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The Vancouver restaurants pushing high-end to greater heights

Fine dining in the city evolves to a loftier level
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The wagyu omakase menu at Tojo's is centred around the famously luxurious Japanese beef | Photo: Dan Toulgoet

Fine dining used to mean white tablecloths, servers in vests and ties and tableside preparations.

Some of that still exists, but today’s truly high-end experiences are really more about intimacy, exclusivity and meticulous attention to detail.

At Tojo’s, the highlight of any evening is to sit at the square bar and enjoy the omakase menu from chef/owner Hidekazu Tojo himself.

Omakase essentially mean’s “chef’s choice.” It is a gesture of trust on the part of the diner, to put themselves in the hands of the chef and let the meal be a surprise.

And, while more affordable options exist – starting at $80 for five courses at a table (at the bar starts around $150) – the real splurge here is the $200-plus Japanese Wagyu dinner, which includes the famed well-marbled beef from massaged and slightly drunk cows, as well as the more expected items like sushi, sashimi, et al.

This year, look for Tojo’s Celebration roll, created in honour of Canada’s sesquicentennial, and made with Canadian quinoa instead of rice. There are no white tablecloths here, and the dress code is standard Vancouver light-casual, but the knife work of Tojo-san and his chefs is the visual accompaniment that elevates the meal.

Let Hidekazu Tojo be your guide for his restaurant's omakaze menu. - Dan Toulgoet

Tasting menus, in general, are usually a great way to experience a chef’s repertoire and skill, but some are more about experiencing a luxurious ingredient, like at Blue Water Café. The caviar menu offers a rotating selection of sustainable and Ocean Wise-approved roe, spanning the farmed and delicious Northern Divine from Sechelt and the shortnose from the waters off New Brunswick to German and Italian varieties.

At Hy’s Steakhouse, there is no tasting menu, but there are white tablecloths and the chateaubriand for two ($124.95) is a showstopper. The massive filet mignon is grilled, then carved and served tableside, along with vegetables, béarnaise and red wine jus. When the meat is this good, there’s really nothing else that is needed, apart from a willing stomach.

It’s a bit surprising to realize that our terminally casual city has any appetite for fine dining, but judging by the wild success of No.1 Gaoler’s Mews, variety is the spice of life after all.

The brainchild of L’Abattoir owner Paul Grunberg and executive chef Lee Cooper, this monthly dinner series takes place in the catering space behind the restaurant proper. Eight guests sit at the open kitchen counter in front of chefs Cooper and Jack Chen, and watch them prepare and serve a multi-course meal. This is prefaced by a handwritten and mailed invitation and a welcome package, and includes numerous excellent wine pairings from wine director Lisa Haley, and a take-home bag full of gifts like macarons, a bottled cocktail, the latest copy of Montecristo Magazine, and more.

It’s a V.I.P. dining experience from start to finish, with a different menu each time. There is a limit of two tickets per person, at $275 each. Each month, tickets are released online and are sold out within minutes.

A dish created at No. 1 Gaoler's Mews, an ultra-exclusive dinner series held once a month behind L'Abbatoir in Gastown. - Contributed photo

he fancy trappings and tableware are lovely, but, in the end, it’s the food and wine pairings that make this a memorable occasion. Haley’s wine picks range from classic stars like the Tantalus Riesling to unknown delights, like the Coates & Seely Rosé, a bubbly made in the “méthode brittanique” (a.k.a. traditional Champagne method, but on British soil) from grapes grown on the southern chalk downlands of England. Yes, English wine. It’s a thing, a true thing – and it’s delightful. Dishes like “Tex Mex” Dungeness crab rolls and steamed foie gras custard with sesame seeds, grape granita and chives make every course a new discovery.

Although the rest of this year’s dinners are sold out, there will be a special New Year's Eve event, at $550 per person, for which tickets will go on sale on Nov. 1. Stay tuned for details on the 2018 schedule.

Anya Levykh is a food, drink and travel writer who covers all things ingestible. Find her on Twitter and Instagram at @foodgirlfriday.

Vancouver Westender