I made a visit to Cassis Bistro (map, web site, visitor reviews, 420 West Pender St. Vancouver, BC, Canada, phone: 604-605-0420) and was really impressed. Cassis Bistro is a French tapas bistro hidden away in a somewhat seedier area of downtown Vancouver on the edge of Gastown (about two blocks from the Granville Skytrain station).
Ron Brill of Martiniboys (click here to read review) writes of “…elegantly simple, modern tapas fare…alluring French flavours…” and I concur. Cassis Bistro is definitely deserving of the positive buzz it has been getting recently.
Pictured below are some of the items we ordered. First was the complimentary amuse bouche, which was olives and antipasto served with French bread. The olives and antipasto were served in an interesting narrow tray and whetted the appetite perfectly. For an appetizer, we ordered a crepe with Brie cheese (around $10), which tasted great. Looking at the photo brings back fond memories! For the main course I orderedthe Duck a l’Orange ($17.50). The menu describes this item as:
Duck and oranges: a combination popular in many countries. This dish consists of Muscovy duck braised with oranges.
Let me say, the Duck a l’Orange was fantastic (or should I say merveilleux “en Francais”). I am a huge fan of orange juice and oranges in general, and duck is always a special treat for me since I don’t cook it at home. So this was a match made in heaven.
We also ordered a side dish of some vegetables: beets and zucchini (also pictured below, around $5). This went very well with a side of bechamel sauce.
Amuse bouche (olives and antipasto) with French bread at Cassis Bistro in downtown Vancouver.
Crepe with Brie Cheese from Cassis French Bistro restaurant in Downtown Vancouver BC Canada.
Duck a l'orange (Duck and Oranges), $17.50 from Cassis Bistro, a French restaurant in downtown Vancouver BC Canada.
Side order of market fresh vegetables from Cassis Bistro in Vancouver (beets and zucchini) - around $5.00.
YEW restaurant + bar (map, web site, 791 West Georgia St, Vancouver, Canada, phone 604-692-4939) is located in the Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver, one of Vancouver’s most luxurious hotels.
We enjoyed their special menu for Dine Out Vancouver 2009, which was $38 per person before tax, tip, gratuity, and drinks. The atmosphere is awesome, the service is impeccable, and the restaurant’s food is very impressive. We were a little cowed by the wine list, which had the cheapest wine by the glass at $9.00 and a half litre for $30. So we didn’t order drinks, but the food (as shown below) was fabulous.
Kirin Restaurant (map, web site, Vancouver West at City Square Mall,
201 City Square, 555 West 12th Avenue, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, phone: 604-879-8038) is a fancy Cantonese restaurant that serves delectable Chinese seafood dishes and dim sum in an upscale atmosphere.
We enjoyed a banquet meal at the Kirin on New Years Day 2009, and I took a video of the dishes (you can view it using the player below). The food was really amazing, although a foodie friend commented that the Kirin is a bit pricy to visit just for a casual dinner (save it for a special occasion!).
The menu included the following dishes:
crab meat and fish maw thick soup
sauteed scallop, prawn and chicken
deep fried crab claw wrapped with minced prawn
Peking duck skin with crepe
minced duck with lettuce wrap
live lobster in two kinds of flavor
sauteed beef tenderloin
bok choy and abalone mushroom
lo hon vegetable
stewed e fu noodle
Yang Chow Fried Rice
two kinds of dim sum dessert (cookies and coconut jello)
sweet tapioca soup (dessert)
Still image from the video (Lobster) from the Kirin Chinese Restaurant in Vancouver (City Square).
14,512 views - Posted Wednesday, January 28th, 2009
