One of the hidden gems of Vancouver is the Granville Island Hotel, a delightful boutique hotel located on the waterfront at the eastern tip of Granville Island. I say hidden because it’s away from the downtown core and even easy to miss among colorful variety of buildings on the Island itself.
MyVanCity was given a tour of the Hotel last week by its hotel manager, Christine Louden, along with an invitation to sample the new fall menu in the associated Dockside Restaurant. Trust me when I say this, I would personally be more than happy to spend any amount of time here. A recommendation, you bet!
The hotel itself has 65 uniquely designed and well-appointed rooms where the guests can capture the panoramic views across False Creek to the world-famous cityscape of Yaletown and beyond to the mountains of the North Shore. I can’t imagine there are many hotels in the world like this on the doorstep of a major downtown centre.
The Dockside Restaurant is set right on the water where Granville Island faces the city. Dockside’s patio has been voted “Best in Vancouver” an amazing six years in a row by the readers of the Georgia Straight. There and of course in the restaurant, guests can enjoy superbly prepared culinary creations from Executive Chef Victor Jacinto. What I’m sure many don’t know, at least I didn’t, is that the hotel also has its own microbrewery serving an assortment of seven different beer. After the hotel tour, we were lucky enough to sample both.
The Spring Roll and Flatbread appetizers were a great start along with their Legendary Chili Squid as the seafood opener. After that, Chef Victor introduced a new special menu for the fall and winter season. Below are some of the new items you can look forward to. Try any of these along with the Johnson Street Pilsner or Haupenthal Hefeweizen.
Dockside Crab & Shrimp Cake with a charred lemon aioli and herb salad
Tuna Nicoise – seared albacore tuna, green beans, hardboiled egg,kalamata olives, and yukon gold potatoes
Braised Lamb Osso Bucco with pearl barley risotto, market vegetables and sauce braisage
Roasted Duck Breast – white bean cassoulet, duck confit, market vegetables in a red wine jus
Grilled Beef Tenderloin – AAA beef, creamed spinach, pont-neuf potatoes,Béarnaise and market vegetables
Roasted Pork Belly with carrot purée
The Dockside Restaurant is open seven days a week serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. Reservations are recommended.
