Dine Out Vancouver Festival is now in full force, bringing diners out from their winter hibernations to experience a host fixed price menus and food events.
This week we experienced the Dine Out menu at Provence Marinaside for an evening of great food, with lovely company, at the acclaimed Yaletown waterfront spot. Chefs Jean-Francis Quaglia and Sheldon Maloff are shining the spotlight on some of their favourite flavours in Provence’s special three-course $45 menu. “We’ve been participants since the beginning,” says Provence Owner & Executive Chef Jean-Francis and we wanted to honour that history by including some of the restaurant’s classic signature dishes as well as some new ones inspired by BC’s wonderful seasonal ingredients.”
The Provence Marinaside Dine Out menu offers plenty of options for everyone to find something to please their palate. From the first course options I selected a nicely seasoned, rich and creamy Winter Squash Soup with Truffle Chantilly, which I could easily have made my whole meal. The other starter course options are Herbs de Provence-Crusted Goat Cheese Salad or Smoked Fish Cake with Sautéed Kale and Cilantro Yogurt.
The five second course options; Bouillabaisse, Pan-Seared Lois Lake Steelhead Trout, Brown Butter-Basted Veal Cutlet, AAA Canadian Beef Filet made for a difficult decision but in the end the Wild Mushroom Ravioli with Grilled Prawns in White Wine Butter Sauce, caught my eye. The rich mushroom filling was balance well by the butter sauce, which was a perfectly simple dressing for both the ravioli and the nicely grilled, plump prawns.
The Chefs made the third course even more of a difficult decision with a choice of eight dessert options; Lemon Tarte, Berry and White Chocolate Clafoutis, Vanilla Bean-Scented Crème Caramel, Chocolate Mousse Cake, Trio of Sorbets, the Daily Biscotti, BC Artisanal Cheese Plate and Chef’s Dessert du Jour. After much deliberation, Provence Marinaside’s signature Lemon Tarte came out victorious. The classic dessert is equally sweet and tart smooth lemon curd with the hazelnut brittle topping adds a contrasting texture and flavour.
photo: Nancy Wong
Available for both lunch and dinner, the Provence Marinaside Dine Out Vancouver Festival Menu is $45 for the three courses. An optional all-British Columbia wine pairing created by Wine Director Joshua Carlson is available in two sizes – regular for $25 and petit pour for $15. The wines are also available individually for those who don’t want to try all of the pairings.
Dine Out Vancouver Festival continues until February 2, 2020 at restaurants and eateriesjk all around Metro Vancouver.