Coal Habour with a menu that focuses on rotisserie, local producers, distillers and craft beer-makers. Its location at the edge of Stanley Park, overlooking Coal Harbour and the North Shore mountains, makes it an ideal and inviting spot to dine. On the weekend, they offer a brunch buffet priced at $35 per person and is available from 11:30 am – 3:00 pm, Saturdays and Sundays.

H2 BRUNCH BUFFET MENU

The buffet features fresh pastries, eggs benedict, pancakes, waffles, fresh fruit, hot and cold cereals and smoked bacon, to name a few. In addition, elevated action stations allow guests to build their own “Buddha Bowl,” load up on H2’s signature Maple Hill Farms rotisserie chicken at the carvery, and satisfy their sweet tooth with French toast made to order. The buffet also boasts a selection of dim sum including steamed or fried dumplings, pork or chicken siu mai, prawn har gow and bao buns, and a rotating Indian dish, like curried chicken. For those who love congee, there is a build-your-own congee station. Here’s a video recap of my experience at the H2 Brunch Buffet:

Guests can also order from H2’s selection of creative cocktails like the Malahat Mule.

In general, I was impressed with the selection of items offered at the brunch buffet. Some of the items which I enjoyed the most were the rotisserie chicken, pasta and vegetables for the Buddha Bowl, the French Toast made-to-order and vegetable samosas.

I loved the build-your-own congee station where I got to add my own toppings like green onions, ginger and pickled cabbage. No congee would be complete without a Chinese donut. I thought the H2 Chinese donut was pretty good for a place that normally wouldn’t serve such a specialty item.

I also enjoyed the chocolate cake which was not overly rich and a satisfying finish to the meal. The only thing I thought could be improved was having more dessert options as there were just two cakes available.

Haul It Home Promotion

The “Haul it Home” menu, also known as the restaurant’s take-out menu, recently launched online with an ordering system that allows customers to pre-place their order and then pick it up within 30 mins. To celebrate this new promotion, every customer who places a first time order of $25 or more (from the Haul it Home menu) will receive a voucher redeemable for one complimentary brunch at H2 Rotisserie & Bar’s weekend Brunch Buffet (valid for one person; value of $35). For more information, visit here.

Overall Impression

I thought the H2 weekend brunch buffet had a very good selection of items offered and the overall value was quite reasonable. I would recommend it to others. Rating: 4/5

H2 Restaurant
Address: 1601 Bayshore Dr, Vancouver, BC
Website: www.h2restaurant.com‎

Parq Vancouver Chinese Fine Dining: 1886

October 10, 2017 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

The newest entertainment destination that has opened in Vancouver is Parq Vancouver featuring two luxury hotels, a casino and eight new restaurants. One of the restaurants in Parq Vancouver is 1886, a Chinese Fine Dining establishment located on the third floor of the casino. The restaurant is named after the year Vancouver’s Chinatown first emerged. 1886 is currently open for dinner and late night and serves Cantonese cuisine with Szechuan, Hunan, and Shanghainese elements. Their lunchtime dim sum service will start sometime in late October.

This past Thanksgiving weekend, we decided to visit 1886 for their six-course Peking Duck Dinner ($88 per person). We didn’t have a reservation but the hostess managed to squeeze us in. Hence, reservations would be recommended.

The interior of 1886 exudes elegance, luxuriousness, and sophistication in dark blue, light green and gold tones. Along the windows are a few cozy velvet booths while the centre of the dining room has round tables for group dining. There are also a few VIP areas, a lounge, and a bar.

One of the larger tables for a group had its very own lazy susan. According to our server, the restaurant can divide the dishes for you or allow you to do it yourself lazy-susan style.

These dark blue and gold velvet booths looked ultra-chic. They are meant to fit up to four people.

I also took notice of their deeply blue-coloured live seafood tanks.

1886 Menu

On the menu at 1886 are Cantonese specialties, live seafood, seafood, vegetables, meat/poultry, and rice/noodle dishes. They have two tasting menus: the Autumn Tasting and Peking Duck. Below are photos that I took of the menu. Click into each image to see the large version.

Peking Duck Tasting Menu

Note: None of the food in this review were complimentary. Opinions are my own.

The first course featured roasted duck carved at the tableside. And since 1886 offers top of the line service, the crepe wraps with duck meat are prepared for you on the spot. These included cucumber, scallion and hoisin sauce. I loved the melt-in-your-mouth duck fat, crunchy crispy skin, and tender flavorful meat. With the chewy crepe and sweet and savoury hoisin sauce, every bite was truly delicious.

Juicy Peking Duck carved 🔪 tableside at Parq Vancouver’s @parqvancouverbc Chinese Fine Dining Restaurant, 1886. This was the first course of the Peking Duck Tasting Menu (6 courses). The duck is wrapped with mandarin crepes, cucumber, scallion and hoisin sauce. Happy Thanksgiving! 🍴 . #chefoninstagram #foodofinstagram #vancouver #vancouverisawesome #vancityhype #yvr #carving #onmytable #chefslilfe #thekitchn #video #videography #pekingduck #videogram #foodvideo #instagramvideo #videograms #videoinstagram #videostar #igvid #instavideos #foodporn #igersvancouver #vancouverfoodie #yvreats #1886 #thanksgiving #happythanksgiving #finedining #parqvancouver

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The rest of the duck was used to prepare the following courses. There was the Peking Duck Salad with almonds and a crisp orange truffle vinaigrette. A very refreshing salad with some citrusy flavours. The only odd part was eating the salad with chopsticks. Perhaps I should have used the spoon instead.

The third course was the Double Boiled Shredded Duck Bouillon with yellow chives and mushroom. It was a hearty, comforting soup with some earthy flavours.

The fourth course was a Wok-Fried Duck with asparagus, mushroom, and black bean sauce. As a fan of asparagus, I quite enjoyed this dish where the asparagus was nicely crunchy

The noodle dish was a Pan Fried Shredded Duck with Crispy Noodles and Chinese broccoli.

And to finish off, the dessert was a refreshing Tropical Fruit Sago strawberries, banana, grapefruit and vanilla ice cream. The mango puree was poured onto the dish at tableside.

The Tropical Fruit Sago featuring strawberries, banana, mango, passionfruit, grapefruit, and vanilla ice cream at 1886 @parqvancouverbc . #icecream #foodgressing #1886 #dessertporn #sweettooth #dessertlover #desserttime #dessertoftheday #dessertstagram #dessertsgram #video #foodvideo #dessertvideo #foodblogger #instagramvideo #igvideo #vancouverfoodie #videogram #vid #videograms #icecream #mangosago #parqvancouver #igvid #strawberry #finedining #chinese #sago #chefslife #yvreats

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Service

I was highly impressed with the five-star service at 1886. Our server was very friendly and the timing of the dishes was on point. Other staff were very on top of refilling our water glasses. And as we exited the restaurant after our meal, many staff thanked us on our way out. A truly pleasant experience.

Overall Impression

While the Peking Duck Tasting Menu was good, I thought the service and the atmosphere stood out to me the most. The meal at 1886 was certainly an elevated experience and a far-cry away from a noisy, crowded Chinese restaurant. Prices are at a bit of a premium due to their setup, but I found the experience enjoyable and I would return again. Rating: 4/5

1886
Address: 39 Smithe Street, Vancouver, BC
Website: www.parqvancouver.com

Vancouver Japanese Cheesecake: Mr. Osmad

October 9, 2017 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

While many of us are waiting for Uncle Tetsu to open up in Metrotown, there is a place that specializes in Japanese cheesecakes in the heart of Downtown Vancouver. Mr. Osmad is a small bakery counter located inside Damso Restaurant (review here) at Robson and Bute (“Osmad” is “Damso” backwards) and they sell freshly-baked Japanese cheesecakes. They have been officially open for about two months and their cheesecakes are fresh out of the oven every 30 minutes. Cheesecakes are $10 each and are 3″ thick which is thicker than the ones from Uncle Testu (“2”). Strawberry compote available for $1.50.

Note: None of the food in this review was complimentary. This review is done anonymously.

When I walked in a few days ago, a few cheesecakes were just sitting on the counter cooling off. They smelled oh-so-good.

I picked up two cheesecakes to try at home along with a strawberry compote. They were very pillowy soft, moist, light and fluffy – more so than other ones I have had like from Uncle Tetsu. The light cheese taste was on point.

The strawberry compote was excellent and was a perfect topping for the cheesecake.

Overall Impression of Mr. Osmad

I’d definitely be interested in having Mr. Osmad’s cheesecake again. Their cheesecakes very ultra-light and fluffy and thicker. Perhaps even better value than Uncle Tetsu. Rating: 4.5/5

Mr. Osmad Cheesecake
Address: 770 Bute St, Vancouver, BC
Website: www.mrosmad.com‎

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