First off, this restaurant is run by students that are training to be future chefs in the culinary arts. They prep, cook, and serve all the food and drinks here. I believe the only person that isn't one of the students would be the host/manager that greets you up front. He made sure that we were aware that this is a fully staffed student restaurant, and because of that, there can be issues with food or service as they're starting to experience working in a real live restaurant. We came into this fully aware and expecting that, so I think he appreciated our willingness to try. The following is a review of our meal from June 27th 2018. Our server, Neil, was very nervous and you could tell the moment he walked up to our table. He has a bit of an accent, and combined with the fact that English isn't his first language, it makes it a bit hard to understand him at times. He tries his best to explain the menu to us, but we felt that the language barrier made him simplify the menu, as he wasn't going into as much detail as most servers do. We understood that and didn't think any less of him. He really lacked the confidence that a server usually does when they come up to the table, or whenever they place down dishes, and/or removes items. We kind of joked about how nerve-racking it must be for him, and how hard it is knowing that you're not doing your best. At the very end of the meal, he presented us with the bill and also provided a survey form that basically acted as a little bit of a review on how the service and food was. He disclosed to us that it was actually his very first serving shift at the restaurant, and that combined with the language barrier made it a lot harder for him then it should've been. He asked us to be honest, because the feedback we give him will be used to help him improve and grow. We noted that he needed to improve on his confidence in approaching the table and explaining the menu, but that was about it. Service was good as our waters were always kept topped up, and our plates and utensils were removed/replaced after each course. Keep it up, Neil! The meal was good and there's not much else to talk about that others haven't really touched on in terms of the food presented. Our dishes were presented well, deliciously cooked through, and those cheese balls in the bread basket were amazing! I feel a lot of the negative reviews are treating this as a fully functioning restaurant with well seasoned staff. When you spend time/money at a student operated establishment, then you need to lower your expectations and go in with an open mind. There will be mistakes with your order, there will be undercooked/overcooked food, and there will be servers that aren't giving you exceptional service. That's normal and that's perfectly OK in my books. There's a reason why the menu is priced the way it is. If you wanted to enjoy a completely issue free meal with the quality of ingredients that they use then go somewhere else and pay double the amount. read more

This review is strictly on the baked goods and pastries and not on the restaurant food. I ordered the black forest, mille fueille and a berry danish to go. The total came up to around $19-20. The black forest was definitely on the sweeter side. The cherries on the inside are soaked in alcohol which I liked as it is a black forest. The cake itself wasn't too dry but I felt like there was too much mousse and it was just too sweet for me personally. The mille fueille was definitely the best out of the three desserts. The layers of puff pastry was nice and crispy and light. Very buttery. The diplomat cream wasn't too sweet and was well balanced. Berry danish was the biggest disappointment out of the three. It was not crispy at all, almost to the point where it was tough. It wasn't flaky and pretty disappointing. Overall the items were pretty disappointing especially for the price. I did love the decor and this would probably be a great place to chill and catch up with friends but not for the good but for the ambiance. read more

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We were a bit disappointed with this place as it was better before. FOOD: I ordered the west coast benny and had asked for the hollandaise sauce on the side. When it came, it wasn't. We had already waited so I didn't ask them to remake it as I was hungry after working out. My friends ordered the lemon ricotta toast. It was not worth it as you can see, there is more sprouts than anything else. You would think there would be more to the dish than that. There is a toast under there, very tiny one but a toast. The combination doesn't really work as the ricotta is kind of dry, the toast is dry and then topped with sprouts. It's like eating a soup cracker. Their seasonal fruits was three slices of apple. SERVICE: It was a bit slow even though it wasn't busy. I was about 20 minutes late and their coffee arrived after I sat down. The server didn't ask if I wanted coffee or a drink. We waited another 10 minutes before they came back to take our orders. Our water container wasn't refilled and we were there for an hour. I understand that this is a culinary school but it has gone down since the last time I was here. *** read more

Blue Hat Bistro - west coast benny - Bistros Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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This is the restaurant for a culinary teaching institute, so keep that in mind for this review. We wanted to try out their 3 course dinner as the location is great and the price is very reasonable ($35). The appetizers were the best part of the meal, and I would have the tuna salad again. The mains were disappointing... especially the steak which came out well-done opposed to the rare-medium rare that we ordered. To their credit, they could also see it was way too overcooked and offered to get us a new one which we declined. Desserts were not notable, and I wouldn't have them again. We could tell that the server was definitely trying very hard, and he was very earnest, though his inexperience showed (which is totally fine since it's the point of this place!). Overall it was not a great foodie experience, but it is also a teaching institute so modify expectations accordingly. Kudos to the staff for being friendly, polite, and really trying to do their best! read more

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I had the 3 course meal with some friends. I enjoyed the setting. It was a Thursday night not too busy and we got a seat by the window looking out onto Granville Island. The table was spacious; It was a welcome change from some of the good hipster restaurants that often pack you like sardines. There was complimentary bread, amuse bouche to start. Their 3 course menu was $32 and seasonal. I had the manila clams to start. THe clams were meaty and sauce was rich and clean tasting. I chose the duck for my main. It was well presented. The duck was cooked well and I liked the risotto that went with it. I just didn't think the sweet potato mash really went with the dish. My friends had salmon and got the sweet potato mash with it as well. Last I had the raspberry cream cheese mousse. It was well presented with the chocolate. The flavour profile wasn't complex enough for me. Just tastes like raspberry purée with cream cheese. They ended our meal with some chocolates. Service was a slower pace which we didn't mind since it allowed our table to catch up. Overall, the setting and service were fantastic. Food is worth the money. I'd go back again. read more

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Visited Gibsons for a week - really dogsittong for a friend. Didn't stray much from the house but on my last day my friend came to pick me up and we did a little tour of The town then she decided on 101 for lunch. The bartender greeted us immediately upon entering which was really welcoming. Instead of taking him up on his invitation to sit at the bar we chose a table in the corner so we could chat. The wait staff was fantastic and super attentive and didn't get visibly peeved at our chatting and asking her to come back because we hadn't decided yet. We finally chose the beef and cod tacos and happily shared both - so hard to share sometimes. Both were delicious. I loved the chimchurri sauce on the beef taco as it cut the oil a bit. We both found it a tad rich and felt it could have been dialed back a notch in the oil category. The cod taco were perfect though and having both was a great choice! Also have to give kudos to the coffee - although it would have been nice to drink it out of a mug made by a local ceramic artist!! (As a potter I always prefer real mugs!) Our server was really friendly and knowledgeable and we had a great chat about all the great local beer! Will definitely go back - it was nicely busy for a weekday afternoon with a lot of light even though it was rainy outside. read more

Blue Hat Bistro - Bistros Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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Bistro 101 used to be fantastic, every time was an amazing food experience. However, in the past year everything changed. Portions are ridiculously small, service is no longer as welcoming and quality decreased significantly. Bistro experience used to include bread, amuse bouche, appy, main, dessert and petit fours for a reasonable price. Guests could enjoy students creations on all courses and be amazed with the inspirations of these young chefs, always leaving the bistro full and pleased. Reservations were very hard to be made, needing to book with weeks in advance. Now plates can be ordered individually for an expensive price each, portions reduced in more than half size (see example attached - main course with 5 small tortellini in a watery soup for 17 dollars!!!), no more students creations like before, besides no more amuse bouche being served. Reservations are easy to get in very short notice, and restaurant is empty and dead. As a long term customer, I feel very disappointed with whatever is happening there. It seems it is no longer a school environment, yet its a money sucker restaurant. I do not recommend going there unless administration changes. read more

Blue Hat Bistro - Main course - 17 dollars for 5 small tortellinis and a watery tasteless soup. Very disappointing. - Bistros Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Eating here felt like we were being helped by amateurs serving hotel food. Granted we were the first customers at the lunch hour but our server didn't know the soup of the day. She didn't even ask how we were doing. She spoke in a tiny meek voice not really befitting a role where you have to do a lot of speaking. Our $28 prix fixe (I think) began with a choice of scallops wrapped in bacon or the beets with ricotta and carrot. Well, unfortunately for me the beets were the better app. I got the scallops which were served lukewarm. The bacon was a bit fatty. The pea puree was served cold with yellow chunks of some unadvertised vegetable. Where was the promised maple foam? The kids shared the steak roulade stuffed with spinach and parmesan as their entree. It was a little chewy and came with mashed potatoes and gravy. The kitchen was nice to bring it split onto two plates without our asking. I had the basil crusted ling cod. This wasn't so much crusted as uncrusted with a basil sauce. It was fine. The saffron mashed potatoes were piped out into a squiggle with a few scattered mushrooms on the plate. Dessert. The husband's key lime pie was a total clunker. It appeared to be deconstructed for no other reason that to switch the lime meringue with a cookie meringue. The problem with that was no one liked the cookie meringue. It looked like someone had just scooped the husband's dessert out of an actual slice of key lime pie. It was just some small scoops of pie filling and crumbs. This time my dessert was the star. My blueberry lavender creme brulee had crust that didn't actually crack so really it was more of a custard, but it was still very good and blueberry-y. read more

I eat out quite often and never thought about Bistro 101 until my friend posted some pix on Facebook and have a positive comment of it. I checked it out the website and found the French Event from Jun 10-13, so decided to try it out. It's casual dining restaurant which run by students and under eye watchful of the instructors. The menu change constantly and have special Event every few months. They serve 3-course dinner at $26/person on Mon-Thu and buffet dinner at $33/person on Friday. Such a low price and can't ask for more! I would suggest if they could run it more restaurant like... food and service wise, it would be more successful. Let's talk about food: Complimentary bread - The cheese stick was soft and not cheesy. Complementary appetizer - Grilled pork belly with cabbage salad. Pork belly was very fatty and served in cold, the cabbage salad quite bland. French Onion Soup - Cheesy but too sweet. Scallop & Mushroom Vol au Vent - Good pastry shell and light green peppercorn and chive sauce. It passed! Sockeye salmon filet - So disappointed on presentation!! It served liked a home-make dish! Duck Leg confit - I doubt if the duck leg was slowly poached at least until cooked, or until meltingly tender. Grand Marnier Soufflé - White chocolate soufflé with hazelnut orange macaron. I rarely see the soufflé collapsed when it served and macron sweet like icing sugar. White chocolate matcha cheesecake - It's nice presentation and strong taste of green tea but just a bit too sweet. But, all their hard work is appreciated. read more

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Maybe the worst ham and cheese croissant I've spent $10 on. I actually threw it out. Way to much mayo and tasted like a stale croissant with lunch meat. Would not go back read more

5/5 bakery: It's my favourite place to get instagramble bakery items and deserts. Reasonable price. Beautiful design. Great selections. 3.5/5 restaurant: Very tasty breads Food portion is too small. Service is good. View to the False Creek Harbour is excellent. Different business hours for the bakery and restaurant. It's a good idea to call / book ahead of the time for the restaurant. Venue sometimes closed for private event. read more

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Came here with the family for the school/restaurant's anniversary promotion. Three course meal for $20. I didn't know what to expect as it has been a while since we came here, reservations are very difficult to secure these days. We had the 6:00pm seating on a Wednesday, and were greeted and seated promptly. I had completely forgotten that it was wine Wednesday until our sever mentioned it. All of the wine on their list is half price. The food here is ok. I found that it was quite a bit of a wait for our mains to arrive. Nevertheless, they kept on refilling our bread. Glad they did as I was quite hungry. I started off with the bison carpaccio and found that they were too heavy on the ricotta mousse. Presentation could have been a bit cleaner. And a little more seasoning wouldn't have hurt. For my entree, I ordered the halibut with prawns from the menu of student creations. The halibut was perfectly cooked, but could've been hotter. The veggies and potatoes were cold. My father-in law had the roasted sirloin steak. It was a tad small, but what do you expect for the price. He also found it to be on the tough side. I thought that presentation was good. I tried some of my wife's ling cod, and I really liked the flavors. Again, I found it was only lukewarm and not as hot as hot dishes could be. The server warned us that the plates were hot when she brought it out, I was expecting the food to be hot too. Dessert was good, not great. Nothing stood up to fine dining standards for me. But, let's not forget that it was cooked by upcoming chefs in the kitchen and the front of house is also staffed by the students of the school. It's great value if you don't mind being a little experimental and are willing to be patient. I will definitely be back to try their other seasonal monthly menu as dishes like the halibut and ling cod showed that these students got potential. read more

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"You get what you pay for." We got less than what we paid for. I don't like writing bad reviews, but rarely do we experience a disappointing meal. We ordered from the May lunch menu on a Wednesday. The waitress wasn't knowledgeable about the offerings, which I find unprofessional. We asked if they had freshly squeezed juice and what was on the bison carpaccio - she didn't know. They kept dropping the utensils around our table and in the kitchen. Presentation of the food was nice. The taste was subpar, with odd pairings like tiny cubed tomatoes on a sirloin steak and overpowering mustard seeds & arugula on the carpaccio. The steak and potatoes lacked flavour - a bit of salt would enhance it right up. I wasn't impressed with the sauce either. The whole dish just didn't go together. Get this. While we were eating, there was this explosion inside the kitchen. Sounded like something dropped or the gas was left on. It was loud! All the chefs ran out. Never seen anything like it. I don't think I will be back. This compared to the VCC Chef Table (pop-up kitchen) makes this place a joke. read more

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Cordon Bleu? Almost, but here at Blue Hats Bistro, young hopefuls from the Pacific Culinary Academy test their skills and put them to practice. Crafting foods from a full service 3-course menu, each student is responsible for one part of the meal. For our meal that night we had starters of albacore tuna and thai curry soup . Mains were lobster risotto and cod cioppino. To end the night we had a blueberry verine and mango arroz con leche. Overall the experience was good and enjoyable but the taste composition can be made better. Keep up the good work read more

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It is a gem. The food is outstanding. We had a great time there and will be soon back. read more

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Bistro 101 - A Hidden Gem, Great Food - Full Dinner $24 It's one of the best deals in town - dinner at Bistro 101. This small intimate, recently refurbished, dining out spot, serves a three-course dinner for a mere $24 a person. And why are prices so low you might well ask? The bistro is run by students - both in the kitchen and the front of the house - of the Pacific Culinary Institute, under the watchful eye of their instructors. The menu is constantly changing so that students gain the skills and perfect the art of fine cooking. We have eaten there numerous times. The food is always spot on although the service (and this is to be expected) can be a bit slow at times as is readily acknowledged on the bistro's website. But do not let that deter you from eating at Bistro 101. After all where you can get a fine meal at near to cafeteria prices? Our latest foray started off with three generous Halibut cheeks, pan-fried with a light brown crust, sitting atop a delicate tartar sauce, devoid of the usual heaviness; instead it was light with a hint of citrus, perfect for the dense Halibut. This was one delicious appetizer. One of the mains, Catfish with rice cake and Chinese broccoli, was a delicious down-to-earth satisfying dish. The fish, perfectly cooked; the cornmeal crust with a nice crunch when you bit into it. A Tamarind sauce reminiscent of Malaysian street food, sweet and sour, was robust and earthy, enhancing the flavour profile of the light and moist fish. The rice cake was in the same vein - the outside crunchy, the inside light and fluffy. An order of Kai-Lan, also known as Chinese broccoli, steamed and seasoned with garlic and ginger, completed the dish. The flat iron steak with Polenta fries and fresh sweet corn cut into medallions was hearty deliciousness. The steak, cut into strips against the grain, was hearty goodness enhanced by a myriad of flavours after marinating in a variety of different spices. A Mexican light cream sauce, hints of lime zest, juice and cilantro, went perfectly with the steak. The Polenta fries were deliciously crunchy on the outside and smooth and almost creamy on the inside; a nice complement to the hearty steak. The sweet corn medallions, sweet and juicy, were a perfect accompaniment. The chocolate ganache, with a dollop of whipped cream and a tart raspberry coulis was the ultimate desert. The chocolate rich and creamy with that real, somewhat bitter, chocolate taste. Likewise the Panna Cotta, a classic Italian desert, met its mandate of being creamy and light and the citrus flavours of lemon and lime gave it a nice enhanced light flavour. Reservations are a must and you can do that on-line. Lunch is only $18 for a three-course meal. You can view the lunch or dinner menu on the bistro's website. And one more thing, they have a bake shop on the premises where you can buy fabulous pastries, cakes and artisan breads at really low prices. And if you buy one bread the second one will only cost you 50 cents. Bottom Line: Bistro 101 serves excellent food at really low prices. read more

Blue Hat Bistro - Bistros Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

A friend recommended us this place and I read the reviews and convinced my friends that the place we have to go to it in Vancouver is Bistro 101. This was a wasted meal. 1. For starter we ordered two chicken liber mouses and salmon starter. The mouse was too watery and the salmon even though it was with citrus it was plain and was missing any flavor. 2. We were 4 people and ordered 3 main courses to share. 2 fish dishes and a spinach ricotta ravioli. Both fish dishes were raw in the middle. The ravioli was fine. When we told our waitress about it, the manager came and suggested to provide us with free desserts. We were charged full price for the raw fish dishes. This was pretty annoying. To top this after about an hour two of us started having stomach sickness. Very unpleasant and unprofessional experience. Btw we paid 130$ for that experience. Think twice before you go. read more

This is a rare occasion, but Bistro 101 reminded me of the good old times, my yelp glory days where I'd eat and write and eat more and then write more:0 Such nostalgia calls for a review! How do I compare thee to a Summer's day? A 3 course sit down dinner, washed down my palate with a well recommended white Pinot Noir sums up most of it! Although, the beautiful backdrop of Granville island and its marina pretty much draws the attention of how lucky we are to live in Vancouver and be amongst one of the most beautiful places on earth to welcome you with the grace of the mountains. The glorious Summer sunset peaks through nightly allowing us to play outside until we get tired instead of being huddled in earlier than we want to. Having 3 people come in for dinner really allowed us to order everything on the prix fixe menu, which comes to 30$ per person. It's an atmosphere for culinary students, so a little patience is appreciated, but practicing is a part of learning! When the amuse bouche appear, my salivary glands got excited for more appetizers to fill the table. Having a variety of housemate bread delighted my party and we had a sample of each type. First course was serve. The beef carpaccio was delicate, the stuffed squid was immaculate and the spinach salad was perfectly dressed. Entrees came and we tried a couple lamb sirloin done medium rare and the squid ink fettuccine with mussels. Although my pasta was overlooked, but I savored the flavours graciously. Desserts closed with us ordering a trio, one of each selection to share. Everything screamed "let's celebrate Summer!" to me and that's how it should be in the middle of August! Petit fours where an unexpected treat of house made artisanal chocolates and sugared fruit gummies. The exit was graceful with our stomachs full. A great place to bring friends, family have a celebration of good food and life:) read more

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We went to bistro101 today for the West coast buffet and boy I have to say the experience was less than desired. We have been there before for the buffet probably 2 years ago. The buffet is very popular. $28 for lunch and only happens once a month. So reservation has to be made around a month in advance. We were greeted promptly at the door, and were brought to the table right away. As many of you might have known, it's a restaurant of a culinary school, therefore, the students have to take on the role to serve. We understand that 100% and some seem to be very good at it. Food was okay. It obviously has gone down. The variety, the taste and the presentation. Seem to be not as good as before. Once again, we understand the dishes were made by students and of course there is room for improvement. This is how I feel for this particular meal. Towards the end of our meal, we slowed down to talk. And one server, Lisa, came and cleared all the things off our table. I was hoping to get another slice of cake but since all the utensils were gone, I didn't get it. She didn't even ask if we wish to get tea or coffee, and right away she brought us the bill (We didn't even ask for it). It was around 1230pm and we felt that we were being rushed out of the restaurant already. So we paid and left. $28 is reasonable for buffet, but I think I'll choose a proper meal over this. I love buffet but really not all buffets are done the same. Location is lovely, love the view. Their desserts are done very well as well. Hopefully they can improve on their food and customer service. read more

This was my first time and had a very pleasant experience. All food done by culinary students as well as being served by students. The food was actually delicious. $22 for a 3 course meal was very good value. The place is spotless and welcoming. You are very well looked after and the students are really sweet. Would definately go back again. Menu changes on a monthly basis. read more

During lunch hours, the 3 course set menu is $25 and you can view this online before you go since they change it up every month, The culinary students who train here get to work in a real life setting in a restaurant. All the food is cooked by the students and even the servers are students. It's a pretty neat concept! The interior of the restaurant is actually quite nice, but it's actually pretty much fine dining. The students learn to correctly place the cutlery and how to pour water and wine in the glasses. The view from our table was the catering kitchen, so we got to see some chefs prep for their cooking. We were served two batches of complimentary artisan bread. Each piece of bread was a bit different. My favourite was the cheese balls since they were fluffy and full of cheese flavour. We also enjoyed the flatbread type cracker which had a variety of seeds and grains. Crispy! Shortly after, we were served a platter of Amuse Bouche, which we were not expecting. They were Raw Beet Juice Shooters topped with a slice of strawberry. (No alcohol in it by the way!) I was hesitant at first since I'm not a fan of beets, but it tasted surprisingly good and refreshing! StevieD got the Goat Cheese Salad, which he thought was a bit odd. There was a lot of goat cheese, but also some fruits. He said the cheese was too strong for his liking and he thought the fruits didn't go too well with the dish. The rest of us got the Lamb Meatballs. The meatballs were wrapped with eggplant slices and topped with cheese. A marinara sauce was placed under for dipping. These were actually pretty good and the lamb wasn't too gamy. Everyone at the table except for me got the Bacon Wrapped Beef Tenderloin for their entree. We found the piece of beef to be rather small, but it's probably because of how expensive beef is now. The ones who asked for medium rare had their beef cooked more to a medium. I guess we can't complain too much since the students are still in training. Beef was still very tender and flavourful. Since I wanted to try something different from everyone else, I got the Pan Seared Halibut. This came in a light miso broth with an abundance of vegetables. The skin was crispy and the fish was cooked to moist. Very delicious! For dessert, some of us got the Tiramisu, which had a strong coffee flavour. The mascapone cheese was smooth and the cake was moist. For myself, I got the 10 Layer Chocolate Cake. It came with a scoop of mango sorbet. The cake layers of mousse and was rather dense, but I really enjoyed it. If you love chocolate, this is perfect. The sweet and sour flavour from the mango also complemented the chocolate flavour very well. Overall, we were quite pleased with Bistro 101. The portions are a bit smaller than what I remember in the past, but you still get pleasantly full for $25. Our server was a bit shy, but you could tell he was probably just really nervous. Overall, I think it's pretty good for a restaurant run by students. Worth to give it a try and the price is quite reasonable for a 3 course menu. Pros: - Reasonable price for 3 course menu - Ambiance is pretty nice Cons: - Service is a little slow because student run - Food consistency can be a little off sometimes read more

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Amazing place for lunch and dinner, especially you can now enjoy during the weekend. Their menu offers grilled fish tacos, which you will crave for after trying once. If in a rush - bakery is your remedy too, always fresh and tasty read more

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Impressed by quality and flavour done by the students but if I were to evaluate on restaurant quality it'd give it a solid 3.5 stars. Also a sneak peek into the Dine Out Menu which is essentially their regular menu for the month. Each month Bistro 101 offers a set lunch and dinner menu done by their students. The students designed the menu themselves and because it's two different class, you cannot substitute any of the items from the lunch menu to the dinner menu and vice versa. My partner and I ordered: Appetizers: -Steamed Clams with Ginger, Chili & Cilantro -Applewood Smoked Duck with Pear & Celeriac Mains: -Arctic Char with Herbed Couscous, Broccolini & Red Pepper Coulis -Pan Roasted Chicken Breast with Rosemary and Lemon, Fingerling Potatoes & Squash Purée Desserts: -Ten Layer Chocolate Cake, White Chocolate Crumble, Mango Sorbet -Dessert of the day: Swiss Roll with butterscotch ice cream (not on the Dine out Menu) Drinks: Fentiman's Dandelion & Burdock Both appetizers were season well and delicious. I would have preferred the clams to be steamed for 30 seconds less to be juicier and a small dollop of cranberry sauce on the side for the duck (that's how we had it in Europe). The mains were better than we expected. The Char was nicely cooked. Seared on the outer layer and a little undone in the center to keep it moist. The chicken was done perfect. Even at the bone area it was not bloody at all. The rosemary wasn't too strong which I liked and there was a simple hint of lemoniness to it that opens up the appetite for more. The potatoes were yummy and the squash purée went well with the dish. I even got some broccolini's which was also nicely done. Both dessert was nice but the dessert of the day was the clear winner. The swiss roll was not overly sweet or heavy. The cream was light and the sponge was fluffy. The butterscotch ice cream was exceptional. We both couldn't have enough. As I'm not a chocolate fan, the ten layer cake didn't really the spot for me, but my partner liked it. The mango sorbet was nice and refreshing, though I never saw the combination of mango and chocolate working out. Complimentary bread basket had cornbread, a Mediterranean crisp (not sure what it's called), mini buns, cheesey bread and two slice of baguettes. The Dandelion & Burdock drink tasted similar to a grape/cassis Fanta. My partner was impressed enough to suggest coming every month to try their changing menu. read more

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This is a review of BISTRO 101 CAFE. Bistro 101 Cafe is attached to the restaurant and is open Mon-Sat from 9-5. They serve really affordable pastries, cakes, coffee, and quick grab and bite meals. If you are looking for a quick, delicious, and home-made bite, this is where to grab it. Most importantly however, EVERYONE that works there is an absolute delight. I love the service! Some of my favourites includes: - Muesli bread: this is an absolute delight that they sell sometimes on Saturday and Monday. Imagine, a warm loaf of bread filled with plenty of sunflower seeds, dried fruit, and my favourite, HAZELNUTS. They sell the loaves for $5! Which is quite affordable, especially in this neighbourhood. - Their chocolate cream cakes are also delightful. For $9, you can also get a nice selection of desserts which is a great for an afternoon pick me up if you are walking around town with some friends! - Their gourmet meals are also really affordable and delicious. Im talking salmon with couscous, duck with brussels sprouts, and prawns with mashed potatoes. This is restaurant quality food for only $8! I do have a couple items that are worth avoiding: - Mexican wrap is $5 and is definitely not worth getting. It is simply rice and beans; a couple grilled veggies would do the trick - olive bread: I love the bread at Bistro 101 most of the time, but their olive bread needs WAY MORE OLIVES. read more

Granted this place is a school run by students, but I still was a little disappointed by my meal. The presentation was nice and some of the flavor combinations were quite interesting but overall there was a lot to be desired. The 3 course meal seems like a great deal, but I think ordering off their menu might be better as I'm assuming those items don't rotate as much so they'd be less hit or miss. read more

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This is a very average restaurant with a wonderful setting just at the entrance of Granville Island. We ordered the 3 course dinner for $35. The salad was served in a hot bowl which i returned. My steak was done to perfection but cold. The service was ok and our waiter very polite. Thinking this restaurant was training students, I was very patient. However after realizing it was not at all the case, thus this review. Very disappointing and unfortunately not recommended. read more

My friend and I ended up in the Grandville Island area for lunch while we were siting seeing and heard that Bistro 101 the student run restaurant was a good value so we decided to check it out. The hostess came across very rude and arrogant it was kind of a turn off. He seemed annoyed we didn't have a reservation yet there seemed to be plenty of open tables and the bar was empty. Once seated our server was very nice and attentive, a little on the quite side but at least she wasn't snooty like the person who sat us. The bread wasn't very good, it looked so nice too. There was a variety to try we just didn't seem to like any that much. My appetizer was kind of like a spring roll, it came in a that clear rice paper stuff it look nice but need to be wrapped better. For the main meal I got the salmon which looked like it might have been over cooked from the outside but once I cut into it was cooked perfect. My friend who got the trout dish, hers was a little over cooked; I took a bit it was a little dry. The tart I got for dessert was delicious. The atmosphere of the restaurant was very nice and it was neat to be able to watch the student put together the dishes if you so pleased. Something's needed a little work but this is a school so that's understandable. read more

Server is not professional: 1. Food served not knowledgeable 2. When removing Cuttery and Dishes, Cuttery in one hand, almost pop my sister in law. Dishes piled up in one hand. Standing next to the wife with dishes in his hand waiting for her to finish. 3. Serving and removing dishes on random side of clients. 4. Beef and pork, dry. Wast the meat. read more

Had lunch yesterday there. The view was lovely and the people cheerful and kind. The ambience felt pretty good - relaxed, open and attractive....however- We were left sitting probably well over 1/2 hour with no food. The serving were very, very small with a high price tag. We finally had to go up to someone and let them know we had been waiting forever and had already told the waitress what we wanted. She had seemed to just disappear. The main course I took was salmon. Tasty with one asparagus stem, a heaping tablespoon of rice and one small piece of green with the salmon cube put on top - all in all perhaps 3 1/2 inches by 2 1/2 inches in the middle of a big heavy bowl plate. No one asked if we would like tea or coffee. The appetizers and desserts were also of stingy, tiny proportions. The bread serving had some tasty items in it but only one or two of each so we could not all taste them. The view was lovely and the people cheerful and kind. I will be cancelling my reservations for the Buffet next week. I had a memory from some years back of a wonderful, interesting meal. I am so sorry this was not the case. I think the 2 level above might be a bit too high. read more

We had two lovely dinners here in July 2018 with friends and family. Our host was very magnanimous and gracious and food elegantly presented by the student chefs and waiters and delicious. At that time it was called Bistro 101. I hope its the same positive and tasty experience when we return this July, 2019! read more

A friend and I have gone here 2-3 times a year for the past 8 years and have always enjoyed the food and the overall experience. Unfortunately on May 8th we had a totally different experience. The Maître D was not the gentleman who had been there for the past 8 years and he was extremely rude. The sever did have trouble explaining the dishes. She never came back to replenish coffee or tea, clear the table, provide cutlery. This is something that you certainly understand when a person is new so while it is not pleasant you realize you are at a Culinary School and this part of the learning curve. They also no longer offer an appetizer that a student has created nor petit fours at the end.....just these little extras made it special. When we requested this gentleman as he went past our table if we could have some coffee, he was insulted. As we left, he asked if we wanted our tip back ...acting like as if we hadn't provided a large enough amount. Staff being slow and in the process of acquiring the skills for their job is understandable but rudeness and an apparent lack of class cannot be forgiven. read more

I've always heard good things about this place and I finally tried it through Dine Out Vancouver. Eevn though the restaurant is ran mostly by the students, the food and service was top notch! The 'teachers' are always watching and correcting their services, so it's great. The resturant itself is situated right by the marina, so there's a nice view of the boats and water. Inside, there is a pastry section near the entrance of the restaurant where you can buy snacks and beverages with large windows to let you see what the pastry students are making. The seating area had simple tables and chairs with a high ceiling. The kitchen runs along side the seating area and you can see the students cook your meal through viewing windows. We were encouraged to ask our server about menu items and such, he told us that they rotate through cooking, pastry making and server throughout their curriculum and how they have to make the same dish 3-4 times a week! We had the Salmon & Coconut Tartare and the Salad of Mesclun Greens for appetizers. The salad with roasted beets was very fresh and the flavours were just right with a generous amount of goat cheese. The tartare with matchstick yam fries was a bit smaller, or maybe I just wanted more because it was so yummy! There were two thinly sliced lotus root chips as decor that was excellent, such a great alternative to potato chips, someone should mass produce it :) Awesome start! For mains, we went with the highly recommended Chicken Cordon Bleu (there was a photo of it on the wall) and Braised Lamb Shank. The chicken was lightly battered on the outside and stuffed with ham and cheese inside. This chicken was excellent, juicy, tender and full of flavour. It was served with mushroom sauce, real mashed potato and some vegetables, all was great! The lamb shank was quite large and the meat tasted excellent. It was made with a lime and soy butter sauce with shiitake rice pilaf and vegetables. Oh so good! The dessert was made by their Advanced Baking and Pastry Students, we had the Lemon Meringue Tart and the Raspberry Mousse. The tart came with a spoon of fresh strawberry sorbet, and the mousse had a tangy lime sorbet. Both were great, but a bit on the sweet side. There was a chunk of chocolate fudge hidden in the middle of the mousse and jam on the bottom of the meringue tart, so it got even sweeter as we dug in. This place has lots of food and drinks event throughout the year for a very seasonable price, I would definitely go again to other festivities! Go try it if you haven't! read more

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Excellent food. Reasonable prices. Friendly service. Wonderful location. It is part of the cooking school so it's possible that small glitches in service occur, but if they do they are small and the friendliness and sincerity of the staff puts everything in its place. Don't go to support students in their learning, go for the excellent food and delicious cocktails. read more

When people ask me where my favourite place to eat in Vancouver is, I always tell them at Bistro 101. I love that you can go somewhere that is training future Red Seal chefs, and get an outstanding 3-course meal for $24 (or on Friday evenings, they have a buffet!). The first time I visited was for Dine Out Vancouver, and I have been a repeat customer ever since. Make sure that you make reservations well in advance as they book up very fast. I love the bread selection that you get to start. So many unique types and all so fresh! Wednesdays also feature 50% bottles of wine (and they have a great list of local wines to boot). The menu here differs almost every day which I see as an additional plus - new choices! I always notice the great private space they have at the back of the restaurant which is fantastic for larger groups which is an additional plus for Bistro 101 read more

A grand evening with friends. Food was well presented and service was good. Since our waiter was also a student, I felt he was a little over the top in his approach. Although I want attentiveness I don't like hovering. read more

Blue Hat Bistro - Our last night in Vancouver. - Bistros Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Based on a glowing review in the newspaper, we went to try out this place. Went for Happy hour, and what a disappointment! Menu was minuscule, the first item, fresh oysters not available says my server.... this restaurant is situated in Granville freaking Island there are fresh oysters to be had a block away at the Lobster Man shop! Not to mention the market! ....ordered the Charcuterie, poor, basic, unappealing presentation, greasy, fatty, grey- coloured salami, no mustard or butter, no olives or cheese. It said it comes with assorted breads, but only one type of dry, crumbly bread offered. Truffle Parmesan fries were lukewarm, with a bunch of Parmesan dumped on top, that didn't adhere to the fries, and the featured cocktail on menu also not available. Will never go back. read more

A co-worker suggested to have lunch here 2 years ago and it's been my restaurant list since. Not only have they the best forever dineout deal in town, not just during the month of January (Boo!), but also they make good gourmet food. Please know that the 3-course price is possible only because the students need to make a lot of practice. Some of the good things I had were: - Cheese cup salad with coconut curry prawns - Carrot and parsnip soup - Osso bucco with saffron risotto - Cherry chocolate cheese cake - Deconstructed red velvet cake I love their white wine selections too. Recently they renovated the interior, wine cooler etc. It looks very upscale now! With the delight of watching the students cooking and baking through the kitchen glass window. read more

The food in bistro is over mediocre, I had a prix fix menu with sake pairing, as a sake drinker myself I see the food was complimented by the sake, but the sake itself wasnt complimented by the food, I think that the pairing went alright, but not really successful. read more

We went there on a Thursday night. Not too busy but I did had to make a reservation almost 2 weeks ago. Atmosphere was average. Ok. We sat right by the window where we can see the chef cooked. We did have a deal find coupon so it was $24 for a 3 course meal. Server was alright. I do understand that this is a culinary school However. The table was set up soso. A few crumbs around and no candles. So the server came right away explaining this culinary school and ordered our food. The most enjoyable dish was the appe from the house. It was salmon wrapped with a crunchy cone. one more thing. Our wine didn't arrived until after we finished or appe. Then after maybe 15 mins. Our appeti came. We had the fish taco and jumbo prawns. Both dish was soso. Actually I think I can cook better than them. Presentation was lacked. Taste actually kinda tasteless even the butter was unsalted and no flavor at all. The taco shell was kinda hard but chewy seems like it was not fresh. The fish seems like those frozen fish from no frills. After we finished the appeti. They took away out plates. And in the mean time another waiter came by and wanted to take our dessert Order which seems a bit strange. In the middle of your course someone comes by And ask you what you like for dessert!!!? Anyways. On to our main course, which was the worst course ever. It felt like fast food. Even food court food was much better and flavorful than tonight. We ordered risotto with quail and chicken scallopini. The risotto was watery and tasteless. Where's a little salt? The quail well the two just don't mix well. The chicken was basically light fried chicken so thin. The whole entree was not appealing at all. Overall I would not come back or recommend this to anyone. I understand this is a school and the teacher should be teaching them the Proper ways to cook and serve. However this was one of the worst experience Ive ever been to for a culinary school. We've had some fantastic meals from other culinary restaurant before. Its weird that I'm looking at everyone review and everyone seems to love it except us. Maybe it's all a hipe??!!! read more

Since my last review. I have been here for lunch many times. The staff have changed over time. Current Staff are helpful. Soups good. Sandwich Choices can be limited but if you find something you like the quality is always good. read more