Sherman's Food Adventures: European
Showing posts with label European. Show all posts
Showing posts with label European. Show all posts

Vivace on the Drive

When Eileen asked if I was available for a meal at Vivace on the Drive, I wasn't too familiar with the place.  The only thing I knew was that it took over the spot where Federico's Supper Club used to be located.  Upon arriving at the place, I quickly knew we weren't in Kansas anymore...  Sporting a beautiful bar that occupies most of the restaurant, the place is now much more modern and completely inviting.  With a stage at the back of the restaurant, there continues to be live music as well as a big screen for all those soccer and rugby matches.

We arrived for a late lunch and as a rugby match was just coming to an end.  Loved the atmosphere of the place where it was packed and fans that were into the game as well as enjoying some eats and drinks.  So we decided to get in on the action with our own bevies including Blueberry Mojito, Mezcal Sour, La Vie Lavende and Peachy Paradise Orange Sour.  These were all very good and balanced.  My mojito had some fruitiness and of course herbeceousness.  The mezcal sour was tangy and lightly sweet.  Naturally, the lavender came through on the la vie lavende with some sweetness and gin finish.  For the peachy paradise, it was a virgin drink that was sweet and tangy.

Onto the food, we started with the Terrine made with ham hock, piccalilli and toasted brioche on the side.  This was a nice appie where the pork was tender and nicely brined.  It paired well with the lightly toasted brioche.  The bread stood up well to the hearty terrine, but was not dense nor hard to eat.  The piccalilli condiment added a mustardy tanginess to the mix that helped cut through the heaviness of the ham.

Next, we were presented with the Mushrooms on Toast topped by a soft-poached egg and whole seed mushroom dressing.  Although there was no meat to this dish, it ate very well with plenty of body.  Those sautéed mushrooms were earthy and buttery.  Soft-poached egg was perfectly delicate with a runny yolk while the mustard dressing was sweet and slightly tangy.  The bread held up to the wet ingredients without being too hard.

Although seemingly simple, the Full English Breakfast was satisfying and well-prepared.  It featured a plethora of back bacon, sausage, sautéed mushrooms, baked beans, grilled toast and sunny-side eggs.  As you can clearly see, the eggs were perfect with runny yolks and tender whites.  The bread was nutty and nicely charred.  Mushrooms were like the previous dish while the sausage was meaty with little fat.

The following dish did not belong to their regular menu.  Rather, it is part of the Pasta Challenge until October 29th.  The L'Oceano Vivace featured squid ink tagliolini, lemon butter foam, chorizo, pan-seared scallops and trout roe.  Some EVOO on top for good measure.  This was fantastic with al dente pasta and when mixed with the foam, there was significant lemon tanginess.  Scallops were buttery and tender.

We also tried a few items from their dinner menu including the Pork Belly with pumpkin puree and cranberries.  This was fantastic where the large chunk of pork belly was tender with just enough fattiness.  It was nicely seared on all sides for caramelization and aesthetics.  Puree was creamy and sweet while the cranberries added another layer of sweetness combined with tartness.

Another seemingly simple, yet delicious dish was the Radicchio with grapefruit, pumpkin and fig.  The slice of radicchio was seared up nicely where it was smoky and tender.  However, it was still firm and wasn't overdone.  The sweetness of the pumpkin and fig helped temper the considerable amount of bitterness.  The grapefruit on top added both colour and some acidity to compliment the other flavours.

For dessert, we shared the Brioche & Butter Pudding with white chocolate and cardamom.  Oh wow, this was insanely delicious!  Beyond the appealingly charred exterior, the bread soaked up all of the white chocolate sauce.  Hence, it was well, pudding-like.  However, it contrasted beautifully with the crunchy and smoky exterior.  So we went into this meal not knowing what to expect.  But we came away impressed at the plating, overall execution and deliciousness of the meal.

*Partial comp on the meal as the drinks were extra

The Good:
- Appealing plating
- Well-executed
- Nice vibe and drinks

The Bad:
- Lunch menu is good but may need a few more items

Verre

Time for our intermittent foodie dinner with the gang including Joyce, Areta, David, Maggi and Hanson!  So where did we eat this time around?  We chose a newish restaurant located right on the water in Coal Harbour called Verre.  Sporting outstanding views and plenty of natural light, the place is made for beautiful Summer days.  They got the dining room right, but what about the food?  At first glance, the menu seemed like a mixture of French and Mediterranean with a sprinkle of Westcoast.  It is a reflection of Chef Liam Breen's experience from across Canada and far-off places such as Dubai.

Since we arrived before the 6:00pm cutoff for Happy Hour, we quickly ordered some starters for the table. We began with the Shortrib Croquettes with romesco, parsley and pickled shallots.  Although appealingly crispy on the outside, the shortrib and potato mixture was devoid of impactful flavours.  In fact, the peppers in the romesco were dominant.  The sauce itself was really good and did provide something to make up for that missing seasoning.  Next, we got a couple orders of the Triple Cooked Fries with aioli.  This was pretty good with firmly crunchy fries.  Inside, there was a touch of potatoness left albeit on the drier side.  But that is nit-picking because they were good.

Beautifully-plated, the Roasted Cauliflower was cooked to perfection.  Fully done, but still retaining a firm crunch, the slightly smoky cauliflower was accented by lemon, almonds and salsa verde.  The acidity of the lemon really came through adding a brightness to the dish.  As for the salsa verde, it was supremely fresh and vibrant, yet a touch heavy with the dill.  We ended up only ordering one of the Seared Humboldt Squid before the happy hour cutoff.  This was a mistake because the squid couldn't have been prepared any better.  Tender and buttery, the squid showed a great rebound texture.  I found that the puttanesca was all that the squid needed as it provided a garlicky salty brininess to the dish.  However, there was a bit too much olive, which was a bit overpowering.

Not finished with the appies, we ordered the Beef Tartare with truffle, parmesan aioli, parsley oil and potato chips.  I found the meat to be visually appealing due to its colour indicating freshness.  Also, the quality of the meat afforded the relatively large hand dice.  It was buttery, tender and not overdressed.  I could get the truffle and shallots and when combined with the parm and parsley, the beef was still allowed to be the star.  Now that was good, but the Steelhead Crudo was even better.  In a beautiful shade of red-orange, it couldn't have been any more buttery.  Although maple balsamic was in the description of the dish, I really didn't get any hint of it.  Rather, I did enjoy the dill creme fraiche as well as the fine herbs.  Again, this was not seasoned that aggressively, but it ultimately worked due to the quality of the fish.

Our last 2 small dishes included my personal favourite being the Grilled Pork Saddle with sprout leaf slaw and mustard seed jus.  Sporting an attractive char on the outside, the pork saddle was delicious on its own.  Texturally, the fatty meat was super tender and practically melted in our mouths.  I found the mustard seed jus to be relatively mild, yet strong enough to provide a touch of tang and savouriness.  The side of slaw was not as acidic as I would've hope, but it provided a light crunch.  Blessed with plenty of lardons and parmesan, the Fried Brussels Sprouts were texturally on point.  While completely cooked through, the sprouts were still firm on the inside.  There was plenty of saltiness to go around, but I would've liked to see some form of acidity or even spice to provide layers of flavour.

Onto the larger dishes, we had the fantastic House-Made Fettuccine with clams, preserved lemon, tarragon and leeks.  Not sure if you can properly see, but there was far more fresh whole clams than pasta itself.  That meant there was a noticeable brininess to go with the olive oil.  I found the pasta to be appealingly al dente while the clams were buttery and cooked right.  The brightness of the tarragon and leeks really came through.  I thought this was one of the stronger dishes of the meal.  Expertly-prepared, the Whole Deboned Trout was as perfect as it could be.  Soft and super moist, the butterflied trout sat in a considerable amount of brown butter which afforded a nutty luxuriousness.  Even the roasted green beans with almonds were perfectly crunchy and vibrant.

Moving from seafood to meat, we had Parmesan-Crusted Veal Chop with brown butter caper sauce and an arugula & cherry tomato salad on the side.  Once again, the meat here was done right being juicy, tender and moist.  On the outside, the crust was nutty and flavourful.  Loved the capers as they added necessary saltiness.  Add in the charred lemon and it helped cut through the butter.  I loved how the arugula was aggressively dressed as there was a sweet tanginess.  Lastly, we tried the Short Rib with polenta, beef chutney and spiced wine jus. The short rib itself was fall-off-the-bone tender and moist.  Moreover, the polenta was creamy and went well with the beef chutney.  However, the overall flavour profile was a bit odd from the spices used.  A bit too nutty?  Whatever the case, I thought the proteins were spot on here as well as the veggies.  Seasoning could be more balanced or even more aggressive for some dishes (although I was okay with it).

The Good:
- Bang on execution of proteins
- Fair portion size for the price
- Bright dining space with a view

The Bad:
- Seasoning could've been more aggressive

Chambar

It's been awhile since I've been back to Chambar.  I guess return visits generally get put on hold as new restaurants take precedent.  Furthermore, with prices on the higher end of the Vancouver restaurant spectrum, repeat visits to Chambar might make my bank account look sad.  But for Viv and I, this was to be the place we would celebrate our anniversary.  I really can't believe she's put up with me all these years.  She's still waiting for the maturity to kick in.  Too bad really because I know it will never come...

Now located several stores up from its original location, Chambar is more spacious and larger, yet still maintains the same ambiance as before.  We began our meal with their famous Moules Frites with the Coquotte option (with white wine, cream, smoked bacon lardons, white onions and spring onion).  As expected, this dish was a winner with plump mussels sitting in an aromatic and impactful broth.  What I liked most was the balance of flavours without a heavy reliance on salt.  Rather, the bacon added the necessary smoky savouriness which went well with the sweet onions and properly cooked down wine.  Served on the side was their frites which were hot and crispy while retaining a soft potato texture inside.  For our second apply, we shared the Tartare de Beouf consisting of espelette,  caramelized morels, mustard greens, spruce aioli, cipollini onion rings and a Parmesan crisp.  We found the beef to be buttery and completely melt-in-our-mouths smooth.  There was a good kick from the espelette as well as a crunch from the greens.  When eaten atop the Parm crisp, the salt content elevated the flavours even more so.

Onto our mains, I had Le Steak du Jours with char grilled BC prime beef, smoked cheddar croquettes, pickles, green beans, pepper jam and chimichurri.  I asked for the rib-eye to be prepared medium-rare and it was flawlessly executed.  Crusted with peppercorns and rosemary, there was an aromatic pepperiness to each bite. Underneath, there was a bright and smooth chimichurri that added just enough herbaceous bite without overwhelming.  On the side, the crispy and relatively light croquettes were aggressively spiked with rosemary while kicked up a notch with the spicy pepper jam.  The green beans were barely done exhibiting a vibrant and sweet crunch.  For Viv, she opted for the Fletan au Tamarin consisting of Haida Gwaii halibut, sea asparagus, sweet peas, mustard greens, spicy tapioca and jalapeño pistou in a tomato tamarind broth.  As much as most of the halibut was flaky and moist, the edges were a bit dry.  We loved the expert preparation of the veggies as they were sweet and fresh.  However, we felt the dish lacked balance as there were too many tart components such as tamarind, tomato, mustard greens and jalapeno.  Therefore, we didn't find anything that stood up to the dominant flavours.

For dessert, we went for something light in the Aerated Cheesecake with graham cracker streusel, fresh and sherry compressed strawberries, strawberry sorbet, lemon, long pepper, and basil.  This was a substantial dessert that was fortunately very easy to eat.  Creamy, extremely cheesy and mildly sweet, the cheesecake was accented by the sweet and tart strawberries.  The sorbet added not only another layer of strawberry, but a contrast in temperature as well. Despite the overly tart halibut dish, Chambar met our expectations with carefully prepared food combined with attentive (while not overly intrusive) service.  Yes, prices are high, but we left happy.

The Good:
- Food prepared with care
- Attentive service
- Nice vibe

The Bad:
- Expensive

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Tapenade Bistro

Joyce has been a fellow blogger and friend since we both began blogging around 7 years ago.  I started roughly half-a-year before she did and we attended our first ever restaurant tasting together as well.  Since then, we've been to many of the same events and have recently worked together for the Chinese Restaurant Awards blogger's choice category.  But all this time, we've never actually gone out on a "double-date" where we brought our better halves.  Well, it finally happened...  in Richmond no less, at Tapenade Bistro.

We got things going with 2 appies including the surprisingly good Grilled Vancouver Island Octopus with capicola, fingerling potato salad, carrot & citrus emulsion and pickled mustard seeds.  Tender with an appealing chew, the octopus was lightly seasoned where it could've used a bit more salt.  However, the rest of the ingredients picked up the slack with nice hits of acidity, sweetness and saltiness.  There was a hint of smokiness which we never did figure out from where.  Although not a major issue, the cold capicola slices seemed a bit lifeless (maybe a slight sear?).

Next, we had the appetizer portion of the Salish Sea Mussels in a Moroccan broth consisting of harissa, piperade, preserved lemon and mint.  As much as this was a pleasantly aromatic and somewhat spicy concoction, it could've been even more so.  The flavours were probably more conservative so that it would appeal to a wider audience.  As for the mussels themselves, they were fairly plump and cooked just enough.  We also added a side of hand-cut Kennebec Frites with aioli.  These were hot, crispy and almost fluffy inside.  They were aggressively salted and were fine on their own, even without the aioli.

For my entree, I had the Oven Roasted Halibut Filet with faro risotto, wild mushroom, grilled leek, Swiss chard and rhubarb.  Without exaggeration, this piece of fish was prepared almost flawlessly being flaky and moist with a crispy sear.  In addition to the perfect execution, the fish itself was fresh (which helped the cause as frozen halibut has a habit of drying out) and well-seasoned.  Underneath, the faro was toothsome while the chard was barely kissed by a hot pan.  As for Viv, she chose the Bouillabaisse consisting of Salish sea mussels, fresh fish, saffron & tomato broth and rouille on a crostini.  We found the broth lightly tomatoey while mild all-around including only a background briny essence.  The seafood was mostly on point except for the overcooked salmon.

Mr. (as Joyce likes to call him) had the Seared Albacore Tuna with chickpea panisse, roasted peppers, green olive, crudité vegetables and smoked tuna aioli.   This was a bountiful dish with expertly prepared tuna that was uniformly seared with a buttery soft rare centre.  With a sprinkle of salt, this was simple, yet naturally flavoured.  Interestingly, the chickpea panisse almost had a polenta quality. Joyce ended up with the 8 oz Heritage Angus Flank Steak with gratin potatoes, smoked bone marrow, broccoli, aged cheddar and braised shallot.  Although the steak itself was beautifully medium-rare and sufficiently tender, there was a piece of sinew that made things chewy.  We couldn't detect any smoked bone marrow in any components of the dish (we suspected the demi-glace).  The potato pave was neatly constructed with tender layers, but a bit more cheese and cream would've added a bit more moisture.


For dessert, I had the White Chocolate Panna Cotta with aerated chocolate, honey comb, blackberry and chocolate sable.  Light and creamy while not overly stiff, the panna cotta played second fiddle to the rest of the ingredients.  The firm crunch of the chocolate sable cookies was pleasing while the honeycomb added a crispy sweetness.  Viv decided on the Clafoutis with rhubarb, hazelnut streusel and buttermilk ice cream.  Although appearing quite large, the clafoutis itself was pretty shallow.  Good thing too as it was dense and thick.  It wasn't particularly sweet, but the ice cream and streusel helped in that regard.  This was probably my least favourite of our 4 desserts.

Joyce opted for the Lemon Tart with basil crème fraiche, strawberry curd and brown butter shortbread.  Although the shortbread crust was buttery and slightly nutty, it could've been more firm.  Inside, the lemon curd was appealingly tart while on the denser side of creamy.  The drops of basil crème fraiche were nice while the strawberry curd drops were tasty, but strangely not strawberry tasting.  A minor complaint would be the chewy dehydrated strawberry slices. Mr. went for the Brown Butter Financier with chamomile, honey yogurt, kumquat marmalade and crushed pecan.  The cake itself was on the denser side, yet exhibited a decent moistness with a crispy exterior crust.  It wasn't overly buttery, but there was a certain nuttiness, especially with the pecans.  We loved the marmalade as it was not overly sweet nor tart.  Overall, I was pretty surprised with the food (especially the mains) at Tapenade.  Not sure why it took so long to try it.

The Good:
- Generally on point proteins
- Decently-priced for the portion size
- Fairly good service

The Bad:
- Desserts were okay, but lagged behind the mains
- Service was pretty good, but was a little stretched when there were more customers

Click to add a blog post for Tapenade Bistro on Zomato

Cinara

For pure convenience, we often refer back to the hotel restaurant when it comes to dining with the entire family.  Hey, why not?  Generally, they are pretty comfortable and predictable complete with a kid's menu.  Despite major improvements within the hotel restaurant genre in the past few years, we finally decided to put an end to being bound to these establishments.  For my mom's birthday, we were to dine at Cinara and the kids would have to eat whatever was on the menu. With Lucais Syme (La Quercia and La Pentola) and his wife, Gillian Book in charge, we would at the very least have a high probability of a good meal.

Normally, restaurant bread is as exciting as  a Superstore lineup, but I ended up taking a picture of it because it was a menu item.  Yes, it has become increasingly common for restaurants to charge for Bread & Butter, but I don't really mind it.  Sometimes, bread goes to waste especially if it is complimentary.  For those who actually want it, they can order it.  This one was crusty on the outside while soft inside.  Loved the salted whipped butter on the side. Our favourite appie of the bunch was the Chicken Liver Parfait with pickled veggies and crostinis.  The smooth and rich parfait was texturally on point (or should I say on fleek?) spreading firmly onto each crostini.  Once past the crunch, the parfait melted in my mouth with a balanced sweetness thanks to the sprinkle of salt.  It finished off with the essence of brandy.

Next, the White Anchovy with butter, pickles and herbs was a close second to the chicken liver parfait.  The ample amount of anchovy was nicely counteracted by the highly acidic pickled radish and cucumber.  The flavours were completely alive and bright which impacted our tastebuds with every bite.  I could've eaten 10 of these if I didn't order other dishes.  Dressed with mint, parsley, dill and candied pumpkin seeds, the Beets sat atop thick Greek yogurt.  Thick-cut, still firm while tender throughout, the beets were lightly sweet and Earthy.  The herbs were not intrusive while the crunchy and sweet pumpkin seeds added a wonderful contrast.  Thick and creamy, the yogurt underneath added a slight tartness and creaminess to the dish.

Onto some more starters, we shared the Mixed Salumi Plate consisting of prosciutto, fennel sausage and spicy salami.  I enjoyed the selection as it was freshly sliced and naturally went well with the bread and butter.  The prosciutto was buttery and salty, which I paired with the pickled veggies from the other plates. Our last item of the seemingly endless starters was the Vitello Tonnato (thin slices of veal with tuna mayo).  Tender, moist and sliced with the just right amount of thickness, the veal was the beneficiary from a smooth and appealingly fishy mayonnaise.  The sprinkle of capers added the necessary saltiness to liven up the mild flavours

Moving onto the bigger plates, my daughter was completely horrified that we ordered the Orecchetti with rabbit ragu and Parmesan.  She flatly refused to even give the dish a try due to her love of bunnies.  I think I almost made her cry when I shoved a bunch in her face.  I'm such a bad father...  Anyways, the rest of us enjoyed the toothsome pasta and of course the moist rabbit.  Flavours were mildly sweet with only the slight saltiness from the Parm standing out.  So the kids bypassed the orecchetti and happily ate the Paccheri with tomato and prosciutto soffritto ragu instead.  These large pasta tubes were nicely al dente and sauced with an impactful ragu which had a rich meat essence.  There was purposeful saltiness as well as a smooth acidity.

Onto some meat items, we tried the Roast Lamb Leg with polenta, cipollini onions, balsamic and arugula pesto.  Although the lamb was far from being tough, it wasn't particularly tender either.  Some of the sinewy parts were not that pleasant.  With that being said, the pesto added some brightness to the dish while the polenta was creamy and well-seasoned. Sporting a beautiful sear, the Branzino was flaky and moist.  It was accompanied by marinated asparagus, black pearl barley and red wine sauce.  Although red wine is not normally a great pair with fish, it worked here as the acidity and depth were balanced.  Although the fish itself was mildly seasoned, the combination of sauce and marinated asparagus made up for it.

For myself, I wanted to try the Squash Risotto with saffron and Parmesan (and not because I wanted a vegetarian dish either).  Rather, risotto is often a good measure since it is tricky to execute.  It was more or less done right here with chewy arborio rice within a cheesy and creamy sauce (except it may have been just a touch too wet). For dessert, we shared two items including the Chocolate Hazelnut Tart with chocolate ice cream.  As rich as the tart appeared, it was actually surprisingly fluffy.  Yes, that is probably the wrong description as the filling was semi-sweet and smooth (rather than fluffy, but it was not heavy either).  The crunchy hazelnuts on top added a nice aroma and textural contrast.

Our final item was the Apple Strudel with Chantilly cream.  With a light, yet flaky and crisp exterior, the strudel was also easy on the sugar.  Inside, there were plump pieces of apple that could've been a touch more tart.  Nestled within, the sweet raisins added a nice burst of flavour in almost every bite.  All-in-all, we enjoyed a good meal complete with great service in a relaxed environment.

The Good:
- Solid eats
- Understated elegance
- Great service

The Bad:
- Smallish portions
- A little tight for big groups

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