Century Restaurant and Bar

[Mike Mitchell]

After several false starts, Century has finally opened. Sean and I were happy to welcome several eGulleters last night, including Mooshmouse, LauraF, and Andrew Morrison, and we'd like to extend an open invitation to all of you to check us out in the next couple of weeks. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions about what we're doing at Century, and we'd appreciate it if you aired any and all of your feedback in this open forum.

Cheers!

[bccoati]

After several false starts, Century has finally opened. Sean and I were happy to welcome several eGulleters last night, including Mooshmouse, LauraF, and Andrew Morrison, and we'd like to extend an open invitation to all of you to check us out in the next couple of weeks. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions about what we're doing at Century, and we'd appreciate it if you aired any and all of your feedback in this open forum.

Cheers! 

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Do you have a website?

[Andrew Morrison]

Ha. I just wrote quite a bit and then decided to save it for a later story just in case. Sorry for blowing the space.

Website is still in the works.

Edited February 25, 2006 by Andrew Morrison (log)

[Edible Vancouver]

Is Century open for lunch?

[Mike Mitchell]

Is Century open for lunch?

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Sorry we're not open for lunch as of yet...looking towards the end of March

[eatvancouver]

Umm...where is the restaurant? I'm interested.

[Andrew Morrison]

432 Richards Street, IIRC. The ancient bank building between West Hastings and West Pender.

[mangez]

Sunday dinner?

[Mike Mitchell]

Sunday dinner?

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We're open seven days a week...You can call 604.633.2700 for a reservation, cheers

[TimK]

Sunday dinner?

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We're open seven days a week...You can call 604.633.2700 for a reservation, cheers

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Congrats on your opening. I am excited that you are open 7 days a week as I am hoping to have Sunday nights free to try some of the new restaurants that have been opening over the last few weeks. All the best in your new venture.

[Daddy-A]

Congrats on your opening. I am excited that you are open 7 days a week as I am hoping to have Sunday nights free to try some of the new restaurants that have been opening over the last few weeks. All the best in your new venture.

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Well Mike, you can thank Tim's post for my visit last night. Downtown on a Monday night with two pints of Guinness and not enough food in my belly, I was happy that you were open to be sure.

First of all, this is an AMAZING room. Impressive without being intimidating. Turning a room that volumous into something cozy is quite a feat. Sean was telling us about the saddle-leather for the banquettes and the trials and tribulations of the round booths ... all things I'm sure we'll hear about on the Opening Soon episode.

J & I shared the Pork Belly, the Braised Spare Ribs & Beef Cheek, and the Crab Burritos. The Ribs got my vote, especially with that sauce that was so thick, so intense ... meat induced coma here I come. The pork belly was excellent as well .. nice match of flavours with the maple glaze. The fritters were also good, the cumin a nice foil to the otherwise bland plantain. Burritos ... hmmm. I think a mojito would help these along. Very tasty, but the crab kinda gets lost with the salsa and guac. Oh yeah ... BEST GUACAMOLE EVER!

We did the 4-taster for dessert. All I have to say is that anyone who thinks up pineapple-tapioca-clove and still has the balls to go ahead with it is just this side of genius. Really cool flavours. I was glad to see only a moderate amount of chocolate on the dessert menu. This would have been one concept you could easily expect to see 5 chocolate items and a flan on the menu. High marks to Remi for not copping out.

Got the guided tour of the rest of the building ... the upstairs lounge looks very cool. I see mojitos and Buena Vista Social Club in my future ....

A.

[TimK]

Congrats on your opening. I am excited that you are open 7 days a week as I am hoping to have Sunday nights free to try some of the new restaurants that have been opening over the last few weeks. All the best in your new venture.

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Well Mike, you can thank Tim's post for my visit last night.

A.

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Hey if you are around Sunday night you can thank me in person . I am planning on coming down for dinner, really looking forward to it. Sounds like you have a great thing going, congrats.

[Andrew Morrison]

Hey if you are around Sunday night you can thank me in person  . I am planning on coming down for dinner, really looking forward to it. Sounds like you have a great thing going, congrats.

May sure you call ahead, Tim.

I was a lone walk-in last night after the wine fest. There wasn't a stool at the bar to be had, let alone a table. So much for a soft opening!

Edited March 3, 2006 by Andrew Morrison (log)

[PaoPao]

Last night we had dinner at Century and we very impressed. When we arrived at 7:30 the place was about 3/4 full.

We started out with the Jamon, a Spanish version of an anti-pasti platter with very interesting and tasty items. Then had a Caesar Salad that was prepared with Quail Eggs, and langoustine’s. For the entrees, the 3 of us had the Black Cod, Sea Bass, and the Braised Short Ribs. All of these were done very well. I had asked the waitress which she preferred between the Short Ribs and the Latin Cassoulet with Rabbit. She said that she has served many more of the Short Ribs and strongly recommended them which I am glad I listed to. Although when we go back next time the Cassoulet dish will be what I want to try next. For Dessert we had a Sampler Dish as well as a Chocolate Trio. I think the sampler Dish was the clear favourite with a very interesting dollop of Cream Cheese and Key Lime Syrup, a Cookie with a very rich topping, a shot glass with tapioca and pineapple juice and then flambéed bananas. Throughout this amazing meal we sipped Sangrias with these fantastic mini-kiwi's in them.

The service was some of the best I think we have ever had dinning in the city. We were seated promptly, greeted by our waitress, and proceeded to be pampered throughout the entire meal. During which we met Mike who came over and introduced himself, and then we saw Sean again and talked with him for a bit as well. He's the consummate host and between him, mike, and the great staff the place was running like a fine clock. The wait staff who delivered the food would with each plate describe in detail everything on it, this was very impressive and they did a great job with that as well.

The food, beyond being very tasty, was also brought out quicker than we expected for that type of cuisine to be prepared. Not meant as a criticism by any means, actually it was a nice surprise and we didn't feel at all rushed.

The restaurant itself is just over the top jay dropping cool. I was telling my wife and our friend that all it needed was some large verandas that opened up onto a small bay in small town in Spain somewhere whit a nice warm tropical breeze flowing through.

We finished up close to 10:30 and by this time there were so many people packed in by the bar that people had to sip their drinks by the front doors. On the way out Sean said to us to peak into the vault room that he transformed into a private dining room. Very cool.

So it was a fantastic evening and a restaurant that I'm sure will become one of Vancouver’s favourites very shortly.

[Mike Mitchell]

Congrats on your opening. I am excited that you are open 7 days a week as I am hoping to have Sunday nights free to try some of the new restaurants that have been opening over the last few weeks. All the best in your new venture.

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Well Mike, you can thank Tim's post for my visit last night.

A.

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Hey if you are around Sunday night you can thank me in person . I am planning on coming down for dinner, really looking forward to it. Sounds like you have a great thing going, congrats.

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Hi Tim, just wanted to let you know that we will be closed this Sunday for a very special event as our Chef Remi Dubois will be getting married in our room. Sorry for any inconvenience, we'll see you next Sunday?

[barolo]

I stopped in to Century too last week to check it out before the early reviews and Opening Soon epsiode aired. Count me as another fan of the room - it has respect for the past, but the murals and soft colours make it modern, elegant and warm. I was also glad to see that there were enough soft surfaces around to suggest that the noise level might be bearable for those of us who like to talk in restaurants. Ron was behind the bar and I put myself in his hands. As an early arrival, I had lots of time to chat with staff as they finished setting up. By the time I left, I felt like part of the family.

I started off with a Fidel’s Choice (amber rum and blackberry liqueur with muddled cranberries and brown sugar) while I looked through the menu. Hot grilled flatbread with a light cumin flavour arrived along with some olives - very good - and a red pepper dip. Ron recommended the BBQ Baby Octopus, Spanish Lubina or the Braised Shortribs and Beef Cheek Adobo. A copy of the menu is here on Waiterblog.

I decided to go with the Spanish Lubina and Ron recommended a Malbec to pair with it. I wouldn't normally choose a Malbec but Ron thought it was a natural with olives in the dish and gave me a taster to let me decide for myself. I kept faith with Ron and ordered a glass of the Malbec. The fish, which was wrapped in potato and cilantro, was good, but the house cured olives that came with the dish stole show. The Malbec with its soft tannins worked well.

I decided I might as well try a dessert too and needed no guidance from Ron - the Century's Blend, a coffee flan with coconut foam and three cayenne truffles on the side was my choice. This came in a huge portion, but I had no problem devouring it. The truffles had just the right touch of chile heat and the flan was cool, rich and velvety. The fresh coconut foam added a delicate contrast to the flan. A decaf Americano was last on my list. By now the room was filling up with lots of wine festival-related folk in the crowd. I outed myself to Sean on leaving and we managed a quick chat.

The staff were all attentive and friendly but I have to give my special thanks to Ron for good conversation and advice. There's lots more on the menu that I want to try, and those olives are calling to me, so I'll be back. I'm looking forward to Century opening for lunch as it's just a few blocks from my office.

[D90]

I just got home from a wonderful evening at Century; even though I am about to pass out I had to come on line and Thank Mike, Sean and Remi, their entire Staff and “Her” (the ghost) for being great hosts. My friend also wanted me to say thank you once again.

Everyone on this board has mentioned the room and they are correct it can be breathtaking, especially listening to the excitements in Sean’s tone of voice as he took us on a tour. I have pictures but they don’t do the restaurant any justice, actually I feel embarrassed for even posting them; you have to go there and during a pause in conversation tilt you head back and enjoy the attention to detail. They have turned the room into something that can proudly represent its heritage building status by incorporating and restoring a lot of its original features. I also loved the special dinning room (Vault), and cannot wait to see what upstairs looks like once it’s done.

Here are some pictures of the room; I wish I had taken some more.

Bedtime, stay tuned for part two tomorrow featuring the Food and a lot more pictures.

Edited March 8, 2006 by D90 (log)

[kurtisk]

Looks like Andrew writes about <ahem> Century in Waiterblog today. Best of luck, boys!

k

[D90]

For dinner we decided on two appetizers, three ½ order main dishes and two deserts; half orders are a genius idea I wish more restaurants offered it. We decided on not drinking any alcohol and had the bartender make up a couple moktails each. I have to say the bartenders are extremely talented, but I wouldn’t expect anything less from a restaurant that’s related to Lucy Mae Brown.

-Grilled Flat Bread.

-A mix of Olives (Remi has won awards for this oilives), Cold Pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil (I believe), and a Roasted Red Pepper Dip.

My friend and I agreed that the Red pepper dip was our favourite, but the trio was a nice way to start the meal.

-Plantain Fritters & Pork Bellies cinnamon maple braised and a herb salad.

This was my favourite dish that I had to bother Remi for some direction about making it at home. The pork bellies and fritters sucked up the cinnamon and maple like a sponge so flavourful and soft. The only down side was I didn’t ask for a double order, I will order this dish on every visit to Century.

-Dungeness Crab Burritos wrapped in a cilantro crepe accompanied by an Avocado Mousse and a Salsa Sorbet (please correct me if I am wrong).

The Avocado Moose was great and so was the sorbet, an interesting idea that pays off. I wonder if French Fries would work with a Ketchup Sorbet hmmm. As for the Burrito I was a little disappointed even though it worked, the sweetness of the crab was lost fighting with the cilantro crêpe or either one of the two condiments.

-Spanish Lubina (potato and cilantro wrapped sea bass).

The balsamic vinegar and olive oil were wonderful as where the items below the perfectly cooked bass, especially the garlic.

-Braised Shortribs and Beef Cheek Adobo lying on top of a cloud of cabrales laced yucca root puree.

Both of these items were extremely tender and flavourful, but my friend found the cabrales cheese a little strong for this dish; I liked it.

-Roasted Black Cod perched on top of a caramelized squash surrounded by a cinnamon rioja jus.

I can’t really remember this dish, as we were more into Sean’s ghost encounter stories at the time.

-Century’s Blend.

I didn’t try the truffle and my friend did offer but I decided to leave them for her. But I really enjoyed the Flan, this is another item I will order on every visit.

-A Tasting for All: Baby bananas & sweet rum gelee, a guava chiboust with butter cookies, key lime granite & cream cheese custard clove scented pineapple shooter with tapioca.

There were two items on this platter I loved: The guava chiboust, I agreed with my waiter in saying that I wouldn’t mind having a piping bag full of this in my fridge at home to eat directly out of the bag. The next item was the Shooter I don’t why it just was so different the texture and flavours where intense.

All the dishes were great and the half orders I could compare size wise to some of the full orders at a few of Vancouver high end restaurant. All these dishes accompanied by our laid back professional and knowledgeable waiter, Mike checking up on us, Sean’s stories/tour of the restaurant, and Remi for taking the time to chat with us and of course my dinner date made for a wonderful three and a half hour dinner at Century.

Edited March 9, 2006 by D90 (log)

[mtigges]

I have to comment on the olives. I attended one of the dry runs at century. (We had a great meal btw.)

I don't like olives. They are one of the only foods I don't like, the other being beef liver. Anywho, these olives are AMAZING. They taste ... it's incredible. I couldn't believe it. They were the highlight of the night for me, just because I realized that olives could be good. Everything else we had was great, but those olives are amazing.

[Vancitygirl]

Opening Soon - do we know when the opening soon episode is?

I looked on the food network site, but no mention yet.

Thank you someone.

[Mike Mitchell]

Hi there!

As far as we've been told the word out of Toronto is that the episode will begin airing on the 20th of March...

[paul mitchell]

.......and you know your doing something special when Malcolm Parry gives you more space than the requisite pictures of socialite's gargantum breasts!

[kurtisk]

I've always thought Sherwood had a nice rack...

k.

[the g-man]

The Globe's Ms. Gill has a hit and run review of Century today. A little kinder and gentler than her recent writing, but she still lands a few punches. She makes a good point that the house music is wrong for the room.

She acknowledges the problems of basing a review on a one-time visit but says that she has to work within a fixed budget and can't afford to go back...?

She liked the room and the paella. She was not too impressed with the mojito.

I had one of their mojitos. A Latin American restaurant needs a good mojito. Mine needed more lime and simple syrup. But the olives were great and I will be back to try the paella and give the mojito a second chance, in the spirit of Che Guevara.