Excellent Dinner @ 21 Steps, Whistler Village

I stayed an extra night in Vancouver after finding out Mike was actually there for the week skiing in Whistler. Not wanting to waste the opportunity, I bought my ski gear the night before and headed to Whistler at 6am where I spent the entire day with Mike and Ralph skiing beautiful Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains!

To end what would be my shortest but really fun holiday we had an excellent dinner at 21 Steps in Whistler Village.



Tuna Tataki

The fresh field greens were nicely complemented by the honey mustard dressing. We were however slightly disappointed with the small slices of Tuna given.


Thai Red Curry Mussels

Recommended by our waiter. The Thai Red Curry was mild in flavor which was good because it complemented the freshness of the Mussels rather than overpower it.


Garlic Chili Prawns

The Mildly Spicy Garlic and Hoisin-Based Sauce surprisingly went well with the Juicy Prawns. I particularly liked the Crisp Wonton Crisps which was soaked up the sauce.


Roast Chicken

My Roast Chicken was really tender and flavorful. I loved the Barbecue Sauce which had a nice kick from the Black Peppercorns.


Wild BC Salmon Fillet

Ralph ordered this and it was amazing! The salmon had a nice sweet flavor probably from Maple Syrup and it literally melts in your mouth.


Prime Rib

This was Mike's order. The Prime Rib was cooked to a medium as ordered and had a nice outer crust. It was well seasoned and very tender.


We were stuffed at the end of our mains and decided not to order any desserts. Everything we had was delicious particularly my Grilled Chicken and the Garlic Chili Prawns. Dinner at 21 Steps definitely ended by holiday with a bang!

Food: 4.5/5
Service: 4/5
Ambiance: 4/5
Price: $$$$ (Approximately USD $40 per person)

Contact Information
Address: 4433 Sundial Place #10, Whistler, BC V0N 1B4, Canada
Tel: +1 604-966-2121 ‎
Web: www.21steps.ca
Map:

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Power Lunch prior to trekking Whistler Mountain @ Araxi, Whistler Village

On our final day in Vancouver Zhao Kun and I had a light lunch at Araxi in Whistler Village to boost our energy levels as we attempt to hike both Whistler and Black Comb Mountain.




Bread Basket with Sun Dried Tomato Dip


The Bread Rolls were crusty and dense on the inside with a hint of sweetness. What I really liked was the Sun Dried Tomato Dip which had a flavor that resembled tomato paste


Gazpacho

The Gazpacho was served cold and was a refreshing starter. It was garnished with strips of cucumbers, cayenne pepper mix and some mini croutons.


Rigatoni Carbonara

This was not on the menu but the Kitchen Staff made it at the request of Zhao Kun who wanted a Cream Based Pasta. The Carbonara Sauce was thick and stuck to the perfectly cooked Rigatoni.


Tuna Tataki

My main course was a real winner! Using Albacore Tuna the meat was so soft and melts in your mouth. It went well with the Yuzu dressing and the Salmon Roe gave it a nice touch of saltiness together with the seaweed. Everything on the plate just went so well together

Our simple but delicious meal definitely gave us the necessary energy to hike as we completed the second hardest trail in Whistler Mountain in about 3 hours. Sadly though we did not have enough time to hike Black Comb Mountain. Nevertheless the views were breathtaking and it was great to touch some snow during Summer!





Food: 4.5/5
Service: 4.7/5
Ambiance: 4.5/5
Price: $$$ (Under USD $30 per person)

Contact Information
Address: 4222 Village Gate Square Whistler, BC V0N 1B4, Canada
Tel: +1 (604) 932-4540
Web:
Map:

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Pacific Northwest Cuisine @ Blue Water Cafe, Vancouver

I’ve always wanted to try Blue Water Café but somehow we’ve always ended up in a different restaurant whenever I’m in Vancouver. Tonight however we did make our way there for dinner as I met up with my friend Lynn.

The menu was split between different sections ranging from Cold Seafood, Sushi, Appetizers, Entrees and Desserts.

Bread with Assorted Dips


We were served some cold bread roll. We much prefer our breads soft with a crust that is warm. The dips included butter and bell pepper. The bell pepper had a nice smoky flavor and was great even eaten on its own.

BC Tasting Platter: Sockeye Salmon Terrine, Albacore Tuna Tartare, Qualicum Bay Scallop Ceviche, Dungeness Crab Salad



This was a really good appetizer. The Albacore Tuna Tartare was so fresh and melts in your mouth. It almost had the same texture as Toro and was marinated in a light and sweet citrus Yuzu Dressing.




The Qualicum Bay Scallop Ceviche was also very fresh and had a soft texture. It had a nice zing from the lime dressing and complemented the natural sweetness of the scallops.




Dungeness Crab Salad was my favorite! There were chunks of fresh and sweet crabmeat that was topped with a Pear Foam Dressing that tasted like it had a hint of champagne or Ice wine. The addition of spring onions made the appetizer very refreshing.




Seafood Tower


A must order when you’re in Vancouver is the Seafood Tower. It gives you the opportunity to sample all the fresh seafood the city has to offer and is also served mostly fresh allowing you to taste the natural flavors of the Shellfish. Our platter came with Prawns, BC Oysters, Mussels, Sockeye Salmon Terrine, Clams and Jelly Fish.


West Coast Sable Fish

The Sable Fish had a Miso Glaze and was served with Baby Bok Choi, Edamame, Shiitake Mushrooms and Bonito Dashi with Soy and Yuzu. The Sable Fish was so tender and literally melted in your mouth. It had a nice sweetness from the Miso Glaze and the Edamame and Bok Choi gave it a nice contrast in textures.


Fish of the Day: Pan Seared Halibut

The Panseared Halibut was served on a bed of Corn and Potato Compote that is finished with a butter sauce. The Butter Sauce was amazingly delicious although the Halibut was overcooked.


Madeleines

The Madeleines were not bad. They were a little on the sweet side


Overall, the food at Blue Water Cafe was really good and the service was friendly and attentive! I could see why it was voted Restaurant of the Year by Vancouver Magazine in 2010.

Food: 4.6/5
Service: 4.5/5
Ambiance: 4/5/5
Price: $$$$$ (Approximately USD $60 per person)

Contact Information:
Address: 1095 Hamilton Street Vancouver, BC V6B 5T4, Canada
Tel: +1 (604) 688-8078
Web:
Map:

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