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In the trendy Yaletown district where Davie street meets False Creek, Provence Marinaside is a great place to meet your friends on the patio or at our bar and watch the action in the marina or on the seawall. Fresh local seafood, raw oyster bar, antipasti showcase, extensive wine list, private room, takeout, gourmet picnic baskets, catering.
It is an incredibly outstandingly good. We started off with the Crab and Shrimp Cake and then I had the Belizian Prawn Open Ravioli and it was soooo......delicious, I almost fell over. I also tried a little bit of the spaghettini with all the seafood. OMG.....soooo.......good. The bread and dip that they provided was also really good.
The service was wonderful. We walked in without a reservation. It was full, but they went out of their way to find us a table. The servers were so nice as well.
Didn't have room for dessert, but will go back and try some next time.
My bf and I came here on my birthday and arrived at about 7pm. I was surprised to see that on that Friday night, it wasn't packed. I was almost glad that it wasn't so that we could enjoy a quiet dinner. There was one thing that set me off from the beginning. Out of all the tables in the almost empty dining room, we were squished into a tight corner right beside another couple. I asked if there was another table we could sit at and our server looked around and said all the other tables were reserved and she would pull out the table a little to make more room. Hmm...I made reservations a day ahead, what gave the other 2-person tables special priority?
I couldn't put my jacket on my chair because it was right up against the railing even after the server pulled out the table one whole inch to give me "extra room", so I had to put it on my bf's chair. He ordered the halibut from the antipasti section, a warm goat cheese salad from the appies and the roasted chicken as his main. He enjoyed the salad and the chicken and I had to agree his goat cheese salad was most excellent. A crusted warm thick slice of goat cheese on greens w/ a balsamic reduction.
I chose the chef's menu and started with warm bocconcini wrapped in proscuitto and risotto balls. Both were served on a bed of warm tomato sauce and were very tasty. For my main, I had the mahi mahi grill. I would have preferred a different sauce, but the simple lemon-citrus flavor was still good. For dessert, I chose the clafoutis, a french warm cake with white chocolate and berries. This was also good, but a little bit too sweet.
If I could, I would give the food rating a 3.5, but it was still worthy of a 4.
Mid meal, everyone started pouring in and since the tables are so close together, everyone's conversation overlapped each other and made it very hard to have a nice convo across the table. The couple we were squished next to was especially loud. Not very romantic saying "huh?" to your partner all throughout dinner.
I've always come here between their Breakfast and Lunch hours either on my own or to mingle with clients. I haven't had a chance to try their dinner menu but I did bring my girlfriend here for Valentines and we had their set menu.
It's a trendy location and Provence seems to suite it well. The food is far from trendy which is a relief considering the area.
I really like the decor but the ambience is somber. There's not much noise from the patrons early in the day (noticably louder at night). It's upscale-esque with subtlety and without a trace of ostentatiousness. I suppose it treads on a Meditteranean feel. Unfortunately tables are cramped together and feels obtrusive when it's busy as you can overhear your neighbour's conversation with clarity.
Service is impeccable and should be expected each visit there. The servers all seem ready to answer any spur the moment questions and are fantastic at recommending dishes. I would demand no less now that I know how good it can be.
I've ordered something different each visit there (which is a rarity for me) and it never disappoints. Off the top of my head I've had the: Smoked Salmon Eggs Benny, Waffles, Crab & Lobster Omelette, Fish Soup, Seafood Spaghettini, Caprese Panini and Sablefish. Very good quality with the ingredients used and how it was made. No surprise as this is what one would expect at the very least with their prices although I still think it is harder on the wallet than it should be.
I can empathize and see how one could not like this restaurant but I harbour no ill feelings with this location and have enjoyed every visit. It can be pretty quiet depending on what times you go but everyone could use some quiet time once in a while.
Went back here for dinner, first time at evening service.
It's a great location with a nice view out the marina. The decor and setup is totally inline with the location. Tough to do better here!
I have to give top marks to the service here. The waiter was very friendly, very attentive without being intrusive. It is not as "cold" and professional as some of the higher-end joints in town, but on the other hand, it made us feel very much at ease.
I noticed that they took the time to very carefully clean and polish their glasses (you can tell when the condensation forms on the glass, any dirt or impurities are immediately obvious), again usually I've seen this only at our top restaurants in town.
We had the special Poisson d'Avril set, so of course, fish it was. Cod cakes extremely well done, loved it. Also had the trio of smoked fish with salad. Very generous portion and the absolute highlight was the smoked trout.
Mains were sardines and halibut. What can I say? Sardines (filet, headless) were very good, very fresh and paired nicely with the rest of the plate. The halibut was an entirely different dish, much lighter and subtle, again paired perfectly with a shredded asparagus salad and risotto. The halibut, always tricky, was so tender and done to practical perfection. I'm putting this in the top 3 we've ever tasted.
Polished off with very generous portions of dessert. The desserts are competent, but not mind-blowing.
Believe me, we were practically rolling out of there, you won't leave hungry.
Price is not too bad either. Usually the mains are running similar or slightly higher than the chain restaurants in the area (e.g. Milestones, Earl's etc), so I'd rather hit this place ANY day.
Highly recommended. Can't wait for the ever-changing seasonal specials.
I came here late on a beautiful Friday night with a party of 4. Unfortunately, the patio was full so we sat inside next to the patio. It was a bit stuffy inside but they dimmed the lights 5 minutes after we sat down which cooled the restaurant a bit.
For appys, we ordered the Antipasto Di Mare (scallops, mussels, prawns and clams in this white wine garlic sauce) and the crab and shrimp cakes. The seafood in the Antipasta Di Mare was fresh and the sauce was just divine. We had to order extra bread to dip it into the sauce. The crab and shrimp cakes were okay, nothing to rave about.
For mains, we all ordered pasta, the Seafood Linguini and the Spaghettini. Both pasta dishes are basically the same with the same type of pasta, sauce, but it has different seafood. This was the BEST pasta I've ever had. The noodles were fresh and cooked to perfection with the right texture. I could also taste the freshness of the tomato sauce and seafood. The portions were pretty big and we got a decent amount of seafood. I am drooling just thinking about it.
The restaurant was nice and had a nice sunny feel. Service was friendly, although our waitress was absent at times. I couldn't blame her though because she had to serve a large party behind us.
Overall, it was a wonderful evening and I would definitely come back and eat the pasta again.
Went here for a birthday party. The service was prompt and we were seated quickly. We were treated very well considering a lot of restaurants are very poor in service with large groups.
Had a bunch of antipasti - grilled squid, calamari, polenta, boconccini. I had the polenta, and it was the worst out of all. Too mushy and did not taste like anything. The other antipasti were very very good, the flavours were very delicate, not too strong.
I had grilled trout .. pretty good, with a good cream sauce and vegetables. My friends had a variety of entrees - meat, pasta, etc. They were all very well done.
The best part were the desserts - although I chose the worst dessert - the lavender cheesecake....not bad, but i would have definitely chose something else.. (I chose the worst of everything... not so lucky), my friends had this AMAZING clafoutis. That was seriously the best dessert I have tasted in a very very long time. Creamy, light and fruity.....it felt like a very light cheesecake with delicate flavours and soft crumbs. The chocolate mousse was very nice too.
I love the setup of Provence. You can buy things to take out, which is great because their antipasti are pretty good. The food is worth its value. I think its a totally affordable restaurant, considering the location as well.
Would definitely come back very soon.
When asked what my favourite Yaletown restaurant is, I always answer "Provence". My friends and colleagues agree that Provence is one of the few restaurants in Yaletown that consistently offers good food at good prices without the attitude. It is suitable for a date, a dinner with friends or a family brunch (bring your kids!). This past fall, I had a business function that went extremely well - both food and audiovisual details - so I organized my team Christmas luncheon there next. The sommelier sat down with me to help me choose wines prior to both functions; it wasn't too hard to do since they have a great wine list. We always start with a selection of antipastis from the showcase - always a hit! My customers raved about the food and service and I confirmed a rumour of my colleagues that I had good taste! In the summer, I am steps away from its patio with a view. I would also suggest ordering from their choice of picnics as I once did for my client and me so we would not have to eat the food once we got on the ferry (we got a couple of inquiries on where we got our spread). One of my favourite overall dining experiences was participating in the dinner series when the chef's mom comes from France with ingredients in her suitcase! Bon appetit.
Went here for brunch and I loved it. The service was wonderful. It really impressed me that our waitress was on top of everything being that the restaurant was so busy. The food was outstanding. Too bad I didn't have enough room in my tummy to try everything on the menu. Even more reason for me to return soon.
The place has a Mediterranean feel but it's kind of noisy mainly due to its tile floors & brick walls. Food was tasty & fresh, took 35 minutes to come. We had rack of lambs, salmon & free-run chicken, my only complaint was there were not enough vegetables came with the mains. Food was a bit overpriced considering its portion & the setting.
I've heard lots of great things about this place and decided to bring my date with me. The prices are quite reasonable considering the location and the quality of the food is amazing. Excellent service in an excellent location. Another spectacular place to bring your date. Big thumbs Up !
I've heard a lot of people love the patio at this place and they love the view.Yes, it's by the water, but it's not much of a view. I'm surprised at how plain and somewhat uncomfortable the patio is. In any case, I'm there for the food. The service is regular. The prices are reasonable for what you get.
I've only been there for brunch, since I'm a vegetarian and they didn't have many appealing dinner options for me before. But I've been there for brunch several times and I plan on coming back more. I love waffles and french toast. they have Belgian waffles and they're not Chambar waffles, but they're pretty darn good. Have you ever had a bear claw or whale's tale or beaver's tale? You know, those deep fried treats that are sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. That's what they're french toast tastes like. It's french toasted baguette by the way. They're the reason why I gave 5 stars for the food. Anyway, I've tried some roasted potatoes from my friends' plates and they are soft, yet crunchy goodness, bursting with flavor! Their brunch has opened me up to the possibility of coming there for dinner.
Went for Dine Out- I'm just going to cut straight to the food. Appies- the goat cheese salad had a huge round of goat cheese on it- breaded and melted, yum. There were lots of choices for the salad + antipasto combo. Mains- good size, though there could have been flavour to the beef. Didn't care much for the fries- I think it was the oil they fried them in. Prawn dish was HUGE. The desserts....amazing. Creme brulee could have been a bit more creamy, but was delicious all the same. Lemon tart was beautifully tart and lovely. Would try this place again.
I was very very impressed with this restaurant, and will happily return for a special occasion.
We were a group of 6, dining out for my father in law's birthday. The first thing that struck me was the beautiful design of the restaurant. It's decorated in soft colours and is supposed to evoke the sensation of being in Southern France: warm and friendly, formal yet relaxed. I love the draperies on the ceiling--those are a very nice touch! The restaurant is almost all windows, so it's very bright with a beautiful view of False Creek.
Our server was friendly, professional, attentive, and very helpful when we asked for help navigating the menu. Serving large parties requires a certain amount of panache, and she had that in spades. Our water and wine glasses were constantly filled throughout the evening. Plates were cleared away promptly. I had a small complaint about my dessert (more to come on that) and she fixed it right away. Excellent!
We all shared appies: mussels, scallops, salads, and other yummy bits of goodness. Everything was fresh and tasty. Very simply prepared and beautifully presented so you tasted the food, not the concoction of sauce.
Mains were the same. I had Ahi Tuna, and it was served quiveringly rare, just as I like it. Fresh and tasty with delicious sides. My companions' meals of lamb, halibut, and salmon were equally delicious. The dessert menu needs to be longer. I love dessert and three items to choose from is just not enough! I would also like to see the inclusion of a cheese and fruit plate. Regardless, I had the nut and fruit tart with ice cream for dessert. My ice cream was missing its promised chunks of chocolate; however, so my server brought out a couple of extra scoops, no problem. Yum!
Highly recommended for a special occasion!
I’ve been mulling over this review for some months now. I’ll start by stating I love the location of the restaurant and consider myself to be a regular patron. I would come with my out-of-town visitors, friends and family about five times per month. And when my daughter was working as a Chef on a large yacht in the Marina, we would dine here three times a week during the summer. I find the brunches, lunches and dinners to be excellent. I like consistent, predictable food and an adequate wine list. I’ve enjoyed just about every item on their menu.
I came on January 27th for my usual Brunch with daughter. Ordered the warm goat cheese salad, shrimp and crab cakes Benny, the lobster omelet with a basket of baked goods.
And here’s the BUT…
I can’t remember which order came with bread but when I tried to bite into it, the bread had a definite fishy smell! I notify the server (she could have been new because I’ve not seen her before). Hoping she would replace it and that would be sufficient….
But she explained to me that the kitchen was busy and that they had to cut the bread on the same cutting board as the fish! I hope she was adlibbing because that would amount to a confession of bad kitchen food handling practices! And yuck!
I haven’t been able to go back to the restaurant because the smell of the steely knife fish aroma on fresh baked bread makes me gag every time I think of Provence Marinaside.
I don’t think it’s fair to trash the food or the ambience because of a simple-minded server. She was probably thinking it was a cleaver excuse not to make that extra trip to the kitchen. A good reputation is so hard to build and so easy lost
I went there to celebrate my partner's birthday and were escorted to a window seat, as requested. It was a good start. Things started going downhill as the server, a 40-ish year old lady approached. She addressed her conversation to my partner completely and ignored me. Not wanting to spoil the evening, I kept quiet. To be fair, I tried to look for other aspects of the dining experience I could enjoy. Unfortunately, the mashed olive paste for spreading on the hard thin toast was salty, and so was the ciabatta bread that came along with it. I became increasingly irritated when the server kept on asking my partner how the food was and was oblivious to my presence again. I decided to assert myself and make my voice heard by asking for more bread (hoping that the next batch would be less salty but it still was). We ordered clams and mussels as starters. Although they were fresh, we bit into sand on a few occasions--suffice to say that it was horrible to be crunching on sand while eating shellfish. I liked the seafood bits on my linguini but the sauce had too much tomato paste for my liking. I must say that I prefer the seafood linguini served at another chain of restaurants (and which was less expensive too). My partner had nothing to say about about his steak dish although he commended on the fries that came along with it. The server still persisted in ignoring me and addressed her questions about the food etc to my partner. She even presented the bill assumingly to my partner, and a look of surprise showed on her face when I paid for it! Overall, it was a disappointing dining experience, and much less redeemed by an unprofessional server who is insensitive about her partial treatment of her diners--clearly underlining a training need to be educated on proper customer service in this restaurant.
Went here with the wife last night for DOV 2010.
Arrived at 6:30pm with a reservation. We were seated at a 2 person table quickly by the staff by the front windows - what an amazing view of the False Creek Waterfront. Positve experience #1.
Waitress quickly attended to us, offering water and a bit of time to look over the menu. She also mentioned the DOV menu and answered all wine and food related questions. Positve experience #2
The complimentary bread arrived shortly after.
My wife ordered the Seafood antipasto and and I the Smoked fish - both were amazingly good and substantial. Positve experience #3
For the main course, I ordererd the Beef Tenderloin AAA Canadian beef, red wine and peppercorn jus roasted vegetables, pomme frites ( it was cooked to perfections ) and my wife ordered the Prawns Provençal wild pacific prawns, garlic, parsley, brandy, butter sauce seven grain rice, zucchini spaghetti and it was delicious. We had the recommended wines, as per the DOV 2010 Menu. Positve experience #4
For Dessert, we were offered anything from the regular dessert menu - that is a nice touch, as it gives the clients more choice. - I had the Double Kaluha chocolate Cake - very rich and my wife had the Dessert special - pinapple with upside down cake and vanilla ice cream on top ... perfect dessert to top of the perfect dinner !! Positve experience #5
Ambience of the restaurant was very nice, the restaurant was bustling and wait staff was attentive. The w/c was clean, but very small ... oh well, more space for the customers to enjoy the food !!
Good Company, Good place, good food, what else could one ask for. Positve experience #6
Will definitely be back .. even if it is not DOV.
This restaurant did all the things right it seems but nothing spectacular. Good place to try, nice feel, was busy. Everything seemed fresh. Went with a party of eight. The vast majority of all the dishes ordered were pretty good. A few so so, but not everyone has the same tastes. A nice place to bring friends from out of town.
This past dinner experience was truly disappointing. We had never thought this restaurant deserved it's rave reviews, but it was above-average--but not anymore. This is yet another restaurant living off of it's (past) reputation, hype, and location. The service was friendly but unprofessional (e.g. our server and busser looked and acted like students at their part-time job), rather odd for an "upscale" restaurant. Our entrees were decent (rack of lamb, fish, pasta, vegetarian plate), but the desserts were awful (lemon tarts and cheesecake). Don't think this would be the ideal place to take a date...more of a place for a dinner with friends or family from out of town who would enjoy the location.
I'm originally from Europe and have lived in Germany, France, Switzerland among other countries and would consider myself a foodie that both loves to cook at home as well as venture out and sample the great cuisine this wonderful city has to offer.
I moved here in 2007 and have eaten at Provence at least 30 times since then. Many Brunches, Dinners and in-betweens. Lately, I've even tested them during the Olympics. I continue to be impressed by the quality of their food and the above average service.
Even during the most busiest times, the service is prompt and I've never waited longer than 20mins for a dish. Maybe some of the recent negative reviews have high expectations, but I would say this, along with Bistro Pastis in the Kits, Provence is the best value in French Bistro eating in Vancouver.
Get on their mailing list and enjoy great Menu specials "for the locals" every now and then.
Bon Appetit!
Our friends love coming here for brunch...we aren't really sure why...each time we've been there, we keep thinking we should have gone to Nu. The food is decent here, but sitting along a sidewalk with people staring as they stroll by just isn't our thing I suppose. Had the savoury chicken crepe and it was very tasty, but really, I was still hungry after and I'm not generally a big eater. Might have to give this one another try, but definitely not hurrying back anytime soon.
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