Vineyard Terrace Restaurant at Cedar Creek Winery

We were in the Okanagan for a wedding just after Labour Day, and it offered the opportunity to visit some wineries too. CedarCreek Estate Winery has always been a favourite of mine; it's wines are consistently good and its Platinum range features some great wines at fairly reasonable prices.




The original winery here was called Uniake Wines. It opened in 1980 and the winery struggled. Partly because of what was then seen as its remote location, and partly, no doubt, to its rather strange name.


Everything changed when Ross Fitzpatrick, who subsequently became a Senator, bought the winery in 1986. He had the good sense to change the name to CedarCreek in 1987. Fitzpatrick became a pioneer in the Canadian wine industry, and transformed CedarCreek with patience and perseverance, which, according to family lore, was his own personal mantra. I have a vague memory of visiting the winery in the 1990s and being shown around the property by Fitzpatrick himself.  The Senator had a philosophy: "Respect the land, honour tradition, pursue perfection" and I recall those words being mentioned as he led us around the vineyard and cellar.





The tasting room and sales floor are rather small, considering the number of people who visit CedarCreek every day through the summer months. After Labour Day things are more peaceful and our tasting was without the pressure of crowds.






The restaurant proved to be a wonderful experience too.

The Vineyard Terrrace is an open-air restaurant that wraps around the wineshop. Every seat offers views of the vineyard and the lake, though some tables provide an even more spectacular view of the parking lot.

The menu changes often and showcases local, seasonal ingredients with a "Farm to Table" mentality, and excellent pairing selections.





Sherry and I shared items for our lunch, starting with a nice corn chowder, organic and non-GMO, seasoned with smoked paprika. A refreshing watermelon salad followed, with hazelnuts, beets and some Little Qualicum bleu cheese and a raspberry vinaigrette dressing.







Next, a baked Terroir Cheese, with caramelised pear honey and crostini. A bit sweet for my liking, though I didn't have any trouble eating it, especially with the fine Chardonnay nearby.







Our main dish was a Mushroom Risotto. It featured three or four different mushrooms, wild foraged and tame, and a shaved Kootenay nostrala. An incredibly simple dish with outstanding flavours; the mushrooms were distinctive in their tastes and somewhat hypnotic when paired with a Platinum Desert Ridge Merlot.




In February 2014 the Fitzpatrick family announced the transfer of ownership of CedarCreek to the von Mandl family, which owns Mission Hill. Hopefully the family legacy will continue in some form and Ross Fitzpatrick's philosophy will remain central to the wines of CedarCreek.

Photos by Jeem. Copyright 2015 by Jim Murray.

The Terrace Restaurant at Mission Hill Winery

Mission Hill Winery in West Kelowna boasts incredible architecture, fantastic views, great wines and a fantastic restaurant. 

The Terrace Restaurant opened in 2002 and overlooks rows of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and Lake Okanagan. There are only 60 seats, and every table has a view.


















Staff are friendly and attentive without being overbearing, and they are highly knowledgeable about the estate's wines. While pairings are suggested with each menu item, our server was able to point out some attractive alternatives too.



In 2008 this restaurant was named by Travel + Leisure magazine as "one of the top five winery restaurants in the world... one of the most glorious dining experiences around." Wow.



Well, it was spectacular in every way. We were here for lunch and as it was after Labour Day, we were able to arrive and be seated without a reservation. I started with a roasted Haida Gwaii octopus dish that included a chick pea fritter, yogurt and mint. It was outstanding.










Sherry had a main course of  seared scallops, with summer squash, tomato jam and pork belly. The flavours were wonderful.











My main dish was a burger and the photo doesn't do it justice. It was smoky beef with appropriate garnishes, including a delightful local bacon, all done to perfection. It was quite possibly the best "burger" I've had since visiting Argentina (home to the best hamburgers in the world, which always include a slice of ham and a fried egg) with a nice medium rare quality that has all but disappeared from burgers in this country. The frites were hand-cut and impeccably seasoned.
















Coffee and a pear tart dessert, with little meringue things, followed and both were excellent.

Prices are what you might expect, though hardly inflated; the quality, flavours and portions go beyond expectations. The professional yet casual nature of the service, the quality and presentation of the meal, and the outstanding views, make this restaurant a destination all by itself.

While the restaurant was busy, we never felt an urgency to leave. We could have lingered over wine all afternoon, only to have dinner later. It's that kind of place.

Photos by Jeem. Copyright 2015 by Jim Murray.

The Lamplighter Public House in Gastown

The Lamplighter Public House in Gastown has a distinct place in British Columbia's history. In 1925, as part of the Dominion Hotel, it obtained BC's first liquor license, and was the first joint of its kind to serve alcohol to women.








Named for John Clough, who lit the coal oil lamps along Gastown's brick streets through the 1880s before Vancouver introduced electrified lights.



Today The Lamplighter is part of the Donnelly Group which includes the nearby trendy and low-lit lounge, The Clough Club, and its hipster barbershop called Barber & Co.




The Lamplighter still boasts much of the original exposed brick, tin stamped ceilings and railings. There are many video screens and a sometimes exuberant sound system, plus pool tables and arcade machines, all along side a fine selection of local beers.





We dropped in after a walk around Stanley Park and tried a wonderful creation called Gin Palace G&T. It's an in-house creation using Dorothy Parker gin, bittered sling grapefruit and hop bitters, rosemary and Fentiman's Tonic ~ of course. There of savory notes, a hint of grapefruit and a wonderful tonic. Refreshing and more potent than it looks.










The food items that went by, carried by friendly servers, looked interesting, but we didn't indulge. We did however enjoy a visit with one of the pub's fine cooks, and Sherry's youngest son, James.



 


Partly catering to tourists wandering around Gastown, The Lamplighter also has a strong local clientele. They are young, trendy and like live music and Vancouver Canucks game nights. If you're in the neighbourhood, it might be a great mix.   

Photos by Jeem. Copyright 2015 by Jim Murray.