Restaurant Review: L'Abattoir
L'ABATTOIR
217 Carrall Street ~ labattoir.ca Twitter: @LABATTOIR_VAN ~ Instagram: @labattoir_van Co-Diner: Tim Golem
When it comes to dining in Gastown there isn't much dispute about which restaurant is the finest. Serving French-inspired West Coast cuisine, L'Abattoir (a French word that translates to slaughterhouse, a nod to the 19th century's meat packing district where the restaurant now sits) has made a strong name for itself over the years. But don't take my word for it, the mountain of accolades speak for themselves: Maclean's magazine put them on their The 50 Best Restaurants in Canada 2012 list. You'll find them on enRoute magazine's Dining Guide 2016. They were featured in the hilarious Day of Gluttony: 24 Vancouver Restaurants in 24 Hours video. Vancouver Magazine awarded them Best Gastown/Railtown 2017. Westender magazine named them #1 Best Restaurant in Gastown/Downtown/Yaletown 2017. Lastly, and biggest of all (otherwise known as Canada's equivalent to the Michelin Guide); they landed at #17 on Canada's 100 Best Restaurants 2015, #13 on Canada's 100 Best Restaurants 2016, #24 on Canada's 100 Best Restaurants 2017, and #21 on Canada's 100 Best Restaurants 2018. The space is gorgeous with a decidedly rugged and elegant aesthetic. The refurbished brick-and-beam heritage building feels nothing short of sophisticated. Soaring glass, exposed brick, glistening wood, modern acrylic seating, and impressive tile work. The main floor houses the beautiful bar while an ascent up the stairs leads to the main dining area. The atmosphere feels very cosmopolitan, yet captures the vibe of rustic and coastal Vancouver with ease. It's quite the quintessential experience. We visited on a Sunday evening to celebrate my husband's birthday. Quickly seated at a cozy table for two, the staff was warm and welcoming. Experts at their craft, everyone who served us was friendly and informed. We were offered our choice of sparkling or still water and I jumped straight into the fascinating cocktail menu. The list of libations are nothing short of a mixologist's dream come true. I also appreciated the fact that they serve some truly interesting non-alcoholic concoctions as well! Cucumber Thyme "Kombucha"? Yum. I decided to splash out with the Foie-La ($17.00).
Foie gras fat-washed bourbon, bianco vermouth, bitter herbal liqeur, px sherry. Bittersweet palate-coating decadence.
Can I first say that the vintage tumbler was amazing?! I wasn't entirely sure of what to expect with this drink. Was it going to be overly strong and boozy? The answer is no, it was amazing. Unlike anything that I've ever tasted before, this savoury beverage really impressed me. It was sweeter than I expected, perfectly combined with bitter notes. The flavours really did coat the palate in a deliciously lingering way. And the olives? Smoked, of course. Incredible.
Known for their cut-above bread program, I waited in anticipation!
Everything that the people say is true. This bread delivered on the next level. There was a papadum-esque cracker covered in spices, a flaky-buttery anchovy twist, and a bacon brioche. Each one was unique, warm, and lovely, bursting with flavours. As for the menu, it was actually fairly straight forward. There are three sections; cold dishes, warm dishes, and main courses. Starting from the top, we had a pretty easy time selecting the Terrine of Duck Foie Gras ($25.00) to begin.
Coronation grapes, wine jelly, toasted brioche.
The presentation obviously speaks for itself. I tend to feel a bit weary about terrine (just give me a full-on seared foie gras slab!) but this dish was a pleasant surprise. The foie itself was gloriously buttery and velvety in texture. Although this plate is listed in the cold dishes section, it almost felt like a warm dish because of the perfectly toasted brioche. The sweetness and acidity from the grapes balanced the fattiness from the foie well. The gelatinous (and fun!) wine jelly made a lot of sense with the grapes. It all worked. Probably the most elevated of the dishes that we ate, I felt like I really got to see the kitchen's chops on this one. We also ordered a dish from the warm dishes section and were informed that it is one of the plates that the restaurant is the most known for. Pan-fried Veal Sweetbreads on Toast ($17.00).
Pickled shallot, sauce gribiche with veal tongue.
I can see why this is one of their most popular dishes as this plate was magical. Probably my favourite thing out of everything that we ate! In case you're unfamiliar with sweetbreads, it's the culinary name for the thymus (neck meat) of the animal. These ones were deliciously tender and fried to a golden perfection. I loved every component on this plate and was especially enamoured by the creamy gribiche, a mayonnaise-style cold egg sauce, that created a cream cheese-like consistency. Every bite was to die for and I could've licked the plate. Each dish arrived in a perfect orchestration of timing. Just when we were ready for our next plate, it arrived. For my main course I considered the honey glazed duck. But in the end I landed with the Lamb Loin with Sausage and Bacon ($42.00).
Cauliflower and cheese.
One of my favourite proteins, I was excited to see what they could do with lamb. The dish was fun and put together well. I immediately noted the gorgeous cook on the lamb, a perfect medium-rare. The tender melt-in-my-mouth lamb meat was wrapped in sausage and then wrapped in bacon... And if that's wrong I don't want to be right. The addition of crispy fried cauliflower and dots of liquid cheese only added to the whimsy and I appreciated the brussels sprout leaves, one of my favourite vegetables. We managed to cram in a dessert because we couldn't miss out. Of the four choices, I let my husband decide (it was his birthday, after all) and he picked the one that I would've chosen anyway: Opera Cake ($13.00).
Chocolate, coffee.
Fittingly, it arrived with a birthday candle on the plate, a sweet and thoughtful touch. A French dessert made with layers of almond sponge cake soaked in coffee syrup, layered with ganache and coffee buttercream. Covered in a chocolate glaze. This one was served with a generous heap of chocolate mousse on the side, you know, just in case there wasn't enough chocolate already involved. Gold leaf adornment on top? Check! This cake was nice because it wasn't too sweet and it was the ideal dessert to share. Welp, I guess L'Abattoir is one of my favourite restaurants in Vancouver now? I don't see how it couldn't be after having such a wonderful experience and enjoying such excellently crafted plates. Each dish was well executed and thought out. I loved the combination of West Coast ingredients and a French flair, which all made sense so seamlessly. Yes, the prices are up there, but once in a while you've gotta treat yo self. And they do brunch on the weekends! Can't wait to try it.