DOV2018: Honey Salt, delightful lunch

Restaurant: Honey Salt (visit their website here)

Location: 39 Smithe Street, Vancouver
Cuisine: Canadian, Seafood
Dineout Price: $25 for lunch; $40 for dinner

Date of visit: January 19, 2018
Atmosphere: 4/5
Staff/service: 4.5/5
Food variety: 3/5
Food quality: 5/5
Buck worthy? 5/5

So excited for our first Dine Out of the season! I chose this classy lunch location for a date with Adorables to start! Located in Parq Vancouver, it is easily accessible through the entrance of the JW Marriot. There are various themed seats from regular tables to sofas and lounge chairs, a very comfy casual feel. They're offering a $25 lunch and $40 dinner menu for Dine Out Vancouver.

Adorables ordered a Sweet Tea ($5.00) to start, I found this a little bland but he enjoyed it.

Appetizers

Burrata & Heirloom Beets charcoal-roasted beets, arugula, honey vinegar

In presentation, this dish was quite nice, salad topped with a generous portion of burrata. The salad itself was nicely coated in the honey vinegar and contrasted well with the gooey rich burrata cheese. Some of the beets were a little too burnt for my liking but the beet itself was tender and sweet. Overall the burrata was too overpowering and the imbalance made this dish underwhelming.

Tofino Fry calamari, sidestripe shrimp, lemon, peppers & spicy Japanese "kewpie" mayonnaise
We were both impressed with the generous portion size of this dish. The simple yet elegant presentation caught my eye. The batter was light and flavorful, went well with the calamari and shrimp. Peppers were a little overcooked; the lemon had a great unique crunch and wasn't overly tart. Paired with the mild and tart mayonnaise, this was a well rounded dish.

Entrees

Biloxi Buttermilk Fried Chicken creamy slaw, durkee's dressing, brioche & nice little salad

Honestly, I expected something a lot different than what was presented to us. Nonetheless, it was presented as a burger with three nice crispy pieces of chicken nestled between a delicious brioche bun paired with a small salad.

The chicken was tender, crispy, and seasoned well but a little dry. The creamy slaw made good presence in the burger. However, the mustard in the dressing was a bit overwhelming in some parts. Little side salad consisted of romaine lettuce, carrots, radicchio, and a very tart dried berry (unsure what it was, guessing barberry or cranberry) in a nutty cream-based dressing. Very pleasing.

Poke Bowl BC albacore, green chili ponzu, avocado, cucumber, tobiko & black rice
Surprisingly, this was the highlight of the meal for me. This was visually appealing, elegant and colorful. They even went the extra mile to make rice crispies out of black rice for added texture to the dish. The green chili ponzu was a nice balance of tart and creamy. Tuna was very fresh and such a generous portion that it overwhelmed the amount of rice present. Pleasantly surprised with the half avocado and pickled radish added extra color, crunch, and zest to the bowl. A delicious creation.

Desserts

Brown Bag Baked Apple Pie  ginger ice cream

We were both perplexed at the sheer size of desserts but we thoroughly enjoyed this succulent apple pie. It did come in a brown bag and opened at the table to reveal a nice pastry inside.

Big chunks of apple inside the pie and a buttery flaky crust topped with ice cream-- heaven in a spoonful! I didn't taste any ginger in the ice cream, felt like it was just plain vanilla ice cream (smooth and creamy though).

Warm Apple Cider Donuts bourbon & cinnamon sauce

After diving into the pie and nearing the brink of our stomach capacities, we split one of the three donuts. I didn't expect it to be so dense and a little dry, but with the sauce it was quite delicious. The sauce was like caramel with bourbon and cinnamon accents and enhanced the donuts.

I love how they placed it in a light blue bowl on a white plate because I'm a sucker for that color combination. Just perfect, they were nestled so snugly that I almost didn't want to take one.

Needless to say, we were both very stuffed after our meals and had to pack the remaining desserts to go. Service was attentive and warm, I did get the feeling they're still getting used to their roles and how the place is run. Our entrees appeared before our appies were done and cleared, which is uncommon practice for a higher-end establishment like this. Our waitress promptly noticed and apologized for the rush of dishes and explained that it sometimes happens during lunch, but of course I didn't even notice until she brought it up. We both enjoyed our date at Honey Salt and would definitely return-- especially for that delicious apple pie!

The cute book our bill came in!