Sunflower Cafe

I might be a little late to the party, but finally, I have made it out to the Sunflower Cafe in Maple Ridge.  This cute spot located on a farm takes farm-to-table to the max where things on your plate are literally harvested as you wait.  Beyond that, the setting is probably one of the nicest spots in the Fraser Valley.  Individual gazebos set within lush greenery and with a view of the current crops on the farm give a sense of peacefulness.  Great on a nice day and even on a rainy day too!  To top it off, they have a tasting menu for $85.00 that features BC ingredients as well as all produce from the farm.

 

I ended up going for the wine pairing ($55.00) with the first one being the Sparkling Chardonnay from Bella King Estate Vineyard Series.  This was clean and fresh with stone fruitiness at the end. The first item to arrive was the Amuse Bouche featuring Citrus Cured Albacore Tuna atop lovage and herb oil.  This was one herbaceous bite where the oil was quite noticeable.  The tuna itself was buttery soft being naturally sweet with a mild background acidity.  On top we found raw fennel, pickled fennel and fennel tops.  As expected, there was the usual licorice notes with plenty of crunch.  As a garnish, we found alyssum flowers straight from the garden (we were watching them snip them just before serving us this dish).

If you can believe it, one of our favourite items of the tasting menu was the Dinner Rolls and Cultured Butter.  These unassuming rolls were so soft and fluffy, I enjoyed eating them without anything.  They were served warm and smelled sweet.  However, we really did have to use up all of the cultured butter with maldon salt.  It was so creamy and had a strong buttery taste.  The salt heightened the flavour of the butter.

The second glass of wine was the Pinot Gris from Sage Hill Winery.  I found this crisp and more robust than the first wine.  It was definitely fruity as well. Perfect to go with the Summer Salad consisting of pickled gooseberries, cucumbers, baton turnips, daylilies and sorrel atop house whipped ricotta.  This was super simple, but the freshness of the components were allowed to shine.  This best way to describe this salad was supremely fresh and bright.  A nice way to begin the meal.
 

Onto the 3rd wine, I had the Scout Rose which was quite rich with dark berry and floral notes.  It stood up well to the Porcini Mushrooms and Grilled Asparagus with espresso sauce.  For a non-meat dish, this was rather meaty.  The mushrooms were so impactful in terms of texture and rich nuttiness and the smokiness of the asparagus added so much depth.  With just enough coffee, the sauce was creamy and full of umami.  On top, the crunchy and bright flavours of the celery and pickled Norway spruce help lighten things up.

 

The 4th wine was the Juno Block Chardonnay from Keenan Thrussell which was light and muted.  Definite fruity notes that was a great match with the Pacific Ling Cod.  It was barely cooked through offering up a moist and flaky texture. Although properly seasoned, the fish was enhanced by the creamy beurre blanc with peas, turnips and morels.  These added earthiness and sweetness.  On the side, we found a gigantic stuffed morel with ling cod mousse.

 

The final wine pairing was our first red being the Daydreamer Amelia.  This was a bit spicy and full-bodied with a touch of fruitiness.  Naturally, this was a perfect match to the Fraser Valley Duck Breast.  This was cooked to medium-rare being tender and juicy.  The fat was fairly well-rendered with crispy and seasoned skin.  Underneath, we found a sweet and tangy summer berries stew surrounded by an earthy and sweet beet puree.  On the side, there was a fried maitake mushroom with stinging nettle powder and sunflower seed butter.

 

As if the meal couldn't be any more enjoyable, we were presented with both the Homemade Chocolate Brownie with chocolate ganache, hazelnut mousse, candied hazelnuts and chocolate tuile cracker.  Sure, the brownie was rich with a crispy exterior that gave way to a chewy chocolate interior.  It was purposefully sweet and was enhanced by the nutty and sweet hazelnut mousse and crunch from the hazelnuts and tuile.  

 

We also were served the Strawberry & Salmon Berry Tart with red & alpine strawberries.  This was predictably a refreshing dessert where the fruitiness of the berries stole the show.  Nice tanginess to go with the sweet pastry cream and strawberry gel.  Loved the sugar tart shell as it was firm and caramelized.  There was a tangy rhubarb sorbet on the side atop puffed black rice and topped with wood sorrel.  Nice texture from the crispy and nutty rice.  Wow, just wow, the setting, food and value found at the Sunflower Cafe...  This is a place that should be in Canada's Top 100 restaurants.  I have no doubt this will happen real soon!

 

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*

 

The Good:

- One of the most unique dining experiences in the Fraser Valley

- The freshest fruits and vegetables you will find at a restaurant 

- Well-priced

 

The Bad:

- A bit for for some, but really, it is worth the drive