Published on Main

I'm sure many of you have already tried Published on Main already, but for me, it wasn't that much a priority since dining out at the time was hit and miss due to the Covid-19 voluntary closures of many restaurants.  But as the weather improved and the options for outdoor dining increased, I started to venture out more.  Jacqueline and I decided to check the place out despite not having any resos.  We were able to score a table, but not one of the prized outdoor ones.  Not a huge problem as the tables inside were well-spaced out and they had their large floor-to-ceiling window doors wide open.  Since we already had a meal beforehand, we only got a small taste of the menu and couldn't do it "Mijune-style".

One of the dishes we had to try was the gorgeous Chicken Liver Toast served on house made rye toast with pickled rose, thyme and grated long pepper.  By looks alone, this dish was a winner.  Ultimately, it lived up to its appearance with sturdy rye bread that wasn't overly heavy.  The mousse was blended well being smooth and silky throughout.  It was well-seasoned bordering on salty without actually going over.  The cognac was definitely there, but wasn't overpowering.

Another fan favourite at Published is the Agnolotti stuffed with fresh cheese served with farmers sausage.  Almost as photogenic, the plump and oversized agnolotti were excellent.  Featuring thin pasta that was al dente, the creamy cheese was mild and complimented well by the salty sausage.  Although the dish didn't appear to be all that large, the components were hearty and filling.

One dish that I was looking forward to was the Duck Confit Meatballs with spicy black pepper sauce.  In terms of impact, the flavours were intense and focused.  However, the texture of the meatballs, specifically the exterior, was far too hard.  I found the duck confit in the very middle to be tender, but the dry outer layer was not appealing.

As much as the following dish looked like a whole lot of white on white with a splash of green, it was one of our favourites.  Underneath the matchstick kohlrabi and apple, we found tender slices of cured Scallop.  This was so refreshing and light where the flavours were subtle including the herb oil.  The crunch from the kohlrabi and apple provided the necessary texture to the dish.

As if the other dishes weren't pretty in their own right, the Pacific Halibut was both stunning and perfectly prepared.  Sporting a perfectly seared halibut that was flaky and moist, the collection of zaklan tomatoes, white currents and shiso provided plenty of brightness and impact to an otherwise understated dish.  In general, that was true for all of the food we tried at Published.  Seemingly simple items that were elevated by thoughtful and relevant ingredients.  A must-try in Vancouver.

The Good:

- Dishes were not overcomplicated

- Subtle flavours amped by complimentary ingredients

- Well-prepared proteins

The Bad:

- Can get pricey when you order enough dishes