Eat, Drink and Be Merry at Provence Marinaside
This Festive Season
Pop! And just like a cork popping from a champagne bottle, the holiday season is suddenly upon us. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Festivus, Winter Solstice, Kwanzaa or none of these, this is the time of year when people gather to eat, drink and make merry. It’s the most wine-derful time of the year! Meeting with friends and family over good food and drink helps dispel the gloom during this darkest time of the year. At Provence Marinaside, Chief Elf (er Chef) Jean-Francis Quaglia and his team are cooking up some tasty ways to have a tree-mendous time while Wine Director Joshua Carlson has made sure the cellar is stocked with plenty of prosecco-ho-ho-ho and other lovely libations to help you get in to the holiday spirit(s).
December Menus:
Provence will be offering its regular menus for brunch, lunch, Happy Hour and dinner throughout December so you can enjoy all your favourite French comfort food during regular opening hours. Don’t feel like going out? No problem. Provence food is also available for Takeout, or save yourself the trip and Order-in through Door Dash or Uber Eats.
While closed on Christmas Day, Provence will offer its popular Turkey-to-Go Christmas Dinner for Takeout (see details below). Provence will be open for dinner on New Year’s Eve (see below) with a special à la carte menu and great jazz stylings by Tom Arntzen and Adam Rohrlick.
Turkey-To-Go:
Executive Chef Jean Francis Quaglia and the kitchen brigade led by Chef de Cuisine Sheldon Maloff are coming to the rescue of weary cooks by offering Provence’s popular Turkey-To-Go, a traditional Christmas dinner for only $49 per person. Each individual dinner is pre-cooked and only requires re-heating to serve. The full meal includes: carved turkey, roasted vegetables, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes and gravy, dinner roll and chocolate fondant for dessert. Turkey-To-Go orders must be placed online. Please note: The deadline to place Turkey to Go orders is December 22 and Turkey to Go orders are available for pickup only on December 24, 2022, until 2:45 p.m. so you will need to select that date when placing your order.
Pay It Forward
Not everyone can afford Christmas dinner. Since the start of the pandemic and continuing through to now, Provence Marinaside has been supporting the DTES Women’s Centre with hot meals prepared by its chefs. Help support women in need by giving the gift of Christmas dinner this holiday season. Provence patrons can add a donated meal to their turkey order and Provence will match it with an additional meal sending two Christmas dinners to the DTES Women’s Centre for every meal donated by a patron. “The entire staff is behind supporting the Women’s Centre with hot meals. It’s a win-win – the Centre’s clients are overjoyed at receiving our dinners and we are so happy seeing that joy. A hot meal can make all the difference in a person’s life,” comments Provence Owner/Executive Chef Jean-Francis Quaglia.
New Year’s Eve
Provence will be open from 9 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. for brunch only and re-opens from 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. (last reservation is 10.45 p.m. for dinner. Ring in the New Year with this celebratory special à la carte dinner menu available only on New Year’s Eve including such elegant temptations as Fresh Oysters, Paté de Campagne au Foie Gras, Warm Goat Cheese Salad, Saffron Shellfish Steamer, Roasted Frenched Rack of Lamb, Beef Tenderloin, Whole Lobster and the ever-popular Seafood Platter to name only a few of the many culinary delights on the menu.
Your dining experience includes being serenaded with live music played by local jazz legends Tom Arntzen and Adam Rohrlick. Yule be sorry if you don’t make a reservation sooner rather than later as we anticipate this filling fast. Reservations can be made online or by calling the restaurant. Takeout will not be available this evening.
Bubbles
What would the festive season be without bubbles? Provence’s extensive wine list offers many styles of this versatile and celebratory libation – from champagne to crémants, prosecco to cava to beautiful made-in-BC sparklers. “Sparkling wines are so adaptable – you can enjoy them as an aperitif, in a cocktail, with brunch or desserts and they complement most seafood and poultry dishes. It doesn’t have to be a special occasion to enjoy a glass or two – drinking bubbly makes the occasion special,” says Wine Director Joshua Carlson. “This season I am particularly enjoying these three from our list:”
Jean Vesselle Oeil de Perdix Rosé Champagne
100% pinot noir.
Bouzy, Champagne, France $29 glass $125 bottle
For nearly 300 years, the Vesselle family has been tilling the chalky soils of Bouzy and cultivating some of the village’s best-placed Pinot Noir vines. Wines here combine a classic Champagne elegance with the signature Bouzy power, especially in wines such as the estate’s ‘Oeil de Perdrix.’ This unique rosé is a taste of Champagne history, a style of wine long forgotten before winemaker Delphine Vesselle—to honor the traditions of her Champagne-making grandparents—brought it back with great success. On the nose: Aromas of red roses, orange zest, white pepper, light herbs. On the palate: Medium-bodied yet light on the tongue; elegant, silky and balanced. Red berries, stone fruits, peppery finish. Enjoy as an aperitif or throughout a meal; its acidic balance and red-wine body make it endlessly flexible at the table.
André Clouet Grand Réserve Brut Champagne
100% pinot noir selected from Grand Cru vineyards
Bouzy, Champagne, France $28 glass $120 bottle
The Champagne house of Andre Clouet was established in 1741 in Bouzy within La Montagne de Reims territory. Even before this, the ancestral branch of the Clouet family was well known as the official printers of the King of France, their name was Seneuze. There is a document dating back to 1680 which is a request for a deed for the purchase of land in Champagne. Today, Clouet farms about 20 acres of vines in this area that is the most famous Grand Cru village in Champagne for Pinot Noir. The house of Clouet is a grower/producer house crafting limited amounts of a few different cuvées made exclusively from Pinot Noir. On the nose: fresh bouquet of high toned fruits with hints of hazelnuts and yeasty aromas. On the palate: the Grande Réserve cuvée displays highly structured red fruit notes for which the area is so famous. Long lees aging, low dosage and Grand Cru Pinot Noir fruit combine for an opulent yet balanced Champagne.
Summerhill Pyramid Winery Cipes Brut
dominantly made from riesling, with pinot blanc and chardonnay
Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada $11 glass $45 bottle
Summerhill Pyramid Winery (established 1991) is Canada’s largest organic winery, BC’s first Demeter biodynamic vineyard, and Canada’s foremost producer of sparkling wine. The winemaking philosophy is that organic and biodynamic provides the royal road to producing exceptionally beautiful, authentic, terroir-based wine. On the nose: Honeycrisp apple, white flowers and lime zest. On the palate: is fresh and vibrant with juicy green apple, pear, lemon meringue and a hint of toasted brioche. “I’m a fan of this wine, you can’t go wrong with it,” says Carlson.
Give the Gift of Good Taste
Provence Gift Cards are always an appreciated present. Gift Cards may be purchased online in any denomination. E-Gift Certificates are delivered by email directly to you or your chosen recipient. If you prefer a physical gift card, they can be purchased in person at the restaurant. Receive a $15 bonus card for yourself for every $100 spent up to a maximum of $200 in bonus cards. The Gift Card promotion ends December 15 and the bonus applies to online orders only – physical cards purchased at the restaurant are not eligible for the bonus.
Holiday Hours:
The restaurant will be open regular hours in December with exceptions as noted below:
Christmas Eve, December 24: 9 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. for brunch only
Christmas Day, December 25: closed
Boxing Day, December 26: brunch (9 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.), Happy Hour (3-5 p.m.) & dinner (5-9:45 p.m.)
December 27- 30: brunch (10-11:15 a.m.), lunch (11:30 a.m.-3 p.m.), Happy Hour (3-5 p.m.) & dinner (5-9:45p.m.)
New Year’s Eve, December 31: brunch (9 a.m.-2:45 p.m.), dinner 4 p.m. – 1 a.m. (last reservation 10:45 p.m.)
New Year’s Day, January 1: brunch (10 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.), Happy Hour (3-5 p.m.) and dinner (3-9:45 p.m.)
January 2: brunch (9 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.), Happy Hour (3-5 p.m.) & dinner (3-9:45 p.m.)
‘Have your elf a merry little Christmas’ this year and share the merriment with friends and family at Provence Marinaside.
Provence notes:
Established in February 2002, Provence Marinaside is the ‘bebe’ of Owner/Executive Chef (and Chevalier of France) Jean-Francis Quaglia. Reminiscent of Chef Qualia’s native Marseille, Provence is located at the south end of Yaletown, adjacent to the False Creek Seawall and with patios overlooking the Quayside Marina. Open every day for Brunch, Lunch, Happy Hour and Dinner. Hours are:
Tuesday through Friday: 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Saturday, Sunday and Monday: 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.
In addition to Dine-In service, Provence Marinaside continues to offer its regular menus for brunch, lunch and dinner as Takeout for personal pick-up or through delivery services Door Dash and Uber Eats.
Wine and Cocktails List , Brunch Menu, Lunch Menu, Happy Hour Menu, Dinner Menu, Dessert Menu
Provence Marinaside is also supporting The Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre with the donation of meals and funds along with a donation option on their should the public also wish to support the organization. Details can be found on Provence Marinaside’s Home Page.
About Chef Jean Francis Quaglia
A native of Marseille, France, Chef Jean-Francis Quaglia comes naturally to the culinary world as his mother was acclaimed Chef Suzanne Quaglia of Marseille’s famed Le Patalain and one of the very first female chefs in France. At age eight, he made his first Tarte au Citron from his mother’s recipe. This same tarte is now featured on Provence’s menu. Following graduation, Chef Quaglia apprenticed at Hôtel Sofitel in Marseille, worked Chef Elie Mazot at Relais et Chateau’s Le Chateau de la Chevre D’Or in Eze and was Chef de Partie Tournant under the direction of his mentor, Chef Dominique LeStanc, at Hôtel Negresco in Nice (2 Michelin stars). Upon arrival in Vancouver he was Sous Chef under Chef Bruno Born at Le Coq D’Or and followed him to the Sheraton Wall Centre Hotel where he became Executive Chef of the hotel’s Indigo Bistro Moderne. He opened his first restaurant, Provence Mediterranean Grill in 1997 in Point Grey and went on to open Provence Marinaside in 2002 and TWB-The Wine Bar next door in 2012 (it is now amalgamated into Provence Marinaside). In August 2021, the government of France honoured Chef Jean-Francis by naming him a Chevalier (Knight) of the Ordre du Merite Agricole – one of France’s highest honours, second only to the Legion of Honour.
Media release and image provided by Nancy Wong, Culinary Communications. Image credit: Emrys Horton
