April 2012.

For some reason looking in the Michelin guide in Vancouver I couldn’t resist the two-star “red” designation. And exactly as has happened over and over again in the past it was a tasty virtuoso meal served by arrogant staff in a chilly self-important cathedral of worship for itself.

The website pictures looked like sitting outside on an elegant deck overlooking a body of water in the middle of a park, but in the event we ate in a room that just escaped being communist in its mood, no view at all of the canal which however was empty except for some garbage. The food was very good in fairness, I remember tiny portions of pig cheeks perfectly seasoned, and a fully deboned and skinned “pigeon” which went well with the not-particularly interesting Morey-Saint-Denis from Dujac, no bargain at €120.

I really must, as I have promised to do a couple of times before, get over this high-end Michelin thing. I think I’m half-consciously chasing the Troisgros experience which in my contemporary naivite was probably just very good not heavenly as I remember it. Forget about it (this delivered with Victor Borge New York Viennese sophistication)! Honestly, the top end phenomenon does take off, there is a sweet spot on the curve (for meals in a restaurant it’s probably between $100 and $250 depending on location), and we’ve done that. Been there, got the T-shirt.

Ambience 3.1, service 7.8, food 8.2, value 5.0. Wouldn’t touch it again with a 10 foot pole.