The Divine Dish

Dinner at the Blue Water Cafe, Vancouver

Posted on Jun 30, 2010 under Archives | No Comment

An anchor in Canada’s culinary landscape, Blue Water Cafe is one of the top destinations for seafood.  While visiting Vancouver for an article, I took my dad to a tasting menu at the renowned restaurant.

Housed in a handsome brick and beam heritage warehouse, Blue Water Cafe is in the heart of historic Yaletown, one of the city’s vibrant and hip neighborhood.

Executive Chef Frank Pabst is known for his innovative and brilliantly executed West Coast plates, insisting on using seafood from wild and sustainable harvest. At the raw bar,  master Yoshi Tabo serves exceptional sushi and sashimi original dishes.  The sweeping main bar leads out to the heated patio and the private wine room holds the extensive award-winning wine and bubble selection.

Enhanced by the intuitive service from Stephan Cachard’s dedicated team, the dynamic dining room provides action views of the opposing  open kitchen and raw bar.  Here is what Chef Frank Pabst served us on our tasting menu.

We started with fresh oysters, kusshi and sawmill bay, paired with a nice 2007 Sumac Ridge Tribute Brut from Okanagan Valley.

We especially loved the Kusshi oyster, on the left, for it’s plumpness and clean flavor.

Next came out a halibut tataki from the sushi bar with shredded radish, green onions and ponzu sauce.

Next we tried a grilled spot prawn with a madras curry, pineapple and tomatillo salsa with a coconut foam.  Delicious.

Following the spot prawn, we each got a unique preparation of crab.  Dad got the Kani Salad, with pickled cucumber, yuzu peel and chili threads.

Equally yummy was my crab salad, with white asparagus panna cotta, celery, peanuts, raisins and a green apple froth.  We both thought these dishes were amazing.  Paired with Black Hills Alibi, Okanagan Valley 2008.

Then Chef Pabst sent out an arctic char with braised leeks, fennel, duneness crab and wakame seaweed.  This was served with a Mission Hill SLC Chardonnay from Okanagan Valley, 2006.

Our last dish before dessert was a Vancouver favorite, West Coast Sablefish (which is cod).  Served with a miso sake glaze, baby bok choy, edamame, quinoa and shiitake mushrooms, kombu dashi with soy and yuzu, paired with a Kenwood Pinot Noir from Russian River Valley.  Very tasty!

It was nice to spend some time with dad and finally take him with me to a tasting menu.  We both loved Chef Pabst’s tasting menu.

For dessert, we received this beautiful plate of red berry and grand marnier sabayon, nougot glace and raspberry chocolate mousse.  A great way to finish off the meal.

I highly recommend visiting Blue Water Cafe the next time you travel to Vancouver.  Located at 1095 Hamilton Street in Yaletown, reservations can be made at 604/688-8078.