My first DOV experience: Chambar

Dine Out Vancouver 2008
一年一度的Dine Out Vancouver 從一月十六至二月三日這段期間 總共有182間共襄盛舉的餐館 各自提供$15, $25,以及 $35三種不同價位的 3-course menu 包含前菜 (appetizer) 主菜(entree) 以及甜點（dessert) 今年我跟三五好友決定嘗試$25 menu的餐廳 精挑細選之後看上了一間溫哥華當地人氣非常高好評如潮的比利時餐廳Chambar 它讓我放棄嘗試法國餐廳的機會 所以並不難想像我的期待指數

第一印象

Chambar座落於溫哥華市中心 距離GM Place和Chinatown只有一小段距離 只有提供晚餐的Chambar需訂位 但是並不好訂 聽朋友說她之前生日派對早在一個月前就定好位置才吃的到 所以在Dine Out這段期間可以說是一桌難求 我們很幸運的在3個星期前訂到了5pm 三位的一桌

I have heard phenomenal reviews about the popular Belgian restaurant, Chambar, which has since then been at the top of my "must-go" list. As soon as we found out that Chambar is one of the participants of DOV 2008, we instantly decided to plan a night-out in advance. Although we had made a reservation three weeks ago, were were only able to secure a table for three at 5pm because they had been all booked until the end of DOV.

When we first got there...Located right beside the Stadium Skytrain Station, Chambar has an toned-down exterior without fancy neon lights or huge signs indicating its name, only a huge clear glass window through which we got our first glimpse of the restaurant. The three of us arrived at 5pm thinking that we might be the only ones who were going to dine at such early hours; however, through the glass windows we saw many people already waiting in the lounge area. Housed in an ancient building with high ceilings with classic furnishings, abstract paintings, and a bustling, fashionable atmosphere, Chambar successfully establishes a casual elegant yet cozy dining environment for its eager customers.
We were led by a courteous hostess into the inner sections of the restaurant, and as we passed by the kitchen I saw the staff busily preparing for the evening. We did not get the pacman-shaped booths upholstered in a modern, quilted red leather; however, we had a table not far away from the massive windows that gave us a view of the sunset. The lights that are hung from the ceiling are quite chic, and creates a harmonious juxtaposition with the exposed brick look. Our waiter who was very courteous brought us the menu.


Chambar整體的設計相當摩登 昏暗柔和的燈光 相當有質感的木製地板 掛在磚牆上的創意壁畫 時尚中帶著些許傳統 溫暖的感覺 我們的侍者帶來用不同顏色皮革包起來的menu 每一個上頭都有Chambar的logo和不同的浮水印 菜色不會繁複得令人無法招架 也不花俏的令人迷失在累贅繁複的形容當中


因為是比利時餐廳的緣故 菜單以法文為主 附上小小的英文解釋 挺可愛的

The Food
So this is what the evening is all about: enjoying great food with great company. The waiter asked if we were first timers at Chambar, and ensured us that "everything was good." Since we were a table of three, and there were three options for all courses, we made an intelligent decision of trying out the entire menu because everything DID look delicious. (Sharing is caring!)

點菜時間終於到了 我們的侍者自豪的保證絕對不會讓我們失望 其實每道菜看起來都令人食指大動 慶幸的是 因為每道都有三個選擇 我們三人決定完整的嘗試整個menu

We felt as if we did not wait at all for the food to arrive. The service was quick and professional. So here is what we ordered:

Les Petits Plats/ Appetizer/ 前菜

La Soupe de Mais et Crabe: Roasted corn & crab soup 奶油玉米螃蟹濃湯
The soup was of a creamy corn puree with chunks of fresh crab. The colour was gorgeous, making you feel warm. The soup ran down the throat very smoothly, and the richness of the cream was beautifully accentuated by the texture given by the roasted kernels. There was also a slight tinge of heat, but mild enough that it simply added a perfect end note to this soup that would make you melt like butter.

Carpaccio de Chevreuil: Venison carpaccio, roasted garlic & horseradish tapenade, golden yukon crisps, baby arugulaThis is BY FAR my favourite appetizer. Amazingly tender, the thin-sliced beef literally melted in my mouth. Each piece was soft and evenly coated with horseradish tapenade; topped with the roasted garlic puree the carpaccio was given a kick of flavour that exploded on the tastebuds. Or it could be eaten with the cheese, yukon crisps, and/or arugula, and in that case the texture was interesting and absolutely magical.


這道菜要特別介紹一下: Carpaccio 是指生的薄肉片 淋上一些醬汁冷盤類的前菜 將一片一片的生牛肉攤開在盤中 每一片都要切到有如透明般的薄片 上面覆上羅勒葉 新鮮黑胡椒 一些香料 再拌上同樣刨成薄片的起司 舖排在盤中 橄欖油和鮮檸檬汁則均勻的灑在牛肉片上 真的是色香味俱全的一道清爽冷盤 牛肉融化在舌尖上 有超滿足的感覺

Les Grosses Pièces/ Entrees/ 主菜

Truite et Ravioli: Absinthe butter crusted ruby trout, roasted pepper & goat cheese ravioli, citrus herb shaved fennel

This dish got perfect score for presentation: it was beautiful! On the bottom were generous portions of goat cheese ravioli, layered on top was the butter crusted trout, which was juicy and tender. The roasted pepper was a very nice touch to the dish. Oh c'est bon!

Boeuf Braise a la Kriek: Bellevue Kriek braised beef short ribs, hazelnut pomme puree, sour cherry compote
Now this reminded me of the daube de beouf i once had in a French restaurant. It was an extremely tender beef that literally fell apart. I was surprised to see it served with a sour cherry compote, but it proved to be a fantastic compliment to the creamy mash potato and the rich flavour of the beef.

Moules Congolaise: Mussels cooked with a tomato coconut cream. Smoked chili & lime

My friends have specially recommended me this dish. A good Belgian restaurant should serve excellent mussels! In Canterbury I had some delicious mussels at a Cafe Belge, and so I was looking forward to trying the mussels in Vancouver. It came in a massive pot that stunned all of us even though I had previously experienced this "shock". It was just fairly unexpected at a fancy restaurant where everything seemed to have to be beautifully presented in small portions on huge plates. The mussels were fresh and huge (much bigger than the ones I had in the UK), but what satisfied my mussel craving was surprisingly not the mussels themselves, but the SOUP BASE! The tomato coconut cream had chunks of tomatoes and caramelized onions in it, which collectively made it more addictive. I basically asked for another spoon and drank a huge portion of the soup on its own. Of course it would be great with some bread for dipping and pommes frites served with mayo, but I was not hungry enough to order a side dish. The combination of tomato cream with the mussels (you could even put a spoonful of the soup base in the shell of the mussels and just suck up all the goodness of the dish) was tantalizing. Another wonderful dish.

Les Desserts/ 甜點

Gaufre Liegoise: Belgian waffle, housemade vanilla ice cream & warm chocolate sauce
To tell the truth, I was disappointed. Not only was it nothing special, but the waffle itself was merely average. I would have liked my waffle to be nice and warm, fluffy and soft, so the texture and contrast with the vanilla ice cream could be accentuated. The chocolate sauce was a bit too sweet for me. Having just tasted the waffles that nearly made me cry (at a small French cafe called Cafe St. Pierre in Canterbury, UK) I was not surprised to find this dull and taste just "ok." In general I would not order it again.

Le Fromage: Daily cheese, spiced quince jam & toasted fig breadI am not a big fan of this one, although the toasted fig bread was chewy and aromatic (with a tinge of cinnamon). Again I was not wowed by it.

Pot de crème: Matcha pot de crème, lemon sable & blueberry compoteThis was the dessert I had been anticipating. As an enthusiastic fan of matcha I was looking forward to discovering the fusion of this Japanese staple ingredient with a Western twist. The colour itself was calming, and the blueberry compote really did stand out. The lemon shortbread on the edge of the pot was a nice touch as well. Again, full points for presentation. The pot was like a smooth matcha-flavoured custard, but I thought it was a tiny bit too sweet.

Last but not least... My first DOV experience was pretty good, not disappointing, yet not "phenomenal". Chambar was an amazing restaurant from its decor, service (which was friendly and attentive), to the variety of dishes on the menu; however, I was not "touched" by it. Having said that the appetizers and main courses were very delicious, and I would still recommend it.