GRILL + VINE WHISTLER at the Westin Resort & Spa

A seafood duo in Grill + Vine Executive Chef Brad Cumming’s hands pairs two of the ocean’s most sumptuous catches: scallops and lobster. Alaskan scallops are seared to perfection, set atop plump house-made lobster ravioli, and then bathed in a brandyand-tomato emulsion. “We all reach for comfort food in the winter months,” Cumming notes. “And pasta is a favourite.” He stuffs the pasta with a mixture of house-made ricotta, Parmesan cheese, tarragon and lobster. “The tarragon is very subtle,” he says. “Just a hint of anise – it’s a little different from the usual basil and it works well with brandy.” Cumming believes that food and wine menus should complement each other: “The right wine brings out the hidden flavours in food; it can really elevate a dish.” With the scallops and ravioli, Westin’s Food & Beverage Manager Jeff O’Brien serves a B.C. wine: the Tightrope Viognier. “This wine is a 50/50 blend of grapes aged in stainless steel and grapes aged in French oak,” O’Brien explains. “You get a very subtle hint of oak, but the there’s a good spicy kick to the acidity, which cuts the richness of the dish.”