|
|
|
|
Le Crocodile
The Top List of Romantic Restaurants - Vancouver, B.C.
Vancouver's romantic restaurants are varied and plentiful
by Julie Muller Mitchell
There is much to love about Vancouver-its mild climate, the spectacular views of the magnificent harbor ringed by snow-tipped mountains, and its cheerful, friendly denizens. And there are its restaurants, which are varied and plentiful. The city's Pacific Rim location makes it a seafood-lover's dream, and there is no shortage of spots to enjoy exquisite food, the views and a romantic atmosphere. Whether your tastes run to old-fashioned and quaint or sleek and cosmopolitan, you'll find both in Vancouver.
AQUA RIVA
200 Granville Street. Vancouver BC V6C154
(604) 683-5599
Hours: (Mon-Fri) 11:30 am - 2:30 pm; (Mon-Thu) 5:00 pm - 10 pm; (Fri-Sat) 5:00 pm - 10:30 pm
Every diner has a view at this popular, window-lined waterfront restaurant. Reminiscent of a grand ocean liner, with a giant, curved bar, rich wood, and red, gold and blue accents, cast-iron rope railings add to the nautical feel. You'll eat in luxury here. Aqua Riva's wood-burning grill and rotisserie produce several creative appetizers and entrees including wood-grilled lamb loin with arugala and red wine vinaigrette, spit-roasted chicken in lemon-herb seasoning, and wood-roasted halibut with orange and artichoke relish, warm lobster and potato salad with balsamic butter sauce. The wine list features West Coast selections from California, Oregon, and Washington as well as British Columbia, and the house-made desserts, such as white chocolate bread pudding with sun-dried cherries and rum sauce, aren't to be missed. Hide away in a cozy corner and watch the world go by.
Estimated Cost Per Person - $50-$75 Canadian
Holiday Schedule: New Years Day-Closed, Valentine's Day-Open, Easter-Closed, Christmas Eve-Closed, Christmas Day-Open, Boxing Day-Open, New Year's Eve-Open
DIVA AT THE MET
The Metropolitan Hotel
645 Howe Street, Vancouver. BC V6C2Y9
(604) 602-7788
Hours: (Sun-Mon) 7:00 am - 10:30 am; 11:30 - 2:30 pm; 5:30 - 10 pm
Located in the elegant Metropolitan Hotel, Diva at the Met has been a favorite of Vancouverites since its opening in 1996. This three-level restaurant is the perfect spot for a romantic evening, and its food has won numerous awards. Chef Andre Springett, who was born and raised in Vancouver, combines Pacific Northwest panache with Pacific Rim influences. Start with pan-seared Queen Charlotte scallops or orange-soy marinated duck confit with asparagus and enoke mushrooms and move on to a main course of Alaskan smoked black cod with herb gnocchi or seared loin of ahi tuna or smoked duck breast with roasted pear and asiago cheese risotto. A lavish wine list rounds out the menu, and chocolate lovers will melt over the bittersweet chocolate caramel bombe for dessert.
Estimated Cost per Person - $55 - $80 Canadian
Holiday Schedule: New Years Day-Open, Valentine's Day-Open, Easter-Open, Christmas Eve-Open, Christmas Day-Open, Boxing Day-Open, New Year's Eve-Open
FIVE SAILS
On the Waterfront at the Pan Pacific Hotel
999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BD V6C3C1
(604) 891-2892
Hours: (Mon-Sun) 6:00 pm - 10 pm
Five Sails has the distinction of earning the prestigious AAA Five Diamond rating, and it's the only restaurant in Vancouver to do so. This is another shorefront spot, with stunning views of Vancouver's expansive shoreline Stanley Park and the North Shore mountains. The service here matches the menu - they shine. Appetizers include Dungeness crab infused with olive oil puree basil flan, fresh oysters, pan-seared Atlantic sea scallops and roasted breasts of British Columbia quail wrapped in Swiss chard. Entrée offerings range from roasted translucent British Columbia salmon with star anise, braised fennel and green asparagus with dill butter sauce to roasted rack of lamb in a crust of garlic puree and almonds. An excellent mix of French and West Coast wines complements the menu.
Estimated Cost per Person - $65 -$100 Canadian
Holiday Schedule: New Years Day-Closed, Valentine's Day-Open, Easter-Open, Christmas Eve-Closed, Christmas Day-Open, Boxing Day-Closed, New Year's Eve-Open
IL GIARDINO DI UMBERTO RISTORANTE
1382 Hornby Street
Vancouver, BC V6Z145
(604) 669-2422
Hours: (Mon-Fri) 11:30 am - 11 pm; (Sat) 5:30 pm -11 pm
Walk in off busy Hornsby Street and you'll feel as though you're entering a villa in sunny Tuscany. Il Giardino sports high ceilings, tiled floors, lavish Italian artwork and warm burnt-sienna walls. There's also a vine-covered garden terrace perfect for al fresco dining in the summer where the sun stays up past 9:00! You might start with the antipasto, but the emphasis here is on pasta and game. Try the garganelli with lobster and crab or the farm-raised pheasant with roasted pepper stuffing and port wine sauce. You can even find reindeer on the menu, along with tender veal, lamb and other more traditional meats. The tiramisu is a special treat.
Estimated Cost per Person - $75 -$125 Canadian
Holiday Schedule: New Years Day-Closed, Valentine's Day-Open, Easter-Closed, Christmas Eve-Closed, Christmas Day-Closed, Boxing Day-Closed, New Year's Eve-Closed
LE CROCODILE
100-109 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC V6Z2N2
(604 669-4298
Hours: (Mon-Fri) 11:30 am - 2 pm; (Mon-Fri) 5:30 pm - 10 pm; (Fri-Sat) 5:30 - 10:30 pm
Le Crocodile comes as close to dining in Paris as you can get without leaving North America. This upscale bistro even looks as though it belongs in France, with its half-curtained windows and formally dressed waiters. But unlike any aloof Parisian waiter, the service staff here is authentically French but also charming and full of recommendations. Chef and owner Marc Jacob named the restaurant after his favorite spot in his hometown of Strasbourg, and the menu is influenced by the Alsace dishes of Eastern France. This is truly gourmet dining, with appetizers such as a savory onion tart, salmon tartare and sautéed scallops in herb sauce. Dover sole, de-boned at the table, and delicious, crispy duck are just a few of the mouthwatering entrees. The desserts too, are fabulous and French - the cream-filled profiteroles ladled at the table with steaming, rich hot chocolate sauce are unbelievable!
Estimated Cost per Person - $85 - $150 Canadian
Holiday Schedule: New Years Day-Closed, Valentine's Day-Open, Easter-Closed, , Christmas Eve-Lunch Only, Christmas Day-Closed, Boxing Day - Closed, New Year's Eve-Open
LE GAVROCHE
1616 Alberni Street. Vancouver, BC V6G1A6
(604) 685-3924
Hours: (Mon-Fri) 11:30 - 2:30 pm; (Mon-Sat) 5:30 pm - 10:30 pm
One of the things that make Le Gavroche such a romantic restaurant is that it doesn't look like one. It's secreted away in a small, older house in a residential neighborhood near Stanley Park, and with only 45 seats, the dining room is very intimate. Yet Le Gavroche has headed the list of Vancouver's best dining choices for years and was recently named "the best place to kiss in the Pacific Northwest" by Romantic Hideaways. Kissing aside, the French-inspired menu is delectable and changes seasonally, featuring fresh meats and organic produce from local farms. Gateau de Crabe et Crevettes-fresh Dungeness crab and prawn cake with roasted sweet pepper and ailoli-and fresh lobster and foie gras salad with poached pear and pear vinaigrette are two of the tastiest appetizers. Entrée selections include fresh sea bass filet with white beans, fresh baby squid and thyme sauce; mustard-crusted fresh Saltspring lamb rack with gnocci, rataouille and garlic jus; and a Barbary Coast duck breast. Save room for an airy Grand Marnier soufflé or an unusual Stilton crème brulee. Le Gavroche also boasts one of Vancouver's most extensive wine lists with plenty of French vintages to choose from.
Estimated Cost Per Person - $75 - $150 Canadian
Holiday Schedule: New Years Day-Closed, Valentine's Day-Open, Easter-Closed, Christmas Eve-Open, Christmas Day-Closed, Boxing Day-Closed, New Year's Eve-Open
LUMIERE
2551 West Broadway, Vancouver, BC V6K2E9
(604) 739-8185
Hours: (Tue-Sun) 5:30 -10pm
With a recently renovated bar area and brand new tasting menus, Lumiere is an up and coming rising star in Vancouver's crown. The décor is pale yet elegant but the food is luxurious. There are three new tasting menus, one is vegetarian, one is seafood and one is eclectic, with something for everyone, and they're all good. Go for a sampling of everything, from soups, salads, and entrees to cheeses and desserts; you can have as many as 11 small courses. Take your time, pace yourself and enjoy. Lumiere's celebrated chef Rob Feenie has published several cookbooks and has his own television show as well. There are suggested wines for each different stage of the menu, and the service is warm and attentive.
Estimated Cost Per Person - $85 -$150 Canadian
Holiday Schedule: New Years Day-Closed, Valentine's Day-Open, Easter-Open, Christmas Eve-Open, Christmas Day-Closed, Boxing Day-Closed, New Year's Eve-Open
900 WEST
The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver
900 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, BC V6C2W6
(604) 669-9378
Hours: (Mon-Fri) 11:30 am - 3pm; open for dinner on select evenings from 5:00 pm - 11 pm
Located within the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver yet operating separately, 900 West has classic high ceilings and delicate wall sconces but has been modernized with a wine bar and open kitchen. Its cuisine embraces specialties from the Pacific Northwest with a subtle French influence imparted by Chef/Sommelier Dino Renaerts who was named Vancouver's rising star 2000 by Vancouver Magazine. Appetizers include two-toned smoked salmon tartare with spring pea tip salad and dill crème fraiche, pan-seared Quebec foie gras, kumquat and pineapple chutney, and a roasted beets and pearl onion salad. For your main course, you can order Skeena sockeye salmon with egg tagliatelle and clams, British Columbia rack of lamb or poached New Brunswick lobster. The generous dessert menu features double chocolate banana tarte with Baileys Irish Cream and crème anglaise and an espresso and Kalhua soufflé with cinnamon doughnuts, along with house-made ice creams and sorbets. Renaert's influence is clearly felt again in the selection of more than 500 wines from around the world, with 75 available by the glass.
Estimated Cost per Person $75 - $150 Canadian
Holiday Schedule: New Years Day-Open, Valentine's Day-Open, Easter-Open, Thanksgiving-Closed, Christmas Eve-Open, Christmas Day-Open, Boxing Day - Closed, New Year's Eve-Open
THE BEACH HOUSE AT DUNDARAVE PIER
150 25th Street
West Vancouver, BC
(604) 922-1414
Hours: (Mon-Thu) 11:30 am - 10 pm, (Fri-Sat) 11:30 - 11 pm; (Sun) 10:30 am - 10 pm
Yet another waterfront favorite, The Beach House overlooks Burrard Inlet, the Lions Gate Bridge and Stanley Park. The restaurant is situated in a renovated teahouse, with wooden floors, creamy walls and abundant artwork, giving it a warm neighborhood atmosphere. Seafood is highlighted, with specials including cornmeal-crusted Fanny Bay oysters, vanilla and saffron-marinated Atlantic scallops, and grilled salmon served on a raft of asparagus with red chili. Try the luscious crème brulee with toasted hazelnuts and an orange shortbread cookie if available. The wine list includes European and US selections, and many wines are offered by the glass.
Estimated Cost per Person $75 - $100 Canadian
Holiday Schedule: New Years Day-Open, Valentine's Day-Open, Easter-Closed, Christmas Eve-Open, Christmas Day-Closed, Boxing Day - Open, New Year's Eve-Open
THE SALMON HOUSE
2229 Folkestone Way, West Vancouver
(604) 926-3212
Hours: (Mon-Thu) 11:30 am - 2:30 pm; (Fri-Sat) 5:00 pm - 10 pm; (Sun) 11:00 am - 5 pm
Built into the side of a West Vancouver mountain more than 20 years ago, the Salmon House on the hill has been drawing couples who want to enjoy wonderful food while taking in the views of English Bay out to the Lion's Gate Bridge, Stanley Park and the Vancouver skyline. The restaurant's warm, lodge-like atmosphere makes it a cozy spot to sample its specialty-fresh seafood grilled over an alderwood fire. You can't miss out on the Salmon House "Sampler"-candied salmon, smoked wild sockeye and smoked salmon spinach roulade, apricot chutney, tomato-balsamic relish and crème fraiche. Entrees range from black sesame-crusted tuna seared with lemon mustard sauce, wasabi tobiko and ginger risotto, to two different kinds of marinated salmon, one with rum, maple sryup and thyme, and the other with mandarin orange-butter sauce. Non-seafood eaters can choose lamb or a Black Angus center-cut sirloin steak with double-smoked bacon. Desserts are sinfully rich, and wines from the Pacific Northwest, such as Chardonnay and Merlot from the Burrowing Owl vineyard, are featured.
Estimated Cost Per Person - $68 - $100 Canadian
Holiday Schedule: New Years Day-Open for brunch, Valentine's Day-Open, Easter-Closed, Christmas Eve-Closed, Christmas Day-Closed, Boxing Day-Open, New Year's Eve-Open for brunch
|
|
|
|
|
|