The C Is For Seafood, Not For Cookie
Our last Dine Out Vancouver experience took us to the award winning C Restaurant. C is owned by Harry Kambolis, the same man who owns Raincity Grill and Nu. C restaurant celebrates Vancouver’s land and sea, and prides itself on sourcing regional food products, some of which come to them exclusively. C’s list of awards is a mile long. They have won Vancouver magazine’s best seafood category year after year and their Executive Chef, Robert Clark, was named Chef of the Year for 2006.
C, along with West and Lumiere, is part of Vancouver’s “Big 3” ultra high-end restaurants. C is located right on the False Creek waterfront, with a fantastic view of Granville Island across the water. To complete your C dinging experience, you may want to grab the water taxi to visit the Granville Island Public Market after dinner.
C Restaurant is famous for their Seared Quebec Foie Gras and Butter Poached Atlantic Lobster. The only problem is, C cannot offer those ingredients at the $35.00 Dine Out Price. What to do? Offer it as a value added supplement! It’s a supplement that I highly recommend. In addition to the three-course $35 menu, a $45 four-course lobster-tasting menu was also available. Sarah went for the lobster menu while her mom and I stuck with the regular menu.
Lobster and Kagan Bay Scallop Tartare
This was Sarah first course. The tartare was served with pear and cider vinegar gastrique. The dish was very small and you can eat it with one bite if you want. It was a very refreshing opener however. The reason for the small size was so the diner can finish it quickly. Once consumed the remaining three courses will match the timing of the three-course $35 menu.
Lobster Bisque
Sarah’s second course was the Lobster Bisque. Wow! This was the best bisque I have ever tried. The bisque was made with salmon gravlax, bay laurel foam and fennel pollen.
Roasted Trumpet Royale Mushroom Soup
This was Sarah’s mom opening dish; mushroom soup with cured rainbow trout and green apple. It sounds likes a disgusting combination but it works well in real life. Sarah’s mom really enjoyed it.
Seared Quebec Foie Gras
The Foie Gras supplement adds $14.95 to the $35.00 Dine Out Menu but it was worth it. The Foie Gras at C is among the best in the city. The goose liver literally melts in your mouth. It was paired with a glass of NK’Mip Cellars Riesling from 2004.
I remember C Restaurant’s very bold wine pairings. The last time I dined at C, they paired my Foie Gras with an ice wine and served me a red wine with the lobster. This time around, C was not as adventurous. They pretty much stuck to the standard wining pairing formula.
Seared Wild Skeena River Sockeye Salmon
For her main course, Sarah’s mom had the Sockeye salmon with fingerling potatoes, organic leeks, and black truffle syrup. To kick it up a notch, she ordered it with fresh black truffle ($6.95 supplement). You don’t get too much truffle for $6.95 but it does add to the flavor of the fish.
Butter Poached Atlantic Lobster
Sarah’s main course was C’s signature dish. The lobster was served with beef short rib risotto cake, squash, and thyme pinot noir butter. It is unlike any lobster you have ever tasted. This was truly a fantastic dish.
Grilled AAA Beef Striploin
The reason my main course looks so big is because I added braised beef short rib and butter braised lobster to it (add another $17.90 to the bill). This combination is a fest fit for a king! You have everything here; succulent lobster, the tenderest beef, and mouth-watering short rib. What could make it better? How about a perfectly paired 2003 NK’Mip Qwmt Meritage? If I died at that moment, I would have died a happy man.
Passion Fruit Tart
Sarah’s mom had the Passion Fruit Tart for her dessert. It was made with a blood orange reduction. She liked it and said it was very sweet.
Creme Brulee
Sarah’s dessert was the Creme Brulee. This brulee was the same brulee she had at Raincity Grill. That’s not surprising since both restaurant are owned by the same owner.
Chocolate and Caramel Macaroons
I love the presentation on my dessert, the chocolate and caramel macaroons with orange and raspberry couli. C served it with a Jackson Triggs Riesling Icewine for a perfect dessert and wine pairing.
Because of all the additional supplements, dinner for three came in at $210 with tips and one wine pairing. That is extremely reasonable for a restaurant of C’s caliber. The last time I dined there, I spent $450 for two. However, as a Dine Out Vancouver special, it was the most expensive restaurant of them all. Still, it was well worth it. Overall, I give C Restaurant 4.5 out of five stars.
