It's a Wednesday evening and the tables are slowly filling up inside Le Crocodile. Sunlight floods in through the windows and the floor is abuzz as staff greet guests, deliver drinks, and transit back and forth from the kitchen.
From the get-go, the differences are somewhere between subtle and neck snap: Gone are the curtains that used to block out much of the natural light. The woodwork is lighter, the floors slightly darker, and the new more contemporary chairs have a lower profile. It's airy and roomy but still feels warm.
During May and most of June, the inside of Le Crocodile - long considered Vancouver's watermark French fine dining restaurant - underwent a facelift.
The restaurant was opened in 1983 by French native Chef Michel Jacob. Le Crocodile has been located at 909 Burrard St (at Smithe) for the bulk of its tenure, though it began in a smaller downtown space initially, at Thurlow and Robson, before moving to its present space in 1992.
Earlier this year, Jacob announced he was retiring and had sold the 41-year-old Le Crocodile to one of its former employees.
Well, not just any former employee. Rob Feenie is considered one of Canada's most well-known chefs and is legendary in Vancouver, from his time at Lumiere to his run as a consulting chef at Cactus Club (in 2007 he was part of White Spot's "Celebrity Chef" ad campaign, too, though he didn't work there). At 23, Feenie walked into Le Crocodile as a young chef in training and worked there from 1992 to 1995.
Last year, while temporarily running the show at Bacchus, Feenie said he was about a year out from launching his own venture. Turns out he was keeping the Le Crocodile card very close to his vest but Feenie told me last week that the changing of the guard at the storied French restaurant had been years in the making.
Le Crocodile's menu bridges past and present
Open just about a month, the changes at Le Crocodile (now known officially as Le Crocodile by Rob Feenie) are more than cosmetic but for those fearful the legacy Jacob built has been hacked to shreds, it's simply not true.
The menu, for now, reflects a gentle transition, bridging past favourites with a few new dishes (some of which echo dishes Feenie was turning out - possibly workshopping - at Bacchus).
However, Feenie is also quick to note that the goal is not to rework the menu to rocket Jacob and Le Crocodile's past into oblivion. There will always be several Le Croc classics on offer as the menu evolves; the Dover sole, deboned tableside, for example, is staying put. (It's Feenie's mom's favourite, the chef shares).
One other cherished dish remains a standout, which is the veal with morel sauce. The sauce is rich and velvety and the morels such a satisfying texture with a deep, earthy flavour. "This sauce is why I became a chef," Feenie admits as he spoons it atop my portion of tender veal. I mean, I can't argue. It's so simple, elegant, and delicious. It's a sauce like this that is why I became a food writer.
There is an appreciable balance of tradition and modernity and of simplicity and nuance happening right now at Le Crocodile. You'll experience it right off the bat entering the restaurant as the well-mobilized staff (under the direction of Vancouver hospitality vet Steve Edwards as GM) greet you and see over your meal while you note the key changes in the room. You'll taste it in dishes like the hamachi crudo with celery ice, with its pops of sweetness from fresh cherries and a bit of heat from thinly sliced chilli peppers. It's the thoughtful wine pairings by expert Wine Director Jill Spoor and the basket of simple French baguette slices from Small Victory.
The loveliness of Le Crocodile 2.0 is also evident in the dessert course. The restaurant boasts returning Le Crocodile Pastry Chef Mark Pugsley as well as award-winning Wendy Boys in the consulting executive pastry chef post. The profiteroles are generous puffs of tender pastry with ice cream and a decadent pour of warm dark chocolate sauce, perfectly not-too-sweet and addictive. That said, the Alsatian Apple Tart is an absolute dream and a total trompe l'oeil: what appears to be firm and dense layers of sliced apples manages to melt in your mouth with a delicate, gently spiced softness.
Next chapter of Le Crocodile under Feenie unfolding with excitement
By the time we departed, the room was nearly full and the night was in full swing. Tables were filled with a diverse range of duos and groups; there were friends getting together and date nights, newcomers and returnees alike. We were rushed out just a little bit, most evident between the veal and the dessert courses, as I probably would have liked a few more minutes alone with that morel sauce but the dishes were whisked away. In the end, I'm glad I had just that bit more room for the chocolate sauce and the cardamom ice cream that went with the tart.
As someone who hadn't been inside Le Crocodile in many (many) years, it looks as though this next chapter for the restaurant is a promising one. Though Vancouver is rarely accused of being a "white tablecloth" fine dining town, Le Croc is still putting out the white tablecloths (and tending to them with old-school table crumbers) and giving those with the means a revived option for an elegant French dinner. It will be fun to watch as Le Crocodile eases further into what Feenie would like it to be, putting more than just a name addendum on it as his own legacy stamp.
Le Crocodile is open Tuesday through Saturday from 5 to 10 p.m. and reservations are recommended. The restaurant plans to add lunch service soon.
Video: Checking out Le Crocodile by Rob Feenie in Vancouver
@forkingawesomevia Rediscovering Le Crocodile in Vancouver π½οΈβ¨π After many years, I had the pleasure of revisiting this iconic restaurant under new ownership with Chef Rob Feenie at the helm. The essence of Le Crocodile's legacy is being preserved but it is clear the restaurant has entered an exciting new chapter. While it leans towards special occasions with its pricing, the experience is worth it. #forkingawesome #vancouverbc β¬ La vie en rose (Cover Edith Piaf) - η°δΈζ±
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