Dine Out Vancouver 2008 - Raincity Grill
The Art of The Upsell
Raincity Grill has become a fixture in the Vancouver West End, capturing the essence of Vancouver in food, wine and atmosphere. The menu focuses on seafood, game, poultry, and organic vegetables from British Columbia, Alberta, Washington State and Oregon. Raincity Grill was one of the first restaurants in the city to take advantage of local ingredients and produce and in doing so helped define Pacific Northwest cuisine.
They also mastered the art of the upsell when it came to Dine Our Vancouver. Not happy with the $35 limit placed a Dine Out menu, Raincity added a $45 menu of their own. To further extract maximum value from their diners, Raincity matched each course with some very fine (and very small portion) wines from their cellar. The end results: what should have been a $70 dinner for two turned into $135 once the upsell took place. I’m not complaining however. The price is still well worth it. Raincity ranks among my favorite restaurant in the whole city.
Smoked Trout and Spot Prawn Salad
My starter dish was a salad of smoked Langley trout and BC spot prawn, organic greens and sake emulsion. Light, refreshing and airy best describe this opener. Raincity paired with a Riesling from See Ya Later Ranch.
A Trio of Tartar
Albacore tuna, Langley trout, Steve’s salmon with crispy salad. This dish was very similar to the first dish but I liked it more. The oil and sea salt really kicked it up. It went very well with the Riesling.
Bayne Sound Scallops
Bayne sound scallop, stuffed leg of Maple Hills Farms chicken, mushroom and cauliflower cream. This is Raincity’s version of the surf and turf. The scallops were better than the ones from The Observatory. It was paired with a Pinot Gris from Inniskillin.
Steve’s Salmon
For the main course, Sarah ordered Steve’s Salmon with buttered leek, braised parsnip and maple glaze. She said it was the best salmon she has ever tried. it went really well with the Jackson-Tiggs Chardonnay.
Seared Breast of Duck
Seared breast of duck with North Arm Farms organic root vegetables, thyme gnocchi and duck glaze. Without a doubt this was one of the best duck dishes I’ve ever had. The Pinot Noir from Nk’Mip matched it perfectly.
Grilled Parsnip “Red Fife” Pound Cake
This dessert must have been custom made for Sarah. The cake was served with poached apple and honey bavarois. It wasn’t too sweet, which is the way Sarah likes her dessert.
Fireweed Honey Pot Au Crème
This looks like a creme burlee but it’s not. It was made from ice wine caramel and Aggissiz hazelnut biscotti. It was so sweet you can feel the sugar rushing to your head. I had it paired with an Inniskillin Icewine to make the sweet dessert even sweeter. It was an amazing way to finish off an amazing meal.
Raincity Grill needs to be added to your short list of must try Vancouver restaurants. Even with the upsell, you won’t be disappointed.
- Posted in Fine Dining
- 42 comments what's your take?
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I never took you for a wine connoisseur, John.
I’m curious what that dish is your trout and salad on. It looks like ice.
Reply to this commentJohn, what gym do you belong to for when you want to work all that food off?
Reply to this commentI have always made thesame question
Reply to this commentFitness World
Reply to this commentlol
Reply to this commentThe dishes look solid. The duck dish can easily qualify for some grade A medium rare beef dish. I think the small amounts are perfect where some restaurant overload dishes, and over satisfies dinners into not liking a dish just because it was too overwhelming.
Reply to this commentAnother good local Vancouver dine out spot I should try. Aren’t you afraid of getting fat? haha
Reply to this commentHe’s already getting fat
soon he will have to make a fat loss blog 
j/k john.. don’t kill me.
Reply to this commentJohn,
I am doing the San Francisco version of Dine Out Vancouver this month.
http://www.onlyinsanfrancisco.com/dineabouttown/
Come on down and compare. Too bad it won’t be going on when you visit in April
Reply to this commentYou discuss your love of food the way I reminisce about my admiration for blues and jazz. Wish I could eat more of the dishes you picture here, but I can still drool …
Reply to this commentnot as extravagant as some of your other meals John, but still looks pretty good.
Reply to this commentThe presentation of those meals is terrible! It’s like they’ve laid a bunch of plates out on a bench and taken turns at flicking food onto them from 3 metres away, allowing it to “splat” when it hits the plate and leave a trail of juice, oil or sauce behind it.
Reply to this commentIt does look like someone gizzisagissize’d or whatever on the spot prawn salad plate doesn’t it. You sure it was ‘Hazel’nut john?
I have to agree on presentation but perhaps thats because i’m no fan of tiny portions with sauce splashes to make it look like more. One of these times I’ll tell the waiter I ate the plate too, since they took the trouble of covering it in sauce for me.
Reply to this commentJohn, that doesn’t look delicious to me lols!
Reply to this commentThe Salmon looks a treat.
Reply to this commentCome on John…we both know you should be eating healthy
I mean a least think about your wife 
Cooking at home is the best way to go, but occasional once a week or once every 2 weeks dining out is good.
-Mike
Reply to this commentI don`t see “Fireweed Honey Pot Au Crème” so delicious
Reply to this commentahhh looks so delicious.. but is it healthy
Reply to this commentJohn, I warned you about this.. funny, you should even use my term, “the art of the upsell.” Hmmmm credit where credit is due?
Reply to this commenthttp://www.buzzbishop.com/blog/2008/01/16/the-art-of-the-upsell/
I believe there is a book call the art of the upsell.
Reply to this commentHey John
Reply to this commentI have noticed that lately you’ve been writing more posts about food than about money making, why is that? I know it is hard to write something new and useful every day but better to write something good than to write about something that don’t have anything to do with your blog theme (money making). Don’t take me wrong, i love your blog, this is only my opinion.
Thanks about Google Adssense Book
Nice to meet you
Reply to this commentnice stuff! hope u enjoyed
Reply to this commentJohn,
Have you ever gotten weird looks from other patrons in the resturant, when you take pictures of your food?
I mean, have you ever thought about anyone EVER thinking, “Why the heck is he taking snapshots of his food?”
Reply to this commentI think I started some kind of trend in Vancouver. We were not the only table taking pictures of our food.
Reply to this commentFinger licking good!
Reply to this commentJohn if your ever in Ohio let me know. I’ll take you out for an incredible steak and escargo.
Reply to this commentIf you ever come to Winnipeg John, I will show you some fabulous places to eat that will knock your socks off.
Reply to this commentEverybody seems interested to treat John Chow. Anybody here wants to treat me?
Reply to this commentThe first photo says it all - what we have here is an alcoholic. John please get HELP!!!
Reply to this commentI can help. Help finish the bottle
Reply to this commentHmm… Looks good.
Reply to this commentThose salmon balls look so gross to me lol. I like sushi, but can’t even stand looking at those…
Reply to this commentSorry i cant drink.
Reply to this commentwow…those fish look tasty…how much you spent for this? is it by sponsored?
Reply to this commentJohn paid $135 according to the post.
Reply to this commentThe salmon looks d-lish. And who won the staredown, you OR the glass of wine?
Reply to this commentThe food looks good.
Reply to this commentThat Salmon looks
…. I want to eat it?
It was so sweet you can feel the sugar rushing to your head
What I would do to eat that!
Reply to this comment
NO ONE GIVES A SHIT ABOUT FOOD 
Reply to this comment