Belgard Kitchen (Tasting Menu)

It's been awhile since I have been back to Belgard Kitchen.  Last time, we enjoyed a delicious brunch while admiring the high ceilings and rustic decor.  I always knew they had a solid dinner service where recently, they have begun offering a Tasting menu for only $65.00.  Now your YMMV (your mileage may vary) on how much you save dependent on which dishes are served.  Besides, their regular menu is quite reasonable to begin with.

So the meal started off with an Amuse Bouche with a Carrot Granita with a coconut citrus cream on top.  This frozen little bite(s) was truly refreshing with the sweetness of the carrots pairing well with the aromatics of the cream.  Being a wine bar, we decided to order from the Vancouver Urban Winery selection (as they are in the same space) with a White and a Rosé.  I couldn't wait to try the white, so that is why there is less than the other.  It was very light and fruity almost like a riesling, but not as sweet.  The rosé was also light with a few background fruit notes that were refreshing, great for a Summer's day.

The first dish to arrive was actually a board of Charcuterie.  This featured salami, coppa, manchego, aged cheddar, mushroom bacon paté, olives, pickles and grilled bread.  I thought it was the perfect amount for 2 people.  Of course, the board would be larger for more guests doing the tasting menu.  I found the grilled sourdough to be fantastic with a buttery crispiness yielding to a soft and chewy interior.  It paired well with the creamy paté and its salty smoky umaminess.

With so many beet salads roaming around on menus these days, how did Beets by Belgard stand out?  Well, I'm happy to report that this was one memorable version.  Sitting on a bed of house lemon ricotta, the sous vide earthy beets were balanced off by a creamy tanginess.  With some pickled beets, we got more acidity and sweetness (and some crunch).  But the best thing was the smoked beets, as they really added depth.  We got some more texture with the candied walnuts.

Another dish that is widely available but rarely executed properly is a risotto.  Once again, the kitchen here nailed it with the Hokkaido Scallop Risotto.  The arborio rice was cooked masterfully with a chewiness that was perfect.  It was creamy and the smoked scallop butter afforded briny and sweet aromatics.  Drops of black garlic pureé upped the umami of the dish as well as some tanginess.  Of course we can't forget about the plump scallops...  They were buttery, soft and nicely seared.  The inside was a little rare, just like it should be.

Onto the other large dish, we had the Arctic Char in beurre blanc with tarragon oil.  There was also a pea pureé and compressed cucumbers.  I found the fish itself to be cooked properly being moist and flaky with crispy well-seasoned skin.  The silky and nutty beurre blanc complimented the fish well by letting it be the star.  With sweetness and some liquorice background notes  by the tarragon oil.  It provided something extra to the sauce.

For our side, we had the Roasted Broccolini with gremolata and toasted sunflower seeds.  First off, the broccolini itself was fresh and appealing.  It had a nice crunch and natural sweetness.  It was roasted just enough without impacting its crunch.  However, it did intensify the vegetably sweetness.  The addition of a gremolata mean there was some bright garlickiness present.  Extra texture and nuttiness was thanks to the sunflower seeds.
 

For dessert, we were served the Black Forest S'mores with torched meringue, chocolate mousse, sour cherries and sour cherry sorbet.  Nicely deconstructed version of the classic and loved the use of pressed and crispy sourdough as the "cracker".  That sour cherry added so much flavour and brightness to the dish.  As a bonus, we got to try the Basque Cheesecake with guava wine sauce.  As you can see, this was a nice-looking Basque cheesecake.  Texturally, it was firm, but fluffy at the same time.  It was creamy and mildly sweet with the cheese coming through.  The wine sauce was fabulous having the wonderful flavour of guava with only a bit of wine essence.  As you can see, the food at Belgard is carefully prepared, thoughtful and plated nicely.  Furthermore, it tasted great.  For $65.00, the tasting menu is a good value.

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

The Good:
- Approachable prices
- Well-prepared eats
- There is a level of refinement here

The Bad:
- Tasting menu vs a la carte, prices are quite close except you get dessert included

Le Fromager de Saint-Paul

Luck would have it that Mijune would be in Nice at the same time as us and she would have time to meet!  We ended up driving over to St. Paul de Vence to rendezvou at Le Fromager de Saint-Paul.  Similiar to Mougins, but bigger, St. Paul is a medieval town that sports beautiful views, artisans and of course, excellent places to eat!  Like the name suggests, the restaurant specializes in cheese with other accompanying dishes as well.  We didn't go for anything complex and shared a bunch of little bites.

This included their absolutely delicious rendition of Pissaladeriere.  For those who haven't had this, it is basically a flatbread with caramelized onion, olives, capers, thyme and nutmeg.  Well, this was truly excellent with a thin crust that was slightly crispy in places.  The intense sweetness from the onions was balanced off well by the saltiness of the olives and capers.  Of course the tanginess from both also helped keep things from being too heavy.

Even though we had left Italy several days ago, we couldn't resist ordering some Burrata with tomatoes and balsamic. Mind you, Nice and the surrounding area used to be part of Italy...  Anyways, the burrata was supremely fresh with a creamy and cheesy centre.  It was topped with an aromatic and nutty pesto.  This went really well with the supplied baguette.  We got more of it since there was so much burrata (and other things on the table).  The tomatoes were super fresh and juicy.  Loved the simple balsamic and EVOO drizzled on it.

We ended up also getting our meat fix with a Charcuterie plate consisting of coppa, saucisson and jambon cru.  This was a nice collection of familiar items including the nutty and firm saucisson and the coppa was salty with plenty of fat due to use of pork shoulder.  Essentially prosciutto, the jambon cru was nutty, salty and fairly lean.  It was soft with the classic chewiness.  We had a baguette on the side and we ate that with the meat and cheese.

Also on the table was the Terrine de Cochon Maison served with a green salad, conichons and pickled onions.  We found this terrine very rustic and almost a bit fluffy.  This was not a tightly packed terrine and it was not overly meaty.  The combination of whipped meat and fat, it was almost spreadable.  I say almost, since it still had some chunks, so it didn't really spread.  Flavourwise, it was meaty but mild-tasting.  It was nutty from the pistachios strewn throughout.

And finally we had a slice of Truffle Brie as per my daughter's request.  This brie was really good being creamy and buttery without completely melting upon contact.  It was lightly sweet and nutty while the thin layer of truffle add the usual woodsiness and aromatics.  We combined this with the baguette and some meats to create layers of flavour.  So as you can see, the things we had at Le Fromager de Saint-Paul was pretty simple.  But really, this was sufficient as a light meal especially on a hot day.  Was cool to sit outside and catch up with Mijune while thinking of other things to eat later!

The Good:
- Outstanding location with a nice view
- Quality products
- They have hot dishes too, but we didn't try them

The Bad:
- Limited parking in the area, but that is a given

Salumeria Enoteca Lombardi

Having arrived in Florence and just barely meeting our Airbnb host in time, we made our way to the Mercato Centrale for some lunch.  We settled on Salumeria Enoteca Lombardi due in part that we weren't super hungry but knew we had to eat. Okay, we were well-aware that is is a tourist trap.  You can see it from far away, as it is located right at the market entrance and there are more tourists dining there than locals.  However, upstairs was unbearably hot and completely packed.  Since we love meat and cheese, we just went for it.

We ended up with the Salumi e Formaggi Platter for 4 people at 50 Euros.  Was it pricey?  Sure it was, but again, we knew what we were getting into.  This consisted of prosciutto toscano, sopprasata, salami, toscano, bresoala, pancetta, provolone, olives, artichokes, sundried tomatoes and a side of bread.  This was a good amount of sliced meats and they were more or less good.  Being Tuscan prosciutto, it was definitely salty, but had some more complex flavours.

On the side, we found EVOO as well as Aged Balsamic for the bread and to compliment the meats and cheeses.  Sure, these may not seem important, but for some of the saltier meats, the balsamic provides some balance.  As for the EVOO, definitely great to drizzle on the bread for both aroma and moisture.  So yes, we could've been more creative with our lunch spot, but ultimately, the meats and cheeses did the trick.  Sometimes simple works best and in this case, it was better than being in the sauna upstairs.

The Good:

- Located downstairs and is less hot than upstairs (during the Summer)

- Meats & cheeses were more than acceptable

- Divided amongst 4 people, it really wasn't that expensive

The Bad:

- If you are hungrier and need more food, then this isn't the place

Mon Lapin

So when you are named the #1 restaurant in Canada according to Canada's 100 Best, there are some pretty high expectations.  Well, shortly after this was announced, I made sure to get a reservation as soon as I was able.  We were going to be in Montreal anyways and of course I was going to see for myself what all the fuss is about this wine bar that has transformed into something bigger, literally and figuratively (restaurant has gotten bigger and their menu has leveled-up).

Seeing how it was a nice day and not too hot, we decided to sit outside in their quaint patio.  We ordered a good selection of items including the Razor Clams with fava beans and ham.  Simple, yet elegant, this dish was all about pure flavours.  We had the sweetness of the clams nicely accented by the mild saltiness of the ham.  Beyond the colour, the fava beans provided an earthy sweetness.  We doubled-up on this dish since it would usually only come with 2 servings.

My favourite dish was the Radish Parfait with chicken liver mousse and a supplement of Fried Chicken Oysters.  Oh look at those beautiful fresh-from-the-farm radishes!  They were so crunchy, bright and earthy with a bite.  Dipped into the creamy, sweet and airy mousse, it was divine.  Let's not forget about the chicken oysters as they were crunchy on the outside while revealing the unmistakable tender juicy little nuggets.

Sure, the next item was not the sexiest thing we had, but who wouldn't want some Bâtard with "bon beurre" (good butter) and La Villana EVOO?  Well, the bread was fantastic with a crust exterior giving way to soft chewy insides.  That butter was really good being creamy and nutty with enough saltiness.  The star was the EVOO as it was super flavourful with hints of pepperiness and bitterness.

Moving on, we had the Scallop Crudo with rhubarb water, sorrel and buckwheat butter.  This was simplicity at its best since there was not much in the way of overpowering items in the dish.  This let the sweetness of the buttery scallops be the highlight.  Light acidity, sweetness and nuttiness complimented the scallops.  This was a truly a refreshing dish that was perfect for a summer day.

Now for something a bit different, we had the Le Croque Pétoncle.  This reminded me somewhat of Chinese shrimp toast, but with scallop mousse instead of shrimp mousse.  This was well-prepared with evenly toasted buttery bread with spongy sweet scallop mousse.  These ate quite well and were a textural delight.  This was served with a classic rouille in the middle that added an aromatic creaminess.  Once again, this was a double-order of this dish.

Yep, we had to double-up our order of the Gnudi di Ricotta as well since we all wanted one of everything.  So this consisted of ricotta gnudi with deceptively similar balls of white turnip and garnished with turnip leaves.  The dish was finished in a very green pesto, so combined with the leaves, this was basically monotone.  It didn't taste that way though as the creaminess of the gnudi came through and it was seasoned enough to stand on its own.  However, the pesto was cheesy, nutty and herbaceous.

Hidden underneath a slice of mortadella (I moved it so we could see underneath), the Whelks were finished with fennel and herbs.  Nothing too complex about this dish as the whelks were the star being briny and sweet.  Texturally, they were like bigger clams and had a tender chew to them.  Loved the tender fennel as it provided classic licorice notes and the mortadella added some saltiness.

One of the most unique preparations was the Sourdough-Crusted Chicken (yes with foot still attached) with potatoes, Manila clams and yellow wine.  Well that crust was amazing with a firm crunchiness that gave way to super tender and juicy meat (even the breast).  Yep, I ate the chicken foot too...  The wine sauce was slightly briny due to the clams and was savoury with some sweetness.  Those potatoes were tender and creamy in the middle.

Our final savoury dish was the Aged Pork with crispy pig ears, pork fat morels and eel sauce.  That fatty pork was cooked perfectly with just a touch of pink.  Hence it was tender and juicy with a heightened "porkiness".  Those earthy and luscious morels were complimented the pork beautifully. Can't forget about those crispy pig ears!  They were gelatinous, fatty and yes, crispy.

For dessert, we shared the Pannacotta with Quebec strawberries, elderberry gelee and elderberry flowers.  This was super refreshing, light and full of floral notes.  The pannacotta itself was perfect as it was creamy and fully set without being too stiff.  This was a light and fruity finish to a solid meal.  Mon Lapin has not only delicious share plates, their wine list is extensive.  Great place to share a bottle or 2 or 3 while dining on small plates.  The question is it #1 in Canada?  Personally I would say no because I like Published on Main in Vancouver more, but I can't deny that Mon Lapin is a pretty good too.

The Good:

- Fresh and delicious share plates

- Extensive wine list

- Knowledgeable and professional staff

The Bad:

- Main dining room can be warm

- Your bill can get up there if you are hungry and thirsty

Great Wine Tasting Room (Percipio Wine Collection)

If you have been perceptive about this blog, you will realize I'm not a big wine drinker.  Now that doesn't mean I don't enjoy a glass or two, but I'm no expert.  Therefore, I will never pass myself off as one.  I will comment occasionally with the best knowledge that I have and to my preferences.  I'm a food blogger not a wine blogger although I'm acutely aware that wine and food go together like peas and carrots (Forrest Gump reference...).  So when David suggested we hit up the Great Wine Tasting Room for a session, I was intrigued.  Why not taste some wine and learn something in the process?  He set up a complimentary tasting before our dinner at Flint Creek Cattle Co.

We weren't there only to sample 4 wines as we were also given the opportunity to find more about our own personal preferences.  This was achieved using the app myVinotype.  There are 4 vinotypes including sweet, hyper-sensitive, sensitive and tolerant.  Those who are sweet prefer sweet whites and reds.  On the other side of the spectrum, those who are tolerant like full-bodied wines such as cabernet sauvignon.  We then find the 2 middle vinotypes where hypersensitive trends towards, but not exclusively to sweet while sensitive trends towards bolder wines.  I already knew my vinotype because I generally like Rieslings and Gewürztraminers.  So yes, I'm sweet (yes, in more ways than one...).   

Our first wine was the only white for the tasting being the Percipio Chardonnay consisting of 65% Chardonnay, 25% Pinot Gris and 10% Viognier.  This was crisp with notes of pear and banana, hence the wine was fruity and floral.  It was slightly sweet with a smooth finish.  For me personally, I would love to have a glass with a white fish.  This wine appeals to sensitive and hypersensitive vinotypes, so I generally enjoyed it.  Up next, we sampled the first of three reds with the Percipio Stellar 8.  It was blended with 65% Petite Sirah and 35% Zinfandel.  For a red, this was fairly light and smooth.  This may have been due to the mild amount of tannins which meant the wine wasn't very oaky.  I found it fruity with hints of pomegranate, cherry and chocolate.  Interestingly, this wine appeals to tolerant and sensitive vinotypes which is the polar-opposite of what I would prefer.

Our next red was the Percipio Cabernet Sauvignon consisting of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot and 3% Petite Sirah.  This was stronger and full-bodied with a noticeable oaky aftertaste.  In addition to pepperiness, there were the rich tones of blackberry and clove.  Suffice to say, this appeals to the tolerant vinotype and not something that I would necessary order for myself.  Surprisingly and unsurprisingly, I was drawn to the last wine in the Cupid which consisted of 55% Zinfandel, 40% Merlot and 5% Petite Sirah.  Surprising since I much prefer whites than red and unsurprising because this appeals to sweet and hypersensitive vinotypes.  I enjoyed the complex and fruity taste that was bold but not harsh.  I could taste the tannins but it was just strong enough.  I ended up buying a bottle of this!   I truly enjoyed my experience at Great Wine and it helped reinforce my preferences steering me towards a wine that I may have not purchased on my own.

*Tasting was complimentary

The Good:
- Informative and helps people find their preferences (if not already known)
- Found a wine that I really enjoyed (Cupid)
- Gorgeous space

The Bad:
- The space doesn't allow for it, but some actual appies would've made the experience even more enjoyable

Bacchus Bistro at Chaberton Estate Winery

It's not like Bacchus Bistro is new or anything, but since I can remember, I've always wanted to dine there.  After many failed attempts, we finally made a reservation for my mom's birthday.  I guess one of the reasons we've taken so long is that the place is located at the Chaberton Estate Winery in Langley on 216th.  For those who don't live in the area, it isn't exactly an easy commute.  For me, I travel long distances for food and that we did as it took over 45 minutes from Burnaby with no traffic.  However, being seated outside overlooking the vineyard brought a certain satisfaction and calmness which made the drive much more palatable.

Beyond the reasonably-priced house wines (as they make it), we had to get to the food.  That we did with some appies including the Bacchus Salad sporting thin slices of smoked salmon over mixed greens with a tuna rémoulade sauce.  Yes, usually a salad elicits as much excitement as a time-share seminar, but this was actually quite good.  In addition to the crisp fresh greens, the slices of buttery smoked salmon were topped with a creamy and fishy (in a good way) dressing.  Think of it as somewhat like a vitello tonnato but with smoked salmon and greens instead of veal. Another solid starter was the Duck Rillettes with red onion jam, honey mustard and toasted challah.  This was meaty and ducky with a subtle and pleasant gaminess.  The rillette itself was not super flavourful, but that wasn't really an issue since the onion jam and honey mustard helped in that regard.  We thought the soft toasted challah was a great compliment to the rillette.

As part of the Table H'ote menu, my mom and I had 2 appetizers of our own including the Escargot a la Bourguignonne.  They were not shy with the butter and garlic as this was as sinful and delicious as it looked.  I thought the addition of roasted grape tomatoes underneath was a great shot of tartness to cut through the heaviness of the butter.  However, at the same time, it was so strong that I found it overwhelmed every other flavour.   The escargots themselves were tender and not overdone while exhibiting a background gaminess.  For my mom, she chose the Lobster and Butternut Squash Bisque with sauteed locally raised shrimp.  Despite it being a blend between essentially 2 soups, the dominant flavour was the lobster essence.  Texturally, it was more squash than being creamy, but it was still bisque-like to a degree.  Beyond the lobster, there was the sweetness of squash and at the tail end, there was a slight cognac finish.

Our last appie was the Steamed Gulf Island Mussels with steamed in white wine and tomato with cracked coriander and fennel seed.  This wasn't the most exciting creation, but it was solid nonetheless.  I would've preferred a little more impact from the broth, but it did the job with a mild tang and aromatics.  The mussels themselves were buttery and plump.  With all this being said, this was probably our least favourite appetizer, not because it wasn't good, the others were just better.

Moving onto the mains, I had the Rib Eye Steak prepared medium-rare (closer to rare, which is my preference anyways).  As evidenced in the picture, there was an aggressive exterior sear that created a smoky and caramelized crust.  The steak was well-seasoned as well, so there was plenty of impact to go with the natural fattiness.  Underneath, there was a saute of mushrooms, house smoked bacon and pearl onions in a Bordelaise sauce.  For my mom, she went for the Roasted Fraser Valley 1/2 Duck with sauteed asparagus and caramelized orange sauce.  Essentially, their version of duck a l'orange, it was fantastic.  The duck itself had a beautiful finish with fairly rendered skin and super tender meat (that was not dry).  Sweet with a smoky tang, the orange sauce was balanced and flavourful.  It allowed the duck to be the star while complimenting it at the same time.

My dad didn't want all 3 courses, but did get the Pan Roasted Halibut a la carte.  It was excellent with crispy skin and tender flakes.  It almost ate like black cod which meant that the halibut was fresh and properly executed.   On the bottom, there was sauteed spinach and a three mushroom cream sauce.  Although the spinach was a bit too wilted, it ultimately went well with the creamy and earthy sauce.  Staying with fish, my daughter had the Pan-Roasted BC Ling Cod with ratatouille Provencal and Okanagan basil pistou.  This was also well-prepared with crispy skin.  I would say the cook on the halibut was a bit better as the cod wasn't as flaky.  However, it still wasn't dry.  Underneath, the ratatouille provided a veggie tang to go along with the garlicky brightness of the pistou.

Viv decided on the classic Fraser Valley Duck Leg Duck Confit with warm beluga lentil salad, spinach, mushrooms, asparagus tossed in a pepita pistou.  There was an option to add another leg for $7.00 more, but it really wasn't necessary since the one leg was pretty substantial.  The meat was moist and fork tender where it barely needed any chewing.  It was also well-seasoned without being overly salty.  Although portions of the duck skin were a bit fatty, most of it was well-rendered and crispy.  Loved the lentils as they provided a firm and meaty texture to the salad.  My son was sold on the Beef Bourguignon since it featured a boneless beef short rib braised in red wine with pearl onions, house smoked bacon and mushrooms.  By virtue of a large short rib, the whole dish ate much differently than a traditional bourguignon.  It had all of the flavours such as the sweetness of the onions, depth of the red wine and the earthiness of the mushroom, yet at the same time, it was much more robust due to the tender meaty short rib.

Moving onto the sweets, since our 3-course meals included dessert, we had both of them including the Chocolate Eclair as well as the Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble.  Stuffed with both a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a scoop of chocolate mousse, the eclair was a lot taller than we had imagined.   Beyond the light choux pastry, the mousse was quite good riding the line between rich and light.  It was chocolatey with some dark bitterness while being sweet enough. The strawberry rhubarb crumble was also good with a tangy sweet mix that was topped with a crunchy and buttery crumble.  Combined with the ice cream, it was everything a crumble should be.  Yet, there was one fatal flaw - the whole thing was barely warm.  If this was served hot, it would've ben excellent.  Sadly it was not.

We added 2 more desserts in the Lemon Tart and Chocolate Mousse. Although a bit watery, the lemon curd was balanced with just the right amount of tang and sweetness.  It was silky smooth, but as mentioned, a touch too thin.  As for the pastry shell, it was fantastic being firm throughout with an appealing texture that was buttery and almost crunchy.  One of the better lemon tarts I've had recently despite the viscosity of the curd.  Presented neatly as a cylinder, the chocolate mousse was somewhat different than the one in the eclair.  The flavours were the same but the texture was a bit lighter possibly since it wasn't served as a large scoop.  These desserts were a nice ending to a nice meal.  Food was more than acceptable where the portions were generous complete with reasonable pricing.

The Good:
- Reasonable pricing
- Solid food
- Beautiful setting

The Bad:
- A little far for those not in the vicinity
- Food is pretty classic, so for those who want something more cutting edge, you won't find it here