Gillian's Kitchen: So where's the beef?
One evening over dinner, the discussion came round to memorable meals away, and the topic of roast beef, English style came up. Recalling wonderful meals in London, and a few restaurants in the US, that serve beef slices carved at table-side from a large roast, a fellow diner bemoaned the fact that he had not found a restaurant in Vancouver that served up such meals. When I tried to remember when I had last had roast beef or for that matter, roast lamb or ham served in that way, I could only think of events such as buffets at conference banquets or cruise buffets! And at the conference buffets, there were usually long line ups to get a bun, smear it with mustard or other condiments, and then have a cook slap a semi-congealed piece of meat onto the bun. Hmmm. Not too appealing.
But still, served table-side with the right accompaniments, roast beef sounded great. I expressed scepticism that there was no place in Vancouver where one could get this, and suggested that possibly some of the steak houses might serve it. "Well", he said, "if you find such a place let me know."
The next day I was wandering down Hamilton Street on my way home when I passed by the Hamilton Street Grill. "Aha", I thought, "a steak house, I wonder about roast beef". I actually had a reservation for dinner there the following night, so I stopped to look at the menu displayed outside. No roast beef- but while I was perusing the menu, the door of the restaurant opened and out came a man in gleaming white chef's attire. It turned out to be Neil Wyles, affable owner and executive chef. Who better to ask about the roast beef question?
Neil's take on the issue was that Vancouver diners tend not to go for family-style eating of the roast beef variety but prefer individual dishes. We couldn't come up with a suggestion for where to look , so I guess my research will have to continue. However for dinner the following night he suggested checking out the rib-eye which was especially great at the moment. I made a mental note of that and continued on my way.
Does anyoone know where one can get table-side carved roast beef in Vancouver? Send me a comment if you do.
Comments
Does Hy's do something like
Does Hy's do something like that?
My recommendation
I remember fondly, as a child, my mother's superbly tasty Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pudding. Being a British War Bride who came to Canada in 1942, Mother brought with her, culinary skills honed at an old British Pub in Sussex. Thick, succulent carvings of roast beef right out of a wood-fired stove oven and heaps of mashed potatoes and gravy were presented to family members eagerly awaiting this special treat! The piece-de-resistance for me was the Yorkshire Pudding, made not in muffin tins as we often see today, but crafted right in the oven roast pan, and made fresh from the drippings from the just removed roast.
The closest I have experienced to "table-side" carving of roast beef in Vancouver is at The Brasserie Bistro located in the Coast Plaza Hotel, at 1763 Comox Street (corner of Denman Street). Each Friday and Saturday evening between 5:30 and 9:30 PM, the sous-chef stands at a table in the restaurant and slices choice slabs of wonderful prime rib. You are invited to fill your plate with salads, mashed potatoes, steamed vegetables and muffin-style Yorkshire Pudding. Though the fare is perhaps not as good as I remember my Mother making, heading off to The Brasserie to enjoy Prime Rib is still a favourable destination for me!