Anyone who’s spent time at Granville Island has likely noticed the grand building at the island’s entrance that houses the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts (PICA). The school has long been renowned for its intensive culinary and pastry programs, not to mention its WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust) sommelier programs. But, did you know it also houses a restaurant?
Bistro 101 offers up a rotating menu of elegant offerings, all prepared and served by the school’s advanced students.
“All students who go through the program must cook in the restaurant kitchen,” says Executive Chef and Vice-President Julian Bond. “We set up a rotation so that every student works every station, from garde manger and line cook to front of house, over a three-month period. So, when they graduate, they know the kitchen tango, the right moves, and are familiar with the stresses and pressures of the kitchen.”
Judging by my last few visits, the students are more than ready for anything they’ll encounter in the hospitality industry. The restaurant offers a three-course prix fixe menu Monday to Thursday ($20 for lunch, $26 for dinner). Fridays are for the West Coast buffet ($22 for lunch, $33 for dinner). The whole menu change monthly, plus there is one daily rotating appetizer, main and dessert.
The food is so good I would pay à la carte at market price for much of it. Crab and spinach tortellini made an excellent starter, dressed with a smoked tomato and basil coulis. Braised lamb meatballs were moist and made flavourful with goat cheese and pine nuts. I was left wondering if the instructors had lent a hand during menu design, but it turns out that’s not the case.
“Students decide on the menu themselves” explained Bond. “It’s all done in lecture format, because we want to make sure they learn how to implement multiple techniques, like braising or sous vide, but it’s a group effort and they decide what makes the final cut. So, sometimes that means there can be some interesting combinations on the menu,” chuckles Bond.
I think I tried one of those “interesting” items the other night—a pan-seared arctic char with lobster mayo that didn’t stand out as much as one might have hoped. Was it a bad dish? Not at all, just not a stellar execution.
But, these are students, and it’s part of the adventure. Over the course of three visits, I can’t say I disliked any of the dishes. Most, in fact, were outstanding. As was the service and knowledge of the wine list that those manning the front of house showed. Dedication is apparent, and attention to detail is obviously top of mind. And, unlike many prix fixe scenarios, no one is trying to rush you out the door.
“Because we are an educational restaurant, it’s important to show students the reality of volume, but flipping a table is not a priority. Education comes first,” continues Bond. And it’s apparent that they’re not here to make a quick buck. Resos are capped most nights at 40 to 50 tables, although there is always some space for walk-ins. (Although making a reservation is highly encouraged, especially for the Friday night buffets, which can book up three months in advance.)
Bistro 101 is getting straight A’s in my book, no matter who is cooking in the kitchen.
All ratings out of five stars.
Food: ★★★★
Service: ★★★★
Ambiance: ★★★
Overall: ★★★★
★: Okay, nothing memorable.
★★: Good, shows promise.
★★★: Very good, occasionally excellent.
★★★★: Excellent, consistently above average.
★★★★★: Practically perfect in every way.
Open Monday-Friday, dinner 6-9pm, lunch 11:30am-2pm. Reservations recommended.
Bistro 101 | 1505 West 2 Ave. |
604-734-0101 | Bistro101.com
Anya Levykh has been writing about all things ingestible for more than 10 years. Hear her every Monday on CBC Radio One’s On the Coast and find her on Twitter @foodgirlfriday and Facebook.com/FoodGirlFriday. FoodGirlFriday.com
