CELEBRATE AT HOME
Make it special with fine dining to go
Spring is the season of celebration, of weddings, anniversaries and graduations, of Mother's Day and Father's Day, of cherry blossoms and sunny skies and just being happy to be alive.
Most years we'd be planning parties to mark all the important occasions of the season, filling restaurants and hotel ballrooms with the people we love best. But of course, this is not most years.
Because of the pandemic, our celebrations will have to be small. Even if restrictions on indoor dining in B.C. are lifted after May 25, we'll likely be limited to six people for a while, and many of us still won't feel comfortable dining out at all.
But that's OK, because Vancouver's finest restaurants can bring the party to you.
Before you place your takeout order, though, a couple of things to keep in mind. Some of these restaurants serve prepared, readyto-eat meals, while others offer meal kits or “provisions” that you can cook to order, and some have both. Many offer wine and cocktail kits, too. Some offer pickup only; others delivery within a set area.
Note, too, that many of these restaurants are open only a few days a week and, in most cases, you will need to order your meal ahead of time.
Here are just a few fine-dining restaurants to consider for takeout, next time you have something to celebrate — even if it's just getting through another week.
ANNALENA
At this modern Canadian Kitsilano favourite, executive chef Michael Robbins offers gorgeous four-course dinners to go. His gourmet set menus could include mussels in tomato fennel broth or slow-cooked short rib with sage-scented agnolotti, with sophisticated sweets to finish.
Info: annalena.ca
ASK FOR LUIGI
In the “before times” it was almost impossible to get into this tiny Gastown boîte. Now it comes to you — how lucky is that? Enjoy a family-style pasta dinner for two or four at home and a wine pack or Aperol spritz kit to go with.
Info: askforluigi.com
BAAN LAO FINE THAI CUISINE
Barely had this elegant Thai restaurant opened on the Steveston waterfront when in-person dining shut down. No matter. Chef Nutcha Phanthoupheng switched from her signature prix fixe dinner experience to takeout, offering à la carte dishes for lunch and dinner, as well as three-course set dinner menus. Try the in-house rotisserie chicken, marinated 24 hours and served with all the sides. Info: baanlao.ca
BISHOPS RESTAURANT
After 35 years in operation, John Bishop was all set to close his beloved restaurant last year. When COVID came along, he pivoted to takeout and has been doing brisk business ever since. His takeout menu hits the sweet spot between classic and contemporary, with dishes like beef tenderloin Rossini, roasted duck breast and burnt Basque cheesecake. A daily set menu is available, along with a selection of wine.
Info: bishopsonline.com
BOULEVARD KITCHEN & OYSTER BAR
Executive chef (Signature Restaurants) Alex Chen offers more than just a meal kit. The 2018 Canadian Culinary Champion offers an experience, with personable and easy-to-follow video tutorials along with set menus that could include paella, slow-roasted rib-eye or his famous lobster bisque. The chef-led meal kits are available only on weekends, but Boulevard also offers a “provisions” selection of pre-made heat-and-serve dishes, as well as wine and cocktail kits to go.
Info: boulevardvancouver.ca
BURDOCK & CO
Chef Andrea Carlson is passionate about local ingredients and her set takeout menu reflects just that. Think handcrafted dishes like pasta with seasonal nettles, local humpback shrimp, slow-roasted lamb collar and elegant add-ons like kusshi oysters or caviar. Info: burdockandco.com
EL SANTO
New Westminster diners have enjoyed chef Sam Fabbro's modern Mexican-by-way-of-pacific Northwest cuisine since 2015. Now he's offering a variety of takeout options, including casual street food, celebratory feasts and weekly surprise three-course Saturday night menus that have included dishes like braised pork ribs or chile relleno.
Info: elsanto.ca
GOTHAM/HY'S STEAKHOUSE
Both of these sister restaurants offer classic steak house fare prepared with exceptional verve: prime cuts, all the traditional sides and luxe dishes like beef Wellington and crab cakes. Wine and cocktail kits are also available.
Info: gothamsteakhouse.com, hyssteakhouse.com
HART HOUSE RESTAURANT
Sometimes we're so swept up by the romance of this Tudor-style mansion on the shores of Burnaby's Deer Lake, we forget that its Pacific Northwest cuisine is just as impressive. Think: roast chicken supreme, grilled Blue Goose ribeye, Basque-style cheesecake, all delivered to your door.
Info: harthouserestaurant.com
HAWKSWORTH/ NIGHTINGALE
Enjoy a taste of David Hawksworth's elegant downtown restaurant with his new celebration box. Each feeds two guests and includes a choice of braised lamb, chicken supreme or miso cod, as well as starters, sides, dessert and a bottle of H's Brut sparkling wine by Fitzpatrick Family Vineyards. Meanwhile, Hawksworth's casual sibling Nightingale serves up more laid-back fare, and both restaurants offer heat-and-serve dishes. Info: hawksworthrestaurant.com, hawknightingale.com
L'ABATTOIR
Each week chef Lee Cooper and his team prepare a set three- or four-course takeout menu, each dish carefully crafted according to the Gastown restaurant's exacting standards. Dinners must be pre-ordered and can be picked up or, if you're in the delivery area, dropped off by staff — Cooper has been adamant about keeping as many employed as possible during the shutdown. Look for seasonal dishes like spring pea agnolotti with sidestripe shrimp, chicken Kiev and rhubarb charlotte, as well as optional wine pairings.
Info: labattoir.ca
MAENAM
Chef Angus An brings all the flavour to the table with his family-style menus featuring the bright, fresh tastes of Thailand. Three-course omnivore, pescatarian and vegetarian dinner menus area all available, with mains like grilled salmon salad, eight-spice ling cod and panang chicken curry. Info: maenam.ca
NOTCH 8
Few traditions are as magical as the afternoon tea at Notch 8 in the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. Now it's available for takeout on Saturday and Sunday afternoons (pre-order essential), and features a gorgeous gift box filled with a togo tea tower loaded with scones, savoury sandwiches and sweets, plus a selection of Lot35 teas and, for those who like a bubblier experience, an optional add-on of Prosecco or Champagne.
Info: fairmont.com/hotel-vancouver/dining/afternoon-tea
ST.LAWRENCE RESTAURANT
For a restaurant designed around the hautest of culinary traditions, St. Lawrence has been knocking it out of the park with its takeout selections. It recently added picnic-ready St-hubert-style rotisserie chicken dinners (Wednesdays and Thursdays), a seasonal market-fresh three-course seasonal menu and a limited number of family-sized tourtières and sugar pies on Saturdays and Sundays. Info: stlawrencerestaurant.com
TABLEAU BAR BISTRO
We're thrilled to see this French bistro back in action after a year behind closed doors, and can't wait till the renovated patio is open. Meanwhile, we can order our favourite dishes to go for lunch, brunch and dinner — for instance, steak frites, mushrooms on toast, country pâté, coq au vin and a selection of fine wines.
Info: tableaubarbistro.com
TAP RESTAURANT
This fine South Surrey restaurant has a deservedly loyal following for its West Coast-meetsfrench cuisine and exceptional wine selection. Enjoy dishes like truffle arancini, confit duck leg or butter-basted tenderloin, all without having to hit the highway to Vancouver.
Info: taprestaurant.ca
TOJO'S RESTAURANT
Learning that Tojo is offering takeout is the kind of good news we all need these days. Vancouver's original sushi master has compiled a selection of fan favourites — like Tojo's tuna and the Great Pacific Roll — as well as limited-time specials like the “temaki party” or seven-course spring omakase menus. Beer and sake also available. Info: tojos.com
TOPTABLE2U
Chefs from four of Vancouver's finest restaurants — Blue Water Café, Cincin Ristorante, Elisa Steakhouse and Thierry, all members of the Toptable Group — have contributed their favourite dishes to this exceptional selection of provisions and meal kits. The menu includes everything from Cincin's six-hour bolognese to Blue Water's tuna gomae poke bowl to Thierry's chocolate trio cake, though perhaps our favourite is the rich, fragrant, whole truffle-roasted chicken from Elisa. Enjoy a well-edited selection of wines to go alongside.
Info: toptable.ca/toptable2u
YASMA
This Syrian-lebanese restaurant in Kitsilano offers all the bright, complex, aromatic, perfectly shareable dishes of the Levant. Until May 15, it also has special set menus of mezze, salads and grilled foods for iftar, the evening meal served daily during Ramadan. Info: yasma.ca
YUWA JAPANESE CUISINE
This west-side restaurant is known for its elegant fare; now they are making their rolls, nigiri, sashimi and other dishes easy to enjoy at home, too. Note that the menu changes with whatever is in season, plus it features an exceptional selection of wine and sake. Info: Yuwa.ca