tarteausucre

I noticed recently that Coast Restaurant has a Mother's Day Brunch Menu and it doesn't appear to be overly expensive. Could be worth checking out... http://www.coastrestaurant.ca/menus.cfm

I went to Hapa Izakaya a couple of Saturdays ago and was very impressed. The only quibble I had was with the service. Basically, we were served haphazardly by various servers who we literally had to hail down as they rushed past our table. However, although the service was hurried, I thought the overall "vibe" and food made for an enjoyable night out. I also liked its dark, modern decor juxtaposed against the frenetic pace of the dining experience. The room was noisy but pleasantly so and did not inhibit conversation in the least. Rather, it created a nice background buzz. Also, depending on the size of your appetite, a meal there can be laughably inexpensive. I believe that Hapa has a policy of not taking reservations between 6-8pm. Shiru-Bay does take reservations though. However, perhaps Hapa might make an exception for a large birthday group?

Yes, I believe they do lunch.

As someone who has been “lurking” on the eGullet forum for quite some time, I thought I would emerge to share a recent dining experience at Romy Prasad’s recently opened Savory Coast. I apologize for the length of my post but its my first!! Prasad took over the old Settebello’s premises, and has revamped the interior and the menu to create a far more impressive dining experience. The overall effect of the renovation work is a classic, elegant, and warmly inviting room that doesn’t deviate too much from Settebello’s ambience and décor. However, I would argue that the food is a pleasant departure from that of its predecessor. Savory Coast boasts a very impressive and I would add, extensive menu that ranges from pasta and risotto, land and sea mains, as well as slow cooked entrees. The restaurant’s seafood tanks and its commitment to local ingredients signals a desire to take advantage of the bounty at its disposal. I was fortunate to have dinner there this past Saturday night and came away with memories of flavourful and confident cooking. I started with a calamari appetizer after being tempted by a daily offering of crab cakes. The calamari, fanned out in flower formation, came with a spicy tomato tapenade. This opener boded well for the dishes to come. My main, the veal osso buco with risotto, was excellent with the veal tender and nuanced in flavour, and with the taste of the risotto heightened by the jus of the meat. My dining companion had the fettuccine with fish and shellfish in a light tomato cream sauce that expertly melded its ingredients together to create a subtle, yet very tasty pasta dish. My dining companion and I also sampled the tripe pappardelle pasta since we couldn’t resist exploring the combination of pasta and tripe. We were happy to discover that the tripe flavours married extremely well with the pappardelle’s tomato sauce! I ended the meal with a hazelnut mousse layered between caramelized sugar feuilles that was accompanied by a serving of espresso gelato on the side. The mousse was rich and decadent without suffering from the cloying sweetness of some chocolate desserts. I also really enjoyed the combination of the crunch of the sugar layers and the lightness of the mousse. Great pick on my part! As well, I found the service at Savory Coast to be gracious and attentive. We went during the restaurant’s first weekend; I predict that the cooking and the overall dining experience will gain even more confidence as time passes. I have every intention of returning to this establishment, especially since there seems to be a dearth of good fine dining establishments on Robson Street!! Highly recommended!