restaurant review: chambar in vancouver, canada

Chambar Restaurant.

Chambar Restaurant (pronounced sham bar) in Vancouver has been receiving a lot of praise for the food and the drinks. In addition, as we ate and drank around the city, several bartenders and restaurant proprietors have told us that Vancouver's craft cocktail scene first started at Chambar. Their website has also cheekily referred to the dining experience there as "civilized debauchery." So, on our recent trip to the city, Mr. Sazy Rock and I were very excited to check it out. 

On to the review:

The Scene

When we arrived for dinner around 7:30 pm, the place was packed. I was very glad to have made reservations. It was definitely buzzy. The dark panels and soft lighting were great for folks on dates. We saw a few of those lovebirds as well as big groups having a good time.

Inside Chambar.

The Food

• Cuisses de Grenouilles (frog legs) - The barbecued frog legs were spicy and paired well with the avocado puree. The legs were also perfectly cooked and avoided being stringy.

Frog Legs.

• Foie de Canard "Villa Lorraine" (duck liver) - As a Californian, I have been starved for the taste of foie gras since it has been legally banned in restaurants. So, I try to order foie gras whenever I see it on the menu. This foie gras terrine was rich and paired well with the brioche.

Foie Gras Terrine.

• Coquotte Moules Frites (mussels and fries) - The mussels were fresh, plump and had a bite to them. The broth was creamy, garlicky and had small pieces of pancetta. The fries had a nice crunch outside and fluffy inside.

Moules Frites.

• L'entrecote Grillee - Ribeye (ribeye steak) - The beef apparently came from the nearby Okanagan area. The quality of the meat was high and it was sufficiently fatty. While it was cooked perfectly medium rare, I thought it was over seasoned and the whole large (unground) peppercorns on the crust overpowered the flavor of the beef.

Ribeye Steak.

In addition to the food, we also tried a martini and a sazerac, which we thought were tasty.  

The Service

Service at Chambar was friendly and knowledgeable. When one of the staff member erroneously sent Mr. SR the wrong type of mussels, the server immediately removed the wrong dish and replaced it with the right one. However, when Mr. SR wanted to order beer, the server was nowhere to be seen.


The Price

The meal was not cheap. We paid about 175 Canadian dollars, which included two cocktails and a beer but excluded the tip.


The Verdict

Although there were flaws during the meal, it was still an enjoyable experience.

I easily made reservations via OpenTable.com. You may also call them at (604) 879-7119, if you would rather speak with someone.

Have you dined at Chambar? If so, what was your experience?