Do a search below using the city or postal code search box if your city is not listed above.
Get dining news including restaurant closures and qualify for giveaways.
The #1 thing is certainly the enjoyment of the view at the top of West Vancouver through the all-glass windows. I still remember having dinner some years back when they were going for the more fine dining style. I have to mention and congratulate them that they have now toned it down and much more approachable and enjoyable.
Nowadays, they have an a la carte menu as well as degustation menus. We decided to go for adventurous degustation (8 courses including wine pairing for every course). One of us did not drink, and they did give us a credit off the degustation price for her. I did not write down what we had and could not remember esp after a few glasses of wine. I liked some dishes better than others - they ranged from solid to outstanding. I usually am not a sturgeon fan, but they had a smoked sturgeon that I enjoyed. Some creativity in combination of ingredients, but nothing too shocking. I particular enjoy the chef's attention on the texture and the portion management. If I wanted to be picky, I would say that while the Muskox was tasty, execution was not as consistent as I hoped, so 2 out of 4 of the Muskox dishes were too overcooked to finish. Wine pairing was pretty good given the price we were paying - nothing too low-end to enjoy and pairing was appropriate.
Almost forget to mention that service is great and personable too. A very delightful evening all in all.
One of the most gorgeous breathtaking views of the city, especially on a clear Spring evening. Made for a fabulous, romantic dinner for two. Service was great from beginning to end. From the front door, to the table, and back. Genuinely friendly and attentive without being intrusive. We started off with a Wild Mushroom Toast and the soup of the day, a tomato gnocchi soup. The mushroom was deliciously done and a generous portion for an appetizer. The soup was a bit smaller but had a nice fresh taste to it. For our entrees we tried the Guinness Steak and Elk Strip Loin - both very well presented and very fresh flavours. Attention to detail in plating was greatly appreciated. Everything was cooked nicely and good portions. I really enjoyed the unique coffee crusted elk strip loin - a kind of lingering coffee taste that builds as you eat the meat. Quite nice. We ended the meal with Iced Passion Fruit Parfait - a refreshing dessert with a layer of passionfruit sorbet like cake, coconut emulsion and chili lime pineapple. Overall, fantastic food, location, service and ambiance. Based on this, we were happy with the higher price points. The view by the window was definitely worth it. =)
I was there for the first time back when it had just opened. It was incredible, a chicken soup of all things was recommended by our server Patrick (never forget the charming ones!) It was beyond chicken soup...it was orgasmic! There were little herbs on the spoon for you to mix in...now the soup is gone. The wine list was first rate with everything under the sun from all over the place, now it looks like a Cactus Club wine list. I miss the old energy of the place and the smiles, The spectacled host at the front had a bug up his ass on our returning visit and the entire evening really let us down. My salmon was so overcooked I felt like saying something but it tasted good I guess, but not like I remember!!
My advice is to go back to the menu and wine list you had when you first opened because it was worthy of your En Route award. Good luck, maybe I'll give brunch a try if the crusty host has a day off!
We went here twice last year and had excellent food and service both times. The chef even came out to chat with the diners which was a nice touch. We were there again recently and although my husband enjoyed his meal (the rack of lamb and lobster potato leek soup) I found both my selections very salty, so much so that I couldn't finish my entree. However, the amuse bouche (squab leg) and complimentary dessert taster were nice touches. The restaurant wasn't very busy but even so the service was a tad slow. In general, this is a lovely place with a very talented chef who comes up with interesting taste combinations. You won't find the same food anywhere else.
I was intrigued when I saw elk on their menu on their website, so my friend and I decided to go there. Service was outstanding, the hostess even came to open the door for us when she saw us got out of our car. We were seated right away at a table right by the window. It was a clear night, and the view was just gorgeous!
Our server was friendly and attentive. However, he did become a little too attentive when we were having our food, he came over and wanted to know if we were enjoying our meal, but it just felt "forced" somehow and the air just got a little awkward, so we just told him everything was good so he could walk away. Wasn't bad, but it was just a little funny, as if he just become shy all of a sudden when he came to our table.
The amuse bouche was an escargo ravioli in some kind of soya-based sauce. The pasta was a little thick for my liking, and it really just reminded me of a wonton. Oh well...
We ordered foie gras and their tomato soup (daily soup selection) as our starter. Great presentation on both, except for the fact that they must have given me an edge of the foie gras, so it looked more like 2 chunks put together. However, the fig french toast was really good and I quite enjoyed that.
My friend ordered their veal chop (chef's creation) and I obviously went for the coffee-crusted elk striploin. The portion of my friend's entree was surprisingly large. The veal was perfectly cooked and their potato au gratin was nice and dense, the way it should be done. My elk striploin was nicely done as well. It was cooked to medium rare, but I found that the parts that were cooked to anything but rare was a little tough for my taste. I'll have to remind myself to have my elk just sear to rare next time.
Overall, it was a great experience, the food wasn't as good as I expected at the price point they were charging, but the view has made up for that.
My husband and I went to Fraiche for our special Christmas dinner. The restaurant is in West Vancouver with a view of the city. It was a clear night and the view was breathtaking. We were a little early for our reservation, but that was no problem and we were seated by the window at a nice table for two. The service was very nice from the moment we entered the restaurant.
We are foodies and were looking forward to trying many items on the menu. For appetizers we tried the Locally Foraged Chanterelle Mushroom Veloute, Qualicum Bay Scallop & Lobster Salad and the Pan seared Quebec Foie Gras The mushroom soup was delicious with a nice mixture of textures and flavours. The Scallop and Lobster Salad was nice and fresh. The foie gras however, was one of the highlights of the entire meal! It was the best foie gras we have ever had! Cooked to perfection and bursting with flavour!
On to the main courses... The Sous Chef recommended the Nicola Valley Venison Duo and the Roast Loin and Lasagne of Rabbit. We were also lucky enough to try an item not on the menu, pork belly with scallop and lentils. This was the first time we have tried rabbit, and we definitely enjoyed it. The loin that accompanied the rabbit lasagne was cooked to perfection and very juicy. The venison duo was delicious with wonderful red cabbage and green mashed potatoes. The venison was one of my husband’s favourite dishes as he loved the red cabbage. The pork belly was a great combination of flavours and again cooked to perfection. The presentation of all of the dishes was simple and very appealing to the eye. A good use of colours to make the plates look tasty!
At this point we were extremely full, but really wanted to try some dessert. Our server never rushed us and gave us time to digest before we shared another highlight of the dinner, the Warm Sticky Date Pudding. It was accompanied by a caramel sauce and vanilla gelato made in-house. We have tried many bread puddings and this was by far the best. There is nothing worse than a dry bread pudding, but this was moist and delicious!
I almost forgot to mention the bread. Everything at the restaurant is made from scratch including the bread. There were two types of bread, served warm and in bite size buns. So delicious we asked for an additional serving.
Overall the experience was one of our best dining experiences ever. The service was attentive, but not intrusive. The view was breathtaking and the overall atmosphere of the restaurant was perfect for a nice romantic dinner. The food was beautiful on the plate with great flavours. The quality of the ingredients and the skill of the kitchen were present in every bite. We found ourselves looking forward to the next plate more and more as the night went on.
Will definitely visit again!
Took my wife to Fraiche recently for her birthday. We reserved a table for two by the window and it was excellent. Too bad the weather was not on our side, otherwise we would have had a great view of Stanley park, downtown, and the rest of Vancouver.
The chef was actually serving the tables and chatting with the guests...I really enjoyed this part of the service. Our waiter was very knowledgeable and treated us with respect even though we were not the highest paying customers in the place.
I would highly recommend this restaurant.
You must eat at this place in the spring and summer so that the view is clear and visible. Absolutely devine location. The service was impeccable but not intruding and the food was amazing. I would highly recommend for a fancy celebrationor a romantic dinner for two :)
First time visitor to Fraiche and it exceeded my expectations. The decor is modern and comfortable and the view is incredible - it's located much higher than Salmon House on the Hill so you can see the entire city.
The service was attentive and they seem to work as a team - the maitre d, server, and rest of the staff helped out the entire evening. We even got a visit from the chef at the end of the evening and he answered many of our questions and asked if everything was satisfactory.
I had the raw oysters and they were great though they were on the small side. Friends had the caesar salad and said it was excellent - lots of garlic, fresh anchovies, and cured bacon. The main course of Scallops and seafood risotto was very substantial and tasty. Our friends had the Lamb and Duck and were also impressed - the lamb was especially moist and well cooked. Even the bread they provided was very good - no complaints whatsoever with the food.
Given the food, ambienance and service, the value is very fair. Given that's it's not a inexpensive by any means, it's best for a date night or special occassions.
Had reservations on a sunday night at 7:30pm for a birthday. Waited for 15 minutes upon arrival cuz we wanted the window seat for the magnificant view. Best view in the city. Appys were very good especially the foie gras, melted in your mouth. There were 6 of us so everyone had something different. Salmon, lamb chops, bison steak, halibut, veal, etc. Everything was fantastic except my halibut was a bit overdone. The only thing was the service was very slow that night and the waiter apologized to us several times due to short staffing. Otherwise highly recommended!
My wife and I took friends to Fraiche in West Van last night on the recommendation of people we respect. We'd never heard of the place and thought it was well off the beaten path. As it turned out; it was simple to get to and well worth the drive across the bridge and up the hill. We were warmly greeted and well served all night by a coordinated team of capable and affable professionals. The kitchen is in full view of the guests and produced succulent fare, beautifully presented in a timely manner. The Chef approached our table and was immediately showered with praise. His manner was so genuine and pleasant you knew he really cared that we'd had a good experience. It had grown dark by this time and what had been a panoramic view of the entire lower mainland was now the most romantic mosaic of twinkling city lights we'd ever seen. As host; I loathe confusion about who is paying the bill, my guest made an attempt to pay but the server stood shrewdly still and waited for resolution before proffering the bill. Spastic panic was nowhere to be found at Fraiche, it's such a relief to be spared that 'bother'. Considering the quality of the food, remarkable ambiance and sure-footed service paying mid $20 to mid $30 for entrees translates into the best value in town.
I am a big fan of locally owned restaurants. I have been to Fraiche a few times twice for brunch once for dinner and have never been disappointed. The Chef/Owner Wayne is really passionate about his business, it shows in the space and the food.
This location replaced the previous Bread and Tulips. Took all the good stuff that was started there and put a real chefs touch on it.
The Ceasar Salad is delicious, subtle tastes delicious and not overpowering. Crabcakes are a favorite of mine and the crabcake Benny is outstanding.
The Rack of lamb for dinner was perfect, not overcooked and not bloody. Again the tastes are interesting and subtle. This is such a great place for a special night. The atmosphere is sophisticated, the view of Vancouver is unbelievable and the service and food are outstanding. Do yourself a favour, give it a try.
I came here for my boyfriend's birthday because I knew he'd love the view. I imagine the view would be great during sunset on a clear day, however, we caught the clouds. Still, the view was the best I've gotten from any restaurant and really adds to the ambiance. The room was very modern and classy, much like any other fine dining restaurant of it's class. The place is far up in a residential area, so it's kind of in an odd place. The good thing was that they had complimentary valet parking. The valet guy had an umbrella ready for us, which was a really nice touch.
Inside, however, I found the service to be a little awkward somehow. Our server was really nice though and we could tell she was trying. Further, they accomodated my requests for a pasta dish with some kind of truffle oil-infused sauce. I started with the roasted tomato and fennel soup with goat cheese. It was very pleasing and the goat cheese mousse made it top notch. My boyfriend had the tempura lobster and he said it was really good. I had a mushroom ravioli dish with some kind of truffle oil sauce. The sauce was good, but I felt like the ravioli was lacking, maybe because I'm so used to having ravioli stuffed with mushroom and cheese. My boyfriend had the New York steak, which was really tasty, but it came out cold and I told him we could request another but he didn't want to make a fuss. He ended up feeling sick the next day. We had the trio for two and the sticky toffee pudding, which our served kindly adorned with a candle. The sticky toffee pudding melts in your mouth and I actually liked it, which is saying a lot because I don't ususally like toffee pudding. I liked the chocolate caramel bar that was part of the trio, but I didn't care for the rest.
The experience was nice and people should try it out if they're interested in the view and have the income for it, but I don't think the view is really worth the price.
I rarely am pleased with my fine dining experiences because the service, food and ambiance has never matched to the price. Like all luxury goods, I expect cost to rise exponentially and value to rise linearly for it. But Fraiche is an exception -
The food was excellent and certainly not something anyone could make. The dishes were very aromatic and it was obvious attention to fine details were paid to. Taste was just right, unlike many fine dining experiences I've had where they went all hell with the salting.
Service is great and meticulous - our waitress checked up with us frequently yet unoverbearingly.
Wine list is as expected of this establishment's caliber. We got view seating and the reservation was made just on the day - which doesn't mean this restaurant is unpopular as it certainly is. Ambiance of the place is gorgeous and it's only a 10 minute drive away from downtown, up some of the most beautiful homes and neighborhoods of the GVRD.
Highly recommended.
Went on a saturday night, asked for window seat at booking, but did not get one when we arrived which is fine since our table can still see some view.
Decor: nothing lavish, open kitchen made the place more lively, the chairs are very comfy, tables a lil too close together, the room is kinda small, maybe 30 tables in total.
Food: I had the pan seared Foie Gras as appy, very good, it melted in my mouth and like the previous comment, very generous size for $20, i'd expect half the size.
Had the Artic Char $30 as entree, the fish was grilled to perfection, crispy skin and raw center, but the sauce was too lemony and oily, which kinda ruins the mild taste of the fish.
My companion ordered Grilled Veal Chop $38, excellent meat, but again, the sauce was too salty. I think more work needs to be done on sauces.
Service was very prompt and professional.
I concur with the previous comments, only a handful of tables are next to windows, and none of them are table for 2 i think...
for me, i'd probably pick Salmon House over Fraiche, since i can see the view better at Salmon House and the place is more spacious...but the Foie Gras at Fraiche is worth a try.
We decided to dine early and arrived at 5:15pm. Guess what? We got a window seat and immediate greetings from a number of staff. The day was cloudy but the scenery excites anyway. Mind you, I have the webbed feet of a native born Vancouverite so a damp grey sky feels natural and comforting.
The room is elegant with a stunning Robert Davidson bronze sculpture facing the entrance. This 400-pound treasure demonstrates the sublime power of great Haida art.
The food placed before us that night was also a demonstration of fine art. My roasted beet salad was delightful; small red and golden beets highlighted by tender greens, toasted almonds and softly flavoured cheese. My companion enjoyed the seared Quebec foie gras with a fabulous dried cherry ragout and a deeply flavoured reduction of maple syrup and balsamico. It tasted as good as it sounds. I know because I sneaked a bite.
Main courses included a special and a regular menu item. Mine was seared halibut cheeks and SWMBO had sable fish with fingerling potatoes, green beans, fennel and a complex citrus sauce. Desserts too were delicious.
All told, near perfect. With a fine bottle of wine, expect to nudge $200 by the time you leave. We did and thought the money well spent.
came here for a birthday celebration not too long ago...wonderful view...restaurant is up near the British Properties...scallop carpaccio, foie gras, beef tenderloin...baja scallops were all to-die-for...all in all, a great night...except for the unreasonable -to say the least - $30 cake cutting fee....all they did was take the cake in and separted the cake into 6 slices...and voila! Charged the cake cutting fee...it wasn't even asked of us...booo...
The restaurant opened 5 weeks ago, the waiter tells me. And yes, one can definately tell by their service. No host was around to sit us when we entered. It was a nice lady, food runner, who sat us. The waiter didn't greet us until 15 mins later. It was the same runner gave us water and took our drink orders. (she should be promoted, super nice and friendly, all smiles).
Yes, they all looked VERY busy. It's impressive on how fast they can all walk. However, it is still unacceptable to make customers wait 15 mins to be greeted by the server.
Food: outstanding. No more than 7 items per plate. All the natural flavour per item stood out perfectly. Although some items appeared to be too salty, when combined with other items, it was perfect. The kitchen seemed organized and well coordinated.
I had the foei gras and their duck. Perfection to the saucier.
The entremetier could go easier on the salt.
My bf had the crab cake and corn chowder, more chowder would be better, and the crab cake...FULL of crab (u are definatly getting ur money's worth there). His second course was the lamb. Again, perfectly cooked lamb. Couldn't ask for more from the kitchen.
View: What more can you ask for from a mountain top. Oh wait...we didn't get to enjoy any b/c we were sat in the middle by the kitchen. So when making a reservation, make sure you say u want a view, or else you'll see the service staff run in and out of the kitchen, where they should put a curtain so customers dont' have to see the sheet pan racks and buckets.
My in-laws invited my family to a brunch last Sunday.
We have 2 kids 8 & 5. The menu did not offer any children dishes and we ended up ordering French toast for them. As for the rest of the menu it did not look appetizing at all. All sorts of strange concoctions that I do not consider breakfast or brunch appropriate. Breakfast is really not that complicated! I had ordered the closest thing that I would consider breakfast appropriate, a crab cake benedict.
The food did not arrive for 1 hour (not exaggerating). After 45 minutes we asked the waitress for toast for our kids because they were so hungry by now. The waitress said our food was almost ready and that the toast would take longer than our order to arrive. Our order did not arrive for another 15 minutes.
The French toast was not made from French bread, instead some extremely unpleasant tasting bread that was made there out of egg. Even the syrup was nasty. Our dishes were all barely room temperature. My food had no flavor what so ever. It was actually shockingly bad!
We will not be returning again, and I do not recommend this place for any families. But, the view is great and it might be a pleasant place to go if you have a couple of hours to kill.
I'll start with the disclaimer that this restaurant is fairly new, so they might just be working out the kinks.
The brunch bennys were warmish to cold, and the service was quite awkward, as if the server was not very comfortable to be working there. The view is great, but only from a few of the tables closest to the windows.
One bright spot: Desserts! They were amazing... Other than that, not a place I'd necessarily go out of my way for again.
