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Diva At the Met
Categories: Restaurants Seafood Restaurants Canadian (New) Seafood, Canadian (New) [Edit]
645 Howe StVancouver, BC V6C 2Y9
Neighbourhood: Downtown
(604) 602-7788
- Price Range:
-
$$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Valet
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Classy, Upscale
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
34 reviews for Diva At the Met
Review Highlights
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"The pistachio ice cream was the perfect partner." In 3 reviews -
"Diva's Caramelized Stilton Cheesecake." In 4 reviews
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"...dining without the stuffiness of a fine dining restaurant." In 3 reviews
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34 reviews in English
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Review from Jacob K.
Updated - 5/16/2012
The Diva Burger is the Mariah Carey of Burgers - true to its name, it is truly a diva. Prepared medium, it is a delicious patty, with nice toppings of mushroom, bacon and cheddar. There is something that does make the bun soggy - could be the lettuce and sauce combination. Either way, a minor speed bump on the way to a delicious burger.
The fries have a nice bit of spice to them. They're thrice cooked, an extra added bonus that they don't turn out soggy but are rather nice and crisp. Truffle mayonnaise does make everything better.
A nice ambience and not a busy lunch crowd today made it a nice place to have a nice quiet conversation.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/8/2011
Diva hosts a bi-weekly group of professionals to which I belong. My goal is to sample almost… Read more »
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Review from Philip W.
New Westminster, BC
4/28/2012
After sampling the fare at Diva as part of a recent Dine Out Vancouver, we decided to return to try their full menu and we couldn't be more impressed.
We opted for the seven course tasting menu with wine pairings at a late seating. The opening sequence of modernist amuse bouche were wisely paired with a Blue Mountain Brut and concluded with fizzy watermelon "drink" to help cleanse the palate. The rest of the courses ranged from a fresh, bright almost Spring-like hearts of palm salad, a mysterious, almost earthy preparation of geoduck, to an unbelievably rich take on a Bouillabaisse incorporating halibut in a rich, dark stock. The portions were well sized, with excellent presentation on the plate with a helpful description of each course. The overall service experience was excellent. At no time did the evening feel rushed and we were also fortunate enough to interact throughout the evening with both the Chef and Diva's affable but focused manager and sommelier, Corey Bauldry.
Sure, this is on the more expensive end of dining in Vancouver. But given the overall calibre of the food and service experience, this menu is an incredible value. Chef Hamid Salimianis is truly an artist, creating layers of flavour from seemingly simple ingredients while still injecting his personal touches, including echoes of Persian spicing, into each and every dish. I have to emphasize that over seven courses, there were no losers or "just okays". Each course was excellent on its own, but the whole meal was much, much greater than the sum of its parts. This reflects a chef who truly understands the classic French view of what a tasting menu should be and uses the format to orchestrate something truly special.
Diva has had it's run of chefs over the years, but Chef Hamid is hitting on all cylinders here and I can't wait to go back. -
Review from Adrian V.
Richmond, BC
3/18/2012
A fellow foodie and I decided to give this place a shot since we've heard so many good things about it. Along with the "so many good things about it" is the hefty price tag, which we somewhat dodged as we went there for Dine Out.
Reading most of Yelp's comments, I'm quite unsure whether their regular menu/whole experience actually stands up and delivers. It's either very well executed or flawed in every single way; based from my experience, it was neither incredibly memorable nor a catastrophe. It was just ok (and I shrugged my shoulder as I typed that)
They started us with a variety of bread and a small portion of butter. I really liked how each piece contrasted the other; individually we got to compare each bread and see what we liked the best.
Appies:
- Beef tartare, veal tongue, pickled pine mushrooms, egg yolk
- Pemberton parsnip soup, Diva bacon
Mains:
- Pacific Provider coho salmon, pine nut, chorizo, bell pepper, black olives, caper vinaigrette
- Heritage pork loin, pork hock press, sauerkraut, bread pudding, mustard jus
Dessert:
- Caramelized stilton cheesecake, spiced port reduction, rhubarb compote
- Warm chocolate souffle, valrhona chocolate sauce, pistachio ice cream
There was nothing special about the appies (my soup had one slice of bacon, not good for a carnivore), and the fact that the portions were mediocre didn't really fly well with us. The entrees however were much better than the last course. The salmon was moist, the chorizo and the bell peppers complimented the dish, and the capers were a nice accent - this is big coming from someone who isn't a fan of capers. The pork loin was also tasty; portions for both dishes were superb. Desserts didn't soar as high as the mains, but weren't on the same level as the appies. My stilton cheesecake isn't to die for, although I loved silkiness of the inside combined with the crispy crust. With the addition of the compote, it was a nice end to the meal.
Presentation for all the dishes are 5/5. I love the way it's crafted onto the plate; it definitely matches the atmosphere of the restaurant.
Service was pretty good. We were looked after very well and our server was pleasant.
Overall a good experience. Would I come back? Possibly. I need to try their regular menu. I'm sure I'd enjoy it. I find Dine Out menus to be sub par to the actual menu for any restaurant. Doesn't quite showcase the restaurant's true colors. -
Review from Herman E.
Updated - 2/21/2012
Cherry Lane Farm beet salad, goat cheese, hazelnut, apple, rocket, banyuls - check
Pemberton parsnip soup, Diva bacon - check
Ricotta Agnolotti, North Arm Farm sunchokes, leeks, parmesan foam - check
Pacific Provider coho salmon, pine nut, chorizo, bell pepper, black olives, caper vinaigrette - check
Caramelized stilton cheesecake, spiced port reduction, rhubarb compote - 1/2 check. Stilton cheese tasted a bit overpowering in cheesecake.
Warm chocolate souffle, valrhona chocolate sauce, pistachio ice cream - check
Overall good service and worth another visit.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/18/2011
This review comes with a caveat. It was not a dinner or lunch service.
I came here for a wedding… Read more »
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Review from Q B.
Vancouver, BC
2/23/2012
I've been here twice and both times it has been a wonderful experience. The food is great. The service is great. It isn't cheap but I think it is well priced for what you get.
On our last trip there we ordered 3 courses (starter/appetizer/main) and they gave us at least 5 amuse bouche (extra little bite sized dishes)
It may not be the best place for a group of friends getting together as it is quieter/more upscale than most restaurants in Vancouver. I would recommend it more for an anniversary/special night out on the town for two people. -
Review from Kwiri Y.
DIVA AT THE MET
Part 1:
Deliciously
Inspired
Voluptuous
Appetizers
Assured
Tonight.
Take
Home
Exquisitely
Meticulous
Evening
Tonight.
DIVA AT MET
Part 2:
Translation of the scrambled words into a proper yelp review:
Delicious Appetizers served by beautiful Canadian girls with fixed smile that cannot be wiped off despite the terrible weather in BC.
Interesting menu with various choices given to the Spoiled LA epicurean,
Vintner's table "like" feeling from "open" kitchen to enhance the dining experience,
Appetizing dish prepared by spanking hot, young, sweet and eligible Asian chefs,
Apple got naughty with Veggies and castle blue cheese, thus birthing the forbidden child of confit duck rillettte.
Tri-layered architecture of the restaurant to sophisticate the dining ambiance.
Triple AAA red wine crusted beef tenderloin decorated with Yukon gold potato and bone marrow jus lands on your table,
Heavenly entrée is all you ask for, but don't speak too fast,
Exquisitely decorated dessert waits,
Matriculate visual valrhona chocolate sauce warm chocolate soufflé with pistachio ice cream finished off the evening with orgasm in your mouth.
European Asian Fusion made scrumpdelicious appetizers and entrées.
Technology enforced payment system wrap up the evening with less painful $$$$ calculation. -
Review from Chris C.
7/31/2011
Came here for a business lunch recent. They still have the DC burger, which my coworker ordered and proceeded to swallow. I tried the "4 course" power lunch. It was like a japanese-style bento box where all four courses came at the same time on the same plate. It was great value and since it arrived promptly, you can get out the door very quickly.
Halibut was the entree in the power lunch. It was very well prepared. The "soup" in a shot glass was "meh", I'm not exactly sure what to make of that item. The salad was tasty, but nothing out of this world. The doughnuts on the creme brule dessert were very tasty, but the actual creme brule was a bit heavy for my liking (too custardy). -
Review from Rachael T.
Toronto, ON
3/17/2011
I came here two years ago for dine out and the entire evening was absolutely wonderful (despite the fact that I had gotten laid off from my work earlier that afternoon).
Today - I was invited for a large company dinner and right off the bat, the service was attentive, and patient, yet not overbearing. Our head waiter was funny and would pay attention even if you weren't talking to him. He picked up when people were leaving early and if meals needed to be prepared earlier for certain guestsl. He was definitely on the ball.
Tonight - a four course menu was offered:
Course 1: dungeness crab salad in buttermilk crepe with greens and pear jelly. Since the lighting was a little dark - you couldn't see the jellies at first, but the taste was powerful and full of flavour. I thought that the crepe was thicker than it needed to be, a little dry, but just my opinion. When you cut into the crepe, fresh crab mean welcomes you and I just devoured it. Definitely good to have some greens and other flavours to give a great mix.
Course 2: Short rib ravioli with duck confit pho broth. The aroma as the broth was poured reminded me of being in a busy viet place. It tasted like it had been cooking for days. The ravioli was really interesting shaped, a little bit like an upside top hat. THe skin of it was a little tough, but there were other veggies to compliment it nicely. I was a little jealous of those who got the cauliflower with truffle oil because the smell of it just made my mouth water...
Course 3: Salmon with a creamy butter broth with vegetables....sorry can't remember it all but I just remember I wanted to smuther the salmon in the cream broth. It was rich, yet I didn't care. The salmon was actually more well done than I would like as it was getting a little tough, but once again - this broth made it work.
Course 4: I'm not a big chocolate dessert person at restaurants, but I had tried the stilton cheesecake before... and I remembered it being very good. then again - should I tried the Chocolate mouse with banana ice cream and rum tapioca? OK FINE. SOOOO glad I did. yes, the chocolate was rich, but with the banana ice cream, it reminded me of banana chocolate bread. I wish there was more ice cream!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Like all fancy restaurants, none of the plates were taken away until every last person finished their meal - even if that meant 12 people with empty plates while the other table received their desserts. How courteous, I thought :)
No the food wasn't absolutely perfect, but it was really good. This is one of those restaurants I would come back to again and again and the people would just warm my heart.... and of course leave with a satisfied meal. -
Review from Hootie J.
Vancouver, BC
5/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
As a regular eater-out, I have not been hosed down as well as the Diva did me for mothers day.
I have never been here before , but the foodies in my group promised that I would enjoy.
$60/plate mothers day buffet and I have had better at the horse race track... for half the price.
We informed the host that we had a vegi~saurus in our herd. He confirmed the three items that did not contain "critter", one of the items was the soup, which turned out to be seafood chowder that was consumed by "shellfish sensitive" diner.
I am glad mommsie didn't go into anaphylactic shock.
The shock came when the host suggested that it was not his fault because he read the wrong menu!!!
THE FOOD SUCKED, and as an expensive! As a "High End Buffet",( I know that is an oxymoron but ..) they fell down on so many levels, food was not labeled, we did not know if it was scallops,gnocci or potatoes. They offered no crepe chef or actually any chef, everything was al a cart off the buffet trays! Food was old, they offered oysters on the half shell, but they must have been shucked the night before because they were dry and sticky (icky!!)
Over all, outside of the "free" Valet parking this place sucked , restaurant was dated, service was poor and the food was bland and sketchy. I would recommend it to anybody who wants to spend allot of money and leave disappointed by ... everything... I know there are some of you out there and this is a great place to NOT fill that void.
Vancouver has some of the best dining in the WORLD... and this place was worse than a Denny's outside of Minneapolis in may.. Just pass it by -
Review from Rose B.
12/27/2010
We went here on Christmas morning. We arrived around 10:30 or so, no reservation and were seated right away. Again we were looking for somewhere to eat that was not an $80 buffet that makes me want to try and eat $80 worth of food, very unhealthy!
I had the spinach and crab omelet. They did NOT have gluten free bread so I am taking a star off for that. I think most restaurants that want to be considered higher class should have a loaf in the freezer. It costs about $5 and sure puts a smile on the face of us GF folks!
However, I did get some fruit as a substitute for the regular toast and that was as fresh as it gets, and good variety (pineapple, honeydew, cantaloupe, watermelon, and some berries). My meal came with some sort of fried potatoes that were also delicious!!
My boyfriend had the eggs benny and gave it a thumbs up. He also reports good coffee.
The waiter was very pleasant and kept our water and coffee filled.
The atmosphere was pleasant enough but a bit cramped. -
Review from Rebecca J.
Vancouver, BC
5/8/2011
Picked this place for Mother's Day Brunch knowing my mom hadn't eaten here in an age but used to love it. Gosh. What a let down. And an expensive one at that. I should have known when I saw a buffet. I'd assumed (wrongly) that given it was supposed to end at 1:30, we'd be able to order from the menu. Yeah... you know what they say about assuming...
Oh well. We decided to make the best of it. Too bad there wasn't much of anything that could be described as "best." First, no labels for anything being served. Given we had a vegetarian and a shellfish-allergic mother in our party, buffet guess work wasn't really an option.
Eventually someone came to explain what everything was. Great. Only he didn't get it all right, and I fed my mother a spoonful of vegetarian chowder. Shame about the mouthful of clams. She's on her way home now to take an antihistamine. The man who got it wrong was mortified, so the comments aren't about his mistakes. These happen. But, again, what's wrong with labels? It's a buffet for goodness sake; it's not like labels are going to make things seem cheap. ;)
The other thing to mention here is that there were a lot of nearly empty dishes in the buffet. And nothing was replenished very quickly. Including the plates. [Yes, really. I had to ask for dinner plates and dessert plates.]
Our waiter wasn't very smooth either; just a little too familiar without the charm necessary to get away with it. And, sir, when one person asks for another drink, how about asking everyone if they'd like one? Seems you make money on the drinks so why wouldn't you try to sell more. Oh right. You don't need to worry about making more money on the table because you're charging us $60 each for a crappy buffet. Now, my mom and I did get a Mother's Day gift from Birks as part of the deal, but frankly, I could have lived without that. Lipstick on a pig.
I am really disappointed about today. It was supposed to be a special lunch for my mom and while she graciously pointed out that the important part about the day was spending time with each other, I wish we'd spent $450 somewhere else. Like at Provence Marinaside, where we were with my mother-in-law for dinner last night. I'll write my review for that place next. It was great!
Diva, you let me down. And I won't be back. -
Review from Stella Y.
Surrey, BC
6/2/2011
This place is way too pricey and not worth it. I came here with a big party to celebrate the end of our degrees. The food was way too salty and nothing was memorable except for the dessert. For paying such a hefty price, I expected much better food though the service was exceptional.
I agree with a previous reviewer; the best part of the meal was the free bread and butter! I would not go back here as Vancouver has much better dining options at that price range. -
Review from Jenny S.
Surrey, BC
11/1/2010
5 stars for food and service!!! I feel like a diva :)
My boyfriend and I came to Diva at the Met for our anniversary. Service was very good - we were served a complimentary teaser (salmon salad + crouton) AND a complimentary chef's creation of the scallops which was very original and tasty. Food we got - lamb, risotto, pork cheeks was FABULOUS. Desserts (cheesecake + souffle) were on one plate with fruits and 'happy anniversary' on it..I just love their attention to details and it definitely made my first visit at Diva a lovely, memorable experience! Although the main area was closed (I believe we dined in the lounge) the ambiance still had a nice classy feel. Fine dining is not cheap but I must say it was very well worth it. I definitely recommend Diva to those that have a passion for food! -
Review from Christopher L.
Vancouver, BC
3/10/2011 18 Check-ins Here
I usually visit Diva for lunch, there is always space but busy enough not to feel foolish. The staff over the years has been excellent and had consistently good service even during the busy lunch rush.
My only beef literally, is that they changed the Angus beef burger to something less spectacular - from a double patty to single, roughly around the same time in the change in executive chefs. Also, the colours and ambience in the front portion could be due for a change but the back end up the small flight of stairs is more airy, but often not open.
Pricing is moderately high, it's not cheap, but reasonable given the business and hotel crowd.
I do recommend the side order kenebec fries as a guilty pleasure. Even with the recent change in management and the change in chefs, the food has kept its quality and execution.
The Law has eaten and often will return... -
Review from Siri W.
6/12/2011
This place probably has some of the best food I have ever had in my life. It's very pricey, as noted, so I don't get to come here often, but when I do - it's always a memorable meal.
The place is tastefully decorated and not uber-chic which is quite nice. I like how you can see into the kitchen a bit as well. The "table snack" they bring over at the beginning is the most amazing popcorn with truffle oil - I think I could eat it all day and have to watch not too smorgasbord myself on the stuff before my actual meal.
I had the most divine halibut here with the best tasting potatoes and dressing I have ever had in my life. I've also had the chicken here and been blown away. It's not like eating anywhere else I've ever been - the food is just so multi-dimensional and explodes with flavour.
The servers are very knowledgeable and always willing to offer an opinion on the menu which is lovely. And the dessert is always perfect. I highly recommend the stilton cheesecake - it's absolutely perfect.
For a special occasion, like an anniversary dinner or birthday, this place would be such a treat. It is absolutely one of the best restaurants in the city.Listed in: Top Restaurants
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Review from Larry L.
11/4/2009 ROTD 3/28/2010
Did you know that at one time..... They had a chef (Michael Noble) that competed in the original Iron Chef series in Japan? He was the first and only one to do so. "Battle of the Potato" episode July 1999.
Food for thought when you dine there. Although he has moved on to doing other things, it seems that this small bit of his legacy goes on in the food created here. -
Review from Sophia M.
11/4/2009
Oh, oh, ooooohhh.
I'll just describe to you what I had for dessert.
Meringue with cherry inside,
sitting happily in the orange-white chocolate SOUP,
raspberry on top
and mint leaves on the side.
Oh... My fingers are trembling as I'm typing it. It was so good, that I did not want to eat anything else ever again. I wanted my stomach to remember and cherish the moment forever. I wanted to freeze my taste buds.
Yes, the place is a bit too posh, yet I love their lounge room. In fact, I've been coming here for several years and I've never been past the lounge room. I like sinking in the sofa, sipping wine, having some cheese, chatting to my friend. The ambience is very tranquil and pleasing.
And I love their desserts. The dessert menu always changes, but the desserts are always, always ORGASTIC. Yup, I said it. -
Review from Claudia L.
Burnaby, BC
3/21/2009 3 photos
As any typical Chinawoman would, I did my math in preparation for good eats: 2 ladies on Valentine's Day = Need to drink and eat way to happiness = 4 desserts + a bottle of champagne
This is one of the rare times that I added wrong. Our need-a-boyfriend-overworked-driven-by-d.bags-hates -his-life waiter waited until we ordered to let us know that only 2 out of the 10 desserts were available.
Stop.
Wait ...
WHAT!?!?!?!!!! YOU $&%^ING #$@%
If you are ever in a situation where two girls are expecting sweets and alcohol on a planned romantic escapade, you better (1) deliver or (2) run like your ass just got set on fire. I swear I heard him mutter under his breath while walking away "stupid girls, it's V-day, if I ain't gettin' no shugga, you ain't either!" Since 2 of the 4 we wanted (chocolate soufflé with pistachio gelato and cheesecake with rhubarb compote) were available, we refrained from going Oprah on his rude ass.
Although the presentation was eye-pleasing, the taste was anything but extraordinary and I've had better service at fast food joints.
Okay, fine... I don't mean to be so hard but the price for cold-shoulder service and a 20 percent-there menu left a bitter taste in my mouth. Next time, I'll settle for a chocolate croissant from Cobs and a bottle of Asti. -
Review from Littlefish B.
Vancouver, BC
10/8/2009
I don't think you have to pay their prices and the environment isn't as personable as Vij's, my beloved but now gone Parkside, or other upper-end resto's in town.
But, it offers exquisite food, small portions, and the presentation is very impressive. I'm not in the market for a wine list that starts at $80, but I know I can't hold their stars subject to my budget!
My recommendation: consider this for a dessert & nightcap. Their desserts are fabulous and it's a sophisticated low-lit room amenable to closing a night. -
Review from Janessa P.
3/11/2009
Staying at the Metropolitan, we stopped in here for a pre-dinner drink on our way out to dinner.
The bartender was pleasant enough in a snooty way, there were free salty peanuts, and my glass of Riesling cost $14.
Vancouver has so many nice places with so many nice staff and so many nice drinks and so many nice food options that this place was a bit of a let down. There was nothing too terribly bad with it, I guess, but I just didn't find anything too terribly redeeming about it.Listed in: Le Vancouver, BC
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Review from gerald s.
9/25/2011
I would give 2 stars and my wife 3...you know who always wins...haha!
Our biggest critique is the chef tries too hard, and complicates his food when simplicity at its finest is by far better. The food was disjointed or too deconstructed, and almost bland (my pork) at times, and when the flavors were present, the plate didnt fit together.
The atmosphere was nice, wait staff good, but doesn't make up for just not very good cuisine...sorry Divas, but can't compare to the great fares of Vancouver! -
Review from Jennifer N.
Toronto, ON
8/11/2008
I'm so glad I have fantastic friends in Vancouver. They really went out of their way to make sure I ate extremely well. So when a chef friend took me out for dinner and then dessert, he didn't hesitate. There was no other place than DIVA at the MET.
As a dessert lover, I died and went to sweet heaven. He ordered 3 desserts for us. The Warm Apple & Vanilla tart was amazing. It came with brown butter ice cream and a golden raisin compote. Orgasmic! Then the
Diva's Caramelized Stilton Cheesecake. I never thought I'd have a cheesecake made out of blue cheese but never say never. It was an interesting contrast of salty and sweet. It was rich and creamy and the flavours melded well. The last dessert was Warm Chocolate Soufflé. Oh my god! Who would think that such a cliché dessert would be so good. The pistachio ice cream was the perfect partner. Gooey and chocolate-y, it is every chocoholics dream. The coffee was aromatic and really paired well with the dessert.
This place was great. Posh and beautiful - both the decor and the service. Is it worth the price? Yes, especially when you're not paying. -
Review from Darien C.
BC
12/12/2008
They had me at fois gras on a burger.
Sure it was over thirty dollars, but my God man, amazing. I legitimately had to sit back and take a breath after the first bite.
Breakfast, brunch or dinner, this burger is worth every penny. I neither remember nor care to discuss anything else about this place.
Try the burger. -
Review from Brad C.
12/18/2009
Well, at the price, it was not good value.
The server took our order then walked over to help another server setting tables before walking over to enter our order. Lame.
The staff were all standing around chatting. The food was fine, but not great. There must be hundreds of decent places in Vanc with food this good or better at a fraction of the price. -
Review from Darcy C.
1/22/2009
Huh ... I guess they were off their stride for DineOut Vancouver. We had a nice meal, with a grantedly spectacular dessert, but overall, it was more on the okay side ... and, we tried the wine pairings with our food, and some of them were a bit off.
I'll give it another go, but I'm bummed I didn't get the fois gras burger. -
Review from a t.
8/16/2011
Wonderful. Not all the dishes worked perfectly, but those that did really knocked us out.
The cantaloupe soup with crab was amazing. After a warm summer day in Vancouver this was so perfect. My companion had a medley of tomatoes -- really good with the different in-season varieties (my favorite were some small "grape" type -- so sweet) -- just not quite up to the level of the soup.
I had an encrusted salmon. Very beautiful in bed of greens with a wine reduction that provided a surprising and well-balanced sweetness to the perfectly done fish. One might quibble with the frond of quick fried fennel frond (not adding any flavor), but it was quite a stunning presentation.
My companion had the roasted chicken and potatoes. Quite a presentation with the ingredients laid out in a crescent on the plate and the sauces spread from the crescent to the center (appropriately warm plate). An interesting deconstruction with the skinless chicken along with crispy bits of skins that exploded with flavor. For me, more interesting in the brain than on the tongue.
Dessert --- wow. The strawberries: a sorbet, some mousse, raw, ........ and flakes -- the flakes were sliced berries that had been toasted? Beautiful and exploding with strawberry-ness. Amazing. My companion's chocolate kind of paled in comparison.
We were attracted to the descriptions of Diva having a focus on local and developing a Vancouver cuisine. We were impressed and believe Diva is mostly hitting the mark. -
Review from Alisa B.
1/12/2010
Feel like a splurge? and I'm not talking consuming an entire box of oreo's kind of splurge I'm talking dropping some serious cash and treaing yourself to a fabulous meal splurge!
My bf and I accompanied my parents here one rainy night and were not disapointed. Two of us ordrered the pre fixe wine paired meal and the other two ordrered straight off the menu. None of us were disapointed. The wines were pared perfectly and the fod was presented in a manner that was stunning but did otmake it feel at all tortured.
I want to go here for a celebration with my bf... *hint hint, sweetheart* -
Review from Lisa N.
Vancouver, BC
4/11/2011
I came here for Dine Out 2011. The restaurant looks nice, but their back wall is lacking a piece of art.. this might just be because I'm an art student and I'm picky.
The service was great, our server and hostess for very nice. My friend and I started dinner with their cream of mushroom soup, which was good. I can't really tell you if it was amazing, as it was my first time having it fresh. The server brought a complimentary duck confit side, which was my first time. It was amazing, that one bite had this really buttery taste, paired with a thin apple slice they used to wrap it around. For my main, I had a grilled salmon and my friend had the braised duck. The duck was fantastic, the skin was crispy, with that nice layer of fat (get over it, duck is a fatty meat, enjoy it) and the sauce was just great. The salmon skin was perfectly crispy, the salmon wasn't dry at all, it was just bliss. The sauce however didn't pair as well as it should have, too watery and bland. We had some kind of cake, I forget now, which was also very good. Very light and fruity.
Oh, my friend had the lychee cocktail, which was very very strong. I had their home made pineapple soda, too sweet for me.
Would I come back? Definitely, maybe if it were a special occasion. That duck was pretty memorable.
By the way, if you're one of those weird people who goes into a very nice restaurant and orders duck or salmon, then proceed to peel off the skin? First of all, if you're on a diet, don't order that. If you're not gonna enjoy it properly, don't eat it at all. If I were the chef, I would be pretty offended. Geez. -
Review from Pirkko D.
9/20/2009
We were staying at the Metropolitan hotel next door, and ate dinner here our first night.
For as many awards and good reviews we saw, the overall food experience was annoying and lackluster, especially considering the price.
The best thing we had was the bread and butter. After that, things went downhill.
For appetizer, we tried the heirloom tomato salad, and there was no sign of an heirloom tomato to be had. Instead, they had an "artsy" presentation, with hardly anything to eat; it consisted of a finely chopped tomato tartar, a collection a 3 halved baby tomatoes, "tomato water" with tomato sorbet--this was ridiculous, and a side of goat cheese and balsamic droplets. The goat cheese was the most substantial and enjoyable item on the plate.
For entrees, we took the recommendation of our server to try the comfort food of short ribs and fingerling potatoes. The presentation was OK, however the short ribs weren't as tender as they should have been, and made for an OK dish. My black cod, with shitake mushrooms and kelp broth, was dull and looked unappealing, as they poured the kelp broth over the fish upon serving, and created a moat around my bland fish and vegetables. It was not great.
For dessert, we had the carmelized stilton cheesecake, which again, was decent, but not great.
On a side note, the service was wonderful, the setting/ambiance OK, but overall the food's not worth the price.
It seems the chef tries to be progressive in his styling but the food lacks substance. -
Review from Mary S.
Surrey, BC
2/26/2011
It was Sarina's birthday, and the last day of Dine Out Vancouver, So I decided to take her to Diva at the Met.
This is refined dining without the stuffiness of a fine dining restaurant. It boasts one of the finest wine lists in the city and it has impeccable service. I've been here a couple of times, and I've always left satisfied with both the quality of the dishes and the ambience.
We started with the gala apple & endive salad (whipped salt spring island goat cheese, pecan vinaigrette) and the crispy Fraser Valley pork belly (warm beet salad, gribiche dressing)
I absolutely loved the salad, the combination of the apples and the goat cheese was sublime. The pork was crispy to perfection - and the beets brought out the flavour of the pork even more so. It was delicious. I was a little nervous at first with the beets/pork combination, but it really works.
For our main course we had the Yukon gold potato & leek cannelloni (slow roasted turnips, sherry brown butter reduction) and the pan roasted Fraser River sockeye salmon (olive oil poached potato press, peas, cucumbers, manila clam essence) The cannelloni came with a parmesan cheese garnish and it was so buttery - you can really taste the milder flavours of the potatoes, and the strong taste of the cheese and the turnips complimented the dish to perfection. The salmon? melt in your mouth and juicy.
Once thing I must comment on is the fabulous presentation of every course. Every dish was wonderful to look at, and to me, that it's almost as important as the taste of a dish.
For dessert we ordered the passion fruit mousse cake (pineapple and citrus salad) and the dark chocolate sponge cake. Now I love chocolate, but the passion fruit mousse cake? hoooly cow... it was amazing. when you first bite into it, you get a tart flavor followed by a sweet after taste. Simply delicious.
This was a fantastic dining experience. Diva at the Met is located at 645 Howe Street,Vancouver. For reservations call 604-602-7788 -
Review from A E.
8/31/2008
To everyone, locals and tourists alike, Diva is the creme de la creme of Vancouver fine dining establishments. To me, Diva is the place where I had my first experience with Canada's ice wine. And of course, much much more.
Let me begin.
No dinner in Vancouver is ever complete without at least one course that uses fresh seafood as its main ingredient. So, having paid my tribute to the Canadian fine seafood by choosing the crispy skin trout with bouillabaisse froth (since when the classic staple food of poor Marseille's fishermen obtain became the chic and upscale food enjoyed by the Bourgeoisie?) as my appetizer, being the carnivore that I am, I proceeded to order the succulent lamb loin - cooked medium rare - served with crispy potatoes, nicely complemented by a glass of no other than Australian Penfolds St. Henri Shiraz.
After dinner came the chocolate souffle with pistachio ice-cream, and a little glass of chilled Canadian ice wine. The lovely duo nicely concludes dinner, which came to about $270. Definitely not inexpensive, especially given the current exchange rate, but sure worth every penny.Listed in: Vancouver on an expense…
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Review from Rita L.
10/3/2008
i just have to say, that the desserts are soo good here...
we were staying at the Metropolitan and this restaurant was conveniently downstairs....we were craving some dessert so we went to the restaurant.
Cool decor, the staff were not soo friendly to us, but that was alright...
Because the desserts were really great....i do love the chocolate souffle here! ahhh....heavenly, the cheesecake is very tasty as well...
maybe next time we'll try dinner here, but we were very happy w/the desserts! hehe -
Review from oanababy o.
Vancouver, BC
1/14/2011
Excellent lunch.
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Review from Amy C.
Vancouver, BC
3/10/2011
very classy place but servers were not up to par. visited this place for dine-out 2011, and was quite disappointed with the food as well as the service due to the fact that a 15%tip was automatically added to larger parties (i do not mind tipping if i get service) server was not well versed in explaining the food or experience-she couldn't even sell and was barely present!!
