Watermark

[kontemporary]

Seemed inconsistant with Vancitygirl's post though, saying they weren't gonna open for "a few more days". I'll phone in tomorrow to check.

[jamiemaw]

I received an email overnight from one of their media handlers saying that Watermark was opening at lunchtime today.

[kontemporary]

Indeed they are running today.. and not taking reservations until Monday :( I'll be dropping in regardless though.. hopefully it won't be too long a wait.

Edited July 22, 2005 by rêvasser (log)

[surfer_dream]

hey all,

just arrived back from 6 wks vacation - Italy, Greece, Spain, Morocco and now that I am here I need to settle down and get back to reality! I guess you can say that it is only fair that there is time to play and then there is time that one must get down and work... hard work! this past weekend was my first weekend back and as I venture out I decide to head out to West Broadway for a quick brunch by myself to slowly break out of my cocoon of the last 6 wks. I ask myself where to eat and thought of the same old places but my palate wanted to discover something new, something trendy, something exciting! where does that leave me - nowhere! But I do recall this past Thursday evening while having an over priced martini at Opus and eaves dropping on a next table conversation - I recall he was a floor manager of the new Kits Beach restaurant called - Watermark - it was a great night $15,000.00 in sales on the first night who can complain! Hell, why not - I headed for Kits Beach and after spending nearly 20 minutes to find parking as everything is 'except by permit' my temperature started to match that of the pelting sun on my forehead. Low and behold there is no signage except on the beach side of the restaurant and in driving by you would think that it was the most luxurious washroom on the beach with hand assisted wipes and a spray of D&G - just kidding but appropriate signs would be a major help!

As I am nearing the front of this place I get a slight anxiety attack for what I am about to experience - if this place cost $5.3 million to build I am sure this is going to be my new weekend haunt.

I walked by a concession stand with a couple of people in it but really did not pay that much attention and found out later that it is all the same operation - I will come back and check this out at a later date.

I was greeted on the main door by a timid young lady who just needs some training on how to welcome people as this being the first impression my anxiety started to change into slight disappointment. If you are going to do it then do it right from the very beginning - it is the small details that everyone notices and these are usually neglected! Okay, as I head for the stairs and reach the hostess stand my thoughts are wow, this is beautiful! the hostess comes over and as per the norm I choose to sit outside on this deck overlooking the beach - very comfy and the 'eye candy' is great to keep one entertained. After a few minutes my waiter arrives with a wine list (- reasonable and affordable) and a lunch menu. I am so excited to try something new that as I salvitate for a great eggs benny I am dissappointed as this menu has NO egg dishes! What is this all about? half of the appetizers are not available as the kitchen opened too soon? !#? I don't care, I came here for the experience and to calm my hunger. another dissappointment that sends a bead of sweat down my forehead. I choose my

J Lohr Merlot and upon the return of my waiter I mention the egg dishes and he states the brunch menu will not be in effect for one month - my goodness what the hell is this - came here just to rearrange my normal weekend routine and NO EGGS! Okay, once again I sit back and watch a table of 4 get up and leave as they feel the same way I do, I decide that after the hassle of getting here, put up with it as change is good! I decide on two appetizers - tuna tartar, definitely not ahi grade and it was more like ground beef in texture with grey poor quality topped with tempura greens - literally disgusting to eat and black lumpfish caviar - dive in, caviar off to the side and the only thing that is missing with this canned jambon is a crouton of sorts. my other choice was salted tempura tiger prawns - just okay, nothing to soften my attack so I ordered a coffee and chocolate cake for dessert. coffee came with no sugar the lady at the table next to me had to lend me her spoon and in returning the favor I gave her my sugar bowl when her coffee arrived - attentive waiter, what happened to the basics - where is the manager overseeing this operation and who is doing the quality check? oops there goes a table of three - NO EGGS, catch the drift boys before the undertoe grabs you. (forgot to mention that my rollup containing my cutlery - the knife was somewhat soiled, hmm not so good for a first impression)

overall, if I had to rate the experience I would give it tops '4' out of 10 as nothing really satisfied my anxiety. I guess all the hoopla about the $15,000 first night had me transfixed that it would be better than experienced. The old saying "don't always believe what you hear until you try it yourself" is just oh so true! take my word for it, after the immense wealth of experience the owner has, I hope the management team can uphold the recognition he deserves! if you can't do it and do it right the first time then find someone who can - beautiful place, just a shame it is not ready from the get go - the foul language from the waitstaff is nothing to be desired

[*Deborah*]

Ouch.

I wonder what the full-length review will look like.

[jamiemaw]

Edit . . . after the immense wealth of experience the owner has, I hope the management team can uphold the recognition he deserves! 

←

Please explain. And welcome!

Jamie

[kontemporary]

From reading your review, I can't help but think of what idea Watermark was thinking putting so many Asian-themed selections on the menu.. Or why any non-Asian restaurant chooses to carry out this phenomena because..

1. It's really competitive in terms of food cost to the customer - Asian cuisine can found all throughout Vancouver, and usually at very highly competitive prices (nigiri at EN for $2-4 whereas blue water cafe $3-5.5) (or even the sizzling hot pot at watermark, which felt like a bad deal)

2. Preparation & cooking is difficult or subpar - especially if the chef cannot match the experience of chefs specializing in Asian cuisines (though that is not the case with blue water who hires their own sushi chef)

3. Quality control becomes a more difficult problem if dishes go across continents..

I think restaurants should be more inclined to "explore" with their specialized cuisines rather than lump dishes from here and there. It may end up looking like a menu right out of Cactus Club.

Edited July 26, 2005 by rêvasser (log)

[Sam Salmon]

Tough crowd here!

[jcarroll42]

So I stopped by Sunday for some drinks and appetizers.

We had the prawn appetizer, which I think was called "salt and pepper". At any rate, the prawns are done in what we were told is an "authentic Malaysian" way. Basically, the shells are left on. They're surprisingly easy to eat, but don't add anything to the dish. For about two hours afterwards you keep struggling with little pieces of shrimp shell in your teeth (think popcorn). The batter was spicy and nice enough, but 10% more effort (cleaning the shrimp) would have made the dish 100% better. I guess that's not "authentic", but what the hell.

I had the Dungeness salad. There was an iceberg lettuce leaf, an endive spear and a (largish) pile of Dungeness meat on the plate. The advertised basalmic/marscapone were drizzles on the plate - which were decorative but didn't contribute to the dish much. There were honeydew and cantaloupe balls, along with a few lychees. Basically, a bunch of Dungeness meat (w/ no dressing) and some fruit. It was nice and refreshing, and not badly priced, but not super exciting either.

We then tried the tempura fried smelt. I'm a big fan of Spanish style deep fried whole fish (small anchovies etc.). These are not small. The fish that came were about 4-5 inches long, and quite thick. They are fried heads on, and meant to be eaten this way. They were full of eggs, which may be a good thing, but the anatomical detail was a little much for my tastes. The fish were large enough that you couldn't just chew up the bones without noticing (as you do with anchovies, for example). I was pulling little bits of skull/spine out of my mouth as I ate. Not great. The batter was thick and more bread like than tempura.

My father was visiting from Seattle, and was keen to try some local beers. They only had two Okanagan Springs beers on tap - 1516 and .... the other one I can't remember the name of. My Dad, being from Seattle, was explaining what kind of beer he liked. The waiter then recommended the 1516, which he had (10 seconds before) told me was "nothing to shake a stick at". Weird. Why open a restaurant with such a great bar and have two beers on tap??

The mains might be great. But the service was a little hit and miss, and the appetizers I had were poor choices for the space/customer base. Hopefully all of these things will improve as they get more experience.

- jeff

[appreciator]

Note.... cynicism alert.........

While I do believe there needs to be some leeway granted as this place has just opened and they are, no doubt, still trying to find their footing, at the end of the day... even if the food sucks the big one, they will always be busy.

Location, location, location.

[jamiemaw]

Note.... cynicism alert.........

While I do believe there needs to be some leeway granted as this place has just opened and they are, no doubt, still trying to find their footing, at the end of the day... even if the food sucks the big one, they will always be busy. 

Location, location, location.

←

The real test will come on a rainy Tuesday night in November, when the view disappears as fast as Coop.

Edited July 28, 2005 by jamiemaw (log)

[shelora]

It is odd that a restaurant would find inspiration in naming itself after a stain.

[*Deborah*]

It is odd that a restaurant would find inspiration in naming itself after a stain.

←

I am too often literal-minded, Shelora...Am I missing your joke?

[Andrew Morrison]

If I opened up a place and called it Ring Around the Collar....

But I think the reference they're going for is Watermark.

You can probably imagine the naming process involved a search for something with the words "water", "beach", or "sand" in it.

Watermark seems an original, though meaningless solution.

Edited July 29, 2005 by editor@waiterblog (log)

[Memo]

It is odd that a restaurant would find inspiration in naming itself after a stain.

←

Ah yes... that white chalky high-tide mark! Better Watermark, I suppose, than PortWineStain (from my always-spilling-red-wine perspective).

Memo

[Daddy-A]

Wow. Now we're critiquing a restaurant based on its name??? Sam was right ... tough crowd.

All I know, is I'd like the licence that allowed me to have a full deck of people during the Festival of Lights Fireworks. The view from that patio must have been pretty good ... and enjoying the fireworks with a Stella and a plate of deep-fried whatever sounds pretty good too.

A.

[jamiemaw]

Wow.  Now we're critiquing a restaurant based on its name???  Sam was right ... tough crowd.

All I know, is I'd like the licence that allowed me to have a full deck of people during the Festival of Lights Fireworks.  The view from that patio must have been pretty good ... and enjoying the fireworks with a Stella and a plate of deep-fried whatever sounds pretty good too.

A.

←

"A watermark is a design embossed into a piece of paper during its production and used for identification of the paper and papermaker. The watermark can be seen when the paper is held up to light."

Hopefully the menu can, in time, be held up to the light of the westerly setting sun as well.

[shelora]

Joke

1. a thing said or done to excite laugher. b. a witticism or jest.

Obviously none of it working.

[*Deborah*]

Joke

1. a thing said or done to excite laugher. b. a witticism or jest.

Obviously none of it working.

←

Sorry, occasionally humour-impaired.

[Vancitygirl]

Alas - thought we'd try Watermark for lunch today - solidly booked. Another time. Lesson = plan ahead.

[Daddy-A]

Joke

1. a thing said or done to excite laugher. b. a witticism or jest.

Obviously none of it working.

Nor at this end. Subtle humour never transmitts well on-line

A.

[Keith Talent]

Tough crowd in here. Not like it'll make anyone feel better, but I got it. I actually thought it was funny too.

FWIW, admitedly not much, but Watermark has been an opening that even non food people are talking about. I've talked to a couple people this week that are only tangentially aware of a new downtown joint called Camber or Champer or some such thing, but they've already dined at Watermark. To rave reviews. Which bodes poorly.

And I wonder if they'll accept reservations now for next years fireworks?

[jamiemaw]

Joke

1. a thing said or done to excite laugher. b. a witticism or jest.

Obviously none of it working.

Nor at this end. Subtle humour never transmitts well on-line

A.

←

What a funny thing to say.

[Jeffy Boy]

FWIW, admitedly not much, but Watermark has been an opening that even non food people are talking about. I've talked to a couple people this week that are only tangentially aware of a new downtown joint called Camber or Champer or some such thing, but they've already dined at Watermark. To rave reviews. Which bodes poorly.

Do I smell a Georgia Straight Golden Plate award?

[kontemporary]

Which is why certain restaurants need to hire publicists. It will not only be good for the restaurant but good for the people as well.