spdracersurreySince August 26, 20098 Reviews
(4)- Food
(4.8) - Service
(4.1) - Value (3.9)
- Ambiance
(3.1)
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(4) (4.8) (4.1) (3.9) (3.1)I'll tell you why I don'd like Mondays, and it has nothing to do with Sir Geldof.. it is because Le Vol Au Vent is closed on Mondays.
To be honest if this restaurant were in france it would be a 4 star.. but also a Bib Gourmand for excellent value! But for the limited French offerings in the Vancouver area this restaurant is really a five star place.
I have eaten at all the top rated french restaurants in the Vancouver area and as long as you go in with the idea that this is a very quaint, personable, and small bistro you will not be disappointed. If you are looking for a $million dollar wine list with Chateau Petrus available by the glass.. and service with attitude... this is not your restaurant. This has the feel of a nice countryside bistro in a small town in the loire valley.
The owner is the cook and his wife is the server. It is a two person show. So things can take some time here.. but it is worth it! They are both very pleasant and will take the time to get to know you and discuss life.
I have had the Duck and the lamb and both have been done to perfection... and surprisingly large portions. The sauces that are created are not typical bistro fare however and give the impression that this chef was a saucier in france before opening this restaurant. His sauces are superb!
Again... attitude is everything... and if you go in with lots of time, an open mind and an empty stomach you will be blown away by this little gem. If Gordon Ramsey were to redo this place the effort would be spent on expanding the wine list and freshening up the ambiance... but then it just may loose the intimate charm that has been created here. The one thing that he wouldn't change is the menu as it is about as perfect as it gets without cashing in Air France frequent flyer points.
I have always found the service to be great... mind you I have just found this place over the past few months so maybe there has been a change. Situated on a corner where I have seen three restaurants fail in the past five years I really hope that they pull through. The special teas are incredible! The food is always good, fresh, (important when dealing with fish!) and fast. I have never been here when it is busy so maybe the other reviews reflect how the kitchen responds on a busy day??? Overall I give them a solid 4 stars. I hold back a little for clean, nice but uninspired decor, and although the food is great, I have had slightly better. You can tell that it is a family run business and they really seem like nice people. Give them a try and end this bermuda triangle of restaurant locations! For effort they deserve it.
My wife and I love this place. The tasteful decor, nice art, comfortable seating makes you feel like you are an an apres ski lounge in Whistler. I give it a five star rating because it really sticks out as having a much higher calibre than similar places in Surrey. If in Vancouver I would give it 4 stars.
The food is made fresh and you can taste the quality of the ingredients. I love their sandwiches and they are always willing to do a little something special for you. The portions are also very good and my wife and I are happy sharing a soup and sandwich. Their cafe americanos are also the best this side of Toscana. The menu is not long but everything is great.
The ladies behind the counter are always fun to talk to. To eat here is like to eat at a friends house, it is casual and always a good opportunity to shoot the breeze.
If you are in this part of surrey it is worth the stop.
Entering La Charcuterie is like entering the lair of a mad scientist in his sandwich workshop. If you can leave political correctness and any sensitivity whatsoever at the door you will be in for a fun time while your sandwich is created. The owner sizes you up as he makes a custom sandwich for you. Like a taylor from Brioni there is some black magic going on here.
For both my wife and I he made us very different sandwiches and hit our taste buds like a dart to the triple 20. Even if the size of the finished product were not so insanely big the overall taste would still make the trip here worthwhile and a good value. The fact that you can feed a family of three for two days on one sandwich makes the value that much more incredible.
As with any genius there are some quirks and like the title says keep the kids in the car. (I actually think that the guy is very sensitive for all of his gregarious outbursts and think that he would keep it clean for the kids if they were there.) Love him or hate him his sandwiches are five stars!!! I will keep driving a long way out of my way to enjoy these creations.
I give him a five on the service rating... more sensitive people may only give one star. He is over the top, but is also very engaging and thoughtful. Geniuses are often misunderstood people... and it would take a genius to make such unique sandwiches.
I suggest giving him free hands at creating your own personal masterpiece. God gave us one mouth and two ears... this guy can very effectively fill all three in one short visit!
There are very few choices for russian/ Ukrainian in the lower mainland. Even if there were I am sure that this restaurant would top our list. It really is just a hole in a wall between a gourmet food store and a butcher and does not even have it's own entrance. It is very clean and tastefully decorated... just a little hard to find.
It is worth the search! The food is homemade and you can taste the freshness of the ingredients. I normally don't like cabbage rolls, but theirs are so tender and tasty that I can't resist them. The borsht is so good that it makes you feel more healthy after eating it. Everything is just wonderful.
The service is very informal, but always warm, caring and engaging. You can tell that the people that work there are genuinely nice people.
The portions are great and the value is outstanding. The quality and quantity of food is not represented well by the meagre prices on the menu.
I am glad of the location, otherwise I am sure that the prices would have to be much higher.
I always come hungry and leave full and with a smile.
My family goes to this restaurant at least once every couple of weeks. We do so because the food is superb, the atmosphere is great, everything is clean, and the service for the most part is very good.
My wife likes the butter chicken and I like all of the lamb dishes. Chat is a family favorite and I think one of their best dishes. Lentils with curry is also very nice. All the spices taste so fresh and the sauces are cooked to perfection. I like the thick bold spicy taste of the Lamb Vindaloo, yet it has a delicate... if somewhat warm aftertaste. You could close your eyes and imagine yourself on the orient express enjoying an authentic gourmet Indian dinner on your way to the Taj Mahal.
The service is outstanding... however there are a few disinterested waiters among the group. The people taking the orders are always outstanding, but the people serving the food can sometimes be a little cold. I think it has more to do with new staff learning and feeling insecure more than the aloof feeling that you get from some of the dummies at your poorly run 5 star joints. The service is always fast and attentive however.
Overall I would give it 5 stars across the board, but have to hold some back for new staff. You could easily move this restaurant to south Granville and charge twice what is on the menu and it would still feel like good value.
I would suggest to go with a group, have the server help you with the picks of the menu and order one of the $13 pitchers of Stella to help the spice settle.
One caveat... this is a place with real authentic indian dishes... some are very spicy. There are dishes for those that are not into spice, but dishes like the Vindaloo will keep the flu (and any other living organism..) away. Great dish if you are into spice, but may be too much for the uninitiated.
Well we have been to West three times so far. Once with some professional friends, and we had quite a nice time that night. The second was also with some professional friends who were quite well versed in wines. This night the server decided to have an argument with my friend over the proper way to serve wine. It was a very heated argument and very embarrassing for me to witness it. The last time I went there was with my sister from Saskatoon. I guess that she did not fit the mould for West and my perceived take on the situation is that because of her we did not qualify for the service that West is known for. At one point over 20 minutes waiting for a drink!
The food is GREAT and the service can be also... but at this price point I don't care if I pull up in my sisters beater wearing a t shirt and jeans, (Which I never would...) the service should be up to par and geared to make all guests feel comfortable. The food is outstanding but the service can leave an bitter taste.
We dine at this restaurant quite often as it is close to our home and my wife simply loves greek food. We always find the staff very attentive to our needs, and the food is always excellent. We have tried some great greek joints on Broadway, (Vancouver's Greek town.) and some well recommended restaurants in other areas of the lower mainland, but have found that the lemon potatoes and the freshness of the greek salad keep bringing us back here no matter where we are. The roast lamb and the greek style ribs are my favorites, and my wife loves the home made ek mek, (Please forgive my spelling.) Not a great location, and no view, but if you love greek food this is the real deal.
