| The legend of Lumière has for many years intrigued my curiosity as the venue known for serving Vancouver’s finest cuisine. From watching Rob Feenie’s triumphant television victory on Iron Chef America, to hearing the many reports from friends and family about the quality of food, the restaurant’s aura has always been a source of great intrigue.
With the recent departure of Mr. Feenie from the business, and the hiring of Dale MacKay, new chef and a former protégé of the legendary Gordon Ramsay (from the Hell’s Kitchen television program), I decided that it was time that I made my first visit to see whether the hype would live up to the experience.
I made a reservation in the main room to partake in one of the luxurious preset menus. There is the option, however, of eating á la carte at the fabulous tasting bar for those who just want to sample some of the many French delicacies available.
The dining room is very intimate, with a layout, which allows for a warm atmosphere that my girlfriend and I truly appreciated. We were offered a complimentary glass of champagne as soon as we walked in the door. Wow… this already look like a great night, the hostess was quite cheerful and set us up at the tasting bar before finding us a table in the main dining room in short order.
There were three choices available, and I selected the Chef’s Tasting Menu, completely convinced that its eight courses would be more than enough for my taste buds to handle. To say that I was not disappointed would be a true understatement.
The foie gras terrine that incorporated smoked chicken into the mix was absolutely decadent and a beautiful match to the wonderful selection of bread that the courteous waiting staff continued to offer throughout the night.
The unique nature of the Queen Charlotte spot prawn ravioli was sumptuous, particularly with the innovative squid linguine that accompanied the dish.
Before continuing to comment on the additional menu items, I have to say that I was absolutely blown away by the way that each dish was presented and described by the wonderful Maitre d’, whose eloquent introduction to each provided an excitement and wonder that is hard to describe. They made me aware of the ingredients I was about to take in with a flair that I have rarely experienced in any dining experience in this city.
The roasted arctic char was a magnificent match to the chanterelle mushrooms – a taste combination that melted in your mouth. At that point in the evening, I was only onto the third course, and had experienced about three or four flavours that I had never tasted before.
Though not a fan of lamb, the loin spiced with lightly spiced choucroute and golden raisins was sweet, rich and truly delicious. Cooked to perfection, I will never look at lamb (a meat that has never been my favourite) the same way again.
I would be remiss if I did not detail the decadence of the deserts offered at the end of my meal. The Jasmine Tea poached pears melted in my mouth, and were well complimented by the mango sorbet and black sesame praline. A tart and tangy taste that I will not soon forget. I was also blown away by the peppered blueberry compote and lemon,
basil & white chocolate ice cream, which turned out to be the most delicate and complex ice cream I have ever eaten.
Then of course there were the mini French pastry selections to finish the meal, which I had a hard time keeping away from, in spite of concerns about my waistline. They were immaculate on the tongue, and truly melted away into a sugary heaven that was far beyond my tolerance for sweets.
After a languid two hours of dining excellence, Lumière was definitely an outing that was able to meet and indeed exceed my expectations. In comparing my dishes to some of my colleagues, I began to understand how Chef MacKay’s new additions to the menu had taken the restaurant to a new level of creativity and quality.
For a night out on the town, Lumière is quite frankly the most pleasurable dining experience in the city of Vancouver. And although my bank account —from spending on shoes and purses– won’t allow me to go as often as I might like, I will most definitely be returning within a couple of months to partake in the other menus that continue to call to me from afar.
Sandy Dhami is a Vancouver lifestyle writer who enjoys various kinds of food, and fashion brands. She can be contacted at qwew@hotmail.com |
