Some of Metro’s best restaurants that are open for Christmas dinner.
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Not everyone wants to wrestle a 20-pound turkey on Dec. 25. But there are escape routes to restaurants who’ll do the heavy lifting. Most hotel restaurants will be open for Christmas dinner but so will other restaurants, ones that might just surprise you.
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There’s no silent night in Whistler, as restaurants are business as usual and bustling. Ditto in Richmond with many of the Chinese restaurants open. I suspect Surrey’s not far behind with its Indian restaurants.
There are dinner pickup options as well. For example, for something a little different you can order a family-style meal for up to five for pick up from Le Tigre food truck which will be parked in front of parent restaurant, Torafuku, on Main Street from 3 to 7 p.m. on Christmas Day.
Here’s a roundup of some dine-in spots. Many are as special occasion as is Dec. 25, but others offer affordable meals off their regular menus. If you’re wondering if, perchance, a favourite restaurant might be open on the 25th, check out their online booking system. If you’re too late for this year, take note for another year.
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Where: 16120-24th Avenue, South Surrey
Reservations and info: 604-727-0070. aksurrey.com
You might have caught them on Food Network Canada’s Big Food Bucket List with John Catucci raving about the kebabs. Afghan Kitchen is open Dec. 25 and it’s proving to be their busiest day. The buzzworthy Kabuli Palau, a zooted up rice dish, cooked with love, is a must-try, as is the slow-cooked lamb shank with flavours straddling India and the Middle East. The family’s opening a second restaurant soon — Zarak by Afghan Kitchen on Main Street.
Where: Wedgewood Hotel, 845 Hornby St., Vancouver
Reservations and info: 604-608-5319. wedgewoodhotel.com
I love the elegant service and old-world charm here. You can choose main dishes of turkey roulade and confit turkey leg; prime rib and Yorkshire pudding; miso maple glazed sablefish; or gnocchi with black winter truffles. $179 a person, $75 for children 12 and under.
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Where: Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel, 1038 Canada Place, Vancouver
Reservations and info:604-695-5500. botanistrestaurant.com
The lobby’s nutty with The Nutcracker theme including costume displays from Goh Ballet. For Christmas dinner, chef Hector Laguna’s tasting menu includes haute dishes like Wagyu flank tartare, Dungeness crab, Ora king salmon, and dry-aged duck. Dessert sounds awesome: chestnut cake with whisky-candied orange ice cream! $148 a person.
Where: Sutton Place Hotel, 845 Burrard St., Vancouver
Reservations and info: 604-642-2900. boulevardvancouver.ca
Good value from this award-winning restaurant — four-courses with six main-dish options (ling cod, wagyu beef shin bourguignon, seafood linguine, slow-roasted turkey, whole roasted striploin, celery root risotto) for $105. But then, go crazy with add-ons — seafood towers, lobster, oysters, caviar, truffles and more. There’s also a turkey dinner takeout option for four to 10 people.
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Where: 4599 Chateau Blvd., Whistler
Reservations and info: 604-938-8000. fairmont.com/whistler
Could it get more Christmas? Over-the-top decor, carollers, a ‘chef’s parade’ with six sleigh-loads of food led by an orchestra, as well as a lineup of activities during the holiday season. And of course, a few munchies: a four-course Christmas dinner at the Wildflower ($149/adults; $49/children six to 12); a five-course dinner in The Grill Room ($169); a lavish Christmas Gala buffet dinner in a ballroom with the Frank Sinatra-ish Tony Barton Orchestra ($199/adults; $79/children); a three-course fondue or à la carte menus with dishes like pork knuckle (yum!) at Mountain Social, a pop-up chalet.
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Where: 999 Canada Place, Vancouver
Reservations and info: 604-844-2855. fivesails.ca
There’s that breathtaking view, day and night. The five-course Christmas menu ($150 a person) offers choices of these mains: beef tenderloin, roasted turkey breast with confit leg stuffing or smoked sofrito carrot and black truffle cassoulet.
Where: The Westin Bayshore, 1601 Bayshore Dr., Vancouver
Reservations and info: 604-691-6962. htastinglounge.com
Four-course Christmas dinner with three entrée choices: turkey two ways with confit of leg croquette, Dungeness crab-crusted Kuterra salmon, and wild mushroom and truffle risotto. $80 a person. And an enchanting option: The Dine and Stay package includes a six-course dinner under the stars in a dome for up to eight guests, $120 a person (minimum spend, $500).
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Where: 6664 Deer Lake Ave., Burnaby
Reservations and info: 604-298-4278. harthouserestaurant.com
A Christmas card setting in a heritage house by a lake. A lobby fireplace, perfect for a family photo. Three-course traditional holiday menu is $82 a person and $30 for kids 10 years and under.
Where: 51 West Hastings St., Vancouver
Reservations and info: 604-696-4055. moltaqarestaurant.ca
How’d you like to go to Morocco for Christmas? This place sure captures an inside-the-medina feel. Order from the regular menu — dishes like flambéed rack of lamb; duck with cardamom, pears, figs; lamb shank tagine. Watch the website for a second location at 1002 Mainland — the owners are hoping it’ll be open for Christmas, too.
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Where: Fairmont Vancouver Hotel, 900 West Georgia St., Vancouver
Reservations and info: 604-662-1900. notch8-dining.com
The hotel is supercharged with holiday cheer with the twinkling Festival of Trees. Notch 8 offers a four-course dinner with a choice of roast turkey, prime rib, B.C. steelhead salmon or truffle risotto for the main. $119 a person; $59.50 for kids.
Where: Queen Elizabeth Park, West 33rd Ave. at Cambie, Vancouver
Reservations and info: 604-874-8008. vancouverdine.com/seasons
A panoramic view of the city while feasting on turkey. Or prime rib. Or sable fish. Or butternut squash ravioli. Those are the mains on this four-course Christmas menu. $95 a person.
Where: 3888 Main St., Vancouver
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Reservations and info: 604-872-8822. sunsuiwah.ca
Three impressive holiday set menus for 10, available from Dec. 20 to Jan. 5. All include turkey and about nine other dishes, depending on the menu — like two-course Peking duck, braised abalone in oyster sauce, crispy skin chicken, fresh crab and dried scallop bird’s nest soup, sautéed vegetables with fresh crabmeat and egg white, sautéed fresh lobster and rice cake in egg yolk sauce, and the signature roast squabs. Set menus available for two and four people as well. Reserve for holiday menus three days in advance. Popular items from regular menu will be available too. $198 for two, $268 or $358 for four; $498 to $988 for 10.
Where: 11970 — 88th Ave., Delta
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Reservations and info: 778-578-7777. tandooriflame.com
Warning — visit the Indian buffet spread too often and you’ll be sorry. Fifteen food stations, 150 items, 20 chefs cooking — it’s tempting. They claim it’s the largest selection in North America. Tandoori butter chicken and goat curry will get you started. $30.99 during the month of December.
Where: 7501 Stanley Park Drive, Vancouver
Reservations and info: 604-669-3281. vancouverdine.com/teahouse
Nice setting! A water and mountain view. The lovely Stanley Park. The dinner menu features four courses with turkey, prime rib, a seafood trio or mushroom conchiglio for mains. $95 a person.
Amarula, the South African cream-based liqueur, will donate $5 to Food Banks B.C., Feed Ontario and Food Banks of Quebec for each cookie recipe posted on Amarula’s Facebook page or your own Instagram page with the hashtag #NationalCookieExchange.
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At the hashtag site, you’ll find the contributor recipes after Dec. 8 as well as Amarula-inspired holiday recipes by Canada’s top bakers, bartenders and mixologists including B.C.’s bartender Jeff Savage of Botanist (Sleigh All Day cocktail) and pastry chef Fanny Lam of Oh Sweet Day (Espresso Shortbread with Amarula Cream Filling cookie).
UpMeals for busy households
The holidays can be nuts and might be just the time to try a meal subscription service. UpMeals boasts not only high quality, nutrient-dense, seasonal ingredients but dishes created by local chefs on the menu.
For the subscription launch, they’ve brought in Joël Watanabe (Kissa Tanto, Bao Bei), Nihal Elwan (Tayybeh Syrian catering), and Kim Vo (Châm Châm vegan Vietnamese takeout and delivery) to add to the menu. The chefs contributed the Andalucia Bowl, Muhammara Chicken Wrap, and Vietnamese Zoodle Salad, respectively.
“The chef collabs with be on the menus for several weeks to give users the chance to experience them all and we’ll be recruiting and working with new collaborators, chefs and otherwise, all the time,” says Drew Munro, UpMeals co-founder and CEO.
For more info or to subscribe to meal deliveries, visit upmeals.ca/shop.
Source: vancouversun.com
