Went to Dominion for the 1st time to celebrate my 9 year anniversary with my boyfriend (yes, "Bf" even after 9 years eyeroll) & was pleasantly surprised. It has a warm, sophisticated atmosphere and very relatable to a classy downtown hotel restaurant.
Right off the bat I was greeted by a nice hostess who guided us to our table. Our server, Amber, was very attentive and personable. For those wanting a classy "on the rocks" bevy - I highly recommend the Old Thyme Fashioned, which includes Bourbon. It's a nice sipping drink. You can taste the thought and precision the Bartender takes in creating it. Those who are keen beer drinkers, you NEED to try the Lemon Radler.
Our appy arrived (Pork Dim Sum and CAVATAPPI Mac n Cheese) - you can taste the freshness and quality. Sharp cheddar, crunchy texture, far from bland. The pork dim sum melted in your mouth. The chefs knew what they were doing. It made us excited to have dinner. So many options to choose from I will have to go back to try the others! But Amber strongly insisted that the Korean Beef Ribs are one of the BEST items on the menu. Keep in mind, I am on a date. Is it NECESSARY for me to eat these dinosaur ribs? Well, Amber sold me on it and I am very thankful she did! The melt-in-your-mouth ribs, covered in that tantalizing Gochujang chili bbq sauce, I am already craving it again. Amber was not playing around though. Let me explain. After our dinner -- I discovered Amber was not satisfied with the amount of meat that were on my ribs. Afterall, she SOLD me on them. She let the chef know this, to which he came out and apologized to me. It was a very thoughtful gesture -- he then told me he was making me a new batch. This was an unexpected surprise. Keep in mind, I did not complain once. I thoroughly enjoyed them but can understand they have their quality standards and it is nice to know that they value their customers in such a way that even if we don't voice up, they will still hold their standards & do what is right for the customer.
My boyfriend enjoyed his medium rare sirloin, which was smothered in a rich garlic butter. I had a nibble of it, 1 word to describe it: Umami. I forgot to take a picture of the dessert, but it is to die for. Chocolate Fudge Brownie. It was so warm and gooey, on a bed of caramel.
I highly highly recommend Dominion -- whether it is a group or a couple, the menu and service do not disappoint. I will be back again! My sister is already jealous that I went without her so looks like...
Read moreOn a recent three day visit to Surrey, BC, I had the pleasure of once again staying at the Civic Hotel and it was a great experience. The hotel is perfectly located, the beds comfortable, the staff friendly, but the best part of my stay was the great restaurant the Dominion. I ended up eating most of my meals there and enjoyed all of them.
A few of the dishes I had that stood out to me were: Poutine, made with their incredible chunky fries, topped with gravy and cheese curds and I added grilled chicken on top. The fries are great, the gravy rich and flavorful and the chicken added the bit grilled protein I needed. Rossdown chicken wings salt/pepper version. The wings were perfectly cooked and seasoned, then I paired it with a side of steamed rice with just a touch of their Calabrian chili sauce. Cavatappi Mac & Cheese, again with grilled chicken. This is made with a jalapeno mornay sauce so it is a bit spicy, but I grew up in Texas so it hit the spot for me. Black Forest Ham eggs benedict was a surprise as it was served on buttermilk crumpets which were incredible. The eggs were perfectly prepared, the hollandaise rich and creamy but served atop the crumpets really elevated this dish. I left wanting more. Rossdown chicken & Lemon Risotto was one of the best dishes I've ever eaten and a great surprise. I expected a simple dish based on the description, but it was quite complex. The dish was plated beautifully, a real work of art, but the flavors came together to make it a very special dish for me. I will definitely order this one again. On my last morning there on Sunday, I decided I was in the mood for a real breakfast so I enjoyed one last meal before I checked out. Though they offer an incredible looking buffet, I really wanted a made to order breakfast. I ordered a ham and cheese omelet and I asked if I could order a side of their great crumpets instead of toast or English muffin and they happily did so. Such a perfect last meal there. As I was enjoying my breakfast I noticed a chef checking on the items in the buffet and I waived him over to share with him how much I had enjoyed all my meals on my trip. I recapped my favorites and thanked him and his crew for doing such a great job. Thank you Chef Manny for taking the time to speak with me about your dishes, asking me questions about my experience and for being so warm and friendly.
The Civic Hotel will be my go to when visit the area, thanks to the Dominion's quality of food and service and...
Read moreI was there with my friend who is an asian lesbian in her mid-late twenties about two months ago and we had a HORRIFIC discrimination experience there! DO NOT GO HERE! She was sitting facing the bar and me with my back to the bar. During our meal, she noticed that the table between hers and the bar, called the male bartender/server over to tell him something which she didn't think anything of at first. After the server/bartender got spoken to, it was clear that that table had complained about something pertaining to my friend. Before she could even put her fork back down on the plate after taking her last bite, the server was already at our table and took her plate away and asked if he could bring us the check. She said no and asked if we could have some more water please and he filled her water glass up only half way. She has been going through some health issues and sometimes gets a subtle tick with her head that causes her head to quickly move to the side. This goes away sometimes after seconds and sometimes it takes a couple of minutes, but nothing long lasting in any way. The only other thing that we can think of is that she was wearing a shirt with a rainbow neck lining ... so either they complained about her being a lesbian or about her handicap of a quick tick. My friend is a huge foodie and she eats out more than anyone I know. I have been with her to many restaurants and we have never encountered anything like this. It was clear as day that the server wanted us out ASAP and we were NOT welcome there! We clearly felt extremely uncomfortable, didn't bother to order desert and left after finishing our sip of water. My friend did NOT want to complain or make a big deal out of this as she was mortified, but I think people need to know, especially after calling the restaurant Manager who never took any responsibility for any of this. After we called her back again, she said she talked to the server and he doesn't remember anything like that. ... Absolutely HORRIBLE customer service in every way!!! We have never been treated nor discriminated like this anywhere in our entire life! DO...
Read more