Rob Feenie and John Chow outside Feenie’s
OK, we didn’t really have lunch with Rob Feenie. The man is way too busy to sit down for a nice two hour lunch (he needs to become a Dot Com Mogul). However, it was nice to get a chance to talk with him for a bit and take a few photos.
Rob Feenie is probably the best known chef in Canada and would definitely rank as one of the top 10 chefs in the world. From running the most expensive restaurant in Vancouver, to having his own TV show on the Food Network, to defeating Masaharu Morimoto in Iron Chef America, Rob Feenie has done it all.
Our lunch at Feenie’s included a selection of fish, beef and fowl. It was an amazing mix of texture and taste that overloaded the senses and made you ask, “If this is lunch, what the hell is for dinner?” Lunch at Feenie’s is something I never get tired of doing. However, I shouldn’t do it too often because $100+ lunches can empty the wallet pretty quick.
Rob’s “Swedish Touch” Salmon
This was a very nice opener. Marinated local spring salmon with honey Dijon and coffee sauce, and toasted caramelized onion bread. The Dijon had a nice kick and the salmon was super fresh.
Roasted Duck Confit Salad
Take a roasted duck leg, add roquefort cheese, butter lettuce, radicchio, anjou pears, in a bacon and soy vinaigrette and you have one of the most creative salads ever made. The duck meat was a bit on the dry side but the skin was crispy and full of flavor. The roquefort cheese was very strong and went great with the butter lettuce.
Beef Tartare
Feenie’s makes the best Tuna Tartare in the city. They also make a damn good beef tartare as well. Everyone (me, Sarah and Ed Lau) agreed that this was the standout appetizer. The yellow yolk at the center is a raw Quail egg.
Peking Duck Clubhouse
By far the most creative sandwich in Feenie’s lunch menu is the Peking Duck Clubhouse. It’s made with spiced mayo and a pancetta crisp on fruit and nut bread. Unlike the duck confit salad, the duck in the clubhouse was very tender. Rob does a great job combining East and West in this sandwich. I guarantee you will never taste a clubhouse quite like this one.
Feenie’s Famous Calamari sandwich
Rob unveiled the calamari sandwich a few years ago on his TV show and it was later used in Food Network commercials. However, no one was able to try it until Feenie’s opened up. Every since then, the calamari sandwich is a favorite among diners. The calamari sandwich used to be made with toasted sourdough bread instead of a sesame bun. It’s too bad they switched because the sandwich taste way better with sourdough. Please bring back the sourdough!
Rob’s Very Own Beef Dip
Feenie’s version of the beef dip is made from braised short ribs, caramelized onions, Swiss cheese and grainy mustard mayo. This was the standout sandwich among the three. The beef was so tender it melted in your mouth.
The prices at Feenie’s are very reasonable given the quality level of the restaurant. I highly recommend dinning there if you’re in Vancouver. Be warned however. You may like the food so much that you will be tempted to try Lumiere next door. And if you do that, you better make sure you have a lot room left on your credit card.
