CHAMBAR

"GREAT VIBE, GREAT MUSSELS BUT FATTY STEAK"

Location: 562 Beatty Street, Vancouver
Telephone: 604 879 7119
Website: CHAMBAR

CHAMBAR is the small Belgian hideaway that is well known for it's funky atmosphere, its diverse Beer selection and its legendary Mussels. Seriously, if you are a Mussel fan, then do yourself a favor and dig into a giant pot of these beauties, you won't be disappointed. I had been to CHAMBAR once before for a Birthday Party and this time, 9 of us went for a Holiday Work Dinner.

Here's a look at some of our selections for dinner:

• Foie de canard ‘Villa Lorraine’ (Spiced Foie gras terrine with Port reduction, Kriek Granita & truffled brioche french toast)
• Moule Frites: Coquette (Mussels cooked in a white wine cream. Smoked bacon lardons, spring onions)
• Moule Frites: Congolaise (Mussels cooked with a tomato coconut cream. Smoked chili and lime. Fresh cilantro)
• La morue charbonniere (Pan seared sablefish, marinated artichoke, fingerling potatoes, lemon yogurt remoulade & saffron rouille)
• Steak Bourguignon (Grilled AAA ribeye steak, pommes frites, roasted king oyster mushrooms, fried shallots, Bourguignon sauce)
• Chevreil aux Chataignes (Roasted venison short loin. Parsnip puree, elk salchichon, caramalized chestnut & baby winter vegetables)
• La cafe belge (Espresso cheesecake with Belgian chocolate mousse, creme de cacao gelee & crisp chocolate wafers)
• La bombe d'Alaska (Italian meringue, matcha ice cream & vanilla sponge cake with lemon curd & fresh pomegranate)

Overall, the food was spectacular. Again, the mussels proved to be the table favorite as people fought tooth & nail to sop up as much of those tasty sauces as possible with all the fries & bread available, seriously, there's that good. The Foie Gras was divine, the Sablefish fresh and the Venison to die for... but then there was the Steak.

Now as you know from previous reviews I am a steak lover, I loves me some steak and so did a lot of people at dinner last night as 5 of the 9 people there ordered it. 4 out of those 5 were awesome, mine was not. It was probably the fattiest steak I had ever had in a restaurant and while the spices and sauce made it tasty fat, it was still fat nonetheless. I know some people like a lot of fat in their steak, I don't like THAT much in mine, an epic disappointment for a meat-fan like myself.

This did not ruin the night for me however as the rest of the food was top notch, the service professional and the company was fantastic. We topped it off with probably the richest cheesecake I have ever tried (La Cafe Belge) and a scotch, what better way to end an evening out with friends.

While I may hold off on the Steak, you can bet that I will return to CHAMBAR for another evening out. As I said, the great atmosphere and those "to die for" mussels are worth a return visit.

RATING: 7/10 FULL BELLIES