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Mon-Sun 5 pm - 11 pm
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Fab! Just a wonderful restaurant. Crab sushi roll was best ever. Salmon on special and truffle fries were seriously good. Merryvale Starmony Chardonnay and Line Shack Cab Sav book excellent.
Service was very friendly and super efficient. Great location. Best in village. Bar outside facing inward to the inside bar is a great design.
Look forward to returning (tomorrow!)
I give it 4 stars, if only because there's no "3 and 1/2 stars".
I succumbed to the hype, and decided to make a reservation for our party of 11. At 5:30pm, on a Thursday, because there were apparently no other options during our stay in Whistler.
Considering the price and location, I think this is one of those restaurants that you should visit once, just so you know what it's like, but I don't necessarily feel it's as amazing as everyone touts it to be. The decor wasn't anything special, it looked very "Whistler". I thought it was a tad reminiscent of Blue Water Cafe, which makes sense, is they're owned by the same restaurant group.
The dishes are tailored to showcase the fresh ingredients available in Whistler, and thankfully there are no tacky mentions of Hell's Kitchen. Probably due to the fact that Dave Levey no longer works there.
I started with 2 fresh oysters, one topped with rainbow trout caviar and the other with ponzu pearls. The ponzu pearls were amazing, but I found the rainbow trout caviar to be a bit too overpowering for the fresh flavour of the oyster. My fault for adding it, I suppose.
Shared a Canadian Prime Beef Carpaccio, which was pretty standard, carpaccio-wise. The peppery arugula, and umami-packed pecorino were perfect compliments.
Amazing lingcod main. I almost expected the peaches and cream corn sauce to either taste too creamy or kind of tacky (can food taste tacky?), but it turned out to be a very mild sauce, and went well with the perfectly cooked fish. I loved the crisp skin!
However expertly plated, my dessert was very underwhelming. A simple rasberry napoleon, it certainly wasn't anything special.
The service was impeccable, and our waiter was kind enough to suggest a club to visit. He gave the name of the bouncer he knew, and let us know if we said "Ron sent us", we might be able to get in cover free and hop the line.
I found it amusing that they made sure to angle the lights above us, just perfectly, in order to cast a favourable glow on our food.
If you've got the money to burn, it is certainly a nice, one time experience.
A case of expecting a bit too much left me with a satisfied tummy but a feeling of huh?
I appreciated the half bottles of wine on the menu. Great for a table of two.
The local ingredients were also a pleasant addition to the night. But overall I left with a sense of "what's the big deal about this place?"
I think they really need to reno the restaurant. The low ceilings scream 1980's, and the rest of the decor does nothing to create any sort of atmosphere. Not worth the $150 at all, especially since we had the set menu.
The only reason why I am not giving them two stars is because it was my birthday dinner, the server was awesome, and I was still on a high from the Zip Trekking!
I went with a friend, expecting greatness. I had the carpaccio, which was nothing special. She had a 3 seafood thingy, which was served in a very fancy tiered set - she enjoyed it quite a bit. My "Trophy Wife" martini was delicious, but we chose not to order mains after spending $70 on 2 appies + 2 drinks...which were not as wonderful as all the hype had them to be. The service was fantastic though.
One of the best restaurants tried, ski resort or anywhere else.
Upscale environment with first-class service, yet it was completely comfortable and unpretentious (people showed up in ski wear, croc shoes).
Food is the star! (and the staff who created them as well as those who knowledgeably recommended and served them) -- tried smoked sablefish risotto; Arctic Char with miso/seasame vinaigrette dressing; Seared scallops in a curry/mustard/chorizo infused sauce. All dishes were fantastic.
During skiing season, make a reservation in advance to avoid disappointment.
Kudos to chef Walt for his commitment to locally sourced ingredients - you really can't take two steps through the menu without tripping over something that is "BC" or "local" or from up the ways in Pemberton. The shame, however, is that I feel like said ingredients were not allowed to shine as much as they could.
Don't get me wrong: throughout the $45 three course prix fixe, there are definitely highlights. The BC celery root and golden apple soup was a perfectly lush and creamy concoction, with the toasted almonds and salsa verde providing perfect accents of contrast that cut through the richness of the soup. However, I think the same could have been accomplished with celery root of any ilk.
Likewise with the BC farm fresh oysters - definitely presented as advertised: fresh and bright with flavour, nicely accompanied by freshly shaven horseradish and local (there it is again!) raspberry vinegar and lemon thyme mignonette. But again, fresh oysters sourced from anywhere could have achieved this same effect.
Another favourite of mine was the smoked BC sablefish risotto - really quite delicious. I thought this was a very nice way to showcase one of my favourite fishes, as succulent pieces of black cod peppered the creamy risotto topped with two chips of thin and crisp sunchoke. My only complaint was that the underlying mustard sauce was too strong for the dish as a whole - either the sour edge of the sauce could have been cut back, or the richness of the risotto dialed up to create more of a balance between the two.
I was sorely disappointed by the orca and green bean salad. Sauteed ramps and crispy shallots were advertised and indeed appetizing, but instead all you ended up with were mouthfuls of soggy, vinegar-drenched bleh.
I was also expecting big things from the braised Pemberton beef and stinging nettle gnocci. The pasta was cooked perfectly, with each piece a toothsome joy to eat. The braised beef was also nicely cooked, but when mixed in amongst the mushrooms and sauce, you ended up with a very monochromatic flavour and texture profile that could not be rescued even by any amount of "essence" of truffle or wild arugula.
I will say that the arctic char was executed perfectly (uber crispy skin, flesh cooked through but still moist and just a tinge rare in the center) and the spiced cous cous was a nice textural contrast. The miso and sesame vinaigrette was a bit too much like soy sauce to my liking as a pairing with the char, but hey - toMAYto, toMAHto.
The Fraser valley free run chicken (local!) was fine - moist, but almost to the brink of dryness. The prosciutto within which it was wrapped felt more like a staid crust, although the sage was a nice touch. I felt the risotto in this case did rescue the chicken from falling completely over the edge into the realm of "man this is why I hate ordering chicken in restaurants". However, the soy sauce-esque sauce within which it was bathed had me breathe another sigh of disappointment.
So all in all, there was definitely some well-cooked food and a few great moments to be had. However, a bit of that local pride within me kind of wished that of the great moments, there could have been a few more.
In the general pit of expensive and horrifyingly icky restaurants in Whistler, Araxi does stand out as pretty good- even by city standards. The oysters were creatively paired with topping and fresh (even though I had to sacrifice the fish roe on mine to the drool monster who is OBSESSED) and the steak I ate was well cooked to my specification with some lovely sides.
The ice cream we got drooly to make him sit whiles we finished the wine was SOO good that we were fighting for it!
All in all, a pretty good meal, certainly great for locally sourced wine and produce, but not sure it will stand up so much if it wasn't in Whistler.
From what I understand Araxi is often acclaimed as the best restaurant in the Whistler Village. While it is the only restaurant that I have eaten at in the Whistler Village (so far), I can wholeheartedly concur with the masses.
This was a surprise dinner that my girlfriend planned & reserved long in advance & I have to hand it to her, this was a Grand Slam. I always knew she had impeccable taste!!! ;)
This is one of my favorite restaurants in Whistler. For me, the best part of my vacation is sitting at the bar with a glass of BC Pinot Gris and a platter of delicious, perfectly cleaned, sweet, fresh oysters served with raw grated horseradish and mignonette. All of their other food is usually good and I recommend the pork trio, octopus and foie gras.
When Araxi gets packed it is noisy and a little overwhelming but the servers always do their best. If your are without kids, try to sit in the bar area, which is definitely quieter.
For Hell's Kitchen fans, the winner of last season, Dave, was at Araxi but he was relegated to shucking oysters only and he didn't look too pleased about it.
With every yummy mouth full of their truffle mushroom pasta dish was so good and yet so expensive. I did the quick math and around $4.50 a scope ha ha... but worth it all the way.
We sat at long long old dark wood bar and enjoyed a bit more causal format. The dining room is filled with white table cloth service, but in whistler nobody is dressed up. I will be back after i make mo money..
Araxi was a special dinner event for our group of four on a long weekend in Whistler, and had been discussed/planned/hyped for a while, which may contribute to why I was a bit underwhelmed with the experience.
The evening immediately started a little "off" with the menu, which was interesting and inventive, but nothing really stood out, and the price structure was perplexing. The raw bar selection was inexplicably expensive, and the main dish plates were unexpectedly reasonable. And why offer a $28 gnocchi dish that already is seasoned with truffle oil, then optionally charge $5.50 per gram of shaved truffle with 3 gram minimum? It's a costly upcharge that doesn't pair with the dish.
After the awkwardness of the menu was settled, the food started arriving and the evening got much better. An amuse-bouche of fennel topped soup puree (can't remember the main ingredient... I think it was a squash) started our taste buds off on the right foot. We then shared the beef carpaccio and the gnocchi main dish (sans truffle) as appetizers. The carpaccio was topped with beef tongue which didn't appeal to a majority of the table, but it was easy to pick out and I ate it all (tastes exactly like roast beef). The gnocchi was amazing and had very interesting ingredients such as manchego cheese and toasted pistachio.
The dinner entrees ordered were the selection of pork, sablefish risotto with poached lobster and the qualicum scallops. All three were excellent and the presentation was impressive, especially the pork. We shared two side dishes, the truffled potato puree and the roasted fingerling potatoes, both offering distinctly positive qualities.
The wine selected was a relatively inexpensive See Ya Later Ranch pinot noir that was perfectly balanced with the seafood dishes and lighter sauces.
A twist to my experience occurred after we finished dinner when I realized that the unexciting menu was actually full of exciting dishes. The inventiveness of the food doesn't reflect favorably on the menu, but it really works on the plate. Since our party shared a bit of every dish, each person experienced experienced something new... pork belly, poached lobster, beef tongue, sunchoke, etc.
Throughout the evening, the service was exceptional. The water was always filled. The wine was always topped off. The plates appeared and disappeared like a choreographed dance. There was no hovering or rush to remove plates. It was perfect.
Overall it was a great experience, but one that I don't think I understood and appreciated until it was over. I look forward to returning.
The sommelier here is great and is worth a visit alone, but the food was excellent as well. Our food was tasty, locally sourced, and well-portioned (portion size at fancy restos is important to me). The truffle fries were simply to DIE for. I didn't want to share at all with the rest of the table! Dinner was excellent from start to finish, in terms of the food. The restaurant was perhaps let down by its own success, only that it was very busy and noisy on a Saturday night, but on the other hand, it gave the place a vibrance that some fine dining establishments lack -- it just depends whether you are looking for energetic or intimate. The bar staff also deserves a shout out for catering to a very discerning martini drinker (a family member) and an indecisive drinker (me). I will happily go back to Araxi.
While the ambience of this restaurant was not as "posh" as The Bearfoot Bistro (it is kind of hard to maintain a posh environment when there is an out of control 4 year old monster child sitting at the table next to you rolling around the floor like she's in the mud), but the food was equally delicious, if not more so (because there was no disgsuting lamb)
1) I ordered the gnocchi w/ lamb and black truffles. I really love the lamb/gnocchi combo, and the black truffles were a great special touch
2) Venison was just okay - we ordered it medium rare, perhaps we should have ordered it rare
3) my mom ordered the wild mushroom risotto. I don't really like most mushrooms, and risotto is just okay in my book, so this one was just okay
4) my chocolate fondant was great - and the early grey ice cream was a unique flavor that went well with the chocolate
the service was quick and everyone was very friendly.
I have to absolutely agree with the review below me! I was at Araxi for the New Years celebration and ended up there twice in my week staying in Whistler. We sat in the bar area both times and had a great time speaking with the servers, sommelier and guests.
The wine list is truly extensive and the sommelier knew exactly what to pair with our dishes. We found that a white wine from New Zealand was a great way to start with the oysters. Our dishes from the first night were shared: mushroom risotto and scallops, which were incredible with a red wine.
The New Years celebration had the menu courses all arranged (it was a reserved occasion) and it was a wonderful meal again. This time we had the ravioli as a starter-which is my favorite meal anywhere! And at Araxi, it was perfected! The beef tenderloin came after and then the dessert, which I opted for an ice cream sandwich. All delicious and tasteful in flavor. Champagne at midnight on the temporary dance floor after a great meal- a brilliant start to the new year!
As a sidenote, we stayed in Vancouver- before leaving back to LA- and went to their 'sister' restaurant called Pan Pacific. Again, the oysters and fish were a delight as well as the extensive wine collection. For both, the restaurants are classy and upscale.
I came here for lunch during Vancouver 2010 and was blown away by the food and the service. I agree with fellow yelpers...it was not pretentious at all. The hostess and our server were both very friendly. The food is delicious, especially the truffle mushroom risotto. It looked like they had a pretty extensive wine collection, but I wasn't able to indulge. Will have to go back for that...
Definitely worth trying if you are headed up to Whistler (I actually centered my Whistler trip around my lunch reservation at Araxi...and it was well worth it). I
Based on other reviews, I thought Araxi would be uncomfortably pretentious. Rather, it was just right.
Dined around 6:30pm on a weeknight with my family (including 2-year-old nephew) just before the Olympics, and the place was empty at first. Staff didn't mind my nephew and were courteous without being overly doting. Sommelier was polite, not snooty at all, and made an excellent recommendation on a local white wine.
Ambiance was terrific: soft, warm lighting and surfaces. Hundreds (thousands?) of stacked wine bottles in the back. Terrific, chill music (Portishead, Massive Attack, and later some more uptempo, jazzier stuff.) If food was mediocre, I would've been happy simply because of the vibe & the tunes.
Food started to come out, restaurant started to fill up. A few tables had little kids too, and one guy even wore a baseball cap during part of dinner. To be sure, they won't kick you out if you aren't wearing a sport jacket or if you have a toddler in your party.
Dishes were unique. Among the most memorable: salmon sashimi with ponzu pearls and a white pepper (I believe) sauce, and scallops with chorizo and vanilla puree - a combination I'd never consider at home (especially since I rarely eat pork), but turned out to be subtle & delightful. Pureed potatoes w/truffle oil were excellent, too. Mixed drink with kiwi-infused gin, ginger beer and lime is excellent.
And save room for dessert.
My only complaint? That I didn't take a peek into the kitchen and check out the live tanks on the way in/out of the washroom.
So, I'm a little torn giving this a 4 star.. I'm more like 3 1/2 stars...
I was really looking forward to going here considering all the praise it gets. We had reservations and were seated promptly when we arrived... I felt like we were spread apart enough that we couldn't hear other people's conversations (a constant pet peeve of mine). The chairs were comfortable and the ambiance was laid back and dim which I prefer as well. I really liked our wait staff. I never got the feeling they forgot about us although there seemed to be quite a bit of time to wait in between courses.. I ordered the fixed price menu and glad I did. I started out with their house salad which wasn't over-dressed. I chose the pea risotto as my second course and wow, I could eat that as a main course. For the main course I had the BC Halibut. The fish was perfectly cooked and seasoned. The beans were undercooked as well as the rice pilaf. I wish there could have been a little more starch to the meal but I didn't leave hungry. I wish I could have had some wine but I was really impressed with their non-alcohol drinks. I felt like I was drinking a martini (minus the alcohol). I'd go back again for sure, but I'd probably try completely different items (with the exception of the risotto).
Went here for special occasion and would definitely go again. The menu had a great selection of raw bar starters as well as very inventive dishes featuring local cuisine which we had yet to try such as venison, tongue, local oysters and sockeye salmon, and pork cheek and belly. The food was amazing and the staff was always helpful and attentive. We actually talked with our server for a while which was nice.
An interesting side note is that while the wine list is very extensive but quite pricey, the nicer the bottle the crazier your decanter gets. they had some insane ones.
For what we ate and the effort that went into the meal we were pretty shocked at how low the check was at the end we wished we had ordered more
Found this place via yelp.
1st night in Whistler and I wanted to dine at Araxi, for Thanksigiving dinner. No we didn't have the turkey dinner special, but it looked delicious.
My bff and I had dinner reservations... called in to see if we could come in earlier, they accomodated us which was great.
We had a great dining exerience here! I had the risotto with prawns! This is the best risotto I ever had! My bff's steak was soft and juicy.
Customer service was excellent as well. They also have chopsticks, which is a big plus for me, since I prefer chopsticks over fork!
why minus 1 star? they forgot to pack half of our leftovers, which was upsetting! So check out the to go bag before leaving!
Only wish to come back and have dinner hear again!
Dinner @ Araxi was a highlight for our vacation!
If you're visiting Whistler, looking for a special place to have dinner... you must come to Araxi!
Thanks yelpers!
Awesome, you should go!
Sustainable menu from within 100 miles is a plus.
We were in town from Xmas to new years and made reservations for the only time available, which was 5pm midweek. Thus, to our dismay, a few of the items on the menu werent available as they werent delivered yet for the day. Thats FRESH!
great food and great service at a very reasonable price!
Sablefish is a delicious!
thumbs up from me!
Okay, it seems as if I'm the only reviewer that didn't care for the dining experience my family and I had there last August.
We stopped there for lunch figuring we could have a great lunchtime dining experience. What we ended up with was incredibly slow service (half an hour to take our order, and then an hour to be served). To top it off, the food we ordered was unique, but not all that good. The salad greens were so bitter, my wife could barely eat them. The portions were quite small and quite expensive. Come on ... $7 for an order of fries to go with a specialty sandwich? We all drank water (family of four), ordered from lunch menu, the bill without tip was $110.
Anyway, I loved the location, decor, and ambiance. That's why I gave it an extra star! Personally I'd try one of the many eateries in Whistler for lunch before I would ever go back. Can't vouch for dinner, but lunch for was a total waste of time and money.
If you are a die hard foodie, this is for you. I loved it so much that i went two night in a row! the first night i dined with a friend and the 2nd night i dined alone. The decor is excellent, the staff super nice and knowledgeable and the food really is Pacific Northwest style food at its best. On the first night we had a mix of starters; Prawn Risotto, Beet Salad, & Squash Soup, which we paired with a cheeky little Canonball Cabernet Sauvignon. The flavors in all 3 appetizers were super well balanced and had an amazing amount of depth of flavor. Really well executed. For our main course (which we broke up with a couple o Vodka martinis!) we went with the Sablefish which was excellent! Really light flaky fish and superbly executed.
On the second night i opted to do the Chef's Land Tasting Menu with the Wine option. Heaven. Internationally inspired, locally grown and expertly executed. The real deal, all the items at once familiar and yet reinvented and surprising. Not just a bunch of minimalist fare served with attitude. There is love and respect in this food.
Lastly, i highly recommend not making a reservation and just turning up and grabbing a seat at the bar or a table in the lounge area. The atmosphere there is way nicer and you get to chat to the bar staff who were all excellent! Enjoy!
Araxi, a good old Whistler high end staple.
One of these restaurants that I hate to love. I feel like I shouldn't like Araxi's because they're in that high end touristy sort of restaurant niche, but truth is their food is really good, and the service great, at times a tick snooty but all in all I have not a single complaint.
I've eaten at Araxi's a lot, since 1994 or something silly like that. They used to have the best spaghetti at lunch and I was very sad the year that went away though truthfully best for my wallet as one should never spend $20 on a bowl of spaghetti for lunch. Now I go to Qauttros and spend $20 for spaghetti there!
So I went to Araxi's for dinner last weekend with my mum and boyfriend. My mother is a huge fan of Araxi's Cadillac margaritas made with fresh limes and oranges they slice and squeeze right then and there, it's a boozy margarita and halfway through my mother was incredibly happy. I think I should keep her constantly plugged into a tequila drip, she's lovely. I had a Caipiruva which sounds far more exotic than it is and I don't recommend, go for the insta-happy marg.
2/3 of my table started with oysters with fancy names and descriptions, I'm not an oyster girl, feels like I'm swallowing briny sea slugs, so tend to like them covered in lemon, Tabasco and green onions followed by a huge chug of champagne. However, i did try one, a little one, and it was good and the table liked them so much they ordered seconds.
I had the foie gras appetizer, I dream of foie gras in blue ray and back in the day I dreamed of it in technicolor. I love foe gras, I tried to give it up last year by making myself think of geese strapped to a torture board being force fed food as their livers imploded, it worked for about 6 months, but the dreams went into surround sound and i caved, damn the geese. It was delicious, lightly seared with a sprinkling of sea salt, heaven, I didn't need anything else but a glass of Riesling.
My dining companions had respectively the sable fish with the roasted garlic crust. This was sumptuous, so much so I requested the recipe. I love garlic almost as much as foie gras without the dreams and the crust was perfection with the moist fish.
I had the Sloping Hills pork, I am going to deduce the pigs are from Sloping Hills (this is making me think of my Bengal prawns from Vietnam- see review on Coast), however pigs from Sloping Hills are GOOD, they make good pigs on that hill. Pork Belly is another aphrodisiac for me, nothing like layers of fat and crispy pork, sublime. The smoked tenderloin, medium, melt in your mouth. Essentially I had a plate of pig and it was delicious.
Last meal was The Pemberton Meadows beef carpacio... I had no idea there were cows for slaughter in Pemberton but nothing like learning and eating. A solid performance by the beef, lightly served with arugula (that was raised in the wild) and horseradish from North Arm (I kid you not, this is cracking me up). I am starting to feel bad for giving Coast such a hard time. I think I need to ask if my carrots were hand watered at the next place I go too.
Our server was excellent and attentive. I forget what our amuse bouche was but... oh wait, it was a root vegetable soup and it was smooth and creamy, a great start.
We ended with some petit fours, perfect and some desert wine from Italy (from a town close to Turin), it was sweet and suited the nibbles very well.
You know, I can do my funnies about Araxi's but she's a great restaurant, always consistently good. I will never have a doubt that I will have a good meal. I have been to dinners, lunches, cornucopia, birthdays, you name it and not once have I ever been disappointed.
She is dressy and she is high end, so dress appropriately, act appropriately and you will get the service you deserve. Make a reservation, especially in the winter on the weekends. If you have well mannered children they can go, I would take mine, but I think my children have brilliant table manners from being dragged from the moment their umbilical cords were cut to every restaurant possible.
A dinner for two at MINIMUM will run $200 with a drink each. So, if you want to take your children, they better like carpaccio and cows from Pemberton or you're flushing money down the drain. No, there is no kids menu and the spaghetti factory is just down the way...
See you there.
Went there during Paralympics, and I was pleasantly surprised we can get a reservation for early sitting.
Service was great, and food was better.
I like every dish that I ordered, risotto, arctic char, and of course the scallop that is just out of this world.
Wish I could be back soon.
We stepped in the from the cold and into the warm and inviting dining room run by executive chef James Walt. Though definitely in the same league as Bearfoot, Araxi manages to feel upscale but totally modern and approachable. Fortunately we were early enough to miss the typical 7-7:30 dinner rush, and scored a nice table for 2 without reservations.
We went with a few selections from the small plates menu. The North Arm beet salad was beautifully plated, with a nice textural contrast from crisp lettuce, crunchy beet shavings, earthy roasted beets, and rich and creamy manchego. The Grilled Vancouver Island octopus, prepared as a terrine, was intriguing and unexpected; the little 'logs' of octopus were tender and distinctly briny. The local oysters were all sweet and fresh, my favorite being the one topped with ponzu 'pearls'. The duck duo (aka foie gras parfait + duck terrine) was rich and decadent, although the measly two slices of brioche weren't sufficient for all that duck fat goodness. Our server was happy to bring us more upon request, though by the time it got to our table there wasn't much duck left. Don't let its pale appearance fool you, the gnocchi with tender lamb ragu was hearty and filling; the sharp bite of romano and fresh herbs definitely balanced out the otherwise buttery sauce. For dessert, a creamy mascarpone cheesecake topped with caramelized apples, paired with a glass of Domaine Pinnacle ice cider from Quebec.
Definitely one of the best restaurants in Whistler.
photos at http://www.alamodejour...
Listed in: Vancouver/Whistler Eats
Gosh, golly! I am perplexed about the review I am writing.
I really want to write a stunner because all the other reviews I have read have been so good but the opposite from what I have heard from my friends experiences at this place.
It really is a 3 star review for me for the following reasons. It has a reputation to keep and it does. It's a beautiful place and its situated in a prime Whistler location. I reveled in my people watching that saturday. It has the notoriety of Gordon Ramsay and Hell's Kitchen in its pocket. In my brain as I watched the show - I have been to the place these contestants are vying to win a spot in.
The food I had, the BC spotted prawn and penne pasta was reminiscent of my experience at Yaletowns Amacord. The flavour was fresh and seasoned very lightly. I guess, the problem I had and so did my dining partner had was that we both thought it had a fresh flavour but lacked any seasoning. I wish they weren't so shy in adding a little more zip to the dish.
I have to say, I would like to go back and try more dishes. I haven't given up!!
Araxi is my favorite restaurant in Canada (well, second to Splendido in Toronto, so let's say that Araxi is my favorite restaurant in Canada that doesn't cost over $400 for two). They used to have a vegetarian menu if you asked for it, they didn't have that anymore on my most recent visit, but there were still several vegetarian options on the menu.
The service at Araxi is consistently excellent. On this visit I decided to order the white cheese souffle (served with red sorrel, lemon thyme cream and toasted almonds) and the stuffed squash blossoms (ratatouille, eggplant puree), both small plates, as the vegetarian main was spinach ricotta gnocchi (I've conquered the making of gnocchi so I no longer order it in restaurants). Before she took our order, our server noted that the kitchen had 86ed the squash blossoms. She could tell from my face that I had planned on ordering the squash blossoms and she rushed back to the kitchen and put the last two on hold for me before returning to take the rest of our order.
The souffle was excellent, custardy, and paired well with it's accompaniments. It unexpectedly came topped with frisee, which I usually pick out of the containers of mixed greens as it is much too bitter for me. Paired with the souffle however, it was not just edible but actually really delicious.
The squash blossoms were excellent, and I suspect that I was given a slightly larger portion of them as well as the plate I was given seemed entree sized.
All in all a fantastic evening with exceptional food and service, consistent with every past visit to Araxi.
Should note, I'm not sure if this is new or not as I believe I've only eaten there in winter before, they have a nice patio set up and are serving brunch/lunch now.
Listed in: Bright Shining Stars (BC)
After an underwhelming meal at a local restaurant the night before, we decided to go ahead and check out Araxi for dinner before heading back to Vancouver the following day. Looking back, I'm not sure why we didn't just eat at Araxi to begin with since it seems so established and well known, not just in BC but in the world wide arena. Regardless of the errors in our initial planning I'm glad we got a chance to eat there since now we know where we'll be having a delicious meal when we come back to Whistler.
Araxi was lively, loud, the food was tantalizing/inventive, and the service was friendly and laid back despite it being a fine dining establishment. We walked in around 6:30 p.m. without reservations but were able to get a table with ease. The restaurant did fill up pretty quickly after that so if you do decide to pop in without prior arrangements, I would recommend going a little earlier in the evening.
We decided to split a number of small plates and have some cocktails which I'm glad we did because it turned out to be the perfect amount of food. We had the North Arm Farm Beet Salad (with Manchego cheese, Roasted Garlic and Lemon Thyme, Baby Gem Lettuce and Candied Walnuts), Tasting of Oysters (five local oysters, dressed differently with Ponzu Pearls, Trout Caviar, Cucumber Relish Mignonette, and Dungeness Crab mMeat), Grilled Vancouver Island Octopus (with Across the Creek Butter Potato Salad and Baby Squid stuffed with BC Spot Prawns), Truffle Ricotta Gnocchi (with Lamb, Blue Cheese, Arugula, Toasted Chestnuts and Pecorino Romano, Foie Gras Parfait + Duck Terrine (Okanagan Apple, Pear, Quince and Cherry Mostardo, Smoked Sea Salt and Toasted brioche), and Caramelized Apple Cheesecake (a Vanilla-Mascarpone Cheesecake and Almond Streusel Crust) for dessert.
Everything that was put in front of us was visually beautiful, everything tasted wonderful, and the textural contrasts were so interesting. The thinly sliced raw watermelon beets in the salad were nutty and crunchy and played well against the tender roasted red beets. The Ponzu Pearls that came atop one of the local oysters looked exactly like Ikura (Salmon Eggs) but when you bit into it, you got a little pop and the citrusy saltiness of Ponzu flooding into your mouth. The Grilled Vancouver Octopus was interesting. I'm not sure if this will come off well but my first bite of it reminded me of cat food. Not that I've ever tasted cat food before but something about the texture and the taste of the dish made me think about the tins of cat food I used to feed my kitty. There is a very strong taste of seafood and the texture is very smooth and a little mushy. It's delicious once you get over the initial bite and it pairs well with the sauce that's streaked around the plate. The gnocchi, too, was delicious- very savory and rich and oh so comforting on a winter night. The Foie Gras Parfait and Duck Terrine was amazing. When I mention textural contrasts, this dish definitely had the most of it. The terrine was a little chunky and very savory and the parfait was so silky it almost dissipates in your mouth like clouds. They only give you two pieces of toasted brioche which is definitely not enough to finish the dish so make sure to ask your server for more. The cheese cake was light and refreshing and the streusel patted unto the sides of the cake provided a good crumb and crunch. I liked the dessert so much I ordered the cookbook so I could recreate it at home one of these days.
Our dinner at Araxi was definitely my favorite meal we had in Whistler and if I had to recommend somewhere for delicious food, ambiance, and service rolled into one, this place would be on top of the list. 5 stars well deserved.
Photos and more can be found here on my favorite blog- http://www.alamodejour...
Listed in: Good times in Whistler, BC
I have to say I'm not sure what the big hubbub is about this place. I though the food was ok, but nothing spectacular to write home about. It's a very nice restaurant with a great wine selection. However, given the current economy my wife and I have been refraining from buying too much wine with dinner. The service was good and friendly. Given the prices and the food I don't think it was worth it. My wife and I were secretly hoping Guu opens another location in Whistler, but unfortunately that was not the case. My wife and I tried a Tapas restaurant called Element in Whistler village which we thought was great and had much better prices. If you're looking for a good reasonably priced meal in Whistler I would definitely recommend it.
Fancy restaurant with fancy food served at fancy prices! Do not come here wearing your hiking boots or fanny pack. The people here are dressed to impress and if you come here otherwise, you may feel a little under dressed.
I had a little bit of everything here since I shared with the crowd I came with. The beef, lamb and salmon were all very delicious. The wine we had was excellent and eating outside to the warm summer Whistler weather made for a perfect evening.
If you're in town for a special occasion like a honeymoon and are willing to open up the wallet, this is the perfect place.
Nestled in the heart of the 2010 Winter Olympics site in Whistler, British Columbia, Araxi delivers the best of Pacific Northwest cuisine with extensive seasonal menus by esteemed executive chef Andrew Richardson; utilizing ingredients sourced locally from land and sea. The dining room is filled with warm colours, antiques and original artworks provide an elegant yet relaxed atmosphere.
The adjoining seafood bar & lounge has a more contemporary feel and the 80 seat patio with heated outdoor bar is the perfect place for people watching in the hub of the Village Square. Not to mention, a great spot for large parties with little kids in tow, as we were during our visit. Pricey? Maybe. Worth it? Absolutely
While enjoying a holiday weekend over New Years i spent my time in many fine establishments in Whistler.
Araxi is a very good restaurant, its just not that special. Prices are fair for the environment you are in and the wine selections while a little pricey are good. Service is adequate. Nothing at this place really stood out for me so I can say anything special. For some reason I wanted to love it but I couldn't. Would i go back? Yes because whistler village lacks many high end dining options.
This place is awesome!!
To start out I had the Endless Summer cocktail...tasty, delicious and a cocktail in Canada that I could actually taste the liquor. (Most places drown their liquor with water here...Araxi does not!!) The drink consisted of Bourbon, Grand Marnier, fresh grapefruit juice, lime, lavender, and citrus zest. Very, very tasty.
To go along with the cocktail I ordered the 3 cheese tasting. Very very good cheeses!! I ordered three local Canadian cheeses: Salt Spring Island Montana Goat Cheese, 5-Year Aged Cheddar, and a Gouda (Gorman's...can't remember the name now but it was my least favorite and I'm a serious Gouda lover.) The "Montana" goat cheese was amazing layered on a slice of apple...the best way to try it. It had a smooth goat cheese flavor but it was mild and nutty enough that even someone who doesn't really enjoy the grassy flavor associated with it would highly enjoy it. The aged cheddar was amazing!!!!! I paired it with a slice of nutty, sweet bread and sweet fig/plum spread...it was a perfect combo to bring out the richness of the cheese and the sweetness of the bread/fruit. I would strongly suggest the cheese plate if you love cheese!!
Then our second plate was the Wild Sockeye Salmon Sashimi (see the pics). I could have eaten a gondola sized serving of this stuff!! It was some of the best salmon sashimi I've ever had. Incredible flavor and the most buttery texture ever!!
For our last dishes we ordered the albacore tuna roll and the BC salmon role. I loved the salmon role but didn't really care for the tuna roll. I love cucumber but not heavily takin' up space in my rolls. It took away from the taste of the tuna. The tuna in Canada was some of the best tuna I have ever eaten so I was pissed about the cucumber's presence on my plate.
Next time I go...I will try the oysters because they looked and smelled amazing but I just didn't have any room for them because I was stuffed! I'll have another Endless Summer, and eat nothing but sashimi and oysters.
PS the bread wasn't the best...way to hard and crusty...I like a little spongy softness on the inside.
As for atmosphere, it was beautiful. Nice ambient lighting, great acoustics...despite the restaurant being packed I could still hear my husband speaking and it felt very intimate. I really enjoyed myself and strongly recommend this place if you want a nice "date-night" with the special person.
Then
I think everyone enjoyed their meal at Araxi - go later and avoid the crowds. We especially liked the red and white wines we chose with the sommelier were especially good. The standout for me was the oyster sampler, each dressed with it's own topping to match the oyster - crabmeat or cucumber mignonette etc. I don't even know what kind of oysters I had but they were amazing. Some of the fish dishes were a little underwhelming and definitely skip the truffle on the risotto - it's a rip off and you can't even taste it. I think the price range listed here should add another $.
Thinking about this meal made me happy. We chose small plates and I think picked the best things off the menu: octopus, mussels, sashimi salmon were perfect.
Another must: chocolate beignets, not chocolate covered (which is what I was expecting), chocolate, light sugar coated GOODNESS.
I have to thank our waitress too, she helped make this a top notch dining experience. This definitely lived up to the hype.
1st place I have ever had Foi Gras, and man, it made me a fan. All the food was wonderfully done and the service was excellent
Great (and inventive) cocktails and food. Excellent (verging on overly attentive, but not quite) service. Nice ambiance. Good wine list.
We had a random assortment of small plates and split one entree (halibut). All of them were excellent, although souffle isn't really my bag. The crab roll, stuffed squash blossoms, halibut, and oysters were standouts for me. Oh, and truffle fries. Good lord. Truffle fries. So. Good.
We'll be back next time we're in Whistler.
A solid choice for good food in Whistler. I'll admit, I've never had much food in Whistler beyond pizza and pubs, but Araxi ranks up there with higher end restaurants in Vancouver.
As much of a fan as I am of Gordon Ramsey & Hell's Kitchen, I'd be hard-pressed to call this restaurant "Canada's Best". It is great, but not stunning, memorable food. But, I do very much appreciate the dedication to fresh, local ingredients. They currently have a 100-mile tasting menu for $65 and a really great value 3 course $39 prix fixe menu.
Started with an amuse bouche of cauliflower soup in a shot glass. Followed with small plates of butternut squash soup with curried creme fraiche and a tuna tataki with lavendar citrus pearls. Both beautifully presented, the soup had colourful swirls and the tuna had a surprise salsify (mild root vegetable) garnish.
The second course of appetizers included my favourite of the evening - the cheese souffle. I believe they used an aged white cheddar from Moonstruck. Light and airy, yet creamy and sharp with a gorgeous baked crust to hold it all in... together with a parmesan sauce and garnished with toasted almonds and frisee salad. Page 145 in the Araxi cookbook, look it up and drool ;) The other appetizer was a wild mushroom broth with gnocchi.
For main courses, I had the arctic char with almond brown butter - delicious crisped skin, flaky, moist perfectly cooked flesh. The Sloping Hills side of pork was also tender, but a bit a dry.. much better together with the gravy sauce and cauliflower puree.
For dessert, shared a chocolate fondant with earl grey ice cream, dotted with caramel and dark chocolate. Lava-like cake - not too sweet, but the chocolate overpowered the delicate earl grey flavours. Still, a successful dessert.
Service was fine.. literally, a very fine, attractive Aussie waiter :D Ah, Whistler...
The prettiest patio on the Village Stroll right in the heart of all things cool.
While the 2 nut-jobs in my family went for a canoe ride, I decided to take my dear friend Anna Karenina out to lunch at Araxi.
The gazpacho was heavenly. The gnocchi perfectly tender. The crisp sauvignon blanc my adorable waiter recommended went perfectly with both. Well done, adorable waiter.
I sipped, ate, read and people watched the afternoon away. I especially love it when the downhill cyclists walk by like giant armored beetles covered in mud.
Later that day the nut-jobs accompanied me for dinner at Araxi. We'd all worked up quite an appetite by then!
Daily Specials
Whistler, BC
Freestyle Menu
Whistler, BC
Whistler, BC
Whistler, BC
Whistler, BC
Whistler, BC
Whistler, BC
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