Chaise Lounge
…”updated and upgraded classic diner food prepared with environmentally conscious and organic ingredients”
The Diamond
One of the summer’s highly anticipated restaurant and bar, The Diamond (6 Powell Street), quietly opened its doors last week in historic Gastown.
Bombay Sapphire – event at the Shangri-La Hotel
It was a highly educational evening as we learned that Bombay Sapphire is no ordinary gin. Instead, it is a premium gin like no other and highly unique. 10 perfectly balanced botanicals obtained from various regions of the world are infused and released upon drinking it. These botanicals include almonds and lemon peel from Spain, grains of paradise from West Africa, liquorice from China, and orris root from Italy to name a few. Each ingredient complements another and are carefully added such that no single botanical overpowers another. The natural flavours are infused to create a subtle yet highly aromatic taste and thus, appeals to both gin and non-gin drinkers.
MARKET at Shangri-La Hotel
…from the crisp white shirts of servers to the music playing from overhead speakers in the washrooms, everything was so elegant and fancy.
Voya Restaurant & Lounge
…tuna tartare was sophisticated in preparation and presentation; tartare cakes perfectly sandwiched between thinly sliced asian pear.
Les Faux Bourgeois
Les Faux Bourgeois (663 East 15th Avenue) is a dimly lit French restaurant located in the Mount Pleasant neighbourhood by Fraser and Kingsway. The restaurant is a partnership between the former co-owners of Jules Bistro in Gastown and Go Fish near Granville Island. I have had my eye on the place before it even opened its doors and I extremely excited to finally visit Les Faux Bourgeois for dinner last night. When we went, the 50-seat restaurant was completely full and bustling, with a few empty seats at the bar. The rustic and relaxed feel to the place makes it unpretentious French dining despite the restaurant’s seeming success. A chalkboard marked the “poisson du jour” and wine glasses were abundant at every table. It was a pleasant surprise to still be seated comfortably with a fair-sized gap between us and the next table. A few tables were left open for walk-in’s and even those were constantly being filled.
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I had previously been turned away for weekend sittings, and have read only positive reviews about Les Faux Bourgeois. Perhaps these two things raised the bar just a bit because I was disappointed by what I ate. The fausse nicoise ($10) was overdressed with vinegariette, while the lamb tenderloin ($18), although tender, was too salty and there was nothing special about the french fries. The bread for the table was cold and hard. Despite all this, I must admit I would still return for another visit. Considering the value, location and atmosphere of the place, it is worth a second shot.
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They are now open on Sundays for dinner, and just recently opened their Cafe side, which serves local organic and fair-trade coffee in the day time.