P2B Bistro & Bar is located inside Pinnacle Hotel Harbourfront in Vancouver Downtown. The restaurant comes with a scenic view and a romantic airy space. The hotel restaurant is close to the Downtown core, but still quietly tucked away from the crowds and offers a lovely ocean view with ceiling-to-floor windows and sky rooftop.
When making a reservation, a seat by the window or on the balcony is highly recommended for a glimpse of the ocean. Staff is very polite on the phone and will set aside a 'reserved' sign for your table. At the window, boats can bee seen sailing on the ocean. The tall windows and sky rooftop brings in a lot of natural sun light which makes the restaurant feel open and bright. There is also an outdoor patio that overlooks the streets.
Galiano Island mussels were ordered to start, followed by the entrees Angus Burger and Ahi Tuna Poke salad. The Galiano Island Thai coconut mussels were fresh and the sauce paired very well with it. It tasted like there was a hint of wine in the sauce. The Angus Burger's meat was a bit dry and too well-done, so it wasn't juicy anymore. This may have been due to the restaurant being so busy, so maybe it sat on the grill too long. (We came in during Canada Day last summer). The Ahi Tuna poke salad was delicious, but the tuna was mildly over-seared and tasted more like tuna jerky. The salad was made of organic quinoa, crispy rice noodle, avocado, cucumber, edamame and grape tomato in Sambal sweet soy reduction. The sweet soy was very good, making this salad a dinner favorite at our table. It would have been preferable if the Ahi Tuna poke was more raw.
Americano coffee and a Hot chocolate were ordered after dinner. The beverages took a long time to come (at this point, the restaurant was crowded and very busy). The server noticed that the hot chocolate was wrapped in a cloth napkin. We were trying to keep it warm since it was getting cold from the wait for the dessert. Even though 3/4 of it was finished, the server offered to replace it with a fresh complimentary hot chocolate. It was a very nice gesture from her, and it was delightful to receive a new piping hot chocolate to go with the just-arrived dessert. The server was gentle, friendly, and did her best to serve guests and tourists as promptly as possible during a bustling evening. The White Chocolate creme brulee was made in-house, with raspberries, blueberries and a Madeline lemon cookie lightly brushed with icing powder.
Overall, this restaurant lies somewhere between casual and classy (it can be both). It can be a romantic spot for couples, or a party night for groups. There were several couples inside, and the casual groups sat at the outdoor patio for fried food and beers. If you are looking for an open space restaurant with natural sunlight in Vancouver Downtown, but not directly in the crowded areas of Robson or Canada Place, P2B Bistro at the Pinnacle Hotel offers an intimate and scenic atmosphere. read more