Copper Chimney Restaurant and Bar (web site, map, 567 Hornby Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada, phone: 604-689-8862) recently came to my attention through an email from Mary, the restaurant manager. Copper Chimney is located in the luxurious boutique Le Soleil Hotel (rated 4-diamonds by American Automobile Association since opening in 1999). Downtown in the financial district, the restaurant/hotel is close to Vancouver’s stunning Convention Centre as well as Pacific Centre mall.
I visited the restaurant at Le Soleil around 7 or 8 years ago, and the impressive and airy dining room is much the same today, but with some updates I am sure. I’m really interested in visiting Copper Chimney again to see the current menu concept. In the meantime, here’s what Mary sent along about Copper Chimney:
“Consistently rated one of the city’s most stunning dining rooms. Enter into an exotic world of fusion where you will be treated to some of India’s finest flavors. Experience our award winning chef’s amazing command of the Tandoor , its copper chimney highlighting our open kitchen. Your senses will be heightened and you will be drawn to the warmth and comfort of one of the city’s most popular dining experiences. Sip handcrafted expertly mixed cocktails while enjoying an exotic selection of house music in the lounge or retreat to the dining mezzanine for a memorable meal. Have the Maitre D arrange your dinner in our VIP private dining room.”
Thanks to Mary for providing the tantalizing photos below! For some more reviews of Copper Chimney from customers, check out Urban Spoon or Yelp.
Copper Chimney restaurant at 567 Hornby Street in downtown Vancouver BC Canada.
Dining room of Copper Chimney restaurant at the LeSoleil hotel in Vancouver BC Canada.
Irashai Grill (web site, map, 1368 West Pender Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada, 604-688-8697) is a newly opened Japanese fusion restaurant in Vancouver’s upscale Coal Harbour neighborhood. A short walk from the beautiful waterfront seawall, Irashai is close to hotels such as the Westin Bayshore, and about a 15-20 minute walk from Vancouver’s cruise ship terminal and convention centre, Canada Place.
Irashai is currently the talk of the town, after hosting a big open house party last week for local residents, bloggers, and news media. Below are some photos that show off the restaurant’s upscale decor and delicious food. I’d really like to go back to try a full meal at Irashai. Their menu is available on their web site.
Daikon (Japanese radish) salad - a nice appetizer from Irashai Grill in Vancouver.
Plate of Assorted sushi (partially eaten!) from Irashai Grill in Vancouver.
A taste of Spicy Tuna from Irashai Grill.
Yam Tempura Fries (yummy!) from Irashai Grill in Vancouver
Asian ladies wearing fancy dresses, eating sushi at the standup reception at Irashai Grill.
r.tl regional tasting lounge (web site, map, 1130 Mainland Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada, phone: 604-638-1550) is a recent (and notable!) addition to the upscale Yaletown restaurant and shopping district of downtown Vancouver.
Late on a Saturday night, a friend and I were wandering the misty streets of this former warehouse district, and poked our heads into a bunch of nice looking restaurants such as Capones Jazz Club (which has live jazz every night), George Lounge (a cocktail bar), and Milestones (a chain restaurant with upscale decor). After a glass of wine and a chicken salad at Milestones, we were looking to go some place “cooler” and chill out the rest of the evening.
We meandered over to Mainland Street and were intrigued by the mysterious looking sign that simply said “r.tl”, like some kind of secret code for a fabulous New York hideaway that only a few locals know about. This may be closer to reality than one may think – Vancouver’s food scene is getting to be well known on the international stage, offering some dining experiences that are as every bit exciting and substantial as the most prized eateries in New York and Paris.
While making trips around the world to try new restaurants may be a pastime of the privileged few, r.tl has a new concept that lets the ingredients, recipes, and traditions of fine regional cuisines of the world appear in the easily accessed (and perhaps more affordable) realm of its sleek, laid-back dining room. r.tl is called a “regional tasting lounge” for a reason, as the restaurant rotates its menu every quarter through different culinary locales, choosing two complimentary world regions to accompany the local fare of Coastal British Columbia.
Currently r.tl is featuring Portugal and France along with the BC region. My friend and I were really amazed by the taste of the Pacific mussels we ordered, which were served in a kind of corn-chowder sauce with some chorizo sausage (around $11). The drinks list at r.tl is extensive, including a selection of hand-picked, rare wines and cocktails from around the world.
I was fortunate to visit another time to try some of their Canapes (pictured below) which are miniature versions of some of their larger dishes.
The entree sized version of the salad, La Petite Salad Niçoise, with fresh micro greens, quail eggs, haricot vert niçoise olives, fingerling potato, seared albacore tuna
