🏅 Review: Ex-Michelin Star Spot in Vancouver Chinatown
📍 The McKenzie Room – A former Michelin-starred gem in Chinatown! We tried their $24/person Tasting Menu (aka "chef’s choice roulette" 😂). Here’s the brutally honest breakdown: 🍽️ COURSE-BY-COURSE VERDICT 🥄 Amuse Bouche (Bite-Sized Starter) ⚫️ Tofu + Anchovy + Olive First bite: Tofu balances the salty fish perfectly. Then… OLIVE EXPLOSION. If you hate olives (like me), this’ll wreck the vibe. 🐓 Chicken of the Sea (Add-on $24) 🔴 Sea Urchin + Hazelnut + Smoked Fish Mousse Tastes like savory custard—weird but weirdly addictive. Worth it? Only for adventurous eaters. 🥒 Cool Hand Cuke (Cucumber Salad) ⚫️ Pickled Cucumber + Radish + Fennel Literally just fancy (smacked cucumber). Pretty for pics, but $0.99 at T&T tastes the same. 🐄 Shiitake Happens (Beef Tartare) 🔴🔥 Raw Beef + Mushroom + Cured Egg Yolk THE STAR OF THE NIGHT. Silky beef + umami bomb from yolk + earthy shiitake. 10/10. 🐟 Spring Break (Salmon Main) ⚫️ Fish = tender but fishy. Roe turns bouncy like gummy balls (why??). Skip unless you’re a salmon martyr. 🔫 Chop Gun (Pork Chop) 🔴 Juicy AF pork + tart lingonberries = no regrets. Onion rings feel cheap, but flavors slap. 🍫 Chocolate Nemesis (Dessert) 🔴 Dark Chocolate + Sea Salt + Crème Fraîche Not sweet! Bitter, salty, creamy—adult dessert heaven. 💰 WORTH IT? ✅ Highlights: Beef tartare, pork chop, chocolate dessert. ❌ Lowlights: Olive trauma, "meh" salmon, overpriced cucumber. 📸 Vibes: Instagrammable, but some dishes are style > substance. #MichelinEats #VancouverFoodie #HitOrMiss