Ouest / West In Vancouver

[cabrales]

I had a good-to-very-good meal at West recently. :laugh: Chef Hawksworth and his team were welcoming and wonderful in every way. Below is the menu (descriptions to come), which the restaurant was kind enough to print for me with the title "cabrales"

Vancouver Island "Pacific Orchard" Oyster with Japanese Dressing, Hawthorne Mountain "Dosage Zero" BC

Ahi Tuna Carpaccio with Fresh Wasabi and Celery Jus, Willm Pinot Blanc "Reserve" '01 France

Side Stripe Prawn and Dashi Custard, Loosen Bros. Riesling "Dr. L" '01 Germany

Seared Foie Gras and Scallop with Pine Mushrooms and Spiced Duck Broth, Chateau Doisy Daene '97 France

Caramelized Veal Tongue with Lobster and White Onion Puree, Yalumba Viognier "Y Series" 02, South Australia

Queen Charlotte Sole with Brioche and Truffle Crust, Beringer Chardonnay "Founders' Estate" '00 CA

Roast Suckling Pork with Pomme Puree, Apricot Marjoram Jus, Hijos de Antonio Barcelo "Penascal" '00 Spain

Cinnamon Doughnut with Chocolate Sauce, Baked Panna Cotta and Tangerine Jus, Venturi Schulze Brandeburg No. 3, BC

Steamed Chocolate Marzipan Pudding with Rasberry Tarragon Sorbet Truffle Frozen Malted Milk Chocolate Souffle, Barros Colheita Port '89

I also had the chance to say hello to Schielke and his dining companions, who also happened to be at the restaurant.

Edited February 17, 2003 by cabrales (log)

[Schielke]

I am back from Vancouver and I want to say that I had a great time! A significant majority of this was due to my dinner at West. I still need to put together my full review, but suffice it to say I had a wonderful time. Thanks to all who were involved in such a great evening!

More to come soon.

Ben

[Johnathon]

I know, I know... Where the hell is Johnathon's report?!

Since I have no idea where to begin I will just start blabbing.

First and foremost I had severe reservations about the idea of changing names, menus, decor and anything else they wished to throw into the mix. But you know what? It works. The new decor is great. The addition of mirrors on the leather walls adds an extra dimension to the space and the experience. The mirror sculpure overhead offers an organic flow to a previously extremely geometric and dare I say, semi-sterile room. Don't get me wrong, I was a huge fan of the decor but the changes are a welcome addition. Especially the red wall at the front of the room with the same red accenting at the very back. The only thing that drives me crazy is the yellow gels added to the underlighting of the bottles at the bar. It starts to look like a demented apothecary collection or a long line of samples for the doctor (can you tell I am not a fan of yellow light "tainting" my vodkas of choice?).

There is a large tree in the middle of the room which adds an extra touch of the outside in and assists in breaking up the previously mentioned mechanical geometry of the room before. A little iconic in it's central location but like I said, it works.

The food. Well I am very happy to report that Chef David Hawksworth is still working very hard at creating tantalizing dishes for discerning palates whilst not neglecting dishes for a larger audience, which the restaurant is now positioning itself to appeal to.

I would love to go into detail about the dishes I had the night Coop and his wife were there (thank you for stopping by and introducing yourselves!) they touched on most that I had and I have since been back a number of times. As a matter of fact, all this talk about the dishes at West is making me hungry!

I am going to go to West right now and find out the true report on what happened at the hockey game vs. Lumiere and try some more of Chef's new plates.

By the way, I was at the Lumiere dinner featuring Chef Santi Santimaria (sp?) and will report on that on a seperate thread later on. As well I just returned from a shoot in Toronto and had some amazing meals at no less than four restaurants. If I ever find free time in my life I will post on those as well.

[Schielke]

West

After a long wait at the Canadian border the other weekend, I was ready for my dinner at West. We took a short cab ride from the hotel and shortly arrived at West. From the outside, West has a classy minimalist look. Upon entry, there is a real energy to the dining room. You immediately look across the main dining room and then to a large window that shows part of the kitchen. To the right was the bar that ran the length of their impressive Wall of Wine. The color and decor was vibrant but not gaudy and had a youthful energy to it. I really liked this dining room.

We were immediately greeted by the hostess and had our coats taken. Even though we were a bit early for our reservation, she took us directly to our table. The table was great! We managed to get a great view of the open kitchen's staging area and I positioned myself so I could watch Chef Hawksworth finish dishes and run the kitchen.

Our waitress introduced herself and since I am terrible with names I promptly forgot. She was great though! Very knowledgable and friendly. She presented us with menus and a wine list to peruse while we enjoyed a cocktail.

Cocktails

Whoever the bartender is at West is doing a great job. Everything that we ordered from the bar was top notch. They are utilizing some great cocktail recipes and experienced bartenders.

The China Girl had vodka, lychee liquor, honeydew puree, and lemon juice. It was a very refreshing cocktail to start off the evening.

My other companions had the Velvet Fog and a Gin and Tonic. The Velvet Fog contained Vodka, alize red passion, blue curacao and lemon juice. The Gin and Tonic was well mixed too.

One member of our group loved the cocktails so much that she decided to order a couple more throughout dinner instead of wine. One of her cocktails in particular stood out. It was the Fuzzy Guiseppe, which contained Stoli Rasberry Vodka, white creme de cacao, chambord, and champagne. I have to learn the proportions of this drink. I think I will call West to see if they would mind giving it out. It was delicious.

Wine

We decided to take the recommendation of the Sommelier and go with two BC wines. The first was Gehringer Brothers "Private Reserve" 00, a great riesling that paired well with the lighter dishes at the beginning of the meal. After the riesling, we went with Kettle Valley "Old Main Red" (Cab Sauv/Merlot Blend) '98. Each one was very food friendly and a nice selection.

Food

Canapés

We started the meal with some absolutely delicious canapés. They had sea trout, crab, shrimp, and cucumber with avocado in a cute little shell. These were so fresh tasting and had such a vibrant flavor. Everybody at the table loved them and agreed that they were a highlight of the evening. A wonderful start.

Vancouver 'Pacific Orchard' Oyster with Japanese Dressing

I don't eat oysters very often. Every time I eat them I wonder why I don't eat more of them. The oyster was presented on a little mound of salt. The oyster was topped with a nice dice of vegetables (that I am currently forgetting) and a nice dashi based dressing. Nicely sweet oyster with a great texture. The topping added a good textural component too. The crunchiness of the vegetables with the light fleshiness of the oyster made this very approachable. Down in one go and a smile on my face.

Ahi Tuna Carpacio with Fresh Wasabi and Celery Jus

First let me say that fresh Wasabi is the bomb. The flavor is a bit more mild than the regular crap but is much more refined. The texture is very nice with a nearly granular mouthfeel. The dish was presented as a small pile of lightly seared Ahi Tuna in a drizzle of Celery Jus topped with the beautiful green freshly grated wasabi. This was a very clean tasting dish.

Side Stripe Prawn and Dashi Custard

This was a fun dish from a visual standpoint. A small coffee cup and saucer came out and was placed in front of us. Looking into the cup reminded me of coffee since the custard was covered with a thin layer of dark dashi. The aroma of this dish was stunning, the rich smell of prawns and soy filled the air around each dish. The custard was prawn flavored and had chunks of meat at the bottom which was a nice texture contrast to the first 2/3 of smooth custard.

Seared Foie Gras and Scallop with Pine Mushrooms and Spiced Duck Broth

This was an interesting dish to me. The only foie that I have had has been prepared with a sweet sauce or topping. This preparation was a bowl of duck stock, mushrooms, and a kind of red seaweed that looked like noodles; A scallop was placed in the center and topped with the piece of foie. I think that on a conceptual level this dish was great. It had a great visual appeal and took a play off of the standard scallop and foie routine. Everything was cooked perfectly in this dish. The duck stock was amazing. For some reason the dish did not come together though. I felt as if I was eating separate pieces of food on the same place without cohesion. I think that the plating of this dish may have had something to do with it...but I can't put my finger on it.

When I spoke briefly with Cabrales at dinner, she mentioned the dish and I would like to hear more of what she has to say.

Caramelized Veal Tongue with lobster and White Onion Puree

I had never had tongue before and was slightly apprehensive about eating it. As a child I recall telling somebody that I would never eat anything that could taste me back. This mental block passed quickly and I was rewarded with a newfound appreciation for tongue. It was beautifully prepared and meltingly tender. The tongue rested on top of the delicious White Onion Puree and was topped with the chunks of lobster. These were topped with the best god damn potato chip I have ever had. Calling it a potato chip is slighting its perfection. Let's just call it good. The other great thing about this dish was that Katie could not get too far beyond her mental block and I got to eat more of it. She told me that she ate the "tip of the tongue" and liked it, but still has something against eating baby cow tongues. hehehe.

Queen Charlotte Sole with Brioche and Truffle Crust

Again, we have a visual dynamo. A large white plate was presented with a small piece (1" x 2") of white sole. Down the middle of the fish ran a ridge of brioche crumbs and white truffle. On one side of the plate was a thin white sauce of which I can't remember the composition. The result was a stunning display of shades of white. The flavor backed up this one's good looks to boot. The fish was moist and cooked shy of flaking. The crust worked with the sole perfectly and I relished my first white truffle experience. Good stuff.

This was Katie's favorite dish.

Roast Suckling Pork with Pomme Puree, Apricot Majoram Jus

I will forever remember this pork. The skin of the pork was the crispiest, most delicious, best thing ever. The apricot was a great sweet/acid pairing that hooked everything together. Best pork ever. I now have a standard by which my future pork dealings will be compared.

Cinnamon Doughnut with Chocolate Sauce, Baked Panna Cotta and Tangerine Jus

This dish was two small Cinnamon Doughnuts stacked on top of each other on one end of a rectangular plate with the Panna Cotta and Tangerine Sorbet at the other. The panna cotta and sorbet were nicely balanced and a delight to eat with the doughnut. The one thing I would improve would be the texture of the doughnut. It was a little too hard for my tastes and I suspect it had been fried a shade too long.

Steamed Chocolate Marzipan Pudding with Raspberry Tarragon Sorbet Truffle, Frozen Malted Milk Chocolate Souffle

I am officially classifying this dessert as the best dessert I have ever eaten. Wow, everything was top notch. My favorite part was the frozen malt souffle, it was creamy and slightly malty. The truffle was a ball of Raspberry Tarragon Sorbet covered with a shell of thick dark chocolate and sliced in half.

A big bunch of kudos go to dessert chef Rhonda Viani. One of my dining companions broke his etiquette filter and licked the plate. He thought that nobody saw him, but Chef Hawksworth's eagle eye caught him in the act. My companion reports that the lick was worth it.

Pettit Fours

We received a nice tray of meringue stars and chunks of delicious fudge. They were lovely and a great end to a wonderful evening.

Conclusion

The service at West is a class act, they were incredibly helpful and accommodating. Every member of the staff that we interacted with was a delight. They took great care of us the entire evening, we even chatted with the Hostess about other places to check out while in town, which was very helpful.

The food, as you may have gathered above, was exceptional. Our entire party had a great time and have nothing but accolades for Chef Hawksworth and Crew.

I look forward to returning in the future.

Ben

Edited February 25, 2003 by Schielke (log)

[nightscotsman]

Thanks for the excellent report, Schielke. Can't wait to eat there in April.

Let us know if you hear back about the "Fuzzy Guiseppe". Sounds like a yummy cocktail.

[Schielke]

Yeah, I think you guys are going to love it. I am just about to contact them about the recipe.

Ben

[Schielke]

I just got a hilarious reply from the director at West, he sent me the directions on how to make a Fizzy Gillespie and commented that they all think that a Fuzzy Guiseppe (how I have been refering to it this whole time) will make a great drink.

It is a wonder how I even tie my shoes sometimes.

Ben

[Jinmyo]

Schielke, top drawer report.

[Fat Guy]

"West" was just named Vancouver Magazine's restaurant of the year, according to a press release I just got from the Top Table Restaurant Group.

[pixelchef]

http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/Articl...rtainment/Style

"I have huge respect for David Hawksworth," he added, referring to West's top toque. "But this whole thing is a crock of bullshit. It's all about politics and it goes back to last summer."

Rob Weenie sure was pissed.

Edited April 6, 2003 by pixelchef (log)

["T"]

Here we go again, stirring up the past. The media will never let Feenie forget an afternoon spent with Ms Gill. Perhaps Ms Gill only enjoys reporting on the dirt side of Vancouvers food scene. Cityfoods wasn't any better. It's hard to build community when the community tears itself down at every opprutunity.

It was an unfortunate affair for all three restaurants and Chefs.

[Lesley C]

When I ate at both restaurants last summer it was pretty obvious West was the better of the two. Technically, Hawksworth is the superior chef.

Anyway, it's good for the top spot to change from time to time. Someone should tell Mr. Feenie that a little competition is healthy.

[pixelchef]

Here we go again, stirring up the past. The media will never let Feenie forget an afternoon spent with Ms Gill. Perhaps Ms Gill only enjoys reporting on the dirt side of Vancouvers food scene. Cityfoods wasn't any better. It's hard to build community when the community tears itself down at every opprutunity.

It was an unfortunate affair for all three restaurants and Chefs.

It's obvious that you're a big Feenie fan, but please don't try and place blame anywhere BUT on Feenie for the media fiasco last year. It was HIS comments that were entirely out of line and childish. And yes, I agree, his comments hurt them all.

That wasn't the first time Feenie dished low blows to other top chefs. I'm sure you're aware of his little (one-sided) feud with Susur as well?

[ae35]

The issue at Susur had all lot to do with the fact he serves his dinners in reverse order.

The Feenie party orderd big expensive wine, red for the meat course and either unaware

or uninformed about the order of service.

The steaks arrived with no wine whatsoever. Let alone a wine that perhaps needed a while to open.

What kind of service is that ?? The lost pleasure of the wine being a great thorn.

Who can't associate with that. Susur had lost him at that point.

Anyone who works in the industry knows is you loose clients during service, you do what it takes to get them back.

In addition,

Alexander Gill knows Rob makes good copy.

Ms. Gill did last summer and continues to be "off the record" with Feenie.

She could have said "one well known local chef ...." but names the chef.

Interestingly enough she protected the identity of the food critics she quoted in

her article.

Let them stand up and be accounted.

Good for West though, I am very happy for them and change is certainly a good thing.

[Jinmyo]

Good for West and David H.

As for Nob Feely, if he didn't know about Susur's trademark service order...

[pixelchef]

Not only did he criticize the service/food at Susur, he claimed Susur was garbage. He even threatened to open a restaurant in the city simply to take Susur down. He's an immature little brat. Of course, Susur didn't retort and was completely professional about it all. Too bad Weenie couldn't do the same.

MANY people have negative feelings toward Mr. Feenie in the world of food professionals. He isn't a well-liked man, and any respect he has garnered through his cuisine is overshadowed by his disrespectful personality.

[tajanna]

Here we go again, stirring up the past. The media will never let Feenie forget an afternoon spent with Ms Gill. Perhaps Ms Gill only enjoys reporting on the dirt side of Vancouvers food scene. Cityfoods wasn't any better. It's hard to build community when the community tears itself down at every opprutunity.

It was an unfortunate affair for all three restaurants and Chefs.

I love reading all reviews but I take them with a grain of salt. I get the feeling that some critics are 'after' certain well known chefs. At any rate I, from Ontario, would never presume to give an opinion on Rob Feenie, his restaurant or west/oest as I have never been there.

If I do travel to BC I will give both restaurants a try. Sometimes even bad press is good. It catches the attention.

["T"]

Pixelchef:

Grow up. Don't turn this into an East vs West thing. Feenie made the mistake of talking to a member of the media off the record(like that happens), and was quoted. As far as Susur is concerned if a party orders food and wine to go with a meal you would think the server would figure out what wines go with what dish.

[Coop]

Feenie is Vancouver's #1 publicity hound. Most people I know here in Vancouver hate his persona. He was the darling of Vanciouver magazine for about 5 or 6 years. Now that he is not its "politics". What a surprise. I have never been to his restaurant choosing to spend my money at places like West, or Wild Rice or Bin 941/2 where I know the owners aren't total Jackass'.

I also believe that Vancouver Magazine and Jamie Maw are our leading source for unbiased restaurant reviews and news. Where as the Vancouver Sun, who just had thier Restaurant of the Year awards published on Tuesday seem totally out of touch (they love Elixer, go figure?).

In terms of East v. West we in Vancouver don't feel drawn into that discussion because we know our restaurant scene is vibrant and comparable to the finest in North America. Please don't bring your Harvey's and Swiss Chalet debates to the Vancouver board.

[tajanna]

Harvey's Swiss Chalet debate?? I must have missed something here. Or was that a 'hit below the belt' about Toronto restaurants.

I admit that I do want to try the Vancouver culinary scene and I don't care whether the chef is a star or a jackass, as long as he provides me with wow to my taste buds. That is what counts.

[Coop]

Hit below the Belt? No more of a tongue in cheek thing. I do sometimes think too much about who owns a place and where my $$$ will end up. Going to Lumiere is a serious commitment of $$$$$$.

[tajanna]

Hit below the Belt? No more of a tongue in cheek thing. I do sometimes think too much about who owns a place and where my $$$ will end up. Going to Lumiere is a serious commitment of $$$$$$.

Yes I know what you mean. We went to North 44 and paid the big bucks and I didn't think it lived up to expectations. It was good but not great and felt that we paid too much for it. All because of the chefs name. We have gone to lesser known restaurants and have been wowed. I take the time to write the chef a little note of appreciation - he/she may be our next 'star'.

[thelastsupper]

I'm pulling this to the top even though the name is inaccurate because the thread makes for good reading and is heavy on the Cabrales . Dinner Monday! (After a long, sad Vancouver-less summer for me.) Report soon to come. . .

[Captain Hongo]

So, we arrived and were shown to one of the chef tables which was in the service area and looked directly into the kitchen, perfect. Our server Chris, who, being the service manager, couldn't have been more pleasant, personable and professional, greeted us and we agreed to 10 courses with wine pairings. Being more of a micro-beer person, I left the choices to him. And, so;

The first dish was described as a classic tomato gazpacho. A wide-lipped bowl containing a mound of firm Dungeness crab meat, avocado and sweet roasted peppers was placed in front of us. The gazpacho was then poured, by Chris, from a pitcher over the mound with an effect not unlike the vapor dishes served at Trio by Chef G. We were enveloped by a bouquet of the peppers, avocado and gazpacho, such that we spent a time just enjoying the scent. The dish changes with each taste and mixture of the mound and was gone way too soon. So many flavors with such intensity, I used the bread to clean my bowl.

At Chris' suggestion we had 1/2 bottles of wine with each two courses. The first was a Vin D'Alsace 2002 Willm Pinot Gris. Very nice start, indeed.

After the gazpacho, the server told us we were going to have Chef Davids' signature dish from his days in England. At this point we realized that there had been no amuse bouche offered. Being as it was too late to mention it we stifled our disappointment and moved on. On to Salmon poached in pork bouillion topped with a dollop of crema fraich dotted with caviar. The salmon had been slow poached and then held for 6 hours in the bouillion. It was smooth as velvet and served with slices of lightly toasted brioche.

Our third dish was indigenous Princess Island lngline Ling cod over a spoonfull of tomatoes with a Meyer lemon vinaigrette. I particularly like Ling cod and this was exquisite, crisp and buttery at the same time with the acidity of the lemon and tomatoes mellowing each other.

The wine for these courses was a Marcel Diess, Berghein, Buie Lerberg, Pinot Noir 1999. Smoothly offset the cod with its various acids.

Next, we addressed a carmelized weathervane Alaskan scallop paired with a spot prawn and basil ravioli ajudicated with a light shiitake mushroom foam. So wild, so delicious, it was ready to swagger.

Number five arrived, just barely. I say that because it was composed of first of the season Oregon Morels (BCs hadn't appeared yet), with new English peas in a Piedmont risotto. Morels are a risky treat because the poisonous false morels appear before the true ones and the difference is subtle, the cap with brainlike swirls being false and yet wrinkles almost the same for the true. (Chalice with the palace...)

The wine for course 5 and 6 was an uplifting champagne. Chateau Du Pape, Domajre Du Pegan 2001. Wonderful

Champagne was the perfect choice for this next course. (Deep breath) We almost stood in awe when presented with chilled poached lobster situated near the edge of a plate decorated with an abstract design drawn with a tracing of curried mango dressing and beetroot dressing accompanied by slices of sweetened glazed tomato and crested with a cocked lobster antenna as a touch of whimsey.

I had mentioned during one of my calls to the restaurant that I liked game dishes and West responded. (I noticed that the staff seemed to remember everything that had been mentioned in all the calls. I didn't.)

Presentation seven was rabbit roasted over cedar in a tapinade butter sauce with chilled Salt Spring Island organic white asparagus. Juicy, crispy with subtle woodsy flavors. Great.

With this and the next course, and staying with the game segment of the menu our next wine was a Quailsgate Reisling from the interior. What year, I didn't note.

The next course, (Ah, the next course. By this time I was intoxicated and contented.) Mount Lehman Squab with smoked, pan seared Foie gras garnished with butternut squash. Much has been written in eGullet about this foie gras, (most poetically by malachi, I bow to his writing. He more than anyone, except the chef, is the impetus of my trip up.) Crispy with the delectable smoothness dripping through, sinful.

Changing to a Quailsgate Port we moved into the dessert wonderland. Chef Rhonda Viani and her extraordinary creations. My bad, but my notes are smeared and confused at the point (must get small tape recorder). So, there was a malted milk chocolate mousse with a white chocolate rasberry tart. Then a darkchocolate coconut cake with banana ice cream. Then, I wrote that we had a espresso Grand Marnier terrine and rasberry sorbet. I ate and ate and wanted more and more. She is a great chef and a perfect fit with Chef David.

This then was my first night in Vancouver. Later, that weekend would be Carderos, Raincity Grill, Feenies lunch, and Tsunamis' on Robson for sushi (I was staying at the Westin on Robson, and it was a short walk. I get very buzzed on sake.).

The staff were all professional and the room was beautiful with great colors, leather walls and a marble floor. The bar was classic with an open wine wall and bookstore type ladders to access the glass fronted casing.

Digression: I have never been able to obtain a quality Margarita in Canada. I climb around Baniff, Jasper and Lake Louise, I trained in Toronto, and nowhere have I been satisfied. West, I'm sorry, was no exception. I asked for a Herradura Margarita on the rocks, no salt. I was served a shot of Tequila, no juices, no ice. We need to have a BC seminar on covering this.

Anyway, The check. $130 each for the dinner and $305 total for the wine, in Canadian dollars. Add the GST and the LST and it totaled $628 Canadian. A bit pricier than the menu would indicate, but being a gastro-tourist has its costs.

Overall the night was as wonderful as we had hoped and expected. No one let us down . We made a reservation for the next (Sunday) evening, but got lost on the Island and didn't get back in time. Our loss. However, we Christmas in Seattle and are making plans to day trip to West then. (Anybody interested in discussing Seattle's Cascadia, Mistral, Earth and Ocean or Inn at The Market?) See you then.

[edm]

Your meal sounds great.

Dont know when your diner was, but BC morels are now here. We've got some!