A staple of the high-end Vancouver dining scene, MARKET is one of those star-chef restaurants that have been duplicated in cities like Paris and Istanbul in lively hotels where the name alone probably didn't need any help from a chef like Jean-George in the first place. Visitors arrive to a black-and-white lounge space arranged in the city's finest social setting looking to make their entrance into the grand dining room. By day the space is bold and bright with light woods and heavy use of white in a room that can sometimes be too sunny. At night the space is more subdued, even better, cast in an elegant dining space worthy of a Friday night on the town.
The Food
A basket arrives stuffed with some of the best hotel bread you'll taste in the city with a salty butter and olive spread better than some of the meals your likely to find at this Vancouver hotel eatery. Accompanied by a well-selected and well-priced wine list, the staff is cheery and astute in selecting fine bottles of Northwestern wine in that blissful Canadian way. Meals begin with a choice of appetizers like calamari with garlic aioli or arugula and fennel salad balanced with a tart vinaigrette. A second course selection of pizzas includes a tuna with cream of wasabi or Black truffle with fontina. Main courses include slow-baked salmon with fried onions, John Dory with baby artichokes and a roasted chicken over couscous.
Last Word
Jean-Georges lends name and recipes to lively design eatery at Vancouver's Shangri-la Hotel and Tower.
