H2 Rotisserie & Bar Mother's Day Brunch (Westin Bayshore)

As much as we believe that all "special days" are overly hyped and commercialized, there are some reasons for giving into "spending the money".  Yes, I'm talking about Valentine's Day, Mother's Day and Father's Day.  Honestly, do we really need to pick out one specific day to love somebody?  So we ignore them all of the other days???  With that being said, I realize that Valentine's Day could be merely an excuse to take someone out for a date and/or it is fun to join in on all the fun.  The same could be said about Mother's Day since many places make it into an event and honestly, moms do deserve to be spoiled...  So with that in mind, we booked H2 Rostisserie & Bar for their Mother's Day Brunch.

Whenever we hit any buffet, we head straight for the Seafood (because it was ingrained into us as kids that it was worth the most...).  I did what I was programmed to do and helped myself to Snow Crab (which turned to King Crab later on into the service for some reason), Shrimp, Clams and Mussels.  This was a good start as the clams and mussels were prepared properly being buttery and not overdone.  Exhibiting a fresh snap, the shrimp were also on point.  Although a bit salty, the snow crab was fluffy and also cooked just right.  Next, I moved onto some hot items including the Rack of Lamb and their signature Rotisserie Chicken.  I found the lamb to be perfectly medium-rare (closer to rare), tender and moist.  It was nicely seasoned with rosemary, but the dollop of mint jelly was good too as it was not too minty.  The chicken was flavourful exhibiting rich roasted caramelization.  I found the meat (drumstick) to be moist while the skin to be beautifully rendered.  Benedicts were also good with runny poached eggs and a silky Hollandaise.  However, the Halibut was a miss as it was rock hard and not seasoned enough.

My last savoury plate (due to the modest selection) consisted of Ha Gau, Siu Mai, BBQ Pork Bun, Charcuterie, Sushi and Baby Scallops.  Now if you are wondering why my one ha gau looked all sad and deformed, it is because that was the only one left.  There was a whole large steamer to begin with, but they were packed-in so tight, they all stuck together.  This was not replenished for the time we were there.  The sushi was pretty limited and it was the typical Sunday brunch variety (average).  Much like the ha gau, the charcuterie was not replenished fast enough, so I was stuck with salami only.  As you can see, this was the "meh" part of the meal.  However, the Made-to-Order Crepes were outstanding.  Light and fluffy while decently thin, these were buttery and delicious.  There was fresh whipped cream, chocolate and berries available as toppings.

Other than the rotisserie and seafood, the highlight had to be the Dessert spread.  It featured a chocolate fountain with fruit, various candies, petit fours and really good Macarons.  Texturally, they were almost perfect with a crispy shell giving way to a soft chewy centre.  They were very generous as little bags were available where we could take some candy or even a Macaron or two to go.  The pricing for Mother's Day brunch at H2 Rotisserie & Bar was $70.00 per adult and $25.00 per child.  For those who are in the know, this pricing was actually one of the least expensive for Downtown hotel restaurants (especially for the kids).  Once we took a look at the spread, it was also obvious why it was less than, say, Notch8 at the Hotel Vancouver.  So if you aren't too picky about the selection of food, then H2 has some hightlights such as their chicken, crepes and desserts.  However, if you were looking for a more elaborate spread at a higher price point, I would go with Notch8.

The Good:
- One of the lowest-priced special brunches in Downtown Vancouver
- Inviting dining space near the water
- Great service

The Bad:
- Selection was small
- Some items were not replenished fast enough