Terroir Kitchen, West Vancouver

Terroir is a true gem of West Vancouver! As soon as you are seated in their modern, sleek restaurant a sense of serenity flows over you. Whether you're seated inside or on their lovely deck overlooking the Pacific Ocean there is a place for everyone at Terroir!

Our adventure started with a lovely Rotari Trento Brut Rosé which went perfectly with a couple appetizers recommended by our lovely hosts: Zucchini Parmesan Carpaccio and a Seared Albacore Tuna. I rarely eat zucchini, but the combination of it with the cheese and a light smattering of oil and I ate almost the whole plate. Much to the chagrin of my zucchini loving dining partner. The tuna was fresh and delicious, lightly kissed with the perfect sear job.  

Rotari Trento Brut Rose | Mezzacorona | Trentino, Alto adagio

Zucchini Parmasen Carpaccio

Seared Albacore Tuna | Warm fennel salad, cipollinni onions, olives, crispy artichokes, roast garlic & parsley sauce

We cleansed our palates between courses with a lovely Pineau des Charest from Chateau de Monifaud. It's a delightful French aperitif and did the job perfectly and then the fun really started! Out comes, unbeknownst to us as we left everything up to Chef Kassan's, one of my favourite dishes: bone marrow! Expertly prepared and so flavourful. We always enjoyed a delicious pork belly, think bacon's overweight, delicious cousin, and paired beautifully with a robust Pinot Noir from the Meyer winery in BC's beautiful Okanagan Valley. Rounding out the dishes was a sublime Potato Gnocchi, the best over had in my life, with venison ragu and paired with a Barbera d'Alba, one of favourite Italian wines!

Pineau des Charentes | Chateau de Monifaud Vieux Pineau | France

Bone Marrow

Pork Belly paired with Pinot Noir | Meyer | Okanagan Valley

Potato Gnocchi | Venison Ragu, Crispy Sage, Saffron Pecorino, Cocoa Nibs, paired with Barbera d'Alba

Already wobbly as we sat back in our chairs, dessert would be next. Can we handle it? Ought we? We didn't get a chance to answer as a dessert platter glided silently to our table: Dulce de Leche, Chocolate Tart, Poached Pear, Biscotti and a lovely Chateau de Bourgogne. We ate almost all of it even given our now food pregnant frames and thanked Chef Faizal Kassam on our way out and had a lovely conversation about the direction of the relatively new Terroir, had a nice tour and some behind the scenes tidbits. Terroir is divine and we will definitely be back!

Dessert Platter

Pot de Creme | dulce de leche

Chocolate Tart | Pistachio Brittle, Rosewater Cream

Chateeau de Bourgogne | Cassis Poached Pear, Burnt Almond Biscotti

Words: Scott Allan
Photos: Jenn Chan

French Cuisine in Vancouver: The Truffle House

Mission statements. New age, business buzzwords akin to 'synergy' or 'vertical integration'. Popular movies satirize them, memes abound and yet no one realizes that every Fortune 500 company has one. Here's the lovely owners of The Truffle House's, Fabienne and Philippe Chaber, charming, honest offering:

Our goal at The Truffle House & Café is to provide an amazing MEAL experience, and we always do our best to use the freshest, local and organic ingredients which are delivered every week. We know where our food comes from, and we avoid anything pre-made or processed including our desserts. Be assured our food is of top quality and made with care.

I believe them. After you go, and I know you will, you'll believe them too! Our experience started with Fabienne's beaming face welcoming us and giving us a look around. A wonderfully laid out, intimate space highlighted by a feature wall filled with artist Paul Ge's wonderfully whimsical photographs. A tiny downhill skier figurine descending a lovely tranche of Havarta sat directly across from me. As an art lover and a foodie these photos are a perfect fit. Give Mr. Ge a quick Google. Go ahead, I'll wait.

You know those people you meet and instantly like? Fabienne is one of those! Her genuine smile rarely left her congenial visage and her manner is light and good hearted. She recommended their special, a delicious Crab and Avacado salad, and, after she mimed a crab pinching so we could discern the word 'crab' given her heavy Parisienne accent, we all had a good laugh and ordered it and a Truffle Mac & Cheese to start. We left wine pairings up to her discretion and she expertly paired a pair of nice French Chardonnays with our appetizers. We could have left after the first course and still give The Truffle House a glowing review!

Crab & Avocado Salad

Truffle Mac and Cheese

For our main courses we order the Truffle and Wild Mushroom Risotto, divine, and the French staple Coq au Vin. The risotto was sublime, fresh and flavourful and the shaved truffle and white truffle oil accompaniment complimented it perfectly. The Coq au Vin, which translate roughly to chicken in wine though it sounds much classier en français, was the best I have ever had. Elevating the dish they use a Cornish Game Hen in lieu of chicken. There's only one bird in the world more delicious than game hen and it's rarely eaten more than once a year and tends to make you very sleepy. They laid the tender, decadent poultry on a bed of incredible asparagus and baby potatoes. If you know me well you will know that "incredible asparagus" is not a phrase I spout often, or ever really, but is absolutely apt in this instance. Fresh and fragrant and expertly prepared I devoured all of it! The baby potatoes were also far above average and the dish was deeply satisfying. Again we left the pairing up to Fabienne and she hit it out of the park yet again!

Truffle and Wild Mushroom Risotto - Wild Mushroom Ragout, fresh herbs, shaved black truffle, grated parmesan, white truffle oil

Coq Au Vin - Roasted Cornish Game Hen, baby potatoes, spring vegetables, bacon & pearl onion demi glaze

We tried to politely decline dessert. We really tried. But when freshly baked apple pie is mentioned I am powerless. I realized then, as happens often, that I am a weak, weak man. The pie came out accompanied by a luscious vanilla bean ice cream. I could have eaten the entire pie. Easily. It's worth a trip all on its own.

Apple Pie with Vanilla Bean Icecream

A jewel of Dundarave Village, a must-see, a can't-miss, a hotspot. These are just a few of the reviews you'll see online. They're all true! Do yourself a favour and head over to the Truffle House!

Words: Scott Allan
Photos: Jenn Chan