likebyregina When I was in high school, I would sometime sneak out to get food on Main Street with my friends. There are many hidden gems in this neighborhood, and I am always frustrated in choosing what to eat. I now rarely passed by this neighborhood, but when I do, I want to keep my options open and try a new spot every time. A few weeks ago, Locus Restaurant & Lounge launched a fall/winter menu, and I am surprised that I have never been to this restaurant before.
Our meal starts off with a bread basket, featuring Russian bread and Chili Butter that made in house every day. The bread is served in small pieces and is soft. The butter pairing is amazing. Eva and I enjoyed it so much.
We went to 5:30pm, which happy hour was still available. It has a variety of signature appetizers at a discounted price on the happy hour menu. So we ordered one of the owner’s recommendations, 1587 Frizzled Brussels Sprouts. The brussel sprouts are coated lightly with black lavender honey and garnished with toasted pumpkin seeds and Grana Padano cheese. It is a generous portion, and we both love the crispiness. It has a good balance of sweetness in this dish.
We also ordered an appetizer from the regular menu, Hokkaido Scallops & Bacon. The dish is served with four perfectly cooked scallops, with bacon lardon, crispy sage, and maple brown butter. According to the owner, it is a brand new dish, so we are the first few customers who get to try it! The scallops are perfectly seared, but I think the sweetness from the maple is overpowering the dish.
We ordered two entrees to share, and the first one is the Lobster & BC “Honey” Mussel Fettuccini. I am impressed by the house-made spinach fettuccini, as I would never expect a bar would make pasta in house, and they did a fabulous job. However, both lobster and the mussels are overcooked, which is sad especially when the dish has a generous amount of seafood. Otherwise, it will be a pleasant dish to order.
The second entree is the Spiced Blackcurrant Seared Duck Breast. It is a cinnamon & thyme-spiced duck breast served with a celeriac puree and blackcurrant pan sauce. On the side, there are butter-poached enoki mushrooms, sweet pea pistou, and seasonal vegetables. Their default of cooking the duck breast is “medium”, so if you are like us who prefer medium rare, make sure you tell your server in advance. I love the presentation; however, I think there is a lot of things going on on the dish, which I am not sure what I should be focusing on. After trying a few dishes here, I found the dishes at Locus are often on the sweeter side.
We concluded our night with the Chocolate Lava Cake, and who would imagine that a bar on Main Street can serve one of the best Chocolate Lava Cake I tried in Vancouver? It needs approximately 10 minutes of wait time, as it is prepared right away. It came out piping hot in a mug, along with two scoops of vanilla ice cream. Underneath the thin layer of cake is the oozing chocolate lava, which is exactly what I wanted to see. I love the combination of the piping hot lava cake and ice cream, which eases out the heaviness from the dessert. I highly recommend ordering this here!
Overall Impression
I was surprised and impressed that Locus Restaurant & Lounge makes everything in house. From the bread to pasta, even sauces and desserts, they want to create the best pairing in each dish. The seafood is locally sourced, and they are delivered 2-3 times a week to ensure the premium quality. They also offer local wines and craft beers. Though there are some dishes that need improvements, I would want to return to try other dishes, such as their burgers. It has a nice ambiance, and it is not too noisy, in which customers can enjoy their time here. If you are first time coming to the restaurant, I recommend going during happy hour, which they feature many signature appetizers, as well as wines and beers. My favorite dishes for the night are the Crispy Brussel Sprouts and the Chocolate Lava Cake.
Taste : 3.5/5 • Service: 4.5/5 • Ambiance: 4/5 • Quality-Price: 4/5
