What's it like: It’s hard to miss the Shangri-La in Vancouver, housed as it is in the first 15 floors of Vancouver’s highest building (61 storeys in total, though you have to get a vantage point such as Stanley Park to see how it rises above surrounding buildings). To see a review of this property, click here.
This was the first North American hotel from Shangri-La, and to establish its presence as well as height for the property, the hotel went for a famous chef for its restaurant – a wise move, when the city already boasts so many superb restaurants in so many different styles.
The restaurant is Market by Jean-Georges, so famous he doesn’t need to add his surname – Vongerichten – three Michelin-starred and now rolling out restaurants in cities around the world including New York (Spice Market), Hong Kong (Vong – now closed) and Market in Paris.
The restaurant is accessed by an elevator from reception, or by stairs from the street, and is divided into a number of different sections including a bistro (seating for 36). a bar, a seasonal 60-seat outdoor terrace which was busy on the summer evening we visited and the main restaurant (seating for 84 including two private dining rooms).
The food: the concept of Market is to concentrate on the exceptional produce – fish, meat and veteagbles – of British Columbia, although there’s a light touch to this with Vongerichten’s “vibrant cuisine... abandoning the traditional use of meat stocks, instead featuring intense flavours and textures resulting from the use of vegetable juices and fruit essences, light broths and herbal vinaigrettes.”
To see a copy of the current dinner menu click here. It’s a cracking menu, with simple menu headings such as Simply Raw” and “Simply Cooked”. For a starter I had the Roasted Carrots and Avocado Salad, Sour Cream and Citrus, Crunchy Seeds, which was refreshing without being too filling, and since I had enjoyed a sushi meal at Maku earlier that day, so for a main course went for the Soy Glazed Short Ribs, Apple-Jalapeño Puree, Rosemary Crumbs. The meat was almost melt in the mouth and delicious, as were the side orders of Summer Vegetables and Spicy glazed carrots.
The emphasis on local produce is particularly evident in the Simply Cooked section (all prices in Canadian dollars): Qualicum Beach Scallops 19, BC Steelhead Salmon 22, Pacific Halibut 24, Queen Charlotte Sablefish 23, Nova Scotia Lobster 40, Lamb Chop 32, Alberta AAA Beef Tenderloin 34.
I was too full for a dessert, but then read the menu and ordered the Raspberry cheesecake, Sundae shortbread raspberry meringue, whipped cream, and washed it down with an Ice Wine, Pentâge 2009 from Penticton, British Columbia (the wine list is impressive, though I tried an Okanagan Spring ‘1516’ Bavarian Lager from Vernon, British Columbia).
Verdict: Throughout the meal the staff were excellent, and hearing the ways they dealt with a global guest list of diners from around the world showed how well trained they were. We particularly enjoyed the young Asian man who not only was on his mobile phone for the whole meal, ignoring his attractive female partner, but even ordered and ate while continuing the call. Highly recommended.
Fact file
Tel: (1 604) 695 1115
Email: [email protected],
Website: shangri-la.com/en/property/vancouver/shangrila/dining/restaurant/market
Opening times:
- Breakfast 7am - 11.30am
- Sunday Brunch 11.30am - 3pm
- Lunch 11.30am - 2.30pm
- Dinner 5.30pm - 10.30pm
- Bar, Sunday to Wednesday 11.30am - 12midnight, Thursday to Saturday : 11.30am - 1am
Tom Otley
