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Where to go for a birthday

maxmillan

By maxmillan
in Western Canada: Dining

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maxmillan

maxmillan

Posted
Posted

I'd like a suggestion for a birthday dinner. Something not too expensive for the meal and a restaurant that has excellent desserts. I was thinking The Griffin at Vancouver Hotel because they have a dessert buffet but it seems like I go there almost every year.

I'd like a variety of desserts, not just chocolate, as I find this too heavy and it's not everyone's favorite. A good mix of white cakes, chocolate, mousse, fruits, pies, etc is ideal but the quality should be good.

It doesn't have to be a dessert buffet but it should have a good range of quality desserts. Ornamate plating does not impress us, just good desserts. I find a lot of restaurants minimize the importance of the final course by offering simple chocolate desserts, ice cream and not much else.

Thanks for your help.

annanstee

annanstee

Posted
Posted (edited)

Parkside. "Ornamatal" :wink: and delicious.

ETA

Or you could go to HSG and just accept that everybody has to have the GBP.

Edited by annanstee (log)

The sea was angry that day my friends... like an old man trying to send back soup in a deli.

George Costanza

SBonner

SBonner

Posted
Posted

The desserts at Diva at the Met are well worth it.

Stephen

"who needs a wine list when you can get pissed on dessert" Gordon Ramsey Kitchen Nightmares 2005

MY BLOG

maxmillan

maxmillan

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted (edited)
Parkside. "Ornamatal"  :wink: and delicious.

ETA

Or you could go to HSG and just accept that everybody has to have the GBP.

I've heard a lot about the bread pudding at HSG. However, what is the "Ornamatal" at Parkside?

Thanks.

Edited by maxmillan (log)
annanstee

annanstee

Posted
Posted

They certainly used to be- not sure if he is still the patisserie there.

The sea was angry that day my friends... like an old man trying to send back soup in a deli.

George Costanza

Zucchini Mama

Zucchini Mama

Posted
Posted

Have you thought of Trafalger's? For sheer variety of good quality desserts, it would be good for a birthday dinner. I like the lemon mousse cake and the seasonal fruit tarts.

"I used to be Snow White, but I drifted."

--Mae West

barolo

barolo

Posted
Posted (edited)
The desserts at Diva at the Met are well worth it.

Stephen

Are these desserts created by Thomas Hass?

Thanks.

Yes, he is the Executive Pastry Chef at Diva. Here's a link to the Diva dessert menu: Diva Desserts

Looks like that may be where *Deborah* had the chocolate and pistachio dessert she mentioned in another thread.

Trafalgars is a good suggestion, especially since you are looking for wide selection. Here's the menu: Trafalgars Desserts

Edited by barolo (log)

Cheers,

Anne

annanstee

annanstee

Posted
Posted

Oooh, Trafalgars. Excellent call, Zuke.

The sea was angry that day my friends... like an old man trying to send back soup in a deli.

George Costanza

*Deborah*

*Deborah*

Posted
Posted
The desserts at Diva at the Met are well worth it.

Stephen

Are these desserts created by Thomas Hass?

Thanks.

Yes, he is the Executive Pastry Chef at Diva. Here's a link to the Diva dessert menu: Diva Desserts

Looks like that may be where *Deborah* had the chocolate and pistachio dessert she mentioned in another thread.

Trafalgars is a good suggestion, especially since you are looking for wide selection. Here's the menu: Trafalgars Desserts

Oh, bless you, Anne! :biggrin:

Agenda-free since 1966.

Foodblog: Power, Convection and Lies

PaoPao

PaoPao

Posted
Posted

I'd go to Diner in a heartbeat. We've been to four different b-day parties there and the people loved the place each time. Good solid tasty food and fantastic fresh desserts. We just came from lunch there and my sweety for dessert had the Blackberry Pavlova with fresh Black berries out of Heathers garden. I had a just out of the oven Peach Shortbread ...... the best. My best friend had a party there and she cooked a Blackberry Coconut cake for him that everyone still raves about.

sanrensho

sanrensho

Posted
Posted
I find a lot of restaurants minimize the importance of the final course. 

Geez, don't these restaurant realize that the LAST course is the most important?

Waiting for Ling to weigh in with her recommendations...

Baker of "impaired" cakes...
TimK

TimK

Posted
Posted
I'd go to Diner in a heartbeat.  We've been to four different b-day parties there and the people loved the place each time.  Good solid tasty food and fantastic fresh desserts.  We just came from lunch there and my sweety for dessert had the Blackberry Pavlova with fresh Black berries out of Heathers garden.  I had a just out of the oven Peach Shortbread ...... the best.  My best friend had a party there and she cooked a Blackberry Coconut cake for him that everyone still raves about.

Heather makes great desserts. Craving some now.

Tim Keller

Rare Restaurant

tim@rarevancouver.com

Metro Restaurant

timkeller@metrodining.ca

Ling

Ling

Posted
Posted
I find a lot of restaurants minimize the importance of the final course. 

Geez, don't these restaurant realize that the LAST course is the most important?

Waiting for Ling to weigh in with her recommendations...

I kept quiet because Diva has already been mentioned. That would be my pick as well. :smile:

West also does some nice desserts.

The most memorable dessert I've had in Vancouver in the last few months was the wasabi cheesecake and matcha ice-cream at Blue Water Cafe.

Lorna Yee

the cool kids at belltown lofts

The Cookbook Chronicles

tarteausucre

tarteausucre

Posted
Posted

I'm chiming in with a second (or is a third) for Trafalgar's and Diva. Keep in mind that the ambiance is quite different - the former is much more low key while the latter would be much more of a done-up affair. Trafalgar's definitely for quantity in terms of selection and good quality. Diva for fantastic quality (closes her eyes in remembrance of Thomas Haas desserts :)

"There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea."

~ Henry James, The Portrait of a Lady

Tara Lee

Literary and Culinary Rambles

http://literaryculinaryrambles.blogspot.com

maxmillan

maxmillan

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted (edited)

Thanks for all the info. However, I decided a dessert buffet is the way to go instead of restaurants that offer no buffet. I only know of Griffins and the chocolate buffet at what was once the Meridien.

Does anyone know of other dessert buffets? I thought there was a thread pertaining to this but I can't find it.

As well, when I called around for dessert buffets, I discovered a couple of delicious sounding buffets that offers dessert buffet. The William Tell restaurant has a Swiss Farmers Buffet brunch. Has anyone tried it?

Also, I called the Waterfront and they offer a brunch buffet as well? Any word on what their desserts are like?

I'll go the route of buffets that includes food as long as there are desserts.

Thanks for any leads.

Edited by maxmillan (log)
annanstee

annanstee

Posted
Posted

Note that the Swiss Farmers Buffet is for dinner, not brunch.

Haven't been to the brunch buffet for a long time, but it used to be good.

The sea was angry that day my friends... like an old man trying to send back soup in a deli.

George Costanza

  • 1 month later...
tinyhandful

tinyhandful

Posted
Posted
I'd go to Diner in a heartbeat.  We've been to four different b-day parties there and the people loved the place each time.  Good solid tasty food and fantastic fresh desserts.  We just came from lunch there and my sweety for dessert had the Blackberry Pavlova with fresh Black berries out of Heathers garden.  I had a just out of the oven Peach Shortbread ...... the best.  My best friend had a party there and she cooked a Blackberry Coconut cake for him that everyone still raves about.

Heather makes great desserts. Craving some now.

:wacko: sorry to be such an EG noob, but where's Diner? I have an outrageous task of finding a reasonable (entrees hovering between the teens and the low 20's) yet trendy for a b-day party for a bunch of 18 y.o.s who have requested NO CHAIN restaurants. any ideas? i'd like to at least enjoy my meal since i won't be able understand/follow a word of what my company will be saying!

--> dinner is for this coming saturday night with no rezzos as of yet (for 10 ppl!), of course. *sigh*

Daddy-A

Daddy-A

Posted
Posted
Is there still a Chuck E Cheese by Loughheed Mall ?

Nope. Was the Jolly Genie for a while. Not sure what it is now.

Why Chuck's Neil? Feeling nostalgic for urine-soaked ball rooms? :blink:

A.

tinyhandful

tinyhandful

Posted
Posted
Is there still a Chuck E Cheese by Loughheed Mall ?

lol, funny that you say that Neil, i voted for HSG, and was the one who called this afternoon and talked to you asking whether or not you had a webpage that i could direct the young'ns to.

unfortunately, i was out-voted... so Neil, you will NOT be seeing a group of 10 chuck-e-cheesers, arguing over how to split the bill and who gets to pay for the shared appies, this saturday night. boo hoo, i know. :biggrin:

our party will instead be tormenting the staff at relish...

Foodie in Vancouver

Foodie in Vancouver

Posted
Posted

relish is a good choice for the age group. Our daughters (18 and 21) enjoy it and we don't have any problems taking them there. Certainly a better experience than our last family birthday at Joey's. Don't get me started.

Cheers,

Karole

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