Tonight we were at Arc Dining, located within Fairmont Waterfront. We were here to get a first hand look at their new immersive dining series, “Led by a Love of…” . This series plays off ARC’s West Coast philosophy of being “Led by a Love of Land and Sea”.
This is a seasonally inspired series of long table dinner served as an intimate, family-style culinary experience for groups of 6-12 guests. Each dinner is meant to celebrate the freshest ingredients available locally. And tonight that was the highly acclaimed, in season, spot prawns. Four courses prepared by Arc’s new Executive Chef Harris Sakalis.
Tonight’s Led by a Love of Spot Prawns was the inaugural launch, an exclusive ‘one-off’ event showcasing a well-loved B.C. favourite across an exclusive multi-course menu. All ingredients were sourced from local suppliers, farms and producers, and wherever possible, dishes were complemented by herbs, fruits and vegetables harvested from Fairmont Waterfront’s very own rooftop garden. Course by course we got a tableside introduction of each dish by our Executive Chef. During which he share the inspiration behind each course, alongside insights into the locally sourced ingredients featured throughout the menu.
As guests gathered we greeted one another and mingled with Fairmont Waterfront’s signature cocktail in hand. This smooth sipper features natural honey and Wayward Distilling’s honey gin gathered from the hotel’s rooftop bee hives. Each glass is ceremonious finished off with a spritz and a flash of fire.
This was paired with deep friend spot prawn heads. Extra light and crispy, you have them as is shell, eyeballs and all. Coating you bite with a generous dip in garlic aioli for taste and saucy moisture.
When time, our group was asked to take a seat. Each assigned with a personalized menu.
Our first course was peeled Spot Prawn & Local Caviarc, served on a bed of egg custard. The latter was aimilar to Japanese style chawanmushi as a delicate and savory base. This was my favourite dish of the evening and a testament to our chef’s ability and execution. In between bites of gelatinous egg the sweet prawn and the briney caviar transformed bites and added textural interest.
This was paired with Quail’s Gate Field & Flight rose. The glass was floral and light enough to pair with such a delicate course. It also offered a lovely contrast to the notes of the shisho-like herb I got.
Our second course was Spot Prawn Orzotto with jamon iberico, aged parmesan foam, and herb oil. I marveled at how tender and gentle they got this creamy, risotto-style dish. The texture of the pasta, cooked in a house made spot prawn broth was perfection. I just wished they used whole prawns, instead of the salty slices of iberico that overpowered and dominated the plate alongside the foam that literally drowned it. Together tasty, but not as spot prawn centric as the dinner promised and a bold jump from the gentle dish before.
With this course we had the 2023 Burrowing Owl Chardonnay. It was nutty and in high acid; full tannins, yet dry at the back of the throat. Its sharp citrus was helpful in cutting through some of the richness of this heavier pasta plate.
Our third course was a feast of Charcoal Grilled Spot Prawns served with Hannah Brook greens and charred lemon. This one you had to go in and get messy with. Peeling back prawn shells, sucking their heads, then licking your fingers clean is part of the joy and satisfying experience of spot prawn season. Prepared simply with melted garden herb butter, this is one of the best ways to truly enjoy the natural flavours of the prawn.
This was served with a collection of fresh sides and Phantom Creek’s Riesling. The white had good drinking versatility that made it an easy pairing with the mix of sides below.
The chimichurri sauce was served with grilled asparagus, but we all enjoyed the vegetable as is and left the sauce untouched.
The spring peas & morel mushrooms were a hearty collection, where the sweetness of the peas balanced out the heavier woodiness of the mushrooms.
The roasted squash was just as hearty as the mac & cheese. Together both served as tasty starches as base for the prawns and something to help fill up on.
For dessert we enjoyed a Pistachio Cheesecake enrobed in a solid shell of white chocolate and topped with a pistachio crunch. This sat in a strawberry and rhubarb compote with a graham crumble. The sweet chocolate coating was fun to break into, it balanced out the tart fruit, which had some savoury notes thanks to the sprigs of thyme. Another well balanced dish and a great one to end on, even though it was void of any spot prawn.
If you missed this one, you can still get in on the next edition. Interested parties can look forward to Led by a Love of Spring throughout June. This experience will showcase standout ingredients from across the province, including locally foraged morel mushrooms, asparagus, spring lamb, and Pacific Northwest halibut.
Following the Spring edition, diners will see Led by a love of Garden, a four-part summer dining series hosted within the hotel’s rooftop garden. Each immersive evening will begin with a garden-to-glass cocktail and interactive honeybee encounter, before guests take their seats amongst the blooms for a multi-course Province to Plate menu. A different B.C. wine partner will support each event, offering insight into the thoughtfully curated wine pairings served throughout the evening.
Further editions include Led by a Love of Harvest and Led by a Love of Wild that will celebrate the rich flavours and exceptional ingredients of the fall months.
Limited reservations for Led by a Love of Garden series, are available now through ARC’s website: ARC Restaurant | West Coast Restaurant in Vancouver, BC
ARC Restaurant
900 Canada Pl, Vancouver, BC V6C 3L5
604-691-1818
arcdining.com
