845 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC V6Z
2K7
(604) 642-2900
Tastiness Factor: 9/10
Atmosphere: 4.5/5
Service: 2/5
Locavore Approved? YES- Chef Chen's
seafood-forward menu is chock-full of ingredients from local suppliers, many of
whom are recognized in person on the Boulevard website (see here). Much of the seafood is
Oceanwise-approved and is purchased right off the boats of local fishermen.
The produce used in the dishes is fittingly seasonal, with a nice mix of
beets, kale, mushrooms and squash on our December visit. All in all, they
live up to their motto of "fresh, local, inspired".
I was once of the mind that hotel restaurants
should be avoided at all costs. But that notion just does not hold true
anymore, at least here in Vancouver which is home to highly respected hotel
restaurants like Hawksworth, Yew and Forage (to name just a few).
And then there is Boulevard. Although it
opened just a few short months ago, it has already garnered itself quite a
following. The downtown working folk flock to its chic bar on a nightly
basis and its large room is full of diners most nights of the week. It is
obvious that Executive Chef Alex Chen knows how to draw a crowd. His
experiences in Beverly Hills, Chicago, and more recently as "Culinary
Architect" at Moxie's have served him well and his top ten finish at
the prestigious world culinary competition "Bocuse D'or" is
downright impressive.
I was therefore surprised to read a number of
reviews describing excellent service and so-so food and figured I had to
go check things out for myself. What I found ended up being just the
opposite- first class food with second class service.
I should start by complementing the folks at
Boulevard on the amazing renovation that took place to turn the previous
restaurant Fleuri into the beautiful, expansive space that it has become.
The decor is upscale and classy, and I can see why other reviewers have
likened it to a New York hotspot. It is certainly more on the formal side
than most places in Vancouver (a brave move in this city) but the room is
brought alive by the bar at the back that is hopping for the better part of the
day. Unfortunately, we were seated at the front of the room, far from the
bar and all of the action in a large awkward semi-circular booth that made it
impossible to have a good conversation that included all 6 of us (you
literally had to yell at the person on the opposite end). I therefore
highly recommend requesting a seat in the back half of the restaurant and, if
you have a large group, specify that you not be seated in a booth.
With the exception of seating blip, we really loved
the polished and refined atmosphere and excepted the service to follow suit.
Unfortunately, contrary to previous reviews, the service was by far the
worst part of the evening and is the only reason I am not able to give
Boulevard a glowing review. It all started when we walked in (exactly on
time may I add). The hostess at the front was rather cold and then did
not offer to take our coats. We had to chase someone down once we were
seated and realized that it would be impossible for us to fit comfortably in
the booth with our coats in tow. Even then, it was like pulling teach to
have our coats taken. We later met our main server who did not crack a
single smile the entire night. He seemed annoyed when we were not immediately
ready with our wine selection, and then took our orders very abruptly without
barely uttering a word. I hope this was not their idea of Xmas cheer!
On a positive note, they did do a good job timing-wise, with adequate
spacing between appies and mains and several servers bringing out our dishes
simultaneously so we all start right away.
Although first impressions were sub-par when it
came to our seat and the service, Boulevard fortunately went way up in my books
when we finally had the chance to experience the work of Chef Chen. The
first thing to note is the plating. There are few places in Vancouver
that are on the same level in terms of presentation. Really spectacular.
And fortunately, the food not only looks pretty but tasted darn good as
well. Everyone at the table cleaned their plates and enjoyed every last
bite.
The drink selection at Boulevard includes a variety
of cocktails (classic and signature), beer and a very complete wine list with 2
pages of local wines to choose from.
The food menu is divided into several categories
including starters, share, soup & salad, pasta & risotto, “sea”, “land”,
"enhancements" (sides). It is quite a large menu for an upscale
restaurant, which will suit a group with various tastes and, from what we
experienced, everything was done well. Be prepared to pay about $15-20 for
appies and $30-40 for most entrees.
Fortunately, at these prices you will not leave hungry. Portion sizes are on the larger end for
high-end dining and we were all quite satisfied after an appie and a main (and
those that splurged on dessert, even more so!).
Here is a look at what we enjoyed. I have only commented on the dishes the Hubby
and I ate, but the reviews of our diner friends were largely positive all
around.
Octopus a la Plancha- I do not often order octopus
but this appie really caught my eye. And
thank goodness and went with my gut (no pun intended). I can honestly say that this was one of the
best octopus dishes I ever had. The
generous portion of octopus, Oceanwise-approved, was texturally perfect (not
the least bit rubbery) and was complimented by slightly similar sized cuts of
softer smoked potatoes. The romesco sauce that lined the plate was to die
for and brightened the dish. I could have just had another 2 plates of
this and been more than satisfied. Isn't it pretty?
Tableside Ahi Tuna Tataki- I am not quite sure how I feel about
the “tableside” preparation of this dish.
While I understand that they were going for something “showy” to go
along with their Manhattan vibe, I found it a bit cheesy and felt that it did
not add anything to the dish to have it prepared that way (the tuna was not
going to get “soggy” by the time it emerged from the kitchen in the way that a
salad would). Add to that our waiter who
made it look like such a chore, frowning the whole way through, and it lost all
appeal. Hubby was not too impressed by
the taste either and said it was pretty pedestrian.
Crispy Chicken Wings- This is one of their most raved about dishes!
Roasted Sablefish
Squash Risotto- Although this was slightly less impressive than my dreamy octopus appie, it was still very good. The perfectly portioned al-dente rice was topped with a creamy, vibrant orange squash puree, dollops of crème fraiche and a few coined carrots were tossed in for a textural contrast. The kohlrabi ribbons overtop were a nice touch and added some lightness to the otherwise rich dish.
Signature Burger- Hubby, the burger connoisseur, said this
burger was “just OK” and thought it was a bit underdone (certainly less than
medium, which is how the waiter said it would be cooked). The fries though were another story-
exceptional!
Magret Duck Breast
Spaghetti Alle Vongole
Opera Bar- Hubby decided to splurge on dessert but
was underwhelmed by this chocolate cake which he thought was pretty “boring”. Go for the Apple dessert instead! (see next)
Pomme Cinq- Although I did not order this, I was kindly offered a few bites and was super impressed. The apple was prepared in 5 different ways, with a variety of textures, colours and flavours. It was so interesting (in a good way) that I wanted to keep going back for more. I especially loved the apple sorbet that was like a little apple bomb going off in my mouth. This is an absolutely gorgeous winter dessert that is light enough for one to tackle after a sizeable meal. Highly recommended!
OVERALL?
I was pleasantly surprised at how great the food is
here. Chef Chen is obviously cooking at
a very high level. There were some
dishes here that could rival any in the city and dish presentation was
outstanding. The atmosphere is well
suited for either a date night or for a corporate gathering around the
bar. The only disappointing thing about
the night was the service, which lacked any personality and bordered on
rude. Once they can work out a few kinks
in the service department, I think that Boulevard has the potential to rise
high on the list of fine restaurants here in Vancouver.
