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Ensemble
Category: Restaurants French French [Edit]
850 Thurlow StVancouver, BC V6E 1W2
Neighbourhoods: West End, Downtown
(604) 569-1770
- Hours:
Tue-Sun 5 pm - 11 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- 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:
- Trendy
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
43 reviews for Ensemble
Review Highlights
-
"Foie Gras Parfait - very fluffy - recommend." In 3 reviews -
"I followed this with black cod in a thai scented pork broth." In 9 reviews -
"...next courses were the five spice pork belly and Beef Shinz..." In 2 reviews
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43 reviews in English
-
Review from Ernesto G.
5/21/2012 5 photos
4.5 stars!
Ensemble delivers. Came here for dinner tonight and Ensemble blew me away. Foie gras parfait...so awesome...so unique...light, airy and delicious...a must have. The risotto is tasty and cooked to perfection. Loved it.
One of the best new restaurants in Van.
Will be back for sure.
Note: Tapas style, so order a couple of dishes or you won't be full. -
Review from Vincent Q.
Vancouver, BC
5/17/2012
I work in customer service in downtown Vancouver. Since having dined at Ensemble for my anniversary, I recommend this restaurant to countless tourists and locals looking for a great place nearby.
My partner and I ordered a variety of vegetarian dishes (there were quite a few). The one that stood out the most was the potato gnocchi. It couldn't have been better. Our server was also very polite and courteous.
The only reason why I do not give the restaurant five stars is because my negroni was made incorrectly. -
Review from Paula P.
Vancouver, BC
5/3/2012
It hardly seems necessary to review as this popular spot certainly gets enough attention but I went and some of you want to know what I think!
Went for a date night with JP and shared several dishes.
We started with a favorite of mine, carpaccio - it was JP's first try and he was amazed by the buttery soft texture. It was served with Rosemary bannock and shallots and was everything I expected it to be.
JP had the crab which was wrapped up like a salad roll and loved it. The sweet and sour eggplant came next and was probably my favorite. The smoky babagnoush base held up a soft yet firm textured eggplant with a tangy yogurt and tomato top. Melt in your mouth delicious!
We finished off with perfectly cooked flank steak and a creamy herb risotto.
The cocktails were spectacular and we topped off a perfect meal with a delicious pavlova.
The service was wonderful and it was a romantic and enjoyable evening.
5 well deserved stars! -
Review from lucinda k.
Vancouver, BC
5/2/2012
Mmmmm,
Ensemble is really good... I am vegan and although there is not vegan items on the traditional menu, the restaurant had no problem converting the eggplant app to vegan without the yogurt, and made up a yummy lentil veggie main dish. Honestly, the eggplant was REALLY good... -
Review from Chris S.
Vancouver, BC
5/4/2012
We had a birthday gathering at Ensemble on May 3rd. We had heard nice things about the restaurant and were looking forward to a good dining experience there. We were a party of 10 set to dine at 8:00pm
As many people do, we dropped off our birthday cake several hours before hand as it was specifically made for our event. We were told by one of the staff member s that there would be a 'handling' fee for this service. Fair enough... I expected a modest fee (maybe $10.00 or thereabouts) for the privilege of storing our birthday cake and having our waiter cut it up
.
Our group started at the bar, as our table wasn't quite ready. We consume a few cocktails beer/wine before being seated. After being seated, we then proceed to order many appetizers, 10 meals and approximate 7-8 bottles of wine. The service was good and the food was also enjoyable. After we finished up our meal, our dessert was served to all of us
When our individual bills arrived... Well... I was stunned... for each piece of cake that was served, we were charged $3.00. Multiply that by 10 and you get a whopping $30.00 for this service. After dropping hundreds of dollars this evening on food and wine, it was a tad insulting. I summoned the waiter who explained that were 'told' there would be a fee involved. I did not dispute this but firmly stated that I thought the fee was way too much.
I then asked to speak to the manager... and was coldly told that this was standard restaurant practice. I replied that I had NEVER been charged this amount of money EVER for this service (in many cases I was not charged at all) and that I said the fee was exorbitant and unreasonable. I said I would pay the fee, but that I was not likely to return to this restaurant. I said that our experience had been enjoyable, but was being overshadowed by his curt and lackluster handling of this situation. I was then rudely told that "Obviously we have differing opinions" of what was fair and reasonable. Furthermore I was informed that this restaurant was very popular, business was booming and that they weren't going anywhere. I was also told that he was pained by my attack on their establishment.
In the end, the fee was removed. But the attitude of the manager was enough to confirm that I wouldn't recommend this restaurant to friends. Good food and service is not enough to overcome poor customer service when dealing with conflict -
Review from Kyle M.
Vancouver, BC
4/12/2012
I really liked ensemble. I had this cucumber & crab roll that was delicious and the pulled pork was fantastic. What's more, they had triple karmeliet - my fave beer - for like half the price you find it at bitter tasting lounge in gastown.
The service however, leaves a lot to be desired. The decor is really dark and almost gothic, too - but, if you can shrug that off, the food is worth it. -
Review from Florence C.
Vancouver, BC
3/21/2012
They know how to cook, pair, and present the dish, point. Not a place for quantity, yes it's pricey but I made good choices and was satisfied.
- Dungeness crab: Wrapped in thin rice roll, fancy idea. And perfect teaser antipasto.
- Pulled pork sandwich: I can so have two of this! What's special is that they serve this with apple-horseradish slaw, watermelon to give the freshness kick. The bun is just perfect, cute. I also like that they half the sandwich without being asked, I was there with my boyfriend. Not impressed with the fried pickle. I don't know what value it adds there.
- Black cod with pork thai broth: It deserves the winning score in Top Chef. It looks simple but the taste keeps building up in every sip.
- Arctic char: Cooking time was just right. Paired with hearts of palm.
I didn't order dessert because nothing sounded special at that time, but my boyfriend had the souffle of the day. I tasted it, and must give it to the chef. It was one of the best souffle I've ever tried. -
Review from Jessica O.
Vancouver, BC
3/3/2012 1 Check-in Here
It was perfect. Every bite of every dish - and between my mum, Aunt and I we tried 6 (they had a few more after I left.) Everything was 'deep-sigh, say it out loud' good.
Duck confit - the mushrooms and slight hint of orange were amazing, but the best part was the crispy, crackly skin. Swoon.
Pork Belly - a beautiful piece of crispy belly, the fat simply melted in my mouth. It came served with some braised cucumber, all swimming in an acidic broth.
Beef shin and frites - the meat was bursting with flavour, perfectly seasoned with rosemary.
Potato gnocchi - Just order this. Just do it.
The waitress suggested 3-4 dishes per person, but I think that 2-3 is more appropriate for most people.
The best part? The bartender whipped me up a virgin cocktail using my preferences- I said "I like sour, berries and no lychee!" He made me a drink with sour plum, vanilla syrup and lemon. It was amazing.
I will be back! -
Review from Richard G.
5/13/2012
Imagine celebrating a major life event at a highly touted, pricey restaurant. Now imagine EMTs parading through that restaurant to rescue a vomiting overdose from the bathroom which you are sitting near and facing. Wouldn't you expect the management to acknowledge and respond in some way to the clientele who had to witness this scene? They did not. Hence one star.
This is a small upscale restaurant that came highly recommended. We were set to enjoy our meal when a woman stumbled to the bathroom We were the second table from the WC. The woman closest to the bathroom, apparently a physician, was up and down repeatedly trying to help. Not long after several EMTs and a stretcher made their way through the restaurant. Because I had seen how much the other patron had helped, I suggested to our waitress that the management comp their meal because they were not enjoying it, and do something for everyone else who had to witness this disgusting debacle. Even just going to each table to apologize for the disturbance would have been enough. Instead the waitress said "it's not our fault". No one said it was. The maitre'd came over and asked if we had a problem. I told him that it would be a good idea to the physician!s meal. He gave me a sanctimonious smile and said that they were a small mom and pop operation and couldn't afford to do that. This is hardly a mom and pop hash house considering its owned by a former Top Chef Canada winner. Really!
We would never go back. The poor service canceled out the fact that the food was good and the atmosphere. -
Review from Dru C.
2/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
Okay, I had to go to Ensemble to meet Chef Dale McKay and see his resturant eye to eye. Yes I am a HUGE TV show Junkie and I had to see how creative he is since I saw Top Chef Canada. But, it was too soon, I can not part away from my Le Bistro Deluxe.. QQ I still do not understand that after 3 months going to the establishment I can still taste the food. Yes, the posting date is 3 months after.
Anyways, the first thing I saw when I entered the restaurant was Mandy Tsung artwork on the left wall. I stopped in my tracks and then just adored it far away. I couldn't stop looking at it all night. I was just in Mandy Tsung artwork trance. Anyways I shall leave a plug in here for people to know who she is... http://mandytsung.com/
As I sat down the hostess was very friendly, but then suggested that we move to another table as there was a reservation later when she led us there first... I was just a tad awkward by this situation as I also placed a reservation as well... I told her it's fine I'll stay thanks. Felt a little off putting in that situation there...
On to the menu and the food that I ordered with me and my friend. We had the waffle duck confit, and it was extremely savoury and perfect for the first dish of the night. The layers that McKay did was very well done. He perfectly placed the most sweet on the bottom, so we can work our way down to the perfect sweet spot of the night.
The 2nd course we have obtained was the tomato Gnocchi. It was delicious. It wasn't really a large plate, which is good, and the flavor just was perfect with each bite. The tomato sauce wasn't heavy, good. And the taste of the fresh potato was really focused in the dish. I enjoyed it A LOT. The greens were cold though, didn't expect that but it was delicious! :3
The 3rd dish we ordered was the salted watermelon, deep fried pickle with pulled pork sandwich. I can say this was my favourite for the night. The small salted watermelon was really sweet. The salt adds a delicious bite and refreshing taste to the pulled pork if you ate them together. The pickle wasn't really my taste, but I only ordered it because it was on the TV show Top Chef :3
The 4th dish that arrived that night was cod placed on top of well broiled broth. It was very Asian inspired, but at the same time the fish was cooked fairly well. The flavors meshed perfectly together with the cod as it was deliciously made. The cod had the perfect taste of salt, and the inside was just a tad raw, which was perfect for my taste... Yummy.
I do not like their dessert menu as it is small and did not really answer my taste buds. I hope to see an improvement on that soon, maybe an additional pastry chef within the kitchen would help a lot! :P -
Review from Robin J.
Surrey, BC
2/10/2012
Having not gotten to dine at Lumiere with Dale Mckay at the helm, my friends and I decided to check out Ensemble. We all did go in with really high hopes tough, which may have caused for a bit of a let down. We had made reservations but arrived a bit early. The restaurant about 95% empty so we didn't think it would be much of an issue, and asked the hostess if it would be alright. She was certainly not pleased and advised us to go sit at the bar. We didn't mind at all, it was just a bit strange considering that the restaurant was so empty.
Service:
Once we did finally get to our table though, the waitress was great. She was helpful and knew a lot about the menu. She was actually genuinely friendly and was efficient as well, our plates were cleared and cutlery was changed out quickly.
Food:
First off, the drinks were amazing! I had a few of one called "2012" and it was just perfect. I can't remember the name of the other ones the rest of the party ordered but they were great as well.
The food was alright. It wasn't bad but it wasn't great either. We ordered about 2 plates each (the waitress recommended 3 per person) as we aren't big eaters. I got the risotto with lobster and the pulled pork sandwich. The risotto was by far the best out of the two but I've had a lot better at other places. As for the pulled pork sandwich, it was mediocre. Now that I think about it, it probably was a bad idea getting pulled pork at a French restaurant, but then again, Ensemble isn't really that much of a French restaurant.
Ambiance:
The restaurant itself was beautiful, not any faults there.
Overall, Ensemble provided great drinks and a decent meal. Nothing that would really make me want to go back. It wasn't bad, just wasn't great either. -
Review from Patricia L.
Vancouver, BC
2/15/2012 1 Check-in Here
This was one of my first forays into dining out during my first three months of pregnancy and it was great for me. I'll spare everyone all the gory details of 24 hour nausea and serious hormonal changes, but I will divulge that one of the strangest symptoms was my not being able to taste anything beyond sweet, salty and bitter and a serious loss of appetite. That all being said, my sad foodie-ass was getting a serious beat down and I needed a pick-me up STAT.
I feasted on their Lobster Iceberg Salad, Potato Gnocchi, Crispy Pork Belly and the Fraser Valley Duck Confit Leg. Everything was delicious and the service was great to boot.
Ensemble did the trick. I was actually able to stomach everything put in front of me and I was able to feel like my normal self again for a few hours and it was wonderful! There were a lot of options for pregnant women and now that we have a baby on the way, I'm always looking to see how child-friendly restaurants are. There was a baby there that night and the child seemed to be easily accommodated in their establishment. That just makes it an easy decision for me to frequent their business again once our little egg has hatched.
The vibe there was pretty energetic as well with a well-rounded mix of people. Couples, girlfriends on a girl's night out, families, business people etc. everyone seemed to jibe well together in the same space, confirming that good food can equal world peace. -
Review from Sherman T.
Vancouver, BC
2/26/2012
I went here with my girlfriend last night and was able to make a reservation at 8pm. When we got in, it was totally packed and it was quite a loud restaurant. We had the tasting menu ($48) for four courses. In my opinion, I thought that was a deal!
We started off with Dungenous Crab wrapped with daikon. It had an avacado puree with pineapple on the side. The flavours worked well and I enjoyed it.
The next course was the Moroccan Spiced Black Cod. My girlfriend is a big fan of sablefish. The spices were perfect and our fish were super moist. It was definitely my girlfriend's favorite dish.
The third course was Beef Shin and Fries. I loved the fries but the beef shin was okay. It was bad but wasn't great. I wish they put their signature pulled pork instead. There was no ketchup for the fries.
Finally, the chocolate fondant. My first bite was heaven. My girlfriend is not a big fan of desserts and she usually just lets me eats her. But this time, she ate it all and wouldn't share. I was happy she enjoyed the dessert.
For $48 dollars, I thought it was a good value. I went to Vancouver dine out and did not enjoy my meals at West or at the Market.
I would definitely come back here again. -
Review from Kenneth E.
Vancouver, BC
2/13/2012
Another great resto location just before a movie at ScotiaBank. It's a more higher-end casual than fine dining like Le Crocodile nearby.
Ordered:
Pulled Pork bun; yes, good, flavourful.
gnocchi. nicely soft potato, tasty sauce.
beef carparccio. thinly slliced, but not sure if it's worth the $14.
Tried the Spanish Chariot cocktail, not sure if it's really 2 ounce, as I barely tasted the Remy Martin.
I did find the service a bit robotic but there to refill water glasses promptly.
No doubt the decor is date-worthy. -
Review from Kimberly P.
Vancouver, BC
2/12/2012
Wow! My high hopes were met with our dinner at Ensemble last night. It was delicious from beginning to end. I was very pleased that when I told our server that I had to follow a gluten-free diet she showed me all of the available options and even said that several dishes could be adapted to meet my needs.
We shared 5 dishes between us then had barely enough room to share the apple pie sundae (minus the crust) for dessert. We probably could have shared 4 dishes only, but I couldn't narrow down my choices. I highly recommend the Sweet and Sour Eggplant (I didn't even like eggplant until last night), the Risotto and The Roasted Beet Salad...ooh and the scallops, don't leave out the scallops! -
Review from m l.
Vancouver, BC
2/11/2012
I have walked by this space a million times over the decades in all its permutations. It was Saveur, and before that, Piccolo Mondo. Over all these years, I'm ashamed to say, I never stopped in. Until last night. I knew that it had changed to Ensemble not too long ago. We were catching a show a block away, so I figured we should try it.
I was not disappointed. It is a small-to-medium-plates concept, which I'm a fan of. We had four plates -- two cold and two hot -- and they were all tasty, and though they could each have been potentially massively rich, they were pleasantly light-bodied, without giving up any flavour. The cocktail list was unique, though we only had time to try one. It was indeed a unique creation.
I was also super impressed that they were able to get us in and out in 45 minutes -- in time for our show. We will definitely go back when we have more time to spend. With any luck, this permutation at 850 Thurlow Street will survive longer than its predecessors. -
Review from Vanessa C.
Vancouver, BC
12/30/2011
Although the dining genre was listed as "French", Ensemble's menu items seem to fit in more as "Westcoast Contemporary" with dishes named after specific regions including Vancouver Island Mussels, Fraser Valley Duck Confit Leg and Arctic Char. We were advised by our server that the portions are small to mid-sized and would be best to share, which we did.
We started off with the Cornmeal Crusted Scallops. I enjoyed the contrast between textures - the soft, moist scallops paired with a subtle, grainy, breaded crunch of cornmeal. The small cauliflower accents were neutrally flavoured so it didn't take away from the seasoning of the scallops. The 16-Month Aged Prosciutto Salad was very spring-like and refreshing, with crisp ingredients like strawberries and cucumber. The neutral taste of bocconcini is a good choice of cheese to pair with the salty prosciutto. -
Review from Annie M.
Vancouver, BC
We looked up the menu and found it reasonably priced on their own website, so we finally decided to have an early dinner and try the restaurant.
The service was excellent and the food was delicious.
We were not hungry coz we started at 5.30pm, but we still order 3 entrees to share.
Crispy chicken to start with, the chicken was so juicy and smooth but not crispy as it described.
Duck Confit Leg, it was tasty and perfect. Just a bit smaller than we expected.
Arctic Char, it was so good.
Excellent desserts - Pumpkin Souffle with gingerbread ice cream was fresh and soft.
Chocolate fondant which is lava cake, it was perfect matched with hazelnut ice cream!! Must try.... -
Review from Janice F.
9/26/2011
Stellar food, flawless service - they know what they're doing here and it shows.
Marketed as French tasting-size dishes, but don't let that scare you off. The gnocchi was a respectable size, similar to other primi portions in Italy, it was a larger appetizer size but not quite big enough to be an entree. More importantly, the gnocchi was by far the best I've had in Vancouver. The gnocchi was marshmallow soft, yet with a bit of bite - perfeclty cooked accompanied by a lovely tomato butter sauce.
The beef shins (braised beef) was good but not terribly exciting unless paired with the carrot puree. However, the side of frites that it came with were amazing - beautiful batter, soft and fluffy inside and salted. Order a side of frites, you won't regret it.
The foie gras parfait was lightly whipped and quite nicely done, it came layered with an apricot puree and something panna cotta like on the bottom. I only ate the foie gras layer, but was more than satisifed. Served with slices of waffles.
I'm docking 1 star, perhaps unfairly, because of the hostess - the restaurant website encourages walk-ins, but I was given a harder than necessary time about it. If you're going to offer me a table, and tell me that I need to vacate by a certain time - no problem, I can read a watch and keep my word. Don't reluctantly seat me after you've made the offer.
Small point and not enough to deter me from another visit. -
Review from Hootie J.
Vancouver, BC
12/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
Well is says it is a "french" restaurant but I would have to disagree, more of a french-fusion and not sure what it is fused too...
Lots of seafood and pizza bread (?)
too many better choices to go back IMHO -
Review from Megan S.
11/4/2011
In short - I expected more from a Top Chef...and left hungry.
Came here for dinner with a friend and we were advised, as were most Yelpers, that dishes are on the small side so order 2-3 per person. Fair enough - I understand the concept of small plates. We decided to order 5 dishes, plus a side of bread (kind of silly to have to order and pay for a side of bread, but oh well).
Most of what we ordered was tasty, but not mindblowing - the beef carpaccio and eggplant definitely fit in that category. The gnocci were very, very good, but there was merely a scant drizzle of the yummy tomato butter "sauce", so we were really just eating them dry. The dungeness crab itself was lovely and fresh, but the apple in the dish didn't seem to work. The spot prawn cocktail was so small I don't think it could possibly count as a dish and I can't even remember what it tasted like.
I honestly didn't think I would end up complaining about the size of the food - I walked in with "fine dining" standards knowing that size isn't everything. But, when you take the server's advice regarding how many dishes will fill you up and you STILL need to swing by McDonald's on the way home, I think there's something wrong. Likewise, if the flavours had blown me away maybe I would have been more impressed...everything was decent, but I won't be back. -
Review from Jeff F.
2/18/2012 1 Check-in Here
I'm with another reviewer... I would have preferred to give 2 1/2 stars... I swayed to 3 instead of 3 though...
I had never in the past gone to this restaurant or any of the other few that have been in this location (I used to live around the block, so I saw a few go up and down in the last few years).... Me and a group went in to celebrate/cry over a friends leaving the city (boo!)
4 people... 3 went for the main tasting 4 course menu, and I went for the vegetarian one (not that I'm vegetarian, but I don't eat seafood, and 1/2 of the non veggie one was seafood).
My first course was a beet salad, and it was pretty good... not great, but pretty good. The second course was a butternut squash veloute... and that was a little better.... creamy, tasty... executed nicely. 3rd course was a gnocchi, and that was the winner of the trio of dishes.... the gnocchi was firm on the outside, but very nice and soft inside... one of the best cooked gnocchi I've ever had. Dessert was a citrusy sorbet with meringue sticks, served on a marmalade with orange slices seasoned with cardamon... not a huge dessert fan, but it wasn't working so well for me...
The other people had a crab dish to start... my fiance said it was overpowered by cumin and fruit flavours... she couldn't taste the crab at all. 2nd course was a Moroccan seasoned black cod... they liked it better... and even my non-fish eating self could see it was cooked beautifully.... 3rd course was beef shin with fries. This one was SALTY!!!! The beef... and especially the fries were salt salt salt. The only thing I've eaten at a restaurant that compares to how salty this was, was at Wild Rice where I had a similar salt experience (and of course... didn't enjoy). Dessert for them was a chocolate fondant... basically a little lava cake with ice cream served on toffee chips on the side. This was VERY VERY tasty.... much better than my sorbet dessert.
Service was good... but either she was a little frantic, or just her style.. but just seemed a little too slammy on some things... a lot of time while finishing off placing things down, she seemed already focused on something else, or looking elsewhere. Nothing quite wrong with it... but not quite connecting with us.
So... overall,, this wasn't a bad meal... but at the price and expectations (c'mon... he won Canada's best chef).... we were a little underwhelmed.
Return visit.... not too soon, if ever. -
Review from Simon K.
9/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
Something of a treat, walking into this place a few days ago there were many things I have read, both on the positive's and negative's to tell myself to blank my mind and go in with allowing it to be an experience. I am glad I have now had the chance to come into a place like this, and purely enjoy.
The place, which is located right next to the Guu on Thurlow is quite small in size, a nice, cozy chic setting. Filled with dark decor, and white clothed tables, it gives a very modern feel, clean and crisp, but also the lighting in here sets the mood. The service for us on this night was top notch, the servers name was Autumn, she asked us if it was our first time, gave us some tips of what the dishes were, and was able to answer our questions on each dish during ordering. Also because of the vast menu, advised on the sharing, and that it was accepted, noticed that she was very attentive to our needs for the night.
There was a choice to be made tonight, to go with the tasting menu, or to order and to share, we did the latter, and this is what we had!
The starting dish was the 16-Month Aged Prosciutto Salad , an interesting dish as it is filled with meat, so get the image of greens away from your head, and the prosciutto was very tender and marbled. As per the menu, there were bits of strawberries, two sticks of cut cucumber, and bocconcini that stayed close to the strawberries on the plate. It was a tasty treat to start things off.
The next dish was the highlight of me and my partners night and that was the Potato Gnocchi. The gnocchi were plump in presentation, and done just right, with a firm softness that held right together, paired with the creamy tomato butter based sauce, and it was as comfort food should be, wanting to take each individual gnocchi, and trying to savour each bit by carefully cutting them into at least 3 pieces.
The Black Cod with Thai Broth was an interesting dish, as the soup was like having some real good pho, except usually you would be eating beef, but then there was the cod. I can say the fish does go well with the soup. Asian inspired, without a doubt, a nice light palate of a dish.
Poached and Crispy Chicken was the last of the savoury dishes before headin for dessert, and I wish I had the pieces of crispy chicken last, and the poached first, as it would have been so much better. The poached pieces were very tender and moist, but compared to the taste of hte cripsy, was just not there, in terms of bland.
The dessert was a baked soufflé served with a side of rasperry puree and hazelnut ice cream with the baked main dish. The ice cream was absolutely amazing, a little scoop of this stuff on the side, and the flavours just popped in your mouth. The term, "there's a party happening in your mouth" can only describe this sensation. The soufflé itself was a mixed bag, very strong on the egg flavour that I was not too accoustomed to, it was not my piece of cake as they say.
This is a special place, and the food, service, setting make this a complete package. The noise level of this place can be right up there, as it was hard to hear at times what my partner was saying, but I guess people like to talk, and in a setting like this which is very modern, dark, and close to other tables, why would you not want to talk about the food that is being presented in front of your faces ever waiting to be devoured. -
Review from Diana D.
Vancouver, BC
12/21/2011
I was heartbroken when my two former favorites db modern and Lumiere closed, and am over the moon that we Vancouverites still get to enjoy Dale MacKay's excellent cooking.
My night out with some friends (also known as my excuse to over-order) at ensemble was full of great food and attentive service, including a short visit from Dale himself as he was making the rounds at the restaurant going table-to-table. As a side bar, more restaurants should do this. Half the charm of vij's is being able to meet the man himself and chat him up while sipping chai.
In efforts to keep my review short ..
Pro's: Great food, simple french menu.
Con's: Portion size. Go with the right expectation - they are small plates.
My recommended MUST EAT: Toss-up between the black cod and gnocchi. Just get both. -
Review from J N.
Vancouver, BC
5/28/2011 2 Check-ins Here
After I read some of the reviews about Ensemble and their smaller portions, I was a bit sceptical about the value of this restaurant. I even thought about cancelling my reservation. What a grave mistake that might have been! :) Ensemble means "together" in French, and this place has certainly proved to me that it has taken the time to make EVERY dish come together with perfection.
After last night's exceptional service, value and food, I am excited to write about one of the top new restaurants in Vancouver. Vancouver transplant and ex-NY'er Dale Mackay's new restaurant has succeeded in putting a smile on my face for the rest of the weekend.
I don't want to make this review too long, but I hope that if you've read this far, then you've already attempted too book your reservation for tonight.
Rather than to languish over your meal selection, simply order both tasting menus, enjoy a few glasses of wine and be prepared to experience a meal that compares with some of the top restaurants in SF, NY, Chicago and LA. That's right, everyone a five star Canadian chef, right in our own city. Be sure to add lobster to the veggie risotto if you are a seafood fan) and then skip lunch today as you and your partner will be more than satisfied with every single dish.
I am still thinking about the delicious crab melon soup and the wonderful chocolate fondant dessert, in addition to the flatbread, the perfectly cooked prawns, and every single thing that I tried there! The beet salad was one of the best that I've ever experienced in this city (including the ones that I've tried at 5 star places) and the beef shin with potato puree was literally to die for. My partner and I were almost fighting over it.
I wrote a previous thread about the lack of superb Thai food in Vancouver; Dale's black cod in Thai broth blew us out of the water, literally. His gnocchi, which was a bit larger than we would have liked was still extremely tasty and I couldn't help but finish every last bite.
Then, upon receiving your bill for a five star meal, be prepared to pay the same as you would have after ordering your food at Earl's or Joey's, with a generous tip for the exceptional service, of course.
There are only a handful of five star restaurants in this city, but as we all know, we don't always feel like paying those five star prices.
Dale's restaurant is extremely affordable. His food, ambiance, quality and price are a definite five stars. If you don't usually order the tasting menu, make an exception for this place and you won't be disappointed. The only caveat is that you will be extremely satisfied and full upon your departure!
Ensemble's service, from every single member of waitstaff deserves a six out of five stars. The hostess was pleasant and accommodating, even when I had made a mistake with the reservation; the waiter, although extremely busy was pleasant and funny with movie-staresque qualities. Dale himself was much sweeter and personable than his is portrayed as on Top Chef, and every single bit of his food emanated the same talent, uniqueness, and high standards that we see in his show. Do I really have to wait until Monday to watch the next episode?
If you are tired of visiting two and three star type of restaurants then go to Dale's for what we hope that every local restaurant and chef is capable of achieving in Vancouver. You won't be disappointed. If my review seems overly gushy (which is not my usual style) it is only due to the fact that I am still on a high from last night's special treat, a night which will not soon be forgotten. -
Review from Rich B.
5/18/2011
The best description I can think of for this is not French, but Franco-American tapas. The staff all made it very clear that the dishes were to share, but also were quite small. It did make ordering a little challenging and I'm not sure the sharing experience really works with many of the dishes I saw - unless you're with very close friends.
The menu read as a very varied and imaginative selection of cold and warm dishes. It featured takes on european classics like risotto, along with west coast staples like sablefish.
I ordered a venison terrine to start. It was delicately flavoured although it lacked a richness that I had expected. It was served with a small selection of pickles and a couple of corners of sourdough toast.
I followed this with black cod in a thai scented pork broth. The fish was perfectly cooked, but it really was extremely miniature - no more than a two-inch cube. The broth was good but a little over-seasoned and not as aromatic as the menu suggested.
I don't know if it's because I'm getting older, or because I don't get out as much as I'd like, but I do have high expectations when I feel like I'm paying top dollar. Ensemble is very pleasant, but the dishes I chose lacked the wow factor that would make me an instant fan.
One thing that seemed particularly confusing was the wide range of prices for the dishes. Ranging from $8 to over $30, they seem to suggest a potential variation in size. However, the most substantial dish at our table was beef shin with fries at, if memory serves, $8 whereas the $24 lamb plate required the aid of binoculars. -
Review from Crystal H.
Vancouver, BC
It might be too soon to like Ensemble already, but alas, I'm quick to fall in like (even while I still miss the Tiffany blue chairs and the eggs benny of Corner Suite which stood in it's place for a small moment in time). Ensemble's lively atmosphere, balanced cocktail list and well meaning dishes have me digging on them.
Sitting at the bar, we had a front row view of the magic chemistry between our two barkeeps. The cocktail list is small, but right off the bat, I can recommend the "one night stand" and the "in fashion," a twist on the old fashioned.
The food? I just wish there was more of it. While the Vegetarian 4 course meal (for $31) was a rainbow of variety, I yearned for more. More gnocchi, more risotto, more pavlova. The beet salad, though, that was a brilliant size. And homemade cheese - tops! Onto the spot prawn cocktail (yeah that's how we roll). Divine. The spicy cocktail sauce, the avocado and of course the barely cooked prawn was solid. Again, I could have used one more morsel. And the black cod with thai basil broth? Magnificent. The complicated broth just kept leaving me wanting more... and more... and more. Just don't go hangry, and don't say I didn't warn you! Between the 2 of us we shared 6 dishes and both agreed we could have used more sustenance. I'd still dine here for the flavour, but if you're looking for a sizable portion, I'd say, this ain't your place.
The manager was on his A game, making the rounds, the kitchen staff looked like they were humming along and the space was pretty packed at 730 on a Wednesday. I'm sure that there will be mistakes along the way, but for night #2, I have nothing but respect and likes for you!Listed in: Favourite Vancouver…
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Review from Dina D.
Vancouver, BC
5/19/2011
Some friends and I needed to make reservations for a group to celebrate two birthdays in one shot. As we all live within spitting distance and have longed for a new dining hang out we can stumble home from we tried the West End's newest establishment, Ensemble. And we liked it, we really liked it.
Before dinner we cracked the cocktail list. I enjoyed a ginger gimlet, made with house made ginger lime, and it was a tart, frosty dream in a glass.
Between the dozen of us we sampled almost everything on the menu. The sweet and sour eggplant was a favourite among the group, as was the foie gras sundae, beef shin, gnocchi (strangely called potato gnocchi, even though gnocchi is often made from potatoes), oysters and cod. This is just what I'm remembering through the haze of good times, full mouth and sips of wine.
Again, we were able to taste every dessert on the menu, all of which were delicious. The Pavlova was perfect, served with luscious citrus fruits and a dollop of citrus sorbet. The daily souffle, raspberry was sweet, light and plentiful. Dusted in sugar, the warm citrus madelines made their way around the table to happy moans.
For a large, boisterous group to enjoy excellent food and service at a week old neighbourhood restaurant of which we had high expectations was refreshing and exciting and might have caused excessive high fives on the walk home. And my dizzy food hangover the next morning was a testament to my pleasure. -
Review from Anita C.
Vancouver, BC
11/10/2011
Another a-class chef to add to vancouver's melting pot cuisine scene...and extra credits for the chef as the winner of Top Chef!
My girlfriends and I were super excited to enjoy a birthday celebration with Chef Mackay's creations. Brownie points already when I made the reservation and the hostess inquired whether it was a special event. It was nice to know that the madeleines were complimentary as the birthday "cake". So already, a good feeling going in.
From the outside of the restaurant, its tall and black windows created an optical illusion of comfortable chique-ness. Five pairs of heels clicked through the doors and the classy and dimmed decor promised a night of unpretentious fun and a palate adventure. Not completely disappointed but let's just say, we were already anticipating a Mcdonald's run after.
The hostess showed us to our table and loved the purse hooks underneath the table! Either the decorator was a women or a guy who was tired of holding onto his girlfriend's purse during dinner! Our waiter was prompt w/ greeting us and serving the water but that was the end to his "promptness". The service was 70% of the reason for docking the stars. From when the water was served to taking our order for drinks to bringing our bread basket (which by the way was $3.50 and the only reason we ordered because we were starving!!...it was not worth $3.50) to taking our food order was aproximately 40 mins. And after he realized that only one vegetarian set menu was ordered and the rest of us only had an entree, we were definetly given the idea that we weren't priority diners anymore. Not impressed.
As for the food, I must say there's a reason why Chef Mackay was Top Chef. I loved my black cod in pork thai broth...the marriage of the melt-in-your-mouth black cod and spices in the bowl was a match made in heaven..i was close to ordering another one! I just wished there was morel Ordered a side of the chanterelle mushrooms and also to die-to-for. My friends also enjoyed their artic char and crispy chicken and said were cooked just right. The vegetarian set menu hit the spot, especially the beet salad and risotto; it was a good sized decadent entree. We each tried one gnocchi and although it was good, all 10-15 of them would have been too heavy on its own.
Then came shared desserts. The strawberry pavlova was too sweet for my liking and tasted a little chalky but I almost licked the bottom of the chocolate sundae. Bailey's ice-cream with little gold edible specks. Done and done! And the madeleines with happy birthday written on the plate were warm and cute and fluffy and brought our night of girly giggles and chatting to a happy end.
Don't get me wrong; I will return to Ensemble and try their many other delights on the menu. I definetly suggest this ambience perfect for a date-night or a catch-up girls' night. It might have been an off night for the server. And remember, either be prepared to order 3-4 dishes per person or use your King-size Burger King coupon. -
Review from Harley W.
Vancouver, BC
5/27/2011
I was REALLY looking forward to Ensemble. I had planned for months to have my birthday dinner at Lumiere and experience Dale MacKay's culinary delights :D
Unfortunately they closed up 2 months before my birthday.
When I heard of Ensemble's opening, I immedietely made reservations.
Anyway, I was a bit let-down.
Dale was really impressive and politely introduced himself to my partner and chatted us up for a bit.
However, the staff knew it was a special occasion to me and that I had a party of 2. Strangely, in a mostly empty but quite noisy lounge, they sat us awkwardly in the middle of the room at a huge 4 person table. So large, my partner and I had to wiggle our chairs together just to hold conversation.
There were several cute 2 person tables by the windows.
The waiters, like I expected, were quite pushy and interrupted at the most random times. I think there may have been more people working on the floor than customers dining!
I can only assume Dale won the Top Chef $100,000 prize in order to be able to afford that much staff!
The Food however, was quite lovely and innovative.
I appreciate the "for sharing" quality and unique ingredient use. Dale is an artist. The presentation could have used some work, considering the price I paid for such small portions, the plate IS a canvas.
I'm not in a rush to return, but I'll keep an eye on what my favourite Vancouver chef is up to. -
Review from Lee S.
Calgary, AB
9/21/2011
This was my first visit to Vancouver and my first stop after arriving. To me this wasn't food but art, the presentation was immaculate and the flavors were amazing.
My date and I shared the risotto and lobster, eggplant, scallops. and gnocchi, and ended it all with a raspberry souffle.. They were all incredible.
I found the serving sizes to be a bit smaller than expected, especially with the scallops. However I treated this more as an experience with top notch food rather then something to just stuff my face. My only other complaint was getting the lobster for an additional $10 with our risotto, it seemed like they just threw some bits of lobster on top and nothing else, it really didn't add to the dish at all.
The service was very good, and the food was very fast. All in all a great experience and fantastic food. -
Review from Ross C.
Vancouver, BC
7/21/2011
Nice legs, shame about the face.
Just arrived home after walking the two blocks to my house from Ensemble. Despite booking a reservation over two weeks ago, confirming the # and being fully prepared to light up my credit card with 5 employees from work, we were summarily asked to leave the table after just two hours. With 500 bucks already on the tab and more to follow, we were appalled at being told " we need the table" and having our order of port and coffee turned away, .. While the food was solid and Dale was in the house, this was huge embarrassment to me and my employees who were looking forward to this evening as a reward for some hardworking they had done.
I Originally booked this reservation WEEKS ago and patient ya de Ted the cancellation due to an unexpected water leak.
Coming back ? Don't bet on it.
Telling everyone I know about it? You bet.
Dales cooking got us in, but his staff chased us out . -
Review from joanne f.
Vancouver, BC
7/15/2011
Expectations are quite high for this restaurant, but even so we found the food to be just ok overall. The foie gras sundae was bland, and the various textures just didn't seem to come together. The sweet and sour eggplant was interesting, but not interesting enough to finish off what quickly becomes a repetitive appetizer; do many little rolls of exactly the same thing.
Five spice pork belly was so subtley spiced that the overall impression was that it's bland. The risotto with spot prawns was perfection.
The chocolate fondant which I never usually order, because it is too often badly done, was a beautifully executed dessert. Just the right amount of dark bitter edge, and the ice cream was fantastic.
Overall, a couple of hits and a couple of misses with the menu. However a bland room and lackluster service, where plates are being brought to you by the food runner, and plopped down without any explanation, or even the proper cutlery (it really was challenging to get the foie gras sundae out of the glass sundae cup with a fork) contrive to create an overall mediocre experience.
In such a highly competitive foodie city like Vancouver, I really hope that this place can pull it together, otherwise it may be shortlived. -
Review from Young K.
Vancouver, BC
9/21/2011 2 Check-ins Here
To be honest, when Dale was at Lumiere, I thought the food was decent but not outstanding. When I heard he opened Ensemble, though he had just won the Top Chef Canada Competition on the Food Network and it was the talk of the town,... my expectations were low. I was pleasantly surprised how delicious the food was, especially the Black cod in Thai broth, the Artic Char, and pull-pork sandwich. Wow. The dishes are not expensive but the servings are not generous either. One could easily have two appetizers or two entrees - kinda like creating your own tasting menu. Perhaps, that is the fun part!
1. Watermelon salad appetizer (was served on the show) - quite unique, quite yummy!
2. Cornmeal crusted scallops appetizer - good but did not blow my socks off. Scallops tasty but abit overcooked for my preference. The cornmeal detracted away from the tender of the scallops.
3. Dungeness crab soup (served on the show) - good but uneventful. Nice fresh acidity though!
4. Foie Gras Parfait - very fluffy - recommend!
5. Pull Pork Sandwich - fantastic! (was served on show during beer competition).
6. Black Cod in Thai Broth - absolutely fantastic! Had it two nights in a row.
7. Arctic Char - cooked to perfection! Sous vide?? Recommend!
8. Beef Shin and Fritx - pulled short Rib Beef & reconstructed - good but uneventful. Amazing Frites!
9. Poached and Crispy Chicken - good but uneventful.
10. Raspberry Souffle - good
11. Pavlova - deconstructed - good!
12. Sundae - recommended!
13. Side of Frites - Holy S&*# good - must have!
The wine list is decent but not extensive. The Meo Camuzet (chardonnay) 2005 is excellent and hard to find.
The place is cozy but setting is unpretentious and fun. All-in-all, thumbs up! -
Review from Georgia D.
Vancouver, BC
5/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
I've come to learn that for Vancouver restaurant owners, potential is what you do with it. Ensemble has that...a lot of potential and I believe, more than it's fair share of people rooting for Dale McKay to succeed in his first restaurant.
Having been a fan of his work at db moderne/Lumiere and now watching him on Top Chef Canada, my partner and I agreed to give the restaurant a try while the paint was still drying on the walls. 4 days into the opening of his new spot, we booked dinner reservations for Saturday night.
Upon arriving we were immediated seated at our table (a nice plus) as opposed to be shuffled to the bar for the customary "10 minute wait" before getting seated. Our server was perky and very sociable, making sure we knew the style of the menu and sharing some of her favorites (can you have favorites and top sellers after 4 days?) Anyhow, we decided to share plates, but as the only other review here will say, portion size is definitely minimal.
We ordered the Onion Veloute, Bacon and Onion Flat Bread and the Beet and Local Cheese Salad as shares to start. The onion soup was extremely flavorful and had nice aromatics throughout. We quite enjoyed it, but were excited to get onto the flat bread and salad...Unfortunately, the restaurant was hopping and our next two appies took over 20 minutes to arrive (a large party somehow got in the middle of our course). The maitre d' and server came over to apologize and acknowledge the delay, which if nothing else was appreciated, but disappointing given we'd just started to whet our apetites.
When the plates did arrive, we were not disappointed. The flat bread was wafer thin, but a nice smokiness from the bacon. The beet salad was perfectly prepared and the cheese, beautiful. Our next courses were the five spice pork belly and Beef Shinz with french fries. I must say, both were perfectly cooked. The pork was extremely tender, and I would have enjoyed at least two more bites. You didn't get a taste of the five spices. I'm not sure if it's meant to be understated or not, but we would have hoped for some kick to that course. The beef shinz and french fries ...oh baby...as a french fry afficiando, these were up there with Michael Minna's french fries. Crispy and crunchy, yet warm and soft in the middle. Not only at all, I could have eaten a plate to myself. I would recommend the french fries as a standalone to anyone!
After our meal came dessert...both of us love desserts, so we immediately checked on the 'souffle of the day' upon arriving - it helped to determine the number of courses we would have...As I was still hungry, we decided on two desserts....the raspberry souffle and chocolate fondant with coffees. Unfortunately our server confused our order and brought us the chocolate fondant first (I thought it was because the souffle took 15 minutes to cook). For her, she didn't realize we wanted both and never put in the order! The chocolate was perfectly cooked - not too hot to taste burnt, not too cool to make it clumpy....the moment you cut into it, the chocolate ran from the middle of the plate outwards...heaven. After finally getting the souffle, that too was incredible. The sweetness of the rapsberries was soft, but so tasty and the souffle had a nice height to it. Impeccable desserts here. Given the oversight, our server comp'ed the souffle off our bill and made sure to apologize more than once for the oversight....
The only two things I think the team at ensemble need to work on is the music and the washroom (yes, two things you wouldn't expect to be critiqued at a higher end French restaurant). Every time a new music selection came on, the sound controls had to be manually adjusted...it sounded as if you were walking into the Roxy with nightclub loud music. The bathrooms also look as if they haven't received the same make over as the dining room. Small and understated, scuff marks on the walls and overall cleanliness closer to what you'd see at a fast food restaurant than a high-end restaurant... My partner has found that most restaurants forget that a washroom is an extension of the overall environment and should reflect the same style as the dining room.
Overall, the potential is there, the food is fantastic and the service is good. We would have been just that little bit happier with larger plates. Five plates and two desserts and we left wanting more. In a crowded Vancouver market, this may be the only major complaint..portion size.
Dinner for 2 (excluding alcohol) and tip was $110.00. -
Review from Tracy D.
Vancouver, BC
5/27/2011
With a lot of buzz around the opening and then hearing lacklustre reviews from friends and media outlets alike, I still made reservations to try Ensemble to see for myself.
We arrived on a Saturday night - the place was busy enough, but far from buzzing. This was 2 weeks after the opening so I guess they still had to work the Vancouver crowd in coming to this 'cursed' location where no one seems to do well in (Corner Suite was awesome and didn't last a year).
Had the Gimlet to start and I loved it, despite the fact that it was small and gone after no more than 4 sips. I did appreciate the attention to detail with the larger square ice cubes that are popular amongst the cocktail crowd since they allow for less melting.
Agree with a previous reviewer in that although their dishes are meant to be shared, they aren't exactly easily sharable, unless you're really close with your dining companions. In this case I was, but for a pricey establishment like this, I'm sure they'd love to have client dinners which would make for sharing kind of awkward.
Had the Spot Prawn Cocktail ($12) and Beet Salad (I think $9) to share and start. Spot prawns were 4 sweet delicious things, with the classic cocktail sauce and horseradish creme. Sauce wasn't out of a bottle tasting, but wasn't mind blowing either. I expected more. Beet salad was good with the house made cheese, which was well portioned.
Still really hungry, we then shared two mains, which I was also happy to have gone for the cheaper ones since I hear the lamb and fish portions were dainty (tipped off unintentionally by our server who described the fish as a 'little piece' of black cod etc). We did the beef shin (about $12) and the pulled pork sandwich (8.50).
Beef shin was in it's braising juices but not as succulent as I would have imagined. Came with fritz that looked a pale unappetizing colour not reminiscent of golden at all, but the taste was better and you can tell they were double fried. Pea shoot salad was a nice flavour, although slightly overdressed.
Pulled pork sandwich was neatly presently and came with a quarter slice (yes a quarter, as in slice halfway in length, and then again) of deep fried pickle. Yummy! Then with a small square of watermelon and small pickled daikon(?) which was a nice palette cleanser. Pull pork wasn't bad with an apple slaw. Juicy, but not as tender as I wanted.
After these dishes, we were two girls who were sort of full, could easily eat more, but we had a night planned for other things. Left with paying about 37 bucks per person, incl. tax and tip, but still wanting more.
Oh well, hopefully they change their portioning and sometimes awkward service soon, although the food was tasty. Vancouverites have so much else to choose from when it comes to tasty though. -
Review from Ella M.
Vancouver, BC
5/16/2011
I was really excited to hear that Dale McKay was opening his own restaurant and that would focus on being a little more affordable and less stuffy than Lumiere. My boyfriend and I drove by on Saturday night and I had forgotten it was open. It was raining so we called and asked if there was space, and they said there was at the bar and a high-top, and happily reserved a high-top for us.
The service was very friendly and quite efficient (the hostess served us the wrong drinks but it wasn't a big deal). I ordered the ginger gimlet and it was really yummy, very heavy on the ginger, which my boyfriend didn't like but I loved it. Nice and spicy.
We ordered half a dozen oysters, which came as an assortment of three kinds and were served with shredded horseradish and a bit strangely, cocktail sauce (the tomatoey kind you get for prawns). I asked for some vinegar to go with it and they served me a nice sherry one. The oysters where fresh and yummy.
We got the warm spot prawn appetizer which was delicious (hard to go wrong with spot prawns, though), which was served with cocktail sauce, an avocado sauce and some (I think) shredded lettuce or cabbage. I think this was somewhere between $8-12 and it only came with two little prawns, so it definitely left me wanting more. This is where I subtract the fifth star, because the portions were TINY. Like, almost comically small. It sort of felt like we were in a cartoon where you go to a fancy restaurant and the portions are microscopic.
We had the pulled pork sandwich which was really yummy, the bun was brioche and super crispy and nice, and the meat was very tender and juicy. It was $8 I think, so decent value. We also ordered the lamb, though, and this was about $25-28, and it was disappointing small. You expect for that price that it will be a full sized entree but it was about a quarter of the size of what you'd get elsewhere and was served with just a tiny dolop of couscous. I don't really have a problem with small portions but we could have used a warning so we didn't end up eating a grilled cheese sandwich when we got home... -
Review from Nerissa T.
Vancouver, BC
8/16/2011
Yes, we know the servings are small but they are masterfully crafted and meticulously thought out making it worth every last penny! Because of this, we were able to try multiple dishes from the menu and shared all of them. The foie gras parfait, black cod with Thai broth, pulled pork sandwich, gnocchi, and souffle (which is divine!!!), were particularly noteworthy. Our bill of a bottle of wine, 2 appetizers, 6 entrees, and 2 desserts rang in under $200, good value for the caliber of food and wine, and trust me we were stuffed!
On a Sunday night the place was bustling so I can only imagine what it would be like on a Friday or Saturday. Even Chef Dale Mackay took time out from his kitchen duties to meet and greet with diners. At the end of the day the servings are small but this restaurant is about the marriage of flavors and bringing people "together" to appreciate food. If you can't handle that, then don't go. -
Review from Joy C.
Burnaby, BC
7/25/2011 7 photos
Brought a few technicians with me and ventured out to Ensemble last week. It slipped my mind to make reservations, so we sat at the bar. I found the staff to be very polite and helpful.. it was very busy but they still took the time to make sure we were looked after. We let bar manager, Cho order for us. I am a vegetarian, so had the gnocchi and the risotto. The gnocchi was so amazing.. loved it ! loved the risotto as well. The techs had Lamb - they were very happy with it. The desert was heavenly. Each dish was very nicely presented and explained to us. Even got a visit from the Top Chef - Dale MacKay himself. I know its hard to get reservations for a table here, but the bar was great to sit at. The price range is also affordable, no prices are over the top. I loved the decor and found it to be very trendy. 5 STARS all the way !
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Review from George S.
Victoria, BC
12/6/2011
The drinks at the bar were excellent as we waited for our table, leading us to expect a real dining experience from one of Canada's top chefs. The reality of the meal was mediocre at best. We both opted for the tasting menu, hoping to enjoy the chef's specialities. What a disappointment. The dungeness crab with apple and lime was edible, but boring. The black cod in Thai broth featured a tasty piece of melt in your mouth black cod in relatively tasteless broth. The beef shin and frites left much to be desired. The frites were excellent, the beef shin was virtually inedible. Chocolate fondant dessert was ok. My wife had the wine pairings and quite enjoyed them. Maybe it was a bad night, I don't know, but the food was definitely not what we had hoped for.
