The Roof at Black+Blue (Happy Hour)

September 8, 2015September 6, 2015Leave a comment

SP, SK and I are always on the lookout to find a new happy hour place. We have our gatherings every few months and we usually go after work, and it’s the perfect time to try new restaurants at a good price. SP is always looking for a deal for drinks too, so what better way than to go for happy hour. This time, we decided to go to The Roof at Black+Blue. Their happy hour is from 2:30-5:30 every day and there is a select menu with 50% off their original price. Select beers, highballs, and featured drinks are $5.

You enter from Black+Blue door and to your left is an elevator which will take you up to the third floor. You’ll arrive with a huge bull facing you.

We arrived at 5pm and the place was already bumping. The hostess warned us that we would only be allowed to stay until 7:30pm for happy hour as they have the next group of diners coming in. The patio is awesome but it was also extremely sunny and we were not smart enough to bring our shades like everyone else. The ambiance is nice but not overly fancy. You’ll find a mix of tourists and business people here.

Charcuterie ($18)

All prices I’ve listed is the regular price, so we got everything 50% off. The Charcuterie came with prosciutto, a selection of salami, parmigiano-reggiano, seasonal marmalade, olives, cornichons, and forno bread. I loved the cheese and the selection of meats were great. A good deal at $9.

Salt Spring Island Mussels ($18)

Next up were the Salt Spring Island Mussels which came in a coconut Thai curry broth, cilantro, crispy shallots, and another side of forno bread. These were delicious with the mussels being fresh and plump and the broth having a strong coconut flavour. The broth was great to dip your bead in. We soon realized that all our dishes came with the same bread though and that we were filling up with bread…

Crab and Spinach Dip ($16)

The Crab and Spinach Dip was a gooey mix of artichokes, and sun-dried tomatoes. It was very heavy and cheesy but I quite enjoyed it. Again, it came with forno bread to dip.

Atlantic Lobster Flatbread ($24)

Our last item was the Atlantic Lobster Flatbread, which came topped with tomatoes, mozzarella, garlic, tarragon, lobster bisque, corn, and pickled onions. This was quite tasty with the corn bringing a sweetness of flavour to the typical savoury dish. We were disappointed that there wasn’t too much lobster though. If you were lucky, you got a few strands on your piece.

The girls got the feature drink which was a Blueberry Champagne Spritzer, while I had the Driftwood Whitebark Beer. Overall, we were quite pleased with the food, other than the fact that almost all the dishes came with the same bread for the side, so we got a bit sick of that. Our server was pretty friendly at the end, but started off being a bit cold. Not sure what that was all about. She also forgot our order of Calamari, but we were too full to eat that anyways. Prices are reasonable during happy hour, with each of us paying under $20 for our share of food and drinks after tips.

I do want to note that I was quite disappointed with the service I received subsequent to this dinner. I had left my lunch bag from work under the table and went home without it. When I called to ask if it was still there, the manager said that they were not aware and that they would look after closing since there were still diners. She said she would call me back if they found anything. Since I didn’t hear anything back, I called again a few days later, and they said that they were still looking and would call me back. It’s been more than two weeks since, and I have heard nothing back. What I lost is not a big deal and it isn’t their responsibility, but I am quite annoyed at the fact that they disregarded the whole situation. I rather they call me and tell me they looked and could not find anything. The fact that they said they were still looking seemed like they had not even tried to look. As the restaurant is part of such a large restaurant group and consider themselves an upscale restaurant, I would think they know how to better please their customers.

Pros:
– Reasonable prices during Happy Hour
– Nice ambiance

Cons:
– Too much of the same bread on each dish!
– Service was just average for an upscale restaurant

Price Range: $15-25

1: Terrible 2: Poor 3: Average 4: Good 5: Excellent

Food: 3.5 Service: 2.5 Ambiance: 4 Parking: 2.5 Overall: 3

Bistro 101 @ Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts

September 3, 2015September 4, 2015Leave a comment

For our squad lunch a few weeks back, we visited Bistro 101 at the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts on Granville Island. During lunch hours, the 3 course set menu is $25 and you can view this online before you go. They change it up every month, so unfortunately, I don’t have the exact names of the dishes. The culinary students who train here get to work in a real life setting in a restaurant. All the food is cooked by the students and even the servers are students. It’s a pretty neat concept!

The interior of the restaurant is actually quite nice (I forgot to get a picture), but it’s actually pretty much fine dining. The students learn to correctly place the cutlery and how to pour water and wine in the glasses. The view from our table was the catering kitchen, so we got to see some chefs prep for their cooking.

Complimentary Artisan Bread

We were served two batches of complimentary artisan bread. Each piece of bread was a bit different. My favourite was the cheese balls since they were fluffy and full of cheese flavour. We also enjoyed the flatbread type cracker which had a variety of seeds and grains. Crispy!

Amuse Bouche – Raw Beet Juice Shooters

Shortly after, we were served a platter of Amuse Bouche, which we were not expecting. They were Raw Beet Juice Shooters topped with a slice of strawberry. (No alcohol in it by the way!) I was hesitant at first since I’m not a fan of beets, but it tasted surprisingly good and refreshing!

Goat Cheese Salad

StevieD got the Goat Cheese Salad, which he thought was a bit odd. There was a lot of goat cheese, but also some fruits. He said the cheese was too strong for his liking and he thought the fruits didn’t go too well with the dish.

Lamb Meatballs

The rest of us got the Lamb Meatballs. The meatballs were wrapped with eggplant slices and topped with cheese. A marinara sauce was placed under for dipping. These were actually pretty good and the lamb wasn’t too gamy.

Bacon Wrapped Beef Tenderloin

Everyone at the table except for me got the Bacon Wrapped Beef Tenderloin for their entree. We found the piece of beef to be rather small, but it’s probably because of how expensive beef is now. The ones who asked for medium rare had their beef cooked more to a medium. I guess we can’t complain too much since the students are still in training. Beef was still very tender and flavourful.

Pan Seared Halibut

Since I wanted to try something different from everyone else, I got the Pan Seared Halibut. This came in a light miso broth with an abundance of vegetables. The skin was crispy and the fish was cooked to moist. Very delicious!

Tiramisu

For dessert, some of us got the Tiramisu, which had a strong coffee flavour. The mascapone cheese was smooth and the cake was moist.

10 Layer Chocolate Cake

For myself, I got the 10 Layer Chocolate Cake. It came with a scoop of mango sorbet. The cake layers of mousse and was rather dense, but I really enjoyed it. If you love chocolate, this is perfect. The sweet and sour flavour from the mango also complemented the chocolate flavour very well.

Overall, we were quite pleased with Bistro 101. The portions are a bit smaller than what I remember in the past, but you still get pleasantly full for $25. Our server was a bit shy, but you could tell he was probably just really nervous. Overall, I think it’s pretty good for a restaurant run by students. Worth to give it a try and the price is quite reasonable for a 3 course menu.

Pros:
– Reasonable price for 3 course menu
– Ambiance is pretty nice

Cons:
– Service is a little slow because student run
– Food consistency can be a little off sometimes

Price Range: $25

1: Terrible 2: Poor 3: Average 4: Good 5: Excellent

Food: 3 Service: 3 Ambiance: 4 Parking: 2 Overall: 3

Cork & Fin

May 27, 2015May 27, 2015Leave a comment

To celebrate mother’s day and K’s birthday, we decided to go to Cork & Fin for some seafood. On Sundays, they have buck a shuck oysters after 6 pm, and the best part was they still offered it on Mother’s Day.

The interior is very homey with wooden accents. Our seating area even had pillows, which was pretty cute. There is a bar here where you can see the chefs shuck the oysters.

The menu comes in a folder which I thought was a cute touch.

Tricycle Grapefruit Radler

We got the Tricycle Grapefruit Radler which is a grapefruit beer brewed by Parallel 49. I really enjoyed this beer as it almost tasted like grapefruit juice! The citrus gives it a little bitterness, but it definitely is on the sweeter side.

Oysters

And of course we came to Cork & Fin for their buck a shuck oysters! The waitress didn’t explain what oysters these were, but they were on the smaller size. It came with a champagne mignonette and horseradish. I have to say, I was a bit disappointed with the oysters. They weren’t super fresh and the shucking wasn’t done very well. My family and I both found little pieces of shell in our oysters, which wasn’t a very pleasant experience.

Prawn Ceviche

Next up were the Prawn Ceviche, which was seasoned with peruvian chilles and stafruit. These were actually the whole prawn, rather than chopped up pieces. Very fresh and they were well seasoned and worked well with the crispy tostadas.

Seafood Tower

On Sundays, Cork & Fin also has a Seafood Sunday promo, where the Seafood Tower is $49, rather than $89. This was such a good deal, we couldn’t resist. The tower offered a chilled half lobster, shucked oysters, prawn ceviche, cured salmon, marinated tuna, and mussels.

Unfortunately, we didn’t notice that the seafood tower included the prawn ceviche already, so we ended up getting two of these.The chilled half lobster was decent. Just your typical lobster. It was pretty fresh and you got a decent amount of meat.

Another dozen or so of oysters came along and there was the same problem with the bits of shells. The cured salmon was pretty much your typical smoked salmon and wasn’t too special. The marinated tuna was like your tuna tataki and the mussels came in a marina sauce.

Baked Oyster Hash

Cork & Fin plates are meant for sharing, so we also shared the Baked Oyster Hash. This came in a sizzling plate and the hash included chorizo, potato, and caramelized onions. The hash was flavourful and had a hint of cheese. However, I found that it lacked oysters. I was hoping for more of that since oysters should have been the star of the dish.

Braised Veal Cheeks

Another plate we shared was the Braised Veal Cheeks, which came with a pommes puree and veal jus. This was one of my favourite dishes. The veal cheeks were so tender and just flaked off so easily. However, I did find that the potato puree was a bit thin for my liking.

Pesto Pappardelle

Lastly, we had the Pesto Pappardelle, which was topped with walnut, mushrooms, tomatoes, and vermeer cheese. The pasta was cooked to al dente and very delicious. It seemed like they were made in house. Tons of flavour and I would definitely recommend ordering this.

Overall, our dinner at Cork & Fin was decent. I was slightly disappointed with their oysters, but the rest of the meal was pretty on point. Prices are on the pricier side for the portions you get. Especially with the amount of seafood dishes you get, it’s hard to get full from the meal. Still, the ambiance is really cute and would make a nice place to chill with a glass of wine.

Pros:
– Buck a shuck after 6pm and promo Seafood Towers on Sundays
– Ambiance is laid back but nicely decorated

Cons:
– Oysters were not shucked very well
– Pricey for the portions

Price Range: $25-30

1: Terrible 2: Poor 3: Average 4: Good 5: Excellent

Food: 3 Service: 3 Ambiance: 4 Parking: 3 Overall: 3

Wildebeest

May 3, 2015May 11, 2015Leave a comment

This year, the firm’s end of busy season tax party was at Wildebeest and I was extremely excited since has been on the list of restaurants I wanted to visit. Located in Gastown, Wildebeest is known for their meat-centric dishes. Many of their dishes are served family style, and you’ll find some not-so-typical meat dishes here.

Our firm booked up the entire top floor, which featured wooden ambiance with long tables and wooden swivel chairs. They have a bar and an open kitchen so you can watch the chefs in action. Service started very slow in the beginning. We probably sat around for at least 30 minutes with no snacks or drinks being served. It might be because we arrived earlier than they had expected us, but we were all hungry for food. As the first dishes began to roll out though, things picked up and we got our food fairly quickly and there were no further complaints by the end of the night.

Freshly Shucked Oyster

We had a set menu ready for us with canapés to start. First came the Freshly Shucked Oyster, which was topped with a shallot mignonette and black pepper. This was delicious with the oyster being sweet and fresh. The second item was the Albacore Tuna Tataki, but this ran out by the time it got to our table. I was quite disappointed with this as I thought they would have enough to serve each person one. Some people at my table also didn’t get the oysters. You would think they had made enough for each guest to have at least one.

Angus Short Rib

The third item was the Angus Short Rib, which seemed to be the favourite item for most people. This had a brown butter jus and was topped with bonito flakes. The bonito flakes gave it a Japanese flare and the meat was cooked to a medium rare. Extremely tender and we all wanted seconds!

Bjorn Borg

Our cocktails finally came around and I started off with the Bjorn Borg, which is like a slurpee. The ingredients included earl grey, pear, honey, premium Vodka, lemon, and London dry gin. You got that hint of sweetness from the pear and I liked how it was in a slurpee type of form. It reminded me of a Bellini and was very refreshing.

Pork Rinds

Our set menu also included some snacks to share between around 4 guests. The first were the Pork Rinds. These were crispy and slightly seasoned. StevieD said that they were quite average and tasted like the ones you get off the shelf at the supermarket. Nothing too special. I also agreed and also disliked the fact that the rinds stuck to your teeth.

Pork Schnitzel

Next were the Pork Schnitzels, which were a favourite at my table. The pork were deep fried to golden brown and the batter was very crispy. It came with a caraway-spiced beer mustard.

Spiced Hazelnuts

The last snack was the Spiced Hazelnut. These were roasted and seasoned with spices. I didn’t find these too special. They were nice to snack on while waiting for our food, but they didn’t wow me.

Gaston Collins

Since we were still waiting for our food, we went for another cocktail. This time we chose the Gastown Collins, which has London Dry Gin, Amaro Montenegro, lemon, honey, and IPA. This was a very bitter drink mostly due to the Indian pale ale. None of us really enjoyed this drink.

Spring Beet Salad

Then our appetizers came. BG got the Spring Beet Salad, which he commented had endless beets. There were both red and yellow beets, along with shaved cucumber, compressed apple, a ricotta salata, miner’s lettuce and a beetroot sorbet.

Bison Carpaccio

Most guests at my table got the Bison Carpaccio, which featured kalamata olive and soy vinaigrette, pickled shimieji mushrooms, puffed wild rice, and micro arugula. I tasted this as well, and really enjoyed it! You can roll the ingredients with the thin layer of bison, which I thought was a great concept. The bison had a more gamey flavour than your typical beef carpaccio, but all the ingredients worked well together. StevieD commented that he didn’t really like the puffed wild rice as you got that unexpected crunch. S on the other hand like that pop of crunch.

Bone Marrow

For myself, I decided to try the Bone Marrow. It came with butter leeks and oyster mushrooms on top. It was topped with a crimini mushroom vinaigrette. Grilled country bread accompanied the dish and I was told to spread the bone marrow onto the bread. The bone marrow was very jelly and oily like. It’s definitely not a dish for everyone, but I enjoyed it quite a lot.

Pan-Seared Halibut

Onto the main course. S got the Pan-Seared Halibut, which came with butter braised potato in a wild mushroom broth. It also came with some Shanghai bok choy and grilled scallions. The halibut was moist and the broth was very flavourful. A dish with many Asian flavours.

Angus Striploin

For myself, I got the Angus Striploin, which came with roasted fingerling potatoes and cipollini onions, smoked salt, and hay jus. This was served medium rare and you could see it was cooked perfectly with the pink meat. I liked how it was served all cut up already, making it easy to eat. The meat was tender, although I got a piece with a huge piece of fat still stuck on. The potatoes were great and the sauce was addicting. Everyone cleaned up their dish!

Wildebeest Cheesecake

For dessert, StevieD didn’t want his dessert, so I ended up getting to try two! First was the Wildebeest Cheesecake, which came as sort of a deconstructed cheesecake. It was a whipped cheesecake, with strawberry sorbet and pastry crumble on top. As it was a whipped cheesecake, it was very mousse-like. Definitely not in a cake form. Many of my coworkers enjoyed this, but I could taste that hint of blue cheese in it, which I’m not a fan of.

Anjou Pear

The second dessert was the Anjou Pear, which I enjoyed much more. It had dark chocolate honeycomb and chocolate ice cream. I loved the honeycomb as it gave it a nice crunch. The pears were candied and I loved this texture.

Overall, Wildebeest was great and I would highly recommend it if you are adventurous and ready to try some exotic meats. Their regular menu even has horse tartare! Everyone agreed that the food tasted great. Service was a bit slow in the beginning, but it definitely picked up by the end of the night. Jason, who was our table’s server for most of the night was also very friendly and knew all his drinks and food very well. Perfect one to ask for suggestions. As food was comped by the firm, I cannot comment too much on the prices. I can say that you do get full from a three course meal, and the portions aren’t as small as you’d expect.

Pros:
– Lots of exotic meats
– All dishes were executed very well

Cons:
– Service was very slow in the beginning

Price Range: N/A (~$30+ per the regular menu)

1: Terrible 2: Poor 3: Average 4: Good 5: Excellent

Food: 4
Service: 2.5
Ambiance: 4
Parking: 3
Overall: 4

Tuc Craft Kitchen

March 22, 2015March 22, 2015Leave a comment

I’ve heard really good things about Tuc Craft Kitchen, so K and I found some time to check it out on a Saturday afternoon. On the weekends, they offer their brunch menu and the spot is very busy.

The restaurant is located in Gastown and has two levels. The interior has a European feel to it.

Vegetable Frittata

K got the Vegetable Frittata, which featured three free run eggs, Swiss cheese, wilted kale, buttered leeks, sweet bell peppers, salsa verde, and toast. The portion was huge! Very flavourful and cheesy.

Irish Stew Skillet

For myself, I had the Irish Stew Skillet, which had two free run poached eggs, grass fed beef, yakima valley lamb, roasted button mushrooms, and BC new potatoes. At first, I thought the portion would be too little, but there’s actually tons of meat and potatoes, so it fills you up just right. The beef and lamb were very flavourful, with the potatoes being crispy on the outside. The poached eggs had a runny yolk and mixed well with the rest of the dish. Really enjoyed this!

Based on the dishes we tried, I really enjoyed Tuc Craft Kitchen. I’m looking forward to coming back to try their famous fried chicken and waffles. Prices are quite reasonable for a Gastown location and service was pretty good. Will definitely return!

Pros:
– The dishes we tried were tasted great
– Friendly service

Cons:
– Usually need reservations

Price Range: $15-20

1: Terrible 2: Poor 3: Average 4: Good 5: Excellent

Food: 4
Service: 4
Ambiance: 3
Parking: 3
Overall: 4

Diva at the Met

March 1, 2015Leave a comment

For Valentine’s Day, S took me to Diva at the Met, which is located at the Metropolitan Hotel. On the day, they only offered the set menu and you were not able to order off the a la carte menu.

Complementary bread and butter

Dinner started off with complimentary bread and butter. There were two types of bread. One had raisins, while the other had nuts. The bread was pretty good, but I would have preferred if it was served warm.

The restaurant has an open kitchen concept with glass, so you can see the cooks prepare your food. That night, they offered a four course menu for $80 a person. There are two choices: the Diva or the Divo. The Diva is supposed to be catered for the girl, while the Divo is for the guy. However, you are open to choosing either depending on which menu you prefer more. Of course, I wanted to try everything, so I went for the Diva, while S got the Divo.

Lobster Bisque

The Divo menu starts off with the Lobster Bisque, which has a truffle cappuccino foam. The consistency is rather thick and you can definitely taste hint of the truffle cappuccino.

Octopus Carpaccio

For the Diva, it starts with the Octopus Carpaccio, which was probably my favourite of the night. The dish was beautifully presented, with lots of colours. It featured lobster, quail egg, and heirloom tomatoes. The octopus was thinly cut and cooked perfectly. It had just the right chew and the tomatoes made the dish very refreshing. The lobster was fresh and the meat was tender.

Smoked Ham Hock Terrine

Divo’s second course was the Smoked Ham Hock Terrine, which featured pickles, onion jam, and bread tuile. The terrine had a smokey flavour and the ham wasn’t too salty. Paired with the onion jam, it made a great dish. The bread tuile was thin and crispy, but there could have been more of that to complement the terrine.

Arugula & Granny Smith Apple Salad

The Diva’s second course was the Arugula & Granny Smith Apple Salad. I wasn’t too happy with this dish since I felt like I already sort of had a salad like dish for my first course. Seemed like they thought the ladies only eat salads… Anyways, this was a huge portion of arugula, and it was topped with a cider vinaigrette. It also came with blue cheese, which I’m not a fan of, so it wasn’t something I really enjoyed. However, I liked the candied walnuts, grapes, and Granny Smith apples that were paired along. The apples were slightly sour so it was really appetizing.

Grilled Angus AAA Rib Eye

The Divo’s main course was the Grilled Angus AAA Rib Eye. S ordered the steak medium rare and indeed, the inside was cooked to a beautiful pink. It was dijon herb crusted with a brandy jus. The cut was perfect and so tender. I wish I had ordered this myself. It also came with roasted honey garlic and a potato and gruyere pave as sides.

Roast Pheasant Coq au Vin

The Diva’s entree was the Roast Pheasant Coq au Vin. The pheasant was stuffed with stone fruit, and came with red rice, barley and honey carrots. The meat was actually pretty moist and the fruit stuffing gave it some sweetness. It came with a red wine sauce. Everything about the dish felt a little too healthy though. Not bad, but I probably wouldn’t order this again.

Passion Fruit Curd and Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Mousse

Lastly, for dessert, both the Diva and Divo’s came on the same dish. For the Diva, it was the Passion Fruit Curd, while the Divo’s was the Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Mousse. The passion fruit curd was filled within a genoise, or Italian sponge cake, and had layers of white chocolate mousse. It came with some berry coulis and fresh fruit. I enjoyed both the desserts. The chocolate mousse wasn’t too sweet and I liked the hint of hazelnut flavour. Tasted sort of like eating a Ferro Rocher. I also liked how it was presented so you can share the plate with your significant other.

Chocolates

Lastly, as your bill comes, they bring you a plate with chocolate truffles and a rose for the girl. Pretty sweet. Service was attentive and friendly. It didn’t feel pushy at all and the ambiance was nice but not over the top. Great place for date night.

Pros:
– All our dishes were pretty good and presented nicely
– Service was attentive and friendly

Cons:
– Wish we could’ve ordered off the a la carte menu

Price Range: $80/person for Valentine’s Day set menu

1: Terrible 2: Poor 3: Average 4: Good 5: Excellent

Food: 4
Service: 4
Ambiance: 3
Parking: 3
Overall: 4

Trafalgar’s Bistro

January 22, 2015Leave a comment

Trafalgar’s Bistro. Located on West 16th, just West of Granville, this rustic, inviting restaurant sits next to the popular Sweet Obsessions.

The restaurant is small, with an interior that is both intimate and warm. On a Friday night, it was surprisingly quite empty. We also found that we were probably the youngest diners all night.

On top of their regular menu, they have a fresh sheet that changes daily depending on the seasonality and what’s available locally.

Complimentary Bread

Dinner starts with complimentary bread and butter. The bread was crispy on the outside and soft inside. It ended up being great for dipping in my entree’s broth.

Parsley Crusted Haida Gwaii Halibut

S got the Parsley Crusted Haida Gwaii Halibut, which came with roasted lobster mushrooms and spinach puree. S commented that the dish was visually unique, to which I concurred. Furthermore, the fish offered a supreme moistness complemented by the crispiness of the parsley crust.

Salt Spring Moules with Bistro Fries

For myself, I got the Salt Spring Moules. This mussel dish is on their appetizer dish, but you can upgrade it to an entree portion size. The mussels were tender and fresh and the cream broth was flavoured with leeks, shallots, white wine and garlic. I also upgraded the fries to Bistro Fries, which are double fried and tossed with truffle oil, Parmesan and fresh herbs. It also came with a house made garlic aioli for dipping, but I didn’t find the need for it as the fries were already very flavourful and well seasoned.

In conclusion, Trafalgar’s Bistro was a pleasant dining experience.

Side note: street parking is amply available.

Pros:
– Fresh sheet changes daily based on what’s in season locally
– Quality eats and presented nicely

Cons:
– Portions are on the smaller side
– Service was there, but didn’t feel friendly

Price Range: $25-35

1: Terrible 2: Poor 3: Average 4: Good 5: Excellent

Food: 4
Service: 3
Ambiance: 4
Parking: 4
Overall: 4

Tasty n Alder – Portland

October 15, 2014October 15, 2014Leave a comment

Before our trip, we did some research on where to eat to save time and get the most out of our trip. Tasty n Alder was one of the picks and it was located conveniently in the downtown area. We arrived at around 7pm, and it was packed! They don’t take reservations, but they do take down your name and number when you arrive. You can then go elsewhere and they will call you when your table is ready. However, since we didn’t have any US minutes, we had to check up on our table every half an hour. We ended up waiting a good 2 hours until we got a table. I’ve never waited so long to eat… It’s pretty ridiculous because you would see people who are already done eating, but they would lounge around for a long time. In Vancouver, the servers would probably be trying to kick you out by then, if there’s a huge line up for the next round of diners. Not here. Luckily, they ended up serving us some complementary bubbles to thank us for waiting.

The restaurant is dimly lit inside, and is quite hip. Sort of like a bar, but a bit more fancy. It’s Pacific Northwest food with some European twists. There are small and large plates, and I find that they are all great for sharing. By the time we got in, the restaurant was already quite empty.

Fried Oysters with Remoulade

First up, we got the Fried Oysters with Remoulade. They were lightly battered, and the oysters were tiny but sweet. It came with a remoulade, which is similar to a tartar sauce, and a coleslaw.

Crab Dip

The Crab Dip was one of my favourite dishes. The crab meat was flaky and mixed with tomatoes and herbs. It came with some pita bread to scoop. However, I found the pita bread to be too charred. Some parts tasted like burnt bread.

Seared Scallops with Mint Pesto

By far, my favourite of the night were the Seared Scallops with Mint Pestos. Although there were only three scallops, they were seared perfectly and the scallops just melted in your mouth. The pesto was also flavoured really well and was delicious alongside the scallops.

House-made Pasta with Squid

We also got the House-made Past with Squid. The pasta was al dente and I think it was just a simple drizzle of olive oil mixed with some veggies and squid. Simple, but tasty.

Goat Cheese Dumplings Arrabiata

I’m not a fan of goat cheese, but apparently the Goat Cheese Dumplings Arrabiata is one of their famous dishes, so we got it. Surprisingly, the goat cheese wasn’t too strong, and when mixed with the arrabiata suace, which is a spicy tomato sauce, the flavours really excelled. It came with some toasts to accompany the dumplings.

Chocolate Potato Doughnut with Creme Anglaise

Lastly, we got the Chocolate Potato Doughnut with Creme Anglaise, which is also another top menu item. This was freshly deep fried and a must order!! I believe they use potato instead of typical flour and the texture was not as doughy. It came with a creme anglaise, which is a light custard cream. Overall, Tasty n Alder was quite good, but I don’t know if I would wait 2 hours for it again. They have quite unique items, but I also found the menu to be quite pricey for small portions.