Best New Fine Dining: Gastropod

Angus Ang’s new Fourth Avenue sparkler, Gastropod, a deliberately minimalist but surprisingly warm room (see Best Design, page 76), wins Gold for incorporating molecular cooking concepts (duck sous vide, oysters with horseradish “snow” and foie gras “bon bons”) that accentuate the inherent qualities of the food rather than playing science project. Although a slightly skittish front-of-house staff could blossom with a more relaxed approach, the end result forsakes Vancouver’s now almost predictable Asian-influenced West Coast theme for a contemporary European approach. At Rare (Silver), chef Brian Fowke’s foray into contemporary fine dining, our judges saw a new idea, well executed in this graceful Hornby Street room. They highlighted the truffled cauliflower soup, Fraser Valley pork served three ways, and surprisingly delicate desserts. West Vancouver’s La Régalade Côté Mer (Bronze) saw rich, hearty refinement in dishes of lobster shepherd’s pie in a bisque-like sauce. At FigMint (Honourable Mention), neatly connected, contemporary rooms feature Lee Humphries’ tight execution of steak tartare and saffron-braised veal cheeks—great value, with imaginative mixed drinks. At Beyond, (Honourable Mention) a wholesale renovation sees an excellent bar menu, but some inconsistencies in the main courses.

BACK TO RESTAURANT AWARDS