Brunch @ The ARC (Fairmont Waterfront)

After a fabulous stay at the Fairmont Waterfront as part of the Talking Trees Package, we were treated to brunch at The ARC Restaurant downstairs.  It was hard to pack up and leave the luxurious digs we were afforded, but as they say, all good things must come to an end...  Having a chance to dine at the ARC was a good thing because I haven't been back since they re-branded from the ol' Heron's.  One thing is for sure, their dining space is still awesome with floor-to-ceiling windows with a view of the waterfront.

We ended up sharing some appies to start including the Grilled Humboldt Squid with fried chickpeas, arugula and charred red pepper sauce.  The large piece of squid couldn't be any more tender.  It was buttery soft, yet at the same time was still appealingly chewy with a nice rebound.  Although the red pepper sauce was pleasantly sweet with a slight bite, the dish could've used more pop.  Creamy and rich, the ARC Chowder featured Ocean Wise certified fish and clams, roasted vegetables, double smoked bacon and Yukon Gold potatoes.  This was super chunky and yes, ate like a meal.  The fish was cooked perfectly being flaky and soft while the ample amount of clams were buttery.  Other than the brininess, there was the smoky saltiness of the bacon as well as the crunch of the veggies.

Not really an appie, but certainly ate like one, the Breakfast Nachos featured fried tater tots, bacon, scallions, two organic eggs, black beans, cheddar, Monterey Jack, mozzarella, sweet and hot peppers and fresh cut salsa.  I mean, what's not to like about perfectly fried crispy tater tots?  Try slapping on the aforementioned ingredients as well as 2 perfectly soft-poached eggs.  Lots of flavour going on including sweet, salty, smoky and spicy to go with the silky egg yolks.  Yes, one person could eat this as a main, but ideally this is best shared.  If one was really hungry, the Longshoreman's Breakfast would be the best choice.  It consisted of two fried organic eggs, Kaseller ham, griddle sourdough toast, maple pork belly, Postmark IPA chorizo, smashed potato cakes and heirloom tomato salad.  Nothing much to say other than that all of the components were well-prepared.

For myself, I tried something different in the Lamb Shakshuka with spicy lamb sausage, organic eggs, grilled pita bread and chermoula.  This was much more impactful and flavourful than all of the other dishes so far.  Beyond the initial tangy tomato, I could definitely get the cumin and harissa.  The lamb sausage was meaty and slightly spicy.  Loved the silky and runny egg yolk which helped provide balance.  On the side, the chermoula added a soothing garlicky lemon hit.  My daughter also went for something off the brunch menu in the Wild Mushroom Roesti with shredded potato, wild mushrooms, spinach, Emmental cheese and two sunny side up organic eggs  This was hearty and cheesy with the aromatics from the crisped up potato as well as the earthiness from the wild mushrooms.  Despite the absence of meat, this was fulfilling and full of depth.

Viv decided on the regular lunch menu with the Seafood Linguine.  At first, we were wondering why it was $32.00, but the ample amount of dungeness crab leg meat made it more palatable (literally and figuratively).  It was super cheesy and creamy with al dente noodles.  No absence of flavour and the seafood was on point.  Loved the pops of tang from the tomatoes.  My son went for his ol' standby with the ARC Smoked Brisket sandwich with salty pretzel bread, house mustard, provolone cheese and thousand island dressing.  This was pretty good with tender slices of fatty brisket  Lots of complimentary flavours from the ingredients within firm enough bread to keep things together.  The side of fries were on point being crunchy and hot.  Overall, there isn't much to complain about the food and atmosphere of the restaurant.  Prices are definitely on the higher end, but that's what you get considering the location and overall ambiance.

*All food and beverages were complimentary*

The Good:
- Location, location, location
- Gorgeous dining space with floor-to-ceiling windows
- On point execution

The Bad:
- Pricey