Having already visited their sister restaurant we were now excited to their Cedar Creek’s two course lunch, the next day. Similar to that of Mission Hill with the same price: $75 for two courses, for two people and it includes wine pairings. However no elevated wine option here, but you go have the ability to add on sides and to forgo the wine altogether for $25 less. Not to mention double the options to choose from and luckily between us two we were able to share half of the menu.
Here, the focus is more heavily placed on farm to table. Not only are the staff able to speak to where everything is sourced, but the one page menu also has a pictogram of it on its back.
So fresh, so current, and attuned to what is available from the surrounding land that the menu not only changes seasonally or weekly, but maybe even daily. Currently there is a lot of orchard fruit that speaks to the harvest of fall.
Home Block Restaurant sits on the 300 acres of Cedar Creek with its 85 vines, garden and hens in coops. This speaks to their goal of leaving the land better than when they found it. Which is furthered through organic practices and the drive to support local, like their partnership with the Okanagan Nation Alliance salmon and local farmers.
As per the press release the “Award-winning Home Block Restaurant is renowned for its terroir-to-table philosophy, bringing bold flavours to life with the kiss of fire from its signature Argentinian wood-fired grill. Executive Chef Neil Taylor prepares the menu like you are his personal guest, embracing the bounty of the Okanagan Valley. The ingredients are sourced from estate own gardens, local farmers, foragers, and ranchers. With a wine-first philosophy, Home Block Restaurant draws from inspirations that reflect the bounty and terroir of the Okanagan Valley.”
It was a colder and a rainy day, but we still opted to take a seat on the patio, to be able to overlook their vines with a bit of the lake’s blue in the background. It is just a shame that there were electrical poles obscuring it a little.
We were given blankets, the heat lamps were on full blast, and we were also seated as close as possible to the fire cauldron that served as decor and a heat source. And after enough glasses of wine I was warm enough to relinquish two of the winery’s fleece throws, doing the work of warming both my top and bottom half.
Our meal started with the 2025 Estate Pinot Gris. This was dry with savoury notes of green apple, green peppercorn, and grass. I found it easy drinking, and well rounded.
This was paired with a delicious Poached Prawn Salad where the prawns were definitely the headliner alongside its backdrop of watercress, house pickles, red chilli, and buttermilk. It was served chilled, light, and fresh much like the characteristics of the wine. I love the bright acid the pops of pickle provided, which surprisingly didn’t overpower the strong prawn flavour. The wine helped to dull some of the bite in this.
Our second appetizer was paired with the 2025 Platinum Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. I got more character from this second white with honey on the nose and a whisper of roast that matched the nuts in the salad below.
The Endive and Estate Pear Salad with goat’s cheese, hazelnuts, and a sherry vinaigrette. This was yet another refreshing start with a great harmony of textures. Sweet pear to combat the bitter endive, I just wish there was more of the fruit to go around per bite.
My body was also craving vegetables on day two of our travel so we added both Shishito Peppers and Brussel Sprouts as sides to our meal.
The Grilled Shishito Pepper was toasted with tuscan olive oil and fleur de sel. Each soft pepper charred for a smokey and salted finish. The fun is seeing if you get a spicy one.
The Roast Brussels Sprouts were a lot heavier, each bulb caramelized offering a slightly sweet finish with estate honey, rosemary, and walnuts.
For our second course we started with the 2024 Estate Chardonnay with grapes from the California and Oregon region. This is due to the region wide 2022 frost and the need to source their grapes elsewhere. Naturally this was oaky as expected.
Its pairing was the Rock Cod A La Plancha as the fresh caught fish of the day. It was served alongside wilted spinach, roast peppers, capers, basil, and saffron aioli. Well salted, the cod was silky soft with a crispy skin. And the wine helped to cleanse the palate in between bites.
Next we got our only red wine pairing, the 2024 Platinum Open Claim Pinot Noir Oregon with pork belly. The wine has notes of unripe cherry and blooming rose. I found its levity did well to match the care to render the pork lighter.
Wood Roast Pork Belly with pomme purée, charred broccolini, whey mustard, and soft herbs. The pork was equal parts fatty and lean, rendered well with a faint coconutty flavour. I found it familiar with applesauce in the mix.
And seeing as it was my guest’s birthday we shared the Warm Frangipane Tart with a candle in it to celebrate. This was a vanilla poached pear tart topped with a dulce de leche and star anise ice cream. I appreciated how it was a touch more on the savoury side and not as sweet as I know desserts to be. The thyme flavour came through and they really emphasised the fruit and the nutty crust in this.
In short, we loved our scenic lunch, which hit harder knowing that everything on our plates and glass came from the lands that surrounded us. It felt full circle, what a delicious experience.
Cedar Creek
5445 Lakeshore Road, Kelowna, BC V1W 4S5
778-738-1020
cedarcreek.bc.ca
