With Dine Out coming to an end for another year I thought it would be nice to actually go out for dinner, I’ve attended some great previews and have had fun but I can’t bring anyone and dinner with Melissa was long overdue. After looking over the menus I thought Yew Seafood + Bar would be a great choice, we love the place for brunch and lunch and I’ve had some great media dinners but we’ve never been on our own for dinner. Offering up a 3 course menu for $38 Ned Bell used his bike ride across Canada as inspiration for Yew’s Dine Out Vancouver menu plus Ned is the recipient of the 27th Annual Pinnacle Awards, Chef of the Year presented by Kostuch Media Ltd., publisher of the high-profile industry publications Foodservice and Hospitality and Hotelier Magazine so I knew we were in good hands!
Appetizer-choice of 1
‘2015 Oceanwise Chowder Chowdown Champion‘ Smoked Black Cod Chowder with Maple Candied Sablefish and Okanagan Apple Butter. I’ve had this item a few times for lunch (pictured above is the full size portion). The chowder is rich and creamy with a touch of sweetness from the apple butter drizzled on top, I also believe they drizzle a bit of honey as well. The real star of the chowder is the smoked sablefish, it adds a smokiness to the dish very similar to bacon and the process gives the fish a meaty feel in your mouth.
Sweet & Salty Cured Arctic Char on Birch Syrup Pancakes with Pine Nut Creme Fraiche and Haskap Berries. Melissa ordered this on our visit and I ended up coming back on my own to have it because it was delicious! This unique pairing combines sweet and savory flavors and made for one of the more unique appetizers I’ve had in a while. The arctic char had a buttery mouth-feel and it’s richness compliments the sweet haksap berries. The real interesting ingredient on the plate was the birch syrup, it’s similar to maple syrup in taste but with more molasses flavor notes.
Composition of Forest Mushrooms with Rosemary Syrup, Cedar and warm and crispy Farmhouse Cheddar Cheese. This was my appetizer on my visit with Melissa and I devoured the whole thing pretty quickly. They used a nice variety of locally harvested mushrooms, the assortment of mushrooms also added various textures to the dish. The real star of the appetizer was the use of the cheddar cheese and it’s nice tangy flavor. Ned used the cheese in 3 different preparations with a sauce on the bottom, shaved in its raw state and crisped into a chip.
Main Courses-choice of 1
The Cider Glazed Black Pig is a duo of swine with a Crispy Belly and Loin, Cloudberry Relish and drizzled with Brown Butter Honey. When we were deciding our mains we both had our eyes on this and I ended up getting it. They use Kurobuta pork and it was a great way to showcase this beautiful animal, the pork belly was cooked perfectly with a crisp top and melt in your mouth fatty center while the loin was more firm because of its natural leanness. The pork was on sautéed cabbage and a potato puree which added a whole comfort food feeling to the dish and cloudberry relish and honey added a unique sweetness to the meatiness of the pork.
Whole Roasted Quail with Baked Apple Pulp and Wild Rice Gnocchi, Onion Jam and Caramelized Black Pepper. Melissa went with this creation and she quite enjoyed it. I did get a bite of this dish and the comforting spices in the apple pulp along with the fresh sliced apple went with the quail beautifully. The wild rice gnocchi had that nuttiness you expect from wild rice in a perpetration you don’t normally find.
White Miso Baked Ling Cod with Blood Orange, Vanilla and Parsnips. For my 2nd visit I ordered this and it didn’t disappoint. The fish was really moist and it went perfectly with the parsnips. To add texture to the dish they topped the fish with crisp parsnip chips and used sliced roasted parsnips under the fish along with some puree on the plate. To add some brightness to the plate the blood orange and vanilla were nice, they accented the rest of the ingredients on plate.
Dessert-choice of 1
Chocolate Ganache Cake with Espresso Marshmallow and Almond Brittle Ice Cream. I killed this on my first visit and anybody who likes chocolate should order this. The chocolate ganache cake is rich and dense with a deep chocolate flavor and the espresso marshmallow complimented the chocolate. The almond brittle ice cream was delicious, it had a nice sweetness to it and was nice and smooth.
‘Wild Forest‘ Pavlova with Cremeux, Candied Hazlenuts and Cinnamon Crunch. I got this on my second visit and this was also Melissa’s dessert. For me this was a good pavlova with a textbook meringue, the fruit was really the star of the plate and that cremeux had a nice butterscotch flavor to it. With the chocolate dessert being quite intense this is a nice option but it wasn’t quite up my alley.
We really enjoyed our meal at Yew Seafood + Bar and I think the restaurant is well worth a visit if you can get in there before Dine Out end this weekend, the menu is original, showcases Canadian ingredients and well worth the $38. If you would like more information or to make a reservation (highly recommended) please click here.