Restaurant: PiDGiN (visit their website here)
Location: 350 Carrall Street, Vancouver
Cuisine: Asian, European, Seafood
Price range: $50+ per person
Date of visit: February 14, 2014
Atmosphere: 5/5
Staff/service: 4/5
Food variety: 4/5
Food quality: 4/5
Buck worthy? 3/5
I took one look at the Valentines day "special menu" and thought, better to use that money elsewhere (it was a crazy $75 per person). Plus, neither of us were big eaters, so it'd be too much food anyways (or so naive me though at that time). However, not having been here, got suckered into the prix fixe option ($55). We were started off with an interesting Oyster Shot with green apple and horseradish mixed into an icy concoction. I found it difficult to eat because it was too thick and the horseradish was overwhelming. Oyster was really fresh though!
I felt a bit gypped with the Daily Pickles (yes it counted as a dish)-- they weren't to my liking. Pickling was way too sour-- I didn't know what was going on there.
Their Raw Scallops was one of my favorite items of the night. Just plain raw oysters topped with pomegranate red curry oil, raw daikon and green apple. There was also some kind of nut on top, but I can't recall what it was. I felt the daikon and green apple took away from the fresh taste of scallop, so I just ate them separately. Adorables found the scallops to be too limp and mushy though =P
It was starting to feel like a seafood meal when the Grilled Octopus showed up. It was garnished and surrounded by romesco and a fennel biscotti. The octopus was deliciously chewy and the romesco complemented the octopus well. I just nibbled on the biscotti because the texture didn't go well with the other stuff on the plate ^-^ This was a semi-warm dish btw, the first non-cold dish we were served ;)
Is it just me or does this look like a face? xD Either way, I feel this Mushroom Dish with sugar snap peas, egg, and soy yuzu brown butter was very Asian-inspired. A bit on the oily side but I loved the flavors and the sweet pea puree was a very novel idea, I enjoyed it. The egg was cooked perfectly although I worried about salmonella xD I almost burned my tongue on this dish because it was so hot!
Next was the amazing Half Duck made 3 ways (I believe it was leg, breast, and confit). It was accompanied by a carrot cake puree, carrots, some crunchy stuff (garlic?!), and a tangy sauce. The duck breast was amazing. Perfect tenderness so there was still a bit of chew to it-- tasted a bit like Chinese BBQ duck!! Well rounded dish, no wonder the server highly recommended it and kept going on and on about it =D
Final main was a Beef dish (don't recall which part). I can't really eat beef, but had a bit and it was pretty good! The burnt sides weren't something I enjoyed because it was a bit hard to swallow. It reminded me of a thick beef tataki =P It was plated with potatoes made three ways: baked, mashed, and chips. Flavors were great for this dish, sadly, Adorables and I were both fairly full by this time and couldn't stuff more in!
Onwards to dessert! I remember it was a matcha based cake topped with their house-made cherries (which were so high in alcohol content they HURT to eat). Too much alcohol for these two peeps ^-^" Either way, the cake itself was nice and light, minus the cream part (the lightest color area) where it was too hard and had an odd after-feel in the mouth. Of course the presentation was beautiful once again.
Overall I really enjoyed myself, especially with such amazing company ♡ May be back when I'm more financially able, since this meal cost us (well Adorables, since he was being such a gentleman and loving boyfriend and paid) around $130 ><" Being spoiled once in a while is such an exemplary feeling though!
Cuisine: Asian, European, Seafood
Price range: $50+ per person
Date of visit: February 14, 2014
Atmosphere: 5/5
Staff/service: 4/5
Food variety: 4/5
Food quality: 4/5
Buck worthy? 3/5
I took one look at the Valentines day "special menu" and thought, better to use that money elsewhere (it was a crazy $75 per person). Plus, neither of us were big eaters, so it'd be too much food anyways (or so naive me though at that time). However, not having been here, got suckered into the prix fixe option ($55). We were started off with an interesting Oyster Shot with green apple and horseradish mixed into an icy concoction. I found it difficult to eat because it was too thick and the horseradish was overwhelming. Oyster was really fresh though!
I felt a bit gypped with the Daily Pickles (yes it counted as a dish)-- they weren't to my liking. Pickling was way too sour-- I didn't know what was going on there.
Overall I really enjoyed myself, especially with such amazing company ♡ May be back when I'm more financially able, since this meal cost us (well Adorables, since he was being such a gentleman and loving boyfriend and paid) around $130 ><" Being spoiled once in a while is such an exemplary feeling though!
