- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Coffee & Tea |
- All
Nu
Categories: Restaurants Seafood Restaurants Greek Seafood, Greek [Edit]
1661 Granville StVancouver, BC V6Z 1N3
(604) 646-4668
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Trendy
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
49 reviews for Nu
Review Highlights
-
"...amuse-bouche" which was a mini hot chocolate and mini scone." In 5 reviews -
"...good things about the deep fried oyster and beer shot." In 3 reviews -
"I even heard Nu has an awesome brunch." In 13 reviews
Loading...
49 reviews in English
-
Review from Jacob F.
Vancouver, BC
5/13/2012 1 Check-in Here
Went to the tiny one on Robson. Got the lunch combo (chicken, Greek salad, pita, fries) for $9.5. Chicken was delicious.
Fries would've been much better if I had eaten them right away (instead walking 10 mins to eat at home). -
Review from Sam W.
4/25/2012
Beautiful location and great brunch atmosphere, howeverrr... dishes all came diff times and the food was not too $$, but it was still overpriced. No thanks.
-
Review from Brittany W.
North Vancouver, BC
10/3/2011 5 photos
A classy and intimate spot nestled under the Granville St Bridge with a waterfront view and a Greek westcoast-inspired menu - ideal for dinner dates and sophisticated evenings out. It's the only upscale Greek restaurant in town that I'm aware of!
I've been recently for a 4-course tasting menu (Groupon) and once before for Valentine's Day, a few years back. For me, my experiences have been amazing, however, my dinner dates have loved the spaced, but thought the food was just 'decently good' (not amazing). I remember having the best spinach risotto of my life, savouring every bite, and my date was so jealous because his dish just didn't compare.
What's more:
- free parking!
- owned by the Kambolis Group (C and Raincity restaurant, C Blue Foundation)Listed in: Best Patios in Metro Vancouver
-
Review from Chris E.
Vancouver, BC
8/22/2011
I attended Nu with their summer Groupon offer for the 4-course lunch which was lifeless and unexciting. I've come up with some alternate names for the menu items:
1. Floating Chunks.
2. Dried Greek Spice (Probably Club House) garnished with Tuna and Cucumber.
3. Leftovers.
4. McCain Deep & Delicious Chocolate Cake Rectangle.
I always thought the purpose of offering deals (e.g. Groupon) is to entice people to come back again by providing an enjoyable experience that matches what you would get normally, without the deal. So, in this case, either they did that, or they watered down the 4-course offering for Groupon holders. Either way, I won't be going back again. -
Review from Marc D.
Vancouver, BC
7/17/2011 4 photos
* Transitions *
It has been a while since I've been to Nu. Those old cruise ship style chairs which cramped my back put me off the place. But since its transition to focus on Greek influenced food and the re-do of the interior (including new chairs thankfully!) it was time to go back.
We had the table d'hote which was priced at a reasonable $14 or $24 with wine pairings. We took the paired version.
We started off with the "Greek salad shooter" which was actually cucumber water with a hint of olive oil with little bits of tomato, cucumber, and feta cheese to give the overall flavour of a Greek salad. It was a refreshing start to the meal to whet the appetite. Photo: http://www.yelp.ca/biz...
The next course was the albacore tartare which was combined with Greek spices, tomatoes, cucumbers, and a lemon flavoured sauce. The tuna was nice and fresh. But the oregano slightly overpowered the taste of the fish. Not a bad dish, but a bit out of balance. Photo: http://www.yelp.ca/biz... It was paired with a glass of See Ya Later Ranch Chardonnay, which made for a good pairing as it held up well against the overpowering oregano.
The main course was herb roasted chicken served bone-in on top of an orzo stuffed bell pepper with a tomato sauce. This dish was nicely balanced, with a nice crust on the chicken while being moist and tender on the inside. The orzo was cooked perfectly and the bell pepper had a nice char. Overall a very nice dish. Photo: http://www.yelp.ca/biz... It was paired with a glass of merlot (I'm sorry, I forgot which vineyard) that paired well with the tomato flavours.
Dessert was a thin slice of cake topped with a chocolate mousse, plated with a fresh caramel and a small Greek style meringue cookie. The dish made a nice end to a good meal. Photo: http://www.yelp.ca/biz... The dessert wine pairing was an ice wine (and again, sorry, I forgot which vineyard). It was a good pairing that worked particularly well with the mousse richness.
Service was extremely friendly, and very on top of things. Portion sizes were on the smaller side, but that is to be expected for such a reasonable price, and I left full.
This was a 3.5 star meal, but considering the value of it being only $24 for the 4 courses including 3 wine pairings, and that they got rid of those awful chairs, I'm bumping it up to a 4 star.Listed in: Vancouver European Food, Something fishy (hopefully…
-
Review from Hootie J.
Vancouver, BC
Tough review to write because it was extreme on both ends of good and bad,
Good: Free parking downtown!
Good: Awesome south patio On the water!! (great to show off Vancouver waterfront for out of towners!)
Good: Food
Good: Drinks
Bad: Sun going down BLINDS you... no shades!
Bad: Service two waitresses for a restaurant of maybe 50 !
Bad: Managers watching and cracking the whips... so bad our server quit!
Overall if you are down that way and the sun is shining, you might want to try the bar appy special, If they don't solve their management / service issues they won't be around long. And don't think about going to watch the Canucks... only one tiny TV behind the bar -
Review from Rebecca J.
Vancouver, BC
5/20/2011
Wasn't sure how to rate my evening at Nu last night. Here's the thing: the food was pretty good, our server was lovely, and I was going to rate the evening a three. However, everything took an age to get to the table because there weren't enough staff. That's a BIG management issue and that's why they get the rating they do... a two.
I booked a table for 10 of us last weekend and by Wednesday, the booking was up to 14. The way I see it, a group of 10 is a big group; four more is not going to make an enormous difference. So, if you know you have 10 people coming in, WAY ahead of time, doesn't that mean getting prepared to staff properly? Apparently not. And apparently, the three other large groups were also not enough of an impetus to bring in more servers. There were TWO. Yes, that's right: TWO people serving. And a lot of other people trying to help out. From other restaurants, I was told.
But, enough bitching. They screwed up the staffing but maybe it was just a bad night.
Food-wise, like I said, it was pretty good. Wasn't a big fan of the hummus but loved the olives. Had the lamb shank. It was good. Heard mixed reviews about the Souvlaki (a few grumbles that there was no rice). And a couple of people had the Pastitso and loved it. I had a taste and was glad I didn't order it as would have eaten the whole thing and exploded.
We dropped off a cake earlier in the day and they were really accommodating about that. They also plated it for us, which was nice.
A couple of things were comped because of screw ups which I think was good service too. [Especially after Diva at the Met fed my shellfish-allergic mother clams and charged me $60 for the privilege of having done so.]
We'll probably go back to Nu one more time to try out the cheap happy hour menu (NOTE: you can't order from it if you're not sat at the bar), but other than that, won't be rushing back to eat in the restaurant. -
Review from Danielle M.
Vancouver, BC
12/17/2010
Just used a Groupon to check out this spot on the waterfront. What a treat.
I've heard about Nu for years but never made the trek under the Granville bridge to check it out. An excellent view of the harbour, even in winter.
Nu's Greek owner has decided that while seafood is a no-brainer for a seaside restaurant, combining your heritage with said seafood makes for a more personal approach. Nu has recently added flavours and ingredients from the Greek isles to the menu with excellent results.
In perusing the cocktail list I spied many bevvies with ouzo but wanted to try their French 75. It's a new favorite and surprisingly hard to come by. The bar man didn't disappoint. The Nu '75 is tart with a bit of sweetness and bubbles to jump start easy conversation.
For food my table sampled the Olives and Feta with Roasted Peppers. Straight forward.
Next we dined on a gorgeous and tender Braised Lamb perched atop a bed of fat cous cous pearls, kale and crispy zucchini. Perfect. We also tried the Seared Tuna with Short Rib Moussaka. This is a very contemporary take on Moussaka. No heavy bechemel but tender meat, and potato with mint and parsley. This waits patiently under a healthy serving of ahi tuna lightly seared and seasoned with S + P. I think the fish could use something to take it to the next level but I'm not sure what. Or perhaps the Moussaka should feature alone...
For dessert we shared the Goat Cheese Lemon Cake. Smart, tart and on point. It's a small serving so we tried out a Chocolate Mousse which was just a-ok.
All in all I'd be back for dinner. Maybe in summer to check out the daytime action on the waterfront.
Last but not least (phew) the staff are remarkably affable and attentive. They seem happy to serve and offer up suggestions on their new menu. -
Review from Jenna L.
2/7/2011
I went to Nu for DOV with my family of four. Arrived right after they opened for dinner so we were the first guest. We were curteously led to our table by the window, nobody offered to take our coats, but oh well, no big deal.
Once we sat down we browsed through the dine out menu which had a good variety except the desserts (more to come on this).
The ambiance is relaxed, low- lighted, and you kinda feel like seated inside a submarine.. (in a good way).
The food is definitely Greek-inspired, but has it always been? I remember I came here for Sunday Brunch with Jazz a few times and it was more of a Westcoast style food. Interesting. The food is overall heavy on the salt side, and to top it off with super sweet Baklava was... maybe not a good idea... . . I had to drink a lot of water to water it down.
We ordered pretty much everything off the menu.
1) white bean soup - hearty, very generous portion, had a homey feeling, something I would like to make at home on a rainy day.
2) Chickpea and Zhuchini(?) fritters - the salad that accompanied the dish was very good, the fritter was good, but a bit too sour for my tastebuds.
3) Lamb Mealballs - excellent choice, three large meatballs! Very yummy!
For the main course, we ordered:
1) Albacore Tuna: generous portion again, 5-6 pieces of tuna on the bed of seasoned potatoes?? (definitely had some flavors..) the tuna was o-k
2) Beef Tenderloin (+$8.50): Generous size, medim rare goodness. Not the best tenderloin I had before but still good. Comes with chickpeas and mashed potatoes etc.
3) Lamb stew - Wow, super generous portion! I couldn't finish it after sharing most of it with my family. Had a lot of potatoes though, could have used a bit more lamb meats and less potatoes. The chickpeas are in every dish, which I don't object to as I love chickpeas, but someone else might.
Desserts:
** The DOV menu only had two desserts (Baklava/Creme Brulee) and with four people, I wanted to order more variety. The server said "No substitute" but I asked anyways to see if I can substitute Chocolate Mouse for one. She intially said I might have to pay the difference, but came back and said they can do it without any extra charge! Hoooray!
1) Baklava: I m not a huge fan of this because it is tooooo sweet for me.
2) Creme Brulee: Very creamy, the sugar layer wasn't too burnt, and comes with a little cookie.
3)Chocolate Mouse: Thick textured goodness topped with housemade Vanilla icecream. The presentation was very nice, and the ice cream was my favorite thing off the plate.
Overall, I always have good experience when visiting Nu, the view of the water in the night time or daytime is equally amazing. Price is not out of the world (DOV $28), and Sunday Brunch is recommended for its value. Also very nice of the manager to kindly change up the dessert for us. I will definitely come again! -
Review from K. N.
7/22/2011 7 photos
The location is wonderful, the food quite good, yet the service leaves a little something to be desired (a little slow and inattentive though still friendly).
Having lived in Greece for a bit I did appreciate the efforts made to incorporate some traditional dishes on the menu, however it is definitely important to keep this in mind, that it is an Aegean "inspired" restaurant, you will not find the warmth or experience of a Greek feast here.
That being said, the dishes I had were good and I would consider returning;
The Saganaki was quite close to traditional Greek style, served warm still in the cast iron pan alongside homemade pita, the latter with the perfect ratio of burnt/crisp and doughy.
The Charred Octopus was the real highlight of the night - it is not done in the traditional Greek fashion, with larger round slices, but rather consists of long thinner pieces, yet these were done in a fashion that maintained great consistency (not too rubbery or burnt) and had fabulous taste; I would definitely have this again, especially since it's quite hard to find in North America and one of my favs when in Greece.
The Smoked Salmon Tarama was quite good, a nice taste of smokiness to it, again served with the delicious pita bread - it's a decent portion as well, and would be perfect for sharing.
As for desserts, the Lemon and Goat Cheese Cake was probably my favourite - very light, almost like a mousse, with a slight goat cheese taste, my only complaints would be that the lemon aspect is pretty indistinguishable and I would like an even goatier taste as I love strong goat cheese. Also, while the crust was quite tasty, it was really too hard to accompany the soft cheese topping and made eating it quite difficult. The Baklava was ok. The Pomegranate Walnut Sorbet, however, left much to be desired, a very basic and bland taste.
Drinks - the Nu Martini was fun, though I would prefer a little more ouza to it.
All in all the restaurant has greatly improved since I went a few years back, and is worth checking out on a nice Vancouver evening. -
Review from Betty L.
12/16/2010
My classmate organized a Chirstmas party dinner at Nu and the food was pretty damn good. We "partied" in the art gallery room which was across from the restaurant and allowed to bring our wine for the meal. I guess because we dined on a week night, the food was spot on. For $65(excluding tax and tips), we got appies and a three course meal. The servers were really nice, attentive and helpful.
Highlights from the meal:
1)the hummous dip was warm and the pita bread had a nice charred flavour to it.
2)I believe the squid were bbq thus a smokey flavour and hints of citrus with olive oil taste served
3)I ordered the smoked trout with slices of apples served on a bed of salad. Thank goodness the trout wasn't salty but was moist and flavourful. I liked the fact that the salad wasn't oily at all.
4)I loved my main course-pan seared flat iron steak. It wasn't tough, medium rare and juicy. It came with mashed potatoes and veggies. Amazingly good !!
5)The apple tart tatin came with cinnamon icecram. I liked the fact that it came out warm and the crust flakey and the apples were soft but not mushey.
I guess I liked every course of my meal. My classmates also commented that the food was really good and the portions were just right.
Definitely a next time for me! -
Review from Shore M.
Vancouver, BC
5/21/2011
Unreal spot, but then there's more to a resto than location. As the sun was beating down through the open patio, shades were necessary inside. Kinda cool in itself.
Their wine choices were awful. Nothing recognizable and tasted like it. Warm-ish too. Service wasn't great, which meant a 20 minute wait between bad wines. (Not sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing).
All I can comment on for a main is the pastitso which is probably the 2nd best pasta dish I've ever had! And plentiful. Phylo triangles were OK as a starter. Would go back on a sunny day for their Happy Hours, weekdays 1700 - 1900... -
Review from Dianne C.
Richmond, BC
4/18/2011 9 photos
Once you've had Greek at Nu, you'll forget about all the other casual Greek taverns that offer the same calamari, moussaka, soulavaki and so forth. Nu innovative and fresh and puts a new spin on Greek food. It doesn't hurt that the location is ideal, with a view towards Granville Island, I've watched spectacular sunsets from this restaurant while dining.
Recently before the ballet, a girlfriend and i decided to order appetizers. I had been here for the opening and the food was spectacular and so was dying to come back. Smoked salmon tamara was a dip with roe on it and smoked salmon infused. It was outrageously good and served with Nu's pita bread which has a slight lime taste to it and has the right amount of crisp, I could have just kept on eating this all night long.
Next we had the lobster (yes, yes, yes) souvlakia which of course we had to order two skewers because I am a pig about lobster and won't ever ever ever share. Yeah, and I don't care if you tell yo momma on me because the lobster was very tender. I only wished my girlfriend had turned her head away so I could have stole her's too!
I have never seen calamari made the way Nu did it, stuffed with herbs and other stuff (couldn't tell as we gobbled it down fast). Not chewy but coooked perfectly as calmari is an easy dish to overcook and I have had it the consistency of chewing gum - yeck!
The dolmades did not have ground beef or lamb but tuna instead which made it rather tasty.
We did concede and ordered a plain tomato salad but the tomatoes were amazing fresh and the dish complemented our heavier appetizers.
And what meal is complete without dessert even if it meant being late for the ballet (we did make it with a minute to spare). When I had seen the the pomegrante walnet sorbet on the menu, I didn't have to look any further. It was bursting with flavour although I couldn't really taste any walnut except for the walnut they sprinkled on top. It came with a light crisp meringue cookie. My girlfriend ordered the goat cheese cheesecake which she said was divine and to my jealous heart, they also gave her a scoop of pomegrante walnut sorbet and meringue cookie.
The nice touch to dessert was that I was able to order a decaf Americano, something that has never been offfered to me before. But it didn't stop there. That night Harry Kambolis' uncle was at the restaurant greeting customers and actually came over and took our dessert order as we were in a hurry. He also took the liberty of bringing over to us a complementary order of Loukoumades which were light balls of dough drizzled with honey and cinnamon. Yum.. More sorbet please?
The only disappointment of this meal was the fact that the cook decided that he wasn't happy with the lamb ribs so that was subsituted for the calmari which was comped to us. My girlfriend had also ordered the ouzo martini which she didn't like so they took it away and gave her another drink. Some places would just tell you to buck up since you ordered it. Not Nu. With such great service and spectacular food and views, i will definitely be back.
They also have happy hour special from 5-7 in which three appetizers are $7. What a steal.
Oh and should I add that on some nights they have belly dancers? Hmmm, I thought you'd like that! -
Review from Gretchen C.
Vancouver, BC
9/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
voted one of the best patios in vancouver for a reason. the patio is one of my absolute favorites... you feel like you're RIGHT in the water, great view of all the boats and granville island. there are big, glass, window-things to block the wind too, so it's perfect.
i've been here for both dinner and brunch, and the food is surprisingly inexpensive for the type of restaurant it looks like. the food is amazing too... i've had the salmon eggs benny for brunch (which is served with chunks of seasoned potatoes) and the lamb for dinner (simply delicious, i don't even remember what it was served with/how it was served, but it was orgasmic).
the service has always been really good too every time i've been. it was my roommate's birthday one of the times, and to wish her a happy birthday, he even gave us a free scone each, paired with a shotglass of hot chocolate to say happy birthday.
overall, i really love this place. -
Review from Sharon B.
Updated - 8/11/2009
By a strange series of events, we found ourselves at Nu again for dinner, a mere 4 days after my last visit and review.
My husband said that he would only go if we had different chairs, so I called and requested the patio chairs at our table instead of their regular swivel dining chairs. They were very gracious, and said no problem--I must say that the service was always good and never any attitude. Requesting the patio chairs might have been a problem if it had been a sunny day and they needed the chairs out on the patio, but it was a rainy night, any no one was outside.
With the uncomfortable seats no longer a distracting issue, I felt that I should write an update to my review where I could actually comment on the food, and I have 2 dinners there now that I can draw from.
For starters we had the tempura green beans, basic poutine, and beet salad--all were very good.
The poutine was offered with varying toppings, starting with the basic gravy and cheese curds. You could also order their special poutine which was bbq pulled pork last week, and bolognese sauce this week. The other variation was with short ribs. And then you could order the poutine with ALL the toppings too.
The caesar salad was served with the romaine lettuce head cut length-wise, dressing artfully squiggled on top and with a little too much cheese on top. We were sharing the caesar salad, and with the lettuce head so long, we had the messy task of cutting the lettuce head into pieces that could actually fit onto our little side plates. I quickly gave up, and asked our server to take it back to the kitchen for them to cut up.
The dinner mains were all presented on long rectangular plates that look a little on the small side, but is actually enough. The consensus is that it was all quite good, but not excellent. Actually, the seared tuna did get top marks though on both nights. But the bison was a little tough, but because my husband doesn't eat bison that often, he's not sure if that's just how bison is, or if it was a less superior cut or poorly cooked. He opted for the lamb last night and was much happier.1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
8/8/2009
We were at Nu soon after they opened several years ago, and hadn't been back since because of their… Read more »
-
-
Review from Alexander Bromley Clark D.
Vancouver, BC
12/30/2009
Nu opened in 2005 as the third tentacle of the culinary cephalopod that is Vancouver's Harry Kambolis Restaurnt Group. With C and Raincity Grill doing well in a town that adores seafood and oceanviews, Kambolis took a risk by a) opening a dining establishment forty feet away from C and b) renting a space that is known for its high turnover rather than its apple turnover (or albacore turnover in this instance?). I read about Nu when it opened, and recently heard about Executive Chef Robert Clark's attempt at providing a 100-Mile Menu, so I supported this restaurant's bid in hosting our annual Christmas work dinner.
I have noted in previous reviews that one should always be cautious of restaurants offering amazing views and/or convenient locations, as these draws often result in subpar meals. I should have heeded my own warnings when considering Nu, where it felt like our meals took a backseat to the loungey ambiance, the wonderful waterfront views of False Creek and the borderline gaudy decor. Speaking of seats, Nu has the most uncomfortable seats I have ever parked my rear in. Kambolis went for Saarinenesque cool over lumbar-supporting comfort.
There are some tasteful components to the decor, such as the brass-tiled ceiling and the marble counter tops. There are strong elements to be found in the menu, with its focus on local products and a classic meat n' potatoes format. There are also engaging features found on their website, with its virtual Flash buttons and updated menu specials. BUT...the decor is overdone, the food does not live up to the menu, and the website is choppy and distracting. Nu is like the Ford Pinto of Vancouver restaurants: good parts put together badly.
I did not blow-up whilst dining at Nu, but at least this would have saved me from the crunchy "roasted" seasonal vegetables that were served with my decently prepared bison steak. Other dishes ordered at our table included the duck crepe (tender with a clever presentation), the gnocchi (which disintegrated at the table and were reported to have resembled mashed potatoes rather than Italian dumplings), the beef tenderloin (well cooked and presented but arrived luke warm), the featured frutti de mar (a pleasant but forgettable linguini adorned with mussels, clams and scallops), and the featured poutine appy (which really couldn't hold a fry to any streetside, vendor poutine in Montreal). Everyone seemed content - but not enthralled - with their meals. -
Review from David G.
Vancouver, BC
5/24/2011
Beautifully decorated and with a fabulous waterfront location, their cuisine ranges from great to meh (note that it has gone downhill over the last year so the overall rating may no longer be accurate). Unfortunately, that's where it ends. The staff are awful. There appears to be a policy of ageism across all levels of management. My partner and I are in our both professionals in our mid-twenties and have been treated like scum there on three consecutive (and now final) occasions. Neither of us have ever experienced this kind of discrimination elsewhere. Example: we made a reservation on a weeknight and I was seated looking directly into the sun. I'm not usually one to complain, but given that 85% of the over tables were available, I asked if we could move to another table. Somehow this caused a big stink, and we were eventually moved... to the next table. The manager muttered something along the lines of "geez, its only going to be like that for a couple more hours..." By the time we finished (which was way longer than it should have been, but that's been covered in other reviews), all of the previously empty tables still remained vacant, which made us ponder what the fuss had been all about. It's bizarre, and certainly trumps the "snappy service" of the templeton or the foundation. If you look around the restaurant, you can see that they seem to prefer old patrons, an observation reinforced by the fact that we used to go to Nu (before the new menu) with our family and never had any issues.
If your over 35, I'm sure you can go there, order properly and have a wonderful meal. Just don't send your kids. -
Review from Mike S.
Vancouver, BC
2/13/2011
I went here only because I had a Groupon. To my dismay, the menu changed from seafood to Greek. I love Greek food and all, but the menu items were not what I expected.
I can't say I was overly impressed. Service was decent and the view was great, but the food was... meh.
I don't think I would come here again. If I wanted a view, I'd go elsewhere and if I wanted Greek I'd go elsewhere too. -
Review from Jason T.
Vancouver, BC
1/3/2010
Nu is great for brunches, especially if you catch their half price bottles of wine. We went with a large group for my birthday and they had Melanie Daichun, a jazz singer, singing great jazz tunes. It was a sunny day and our meals were great. there is lots to choose from on their brunch menu from benny's to fritatta's and truffled poutine. The items ranged from $9 to $14 which is about the same price as a burger at Earls so do the math.... I would recommend a Sunday around noon going to check it out. Be sure to book nothing for the rest of the day as a siesta will be much needed.
Good Luck! -
Review from Lisa H.
Vancouver, BC
7/6/2011
I bought a Groupon for this restaurant and decided to go on a Saturday for lunch. The Groupon was for a 4 course meal for $15, originally priced for $30. We arrived at noon and received a warm welcome from the host and was immediately seated on the patio as we requested. The view was very nice and very table had a good view. Our server came over and showed us the 4 course meal menu that our Groupon was to be used for. The menu was pre selected and you had no choices on all 4 courses.
The first course was a greek salad shooter which was exactly what it sounded like. One 3 oz shooter cup arrived with what appeared to be a cucumber juice with pieces of olives and cucumber in it, once gulp it was gone. Not much of a starter.
Second we got some Albuquerque Tuna which I thought was awesome. My friend didn't care for raw fish so I ate hers. There was about an ounce of fish.
Third course was a green pepper stuffed with orzo pasta in a tomato sauce. The chicken on top probably weighed 2 oz. The orzo and green pepper were just warm and bordering cold. The orzo was also way over done and the green pepper was cooked way too much. The chicken was hot but very small with the bone in.
Forth course was a sliver of chocolate cake about 2 inches wide and 1.5 inches high. It was topped with a chocolate icing. The cake tasted like it had come out of a box and the frosting out of a can. Not impressed at all.
The best part of the whole experience was the Mimosa we ordered as soon as we sat down. This meal was terribly disappointing. I would have been very very upset if I paid the full $30 for each meal. There is no doubt that this pre set menu was thrown together just for people purchasing the Groupon. The restaurant sold thousands of Groupons and returned very low quality food. We were both starving within an hour and stopped to eat somewhere else. This meal wouldn't have filled the smallest appetite. Maybe this restaurant offers other menu items that are tasty but this pre set 4 course meal was nothing but a rip off. Stay away from any discounted coupons for Nu Restaurant.
Good: Very good Service
Good: Free Parking
Good: Beautiful View
Good: Atmosphere
Bad: Warm Food (almost cold)
Bad: Too much money, little return, very small portions
Bad: No variety with set menu -
Review from Rachael T.
Toronto, ON
5/24/2010 7 photos
It has taken me a little while to get to this Dine Out Review of Nu.. and after much evaluation, I cannot give it any more than 2 stars.
Making my reservation for 6:15 the night before my dinner, the person making my reservation told me they could squeeze me in because it was super busy that night.
... well I walked in on time to a restuarant... that had 2 tables occupied.... the host seemed unprepared when we arrived and looked around for a minute to where we could be seated.... in a restaurant that was clearly empty. I saw a very attractive table for 2, which seemed to be an obvious choice, but instead.. we were seated in this corner that seemed to be out of the way. I didn't mind too much - maybe the other table was for other "non dine outers"
The waitress throughout the night was courteous, but i didn't feel she was personable at all. Checked out food only because she had to do it and didn't pay much attention.
I ordered the "beer injected oyster" as an additional started as it is one of
VANCOUVER's 101 BEST EATS!... a few things to note:
1. Falsely advertised... the beer is NOT injected. It is infact a deep fried oyster (that is mostly fried dough) sitting on top of a shot glass of lager that you drink with.
2. I tried it, and for $4.00, I found it to be nothing special
3. The oyster itself was okay.
4. I did confirm with the waitress prior to ordering, so I was not why it was made onto the list if I just drink some beer with an oyster.
... back to Dine Out.
I ordered the chickpea salad for a starter which seemed to have nice flavours, but seemed to have an overload of chickpeas... there were some crunchy bits which gave it some nice texture, but really nothing fabulous. My bf's croquette was very good, I must admit with a chowder underneath that was creamy and hearty.
... here is a big NONO for me.... I was not done my appetizer, and the main course gets brought out. I understand that dine out has a time limit of 1.5 hours, but if was't like I was eating my appetizer for 45 minutes. I have never in my life had this happen to me, and I was quite shocked. They didn not even consider taking it back and I uncomfortably told them I was done with my appetizer as they swapped my plate for the next course.
The Main Course -
1. Chicken Adobo with Rice Pilaf
2. Keta Salmon with lentils and onion tart
Bf's Chicken was very tender, not overly spiced, and was very good. I didn't think it fit the overall theme of Nu, but I do think that it was cooked well. My salmon, although it looked burnt, and an odd orange, was cooked nicely as well, it was a little soft, which is exaclty how I wanted it. The lentils, however, was really unncesary as it looked like a pile of brown mush that was extremely unappetizing. The onion tart that was underneath it looked soggy and seemed like it had been sitting there for at least an hour waiting to be eaten. The only reason it was semi - warm was because the heat of the lentils raised its temperature.
For dessert, I got the cheesecake, which was good, but it tasted exactly the same as cheesecake I've had elsewhere. The chocolate mousse ordered by my bf was nice... again, nothing out of the ordinary.
We ordered a few cocktails that were pretty refreshing, and I would think the rest of their drinks menu would be quite impressive as well.
Closer to the end of the meal, the host was making me very uncomfortable as he kept starring in my direction to see what was available, who was finishing their meals etc etc....
I never want to feel pressured to leave and I don't think I exceeded the limit anyway so why should I feel uncomfortable while I'm paying money to have a decent meal? On the other hand... I cannot get past the fact that for a restaurant like this one, I would be handed my main course before finishing my appy. That is just extremely inappropriate restaurant etiquette.
I was so excited to try their other two restaurants - C and Raincity grill.... I even heard Nu has an awesome brunch... but won't be anytime soon....maybe if someone tells me it's their fav. restaurant. -
Review from Lesel R.
Vancouver, BC
6/6/2010
Great place for brunch. Went with my daughter for a girls brunch on a Sunday. They have a live Jazz singer and the view is great. We were treated to mini hot chocolates and skewers of fruit that included a breaded fried apple - tasted like fresh apple pie - delicious.
The Croque Madame was amazing, perfectly done. Can't wait for my next visit. -
Review from Cora L.
10/26/2009
My friends and I went to Nu while visiting Vancouver because we saw that it was on the water. The food was tasty and the decor was almost classy, in an eccentric way. It was more strange actually, but I think I liked it. This might be a nice place for a date because dinner is served with a candle at each table, though I'm not a huge fan of dimly lit restaurants.
The downsides were: the portions were much smaller than one would expect, and that we were seated in clumsy padded swiveling chairs that kept bumping into our tables. Our waiter was friendly but the service was painfully slow. If you're in a group of 8 and don't have all night to sit around you should probably go elsewhere. But I think this place is A-OK otherwise. -
Review from Tracy S.
Vancouver, BC
6/28/2009
I think people are giving Nu way too many stars. This place is definitely a "Meh - I've experienced better".
It is located across from Granville Island on the other side of the water - and with the place being all windows, you do get a nice view - I'll give it that.
The food though is very 'Meh.' I've had dinner and brunch here and both times the service and food has been pretty mediocre. Because the food is sooo mediocre, there really isn't much else to say about it.
So onto the decor! Any reviewer worth their writing knows that the decor and atmosphere of a restaurant is almost as important as the food!! If you feel uncomfortable with a table at your chin, etc - well, the food just won't taste as good - simple as that. A restaurant/dining experience starts from the moment you are walking up to the place, to stepping foot inside, looking around to being seated, etc. A rule for food reviews that I was taught by a well-known editor is: Food is #1. But the environment is a VERY CLOSE second.
The egg-shaped chairs, may look cool at first, but they are actually very uncomfortable to sit in, while you are trying to eat. You sink in too far and the table comes up to your chest - so you end up sitting on the very edge of the chair - a very uncomfortable and awkward experience!
As well, I just simply find the entire decor, from these chairs to the neon, all very cheesy and to be trying waaay too hard.
This isn't the worst place in Vancouver, but for the price - I wouldn't recommend it - UNLESS you have a guaranteed reservation to be seated on the small (one table-width only) patio. Then... I'd go on a sunny day - but only like once a year!
I will add that this place might be more of a hit with Tourists who don't have the luxury of living in a city like Vancouver, that is filled with fabulous places to get great food and a great environment! -
Review from Darcy C.
1/8/2009
Many positives here- gorgeous setting, very good food, good and creative drinks. One of my fellow diners had something he described as a mexican mojito that he quite enjoyed. I enjoy supporting the idea of locally grown, locally eaten food, and they have a number of good local dishes and some creative menu items.
Two relatively small things kept it out of the five star category ...
They have a wonderful dish that is worth trying- it's a fried oyster with a plastic pipette full of beer. You inject the beer into the oyster while you eat it. Funky and tasty ... except, they're using cheap nasty beer, like Coors or something. I want to try this at home, but with a real beer.
It was a very slow night, like a just-us-and-the-crickets night. But, we still sometimes had slow service. Not a big problem, and I wondered if our server thought perhaps we wanted privacy and was trying to be clear we shouldn't feel like we had to hurry, but still ... not quite perfect.
That's probably my overall review ... very, very close, but not quite perfect. I will try again, however. -
Review from Katie F.
2/5/2009
I came here with a group of 8 since a friend wanted to try this place. I was also excited to come here. However, I was quite disappointed, especially since it's owned by "C", which is one of my favorite restaurants in town.
It definitely doesn't live up to an association. The decor and location would be a 4 since it has free parking (always a bonus here!) and amazing views of the water and the False Creek area. The decor is clean and modern with nice spacing. Service was average.
The food was a disappointment. I like the "farm to table" philosophy and use of local ingredients. There was a variety of dishes in the group from seafood to fries and pasta. My seared tuna was extremely bland but my soup, a butternut squash was good. Sad to say that I was actually most excited about the fries and the spicy ketchup.
Considering there are many competitors for this place at this price range, I don't plan to return. The group of us went of a weeknight and the restaurant was mostly empty. -
Review from Mercedes G.
Vancouver, BC
9/26/2008
I can only think that we must have hit Nu on a weaker-than Sunday morning Brunch day, because I was non-plussed about the meal. The atmosphere created by the Grammy-award winning singer and piano player, along with a lovely view of the water and Granville Island, made up for what lacked in the rather benign brekkie. I have issues with the whole concept of brunch and unfortunately, Nu confirmed them.
I will absolutely come back for lunch or dinner as it would not be a fair assesment otherwise, and truly, the service and environment couldn't have been more serene, but for brunch I will not. -
Review from Andrew C.
Vancouver, BC
10/2/2011
We had the 4 course fixed menu and it was just awful. The calamari was really gross, I had a seafood stew that had almost know flavour, and I paid extra for the lobster souvalaki which they dumped into the seafood stew without notifying me first. My wife had the steak dinner and it was cold. They did make her a new steak but the flavour of the food was just gross. We had the Baclava for dessert, and it was just so so. Overall the food was really gross. I don't usually write reviews, and I'm not that picky an eater, but felt compelled to write a review after reading positive ones about this restaurant. It's always funny when you go to a "high end" restaurant and the waiter never asks you how the food is...
-
Review from Ketan J.
Vancouver, BC
1/31/2011
This place is quite nice. I was there during Vancouver dine out. I got a grilled Calamari which was good, some lamb over chickpeas which was good too though there was to much lamb even when I was sharing it with someone. Finished up with some creme brûlée. Their pita and hummus was amazing I could eat it all day. Loved the decor and the environment, it had a very Vancouver waterside style. Service was good as well. But the big thing for me was that it was really cold and people talked about chairs in there other reviews saying they were uncomfortable which I agree completely but the look was nice. All in all friendly atmosphere with a trendy look and the food was quite good.
-
Review from Unicorn Y.
5/24/2009
(NOTE: I get very annoyed at Yelpers who write solely on decor rather than food. If you don't have anything relevant to say, shut your trap and keep your stars to yourself!)
I saw a blurb in the NYTimes travel section about Nu and strolled from my hotel down to Beach Ave. seeking a waterfront dinner at sunset. We reserved a table at the patio (mind your sunglasses!) and watched boats and ferries cruise by throughout. Last-minute reservations are welcomed, even on weekend evenings.
Notable is that Nu clues diners in on sustainability, noting which fish and vegetable choices are local--within 100 km of the restaurant--and offering a variety of portion sizes (and more than a few choices for vegetarians). What more is that the menu is interesting all around, from cocktails to entrees to desserts. Another note--the menu online is not the same as the current offerings, with rotating soups and entrees.
We started out with slimy, fresh oysters. I had a roasted tomato prawn soup as well--delightful! My albacore tuna entree was probably the best seafood I've had in the Northwest--perfectly seared, fresh fish! The only bland part was the potatoes and spinach served on the side. My mom liked her prawns and mussels in a bacon cream sauce. I also downed a Lighthouse pale ale and lager, which is probably why I had no room for dessert. Very sad, too, because there was a beet raspberry jelly!
Overall, if you're looking for a casual but nice seafood restaurant but don't want to be stuck in a stuffy, pretentious joint, then Nu is as good as it gets! -
Review from Kal B.
3/25/2011
went here for DOV.. near the end of January 2011
was greatly disappointed by the food especially since a friend had hyped it up so much. i guess they changed their food direction with a possible change in management (or so i heard).. they've gone for modern greek.
the warm pita and hummous were literally the best thing served.. everything else fell flat.. was kinda mushy and lacked in presentation. the lamb stew was terrible and had too many chickpeas and veggies, not enough lamb.. they did an ok job on the meatballs and albacore tuna though. dessert was nothing special either.
service was decent, but they didn't come by often enough.
the concept reminds of Piato in kits (which is now unfortunately closed down).. but at least the food spoke for itself.. i think they just didn't catch on with enough people.
hopefully Nu can improve the food and get patrons to want to come back.. its a great location on the water with a great view. -
Review from Kevin L.
10/5/2008
I don't know why this place got such a bad review. This place is amazing. I live in the states and I never such excellent service at any place I ever been. The interiors is very submarine feel but I have to say I liked it. The food was amazing and the dessert was just right. What makes Nu good is that they make sure you are happy. While we were waiting for our dessert they gave us lemon cookies to hold us over. I never seen service like that.
One of the best places with a amazing view. -
Review from Curtis B.
Vancouver, BC
7/8/2010
Nu is a great place to brunch/lunch during the summer when you can sit outside. The food is nothing extraordinary for lunch but you really go for the location. It is actually quite sad how all the restaurants in Vancouver with prime view locations can never live up to their surrounds. It is best to go if you can sit outside because the interior is distractingly tacky.
In my most recent visit I had the 60 degree benny. The benny itself was good enough, but the accompanying potatoes were cold which is inexcusable when the restaurant in mostly empty (probably for a reason). They brought out hot chocolate and a pastry first, which were fine.
Nu has the view and free parking going for it, but not much else. There are many better alternatives within walking distance. -
Review from oanababy o.
Vancouver, BC
11/20/2010
I'm giving this 2 stars because my husband liked his main (sea bass) and appetizer (calamari with sausage).
The missing 3 stars:
1) my appetizer (white bean soup) was bland and rather dishwater-like, with 8 white beans and a few mystery chunks (carrots? limp bell peppers? we'll never know) floating around in the clear broth.
2) my main (the phyllo cheese souffle) was on the small side, and the salad on the plate consisted of bland tomatoes. Why bother serving tomatoes out of season? They added nothing to the dish.
3) To add insult to injury, I had to send my beer back twice because it was flat. I asked the server whether the keg was old, but was told "oh no, it's not empty yet".
Here's hoping that the menu revamp will yield results worthy of the gorgeous view. And perhaps they can do something about the bizarre decor and the terrible washrooms. -
Review from Chantelle J.
Vancouver, BC
8/15/2011
The only thing I remembered about this place was the view and free parking, oh and my over-priced main course that didn't even taste good. Nothing else.
-
Review from Liz S.
8/8/2008 6 photos
Nu is easy to find because it is right near where you get the Aqua Bus to go to Granville Island. It's located in a yacht club and has an over-the-top decor (less is not more at Nu). We went for Sunday brunch, and were able to enjoy all of the beautiful light and water views in the daylight. I loved the "amuse-bouche" which was a mini hot chocolate and mini scone. For breakfast, my friend had the Eggs Benedict which had a lovely buttery Hollondaise, and I sort of created a breakfast meal with the Poutine (with Foie Gras gravy and cheese curds!!) and two eggs. Decadent. Bloody Mary's there are spicy and good. Brunch was not crowded, so it's a good time to go.
-
Review from Seann G.
Vancouver, BC
6/2/2009
Had a relatively average meal at NU - we sat on the patio at the bar tables, which are very short. They promised to move us to a table multiple times, but then sat other parties ahead of us. We had a number of appetizers, all were good, but by no means great. We asked for a "mocktail" for one of the ladies we were with that was pregnant and they came back with juice and soda with a mint leaf. Lastly, we ordered a 1/2 bottle of wine and they brought the wrong vintage, we drank it anyway, but I had to explain to the waiter that it was a cab not a pinot. lastly, while the patio may be the best in the city, the room looks tired and could use a sprucing up. Overall, we expected more from a Kambolis restaurant and it seems to be slipping.
-
Review from geraldine g.
Toronto, ON
4/12/2009 1 photo
I love brunch! Let alone brunch with a view which this place has in spades. I would call ahead and make sure you get a great seat with a view of granville island and english bay.
A couple side notes. First, when I received the bill I noticed that we were seated in the 'naked' section. I wonder how they came up with that name? Made me laugh so much that posted it on facebook.
Second, they have free wi-fi! This came in handy while i was waiting for my friend to arrive. There I was surfing the net on my ipod.
Now, down to the food. I will say the presentation was wonderful and the carafe of coffee a pleasant extra. They also brought over a complimentary hot chocolate and scone. Nice touch,
The brunch selection I chose: scrambled eggs, bacon and hashbrowns was not out of this world. It was rather mediocre. The homemade ketchup was terribly lackluster but if you don't use ketchup then not an issue.
It wasn't greasy at all even with bacon I had ordered. However, everything did look lovely.
I guess, I expected much more considering the location and the accolades it has received for its dinner contributions. I would not say, I wouldn't go here again. You really can't beat the view. It is a bit pricier than a greasy spoon or east van brunch but it's a great experience.
If anything.....go for the view!!! This would be a great place to take a date for drinks.Listed in: BRUNCH/ BREAKFAST
-
Review from Amy E.
4/20/2009
I had a great time. The view is outstanding but it doesn't feel like you are in tourist hell. I liked the local dishes, and the legume sampler I had was different and delicious. The decor is a little wacky - turquoise Star Trek chairs. We couldn't really tell if it was old or new.
-
Review from R W.
Vancouver, BC
9/28/2011
The last time I was at NU. The view is nice But I was very disappointed in the food. The roast lamb which I ordered was not the slow cooked roast lamb that you get in most other Greek restaurant. I think that they just sear the out side of the roast slightly and wait for customer to order it.Then they slice it and heat it up. It was the most tough and gristly lamb I ever had. I will never return. It is also much more expensive the other Greek restaurant.
