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Real People. Real Reviews.®
Category: American (New) [Edit]
2881 Granville StMon-Sat 11:30 am - 2:30 pm
Mon-Sun 5:30 pm - 11 pm
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Wow - West wins! The hubby and I were given a gift to spend $300 on ourselves for dinner. We decided to spend it at West and spend it we did! Actually we went a little over budget which isn't hard to do because everything sounds delicious on the menu and they've got some incredible wines to choose from.
We started with cocktails. A Four O'Clock for me and a Ya Mon for the fella. O. M. G. - so delicious. David W. can certainly mix a mean cocktail.
They brought out amuse-bouche - a baby heirloom tomato in some lovely juice with olive oil powder. Yep, dehydrated olive oil. Cool!
I then had the gazpacho and the man had the potato and morel. I've never had gazpacho like this before. They put down your bowl with fresh crab, watermelon and watermelon foam then they pour over the creamiest, smoothest cold tomato soup I've ever had. I got a nibble of the potato/morel too. Mmmm.
Then I had the rabbit and he had the duck. The lovage gnocchi that came with my rabbit blew me away. I could have enjoyed a whole dish of that. Everything was scrumptious including the side of truffled fries that we ordered because I can't resist truffles.
The wine we order (Siro Pacenti 2007) was absolutely perfect with our meal. Thanks to wine director, Owen Knowlton, for his recommendation! We could have ordered something less expensive but it really was incredible and didn't overpower the flavours of the meal.
They brought us out a cheese plate which was wonderful and we also ordered the frozen lemon curd on gingersnap crust. It was so pretty - the rasperries actually sparkled! We devoured it as we had every other morsel put in front of us. I tried the $5 Madeira and ordered the Buller Fine Old Muscat for my date. Owen shared a BC made port-style wine with us too. Americano coffees finished the meal off and we pretty much rolled home.
If you have the money to splurge and want to be spoiled you should try West. From the hostess who greeted us to everyone who took care of us, the staff were all very professional and kind. There wasn't even a hint of snootiness in this classy room. Their lunch menu looks delish too.
The West has amazing ambiance to their restaurant. I loved how this restaurant made the place very romantic for a lot of couples, and I was there with my boyfriend that night.
Too bad there was no valet though, it would have been better for us. I loved how the service was enjoyable since the waiter was very cute. He was very nice to the both of us.
I had the Rabbit as the main entree and it was delectiable. I enjoyed every bite of that rabbit as it slowly hopped around in my mouth. The carrot, I assumed was just to make it pair with a rabbit dish, but it didn't taste anything different. I would only say it changed the taste to add sweet but there was barely any sweet taste from a carrot.
I will go back again because I enjoyed the place very much so. It gave an amazing romantic feel to it.
* One last chance *
I didn't want to give up on West, as it used to be one of my favourite fine dining spots in the city. So even though I was underwhelmed last time I thought I should return and give one last try at the full tasting menu.
Here's the meal:
- The amuse was a corn soup with tempura enoki. Corn is in season right now, and they did a good job highlighting the natural sweetness of the corn. The single enoki was in a slightly too heavy tempura batter which was slightly greasy. The soup would have been excellent standing on its own. It was slightly larger than an amuse - taking about 4 spoonfuls to finish. 5 stars for the soup, 2 for the enoki, giving 3.5 stars overall.
- Bison tartare. They put way too many ingredients onto the plate, which ended up masking the bison entirely. There was parsley puree, which was a bit too strong and off balance, some wild berry purees, which were lost in the parsley flavour, and a quail egg on the side which was fine. The toast points which the tartare were served on were slightly soggy as if the tartare had been pre-plated and was waiting to be ordered. Some of the puree work on the plate also looked pre-plated as it had a slight film. 2 stars.
- Sweetbread. This was the best dish of the evening. They had a perfect sear. I believe they had been poached first and then seared off. They were tender, sweet, and basically perfect. There were fava beans on the side, along with a truffle jus. Everything was well balanced on this plate. 5 stars.
- Duck ravioli. This was a single ravioli plated in a soup bowl and then presented with a broth added tableside. The ravioli skin was simply too thick. They took the overly thick ravioli and crisped it so that the thick pasta became overly crunchy and hard. The broth was duck based and had a hint of sesame oil. There were also some fresh peas (which were oddly raw and didn't really work well in the broth), and some enoki mushrooms. The filling of the ravioli was shredded duck, which was severely underseasoned. I suppose the chef was hoping the saltiness from the broth would counteract the filling. But to balance things out I had to break the ravioli down, then marinate the filling in the soup myself to get things in balance. Not a successful dish on many levels. 2 stars.
- Beef. This was a small piece of beef which had been prepared sous-vide and then seared off. Unfortunately the beef was overcooked and tough. Granted, I perhaps come down more on the rare preference side than many, but this was way past done for almost any palate. It was served with an onion puree which added nice flavour to cover the overdone beef. The potato was a bit overcooked as well. The raw watercress was refreshing. This was my least favourite savoury dish of the evening. 1 star.
- Cheese foam. This was a strongly flavoured cheese foam served with some blueberries. The blueberries had been soaked in a simple syrup, which made them lose their natural fresh taste which I am sure they had considering it is blueberry season. The foam itself had a nice cheese flavour, but it left me wishing they had simply served the cheese instead of turning it into a foam. 2 stars.
- Strawberry cake. The cake itself was moist, but had a slightly artificial flavour to it. Perhaps that was coming from the honey roasted strawberries, which entirely lost the natural freshness of the berry and ended up tasting almost like canned strawberries. This was served with a melon scoop sized ball of earl grey ice cream, which was superb. The ice cream had nice bergamot flavour and really cleansed the palate (which was very necessary after the almost artificial tasting strawberries). 5 stars for the ice cream, 3 stars for the cake, 1 star for the strawberries. 3 stars overall.
- "Petit fours." Normally I would consider petit fours to be small pastries or cakes. Not tonight. It was a single cube of raspberry gelee, and a single coconut chocolate. It sadly left me feeling they were skimping. 2 stars.
Price for the tasting menu was $92. Wine (a glass of a local Pinot Noir) was $17.50 a glass. So the total per person with tax and tip was about $150.
Overall a disappointment, and I think after having 2 disappointing meals in a row West is off my list going forward.
Listed in: Vancouver European Food
* A bit out of balance *
I hadn't been to West in a while, and finally returned. I have to say it…
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My rating is a 3 but it could be a 2. I'm sure I'll get chastised for being critical but let me explain. First off, the description of 2 of 5 by Yelp is "Meh. I've experienced better" and 3 is "A-OK" ... with those descriptions in mind, I have a hard time deciding between 2 and 3.
It was a Friday night dinner with my girlfriend.
The "room" is nothing out of this world.
The "food" is very very good.. no argument
The "wine" list is very very good.. no argument
I guess we left and both enjoyed ourselves and our time but we weren't sitting there raving about it and anxiously planning to go back. Quite frankly I don't think we will go back considering all the great restaurants in Vancouver.
If we're picking a premium place to go for dinner on a Friday / Saturday night, its going to be down the list from places like Joe Fortes, Fraiche etc.
The cocktails mixed by the bartenders are amazing, and may be the main reason just to go to West. Had a Blood Orange Vanilla Fizz - sounds like a girly drink but was actually incredibly complicated in its flavours and not overly sweet.
The food is out of this world. We were there for DineOut vancouver, but most of the people at the table were ordering off the main menu as well. The Wild Mushroom tagliatelle was excellent - amazing balance of cream and wine. The guys at West really know their sauces.
This turned out to be a wonderful dinner to end a really great day in Vancouver during the Games... Thank you, J for having West on your "places to eat" list...
I was torn between the tenderloin and the squab & lobster... I chose the squab & lobster... SOOOO glad that I did because it was one of the best things that I've eaten in a long time. It was eyes-rolling-to-the-back-of-your-head good.
Great service. Great cocktails. Great food. What more can you ask for?
David Wolwidnyk is an amazing bartender. The other bartender I was served by, Dave, was good but clearly the apprentice. Sitting at the bar when West was dead, I learned a huge amount just chatting with them. And then they started inventing drinks!
West isn't cheap, but you're paying for the cocktail experience. If you're more interested in beer, wine or conversation, you could go somewhere else.
What gets a 29 score at Zagat (aside from when they rate my beauty)? I was shocked and bewildered when I saw that West received a score of 29. I dine out all the time, and since I don't ever have to pay I go for the highest points. Anywhere high-20s I've been there, done that, wrote the review (or will soon....hint hint, if you want to remain my boyfriend).
West is tucked away in a cute space on Granville. We were greeted by more of this "Canadian friendliness" upon arrival. I was even late (stylishly), and they were still friendly. At first I thought the hostess was trying to steal my Dior coat, until I realized they were just being hospitable.
Our seating arrangement was "OK." A lot of straight people, go figure. At least as two mature gay men we were seated next to each other rather than across. But unfortunately, my date was allergic to the fabric of my Italian designer jeans, so luckily I didn't have to worry about him grabbing at my leg while I was trying to enjoy my dinner!
Here's what I need from a sommelier: I tell you what I like, and you bring it to me. Luckily I didn't have to pay for the bottle, so cost was no issue. He brought me a beautiful Australian shiraz, and a Riedel decanter worthy of my table. hEllO, our table so trumped all the straight people.
For the first course we each ordered the risotto with truffle. Mine included 3 grams of black truffles and his was 3 grams of white. I enjoyed this dish, but having recently returned from a truffle-filled trip to Paris I wasn't yet "wow'd". This would soon change.
My main course was truly the wow factor I needed: Sablefish in a soup bowl, with a unique blend of flavors and tastes that compensated for the fact that our server was hitting on me constantly. hEllO, there's "nice" and "too nice." This couldn't have just been a Canadian thing.
For dessert we ordered two cheeses, a nutty Cheddar and a soft & delicious blue. When three bougie girls who looked more fierce than I did strutted into the restaurant in their knock-off high heels, I knew it was time to go. And so my jeans-allergic (actually, I don't know if he was allergic to the jeans or just to Italians) date and I left West.
Was it a 29? My global standards tell me no. It wasn't a L'atelier de Joel Robuchon, or a Jean Georges, but I still had a fantastic meal. Certainly a memorable Vancouver restaurant. Next time (as long as someone else pays for me) I'm sure I'll try more of their menu, maybe even one of their two tasting menus.
This has been a Review by Fulgencio
Not a place to take your 300 pound uncles Jed and Jimbo from Oklahoma.
This place was not my cup of tea. It's REALLY LOUD so don't expect to have a quiet conversation with your date. And pardon my palette, but they don't serve any normal dishes here. It's mostly nouvelle cuisine type food with more focus on presentation than on flavor. Most of the dishes I had were cold by the time they were served.
This place tries to be a little bit of everything and in the end is close to nothing. If you want all the stuff the other reviewers care about you can give it a try, but if you want good food go elsewhere.
4.5 stars.
It's been a year since I've been here and what better way to ring in the new year than at one of my fave restos in Vancouver?! For New Years, West offered a special tasting menu for $120-ish or an a la carte menu.
Food is still amazing and great timing in between courses. The amuse bouche was a onion puree topped with mushrooms and mini croutons - sounds strange, but it was fabulous. Bread service is average - mix of rye, olive and another bread type.
Hubby had the salad to start with their horseradish dressing (excellent) and I had their oxtail risotto.... mmmmm! One of the best risotto's I've had, although Gary Danko's lobster one in San Fran still is my fave. The ox tail was well flavored and the risotto was nicely cooked. Considering that you've just blown $20 on your appy with this one, you might as well add on some of their truffles as an additional topper if you're a fan :)
For mains, of course I had to have sablefish!! It's a different style than it was a year ago - now it's done in a broth with mashed potatoes and mushrooms in the broth. I was a bit nervous at first since I hated the broth style one at another resto, but West did a great job. Hubby had the venison - the shoulder portion was only so-so, but the sliced portion was amazing! The gnocci and chesnuts were an interesting and tasty side.
Service during the meal was very good although we sat for about 10 minutes before anyone approached us after being seated at the table - not sure why... things were smooth after that.
This is still one of my fave restos in Vancouver. Plus I love that I don't have to fight for parking here - West does offer a valet option for $8. I normally valet in downtown since I'm a terrible parker, but around this area, you can usually find a spot with no problems at dinner.
Special occasion and expense account approved :)
Listed in: Making the most of your…, Top Restaurants
LOVED this place! It's been Restaurant of the Year in Van magazine for a couple of years and I can… Read more »
My husband and I go here for our anniversary every year. It's a tradition. And we try to go at least one other time per year. In my opinion, this may be the best "indigenous fare" restaurant in Vancouver. Good wine plus multi-course meal for two plus tip may set you back about $400 (typical of our sojourns there) but it is well worth it. I especially appreciate the imaginative vegetarian chef's menu. The more I travel, the more I appreciate the vegetarian options of my home city. West is a gem. Service is superb. Artisan drink-making available. And awesome. Wine options are plentiful and varied (varietal and price-point wise). You can stop at the bar for a (more price-friendly) snack and drinks and this is also a great experience. I am a big big fan...one of the best restaurants in Vancouver in a city that is filled with places to eat....
I had been wanting to go to West for a long time (years, really) and finally went for my birthday. I can't say much bad about the experience, but not too much good either. I was underwhelmed and I really question the value for money part of the equation, even compared to other high end restaurants. We had great food, but my scallop appetizer had two of the worlds smallest scallops on the plate. They were very tasty, but it was a mere morsel, not a real starter. Our server was also adequate, but not outstanding. I had expected a bit more. The desert was down right awful. The bar staff were very impressive, however, and so I can see going back for a drink, but probably not dinner.
This is our 2nd visit to West...a long delay after a very disappointing visit almost a year ago...in February 2009 to celebrate a special day, only to be disappointed by the uninspired cuisine and mediocre taste - for a restaurant of its stature in the Vancouver area. For the prices we were paying, we found the food average in creativity, presentation and taste. We were also surprised by the overcooked, dry and chewy lobster. When the manager checked on our table, we asked him to bring this to the kitchen's attention so they won't overcook for the next customer. We noted that there's no need to cook us a replacement.
Since it's an open kitchen, we sensed that the chef was not happy about our lobster comment. He sent another one to our table so we felt obligated to eat it even though we were full. Unfortunately, the second lobster was still overcooked, though a bit less. This concludes our first experience and that's why we got cold feet to revisit the restaurant for a long time.
After staying away from West for a long while, we felt it's probably time to give it another shot. Perhaps it's unfair to write off the restaurant based on one bad experience, since much of Vancouver have nothing but praise for West. This time, the food was much better...
For starters, we had foie gras and it's a good balance with the maple and whisky jelly. We also had yuzu marinated octopus and the taste is bland with no detectable yuzu fragrance.
For the meal, we had squab+lobster and a roast chicken. The squab+lobster is good, no overcooked lobster this time ;-) The accompaniment consisted of candied carrots, kabocha squash and rosemary beignets - we didn't find the beignets good. We enjoyed the roasted chicken but not the housemade truffle boudin blanc, which had no taste and a soggy texture. It's nothing compare to a very good wood grilled boudin blanc sausage we had at Spring Hill Restaurant in Seattle, Washington. We passed on dessert because nothing on the dessert menu calls out to us - there were way too many components in each plate, without a clear idea where the pastry chef was going with her menu theme.
This second experience at West was notably better, but we believe it's not a good value destination - in our opinion, the food does not measure up to the price and the reputation.
I'm in love with this restaurant!!!!! This was what we ordered last Monday:
Foie gras w/lobster roll - DELICIOUS!!!! I CAN easily have 10 plates!! The foie gras just melts in your mouth!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Scallop w/bacon appetizers - cooked perfectly
Pork tenderloin, pork belly, bacon & pan seared gnocchi - YUM & tender
Roast lamb - cooked perfectly
Frozen creme brulee - interesting concept and was not bad
Tasting trio - A-Ok, was a tad disappointed
West is a place to find some wonderful food. Certainly not a place for fans of simple dishes - West manages to serve up some of the best food in the city, and certainly the best service.
Slightly undeserving of the stellar praise it has gotten I find - West is good, even *very* good - but there are certainly things to nitpick. My dessert for instance was watery, and the sablefish overcooked. That being said, it's still probably in my top 5 Vancouver restaurants.
I've still never actually eaten here, but I given this place five stars just for the cocktails. While waiting for a table at Vij's this is a great place to call in, and sitting at the bar means you get to meet their legendary barman. He knows his drinks inside out and he's always got some interesting twists up his sleeve. The first time I went, it was a new take on a whiskey sour that was absolutely awesome. The golden beet cocktail is a real treat as well.
One day we'll eat there, but not without spending half an hour sitting at the bar first. For me, a trip to West wouldn't be the same without it.
The food, the service and the ambiance is what a 5 stars restaurant should give. Fresh and perfectly balanced. You can love the taste of your favourite Chinese or your cozy tasty Greek restaurant , but West is none of that: Eat slowly and let the flavours overcome your tongue, mouth and mind. Everything that has to be nailed to make your experience perfect, will be nailed. Don't go there if all you ever ate was restaurant's food. This ain't. This is chef's food.
If you want a perfect experience, perfectly cooked, perfectly seasonned, perfectly served food, and your mouth is developped enough, you will enjoy your 50-100$ per person bill.
I would strongly suggest to even just go there for the drinks. They are perfect, (yeah i know i say that a lot...) and the prices for them are competitive.
West is one of those restaurants in Vancouver where one expects an immaculate experience every time, it's that good. The interior is inspiring, the wine list offers more than I could ever drink and when my meal came, I was shocked that the steak was soooo bad. Any other occasion, I would have sent it back but we were celebrating and I was starving. But when I can get a more tender steak at the Keg than this A-list restaurant, it's more than a little disappointing. However, every restaurant has bad nights and I would eventually return. Everything else about the evening was great but I'm guessing my company had a lot more to do with that than the food.
An excellent choice in Vancouver. Great atmosphere. Great staff. Great food. Reservations are recommended, but it looked to me like there was a definite possibility of getting in without them.
One thing that stood out for me was the risotto. Personal tastes in wine are hard to guess, but I thought the waiter did a decent job of suggesting a good wine.
I would recommend this restaurant for dates. Great vibe.
The first time is always the best (Ouest)... unfortunately... this was the second time
Decor hasn't changed much after all these years- awesome floor to ceiling shelves for bottles of wine (I am sure, expensive...) with the cool funky library ladder behind the bar. Interesting reflective ceiling sculpture artwork- makes the room bigger. The same awesome leather dining chairs that were there years ago- I managed to buy a duplicate at DWR in Boston but had serious sticker shock
More funky cocktails now- very nice collection. There's also a bar in the restaurant.
Food was good but not great- maybe that speaks to the proliferation of good "westcoast" restaurants in Vancouver in the past several years all serving "local/fresh" food - there seems to be a brood of Berkshire pigs that get consistently persecuted for our dining pleasure... I had sweetbreads and something for entree.
I think the amuse bouche was some kind of garlicky sweet thing. Desert was kinda crappy. I remember it was mind-blowingly good the first time.... story of my life...
This time came to $100 per head- quite reasonable
By far one of the most expensive meal i spent for two.... but it's worth it! It didn't win all those awards for no reason...
We decided to go for the tasting menu and initially it reminded me of those commercials with tiny portion of food on a big plate but as courses continue to come we were getting full and was getting more delicious by the dish!!!
Great food, top-notch service, brilliant wine list. I find the atmosphere at bit too sterile, and actually a bit noisy for the size and style of the restaurant. Maybe I wouldn't mind the volume to much if the layout had a more intimate and cozy feel, I don't know...
Aside from that, one of the best things in life is a great Prix Fixe menu with wine pairing, and West has an early Prix Fixe menu (available until 6 pm) and a separate Tasting Menu. The best tasting menu is a gastronomic ballet with everything expertly choreographed and timed and at this, West excels. If I have one complaint about the food it's that there was just too much of it. If you order the West tasting menu, prepare to pace yourself and make sure you're hungry! This is not one of those lame pretentious tasting menus where a single curl of frisée lettuce and a grape-sized roasted beet counts as a "roasted beet salad".
Final verdict: yummy food, especially try the tasting menu, and try it with the wine pairing but be forewarned that it is a LOT of food. Keep that in mind, and pace yourself. I don't find this restaurant intimate enough for a romantic dinner, but it's a great place to take a client you want to impress, a frenemy you want to fatten-up, or your in-laws to ingratiate yourself too.
We ate here on a recent visit to Vancouver, in celebration of my wife's birthday. We opted for the Winter Tasting menu in order to maximize the variety of food we would be able to try. The restaurant has a very contemporary feel to it, with some cool loungy music piping in throughout the night. The restaurant was surprisingly quiet on the Friday night we were there (the rest of the city seemed pretty low key as well), I'm guessing the recession has had an effect on upscale restaurants such as West.
Anyway, following our tasty Amuse Bouche, we had the West seafood chowder. Very tasty, not too creamy, with a good variety of seafood mixed in. The next course was a risotto course that had slivers of osso buco -- very rich and also very good. Our main course was a sablefish that had a poached egg within the dish. The egg yolk provided a silky creaminess to the dish, something I'd never really expected with a fish dish, though it worked very well. A cheese course followed before we ended with a frozen creme brulee for dessert with a final petit fours at the end. We opted for a bottle of wine rather than the wine pairings, which worked well for us. Since our time in Vancouver was limited, we wanted to experience some fine dining while we were here, and West definitely met up to our expectations.
I got the seafood tasting menu. Everything was WONDERFUL but the main course fish was a tad salty and the tempura sauce was too salty. Tempura sauce should be a lighter taste... however the service was perfection!
I hate to be that "guy". You know, the one who has to say what a lot of other people have to say about the #1 restaurant in Vancouver. You know, the guy who everyone will say is a "hater" because he didn't like the food at West. That it was way too overpriced and over rated. But i am that guy, and there, i said it. Listen, who cares about the best chef in the city? Some of the best food is found in little cafes and family restaurants cooked by people who had their recipes handed down from their Grandmas. I will say that the bartender at West is the best. He'll make you any drink from scratch and he'll use fresh fruit for any fruity drink instead of a juice from the can or carton.
I'm not easily impressed. I eat out a lot and i know what's good and what's not. I would have to say that West is terribly overpriced for the food you get....
Okay... I lied. I just didnt want to be another one of those "guys" who raves on about West. It is pretty damn good actually. Damn! You can't actually say anything bad about this place. They are pricey, but their tuna is hands down the best. Try their crab appetizer if you like seafood. It's about $19, but it's worth it. When you eat at West, you almost feel like you should have gone to culinary school.
There's still time, but don't try to catch up to the chef at West. He has you beat by a mile.
West is consistently hovering around the #1 spot when comparing top restaurants in Vancouver and for good reason.
It really does deserve to be up there with it's magnificent servings of regional West coast fare.
Pricing is up there as well but for special occasions and what not it is definitely one to save up the money and go try out.
There's no going wrong with choosing anything on this menu. The menu is dominated by seafood for the main courses and lighter sweets for dessert, however eating everything from first to last course never feels too heavy.
We were really looking forward to eating here. We love good food, don't mind an occasional blow-out money wise, had done research, and thought this would be a great place to celebrate our anniversary. So, we were very sorry to be disappointed.
The service was friendly and attentive, and the room very pretty, but the ambience in all a bit stiff. Fun cocktails, great bloody mary, but skimpy wine portions. For $15 a pour, I'd like a bit more. Found the food in general to be bland. The seafood stew tasted a bit off, and not very flavorful. Sea scallops on top of a bed of lentils were somewhat dry. I did enjoy the ravioli w/ quail. The duck breast, dressed up w/ foam and sunchoke puree, among other items, was so-so. I've been happier w/ roasted duck at my hole-in-the-wall Chinese place. The tastiest part of the meal was the pumpkin flavored chocolate truffle at the end.
Completely lives up to its hype as the best place around!. Everything was perfect. A very rare occurance indeed these days.
Pleasant hostess, attentive, informed and friendly wait staff and truly fabulous food. The menu descriptions can be lengthy, but so to are the flavors.
This is a restaurant at the top of their game, they've survived a chef change and continue to exceed expectations. They provide great food, because they not only know how to cook, but they understand very well that how you source your ingredients is just as important. They are also fortunate to be surrounded by great growers, cheesemakers, etc.
I wish I lived in Vancouver so I could eat here more often.
I wouldn't say that our meal was great... but it wasn't bad either. There was nothing wrong with it... For a restaurant of it's class, the meal was on par... Everything was cooked perfectly... but it just didn't have the "WOW" factor... everything tasted alright... but it wasn't anything over the top special or extra creative.
I gave it 3 stars because I can't say the meal was horrible.. but for the money spent, I was really expecting something more. I had read rave reviews about this place.. and I was really disappointed. The service was excellent, as it should be, for a restaurant of this class. I wouldn't go about awarding it extra stars for good service as I expect this when I go to a restaurant of this class.
I would say for we got, taste-wise, it was over-priced and definitely over-rated. And I probably wouldn't go back, given that Vancouver has so many fine dining restaurants to choose from.
Great recommendations online sent us there. Great food will take us back. Highlights: Tartelette of Wild Salmon with fennel, great desserts especially poached peach halves with gingersnaps, cherry almond clafouti???
Pricy but worth it.
a couple years back, i made this restaurant my special occasion meal for my vancouver trip. it did not disappoint. the setting is very intimate and romantic. i thought the tasting menu was well worth it and a lot of their dishes were very innovative. service was great!
i even remember the maitre d commenting on how his sister was from san francisco to make me feel more at home. he also included a menu as a souvenir for me to bring home.
i would definitely come back the next time im in town.
excuse some of the pics, as i didnt want my flash to disturb the other patrons.
After have been reading about how spectacular West is for the past few years, I was extremely delighted to discover that it doesn't disappoint. The food is pretty remarkable ( except for my slightly overcooked salmon), the sablefish appetizer is just divine ( particularly at a dine out price), and so was the chocolate dessert... the texture and the taste simply melts at your mouth .... and so was the cocktail.. fresh and smooth...such a divine meal to kick start the year
I've been to West a couple of times and have had great experiences. It is expensive for south of False Creek, but the food is impeccable and the service is quite attentive. Perfect for a special occasion or even for the occasional splurge.
We had a great meal at West - the service was excellent, the food, top notch. To start, their drink menu is inventive and never disappoints. They just refreshed the menu and one of the new items was a Seared Ahi Tuna with a Watermelon broth. It was excellent. The Lamb was also some of the best I have ever had. The scallop appetizer and Risotto was also excellent. On the prices, it is undoutedly at the upper end, but was worth it for a special occasion.
when u come here, u gotta try the tasting menu. i guarantee u multiple foodgasms.
The five stars I give to West is every bit deserving and wholeheartedly given. I've been to West twice now since my mom lives nearby and this is one of my favorite restaurants, EVER. The menu is filled with innovative and solid selections such as veal sweetbreads, calf's tongue, and fresh west coast oysters. Any chef who can make intestines taste better than anything else gets my highest compliments. The first time I visited, I had the tongue, which was the most delicious dish I've tasted, even comparing to high-end restaurants in New York. It just melted in my mouth. The second time I started with oysters and then moved to sweetbreads, which came with some crackling and lovely sauce. A meal at West is an amazing experience from start to finish, especially because the service staff is so cordial and friendly. They are extremely helpful with menu selection and never make you feel as though you don't belong in this posh restaurant. I even purchased the newly published West cookbook and am trying out a few recipes myself (not an easy endeavor). The prices are on the high-end, but with the latest gain in US dollar strength we managed to eat a three-course meal per person (party of 4) for way under $400 (no alcohol probably helped), with tip and tax all included. I would highly recommend West for special occasion.
Really amazing food. The pork belly and the risotto skipped right past my short-term memory to the long stuff. That said, it will make your wallet say "ouch".
Neighborhood: Kitsilano
Neighborhood: Fairview Slopes
Neighborhood: Gastown
Neighborhood: Downtown
Neighborhood: Fairview Slopes
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