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JJ's Fine Dining
Category: Restaurants Cafes Cafes [Edit]
250 W Pender St3rd Fl
Vancouver, BC V6B 1S9
Neighbourhood: Downtown
(604) 443-8479
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- 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:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
7 reviews for JJ's Fine Dining
7 reviews in English
-
Review from John J.
Vancouver, BC
4/3/2012
What else can I say...I'm called jj !
What a wonderful dining experience.
Return often. -
Review from Hipster C.
Vancouver, BC
10/23/2011
LOVE the live-feed on the dining room tv on the happenings in the kitchen. The idea of supporting the training of up-and-coming chefs is also appealing to me . And yes the service was filled with nervousness and awkwardness, but they are student chefs not professional servers, so that was okay.
The food was alright. I had the lamb that was cooked well, but the vegetable sides lacked in both taste and presentation. The crab cake was a bit disappointing in that it needed more salt and less mayonnaise. The pavlova for dessert was very pretty, but the dessert just again, lacked the finesse and complexity in flavour. (I thought I would get schooled in meringue making, but the one I baked at home, actually did have the fluffy inside, as well as a vanilla bean and lemon zest infused cream. This meringue at JJ's was disappointingly just all tough candy shell).
I guess the students are practicing the art of executing a service and perhaps did not create the menus themselves. I think it is the passion and creativity that really make a dish, anyways :)
I wanted to love this place, but was left disappointed. Perhaps I will try the cafeteria next door instead. -
Review from David C.
Vancouver, BC
7/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
I really wanted to like this place but wow, what a let down. Came here with my class of 10 for a lunch. Subtly nervous servers, some of whom couldn't answer simple inquiries of the menu. As a fellow learner who feels the pressure of an evaluator, I can empathize. Their uneasiness and stiff service rubbed off on me though and it became a discussion (read distraction) in our dining experience.
Maybe I'm not much of a foodie, but I was disappointed by the portion sizes. Haute coulture presentation and culinary artistry, but positioned beside the cafeteria food and inexpensive bakery, my stomach was left yearning for more (and not because of any inspirational excitement of my taste buds).
All in all, given the imposed learning environment, wasn't a good place for a casual eat. Maybe, to enjoy it, I need to go back for an intimate dinner with more formal attire. But then, given the out of the way location, I probably wouldn't muster up the energy to do so.
Note: You can't just drop in. Have to make reservations a few days in advance. -
Review from Cyndi H.
Vancouver, BC
10/19/2010
This place rocks.
Great value, fantastic menu options, high quality foods, beautiful presentations, and oh-so-adorable service.
Though the food is delicious, it's not even my favourite part. My most memorable part of the experience here is the service. VCC's chefs in training are expected to alternate work in the front lines as well as in the kitchen. The result? Beautiful meals served by people who would rather be in the kitchen (we had the sweetest guy and his hands were shaking with nervousness when he served us the food, but he did such a great job). It's really neat to see the passion of a cook working the front lines. It really makes me appreciate cooks for what they do, and how they are the unsung heroes who often go unseen while we enjoy our incredible meals.Listed in: Most memorable Staff, Unexpected Spaces, Eat like a Sailor!
-
Review from Trude H.
Vancouver, BC
9/28/2010
The room itself is lovely, with dark wood paneling and soothing green throughout. Fresh flowers, white lilies and yellow roses, were a nice touch. Fresh, clean white table cloths and napkins; okay, bring on the feast!
At this time, the summer menu is still in effect, and will change in two weeks' time.
My partner started with a gorgeous scallop, spot prawn, fingerling potato stew bathed in corn butter. What a sensational taste, and kudos for using spot prawns. I went with a black cod brandade, which was a hot and tasty croquette, with a yummy cress salad; perfect peppery taste on a bed of tarragon mayo.
This is student cooking? Bring it on!
We moved forward with herb roasted chicken breast, a tasty, succulent morsel that literally caused us to drool. The chicken was stacked high in the centre of the plate, with a little mountain of garlic whipped potatoes, and a yummy nest of swiss chard bookending the bird. Wonderful to look at and a real treat to munch.
The double lamb chop with lamb sirloin was so tender, really, you can bring your toothless relatives for dinner and they too, will enjoy the lamb dish. A lip-smacking crusting on the outer reaches of the chop was mouth tingling good. And a beautiful eggplant roll; little strips of roasted red pepper with goat cheese snuggled inside this roasted wonder.
My partner has dined around the world - and he was mightily impressed with this fine meal; and $24 each for the three course event was stunningly cheap.
Yes, three courses.
Dessert. Oh my!!!! A pistachio sponge cake. Innocent enough, until you add seductively smooth whipped cream, fresh strawberries, and a red coulis. Each cakelet is really enough for two - but who wants to share this angelic treat?
The downside was our server was so nervous - and the bartender just could not produce the Dubonnet with a twist - fortunately, the chef instructor on duty that night was able to come to the rescue and use a teachable moment.
Moderately priced bar drinks and wine; special coffees to end the meal, and the bread - oh, sourdough pecan, and lots of butter. Yum!
Later, while chatting with the instructor, we discover the fabulous restaurants he's cooked in; no wonder the students do so well. And as mentioned in the other post, the livestreaming into the kitchen shows your meal in progress.
The top quality of the ingredients is why I gave the full five stars. No cheaping out here! Monday nights are the quietest; the 20 yard dash to the buffet table on Friday nights is the highlight of the week.
Seating is between 5:30pm and 6:30pm; perfect for before an event. You can linger until 8pm; if you need to be out in a hurry, pay cash and avoid the credit card lineup. Great room, sparkling clean restrooms.
Reservations are recommended. Call now! -
Review from Christine R.
New Westminster, BC
9/26/2008
It may not be in the most glamorous locale, but if a fine dining experience at bargain prices is what you're after, JJ's serves innovative three-course meals for about $20 to $25. It's situated within Vancouver Community College's downtown campus building and functions as the training room for VCC's culinary arts program. All the food is prepared and served by students under the watchful eye of their instructors.
I have been here several times for lunch, and the food is fantastic. I'm not being generous because they're students; the school is very up-to-date with food trends and they really do serve the dishes with flair and little garnishes and all the frills. It's a full-on, full-service, white tablecloth experience, and nice enough even for a business lunch or dinner date. It's not a huge secret, though, so you generally do need to reserve ahead of time. -
Review from Christine H.
Vancouver, BC
5/1/2010
I visited this restaurant for the first time this week and was totally impressed. Fine dining for a reasonable price. $24 provides a three course meal in a room of white table cloths, well dressed servers and a big screen that provides a view into the kitchen of the chefs-in-training.
I dined with a friend. We had a tasty salad of mixed greens, followed by a main course. I opted for salmon while my friend had chicken. Both were delicious. We both chose the lemon tart for desert. Each course had three items to choose from.
For the quality and cost, I would definitely recommend this. It's a perfect location for the opera and theatre crowds, who come well dressed. For my friend and I who were attending a literary event at the Vancouver library it was easy walking distance. Also close to Skytrain.
Reservations are recommended.
