The Boathouse
The Boathouse has been a Vancouver staple since 1981 and has since expanded to 5 more locations.
The main attraction of The Boathouse is the deck. With its fantastic sunset views and wonderful eye on the crowds bellow, it is no wonder that getting a seat can sometimes result in long waits. We arrived at 6:45 and made it just in time to beat the sunset watching crowd. The place was already hopping and remained so throughout dinner. Much to our satisfaction, there was ample staff to accommodate the crowd. The clientele seems to be mostly made up of an after work crowd, but without all the pretension of business suits and martinis. Lots of loud chatter and drinks flowing didn't detract from the atmosphere. The only drawback to the crowd is the number of tables that are crammed onto the deck: this makes seating tight and subsequently you get to sit real close to the people next to you.
That Friday was one of the hottest days of the year and it was hotter on the patio than on the street. This seemed to cause the bar to have a slight "cabana" smell, such as the one you might find at a resort that has an outdoor bar that hasn't been hosed-down since 1989. While not entirely unpleasant in Puerto Vallarta, it's just a little strange for Vancouver.
Surprisingly, the most memorable part of our dining experience was not the food - although it was very enjoyable - but the service itself. The service is very attentive and blisteringly fast. The kitchen must have been well-staffed and trained because the food came out incredibly fast: no one on the deck had to wait more than 15 minutes for their food. Furthermore, the wait staff was friendly, knowledgeable and seemed very comfortable in their jobs. Drinks arrived quickly and we were never in want of anything for long.
The largest complaint is probably the VERY limited dessert menu. Two items for the deck menu is hardly a menu and almost laughable for a restaurant of that caliber. If the dining room serves a full dessert menu, why couldn't the deck as well?
When: Friday, July 21 2006. (6:45 pm)
M says: I decided to go for the Salmon Fish & Chips ($15.99). I have to admit that I have eaten some incredible fish n' chips while I was in New Zealand, and while I was not expecting this to rival it, I was expecting a little more. This said, the salmon was very moist and much better than Ivar's salmon fish n' chips in Seattle. The fries were slightly tasteless - they tasted mostly of the sea salt seasoning. Fortunately, while they had the appearance of having been fried in older fryer oil, they did not taste of it.
For dessert we shared the Key Lime Pie ($6.99), which surprised the both of us. More like a key lime cheesecake, it looked nothing like your average pie. Fresh and light with coconut shavings in the graham crust (albeit a slightly grainy texture filling) it was a good finish to the meal.
T says: I ordered the Three Mustard Salmon ($23.99). This item has been a staple on the menu for the past 25 years and is starting to show its age. While I wouldn't anchor a menu with it, I can see why it's been their calling card for so long. The salmon was remarkably well cooked (especially so for an end piece) and the sauce worked well with the high fat content of the fish. The Granville Island's Killer Ale ($5.79) is wonderful, especially on a hot summer evening while enjoying a sunset. This beer, specially made for The Boathouse, is worth the trip on its own.
Pro: The Boathouse offers unrivaled versatility on Denman Street by offering three different dining experiences. One can choose from "casual upscale" dining in the dining room, pay-per-view sports games in the pub or the covered / heated deck for an "on the edge" view. All three experiences offer a different menu. The deck enjoys great views of English Bay and the menu comprises of quality, yet simple seafood dishes at reasonable prices. What more could you ask for?
Con: It can be quite a wait for a table on the deck, even though with the speedy service they seem to have a fast turnover. In spite of the wonderful sunset views, this is not the place for a really quiet, romantic evening with your significant other.
Verdict: T says yea, M says yea!
The Boathouse Restaurant
1795 Beach Avenue
Vancouver BC ?
604-669-2225
www.boathouserestaurants.ca
The main attraction of The Boathouse is the deck. With its fantastic sunset views and wonderful eye on the crowds bellow, it is no wonder that getting a seat can sometimes result in long waits. We arrived at 6:45 and made it just in time to beat the sunset watching crowd. The place was already hopping and remained so throughout dinner. Much to our satisfaction, there was ample staff to accommodate the crowd. The clientele seems to be mostly made up of an after work crowd, but without all the pretension of business suits and martinis. Lots of loud chatter and drinks flowing didn't detract from the atmosphere. The only drawback to the crowd is the number of tables that are crammed onto the deck: this makes seating tight and subsequently you get to sit real close to the people next to you.
That Friday was one of the hottest days of the year and it was hotter on the patio than on the street. This seemed to cause the bar to have a slight "cabana" smell, such as the one you might find at a resort that has an outdoor bar that hasn't been hosed-down since 1989. While not entirely unpleasant in Puerto Vallarta, it's just a little strange for Vancouver.
Surprisingly, the most memorable part of our dining experience was not the food - although it was very enjoyable - but the service itself. The service is very attentive and blisteringly fast. The kitchen must have been well-staffed and trained because the food came out incredibly fast: no one on the deck had to wait more than 15 minutes for their food. Furthermore, the wait staff was friendly, knowledgeable and seemed very comfortable in their jobs. Drinks arrived quickly and we were never in want of anything for long.
The largest complaint is probably the VERY limited dessert menu. Two items for the deck menu is hardly a menu and almost laughable for a restaurant of that caliber. If the dining room serves a full dessert menu, why couldn't the deck as well?
When: Friday, July 21 2006. (6:45 pm)
M says: I decided to go for the Salmon Fish & Chips ($15.99). I have to admit that I have eaten some incredible fish n' chips while I was in New Zealand, and while I was not expecting this to rival it, I was expecting a little more. This said, the salmon was very moist and much better than Ivar's salmon fish n' chips in Seattle. The fries were slightly tasteless - they tasted mostly of the sea salt seasoning. Fortunately, while they had the appearance of having been fried in older fryer oil, they did not taste of it.
For dessert we shared the Key Lime Pie ($6.99), which surprised the both of us. More like a key lime cheesecake, it looked nothing like your average pie. Fresh and light with coconut shavings in the graham crust (albeit a slightly grainy texture filling) it was a good finish to the meal.
T says: I ordered the Three Mustard Salmon ($23.99). This item has been a staple on the menu for the past 25 years and is starting to show its age. While I wouldn't anchor a menu with it, I can see why it's been their calling card for so long. The salmon was remarkably well cooked (especially so for an end piece) and the sauce worked well with the high fat content of the fish. The Granville Island's Killer Ale ($5.79) is wonderful, especially on a hot summer evening while enjoying a sunset. This beer, specially made for The Boathouse, is worth the trip on its own.
Pro: The Boathouse offers unrivaled versatility on Denman Street by offering three different dining experiences. One can choose from "casual upscale" dining in the dining room, pay-per-view sports games in the pub or the covered / heated deck for an "on the edge" view. All three experiences offer a different menu. The deck enjoys great views of English Bay and the menu comprises of quality, yet simple seafood dishes at reasonable prices. What more could you ask for?
Con: It can be quite a wait for a table on the deck, even though with the speedy service they seem to have a fast turnover. In spite of the wonderful sunset views, this is not the place for a really quiet, romantic evening with your significant other.
Verdict: T says yea, M says yea!
The Boathouse Restaurant
1795 Beach Avenue
Vancouver BC ?
604-669-2225
www.boathouserestaurants.ca
Labels: drinks, patio, restaurant, review, seafood
posted by Magalie at 7:20 PM
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