Wednesday, September 2nd - Bridges Wine Wednesday

We went to Bridges on Granville Island for wine Wednesday. All summer, they're offering a 40% discount on bottles of wine! I had bought a gift certificate a Breast Cancer Fundraiser a few months ago. I'd wanted to use it on a Wednesday so I could go on a wine Wednesday so we could take advantage of the discount but I have Ultimate Frisbee on Wednesdays all summer. This was the first free Wednesday I've had all summer. I booked to be sure we'd be seated. I didn't know that they only take reservatoins upstairs. I wasn't all that interested in sitting upstairs as it's all dark wood and enclosed whereas their downstairs is all windows and white. It was a sunny summer evening and I wanted light. I didn't actually know there was a difference between the upstairs and downstairs. Downstairs doesn't take reservations. It's more bistro food. Pretty swanky for bistro food, I must say. Decent menu but nothing too exciting for a nice dinner out. I've eaten in the bistro before a show and it is very good, a step up from most 'bar food'. The warm seafood ceasar is great!

Upstairs has a better menu but it's a prix fixe with three courses. We don't normally go for that if I don't plan ahead since I can't normally eat everything. Remember the big todo with the couple of times we went to DB bistro. Anyhoo, I took a look and the only course I was doubtful was the starter. It was a cryptic chef's selection of antipasti. As it turned out, there was no meat and it was very nice. It is made to the table to share.

Up top: Watermelon and Edamame salad with Feta dressing. Shrimp Salad on toast. The Watermelon salad was great. I will definitely do a version of this soon. The shrimp salad was good but pretty generic. Too much mayo.




Just above here were the:
Pan fried smelt with Miso vinagrette w black sesame and Madras shrimp skewer. I love smelt. You don't see it often here. I don't know why. I used to eat it all the time in Spain and the UK. I guess gained popularity as a 'necessity fish' culturally and it stuck. The dressing was light and didn't interfere with the delicate smelts. The skewers were good but could have been spicier and used larger shrimp.

White bean and roasted garlic hummous w pita was amazing. Really rich and well perfumed w the roasted garlic. It wasn't too salty as it can often been when not homemade. The only change I might have made is a touch more acid or citrus. We did clean the bowl out so we really didn't have complaints about it.

Cherry Tomato and Cucumber salad with Sherry dressing was next to the shrimp toast. Fairly simple and refreshing (no photo). Green salad with market berries with lemon dressing was nice.

For main D and I had the same thing. He was tempted to get something that had meat on it but he knew that I wasn't going to share my char and he was interested in both. :0D. He asked the server which was better and she suggested we share. At which time, he outed me and said that I don't share my food. Well, duh, of course I don't especially when it's not SHARING. If you order lamb, what is there to share? wooo a green bean side doused in lamb jus. Sharing is sharing not eating my food :-P

The char was baked perfectly and the mussles were yum and plump. The potatoes were well cooked and the Articokes, why I ordered the dish to begin with, were FAB! The tomato coulee was not that nice. It was sort of ketchupy.


Dessert:
Chocolate tart with caramel and candied pecans
New York Cheesecake with Strawberries and Raspberry coulis.

We don't normally have dessert. Another reason we don't normally get a prix fix. I'd rather have a digestif like a scotch or port. But there it was calling me, all included in the meal. D had the cheesecake and I had the chocolate tart. The cheesecake was nice and fluffy. The tart was crazy crazy rich and the caramel sauce and candied pecans served with it, was a great combination.

Bridge Restaurant Granville Island
www.bridgesrestaurant.com
1696 Duranleau
Vancouver, BC V6H 3S4
(604) 687-7351






The prix fix was only 40$. Looking at it it now, that's an AMAZING price. We sat on the patio at sunset and had a great big, bold Chardonnay.

Shaw and Smith. Buy it in store though. It's 95$ at Bridges (half price on Wednesday) but only like 40 in store.