Provence Marinaside - Awesome View and Salty Lunch

Provence Marinaside - Wild Mushroom Ravioli in White Wine Buttersauce - Extra Garlic

Few restaurants in Vancouver can boast this location.  Metres away from the Yaletown offices, nestled in the glassy condo towers and facing the constant stream of passersby on the well loved Seawall.  I found that to be one of the most redeeming features of Provence, that and the kind service.  I cannot say I equally enjoyed the food.  I wanted to.  My friend with whom we were eating, is a regular.  He eats there at least 2-3 times a week and is one of the few people welcomed with his two boys.  Thankfully, lil T was asleep in his stroller for most of our lunch and we were with the regular so his presence wasn't entirely rejected.  That said, our friend R, the regular, said that it did take a few months of regular visits for his kids to be accepted.  It does have that air and fair enough.  Though it is woefully a misconception that a family friendly restaurant needs to be a TGIF's.  In Europe, particularly the family centric Spain, you will find babies in most restaurants of all styles at all hours.  Anyhoo, that all said to say that Provence is not entirely family friendly.

R and D ordered the Wild Mushroom Ravioli, oddly enough for R, with extra Garlic.  It's his go to dish there.  I ordered the Vegetarian Platter.  I tasted a bit of D's Ravioli.  It was well cooked.  The filling was a bit wanting but the White Wine and Butter sauce was lovely, particularly since I lurve Garlic.  

Vegetarian Antipasti Platter - Study in Salt

Unfortunately my dish was terrible.  It was a selection of the their Anitipasti, the Quinoa Salad, Green Beans, Stuffed Piquillo Peppers and Garlic Mash.  It was just an astounding study in Salt.  Each one was Saltier than the next.  I had to have a bit of the mildly Salty Green Beans just to be able to eat the rest and I love Quinoa!  Alas, it was not edible and I had to leave it.  Odd, really because the Antipasti is already prepared in their deli counter, someone could have tasted it before putting it out.  Quite disappointing.  I have had dinner there in the past for a Wine Makers Dinner.  It was much better though I'd still have to say someone in the kitchen does have a Salty palate.  Though D and R did validate that the salad was TOO TOO salty.  We let the staff know, they grinned, tolerantly apologised (mainly because we were with R) and bid us a good day.  So in future, IF I return, I'll stick to the warm menu.  Too bad, I love good Antipasti.

Ambiance:  Bright, airy
Service: Very hospitable though no concession was made for oversalted food
Cost: $$$-$$$$ (Mains ~30$)
Family Friendly: not so much, unless baby is sound asleep

Provence Marinaside Restaurant

1177 Marinaside Cres Map
604-681-4144
Vancouver, BC V6Z
provencevancouver.com

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