Elixir is a bistro restaurant located in the Opus Hotel in Yaletown. Described as Bistro moderne meets Yaletown chic, Elixir has won many awards for its great tasting menus and excellent wine pairings.
Unlike the other Yaletown restaurants we’ve tried, Elixir is quiet and romantic instead of loud and happening. This was a very pleasant surprise considering where the restaurant is located. We were seated in a private room with red brick walls, large antique windows and no loud speakers. It’s a great way to enjoy a romantic dinner for two. And if you want to get super romantic (or just lusty) the Opus Hotel has some great rooms. 😈
Red Pepper and Fennel Soup
The opening dish was a simple yet complex red pepper and fennel soup. It was made with fennel pollen and smoked olive oil. The soup was a great opener and tasted really good with a glass of chardonnay from Mission Hill.
Goats Cheese, Pear & Hazelnut Salad
Next course was a salad made from goats cheese, pear and hazelnut with a warm bacon vinaigrette. This is was the of the best salads I have ever tried. The amount of favor in it was amazing. I had it paired with a Five Vineyards chardonnay from Mission Hill. The organic vegetables were light while the goats cheese added some nice weight to it.
Braised Short Ribs
Braised short ribs with parsnip pomme puree, roast beet and celeriac. The meat was very tender and fell off the bone. It easily matched the short ribs at Feenie’s. I had the dish paired with a glass of merlot from Mission Hill. They went very well together. What really stood out were the roasted organic root vegetables. They were really good! I’m not a big veggie eater but damn! How do they cook it like that?
Roasted Arctic Char
Roasted arctic char with truffled crushed potatoes and petit pois a la franciase. This was one of the best fish dish I’ve ever tasted. Both Sarah and I preferred it to the meat dish. The skin was crispy and the meat of the fish was super tender. The chef matched it with a Mission Hill cab.
Pisachio Creme Brulee
Finally, a dish that looks like a creme brulee that really is a creme brulee. It was served with a side of chocolate sorbet, orange Madeleine and a Late Harvest Reisling from Mission Hill. This was a very sweet dessert to end a very sweet evening.
Dinner for two came to $155 with tax and tip. I highly recommend Elixir. It’s one of the best restaurant we’ve ever been too. We will be go again.
