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Driving to Vancouver British Columbia and Eating at Wildebeest

It took us way too long to drive here. But we don't blame Canada. We blame, if anyone, individual drivers and the choices they made. We did what we could, choosing our leaving time and such but you just can't help large dump trucks with odd aversions to merging and 8 lanes of freeway squishing down to one.

We did however, do an amazing job crossing the border. My colleague Mischell spoke for the three of us and made no mention of the grapes, cherries or champagne we were transporting across state lines.

Finally we arrived at our home for the weekend – the Westin Grand in downtown Vancouver and shook the road off with a happy cocktail and figured out what to do. We agreed that amazing food was kind of the point of this weekend. Not used traveling with other people I was really glad we got over this hurdle right away.

Right outside our hotel bar window was this building – the Vancouver library in real life – but for Battlestar Galactica fans it the last standing building on Caprica.

After enjoying some drinks under the reproachful eye of our not so approving bartender at the hotel we zeroed in on a couple places to eat. With the help of open table and my dying cell phone (tired from the gps and my bored fiddling on the long drive) we secured reservations but kept this sage advise in mind.

Wildebeest, one of the frequently top rated locations of Vancouver in multiple internet publications, was our landing place for our party of three tonight.

Erika wore a sleeveless sundress and Mischell wore earmuffs.
I immediately ordered the Horseradish Sour and was not disappointed by its lemon meringue pie with savory horseradish finish flavor. It's ingredients – gin, lemon, egg white and horseradish. And look at this presentation of their Pisco Clover Club.

This experience in Vancouver, British Columbia is partially about fun and another part about complete exploration. As I snuggle into the couch of our Westin Suite after an amazing night of tasting things I have great appreciation for those who brought me here and the circumstances that allow me to be part of this – and that nobody in our group flinches at attempting to go to the best restaurants in town (per my usual travel standard).

Wildebeest was the most amazing restuarant in the northwest I've ever eaten at. Tonight my colleagues were generous enough to humor me in this assessment as we ate such lovely things as smoked bone marrow butter and lamb tartare. The tartare had powdered brown butter on it – I do not know how this gem of flavor is made but the result on the little bits of tender lamb was nothing short of amazing – rich and sultry fulfilling all umami sensors of the tongue.

Then I ordered veal tongue and brains just for fun – and because it was a option on the menu. It came looking like this
from here
It couldn't be that weird right?
The brain was a deep fried pillow that just lightly landed on my pallet then was gone. The tongue was just a tender piece of chewing delight. In general the flavors were not strong in the dish at all – but it was definitely an exploration of texture and head to tail eating.
Erika ordered the quail and it came out rare and smoking. A very tasty little smoked bird – it was a first to have rare poultry. It required quite a bit of ripping and pulling which was quite a juxtaposition with Erika's elegant sundress.
Last but not least Mischell's aged 15oz rib eye joined our party. It was a glorious large pile of sumptuous meat, potatoes and pea shoots.
We left with a bag of ribeye and full tummies. So full we all sat down and fell right to sleep. I woke up on the couch with my glasses still on, my iPad on the floor and Yoda staring at me. Ahead, a full day in Vancouver.
 
 

 

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