Market By Jean-Georges
Categories: Restaurants Seafood Restaurants Canadian (New) Seafood, Canadian (New) [Edit]
Shangri La Hotel1128 W Georgia St, 3rd Fl
Vancouver, BC V6E 0A8
(604) 689-1120
- Hours:
Mon-Wed 7 am - 12 am
Thu-Sun 7 am - 1 am
- 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:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Classy, Upscale
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
85 reviews for Market By Jean-Georges
Review Highlights
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"I had the Soy Glazed Short Ribs with Apple-Jalapeno Puree..." In 8 reviews -
"...best part is their black truffle and fontina cheese pizza." In 5 reviews -
"For our starters, we had: the rice cracker crusted tuna." In 5 reviews
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85 reviews in English
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Review from Rose M.
Vancouver, BC
2/25/2012
Went here on a Mardi Gras "pub crawl", which essentially consisted of pricey cocktail at Yew, then another pricey cocktail at Hawksworth and finished off the night with SEVERAL cocktails at Market. We ordered the black truffle and fontina pizza, the rice-cracker encrusted ahi tuna and the salmon sashimi with crispy rice. While we were waiting for our food to arrive, we were given popcorn that was tossed in rosemary and olive oil (?) Popcorn? Yes. Popcorn. AND IT WAS SOOO GOOD. The rest of our order was super yummy and we even put in an order for another of the salmon sashimi. The wait staff are all very attentive, refilled our drinks (and popcorn bowls!)
I would definitely come back. -
Review from Leah M.
Vancouver, BC
5/7/2012
One of the worst dining experiences I've had to date at a high end restaurant. We arrived with a reservation, and waited about 35 minutes at our table to have our drink order taken. It took about another 35 minutes to receive our drinks. While we were waiting for our wine and martinis, a staff person (not our waitress) came by and started to remove the wine glasses. I asked him why they were taking them away (just curious) and he scornfully told me it was because we had ordered WHITE wine, so he was bringing WHITE wine glasses. When we finally got the drinks, and we were going to order some food, the waitress (with no apologies or mention for the fact that the drinks took so long) told us we should order our appetizer and mains at the same time as that would be easier for her and the kitchen. When the staff person who had taken away the glasses walked by again, one of our party asked could she please have the previous (bigger) glass back, as she preferred to drink her wine from a larger glass. The man scornfully replied "you want the BORDEAUX glass??" in a rude way. Lovely! I guess he never heard the service sentiment "the customer is always right"? As soon as the first cocktail arrived, we ordered a 2nd one, figuring it was a long wait so we should get a head start. It took another 45 minutes for the 2nd cocktail to arrive!! By this time we were getting truly irritated, so I asked the waitress "are the cocktails on their way?" We were told "there is a lineup at the bar, and they are handcrafted, so it takes awhile". No apology, no offer of something else while we waited, ridiculous.
While we waited, we ate some of the hard, dry, cold bread that they had served us. Ugh. When my main course arrived, I was appalled. I had ordered steamed halibut (which is in season so should be fresh) on an avocado salsa. It arrived, white fish, on a white plate, with a tiny pile of black beans on top, a very lackluster presentation. The salsa was roughly chopped celery and underripe avocado which had become hot because it was sitting under the fish too long. The fish smelled fishy and tasted truly unpleasant. I have never done this before, but I sent it back because it was truly inedible. After about 10 or 15 minutes the maitre d'hotel came by and asked my what had been the problem, seemed truly interested and apologetic, explained he wanted the feedback as it was a new menu item, etc., asked would I like to order something else. My interaction with him was the only professional and satisfying part of the experience. Another 10 minutes later our sour waitress came by and asked would I like a complementary side salad. At this point, I just wanted to get the hell out of there, so I said no thank you, got the bill ($45 for 3 cocktails, 3 hours later!), and hit the road. What a nightmare. Save your money, go to Hawksworth, or any of the other fabulous restaurants in the city. This was horrific. -
Review from Paula P.
Vancouver, BC
4/2/2012
Went here for a Valentines Day dinner. Broke up 2 days later.
Wish I had a nice romantic memory.
We shared a steak tartare (my second service of raw beef that week - what can I say? I'm a carnivore!) to start and it was nice and cold as it should be with that buttery softness that only raw beef has.
I had the truffle burger - it was delicious but small - nice brioche bun and lovely black truffle sauce.
Boyfriend (now ex) had a pistachio pesto pasta that I liked better and ate lots of.
Our server was attentive but not overt just like she should be at a restaurant like this one and the decor was understated and classy.
The big drawback and the reason I removed 2 stars from what would definitely have been a 5 star was a VERY large and loud party that arrived in the bar just as we were finishing our main courses. There are no curtains or doors to seperate the dining room from the lounge and this was apparently a Beefeater (not the classiest of beverages) party. Chock full of screaming hipsters fighting for attention and free drinks.
I mentioned that this was a Valentines Dinner - it was not right on V Day but around the same time and had it been mentioned to me when I made my reservation, I would definitley have selected another day.
I had to forego dessert this trip and then push my way though a mass of screaming douchebags (the only way out was through them) which really put a damper on my evening.
Hmmm - question - when I fill out the questions below the review before I post, what should I answer for 'Good for Groups'?
a) Apparently
b) Only if the group is made of skinny jeans and ironic mustaches
c) Not if you're not in itListed in: Great Dates!
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Review from Florence C.
Vancouver, BC
3/23/2012
Some people say their truffle pizza is to die for. I think it's a little overrated. It was such a mini pizza, crust is not as nearly as good as Campagnolo.
Anyway, I went back there on 31st December last year for brunch and I should have known that they up-ed the price during the festive season. Brunch set meal was usually $35 and it was $45 that day. My boyfriend and I had 6 items:
- Shrimp and avocado salad: Good but a little dry.
- Butternut squash soup: Decent
- Truffle burger: Checked off my list to try. And I still prefer my perfect burger at Whet.
- Snapper with sweet and sour broth: This was good. I really liked it.
- Chocolate pudding: Quite bland.
- Warm apple crumble: They failed on presentation big time here, a small ramekin with messy crumble and a scoop of ice cream. They didn't bother to clean the sides. I can do a better job at home so it was a little shocking to see this in a Shangri-la restaurant. -
Review from Sarah O.
1/25/2012
This is the best 3-course meal I've had in a long time. Every course was solid and really delicious. I wasn't expecting much at all but I was pleasantly surprised. Food, service, atmosphere was solid 5 stars.
All the dishes came out fresh and hot: from the bread rolls to the main dishes that were very well executed, all the way to dessert. Speaking of dessert... Holy cow. My new favourite place for them. Custom cinnamon ice cream on top of piping hot apple crumble, beautifully balanced chocolate mousse, pear praline and ginger ice cream.
Service was impeccable, and I'm not easy to please regarding table service. The price tag was very reasonable considering my overall dining experience. I highly recommend this place. -
Review from Thera M.
Richmond, BC
3/31/2012
The restaurant is lovely and one of the few places in Vancouver where you actually get high end restaurant service. The staff are very personable and take the time to make sure you enjoy your meal. I come time and time again for the short ribs. They are so tender you do not need a fork to pull the meat apart. Was just there for my birthday and had the baked Alaska! WOW, the best one i have ever had. Also try the homemade ginger ale with lemon grass! I love this restaurant
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Review from Victoria R.
Vancouver, BC
1/27/2012
I went last night for Dine-Out Vancouver. 2 options for each course, so we got both and tried all of them. The starters were good - no problems there. But the mains.. were a complete disappointment.
The beef new york striploin: cooked medium rare had absolutely no juice - it was completely dry! What med-rare steak is dry? I'm Argentinean, if there's one thing I know it's steak - and this wasn't it.
The colouring was odd too - pink in the center but red outside? The texture was much more like porkloin than strip loin, though the flavour was definitely cow. The waitress saw me staring at it in fascination, and brought me another. At least they were attentive - but the second one wasn't much better. I lied because I felt bad, and told them it was a significant improvement. It was juicier, but still dry, it tasted like it had been over salted and lost all its flavour.
The Snapper was worse - snapper is a relatively mild fish, so you need to work with the sauces to make it stand out - it was mediocre at best. A cream based sauce with no flavour, and a bland fish. I could have imagined eating that at a college friend's apartment - and not being very impressed, so it had no place at a fine-dining restaurant.
The truffle mash was, however, lovely - but it's an easy one to do - mash some potatoes with butter and drizzle truffle oil - you can't really get that wrong.
The desserts were nice - a great light chocolate pudding and a banana -something-rather.
The mains let me down though - and they are, well, the mains!
For a fine dining experience, I expected more. The food wasn't bad (well, some of it wasn't bad), but it wasn't great - and when I shell out over $100 on a meal, I'm expecting great.
I'm half tempted to have a steak from the Keg delivered to their chef so he can see what a new york striploin should taste like - at 1/3 the price. -
Review from Jacob K.
Updated - 2/20/2012
A regular lunch customer, I ate dinner at Market for the first time the other day. Caveat: I chose Market because it was close to Canada Line and had a better dinner menu than the other restaurant I was contemplating.
Market is an excellent choice for dinner. The service was great; I let our waitress know we were under time constraints and we got out of there on time.
My dinner was a very simple three-main ingredient dish: dough, cheese and black truffles. However simple that sounds, the experience was complex. Rich and savoury, it is very delicious. Truffle is the dominant flavour in this pizza and the cheese is a nice compliment, creating a very different kind of pizza.
It is a small dish, ideal for sharing with another dining companion, leaving room for sides and desserts.
And what a dessert it was. The warm chocolate cake is an explosion of chocolate taste, without being overly sweet. The shell is a nice finish to the oozing chocolate lava.Listed in: Good lunch places
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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2/13/2012
My networking luncheon group's usual bi-weekly lunch was held recently. Lately, I've only been… Read more »
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Review from Sam L.
1/2/2012
For my girlfriend's birthday, we decided to come to Market. We had a great meal here. Was it worth the exorbitant price? Probably not, but I will never forget the black truffle and fontina cheese pizza we had here. I think we had some other dishes too - something about tuna, and maybe some short ribs... Did I mention the pizza? So good! Just kidding, the tuna tartare was good, but nothing new there. The soy glazed short ribs were delicious, especially the apple-jalapeno puree.
The service was spot on and we were introduced to one of our favourite new wines here, a pinot noir from Le Vieux pin winery in the Okanagan called 'Adieu' - liquid gold! -
Review from J K.
Vancouver, BC
2/26/2012
Disappointing on all fronts. The restaurant has gone down a few notches on all fronts. The food was ok but not memorable, the service was spotty and atmosphere was pretty lame.
We ordered the snapper and sable fish. Both were served in strangely small bowls that did not feature the food but kids through it in front of us. They also seemed to have unnecessary amounts of butter. The food was good but nothing to write home about...
Appetizers were better... The beet salad on yogurt had some nice surprises (thumbs up to the candied hazelnuts. The rice cracker tuna was decent and worthy as being a mainstay on the menu.
We had a reservation on a Friday and when we came in at 8pm the place was half empty and the bar area vacant.
When I asked about an email promotion for some new cocktails I was told it was stating in 2days....
All in all the dinner was not spectacular -
Review from Jess L.
11/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
I think the best part about the restaurant is their outdoor terrace! The second best part is their black truffle and fontina cheese pizza ;)
I thought the Market burger was really like any ordinary burger - except smothered with black truffle dressing, it was actually TOO much dressing. The tuna tartare, salmon and halibut were also good here, but I think if you're going to get fish here, go for the arctic char or sablefish :)
The service here is polite, but sometimes stoic :/ -
Review from Dru C.
10/9/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I cam here for the Yelp Eats for Charity. I enjoyed the time I spent here, but the only negativity is that the waiter was not attentive enough as I thought. But the atmosphere of the place was amazing. It really is different compared to the day time. I really enjoyed it a lot.
The food was not bad. I loved the Truffle and Cheese pizza we bit into. I loved it a lot actually and the flavor was dashing! We had 3 appys, and 3 mains. The appitizers were scallops, Tuna tartar, and crab cake. I enjoyed the scallops the most as they have a distinct taste that gave me a memorable night. For sure the scallops I would go again. The Tuna tartar was really not up to my standards. I love my French dining, and I know my French dining. It really was not up to standards. I wish they made it a bit better, but the avocados were a perfect touch. The crab cake was perfect. I didn't mind the flakiness, because it was crab, but the creamy texture really gave me a flow for the rest of the night... :3
The mains we had were three fishes, the halibut, salmon and the tuna. I enjoyed the salmon the most that night. The fish was seared well, but not as perfect as the "SECRET PLACE". The halibut was in a nice consume/rue, and it was flavorful. I enjoyed the halibut. The tuna was good, but not stable enough to be called a fish dish.
We finished off the night with wine and great time with each other! Thank you The Market for helping charity, and participating in the YELP Eats!! :D I had an amazing time and I will come back again soon! :DListed in: Yelp's 30 DAYS of AWESOMENESS
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Review from Irena L.
11/10/2011
5 stars for the food and service! Everything was great! We listened to my fellow yelpers and ordered truffle and cheese pizza to start, sable fish and soy glazed ribs for mains and chocolate cake and baked alaska for desserts. Everything was I'm-in-heaven-and-can-hear-angels-singing delicious! All that and some wine got me through Monday blues.
Service was impecable as expected.Listed in: Creme de la creme
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Review from Ellie I.
Vancouver, BC
3/18/2012
3.5 stars.
I've been fortunate enough to try some of the best restaurants in quite a few cities around the world but I'm not a food snob by any stretch of the imagination. I've eaten here a handful of times because someone else chose. Taking into account the price points, t he food and service is good enough but not great. Nobody would be upset eating at Jean-Georges but I prefer the flavour of the food at other similarly priced venues around the city. -
Review from Vincci L.
10/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
During the Yelp Eats week, we came here to enjoy their patio and the food and drinks.
Starting off with a black truffle and fontina cheese pizza, this was quite the amazing pizza. A crisp thin crust, and oozing fontina cheese melting within the black truffle. Soo good.
We also ordered a couple of other of dishes to share: Tuna tartare (average), seared scallops-particularly good with a caper - raisin emulsion, sablefish, halibut, and salmon. The sablefish was the standout dish-soft, and fresh, and infused with so much flavour.
We also shared a pitcher of Ginger Margarita which was super delicious.
Attentive service throughout the night.
Overall, food is nothing too spectacular for the price they're charging.Listed in: 30 Day Yelp Challenge.
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Review from Annie M.
Vancouver, BC
Jean Georges is one of the world renowned culinary chefs famous for his Euro-Asian cuisine. I have been to Market before (almost 3 years ago) and wasn't impress at all.
I wanted to give them a chance to see any change after several years.
Overall, the appetizer and main entree was a bit disappointing. Although it was technically cooked and assembled almost perfectly, the taste was pretty much ordinary.
Seared Scallops - It looked good and delicious.
Stable fish - a bit salty and ok.
Beef tenderloin - Great and juicy
This place is JG in name only! -
Review from Sarah A.
I picked Market for my birthday dinner because I have heard so much about it for so long, and I wasn't disappointed with my choice. The service was outstanding. Our servers were very attentive and welcoming and had great recommendations to offer when it came to ordering.
We ordered one appetizer and ended up getting another one on the house - both dishes were amazingly good. We had the rice crusted tuna and then a dish of scallops on rice came along for free. For my main dish I ordered the sablefish which melted in my mouth and was to die for. Other members of my party ordered the salmon and the lamb chops and everyone was very happy with their meal. The portions are sizeable and you will not leave hungry.
The dessert was lovely as well. I ordered raspberry cheesecake sorbet - very delicious. Tart and tangy, fresh and not too sweet.
This is an excellent choice for a special occasion where you are looking to dress up and spend more than you might typically spend on a meal. -
Review from Mike L.
11/16/2011
* 3.5 stars
Overall, the service could use work, as could the dessert selection, but the 'meat and potatoes' of this place were wonderful.
Please see my full review with pics here - http://infamousdx.com/... -
Review from Ernesto G.
Updated - 11/7/2011 9 photos
Best Ginger Margarita I have ever had!!!
If you want to just chill out and relax with friends over a nice cocktail, come to Market...you won't be disappointed. Classy, yet relaxed atmosphere. Excellent service. Great drinks. Can't ask for anything more.Listed in: The 5 Star List, I LOVE BRUNCH, Tired of the rain in Vancouver
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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11/14/2010
Thank you Anthony Ricco for bringing Spice Market to Vancouver!
I have always loved the Chocolate… Read more »
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Review from Herman E.
11/7/2011
When I came here I did not know that this was predominantly/partly Asian fusion. To reiterate from some of my previous post(s), I am not a fan of Asian fusion.
My visit was disappointing. Service was slow given the number of diners in the restaurant. The room was nice, modern - about the only redeeming factor.
The only things that I liked from the menu were the truffle pizza and the burger. That said, the burger was not outstanding, but good none the less.
Sablefish - meh. There was hardly any taste. Quite bland.
Arctic char - meh. Same comment as above.
Soy glazed short ribs - meh because this tasted similar to soy chicken which I can make with my eyes closed, blindfolded, and one arm tied behind my back, but I paid 10 times the price. I can more than likely replicate this dish at home, and make it taste better.
I have been afraid to try Oru since it's opening day. Someone please hold me back!!!!!!!!!!!!!! -
Review from Janice F.
Updated - 8/5/2011
3.5 star experience, but it was a rare sunny day in Vancouver on a patio so I'll give it a little more credit than it deserves!
From 5-7 they have a lounge / patio menu with $9 items on it - the mushroom parmesan pizza is fantastic, dripping with big chunky fresh mushrooms.
I also liked the crab cakes ($12) absolutely no filler, with a nice pea shoot wasabi salad.
The salmon sashimi was beautifully fresh and firmly textured.
The truffle burger is a double patty, on a thick brioche bun. The truffle mayo is a bit lacking in flavour and aroma.
The halibut was a generous portion, also extremely fresh and blindingly white firm flesh.
For desserts, I liked my raspberry cheesecake - it was a cheesecake ice cream, with raspberry sorbet, whipped cream, meringue sticks and some really huge fresh raspberries. The sorbet was a tad too sweet.
Efficient, friendly service.2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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5/19/2009
I'm adding an extra star because for the first time, I actually received an unexpected touch of… Read more »
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Review from Mark F.
I expect so much more. Very disappointing.
Extremely slow service from a 1/4 to 2/3 filled dining room. Menus arrived but I had to ask for the wine list. Some first round beverages arrived after the appetizers and additional pours were slow coming.
Now for the food. On the up tick, Market does offer gluten free menus with variations of the evenings offerings. While I orders for the full boat menu, I was only partially impressed and mostly disappointed in my food. For starters many of us eyed and dove into the foie gras brûlée. As expected it was amazingly rich. Please share as its too much for one person. The sablefish was soft and delicious over beans that overpowered this delicate fish. I was told the filet was good. We shared and loved the roasted mushrooms with jalapeño and garlic and some Brussels sprouts floated about but were not devoured.
For the price and celebrity chef, I expected much more from Market. -
Review from Bandeets L.
Vancouver, BC
2/12/2012
Normally I hate going to pretentious, ram-up-the-tookas joints like this place, but having to attend a group party here, I was pleasantly surprised - the food and portion sizes were actually decent. The standout dish for me was the black truffle fontina pizza! Service was ok, nothing too great, a bit slow but friendly. We were seated in the private room so I didn't get to see all the douches sitting at the bar douching it up until we were leaving--that's when it all came back to me why I hate dining downtown and these places.
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Review from J N.
Vancouver, BC
6/16/2011
Wow, this used to be my favourite five star restaurant in Vancouver. In fact, I thought that I'd already reviewed this with a five star. Not anymore!
Went there today. Initially, the service was 5/5 for efficiency. Waitress was certainly not friendly, but not rude, either. We were seated at a great table.
I didn't want anything too heavy so we shared the
a) prawn salad
b) scallops
c)ahi tuna sandwich with fries
To start: stale bread. Really? Does Jean-Georges really approve this? If so, then he's seen his day now, hasn't he? I've had better at Cobbs! Come to think of it, what restaurant even bothers to serve bread anymore unless it's of decent quality? Definitely old.
Tuna-pretty good with average fries and average portions.
Scallops- seared a bit on the lighter side, but I know that some people like that. Cauliflower roasted on top was divine.
Then, came the prawn salad. Since this was formerly my favourite five star, I didn't ask for the dressing on the side. This was meant to be my main meal. Well, BIG mistake there.
The prawns, again seared a bit too lightly for my taste (but I can accept that) were doused in a heavy dressing. So were the rest of the greens. I mean, this was more heavily dressed with a "light vinaigrette" than the Caesar salad at Earl's (which is quite heavy). I politely told the waitress--when I finally saw her again, that is. She responded with a glazed "I'll tell the chef." I then told another waitress when nothing was done. Another glazed look. The salad would have been beautiful otherwise, but by the time I was done, I could have made a soup with the dressing that remained on the plate. I might have ordered a burger with extra sauce and it would have been less disgusting. So much for the light lunch! I should add that I am not normally a "light" salad girl, but this was too disgusting even for my rich tastes.
For the record, our server inquired about our meal within the first fifteen seconds (before I'd barely taken a bite) and then not one person returned to ask us about our meal until it was too late. This was a business lunch, after all, not a leisurely dinner.
Then I was charged for my 18 dollar salad without an apology, and I went on my merry way.
Needless to say I will NOT be dining here again, at what was formerly one of my top favourite restaurants in Vancouver. Either should you. -
Review from Edda O.
10/12/2011
Although a little uninspiring, the food is pretty good. Nothing was short of tasty (even if they were salty). Although I ordered off the regular menu (because not many dishes in the prix fixe appealed to me), the lunch prix fixe is an amazing deal especially for the calibre of the dishes.
Service was pretty good. Our server was very knowledgeable on the menu items, although she was not very accurate in describing the size of the dishes. Needless to say, I ended up with too much food and was stuffed to the brim so had no room for dessert.
We ate:
Beef Tartare - Pretty good tartare but a little too heavily salted. The fries were quite mediocre. Soggy, greasy and did not look very appetising.
Truffle Pizza - Great pizza. Amazingly thin crispy crust and generously topped with chopped up truffles and cheese. Savoury, rich and quite addictive.
Lamb Chops - Lamb done a bit more than I expected but it was still juicy and delicious. Seasoned very well and oh so tender. The mushroom bolognese was a huge surprise. It was savoury, earthy and complex. I did not care much for the rapini. It was bland and had specks of chili flakes but had no seasoning whatsoever.
Ling Cod in Sweet Sour Broth - Fish was cooked well and flaked off nicely with a great crunchy crust. The broth was not as developed as I liked but was rich & buttery with hints of sweet and sour as promised.
Chocolate pudding - Simple but a pretty good way to end the meal.
Blueberry soda- The soda was delicious, refreshing and so fresh tasting. It was not sweet at all, but had such intense blueberry flavours and carbonated. -
Review from Ziyan C.
9/14/2011
Solid. Not everything was top-notch, but the ones that were really made the meal.
* Service: 5 stars
My server was so patient with my indecisiveness, gave good recs, and was always around when I needed anything. My food came out crazy fast - possibly due to my late lunch (2:15pm on a Thursday) or the fact that I was eating alone (hey - I'm in Vancouver for a few days, my cousin's in school during the day, and I LOVE JG in nyc. Can't blame me). She even offered to bring over a magazine or newspaper, but not in a way that made me feel awkward at all.
* Ambiance: 5 stars
Love the outdoor area. Plus there's a more formal-feeling dining room.
* Value: 4 stars
$35 for a prix-fixe 3 course lunch.
* Bread basket: 1 star
Stale sourdough! Not cool.
* Rice cracker crusted tuna, citrus, sriracha emulsion (w/ scallions): 5 stars
Amazing. Love the crispy warm breading over the raw tuna. The emulsion was great, and the scallions crunchy and fresh.
* Market truffle burger, black truffle dressing, brie (w/ fries & ketchup): 4 stars
Also amazing. Deducting 1 star because it can only be cooked medium or more. I prefer my patties medium-rare. Still.. for a medium burger, it was juicy, the oil was literally dripping out, and it's a double patty with double slices of brie. The bun - oh buttery heavenliness. Wonderful. The fries - perfect as well, great crisp, whilst warm and soft on the inside.
* Summer berries in sangria, white peach sorbet (blackberries, strawberries): 2 stars
Thought I'd end light as the burger was quite a feat to eat. I really wanted the chocolate pudding but thought that would just be too much fattiness in one meal. This was a big disappointment. The sangria was like syrup it was so sweet (and I usually have a high sweetness tolerance!), and the strawberries were CLEARLY not fresh (you know when the skin gets kind of mushy when they've either been thawed or have been sitting out for a few days...). The sorbet kind of made up for everthing else. -
Review from Lakisha W.
West Vancouver, BC
2/9/2012
I heard fantastic things about this place, and seeing as I work right next door, when a group of friends decided they wanted to come here for dine-out, I thought why not.
Upon arrival, the hostesses didn't greet us at all, and may I mention, this was 5pm, so the place was empty, and there were 2 hostesses on.
Our table hadn't been set up yet, which was fine, so we sat in the bar and had drinks. When it came time to be moved to our table, the server didn't bother asking if we needed help carrying our drinks over. When we got to the table (we got sat in the private room) and handed our menus, we were a couple menus short. One of my friends had to go and ask a server assistant for menus.
The food was excellent, no complaints there. Definitely try the truffle-mashed potatoes. I didn't order off the Dine-Out menu as I thought their regular menu looked so much tastier.
When it came time to pay, we were told that we couldn't split the bills because it was a private room. Well, maybe they could have told us before they sat us there, or when we made the reservation. It was extremely frustrating sorting out the bill.
I won't say I won't be back, because the food was delicious, but for the type of restaurant this is, or type of restaurant Market is claiming to be, I could get better service at a White Spot. -
Review from Kalina M.
North Vancouver, BC
1/4/2012
Classy, Consistent, Classic - 3 C's for me is pretty good in my books.
I was here with clients 3 times over the Holiday Season. It is my most booked lunch spot for my client lunches, brunches etc. in this area. I have been taking my clients here since they opened.
Their decor and atmosphere is fabulous with a private room with a great round table for about 10. Definitely a city classic and here to stay!
Service has improved dramatically and is now consistently great. (They had a few glitches to start... my clients typically only have about 90 minutes max, due to their senior level and they took quite a bit more than that. Still amazing service with an apology to me from their management! More than forgiven.)
Quality/Balance of Flavour of dishes are fantastic and again consistent. I have seen most of their menu and every dish is enjoyed each time.
Most order LUNCH PRIX FIXE 35 - Choice of two plates and a dessert
My current favourites: (I had this 3 times in a row this season!)
Parsnip Soup, Coconut Foam, Lime and Mint - Party in your mouth! The coconut foam is subtle and then the fresh burst of Lime & Mint makes every bite one to be savoured.
Black Truffle Pizza with Fontina Cheese - Just the scent of this as it arrives makes you salivate. In perfect balance, not over done a favourite that has never changed.
Warm Apple Crumble, Cinnamon Ice Cream - Made me love cinnamon again!
House Made Soda - Fresh Ginger Ale - Yum, Yum, Yum - Love it!
(All flavours are great!)
Parking is right underneath with an elevator to a walkway that goes to both Market & Ki - very convenient!
(Spotted - J.P. from Supernatural) -
Review from Lo C.
1/28/2012
Went up to Vancouver as a family tradition, 8 adults and 1 two year old. This place had the best service and amazing food.
The whole staff was at our table at one point or another either to refill water, serve food, or make sure that we were getting everything we needed. It seemed like every time we thought of something there was wait staff at the ready to help without being over the top. They catered to our two year old and made him a special dinner that was not on the menu. Each staff member was so great with him which helped us enjoy the night.
I was so impressed!! We will be going again next year! -
Review from Cathy S.
1/29/2011
Market hit a Dine Out 2011 home run. If their intent is to convert Dine Out customers to regular customers by serving solid food courses combined with excellent service then they were successful.
My first impression upon entering Market was how comfortable the environment is - modern and elegant without a lot of fuss. We could only secure a ridiculously early reservation so we had the benefit of receiving a lot of undivided attention by the restaurant staff and our server Ray before the restaurant filled up.
For starters my husband ordered the steamed shrimp salad. He is not a huge salad fan but said that this was the best salad he ever had. I ordered the tuna tartare. It was plated so beautifully with spicy radish cut to look like a peony decorating the top that I was hesitant to mess it up, but I'm glad I did because it was fabulous. For our mains my husband ordered soy glazed short ribs with a side order of truffled mash potatoes. I ordered the roasted lingcod with the Malaysian chili sauce and thai basil. Both were delicious and very satisfying. We both ordered the Ovaltine Kulfi for dessert -YUM. If I could only choose one dessert to have for the rest of my life this one would be under consideration.
I'm anxious to return and see how they fare when they are serving their full menu. -
Review from Betty L.
2/21/2011
I didn't have high expectations for Market because the past two times weren't all that great. Still, I decided to try again with a friend. Since it was super busy on a Friday night, the server seated us next to the entrance of the restaurant. Even though it was super busy, the food came shortly after we ordered.
My friend and I ordered the same dish. We had roasted sablefish with Malaysian chili sauce and Thai basil. It came with some rice. It was soooo yummy!! The skin of the fish was crispy and the flesh was moist. That sauce was intense and had a homey feeeling to it. The rice was really useful because it helped soaked up some of the salty (in a good way) sauce. I also ordered the cheese fritters. Those were just as yummy. It had a nice golden brown appearance and the inside was warm and gooey. They were little morsels of comfort food.
Since this past experience was pretty good, I'm going to find the time to have a full meal at Market. -
Review from Annie W.
6/3/2011
I've been to Market for a quite a number of occasions - business lunches, social dinners, and even celebrated my mother's big 5-0 in one of their private rooms towards the back.
It's a nice airy space that and the private rooms are intimate and well designed. I find that the food is quite hit or miss. Some items such as the mashed potato, Market Truffle Burger, and Crusted Sablefish are well above average, while others like the Soy Glazed Short Ribs, Salmon, and Shrimp Salad are merely "meh."
I agree with Derek's assessment of the "lackluster service." For the most part my regular lunch and dinner services were adequate, but I personally feel that a restaurant really shows it's true caliber when it comes to special occasions. In hindsight, I really should have just gone to the Four Seasons...but for my mother's 50th luncheon we went with Market's as it was more Asian fusion. Long story short, the first half went by smoothly and then the staff just completely fell apart - surprises were ruined, food was late, and for a while we were simply forgotten. Special occasions appreciate special attention, if the Chinese restaurant down the block can get it right there's really no excuse for MARKET not to.
If it's on the company's dime, by all means give it a go. But if you're looking to celebrate something special, or even just some seriously good food, there are so many better options in Vancouver. -
Review from Melody M.
2/3/2011
I came here a couple of years ago to have drinks with a friend on the beautiful outdoor patio. I love the zen like feeling it had with its very modern decor. Coming back again, this time to have dinner, it still had the same cool feeling.
The staff was courteous and the tables spacious with lots of elbow room and food was presented like art work. There was a lot of selection on their drinks menu too. You can also have wine pairing to go with your set menu. Everything looked good that I had a hard time deciding. The tuna tartare was great and so was the crab cakes. I love the lingcod and dessert caramalized banada. This also had the best white sangria I've ever tasted.
Definitely I will be back again and again, probably ordering the same thing !!! -
Review from Brandi P.
Toronto, ON
2/1/2011
I got taken here for a Christmas work lunch. I have to say, it was pretty great.
I am one of those people who loves ordering a few appetizers instead of a main course, so I ordered the Dungeness Crab Cake with Pink Grapefruit, Avocado and Ginger...one of the top 3 crab cakes I have ever eaten for sure.
I also ordered the Roasted Carrots and Avocado Salad with Sour Cream and Citrus Crunchy Seeds. It was also fab.
For dessert I had Coconut Crème Caramel with Spiced Pumpkin...so yummy, I could have eaten 2 or 3.
I was with a group of 5 and everyone loved what they ordered.
I wasn't too into the actual decor of the place, but the food and service totally made up for it. I cant wait till I go back again. Yippee! -
Review from Polly C.
Vancouver, BC
2/13/2011 2 photos
Another couple friend, the bf and I double dated and were looking forward to our dine out (second dine out for the bf and moi after our mediocre dine out experience at Aqua Riva) at the Market.
The atmosphere was very posh and sophisticated with soft magenta lights dancing off the wall. When we arrived, our hostess asked us if we wanted to remove our coats as the place was fairly warm. Although a little hesistated because I do get chilly easily, I handed over my jacket to her and proceeded into the restaurant.
When we sat down looking at the choices on the dine out menu for about 10 minutes, I thought to myself that I should have kept my jacket with me as it turned out to be a little chilly. Nonetheless, this didn't ruin the night.
The bf and I like to strategize, actually maybe more so for me, and maximize our utility on getting different appetizers, entrees and desserts so that we could try and taste everything. Here we go:
Additional order: Black truffle pizza - a very thin crust that has frisée salad with soy-truffle vinaigrette spread on it. A very delicate piece of art. Classic.
Tuna Tartar was just heavenly delicious. I love the presentation of it! With avocado puree and slivered spicy radishes draped on top of the chopped tuna (http://www.yelp.ca/biz...), I strongly believed my taste buds were tickled by the finest foods. Sour but with a zing, the avocado and the radishes were great complimentary with the tuna.
Steamed Shrimp Salad with Tender Greens, Avocado Champagne Dressing - superb.
Halibut was alright. Was a little mushy on the bottom.
Steak - delicious. I think I ate more of this (from my bf's dish) than the one I chose (the halibut).
Ovaltine Kulfi - "a popular frozen milk-based dessert from India and Pakistan that is often described as 'traditional Indian ice-cream'". This was alright. Didn't wow me.
Caramelized Banana with Vanilla Ice Cream that was on top of this thick rich brown chocolate - I only had 3 bites and had to put my spoon down because it was too rich. Good but too rich. It was just too filling. (http://www.yelp.ca/biz...)
I'd give the Market 3.5 out of 5.
Ps - the bf picked a better restaurant so he has a score of 4 pts and me: 0. Boo-hoo. -
Review from Derek A.
3/31/2011
Absolutely beautiful restaurant that is mired with good, but unmemorable food and lackluster service. I ate dinner here one night and breakfast one morning (staying at the Shangri-La hotel) and while I can't tell you to stay away, I can't say that you should rush out and make a reservation right away.
The service is a real downside here - both times it was like amateur night, with our dinner stretching out well over two hours because of slow, inconsistent service. At breakfast, I was asked if I wanted fresh ground pepper for my eggs, and the server went to get the grinder, came back with a blank expression on his face, got distracted by someone else and forgot about me. To add insult to injury, he offered it to the people to my left and to my right.
At dinner service, things were just slow and there was a "cauliflower incident" for one of my fellow diners where she was told that they were out of it, so she ordered something else, but then the cauliflower dish showed up. I will say that the sommelier was quite good, helpful and even brought me a glass of Tempranillo since I mentioned that I like Spanish, Portuguese and South American wines and was the only one at the table not having fish so we only had white wine on the table
Food is good, but unmemorable. I had the Soy Glazed Short Ribs with Apple-Jalapeno Puree and Rosemary crumbs. I've had better, and I've had worse - primarily the flavors were somewhat muted and muddied.
For desert, I chose the Warm Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream. Turned out to be a slightly above average chocolate lava cake. Seriously? Betty Crocker started offering these things in supermarkets. 1992 called and they want their dessert back....
So don't stay away, but don't go expecting to be blown away. -
Review from Nina I.
Burnaby, BC
1/24/2011
Love MARKET! I went to Market with a couple girlfriends for brunch in December and the $32 Brunch Tasting Menu was well worth the price. It included one item in the Appetizer/Soup+Salad section, one Fish or Meat item, and one dessert. The fish/meat dish actually came with a side of salad so it was quite nice.
We all ordered something different and each was unique and delicious! I had the crab cake with pink grapefruit avacado and ginger and the it was amazing. The crab cakes were in a bit of broth with the grapefruit that cuts through the fried crab cake and refreshes your pallate, the avacado added a bit of creaminess all in one bite. My friends ordered the Beef Carpaccio and Black Truffle Pizza and ooooh they were all very flavourful and amazing. My main was the Grilled Chicken Paillard (pounded piece of grilled chicken) with a blue cheese and apple salad with red wine vinaigrette. Sooo delish! For dessert I had the chocolate pudding and was so full that I couldn't finish it off.
The restaurant has high ceilings and the ambiance is fresh, trendy, and classy! The service was attentive, and I think the timing was just fine. We were engulfed in our conversation that we didn't really keep track of the time.
The washrooms are lovely too! All individual rooms with a vanity in each one. Be sure to check them out, even if you don't need to! -
Review from Yunn A.
5/10/2011
Came here one night for drinks, and another night for a light meal and a drink.
We were greeted by several smiling staff whom were very helpful and pleasant.
The only oddity, was a rather cold server that came by, asked if we had been helped, brought us menus, then disappeared. Then another server helped us for the rest of the night (he was great), but the initial server came back once, and seemed annoyed that we had given our order to someone else. Then that first server asked if we wanted dessert at the end, but had she been 'with it' to begin, she would have seen that one member of the dinner party had ordered dessert at the same time and we were done with that. WEIRD. OTHERWISE though, even the manager had come by to check on us, and the food was delicious - substantial portion of the sablefish (which I had not expected), great flavors, tasty drinks.
I would come back again. -
Review from KAM S.
Vancouver, BC
10/19/2011 3 photos
If you want to dine where the service and food is impeccable then visit market. Market is a beautiful restaurant as are the people who dine here. It's a great people watching place. I had a wonderful foody experience here. I often recommend dining here especially to celebrate occasions. When visiting indulge with the truffle pizza and freshly made ginger-ale, amazing. I can't say enough about this place just go already! :)
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Review from Francois C.
Calgary, AB
1/3/2011
Despite my dislike of "chain" restaurants, I ate here a few weeks ago, and am I ever glad I did! This is a truly great dining experience, that for the quality, is actually extremely good value! It did the tasting menu with wine pairing, always a great way to get to know a restaurant. It started with a rice cracker tuna tartare, and then Foie Gras Brule (with roasted strawberries), truly an excellent pairing of flavours. This was followed by a few more courses that culminated in the most divine grilled lamb chop I've ever had! It was so delicious I practically gnawed on the bone long after I had eaten all the morcels of tastiness. Desert was equally sublime, all in all a perfect meal. Wine pairings were dead on the money.
Decor and surroundings were interesting, soothing, and exactly what you would have expected from a restaurant experience of this calibre. The service was amazing, and the maitre d' had that incredible talent of making you feel like an old friend and important client, even though it's the first time you've ever seen him.
MARKET by JGV is worth the hype, Vancouver - just go!
