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Dine on the Friendly Frontier: 10 Top Restaurants on Vancouver Island

November 20, 2018 by Nevin Martell Leave a Comment

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Located across the Strait of Georgia from Vancouver, Vancouver Island is Canada’s friendly frontier. The adventurous isle is home to a wealth of top-notch restaurants worth exploring after a day salmon fishing, bear watching, or kayaking. From Victoria on the eastern end to Tofino to the west, chefs are utilizing the bounty of the surrounding seas, the forests, and the fields to create modern Canuck cuisine that has North American roots but takes plenty of inspiration from the rest of the world. Here are 10 top restaurants on Vancouver Island to try.

1909 Kitchen, Tofino
Executive chef Paul Moran crafts creative small plates that benefit from the bounty of the island and its surrounding waters. Think local snap peas lavished with soy sake dressing and topped with threads of dried seaweed, steamed clams, and mussels seasoned with herbs harvested from tidal pools, albacore tartare dressed with gochujang and sea asparagus, and an indulgent white pizza featuring golden chanterelles from the forests nearby. Bonus: If you go fishing and get lucky, the kitchen is happy to prepare your catch. Make a reservation at 1909 Kitchen.

Top Restaurants on Vancouver Island

Saveur, Victoria
Chef Robert Cassels’s tasting menu gives guests a deep dive into his French-minded cuisine with modernist twists. Expect plenty of local flavors. Dishes might feature halibut from the nearby Haida Gwaii archipelago, Cowichan Valley chicken, and wild elderberries and chanterelles from the island’s backwoods. Optional wine pairings come from the Old World and British Columbia, while the beverage program features local ciders by Lonetree, Tod Creek, and Merridale. Make a reservation at Saveur.

Top Restaurants on Vancouver Island

Sooke Harbour House, Sooke
The tasting menu experience (three, four, or seven courses) is the best way to lose yourself in this artful menu featuring a cascade of local ingredients. The restaurant’s three-acre certified organic garden is home to over 200 herbs, greens, vegetables, and edible flowers, which all figure prominently in the dishes. Wild edibles, fresh seafood, produce, and proteins from elsewhere on and around the island are given equal attention. Meals might include Fanny Bay Kusshi oysters, locally foraged golden chanterelles, and rhubarb from nearby Whiffin Spit Farm. As you eat, you get a real sense of the place since the dining room features expansive views of the ocean and the majestic property. Make a reservation at Sooke Harbour House.

Top Restaurants on Vancouver Island

Little Jumbo, Victoria
The Fernet Branca-stained bar and its offerings are the center of attention at this genteel watering hole, but there’s a lot to love about chef Gabriel Fayerman-Hansen’s elevated pub fare. There are plenty of small bites that go down well with a cocktail or two – truffled fries, smoked olives, and freshly shucked oysters – but stick around for dinner and you’ll be richly rewarded. The house burger topped with onion bacon jam and smoked Gouda is a winner, as are corn risotto and barbecue beef ribs glistening with rum-allspice glaze. Make a reservation at Little Jumbo.

Top Restaurants on Vancouver Island

The Butchart Gardens, Brentwood Bay
Put your pinky out, it’s time for high tea. With stunning views of Jennie Butchart’s private garden or the Italian Garden and the sea, this is a tea service to remember. The sprawling spreads feature savory and sweet bites – from sausage rolls, salmon chowder en croute, and dainty cucumber and pickled ginger cream cheese sandwiches to vanilla peach cake, Bergamot-infused chocolate mousse, and lemon tart. There’s something for everyone, and no one leaves hungry. Make a reservation at The Butchart Gardens.

Top Restaurants on Vancouver Island

Summit, Malahat
Nestled in the woodlands of the Malahat ridge, the Italian inspired farm-to-table eatery looks down on the Instagram-worthy Saanich Inlet. Local elements are menu highlights –including plenty of seafood – while the wine list is rich with regional varietals. Overall, there’s a DIY attitude in the kitchen. Breads, pastas, and ricottas are made in-house. Desserts include creative sorbet and gelatos, such as daylily, and dense Black Forest cake that will send any chocolate lover into paroxysms of joy. Make a reservation at Summit.

Top Restaurants on Vancouver IslandContinue Reading

Welcome to Patio Season: 100 Best Restaurants for Outdoor Dining in Canada 2018 #OpenTable100

June 20, 2018 by OpenTable Leave a Comment

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100 Best Restaurants for Outdoor Dining in Canada 2018

As we approach the first official day of summer and prime season for patio dining, we’re pleased to unveil the 100 Best Restaurants for Outdoor Dining in Canada 2018. The list ensures that diners across the country can find all the gorgeous patios and refreshing menus to enjoy some summer sunshine.

Restaurant patios across the country have made their way onto this year’s list, with Ontario eateries claiming the greatest number (41) of honourees, followed by British Columbia with 30 and Alberta with 17. Quebec (8) and Manitoba (4) are also represented.

The list includes a variety of different outdoor dining options, from the ocean view patio at Vancouver’s Teahouse in Stanley Park and the charming hidden back patio at Toronto’s Sidecar, to the relaxing lakeside patio at Wellington’s Drake Devonshire Inn.

Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants for Outdoor Dining 2018 list is generated solely from more than 550,000 restaurant reviews collected from verified OpenTable diners between May 1, 2017, and April 30, 2018. All restaurants with a minimum “overall” score and number of qualifying reviews were included for consideration. Qualifying restaurants were then scored and sorted according to the percentage of reviews for which “outdoor dining” was selected as a special feature.

Based on this methodology, the following restaurants, listed in alphabetical order, comprise the 100 Best Restaurants for Outdoor Dining in Canada for 2018 according to OpenTable diners:Continue Reading

Dine Like a Local: Top Vancouver Restaurants to Try Now

April 23, 2018 by Nevin Martell Leave a Comment

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British Columbia’s largest city boasts an award-winning dining scene, which draws on myriad culinary traditions and utilizes the rich bounty of the surrounding lands and waters. When locals have a night off, where do they like to go? These top Vancouver restaurants span neighborhood gems to haute cuisine, but they all have one thing in common: they serve up some of the best food in town. 

Hawksworth Restaurant
The sleek ‘n’ chic stunner inside the Rosewood Hotel Georgia is a scene setter and a scene-stealer. Executive chef David Hawksworth – the youngest chef ever inducted into the B.C. Restaurant Hall of Fame – presides over a modernist menu grounded in classic techniques. The hyper-refined fare could be called contemporary Canadian, but expect flourishes of Italian and Japanese influence – such as lobster tail with squash and mushroom agnolotti and black truffle as well as black-peppered tuna tataki with mushroom dashi. No matter what the inspiration, dishes are forged from in-season produce and local products. Make a reservation at Hawksworth. 

top Vancouver restaurants

Honey Salt
The original location of this stunner from restaurateur Elizabeth Blau and her husband, chef Kim Canteenwalla resides in Las Vegas. This outpost sits inside the Parq Vancouver, where it sprawls over enough floor space to accommodate 300 seats. The restaurant specializes in eye-popping comfort food that is equally appetizing and Instagrammable. Prime examples are the Market – a blossoming bouquet of fresh veggies, pickles, and sweet potato chips accompanied by mini Mason jars full of dips, such as goddess dressing and cauliflower hummus – and the humungous slab of Society Cake sporting generous layers of banana and chocolate mousse. Make a reservation at Honey Salt.  

top Vancouver restaurants

Oddfish
The restaurateurs behind this locally loved seafood joint in the Kitsilano neighborhood have already been successful with Tavola and Nook. Their latest venture is flavor-focused and never fussy. Take the Seafood Hot Mess, a mélange of deep water delights cooked a la plancha, including half a lobster, mussels, clams, squid, scallops, prawns, and more, which comes with a side of verdant salsa verde. If that’s too much of an undertaking, let the chalkboard be your guide. It lists the day’s catch, which is mostly sustainably and locally sourced, as well as a few veg sides that have just as much oomph and just as little pretension. Make a reservation at Oddfish.

top Vancouver restaurants

CinCin Ristorante + Bar
A curling terracotta stairwell leads diners up to this high-end, white tablecloth Italian restaurant in downtown. Executive chef Andrew Richardson presides over a menu broken down into first (small bites, salads, and soups), pasta and risotto (don’t miss crab and sea scallop ravioli in lobster-tomato broth), and mains. For the latter, make sure to explore the options cooked on the wood-fired grill, such as prawns grilled on a rosemary branch, pork tenderloin cooked over the coals and served with kumquat mostarda and butternut squash, and grilled chicken with truffles, sage, chestnuts, and gnocchi. Whatever your selections, there’s a beyond-impressive wine list to complement your meal. Make a reservation at CinCin Ristorante + Bar.

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OpenTable Diner Reviews Uncover the 100 Most Romantic Restaurants in Canada 2018 #OpenTable100

February 6, 2018 by OpenTable Leave a Comment

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As diners prepare to celebrate love this Valentine’s Day, we’re excited to announce the 100 Most Romantic Restaurants in Canada 2018. These awards reflect the combined opinions of more than 500,000 restaurant reviews submitted by verified OpenTable diners for more than 2,000 restaurants in Canada.

Most Romantic Restaurants in Canada 2018

The 100 Most Romantic list features restaurants from 46 cities across nine provinces. Ontario is the province with the most restaurants with 40 establishments, followed by Alberta with 20, British Columbia with 14 and Quebec with 13. Rounding out the list are restaurants from Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland. The Niagara region rules in romance with 12 of Canada’s most romantic restaurants, reinforcing its reputation as the honeymoon capital of the world.

The list includes celebrated romantic spots such as Seasons in the Park with its stunning panoramic view of Vancouver’s skyline, Montreal’s French classic Restaurant Le Continental, and the charming Inn on the Twenty.

In addition to ambiance, Canadians also favour particular cuisines for their romantic dinners. Steakhouses and Italian restaurants were our top choices while Canadian, Continental, and French cuisines were also popular.

The list of the 100 Most Romantic Restaurants in Canada 2018 is generated solely from more than 500,000 restaurant reviews collected from verified OpenTable diners between December 1, 2016, and November 30, 2017. All restaurants with a minimum “overall” score and number of qualifying reviews were included for consideration. Qualifying restaurants were then scored and sorted according to the percentage of reviews for which “romantic” was selected as a special feature.  Based on this methodology, the 100 Most Romantic Restaurants in Canada 2018, according to OpenTable diners are as follows (in alphabetical order):Continue Reading

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Caroline PotterCaroline Potter is the Chief Dining Officer for OpenTable, Inc. She’s a dining trend-spotter and an OpenTable VIP, who dines out more than she eats in and has accrued more than 10,000 Dining Rewards points. Caroline started working in restaurants as a teen and she's since tackled every front-of-the-house job, from bartender and hostess to runner and server. She trained as a chef at Manhattan’s prestigious French Culinary Institute, cooking at L’Ecole. In addition to her role at OpenTable, she has written about food from farm to table for New York City’s famed Greenmarket and Edible Brooklyn and Edible East End magazines. Caroline is also a Certified Master Gardener.

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