And what could top all this fun, frivolity and fish? Thursday’s dinner at C Restaurant just under the Granville bridge. There was some debate as to where my coworkers and I would have dinner on our last night in Vancouver, but after a quick search of the internets, C looked to have the most appetizing and interesting menu and it also afforded a view of the water and Granville Island.
So off we went and we were certainly not disappointed. Greeted warmly by the staff, we were shown to our window-side table. A bottle of wine was picked and then it was on to the really tough decisions. I was fairly certain that any choice would have resulted in scrumptious food arriving at the table, but I was ultimately swayed by the very fancy Caesar salad: romaine lettuce, quail eggs, parmiggiano reggiano and crispy prosciutto slices with an anchovy dressing. I would now like quail eggs to
accompany just about all my meals from this point on. That’s not so much to ask, is it? The golden yolks were soft and creamy and cooked perfectly, balancing nicely with the salty dressing, the crunchy lettuce and crisp prosciutto. More, please.
For the main course? Roasted sablefish (which is a fancy name for black cod. Whatever you call it, I’m going to want it) with lobster ravioli, peas, chanterelle mushrooms and…lemonade foam. Full disclosure here: that last ingredient almost stopped me from ordering the dish. Call it a preconceived bias if you will but when I see foam on a menu, I’m immediately turned off. To me, it is the height of pretension. Right up there with the server explaining to me how I should eat my food. In this case, though, I figured it was worth a shot and if I didn’t like it, I could always scoop it off with my spork. (Oh yeah, they provided me with a spork. I wish I’d swiped it.)
So this dish absolutely took the proverbial cake. The fish skin was perfectly crisp and the fish itself was well seasoned. All the accompanying ingredients of the dish were complimentary and I wish I could make it all at home. The lobster broth at the bottom of the bowl was rich and flavorful, without overwhelming the other delicate flavors. And the dreaded lemonade foam? I have to admit that it was a really nice touch as a bright flavor that lifted the dish nicely.
My dining companions and I shared a few bites with each other and it appeared that anything ordered was done beautifully. The foie gras coins that accompanied one dish were as decadent as they should be, with herbs running through them. The sweetbreads, which I’d never had before, on another dish were delectable and reminiscent of sausage in taste. By the the end of the meal, the plates were just about completely scraped clean and there many a content sighs around the table. Unquestionably, a meal to remember!
One last thing before I wrap up: our hotel had a daily selection of different jams that were all a little different than what you might get at the store. On Wednesday, we had to know what it was we were eating – there were flavours that we couldn’t place. It was sweet, a little savoury and then there was a hint of…something. Turns out it was a strawberry, lemon and black pepper jam and I will definitely be searching that out when I get back to Toronto and I highly recommend you do the same!
I can’t wait to go back to Vancouver to see what else it has to offer. On my next visit, I really want to try out Vikram Vij’s restaurant(s) as I’ve been hearing about them for quite some time now and they look nothing short of spectacular. I’m told that his higher end place is not to be missed – a true dining experience. So look out, Vancouver: I am coming back with an even bigger appetite next time!
Food Nurd 
Hopefully you will take a travelling companion “hint, hint, nudge, nudge”
I’m saving Vij’s place for you!