Late last month, I joined a small group of local food bloggers for a menu tasting at Caché Bistro in Yaletown. This gorgeous restaurant is headlined by Hong Kong born chef Alex Mok who has quickly made a name for himself with his classic French technique accented by Asian flair.
To start the meal off, we were served two large charcuterie boards featuring cured meats from Oyama Sausage Co. and an assortment of mixed olives, onion jam, crostini, and house pickled vegetables. The lavish Chef’s Charcuterie was also accompanied by penne cut loaves of fresh baguette served with lobster oil. This was a wonderful way to start off the meal and definitely lent a warm, authentic European ambience to the table. Everything I tried was exceedingly fresh and flavourful yet light which served as the perfect lead-in to the main meal.
To go with our charcuterie offering we were served a bottle of Lambrusco di Sorbara Frizzante Secco Emotivo Prosecco from Italy.
For our first entrée, we enjoyed a large pan-seared scallop served on a bed of warm quinoa and orange vinaigrette. My scallop was cooked perfectly and was wonderfully tender and juicy with a perfect surface sear. I am not usually a fan of quinoa but I was impressed by how nicely it complimented the meaty scallop. Note that the dish pictured below is of a tasting portion as the actual dish comes with several scallops for $24.
Our scallop dish was paired with a 2011 Lang Bravo White Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc VQA from here in BC.
For our second entrée, we sampled the Deboned Quail which is a bacon wrapped Fraser Valley quail served with a Kennebec potato and yam pavé and a side of bacon & maple syrup Brussels sprout. The quail itself was remarkably tender and juicy and definitely picked up an infusion of flavour from the bacon. I was not a huge fan of the potato and yam pavé as it came off rather dense however the Brussels sprouts were sublime. I did not think maple syrup and Brussels sprout would go well together but I was definitely pleasantly taken aback.
Our quail was paired with a bottle of 2012 Clos du Mont-Olivet La Sabonite Grenache NV from France.
To end our meal, we were served a delicious and creatively composed dessert in the form of a cotton candy chocolate mousse tree. My dining companions and I loved the whimsical presentation of this dessert and were delighted to discover it tasted amazing as well. The mango lava core mixed luxuriously with the rich chocolate mousse for the perfect end to a fantastic meal.
Situated just over Granville Bridge at Hamilton and Drake St., this cozy bistro embodies many of the wonderful elements of European lifestyle that Vancouver so badly craves. With aesthetically stunning dishes that also sample well, I have no doubt I will be returning in the near future to try more of Chef Mok’s menu.
Caché Bistro & Lounge
1269 Hamilton St, Vancouver, BC
(604) 558-1269
www.cachebistro.com
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