Published on Main

Here I am at Published on Main once again.  This is one of my favourite restaurants in Vancouver that include AnnaLena, Elem, Elisa, June and L'Abattoir.  Back in 2022, Published was bestowed the honour of being #1 on the list of Canada's 100 Best Restaurants.  I wholeheartedly agreed with that sentiment given that their OG menu items were on point and beautifully-plated.  For the next 2 years (2023 and 2024), Mon Lapin in Montreal was awarded #1.  I actually visited Mon Lapin in 2023 and despite being delicious, I wasn't sure if it was truly #1.  In 2025, it is now Pearl Morissette in the Niagara region being touted at #1.  Spoiler alert, I made my way out to their converted barn situated on a farm restaurant in June.  That will be posted soon.  For now, this is just my latest visit to Published, which currently sits #9 on the list.

So we started with one of our favs in the Chips & Dip.  This menu staple was missing from the menu the last time we were here since they could not source the right potatoes.  Good call because if it isn't up to specifications, take it off the menu!  With this version, I found the chips to be a bit thinner and lighter than before.  No matter, still really tasty potato chips (which were salted just right).  As for the smoked fish dip, it was creamy, chunky and full of smokiness and dill.  A seemingly simple item, but a must order.

We had the refreshing Dungeness Crab next with a cute crab on top.  The delicate crab sat atop some preserved tomatillo and was surrounded by cornichons, green olives, sungold tomatoes and sea asparagus with some fennel fronds.  All of this was finished off with a clarified gazpacho.  Lots of natural tomato flavour and brightness in this dish.  More tomato came in the form of Pan con Tomate on the side.  The bread was crunchy and a bit smoky while the tomato was bright, fresh and full-flavoured.

We them moved onto an OG menu item that has been there from the beginning - the Aebleskiver.  These pancake balls are unassuming but utterly delicious.  A bit crispy on the outside and plenty soft and pancakey inside, these were filled with stewed herbs. Full of aromatics and umami, these were tasty by themselves but ultimately, the herb emulsion completed the dish.  It was creamy and subtle, giving some much needed moisture to the Aebleskivers.

Just like the chips & dip, another must-order for me is the Kentucky Fried Maitake.  At first glance, one might assume these fried mushrooms are heavy and dense.  That would be completely wrong as these were lightly crispy and almost light as a feather.  The coating was beautifully seasoned with enough salt, pepper and spices.  However, the garlic scape ranch on the side was not just for show, it was creamy and bright with a slight sharpness.

Of course we need to get some veggies into this meal and we did with the Badger Flame Beets with golden beets.  Visually-appealing, the beets were sweet and a bit earthy while sitting on a tasty paste comprised of lemongrass, black vinegar and miso.  That really gave the dish a kick in the pants with sweet tang, brightness and rich fermented saltiness.  The whole thing was topped with shiso and sunflower seeds for extra herbaceous hits and texture.

We continued the vegetable theme with the Hispi Cabbage.  At first, the dish didn't look all that exciting, but we shouldn't judge a book by its cover right?  Well, the cabbage was excellent being firm, but cooked through and charred while dressed in a hazelnut mole and sat atop mucho macha salsa.  If you can imagine, this was a flavour bomb of nuttiness, earthiness, sweetness, bitterness and a touch of spice.  To finish the dish, we found some pickled onions and serranos which added crunch, mild heat and more tanginess.

The veggies didn't stop there as we also go the Summer Squash.  The slices raw zucchini were neatly arranged atop a tabbouleh salad.  Mixed within it, we found roasted squash and pickled patty pan squash and herbs. It was dressed in mega miso which was of course, full of rich fermented umaminess.  The delicate texture of the squash was still noticeable amongst the other ingredients while the raw zucchini on top (with lemon dressing) provided a bright bitterness.

I long for the days when the scallops with apple was on the menu, but the Roasted Scallop with sweet corn, 'nduja and lobster mushrooms sounded quite good.  In fact, it was excellent.  The scallops were seared beautifully with the centre still rare.  Hence it was naturally sweet with the extra caramelization on the external surfaces.  With enough savoury elements and a touch of spice from the 'nduja, the sweet corn was able to compliment the already sweet scallops in a balanced manner.

One dish that I was indifferent about was the English Pea Tortelli.  This really tasted how it appeared.  It was very green with the lovage being dominant in the pistou.  I'm sure that was intentional, but for me, I didn't get much of the peas. The pasta itself was firm and al dente, but it was a bit thick in my opinion.  Hence, it was dense and not delicate.  I did like the pickled ramps as it helped deviate from all of the green flavours.  Some added crunch on top was appreciated.

Moving along to the meat portion of the meal, we had the Sticky Pork Ribs.  These were fall-off-the-bone tender while retaining a meat texture.  It was glazed with a pickled fermented fig BBQ sauce which was money.  It was sweet, tangy and had a little something something.  On the side, we found a summer beans and sungold tomatoes dressed in a Maggi dressing.  I believe I've had this dressing summer beans last year and it was great!  Nicely emulsified, the dressing was creamy and full of umami and saltiness.

In addition to the ribs, we added the Summer BBQ Beef for good measure.  The tender slices of beef were meaty and quite lean.  It was slathered with a lacto paprika BBQ sauce which was savoury more than sweet with some tanginess and definite paprika vibes.  Underneath, there was some cheesy semolina grits where it was surrounded by spicy and crunchy brassicas in a calabrian garlic sauce.

Of course we had to get dessert right?  We went for the classic (from day one) Hay featuring aerated hay custard.  That light and barely there custard was mildly sweet and nutty.  It was complimented by the green apple granita as it provided that burst of tangy sweetness as well as a hit of cold.  The floral nature of the chamomile was also present.  Beyond the pretty flower petals, we had some crispy meringue to add some needed texture.

  

So our second dessert happened to be the newest dessert in the Elderflower featuring a rose curd on the bottom with an elderflower mousse and a yogurt sorbet with honey lemon verbena.  This was an appealing mix of floral, tangy and sweet with contrasting textures between the creamy curd and light mousse and firm top.  As per usual, when they bring you the bill, it includes some final bites in housemade jellies and caramels.  Once again, it was a fantastic meal at Published on Main.  It truly earns its place in the top 10 of Canada's 100 Best Restaurants and I personally believe they should stay there.  However, I still reminisce about the OG menu where they got to the top of the list.  Maybe one day they will get there again.

The Good:

- Solid meal with some surprising flavours

- The classic dishes kept on the menu are excellent

- Just enough service that it isn't obtrusive

The Bad:

- I did enjoy the meat dishes, but they do not hit the highs of the ones I've had in the past 

 

Quetzal

Another meal in Toronto and another Michelin-Star restaurant in Quetzal.  This modern Mexican spot on College Street prepares all their cooked food on a 28 foot wood fire.  Yes, that is right, am open flame that does not have temperature regulation.  That is absolutely amazing since the flavours and intense flavours imparted by wood fire cannot be replicated by gas or electricity.  Viv and I were excited to try the place and went for the curated menu so we could get a great overview of the menu.

The first few dishes to arrive included the Hokkaido Scallop Ceviche and Blue Fin Tuna.  The ceviche was dressed in a squid ink leche with ground cherries and topped with crispy leeks.  As much as the buttery soft and sweet scallops were the star of the plate, the super sweet gooseberries added so much to the mix.  It helped impart bursts of flavour when most of the other components were mild.   There was also some earthiness in it all with just a kiss of the sea.  Crunch from the leeks provided texture as well as a nutty brightness.

Not featured on the regular menu, the Blue Fin Tuna was quite the treat.  Consisting of big fat slices, the tuna was at its buttery best despite being the akami.  It was fresh, bright and sweet.   However, the rattlesnake chili paste did overwhelm the fish, yet it was delicious being smoky, spicy and nutty.  We found some blood orange segments and daikon underneath that helped lighten up the flavours as well as providing texture and acidity.

We moved onto 2 different dishes each as Viv doesn't prefer *gasp* lamb!  So she had the Memela that featured a base of fried masa that looked like a tart shell filled with smoked shiitake mushroom conserva, quesillo, salsa de Chile morita and mizuna topped with chicharron.  Loved this as it was both a study in textures and flavours.  From the firm crunch of the base to the airy crispiness of the chicharron, there was great mouth feel.  Then we had the stringiness of the cheese melded with the smokiness and juiciness of the shiitake.

For myself, I stated I wanted to eat the lamb despite Viv not wanting any part in it.  They obliged and sent out the Empanadas Oaxaqueñas stuffed full of lamb barbacoa, salsa molcajete, valentine radish and salsa de ajo.  This was absolutely delicious with succulent and juicy lamb that was meaty-tasting with depth-of-flavour.  Served at the same time was the Ensalata Verde with baby gem lettuce, Cookstown radishes, chayote, poblano kosho and trout roe.  This was a fresh salad with a lot of surprises.  Beyond the crunch from the radishes and chayote, we found pops of brininess from the roe.  Then, the kosho added citrusy notes while the poblano imparted smokiness. 

We moved onto another off-menu dish in the Sablefish marinated in blood orange and fall spices.   The fish was prepared properly where it was flaky and buttery while sporting a slight char on the outside.  We got some smokiness and caramelization as well as a nutty earthiness.  The addition of finger lime on top added some acidic crunch.  On the side, we found a creamy parsnip and hazelnut puree. 

Then, we had the extraordinary Newfoundland Scallops served in the half shell.  Each scallop was cooked ever-so-lightly which meant the meat firmed up slightly but retaining its buttery raw texture.  Also, the natural sweetness really came through.  It sat in a delicious green garlic butter that was reminiscent of escargot butter.  Some popcorn vibes came through with a buttery nuttiness.  I used the bread we had to soak up all of the buttery leftover goodness.

We moved onto the next dish which was the Octopus which featured a beautifully grilled tentacle.  It was smoky and well-seasoned while being tender with only a bit of chew.  It was sitting in a salsa macha which was nutty and crunchy with muted spice.  The addition of corn miso added fermented sweetness. Topping things off, we had crunchy Napa cabbage and kohlrabi.  Our last savoury item was the Mushroom & Shishitos.  Beautifully charred and blistered, the shishitos were bright and slightly sweet.  The oyster mushrooms were nicely caramelized having a smoky saltiness.  On the side, there was crema poblano which imparted some smoky creaminess. 

We can't go without dessert right?  So we had the Avocado Leaf Ice Cream and the Tres Leches Cake. Really enjoyed the ice cream as it was smooth and lightly sweet.  Most of the impact came from the Saskatoon berries in the form of sweetness and the raspberry gel.  For texture, there was a mess of corn flakes on top.  As much as I feared that the Tres Leche Cake would be too sweet, it really wasn't.  The cake was super moist from the soak of the 3 different types of milk.  Naturally, the dominant flavour was the sweetness of the condensed milk.  On top of the cake, we found horchata cream which afforded some sweetness and aromatics.  For textural contrast, there was a large rice tuile.  Overall, the meal at Quetzal was outstanding.  It is amazing what they can do with open flame.  Great combination of spices that were impactful and aromatic.  Totally worth all the accolades it receives.

The Good:

- Impactful and delicious

- Well-prepared proteins

- Attentive yet not intrusive service

The Bad:

- A little strong with the delicate blue fin

- You will smell like smoke after you leave

Edulis

Sitting at #2 on Canada's Best 100 restaurants for 2024, Edulis is also the recipient of a Michelin Star.  It is truly a destination restaurant tucked within a cozy bistro on Niagara in Toronto.  The Manager, Philip Shaw, welcomes and warmly guides you throughout the tasting menu that takes a journey though in-season seafood, vegetables and mushrooms.  Viv and I were fortunate enough to snag a reservation for this exquisite experience.

You must be quick when the resos are available and also need to prepay.  We had a 7:00pm reservation and began with the Snacks consisting of Edulis "Gilda Matrimonio" with Cantabrian anchovy, Valentine Radish with Liptauer cheese, Profiterole of Winter Parsnip & Black Truffle and Coppa di Testa of Mangalista Pork with Eggplant Sott'Olio.  A very nice introduction to the menu where we literally whet our appetites on the tangy and briny skewers with stuffed olives and anchovy.  Our favourite of the bunch was the profiteroles as the choux pastry was perfectly crispy with an airy centre.  The sweet parsnips were creamy and gave off foie mousse vibes.

 

As a supplement added at the table and not part of the original tasting menu, we had the Jamón Joselito for an extra $50.00.  This was well worth it though as each slice of ham was super buttery and richly salty, yet still a bit sweet as well.  On top, we found some Picos (Spanish bread sticks) that were a bit dense. This is the best ham in the world coming from a small company founded in 1868 and based in Guijuelo.  I would agree that this is one of the best I've had and would gladly have more!

Seemingly simple but complex in flavour, the Roscoff Onion Pannacotta was delightful with a rich creamy texture.   Mildly milky, the pannacotta served as a canvas for the sweet & earthy onions.   Although there was no curry to be found in this dish, there was a faint curry finish.   I loved the addition of crunch to the mix that added textural contrast.  Of course we couldn't forget about the generous dollop of Oscietra "Prestige" caviar.  That provides pops of salty brininess.

 

In between courses, we were served the Red Fife Bread with 84% fat cultured butter.  We went for the black truffle supplement and they went nuts with it on top of the butter.  The bread itself had a nice crunch with the crust while the inside had a heavy fermented flavour.  It was densely fluffy (if that makes sense).  We didn't go easy with the butter and that made all the difference in the world.  It was creamy and a bit gamy with lots of truffle woodsiness.    

One of our favourite courses was the Wild Red Sea Bream that was lightly cured and sandwiched in between sheets of kombu.   The slices of fish were supremely bright and naturally sweet with a kiss from the sea.  With Buddha hand citrus, we had all the acidity and fragrance the fish needed.  We had a bit of licorice finish from the fennel seed but also some slight brightness and bitterness from the cardoon.

Keeping the hits going, the Dungeness Crab was a beautiful dish where the main ingredient was allowed to shine.   Fluffy, briny and sweet, the crab sat in a sweet macadamia cream that featured crab butter.  It was full of umami and of course, crab flavour.  This made the flavour profile extremely crab-forward (which would've been the point).  We found some wild bears garlic finishing off the dish with delicate aromatics.

If crab and sea Bream wasn't a seafood treat already, we had the Just Shucked Mahone Bay Scallops next.  These were lightly poached in dashi that firmed them up but left the scallop raw.   They were buttery and naturally sweet.  This sat atop fermented aji verde which was bright, herbaceous and slightly spicy.  We had some Ontario ginger and pickled ramps which added bite and tang.

Moving onto something a bit different and more robust, we had the Smoked Eel "Schnitzel".  We found a piece of eel that was coated in breading and fried until golden brown.  It was crispy and aromatic while the short-finned eel itself was firm (like it should be) and lightly sweet.  Underneath, we found some white asparagus sitting in a stinging nettle vichyssoise with mustard seed mignonette and red wine reduction.  This was a fairly mild dish overall.

The next course featured diced BC Spot Prawn Crudo in saucy bomba rice with Mangalista sobrassada spread.  I thought the saucy rice was the best part of this dish as it sported concentrated flavours of prawn shells.  It was super briny, aromatic and pleasingly salty.   There was some meaty spiciness from the sobrasada that provided depth.   However, the delicate spot prawn was lost in all of this.  The good news was that the texture was as still there.

Our last course was the Dry-Aged Mangalista Pork with hedgehog mushrooms, cabbage sausage, roasted apple, celeriac & mushroom puree and cider sauce.  The pork was absolutely delicious where it was barely cooked through.  Each piece was juicy and succulent with natural sweetness.   The mushrooms help add some woodiness and the apple and cider sauce provided sweetness and slight tang.  really enjoyed the roasted pork rib on the side.  Such succulent and well-seasoned meat!  

Onto dessert, we ordered 2 of them including Niagara Baby Gold Peaches sitting in vanilla crème Anglais and raspberry sauce.  This was a simple dish, but was truly a refreshing way to cleanse the palate after all those fabulous courses.  But the real dessert was the Dark Chocolate Layer Cake with Soma kokoa kamili chocolate, Niagara apricot preserves and hazelnut praline. Oh this cake was so rich and chocolatey while being only purposefully sweet.  This was lighter than it appeared and was super fluffy.  Loved the crunch from the pralines on top.  As you can see, this tasting menu was a lot of thoughtful and well-prepared dishes.  Really great experience, especially with the personable service we received from Philip.  We can see why it is ranked so high on Canada's Top 100 Restaurants.

 

The Good:

- Outstanding service

- Good use of fresh Canadian ingredients

- Delicious

 

The Bad:

- Super hard to get a reservation

- With all the supplements and wine, it can get pretty expensive 

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