Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar — Restaurant in Vancouver

A visit to the Boulevard…

It’s probably been a decade since I was last here. This place is situated on the ground level and front side of the Sutton Hotel on Burrard Street. There are pay street parking or pay parkades available in the surrounding area.

Inside radiants that simple yet elegant layout and atmosphere, however, the noise level could be a bit high (yes noise level of a pub from all the office workers).

After being seated and glancing through the menu, here were the food I ordered;

Strawberry spritz drink. A light refreshing little drink. Blue fin tuna sashimi. The ponzu sauce was okay, it’s the Akami part of the tuna but it was quite fresh. However the tiny little crunchy potato was a jawbreaker so be careful of that, don’t break a tooth lol. Seafood tower for 2. Everything was decently fresh and good except for the snow crab legs, they were dry, powdery and tasteless (precooked snow crab legs are hard to get the meat off and never good, restaurants should stop using them… perhaps Dungeness crabs are a better choice?!?) BLVD baked oysters. They were okay but personally not a fan of bread crumbs (yes I understand it soaks up the taste and add to the flavour but not fond of the texture). Brant Lake wagyu beef carpaccio. The ingredients were well in harmony with each other without sacrificing the fresh taste of the wagyu beef, plus the deep fried rice paper was so delicate yet able to hold the carpaccio together. Very nice! Probably one of the better beef carpaccio I had. Prime striploin. It was done medium rare but a bit on the powdery side, missing that nice grilled texture and flavour (was my steak cooked Sous Vibe?). Charred broccolini. Pretty straightforward side dish. Bon Bon service dessert. It was okay and pretty basic. Was expecting it a bit more considering best pastry chef in the last 3 years?

Overall, a very nice and simple yet elegant dining atmosphere. I can imagine it’s a suitable place for most occasions or for a date night.

The food quality was decent except for the steak which I wish didn’t have that powdery texture taste on the outside. Price wise it’s on par with similar surrounding restaurants.

As for the service, it was actually pretty good! I am somewhat amazed how the staffs conduct themselves especially our server (Scarlet) who was so smooth and fluent in her fine dining skills (thanks for changing cutleries and plates in between courses plus clearing off any crumbs off the table).

I would definitely be back to the Boulevard and recommend this place, if you haven’t been here before, give this place a try (reservation is...

While I strive to simply appreciate whatever good fortune and hard work bring my way, I still suffer an unconscious inclination to critique (myself mostly,) always reflecting on how something can be improved. Not so during dinner at Boulevard last night – I was far too busy enjoying the entire experience.

Every single moment was another to be thankful for the attentive and friendly service, to enjoy a shared spontaneous smile with my partner as we were struck by how surprisingly delicious a particular bite was, or to appreciate the passion and talent that went into everything that was brought to our table.

In short, it was an utterly perfect evening.

The hostess and wait staff were all the picture of friendly professionalism, and our server’s eloquent description of the daily halibut special was all we needed to decide. Cornbread is an uncommon feature on the starter menu, so we started there, and were so glad we did.

The basket of cornbread muffins exceeded our expectations. Every bite was enjoyed with little smear of salted butter, and our ‘mmmmmm’ noises were likely heard across the courtyard. This was followed closely by a special treat from the kitchen – a pair of potato puff pastries filled with pureed mushrooms. We popped them in our mouths and looked at each other with a bit of awe over just how much flavour could be delivered in so small a treat.

Next came the halibut, and again, the presentation was artful, yet without a single superfluous garnish – everything on the plate added a unique flavour such that its inclusion made that bite unique and delightful. Kirsten and I each had our own favourite bites, but mine was one that included a generous bit of sauce along with a baby leek. Writing this now, my mouth is watering for a second helping.

Were a spatula provided with the tableware, we’d surely have scraped the last of the sauce off the plate like kids going at the last bit of cookie dough in the mixing bowl. But the culinary celebration wasn’t done – executive pastry chef Kenta Takahashi had a final treat for us – a collection of his enticing treats that provided ample evidence for why he’s been crowned Canada’s best pastry chef two years in a row.

I can’t describe each treat properly, so the photos will have to do, and yes…they’re as good if not better than the photos suggest. A perfect coda to an utterly perfect meal.

If you’ve yet to add Boulevard to your date-night list, I strongly urge you to do so soon. You can find a different dinner experience around Vancouver, but you won’t find better. We’ll certainly...

@JORGE : Thank you for your warm greeting during my visit on February 17th. I was surprised and genuinely moved that you remembered me from my previous visit. Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar got it RIGHT when they identified you as top talent for their management team all those years ago. Congrats on your achievements and I look forward to one day experiencing AUTHENTIC Mexican culture in Mexico City-Me alegraste el día!

@FARZIN : Thanks to Frank, I got your name right this time! Your ability to create cocktails that are a symphony for the senses never ceases to amaze me. Please don't forget to have management sample your egg white and apricot creation. I can't wait to see it become a permanent fixture on the cocktail menu. Thank you so much for your generosity during my visit. The Riesling paired perfectly with the foie gras and I left learning something new about how Donnafugata Ben Ryé (2020) Passito di Pantelleria achieved its balance of sweetness and aromas. خیلی لطف دارید

@YUKI : Thank you for your wonderful service. It was great chatting with you, especially on the topic of East Asian identity. If you end-up visiting Toronto, have fun and be safe. I wish you well during your next adventure!

@FRANK : My Korean-Canadian brother! Thank you for your attentive service and wonderful conversation. It was great to see your smiling face again and congrats on surviving “Hell Joseon” during that time you were abroad. If I ever summon the courage to get inked, I won't hesitate to call your wife. 수고하세요!

@LAURA : I can only imagine the adversity you faced during your journey from Brazil to Canada. I'm very proud of you for overcoming those numerous challenges (especially in Spain) and for earning your current level of proficiency in the English language. Thanks for squeezing me in on such short notice and during such a busy evening-¡Muchas gracias!

@VICTORIA : Jorge and I are in agreement that you and your fellow teammates at the front of the house have perhaps the hardest job: Being the FIRST point-of-contact for those "special" people that don't seem to understand the words, "We are full.". As I said to you earlier, the ability to remained composed and professional during the most challenging situations is a SKILL that deserves WAY MORE recognition and respect than it currently receives. You've got it and for that, you have my respect.

Keep up the great...