Red Door Bistro

604-962-6262 reddoorbistro.ca

Since it opened in December 2013, Red Door Bistro has become the heart of Creekside, fully booked night after night and delighting diners with its locally- sourced, skilfully executed comfort food.

Executive Chef R.D. Stewart says the commitment to local, seasonal ingredients can be “exhilarating – although when it snows in June, it can be frustrating, too.”

A perfect salad, he says, combines “great seasonal ingredients, something crunchy, something sweet, something sour, and a textural component.”

He plumps for a Pemberton Meadows bavette steak marinated in ginger and chilli for the base of his salad. “It’s an extremely juicy cut,” he explains. “I like it in a salad because it brings great texture.”

To a selection of watercress, baby lollo rossa, arugula and baby kale, he adds pickled shallots to offset the fat of the beef and Salt Spring Island blue cheese for a salty tang. The salad is finished with vinaigrette of tomato and fine herbs.

Simplicity, he insists, is key. “It’s a cliché, but if you muddle food up too much it loses focus, and you’re no longer showcasing the product.”