It has been a while since I have visited the Botanist, and I have yet to dine in for lunch, so this was a great treat. When looking to approach a Michelin recognized restaurant such as Fairmount Pacific Rim’s Botanist, dinner may be a little out of the budget, whereas lunch is often at a fraction of the cost.
We were seated in their spacious restaurant with its chic diner feel surrounded by dried botanicals and plenty of live plants. The space was bright, the mood was light, and our server was a delight. We had some of the best service with attentive care, coupled with conversation. And honestly, I expected no less from a Fairmont property.
We started with a couple of drinks. The House Caesar was my pick with vodka, their house caesar mix, toon’s hot sauce, celery bitters, and their seasonal garnish of a cucumber spiral and green olives. I found it only mildly like a Caesar. With a watery and less-than tomato base, it drank more like gazpacho, a chilled soup.
I followed that with the Me Time, which I liked even less. Aged rum, blackberry, chai tea, lemon, lime, clarified milk, and creme de cacao. It read like a caffeinated pick me up, and I was hoping for more chai in mouthful and creamy finish. Instead I got an artificial cherry sugar water and would describe it like Black Forest cake without any of the chocolate or rich nuance.
My guest opted for a mocktail. The First Bloom was a lovely tea spritz with cherry blossom tea, Douglas fir, yuzu, and soda. The yuzu fruit was the dominating flavour profile.
As for food, the menu was separated into three sections. We started with “Graze” and a few appetizers. Each course to come was a thing of beauty with intricate detail, yet was simple in presentation.
The Hand-Cut Beef Tartare was topped with smoked egg yolk, caper berries, parmesan, and served with sourdough. A refined dish and an acquired taste for those unfamiliar. It is all in the texture, where the silky egg held the meat together and added moisture to the dry and hard toast.
The Steamed Mussels were precisely plated fanning out on the platter. Mussels in shell prepared with crème fraîche, home-made chorizo, and cilantro. Served with more grilled sourdough, these were mussels in a zesty sauce, where the bread offered an additional base to soak some of it up, along with the salty sausage.
We also had a complimentary serving of sourdough with a smear of butter on a rustic wooden board. This we did not get a chance to visit or had the need to take on.
Moving on to entrees we went with the Black Pepper Crusted King Salmon. My guest is familiar with their menu and highly recommends any of their fish dishes. This one was dressed with smoked buttermilk and companies by kohlrabi, dill, and charred daikon. The fish was light and delicate, earning the “king” in its title. Each bite starts warm with a black peppery burn and ends cold with the refreshing herbs. The thinly sliced kohlrabi served as low calorie noodles, a lovely crunchy textural contrast to the tender salmon. I especially enjoyed the creamy sauce it all sat in and thought it would make for a great pasta sauce.
Sticking to seafood we went with the Lobster Risotto next. Another perfect plate topped with cultivated mushrooms, piave cheese, and candied lobster nage. A heavier entree given levity by way of the generous portions of lobster meat all throughout. The crispy cheese topper added salt and crunch, creating pops of interest. But this felt like a side and I wanted some red meat protein to pair with it.
We were enticed by the burger that was walked to the table adjacent, and had to order one for ourselves. Pan Seared Beef Burger with caramelized onions, butter lettuce, full moon valley cheese, pickles, and jalapeños. A quality elevated burger, but not the type I look for in a time of craving. The beef patty was not the highlight or the main in this, but it was at least soft. The topping overpowered the patty anyways; mixing sweet, tangy, and spicy in a jumble. To be honest, I preferred the potato wedges and found them to be the perfect in between of crispy and chewy; served with a tasty zesty aioli, but I still wanted the brightening tang of a familiar ketchup.
And we could not skip dessert knowing of their acclaimed in-house pastry chef. Our “Sweet Ending” began with their Tonka Bean Bavaroise with crispy phyllo, dark rye bread ice cream, and red wine poached pears. I loved the crisp we got from the first scoop into the shell. However, into it the flavour was faint, and if we didn’t order it we wouldn’t know what to make of it. I liked the individual elements, including the ice cream with a touch of caramel, and the pear made full bodied in red wine. Although, all together they didn’t read as being cohesive.
Miso Milk Chocolate Mousse was miso caramel, sesame crumble, and black sesame semi freddo. Thus was my favourite of the two. I enjoyed the roasted creamy black sesame flavour and we junped at the surprise of the hidden reservoir of salted miso caramel at its centre. What felt out of place was the far sweeter cookies and cream crumb.
Overall, this was more than a delicious meal, this was a full experience and one I can easily recommend to anyone looking for an oasis in the middle of the day.
Botanist
1038 Canada PI, Vancouver, BC V6C OB9
(604) 695-5500
botanistrestaurant.com
