Since opening in 2013, West Oak has been known as a local hotspot in Yaletown for Vancouver’s elite, professional athletes and celebrities. West Oak’s dishes feature locally sourced ingredients including naturally raised beef from Two Rivers Meats, Oceanwise seafood and free-range chicken.
West Oak’s sophisticated and cosmopolitan atmosphere makes it an ideal setting for a romantic dinner for two, evening drinks on the patio, or Sunday Brunch in Yaletown. I was recently invited for a media tasting of the dinner menu at West Oak along with Joyce (vanfoodies.com) and Alice (vancouverbitsandbites.com). Here’s a look at our experience.
Disclosure: All food and drinks in this post were complimentary. Opinions are my own.
Cocktails
To start, we tried a few new up-and-coming cocktails to be launched on their menu: the Aperol Spritzer Mimosa (brunch menu), the Tiffany Blue, and the Green Thumb.
The Tiffany Blue was my favourite and features edible silver glitter which makes it sparkle. Pro tip: Try shining a light on the cocktail for maximal sparkle!
Starters
Chinois Prawns ($15)
This French-Asian fusion starter featured Oceanwise prawns with a housemade spicy aioli and candied walnuts. I thought this dish had very bold flavours with a mix of spicy and sweet. The candied walnuts added a nice textural contrast.
Burrata & Prosciutto ($17)
This was a great starter to share with others: burrata and prosciutto accompanied by fig jam, Dijon, castelvetrano olives, balsamic reduction and grilled bread.
Entrees
We tried a few signature entrees as well as some side dishes.
Fresh Wild Scallops ($32)
The juicy and nicely seared Oceanwise scallops were accompanied by a sweet pea and mint risotto, asparagus, white balsamic reduction and Parmesan crisp.
Seared Halibut ($34)
The Oceanwise halibut came with potato pave, asparagus, lemon butter sauce and citrus root vegetables.
Braised Lamb Shank ($24)
The braised lamb shank had a great meaty flavour and came with soft, pillowy homemade gnocchi. Also in the dish were parsnip puree, minted peas, swiss chard, and shallots.
Lobster Mac and Cheese ($16)
Although the lobster mac and cheese is designated as a side, it’s worthy of being an entree itself. The dish was rich, creamy, cheesy and oh-so-comforting.
Triple-Cooked Fries ($7)
The fries at West Oak are no ordinary fries and are a must-try. The process of making these fries ultra-crispy and tender on the inside involves steaming, blanching, and frying them with a freezing step in between those stages.
Dessert
For dessert, we enjoyed a half dozen chocolate chip cookies, with dark and white chocolate, that were fresh, hot out of the oven. On the side was French vanilla bean cream. A unique yet simple dessert offering for a sit-down restaurant.
Overall Impression
The ladies and I had a nice time on West Oak’s patio trying out their new cocktails and dinner menu. My ideal three-course dinner would the Chinois Prawns, the Fresh Wild Scallops and the signature West Oak cookies.
West Oak
Address: 1035 Mainland St, Vancouver, BC
Website: www.westoakvancouver.com