- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Coffee & Tea |
- All
Oru
Category: Restaurants Asian Fusion Asian Fusion
1038 Canada PlaceVancouver, BC V6C 0B9
Neighbourhoods: Coal Harbour, Downtown
(604) 695-5300
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage, Street, Valet
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- Paid
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
35 reviews for Oru
Review Highlights
-
"Sake Kasu Sablefish with gingered cherry tomatoes, sweet..." In 3 reviews -
"...got the Korean BBQ Pork Chop with sweet potato, cabbage and..." In 1 review
-
"Butter Chicken - This was the best part of my lunch." In 12 reviews
Loading...
35 reviews in English
-
Review from rosquete b.
2/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
Fairmont Pacific Rim
Part of Dine Out Vancouver
Across from the Convention Center
Place for power lunches
Loved the open kitchen & common tables
Very nice wine by glass
Delish salads
Box (bento type) luncheons $28
1st course: very good sashimi
2nd course: tasty miso soup
3rd course: buttery Indian chicken curry/rice/nan
4th course: killer chocolate dessert
Good food service; little slow kitchen -
Review from Charly S.
2/7/2012
Disappointing. We went here for dinner during Dine Out Vancouver. The dining room is nice, modern and had an enjoyable ambiance. It was not packed, but it was busy. Had to wonder why the hotel didn't put the restaurant up a floor or two, it would have had amazing view of the harbour, instead you get a view of the convention centre.
The service was average, fine.
The food left a lot to be desired. Almost everything looked and tasted as if had just been grabbed from a cafeteria line and brought to us, and the timing would indicate that's exactly what happened - everything came out immediately when the previous plates were cleared. The appetizers we chose were caesar salad and tuna karaage - besides the nice bowls they used to serve them in, they were not good. The caesar salad could have easily been from a bag had it not been for the few parmesan shaves and fresh croutons, very little flavour. The tuna (two tiny pieces, looked like on piece of sashimi cut in half) was seared and served in a lukewarm bath of what I can only assume was very bland miso or maybe dishwater. One entree we chose were the short ribs - this was the only dish with any merit, it was well presented, nicely flavoured and had great texture. The other entree was the asparagus and grilled radicchio risotto with asparagus croquette, the risotto was the texture of rice pudding - quite runny and bland, and it appeared to be regular overcooked rice, certainly not a nice, firm arborio as it should be. The risotto base was made of cream, almost like a white sauce with overcooked rice.... yuck. The flavour was better, the grilled radicchio and asparagus croquette made it edible. The desserts were bland with strange textures... the caramel parfait tasted like caramel jello.
Now, clearly they make a lot of money from this dine out menu, so I'm wondering if the regular menu is any better.... however after that experience I wouldn't waste my time trying it again.
Yet another Vancouver restaurant that doesn't understand that Dine Out is your chance to impress your local crowd, and make them want to come back. Leave this one to the hotel crowd. -
Review from Ying Ying L.
Vancouver, BC
5/19/2012
First time dining at Oru and it was for Dine Out. The food was excellent & delicious, especially the Sablefish. Beautiful room and good atmosphere. This is definitely a classier place and it'll be very good for a business meal or special occasion. I would definitely go back again!
-
Review from CC W.
Richmond, BC
4/29/2012
We came in that day to dine in their seafood buffet. Hearing great reviews from friends, we were very excited to have our first experience at Oru. However, things did not go as planned and the night did not end as fulfilling as we thought it would be...
We were seated at a nice table near the windows, and our server was humorous and attentive. Leaving our belongings behind at the table, we made our way to the buffet station and each piled our plates full. Overall, the hot foods were quite tasty, especially the different flavors of mussels, but the cold foods, salad, oyster, sushi, were a mere meh. The dessert was under standards and we gave up on it after the first bite. The worst that happened did not just end there... as our family finished our dinner and headed home, our poor stomachs were overwhelmed with pain and the inner sides of my thighs were covered in light pink rashes/ spots. Mind you, I am not allergic to anything so this experience totally caught me off guard and i spent the night scratching and suffering mild diarrhea. To this day, we believe it was something with the oyster or the sushi but we will never know. But one thing for sure, I dont think we will be having a second experience here. -
Review from Wendy Y.
10/24/2011
I recently went to Oru (Fairmont Pacific Rim) for a company luncheon and the four-course set menu came out in the following order:
1. Oru Green Salad
Romaine, green papaya, Asian pear, spiced almonds, mango vinaigrette
2. Prawn Miso Soup
Scallion, wakame, tofu
3. Butter Chicken
Tandoor roasted chicken, naan bread, steamed rice, mint chutney
Or
3. Masala Poached Prawn Salad
Mesculin greens, Sultana rasin, cashew, red onion, lemon-yogurt vinaigrette
4. Chocolate Parfait
Exotic fruit Caramel, mango pearls
I chose the butter chicken for my main course but regardless, this lunch set was too culturally scattered for my taste. There was a lack of "flow" from one course to another. The former dishes didn't prepare my palate for the latter dishes. I find this experience very foreign and random.
Having said that, if I were to describe the food a la carte, I must say the quality of food was pretty good. The salad was very fresh. The miso soup was well... miso soup. But the butter chicken definitely raised my eye brows. If I were eating this dish blind-folded I would not have guessed that the Fairmont prepared it. The dish was authentic. The tomato-based butter chicken was very flavorful with a good balance of spices. Chicken pieces were neither dry nor moist, hard nor soft. The quantity of chicken was plentiful. The dessert was surprisingly pleasant. The dessert was shaped like a pyramid with a flat top. From the top view you could see a pool of passion fruit caramel in the middle. The Parfait was light and not too sweet. Overall I enjoyed my food.
Our server was very helpful and attentive. Having to dine with a water front view in a quiet private room was definitely a bonus. I give my overall experience 7/10. If I had the food a la cart I would have rated 8.5/10. The restaurant has some serious work to do on the flow and combination of the set menu. -
Review from Allen W.
9/5/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I've only had breakfast here but it was worth every penny. The room is large and full of light, with floor to ceiling windows around the perimeter. Tables are logically placed so that it remains open feeling and not cramped. Staff are friendly and prompt.
I ordered the standard 2-egg breakfast because I knew it came with sausages from Oyama. Oyama sausages are simply amazing. The eggs were perfectly cooked and oozing with dark orange yolks (local organic), the potatoes had crisp skins and creamy centers, and the sausages ... all THREE of the plump pork sausages were lightly charred and amazingly delicious. And, there was also that super sweet roasted tomato that was much more than a burst of color on the plate.
With coffee and toast, my breakfast was $22 and worth every single penny.
Will be going back! -
Review from Jacob K.
8/3/2011
Give a man a fish and he eats for a meal. Teach a man to fish and he eats for life. Teach a man to make reservations and give him $45 plus 18% gratuity and he eats at Oru for a good 2-hours.
I was very pleased with the all you can eat Sunday seafood buffet at Oru. The variety of the fish was well worth the price of admission. A perfectly poached sable fish was the highlight. The halibut was a bit dry for my liking, nothing that would stop me from coming back.
I indulged in halibut, the poached sablefish and blackened salmon, as well as some of the crab legs, which were very, very sweet and a very delicious fish soup.
I over-indulged in the dessert buffet, sampling almost all of the little desserts Oru had to offer. The creme caramel was the highlight of the dessert portion - just rich and sweet enough.
The ambience is great. The restaurant has a lot of windows, which in the summer months lets in a lot of natural light. -
Review from Sunrise D.
Vancouver, BC
7/26/2011
I hosted my engagement party at Oru for a party of about 30 people and it was wonderful. The staff is professional and easy to work with. We booked a private dining area on a Sunday evening to take advantage of the Seafood Buffet (yum) and our guests enjoyed the food very much.
My favorite part: the dessert table :) -
Review from Jonas B.
3/30/2012
Had a business breakfast here this morning and everything was quite good. I had the salmon and bagel, which was decent quality, but an unusual presentation that seemed to try to turn it into a salad. Not quite sure what they were doing there. Coffee was not very good.
-
Review from M k.
Vancouver, BC
1/25/2012
Came here the other night with a friend and honestly, I left a tad bit disappointed. It wasn't that the food wasn't great, but that it was just "meh", nothing too special. It felt like mediocre food disguised in a "modern" upscale way. The host staff was great and our server was nice, but he seemed at little too nervous and "new" for an "upscale" restaurant. I will agree with a few of the others I've read that the restaurant is more like a "hotel restaurant" than a stand alone restaurant. I will say though, the chocolate torta for dessert was the highlight of the dinner!
-
Review from Joanne L.
Richmond, BC
10/4/2010 4 photos
Oru is so fresh and pure, white, clean lines with natural decor. We came here for lunch and ordered 2 of their "Four Set Lunch". It was a dish that had 4 items off their menu, always nice to try a little of everything.
We chose:
Chilled Poached Prawns - Appetizer
Chicken Karaage - Appetizer
Spinach and Frisee - Salad
Wakame Seaweed - Salad
Butter Chicken - Entree
Tonkatsu Don - Entree
Lime Baba - Dessert
Silken Ganache Chocolate Tart - Dessert
Everything was fresh and crisp, matching the restaurant. The food was light and refreshing, perfect portion for lunch as well. At $25 for the set, it was definitely worth every penny!
I'll have to go again to try their dinner menu. Check out some of the photos!Listed in: First and Definitely Not Last
-
Review from Katie F.
3/1/2011
Although I've stayed at the FPR, I haven't dined in Oru until this week.
I was with a group of about 15 and we were on a group menu... surprised at the pricing comments here. We had the $55 menu which is a great deal for 4 courses and portion size was fine.
Great Pan-Asian menu. We had several shared plates to start which included shrimp and wild salmon sushi. I loved the naan and papadums that they use as their bread service. To start, I had the Baby Cos salad which was greens with orange and almonds in a coconut dressing (OK - not very coconutty surprisingly). My second course was the roasted lamb chops, which is served as 3 "lamb popsicles" style - quite tasty. I loved my main course... I had the roasted sablefish. Mmmm - beautifully done and the broth that they add in just prior to serving is delicious!
The dessert seems to vary on the group menu, and ours was a light cheescake with a matcha drizzle and fruit... this was also fabulous!
Personally I thought it was a great deal for $55 and service is good.
Tip: You can valet your car and get your parking validated cheaper than the self-park fee :) -
Review from Suiki S.
Vancouver, BC
3/25/2011
Food - 2 1/2 stars
Ambiance - 4 stars
Décor - 4 stars
Service - 3 1/2 stars
Value - 3 stars
The epidemic of Pan Asian cuisine has exploded at its peak during my stay in New York. I was lucky enough to grace the Pan Asian restaurant scene in New York City with establishments like Buddakan, Tao, Nobu, Megu and Momofuku. Before I left for New York City, Wild Rice was the only Pan Asian restaurant in Vancouver. After my return, restaurants like Bao Bei, Maenam, Chau and Oru have risen to the Vancouver Pan Asian food scene. My first stop is Oru at The New Fairmont Pacific Rim near my apartment in Coal Harbour. I was greatly impressed with the exceptional décor at Oru - very chic, contemporary and minimalistic. The most attractive features of the restaurant is the gorgeous origami ceiling fixtures and the floor-to-ceiling windows that floods the space with great natural lighting.
However, the menu and the food - I was not too impressed with. The menu doesn't have a cohesive theme and in my opinion, requires more focus. I felt a little lost with the offering of various Asian inspired dishes ranging from Korean Short Ribs, Chinese Wontons & Stir Frys, Vietnamese Bahn Mi & Summer Rolls, Indian Butter Chicken and Japanese Gyoza & Sashimi. After much debate, I decided to go for the Four Set Lunch ($25) which allows you to pick 2 appetizers, a Main and a Dessert. Below were my four lunch selections:
Thai Lettuce Cups - Not Great lacks flavour.
Seared Ahi Tuna - Fish was not fresh.
Butter Chicken - This was the best part of my lunch.
Japanese Cheesecake - Ok. I've better Japanese cheesecake.
Overall, I did enjoy the décor and ambiance of the restaurant but the food was below average. I will not be returning to Oru in the future. -
Review from Jesse T.
Vancouver, BC
6/22/2011
The quality of the light in Oru is quite wonderful. This being a restaurant review you'd think that food would be the first thing that one would comment on but Oru's ambience must be mentioned. Beyond the soft evening light, which may have partly been a consequence of our dinner coinciding with a summer solstice sunset, the decor was quite lovely. The Origami light fixtures and open kitchen combined with innovative table settings were all quite memorable. Without entering into too much detail, the halibut lettuce wrap appetizers were particularly tasty and my Tandoor Lamb Chops paired with fresh Naan bread were nothing short of an epiphany. After dinner I indulged in the desert selection which included bread pudding (not sure how this english dish could be considered pan-asian) and a dark chocolate bar which were nice contrasts in flavour intensity (the rich chocolate with the 'sneak up on you' nutmeg aftertaste of the pudding). The service was as would be expected, no more and no less. We ended shutting Oru down after great night ...
One last mention. In the Fairmont Lobby (beyond which Oru is found) was a musician covering Ani Difranco and Ben Harper amongst other folk notables. At first I found incongruity of folk music and the luxury hotel off putting but when we were leaving I observed that the ive music made the atmosphere of the hotel bar unusually inviting. -
Review from Vincci L.
Love restaurants that have great design and theme. Here at Oru (meaning to 'fold' in Japanese), they have taken this and worked it well into their elements.
Upon entry, guests are greeted by a 180 foot origami light fixture. It's pretty amazing. Designed by Joseph Wu, this is a really cool fixture. Soft light peers through, and it's the centerpiece for the restaurant.
White and oak walls line the restaurant, complete with etching, to mimic origami pieces.Floor to ceiling glass surrounds the restaurant, letting lots of natural light in. The view is impeccable too-the Convention Center, and the Five Sails, and the beautiful waterfront.
Minimalistic design, using oak and white colored furniture to tie everything together. The setting of the plates and utensils are then modernistic, using black plate and bright orange chopsticks.
Their menu is a Pan-Asian cuisine inspired one. Dishes from all different parts of Asia, influencing one another, resulting in unique dishes.
Food:
Sake Kasu Sablefish with gingered cherry tomatoes, sweet miso sauce. I've been reading good things about this,so I just had to try it. One bite, and oh my, this is really really good. Soft, melt in your mouth texture, lightly grilled with a hint of miso flavour, and soo flavourful.
Marinated Flank Steak Salad with pickled green papaya, chili-lime peanuts, vermicelli, and calamansi lime dressing. This was a large portion, flank steak was very good, and the green papaya and the dressing worked so well together.
For the entrees, we got the Korean BBQ Pork Chop with sweet potato, cabbage and kimchi vinaigarette. Three large chunks of pork, cooked to perfection. I'm not a big fan of pork, but this is the best pork I've ever had. A little sweet, and when consumed with the kimchi vinagarette, it's sooo good. I didn't know pork can taste this good.
Butter Chicken with himalayan steamed rice, naan bread,mint chutney was our second entree. This wasn't the normal butter chicken. I could taste a lot of herbs in the sauce, and it's not as sweet as the butter chicken that I normally have. The steamed rice is delicious.
Lastly, we also got the Homemade Tofu with maitake mushroom, braised daikon, and a Mongolian truffle sauce. This is a must try for all vegetarians!! (and non vegetarians.) The tofu is made in house, something other restaurants don't do. The sauce is simply wonderful; it's flavourful and brings all components of the dish together.
Desserts were awesome.The Traditional Japanese Cheesecake
matcha angalise, was so light, and the bit of matcha anglaise was just the perfect complement.The Silken Ganache Chocolate Tart with
cardamom chantilly and toasted coconut was very rich and creamy. The chantilly was light and crispy.
Service was excellent throughout the night. Our waters were constantly filled, and the time it took between each course was perfect.
Love the atmosphere, love the food. Oru, we shall meet again!! -
Review from Tracy P.
Vancouver, BC
6/13/2010
DINE-OUT 2010 Review:
This was one of those places that made you feel uncomfortable if you didn't order wine or alcohol of some sort. One of those business people, "power-lunch", "Drinks after we close this deal" kind of place.
We felt very scrubby and "not of their ilk" here.
The food tasted kind of cheap for what we were paying. Even on the special tasting menu price. Yes, the butter chicken was presented very elegantly, but we could have gotten those somewhat ornate metal bowls at any other standard Indian restaurant. And the butter chicken itself didn't taste like anything we hadn't already eaten and a cheaply priced, authentic Indian restaurant.
My "Korean inspired", Kim Chi vinaigrette BBQ pork? Meh. The cut of pork was great, but largely flat in flavour, kind of cold and hardly kim chi tasting.
I'm always hard on "Pan-Asian" restaurants, because I always expect authenticity, and I forget they're trying to "reinvent" classics. So, to those who are more accustomed and fans of "Pan-Asian" and "Fusion", then perhaps this would be a good restaurant for them, but for me, I just felt out of place. -
Review from Cyndi H.
Vancouver, BC
3/19/2010
The food: Great tasting, but pricey and small in size (to be expected). In fairness though, it's HARD to pull off upscale Asian cuisine in a city filled with incredible and affordable Asian restaurants.
The service: Fabulous, friendly and down to earth (really refreshing)
The setting: Felt like a cafeteria. Open kitchen, plain tables and chairs, plain decor-- it doesn't 'set the mood' so don't bring a date here (go to the lounge for drinks instead--- Live jazz band, big fireplace, comfy couches. Classy & relaxing).
What we ate:
BC Albacore Tuna Tataki -- Tasty!
"Hot Stone" Prime Beef - Neat to watch
Vietnamese Summer Roll - Good
Pork Wonton Soup - bitter, small
Murgh Makhani (Butter Chicken) - tasty except for the burnt naan.
Dungeness Crab with Black Bean and Ginger - big and tasty portion... but for $33 I would hope so ; ) -
Review from Bryan R.
6/28/2010
Oru has a reputation for being pan-asian fusion in a nice setting, and I would agree. The staff is very well-put together, and the service is very good (and knowledgeable, especially when it comes to the wine list and the food). The restaurant itself is large and airy, modern, and tastefully decorated. Restroom facilities are located outside, which is a little annoying.
Dress is anywhere from business casual up; I came in casual and felt a little under dressed. The food was good, but not knock-your-socks off incredible. I had the Butter chicken, which was very good, but nothing I couldn't get at a good Indian restaurant; I also got the feeling that a lot of the experience was to be trendy rather than enjoy first-rate food, and to their credit, it was a very trendy evening. If you're looking to have a socialite-night out, I'd highly recommend it--if you're looking to have a great culinary experience, I think you would be able to find something a little more in that realm elsewhere. (in the interest of full disclosure, I don't really eat fish and all the fish dishes my dinner companions got got rave reviews). -
Review from Anita T.
Toronto, ON
4/11/2010
This is the perfect place for a night out with the girls (or boys!)!
We were ideally situated right beside the window over looking the water, Canada Place, and the new Convention Centre... sigh... the beauty of Vancouver was literally at our dining table!
We told our waiter to surprise us with choices of his own. It was perfect. The 4 of us got to try so many different dishes - from tofu soup to curry to sauteed broccoli and everything in between! Yes, there's a price tag involved when it comes to Oru - but I have to admit that I thought it was worth it.
The service was amazing and down to earth. Our server even surprised us with these raspberry rum cocktails =) Delish! -
Review from Linda S.
I read the other Yelpers' reviews and thought, "oh, it couldn't be that bad". But it was ... most of the dishes were over-salted. One of my companions suggested that if they use soy sauce, that's where the salt is coming from. A friend and I did the tasting menu, and it was quite delicious so long as you forgive the saltiness.
The decor is quite uninspiring.
The view is lovely.
I'd only suggest you go there should you be staying at the Pacific Rim and not wish to go elsewhere. -
Review from James W.
Vancouver, BC
9/26/2010
Dined here last night with a friend:
We started with appetizers. I had the lettuce and pineapple salad which was very good! Friend had some sort of spring roll which he said was very tasty.
I had the beef short ribs (very tender) with pine mushrooms. The dish would have been fantastic however there was WAY too much salt in the dish.
My friend had the butter chicken and he said it was very good although could have used a little more naan bread.
We also ordered two sides- assorted mushrooms which were WAY too salty and a order of green beans again too much salt. The kitchen really needs to lay off the salt and allow the the flavors of the food to come out.
We also ordered a drink to start "Sake to me" which was very good and had a GREAT bottle of wine Pinot Noir Hogswood? not sure if I got the name right.
The service all around was fantastic! Seemed genuine and knowledgable about the menu and wine.
The restaurant could use a splash of color....maybe paint those concrete pillars?
I'll give this place another shot. -
Review from T F.
Vancouver, BC
1/14/2011
The atmosphere is nice and gorgeous.
The staff are very friendly and helpful.
However the food is quite small portion for me.
Good for business meeting lunch. -
Review from Thu N.
5/2/2010
Four of us checked out Oru today for Dine Out. I had never set foot into the new Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel yet and was thorougly impressed with the decor, the view, the open kitchen - it just looks simply stunning.
We got to order and share all the Dine Out items on the menu and was really impressed by the price point. All the appetizers were a hit at our table though I personally couldn't get enough of my sablefish. Juicy, tender, perfectly seasoned and cooked. As for our mains, I enjoyed the korean pork dish the most although the tofu and the butter chicken dishes good too. We tried all 3 desserts which all looked equally appealing! The chocolate one was a clear winner although both the mango and the cheesecake were delicious too.
We were all very satisfied with this $28 meal :)
Service was amazing too - our waiter was always on the ball with the water and wine and recommendations.
And yup for those that check the washrooms to judge a restaurant/hotel....they're pretty nice as well!
I'd definitely come back to Oru again for their regular menu! -
Review from Rod B.
Surrey, BC
6/30/2010
I have been to Oru several times for lunch but never for dinner.
Located in the new Fairmont Pacific Rim, this restaurant is the place to be seen in Vancouver. It is very well designed and the service is good.
The food was good as well but not off the charts. They have a four course lunch which is a good choice and they were happy to nuke the rice on the thai curry and replace it with a non-starch veggie (I am a low-carber).
All in all, a good lunch place although I would probably prefer going across the street to Miku, where the food is definitely better. -
Review from Sunny S.
Vancouver, BC
4/25/2010
I had the pleasure of dining twice for my birthday at Oru Restaurant located in the newly opened Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel. I have to admit, I was skeptical at first when I read it was a Pan Asian menu, but after enjoying an abundance of perfectly executed shared dishes, I was quickly converted into a fan.
Firstly the space is stunning with floor to ceiling windows, looking out into Coal Harbour and the North Shore Mountain range. They have chef's table seating for large parties as well as a closed off private room if you are looking for something more intimate. I was particularity taken buy the hand folded Origami light structure that spanned along the ceiling, a unique touch to their interior design.
Chef David Wong and his team did a fantastic job capturing the traditional dishes of each country, incorporating all the diverse flavours and styles with a touch of West Coast flare. By perusing through the dinner menu you'll quickly learn that the whole concept is to share each plate. I've tried a lot of the items on the menu and I can personally suggest the following:
Sake Kasu Sablefish ($12) The fish is sweet, moist and the mini tomatoes done in a ginger sauce are to die for.
Ishi-Yaki "Hot Stone" Prime Beef ($12) This is a traditional Korean bbq dish where you cook up your own beef on a hot stone.
Shoyu Ramen with 24hr Braised Berkshire Pork Belly ($15) Warning, this ramen bowl is large and must be shared. The pork belly is top of the line and the bowl is packed with a whole lot of goodies.
Murgh Makhani ($16) Butter chicken with sides of naan bread, enough said.
Organic Peking Duck ($24) This blend of duck served with a side of the fluffiest steam buns is absolutely mouth-watering.
1 lb Poached Atlantic Lobster and Caramelized Pineapple ($35) This is pineapple fried rice on steroids. The large chunks of lobster is the key.
Is your mouth watering yet?
ps. The valet is free when you eat at the restaurant! -
Review from Sheryl D.
1/6/2011
I should have listened to all you Yelpers before booking this place for our New Year's day brunch. I should have read the reviews pertaining to food more carefully.
So. I've had a lot better at this price range. You are basically paying $50 per head for the view, in which case I suggest you go to Stanley Park, maybe rent a bicycle from the wonderful folks at Spokes Bicycle and gorge yourself on the more fabulous (and free!) view of Vancouver. I booked for brunch after ogling their online menu briefly. I also believed, that I, a self-proclaimed connoisseur of hotel buffet spreads, would be the last person to be duped by fancy surroundings and snooty valet men (I believe it goes this way: I'm the paying customer and you are the valet. Not the other way around where the valet thinks my Echo hatchback is not good enough for the Fairmont).
The front line staff were pleasant enough when we arrived a bit early for our 1:30PM seating. For those who wonder what a "seating" is, hotels generally have timed seatings for buffets (although obviously you can go whenever). The view was indeed gorgeous and the modern simplicity of the decor really complimented the view perfectly. However, people do go to a buffet for the food and when you're charging that price, it is reasonable to expect everything will be delivered perfectly. In fact, I have had buffets in the $20-$45 range that provided a more spectacular experience. Particularly when it is a "special" New Year's Day brunch.
1. At 2PM, my group was informed that they are OUT of Alaskan King Crab legs. The other trays of food were starting to look stale at this point and one must wonder why they take a 1:30PM seating if they expect food to be running out at this point. What is this? A short marathon run to the buffet line where I'm expected to fight people for food? I would have done more cardio and weights if I had known.
2. One of the nicely uniformed "chefs" in white curtly told us that "no, there won't be more crab coming out." Period. No sympathizing, no explanation why. I was again tempted to ask why they started at 1:30PM seating and why the buffet brunch was timed from 11:30AM-3:30PM.
3. Food was mediocre. We were looking forward to the suckling pig carving station but even that was really salty. Go to Richmond and any Chinese chef worth their salt will give you better for a fraction of the price. Same with the butter chicken. Take my word for it, unless you want to shell out money to experience what we did.
4. The kicker: Fruit flies in my friend's salad. We brought it to the attention of a well dressed gentleman server who instead of apologizing AND doing something about it, listed a litany of excuses that sounded like this: "We've been having fruit flies in the hotel because it's been raining outside and something about the moisture inside...bleh bleh bleh would you like me to take away your plate for you?". My friend was tempted to say "You are making me eat and pay for food that has bugs in it" and I was tempted to point out that the Fairmont Pacific Rim is a high end hotel and perhaps instead of investing in the expensive chandeliers and interior decorators, they should have invested more in kitchen quality control and food safety? Who knows where that fruit fly has been? Perhaps it was born right in that salad. Sadly, one of the fruit fly died right on my friend's place setting while the other ones fluttered away. We kept mourning it's death all throughout dessert.
Anyway....you guys get the deal with this place. This experience made me realize that we've had it really good in Asia, growing up going to hotel buffets. Vancouver just can't compete...for now. -
Review from Alex D.
Vancouver, BC
6/14/2010
Ate a very enjoyable set lunch at Oru. The space the restaurant is housed in is quite beautiful and well thought out. Design elements like the huge origami piece on the ceiling down to the table settings show a professionals vision at every turn. The restaurant would have benefitted from a better view but you can get a view of sorts from the corner table.
The set lunch is presented nicely on a tray and again show an excellent attention to details. The food itself however was good but obviously did not measure up to the envirnoment it was served in, the dessert being the exception. Pan Asian cuisine is not something that can be executed on a fine dining level with ease and although Oru does a sound job I would like to see them kick it up a notch.
3 star food in a 5 star space -
Review from Ran K.
3/31/2011
The Foie gras was unique and well made, other dishes were very good, but our desert (Coffee panacotta) was disappointing. They asked for feedback and took it off the check.
The atmosphere is trendy and a bit romantic. All in all - I'm a fan. -
Review from Sui B.
1/11/2011
The quality of the food is just okay, given the high prices. The service was great and I liked the concentration on the well lit kitchen in contrast with the rest of the restaurant and got to experience a bit of the kitchen dynamic as part of my dinner entertainment.
-
Review from David M.
10/29/2010
A pan-Asian restaurant with a menu not unlike the Aria restaurant in the Fairmont Hotel chicago. The decor here at Oru (inside the Fairmont Pacific Rim) is edgier and the view better, but with a similar fusion menu. Tonight I started with the steamed clams, and they were fantastic. For the main course I had the roasted chicken, which was a breast with several nice sauces and a potoate-vegetable roast chutney. I finished with the chocolate bar... very rich but yummy. This three course meal with a single glass of house white wine came to nearly $80 CDN, which I felt was a bit high. But the food was very fresh and nicely prepared, and the service was good as well. Mostly business travelers and conference goers dining in the restaurant.
-
Review from Robert J.
Port Moody, BC
2/27/2011
Food is good but overpriced.
Try sake sablefish (my favorite).
Decor is very nice. Service is very friendly. -
Review from Jasmine T.
Burnaby, BC
6/27/2010 1 photo
If you are going to the restaurant, you can valet the car for $5 because parking it in the lot downstairs or across the street or at a meter would cost way more.
They have a private party room, but it only seats fourteen... since I reserved for eighteen, we got a nice large table with a window. Our server was so nice... she waited patiently as my notoriously late friends straggled in. This isn't your normal asian restaurant... it's fusion. Fusion=expensive.
While most of us ordered from the a la carte menu, two brave friends ordered the tasting menu at $50 each, and it was a crazy amount of food. I tried their pineapple salad and I thought it was okay... not great, but okay.
I ordered the steak and papaya salad and it was sprinkled with a liberal amount of nuts. I ate every bite. For my main, I ordered the nasi goreng... and I didn't even miss the meat! You could add meat, but I opted not to since my salad was made of meat. It was the greatest, most expensive fried rice I ever had. Now, I know I must be poor, because I have never seen eggs with yolks that orange. It was so nice to see the orange yolk burst and mix with the rice.
For dessert, I got the chocolate tart with cardamom ice cream. It was served on a plate... like that wooden tray they serve sushi on... except a plate... who serves ice cream like that? Luckily, the plate had a space that was filled with berries that I could push the ice cream into it. The ice cream was soooo gooodah. So good. The chocolate tart was rich, and the crust was nice and crunchy... like a cookie, but better... like a wafer in a chocolate bar.
So.. did you know they have an emergency medical team on call 24 hours a day? We found that out that night. Their butter chicken has nuts. Wait, I should say this louder: THEIR BUTTER CHICKEN HAS GROUND NUTS IN IT! So my friend who is deathly allergic to nuts and has been super vigilant since her last reaction (at 13) ordered the butter chicken. Since she normally has butter chicken at Indian restaurants, she ordered it... well, five people at the table did and they each remarked about the lack of chicken. Now again, I know I must be poor because the place I go for chicken gives me six pieces for $5 with a coke and some fries... or you can get nine pieces, or twenty if it's a party. Anyhoo, after she ran to the washroom, the manager informed us that it does have nuts... does butter chicken normally contain nuts? If I can't even eat peanuts on a plane, shouldn't that be specified on a menu that a dish contains nuts? -
Review from A E.
6/6/2010 5 photos
In search for the best Eggs Benny there is, it is only normal, if not instinctive, that I was drawn to the curiously named Pacific Rim Benedict included in Oru's breakfast offering.
Pacific Rim Benedict ($22) comes with flakes of sablefish lurking underneath soft poached eggs (by default - though you can tailor your eggs however you want) topped with hollandaise sauce on an English muffin, potatoes and caramelized onions, as well as grilled asparagus and tomato on the side. Great but not quite at the level of LG Cafe's Irish Benedict yet.
Other observations: the service was amazing, the dining area spacious (an illusion partially created by the floor-to-ceiling windows wrapped around the area and the all-white interior, but also by the physical spaces in between tables), and an extra serving of toast costs $6.
And the extra serving of toast is necessary if, instead of ordering Pacific Rim Benedict, we ordered Short Rib Benedict - as it comes in a bowl and is pretty much Atkins friendly.
A note of caution - it probably would not be wise to carry the salt and pepper shakers on the plane in your carry-on luggage as they look very much like a bomb detonator. -
Review from Mauree M.
Vancouver, BC
3/14/2010
I keep trying to give hotel food a chance, but no matter how hyped it is, I find it a pale comparison to independent spots. There's one thing, however, that I can't find fault in at Oru and that's the service and ambiance.
From the friendly hostess welcoming us and escorting us quickly to a nice table for lunch to the knowledgeable waitress who served our meal, the service was timely and pleasant. The room is bright (makes sense since it was lunch) with wood paneling and clean lines. The origami installation ties the room together nicely and adds to the fresh, simple decor.
Now, I had heard of Oru but I was enticed to try it after a review on CBC radio one early morning. I went with a good friend to try the Sake Kasu Sablefish Gingered BC tomatoes which was delicious and just enough as a starter.
Since it was lunch i had a bento (what better way to try a bit of everything) and had varying degrees of enjoyment... The wonton soup is unlike most that you would try. Though you can tell it was made with high quality ingredients, the broth was too bitter and lukewarm for me.
The chicken salad was a tad on the mushy side and lacked in flavour ... indeed I didn't expect something akin to a salad you might bring to picnics in the summer. Even then, it wasn't my favorite incarnation...
My third dish was Organic Peking Duck with star anise scented breast, mou shu leg and steam buns. Once again, I've had better, even recently at the newly opened Bao Bei. It just seemed to lack the rich flavour of duck and came in a bowl of shitake mushrooms with a side of steam bun... I love both flavours and felt they were muted somehow. You could barely taste the distinct flavour of shitake, which I imagine may cater to more conservative pallettes. Still, high quality ingredients that weren't overly greasy, whilst maintaining healthy portions saved the dish for me.
The one thing I have nothing but praise for was the Silken Ganache Chocolate Tart
toasted coconut, fruit medley. Rich, yet delicate with a crunchy almost caramel brittle like crust, this was nicely paired with almost a tartare of fresh fruit medley. Fresh and satisfying after the meal with a nice espresso to cap it off.
I may have just chosen the wrong dishes to try this time around and I'd definitely give it another chance... Still, definitely seemed a bit wanting in the taste category considering the high accolades presented upon David Wong. Still, gotta give it to a fellow Nanaimo-ite who's risen the ranks in the food world and found a lovely home right here on the Waterfront. Congrats on a good start! -
Review from Adam M.
Surrey, BC
5/13/2010
I'm giving this place 3 stars though based on the YELP review of 'Meh. I've experienced better.".. which is 2-stars seems more appropriate as 3 stars is A-OK and I don't agree that this place is. But 2 just seems too low as the place isn't bad, it's just not great.
It's a very nice looking place in a very nice location. It is also priced accordingly.
I went with a party of 8 and as such we probably ended up ordering a third of the menu. The server recommended that it was a sharing style restaurant so most of us were thinking that it was going to be reasonably large servings; she then recommended we order one small item and one entree item per person to insure we had enough food. Most of the entree items (even the cool ones like the hot rock) were an absolute minuscule amount of food. For $15 or so it quite literally had 8 very thin 2cmx3cm pieces of meat ready to cook on this little rock. It's fun like Korean BBQ, but lacked any substance. We ordered 2 of these anyways.
The rest of the food, save for maybe 1 or 2 dishes were very similar and lacked any real ability to share. As a couple I'd imagine you could share some but even then it's questionable. We basically all got to nibble on one item and that was the end of it.
The quality of the food itself was good. The service was good - though we did feel misdirected with the sharing comments. I'm not a fan of 'more is better' - but here a bit more wouldn't have hurt.
