For dinner at Vancouver’s Four Seasons Yew Restaurant, restaurant and beverage manager Stephane Castera ensured we sampled a bit of everything, or nearly everything, including Canadian wine, always adding a “trust me” after every bottle was delivered.
We started with the Ceviche with spot prawns and strawberry ceviche with meyer lemon and shaved asparagus which we paired with the Laughing Stock Rose, a Canadian wine. Then we moved onto the 2009 Blue Mountain Chardonnay from OKanagan Valley which I wasn’t a huge fan of so they came out with the Meyer Family Vineewards MicroCuvee Chardonnay (2006) which went so much better with my oysters, sampled from various parts of coastal Canada, all of which were delicious and fresh. Their oysters are served with four signature sauces: House Made Tabasco, Ice Wine Mignonette, Guava Horseradish and Citrus Ponzu. My favorite was the Citrus Ponzu but bear in mind that I’ve never been a fan of horseradish despite the fact that I love guavas.
After our oysters, we then shifted gears on wine and migrated to the 2007 Nota Bene from the Black Hills Estate Winery and a very light 2006 OSoyoos Larose from British Columbia.
There are two fish starters on the menu that are must tries: Wild Coho Salmon, Crispy Farmhouse Egg, Agassiz Hazelnut, Smoked Trout Caviar (the egg melts in your mouth) and the Seared Ahi Tuna, Roasted Little Gem Tomato, Eggplant Purée served with a Cilantro Chermoula. All of this is prepared by their chief chef Grant (aka @chefgrantm on Twitter) Thanks for an incredible experience Grant and yes, we are most definitely now following your tweets.
My main course was so good I’d order it again every night of the week if they served it. I opted for what turned into an incredibly tender Roasted Venison served with Quinoa, Broccolini & Cranberry, Porcini Mushrooms, topped off with a Brown Butter & Sage Jus. Luckily we were sharing so I was able to also taste the Roasted Duck Breast & Crispy Leg, Braised Endive, Heirloom Beets, Orange-Star Anise Jus and Risotto served with Fava Beans, Saltspring Goat Cheese, Agassiz Hazelnuts and Morel Mushrooms.
Below are two video clips I took of Grant and Stephane on-site during our incredible meal.
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
