Sherman's Food Adventures: Feast Dining: The Neighbourhood Table

Feast Dining: The Neighbourhood Table

As much as I try to make it out to West Van for eats, it never really happens that often.  Consider it partly due to distance and the fact there are not many spots I am dying to try either.  So with that attitude, it wasn't surprising that Emily and I went in with no expectations when we were invited for a meal at Feast Dining.  Despite being located in sleepy Dundarave, there was no parking in front of Feast.  I had to park further down the street.  No real issue other than it was pouring and I forgot my umbrella.  Emily had her birdcage umbrella, but was unwilling to share with me...  LOL...

Anyways, while we were perusing the menu, Emily kept bugging me to order the Avocado & Beet Fries.  I merely brushed her off thinking she was crazy...  Well, I was proven wrong as the dish was a fantastic.  The light tempura was crispy and not overly greasy.  Inside, the beets were tender and sweet while the ripe avocado surprisingly held up well to the deep-fry.  Combined with the herbed goat cheese and roasted pumpkin seeds, there was this cooling creaminess to go with a nutty firmness.  The flavours were complete with the sweet and tangy sauce.  At first, we were concerned with the amount of artichoke aioli atop the Smoked Beef Carpaccio.  Our worries were abated since the meaty slices of smoky beef held up well to the aioli.  The addition of fried capers added a pleasant amount of salt and tanginess as well as a crunch to each bite.

We had originally ordered a 3rd appie in the mussels, but they ran out.  So as a substitute, we had the Pablano & Crab Dip.  Well, I'm sure their mussels are good, yet it turns out that the dip was very good.  Chock full of fluffy crab chunks, marscapone and pablanos, the whole thing was rich, creamy and a bit spicy.  The fry bread on the side served as a crispy and chewy vessel for the dip.  It was a bit on the greasier side though.  For that, I preferred the crunchy tortilla chips over the bread.  Before I talk about the entrees, we had ordered 3 sides including the Parmesan Fries with aioli.  These house-cut fries were lightly crispy with plenty of potato goodness left inside.  There was no mistaking the nutty and salty parmesan as it was aggressively mixed with the fries.

The most decadent of the 3 sides was definitely the Black Truffle Mac & Cheese.  After a few spoonfuls, it was pretty evident that they didn't skimp on the black truffle as we could eyeball and taste it.  In addition, the whole thing was rich and cheesy with a mild sharpness.  The noodles stood up well to the moisture by being still firm while the crunchy topping added some texture.  From a heavy and rich, we headed off to some Sauteed Kale and Chickpeas.  Simply salted and sauteed with diced onion, the kale was vibrant and crisp with a bite.  The chickpeas were a bit soft, but okay.  This was a fine side except for the overuse of salt.  It would've been fine with half the amount.

Onto the mains, we weren't going to order the FFC (Feast Fried Chicken), but according to a friend on Facebook (they saw my check-in), I really had to order it.  Turns out it was a good call because it was well-executed.  From the uniformly crispy well-seasoned and rendered skin (drizzled with honey) to the fairly moist meat (especially for free-run chicken), there was not much to dislike about the dish.  Even the whipped potatoes were on point being well-seasoned and creamy.  Although the gravy was a bit runny, it was flavourful in a non-salty manner.  Our other entree was the 16 oz. Ribeye with frites and wedge salad.  Although the steak itself didn't look like much, it was prepared a perfect medium-rare and well-seasoned.  Combined with the quality of the meat, it ate buttery and tender.


For dessert, dug into the Lemon Curd first.  This was attractively plated in a jar on top of slate tile (much like the other dishes).  Beyond the light whipped cream, the lemon curd was smooth, also light and mildly sweet.  The tartness was evident but not overwhelming.  The crust at the bottom was quite good too being firm and crumbly.  We ended things off with the Donuts dusted with cinnamon sugar and served with 2 dips (chocolate and caramel).  Light and fluffy inside, the exterior was a touch too dark and crunchy.  However, this is subjective because I'm sure some like it crunchy.  I much preferred the chocolate rather than the caramel, but for Emily, it was the opposite.  The desserts were a fine end to a really good meal.  Things were executed well while the flavours were on point too.

*All food and beverages excluding gratuities were complimentary*

The Good:
- Well-executed eats
- Things just tasted good
- Warm, homey atmosphere

The Bad:
- A little pricey, but it is West Van     


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