Dine Out Vancouver Festival 2014 - The Oakwood Canadian Bistro

I went out for my second Dine Out Vancouver meal on Friday with C. We chose The Oakwood Canadian Bistro, located on West 4th.

The Oakwood had a very homey feel to it, and we were sitting right next to the fire place, which made it very cozy!

The $28 menu boasted some great dishes and it was very hard for me to choose which ones I wanted! I decided to go for the seafood chowder and it did not disappoint. It was very thick and hearty, just like I like it. C ordered the Waldorf salad and it definitely looked amazing!  

Smoked seafood chowder, cod, clams, bacon lardon, oyster crackers.

Waldorf salad, bacon, grapes, celery, candied walnuts, creme fraiche.

For the main course, I automatically went for the sablefish; it is one of the few fish I like to eat because of the smooth texture. The dish came with two pieces of sablefish ontop of a bed of lentils, shredded pork shoulder and kale. The pork rinds on top were salty, airy and crispy - yum!

Seared sablefish, confit pork shoulder, dupuy lentils, pork rinds, carrot.

C chose the porchetta because she is a fan of spatzle, and the dish looked very appetizing!

Roast porchetta, confit garlic broccolini, dijon spatzle, caramelized onion puree.

Dessert was what I was really looking forward to. The chocolate mousse did not disappoint. Topped with whipped cream and then sprinkled with pistachios and bits of what I think were chocolate, and coffee crunch, the whole dessert was to die for. The chocolate mousse had a hint of coffee flavour in it and it was just delectable!

Chocolate mousse, coffee crunch.

The creme caramel came with an adorable maple leaf shaped shortbread on top of the cranberry gel. C thought it was delicious!

Creme caramel, cranberry gel, shortbread.

Another great Dine Out Vancouver meal! I was certainly impressed with the dishes and I think I will be coming back in the future! Make your reservations at The Oakwood Canadian Bistro now. The Dine Out Vancouver menu is available until February 2, 2014.

Dine Out Vancouver Festival 2014 - Chambar

With the start of the Dine Out Vancouver Festival last Friday, I headed out to my first restaurant this year - Chambar. Much hyped about by my boss, I had very high expectations for this restaurant and it did not disappoint. Located just steps away from the Stadium Skytrain station on Beatty St, Chambar is a small but cozy restaurant and was packed with diners.

Chambar had a $38 menu, with some additional add-on/upgrades being offered that was not listed on their online menu, including foie gras (add $8) and a New York steak (add $10).

J and I both started with the Gamba shrimp with chorizo sausage. (We reminisced about Spain where we had our first giant Gamba shrimp at Carme Ruscalleda).

Gambas et Chorizo - Olive oil poached prawns, grilled chorizo, escabeche vegetables, avocado and peruvian peppers.

I opted for the mussels in white wine while J went for the duck. The mussels came in a large pot, and there were plenty to make a full meal, with a side of crispy fries. The white wine sauce the mussels were cooked in was very flavourful and delicious. Order a side of bread to soak up that sauce!

Moules frites vin blanc - Mussels in white wine, butter, celery and leeks

 

The duck was one of the best I've had. Many places overcook their duck until it's tough and dry but this dish was cooked perfectly and the duck was soft and moist. The sweet berry sauce complimented duck quite well.

Canard aux Marrons - spiked rubbed duck breast, wild berry, chestnut hummus, brussel sprouts and pistachios.

Of course, the best part is always dessert. I went for the chocolate brulee - it was amazing! It was very rich and chocolatey. The lemon ice cream and apricot puree were very sour which went quite well with the sweetness of the brulee.

Chocolat brule - Chocolate espresso torte, apricot puree, pecan brittle, caramelized apple, lemon ice-cream.

J wanted to get something different to she ordered the pannacotta (which I am not a fan of). The presentation was gorgeous and J enjoyed it, but I think if you are a chocolate fan, pick the chocolate brulee instead!

Meli melo de fruits - Coconut raspberry pannacotta, green apple sorbet, macerated pomegranate & Asian pear.

I really enjoyed the food and it was a great start to the Dine Out Vancouver Festival. Their menu was a little pricey, but the service was quite good for how busy it was, and it's definitely worth going for a special occasion! Make your reservations now for Chambar!