Ever since I first laid eyes on the menu of still young Wildebeest, the seawater-infused hazelnuts have been calling me. We decided to spend my long awaited Friday night off work dining at Wildebeest mostly because of my intense curiosity of these nuts and the meaty menu's ability to satisfy my meat loving man.
Seated at low long tables at the back of the restaurant, we had a great view of the open kitchen and the overall flow of operations. Our very friendly server was helpful in navigating the menu, as he knows the flavours and structures of each item. He kindly let us know that our choices were one dimensional, and recommended replacing one of the heavy, fatty (and drippingly delicious) items with the cleaner item of Angus beef short rib with hay jus. We took his recommendations to heart, and he suggested a Petit Sirah - Grenache blend to go with it all.
The seawater-infused hazelnuts are my new addiction. They use the seawater that their oysters come in to prepare these deliciously crunchy salty gems. I kept imagining them with a really dark chocolate, and fantasized about adding them to a dark brownie or a chocolate torte. They were gone too fast, and I want to go back for hazelnut take out soon.
We went for the beet salad to get our vegetables in, as the rest of our dishes were meat-heavy. Their chewy heirloom beets (are some of them smoked?) are fresh and bright, the salted pears are crunchy, sweet and tangy all in one. The goat ricotta is creamy and rich. I don't know what the heart shaped leaves are, the coolest looking green I have ever had on any plate, three leaves to each "flower", green on one side, purple and hairy-looking on the sides that meet the other leaves, and a bright tart flavour - fun! But then there's the "crispy milk". Looks like a cracker, right? Super light, breaks easily. Put it on your tongue, and it ... disappears. It's milk. Like a fake cracker, kinda. Crunchy and light and airy and gone in an instant. Milky sweet. Awesome!
Dishes at Wildebeest arrive at your table as they are prepared. By the time the beef short ribs and the foie gras poutine arrived at our table, the camera was forgotten and the food was devoured. Sorry, no pics, just the ones I have in my mind... They look great, I tell you!
The bone marrow looks gorgeous. In the middle of the plate sits half a bone with roasted bone marrow, sprinkled with a parsley gremolata, served with thick grilled slices of crusty bread. The bread is full of air bubbles, so the bone marrow and its juices really sink into the bread. Deliciously fatty and rich, yet portion is perfect for two to get a sample. Just a taste each, an introduction to the world that is bone marrow, and then maybe next time we'll go for the über luge?
The Angus beef short ribs are chunky cuts of meat, cooked to medium rare, with smoked salt, served on a hay jus. The flavours are focused around the amazing beef, there is nothing else on the plate. The beef have been cooked for 48 hours and even the fat practically melts in your mouth.
I used to have a personal "Vancouver's best poutine" in mind when talking to visitors, and now it has changed to Wildebeest's foie gras poutine. The chunks of foie gras are rich and creamy, the gravy generous and silky smooth. Large chunks of cheese curds and the fries soak up every bit of flavour.
Yes it was a lot of food for the two of us. We were full. But I had read that they had a chocolate fondant on the menu, and the word chocolate just speaks to me. It had to be tried.
We will most certainly be back. We already have the items picked out for our next meal! Curiosity needs to be satisfied, and the elk tartare, pork jowl, and caramelized bone marrow dessert are all items that are calling my name...
