Checking my stained notebook, there was plenty to celebrate this past year: myriad good tastes that underscore Vancouver’s wealth of formidable dining in every style and culinary heritage.
Some of the best tastes of 2016 came from unexpected quarters, most notably at stylish, modern Bauhaus in Gastown. No wonder, chef Stefan Hartman’s cuisine —which balances classics with contemporary German styles —is getting plenty of attention for its impeccably sourced seasonal fare and inventive presentation. Go for the wiener schnitzel, flat iron steak or spaëtzle, but don’t miss the house-smoked mackerel with apple horseradish or sturgeon and red beet tortellini. Top draw: the chef’s tasting menu, paired with wines from a good list, including, naturally, some wicked Riesling.
Nightingale sings
Downtown’s most anticipated arrival Nightingale —David Hawksworth’s second major room — didn’t disappoint. The two-tiered, multifaceted space in the artfully recreated premises of the old University Club blends a bustling lounge under soaring ceiling with the expansive dining area on the mezzanine. Nightingale is deliberately younger in feel, more relaxed and casual than Hawksworth, but there’s still a measure of detail on the plates along with a menu and drinks list that celebrates all things Canadian. Tastes to check out range from seared albacore tuna with chick peas, pickled red onion and castelvetrano olives to pork belly with homemade sauerkraut and honey mustard, and maitake mushroom with pecorino, brown butter and hazelnut. Desserts (an addictive pot au crème) are also noteworthy, and the wine list is what you’d expect from a team of top sommeliers.
Kingsway newcomer
When the cost of commercial real estate enters the stratosphere, it pays to explore beyond downtown. Savio Volpe, among a handful of new arrivals transforming Kingsway’s western edge, has emerged as one of the city’s most buzzworthy rooms —thankfully they now take reservations, through Open Table. Once you’ve tasted the finely diced black kale, lemon pepper and pecorino salad, you’ll be taking notes to make it at home, like we do.
Savio Volpe is also about all things seasonal, usually local and often inspired, such as the bagna caudo, with fingerling potatoes and other veggies, and fresh bread for dipping in the hot anchovy and garlic “fondue.”Also go for daily specials from the wood-fired oven, smart beers, wines and more, including the best retro play list on the sound system in town.
Fresh take on tapas
More modern twists on old favourites arrived, this time on Commercial Drive, at Cabrito, where owner chef Alexandre Carrière has a fresh take on Spanish tapas. It’s a cool room, a former coffee shop that now boasts a pleasant industrial feel, with contrasting metal and warm wood, plus a striking mural. Go for classics such as roasted Basque chorizo, garlic prawns, smoky patata brava, fresh beet “tartar”with quail egg, lamb “lollipops”or serious jamon —plus a smart Spanish wine list including good sherries.
Yew complete me
When Four Seasons executive chef Ned Bell was lured away by Vancouver Aquarium to be their resident Ocean Wise chef for across Canada, he left some big shoes to fill. As it turns out, Four Seasons had a secret weapon tucked away in Shanghai, in the person of Weimar Gomez, who’s already putting his own stamp on Yew. A clever merging of West Coast and classic continental influences includes a delicious lobster bisque with peas and crispy leeks, aromatic roasted sea scallops with green cabbage and butternut squash bathed in black truffle sauce, mahi mahi with minestrone and parma ham and a seductive chocolate orange “brownie,”with Blossom pastry cream and salted caramel.
Taking flight
GlobeYVR might be off the radar, but frequent flyers know the best way to avoid airline food is to dine here, where newly landed executive chef Colin Burslem orchestrates wide-ranging West Coast sustainable tastes, such as the extraordinary Haida Gwaii sable fish bowl to the signature Ocean Wise seafood salad and tuna poke. Many more portable items are offered for take away, a tastier option than most onboard fare. Even if you’re not flying, the sable fish alone is worth a jaunt on the Canada Line.
