Today I was at River Rock Casino and Resort to check out the highly anticipated Gordon Ramsey Steak. It is now fully opened, having had a full reception with Gordon himself taking the time to travel to and christen the restaurant.
Located within the Casino, the entrance is easy to spots thanks to the giant monolith that is lit with fire and flame.
Admittedly, I lowered my expectations coming in. I was invited to the grand opening of Gordon Ramsey’s Burger and was disappointed by the showing, despite the similarly anticipation. I later found out that the job was rushed and the Executive Chef in charge of the opening was soon after let go. That was enough to have me planning a return there in the future.
Today it was all about steak. The restruant’s lounge was the former River Rock Casino‘s Curve, just as open, now sporting a similar, but more causal theme to match the opulent dining room.
I have visited before and was unaware of there being any additional space to house such a restaurant. Therefore was surprised by the corridor of mirrors, the row of wine fridges, and the private dining room papered and upholstered in a jungle print.
The abstract Gordon print marks the spot. His likeness uncanny in cut-out, wielding a chef’s knife and honing rod.
The dining room was a merger of art deco and Roman influnces with geometric wall paper and light fixtures, couple with grounding columns. Lush with mocha leathers and caramel lighting the space spoke “steakhouse”.
They also have an enclosed patio for the in-between season, that should prove popular in the hotter months. I was able to sit with the property manager who declared this to be the Richmond’s first steakhouse, discounting Chop, claiming it in a whole other catagory. To his credit, River Rock Casino will only get busier in months to come as they are anticipating Miku on their second floor, come summer 2025.
The kitchen ran down the entire dining room, a peek-a-boo window pass gave you a look at the bastion of chefs and cooks. All helmed by a young head chef with a legacy of steakhouse experience, plucked from his life in Toronto to lead the Vancouver chapter of such a prestigious brand.
We were able to chat with him and learned that despite Gordon’s strict rules on menu adherance and his specifications on serveware, there is a little wiggle room to be creative. His team was able to introduce a locally driven seafood dish that passed all the stringent checks to make it on to the permanent menu. It has since become a fan favourite, but more on that below. During our brief time together he also offer hints on future, seasonally driven features.
We started with all of their mocktails because it was a work day. The Lavender Bliss is House Lavender Honey Infusion, East India Elderflower Tonic, and Rose Water.
The Heated Exchange is a spicy tropical mix of Roasted Jalapeno And Pineapple Elixir, Handmade Tropical Essence, and Ginger Beer.
I had the One Night in Tulum, which was an incredibly sour and tangy drink that I could not finish. Lemon, Orgeat, Passionfruit, and Tangerines.
As for food the chef treated us to an Amuse Bouche to start. A delicate dough ball filled with sharp cheese and topped with sweet blueberry and tangy pickled onion for balance. It definitely whet the appetite.
Joyce is dairy intolerant so got a sample shot of their creamy and thick Celery root soup instead. This she did enjoy.
A staple of any steakhouse is a fresh baked bread. Their Warm bread is herbaceous, heavy handed with rosemary. The flavour is layered on thick with more herbs in the accompanying spreadable, spiced local butter. Not a side, but a feature in itself.
The Dunheness Crab Cake was a solid puck of crab meat and it included no fillers. The herb aioli and charred lemon juice was necessary to lighten the load. I found it salty as is, and even more so with the sauce. However without it moisture the dish was dry and dense. I thought it needed some crunch to change the mood. The bread from above or a crispy cracker for textural interest.
If you are looking to try a little bit of a lot, the best way to do so is with the Petite Plateau. This is a gathering of oysters, crudo/tartare variety, and shrimp cocktail. Each available separately, altogether a chilled platter worth your consideration.
Half a dozen oysters of the chefs selection served with a champagne mignonette and horseradish cocktail sauce. Smaller, briney oysters that were not in season. The little bottle of hot sauce and the other accoutrement were helpful in creating interest.
The Shrimp Cocktail was excellent. Jumbo firm shrimp given plenty of personality with a generous dunk into the housemade horseradish cocktail sauce.
The Tuna Tartare is avocado, spicy ponzu, and sesame cracker. I liked this for its zesty and more pronounced flavour, the cracker offering the perfect base.
The Hamachi Crudo was much lighter by comparison. Crispy rice pearls, ajf amarillo, crispy nori, and crème fraiche. A tad bland with the faint whisper of sesame oil. I ended up using the wonderful shrimp cocktail sauce above to make this one more lively.
For a meatier appetizer look to the Pork Belly in a black cherry gastrique with a smoked gouda polenta. It was not as fatty as I expected, but lean with a honey caramelized coating. There was also plenty of creamy base to help into any excess gritstle with. I just would have liked a vegetable or something fresh to add levity to this.
Worth mentioning is how attentive the serve staff were. There are enough working the floor to attend to every half water cup or empty plate in need of bussing. Our server in particular was helpful in giving us a run through of the menu. Notations on each steak, what he recommends, and the need to add on sauces and sides to round out a plate. So be warned, the prices you see is just for the meat.
The following are must orders for first timers to the restaurant. Starting with Wagyu, to get a taste of the quality they offer. Wagyu from Japan, Alberta, Australia, and/or Idaho. As tempting as the A5 from Miyazaki, Japan was, we were warned that this 4oz cut was fairly fatty and if we wanted the best of all worlds, to look to the Jade Pure wagyu striploin from Australia. Spoiler, it was as promised.
Wonderfully cooked. Still fatty, but more lean than lush with the right amount of gristle. Tender from caramelized edges and ends. It was delcious, but there was not enough meat for a single serving as is, that is why we ordered a bunch of sides below to accompany it.
For a more classic steakhouse experience they also have Certified Angus Beef steak and one that is 28 days dry aged, for those who want to share a larger cut.
The Brussel sprouts were my favourite side, but they could have been toasted crispier. As is, it was soggy at the bottom with its pooled, syrupy, balsamic dressing. Normally topped with Parmesan, we requested to have it on the side in consideration of Joyce’s dairy allergy.
The mushrooms were woodsy and musky. Dense on its own, the mashed potatoes were the most helpful in toning them down.
I also liked the sweetness of the tender carrots as a lovely contrast to the perfecty pinked steak.
Another must for first time visitors is Ramsey’s signature Roasted Beef Wellington, ideally for two, given that it is a full roast in puff pastry. Served medium rare, the beef was tender and the pastry flakey.
I could have done without the mince layer of glazed root vegetables and potato purée, as it creates a mushiness to the overall texture. I did like the pagentry of having the red wine demi-glace poured overtop table side. The flavour was a little one toned as is, and found myself reaching for their house made steak sauce to give the lot of it a jolt of life. Its acidity was what I was craving for.
For returning guests or those looking for a break in red meat, the locally sourced and driven Miso Glazed Sablefish is worth your consideration. Napa cabbage, bok choy, shimeji mushroom, and shrimp dashi. Incredibly light yet rich in flavourful broth, well cooked with firm cuts that melted buttery in mouth. I honestly liked this more than I thought I would, and more than the Wellington.
And when we thought we could not eat anything else, we were treated to every dessert on the menu. Or should I say just me, as Joyce couldn’t have any of the dairy.
Fun fact, if you order a coffee at Steak, you get two bites of house made cookies on the side as a surprise treat.
The Sticky Toffee Pudding is a must and the most satisfying of the lot. Warm Date Cake, English Toffee Sauce, and Toffee Ice Cream. This is a recipe he learned from its mother. It reminded me of the Werther’s Original hard candy, but in melty spongy cake form, with a syrupy centre. This is the type of dessert you lick your spoon clean of.
This was a classic cheesecake, most closely resembling a frim New York, but with a mixed of churned cream. Vanilla Mascarpone Cheesecake, Berry Compote, Lemon Curd, and Meringue. I found it a little much with the meringue, too sweet too decadent, but beautiful in presentation. The berry was a better topping to help cut into its richness.
The Chocolate Tart looked poetic on the plate with a smear of chocolate sauce and the elegance of gold leaf. Chocolate Ganache, Salted Caramel, and Chantilly Cream. The entire dessert was firm with the texture of a chocolate fudge cookie. This one is for the chocolate lovers.
The Black Forest Trifle was another stunning piece with its layers displayed in antique glass. A cake-less rendition that was mostly cream and soft textures. I liked the punchiness from the alcohol soaked cherries and the crunch from the slivers of almond. However overall, such a creamy dessert is not in my wheelhouse.
In conclusion this is a great addition to Richmond, and will surely put River Rock on the map. I cannot wait to see what summer and their outdoor patio will bring, with more seasonal inspirations that only BC enjoys. Can recommend.
Gordon Ramsay Steak Vancouver
8811 River Rd, Richmond, BC V6X 3P8
(604) 247-5411
greatcanadian.com
