Lunch With Rob Feenie
Rob Feenie and John Chow outside Feenie’s
OK, we didn’t really have lunch with Rob Feenie. The man is way too busy to sit down for a nice two hour lunch (he needs to become a Dot Com Mogul). However, it was nice to get a chance to talk with him for a bit and take a few photos.
Rob Feenie is probably the best known chef in Canada and would definitely rank as one of the top 10 chefs in the world. From running the most expensive restaurant in Vancouver, to having his own TV show on the Food Network, to defeating Masaharu Morimoto in Iron Chef America, Rob Feenie has done it all.
Our lunch at Feenie’s included a selection of fish, beef and fowl. It was an amazing mix of texture and taste that overloaded the senses and made you ask, “If this is lunch, what the hell is for dinner?” Lunch at Feenie’s is something I never get tired of doing. However, I shouldn’t do it too often because $100+ lunches can empty the wallet pretty quick.
Rob’s “Swedish Touch” Salmon
This was a very nice opener. Marinated local spring salmon with honey Dijon and coffee sauce, and toasted caramelized onion bread. The Dijon had a nice kick and the salmon was super fresh.
Roasted Duck Confit Salad
Take a roasted duck leg, add roquefort cheese, butter lettuce, radicchio, anjou pears, in a bacon and soy vinaigrette and you have one of the most creative salads ever made. The duck meat was a bit on the dry side but the skin was crispy and full of flavor. The roquefort cheese was very strong and went great with the butter lettuce.
Beef Tartare
Feenie’s makes the best Tuna Tartare in the city. They also make a damn good beef tartare as well. Everyone (me, Sarah and Ed Lau) agreed that this was the standout appetizer. The yellow yolk at the center is a raw Quail egg.
Peking Duck Clubhouse
By far the most creative sandwich in Feenie’s lunch menu is the Peking Duck Clubhouse. It’s made with spiced mayo and a pancetta crisp on fruit and nut bread. Unlike the duck confit salad, the duck in the clubhouse was very tender. Rob does a great job combining East and West in this sandwich. I guarantee you will never taste a clubhouse quite like this one.
Feenie’s Famous Calamari sandwich
Rob unveiled the calamari sandwich a few years ago on his TV show and it was later used in Food Network commercials. However, no one was able to try it until Feenie’s opened up. Every since then, the calamari sandwich is a favorite among diners. The calamari sandwich used to be made with toasted sourdough bread instead of a sesame bun. It’s too bad they switched because the sandwich taste way better with sourdough. Please bring back the sourdough!
Rob’s Very Own Beef Dip
Feenie’s version of the beef dip is made from braised short ribs, caramelized onions, Swiss cheese and grainy mustard mayo. This was the standout sandwich among the three. The beef was so tender it melted in your mouth.
The prices at Feenie’s are very reasonable given the quality level of the restaurant. I highly recommend dinning there if you’re in Vancouver. Be warned however. You may like the food so much that you will be tempted to try Lumiere next door. And if you do that, you better make sure you have a lot room left on your Credit Card.
- Posted in Fine Dining
- 57 comments what's your take?
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Nice looking lunch! Did Ed Lau pay the bill?
Reply to this commentLOL! I’ve already footed the bill before so we split this one.
Reply to this commentFair enough, fair enough
Reply to this commentVery tasty looking. The Beef Dip sandwich especially. Have to try that out if I ever make it up that way.
Reply to this commentThis food is a work of art, no wonder why Rob is amongst 10 best chefs in the world..
Reply to this commentYeah, the beef dip looked so good.
Reply to this commentNice Nice you haev to take me some time…
Reply to this commentThat beef dip looks wonderful!! Did you get an autograph? heh
Reply to this commentAnd the tartare looks amazing, except for the egg in the middle
Reply to this commentAll beef tartare is supposed to have an egg in the middle. It was much more popular in the ’80s where you’d get a large mound of beef and a raw egg yolk on top. It adds another texture and smoothness to the beef. It was delicious…definitely the best appy we had.
Reply to this commentThere’s no egg yolk in tartare where I come from..
Reply to this commentThat beef dip is almost enough to make me book a flight to Vancouver.
Reply to this commentHey looks like some tasty food you got there
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Reply to this commentLooks really good
Reply to this commentmmmmmmm - all that duck looks delicious!
Reply to this commentOne of the top 10 chefs in the world? No he’s not even close. I am a Chef and I have seen many better chefs.
Reply to this commentWell chef, let’s hear what you’ve done. Do you have you own TV show? Have you defeated an Iron Chef? Have you written two cook books? Have your restaurant received the AAA 5 diamond award or been given Relais & Chateaux honors?
Reply to this commentHaha, owned.
Reply to this commentI think you’d have to sit for a while on that calamari sandwich before it can fit in your mouth
Reply to this commentI should just visit Vancouver just to eat some great food.
*Looks in the wallet*
Maybe some other time!
Reply to this commentI wanted to fly out to Vancouver just for that Beef Dip
Reply to this commentNote to self: When in Vancouver, see Capilano Suspension Bridge, then Stanley Park, and meet John for lunch at Feenie’s.
Reply to this commentI have yet to try eating at Feenie’s. I really should, though. It looks great.
Reply to this commentJohn, I have to say your posts are taking over on my site, and receiving many votes/grubs, so I had to come check you out and I am definitely blown away. I had dinner at Lumiere 3 years ago and it was amazing. I find your passion very admirable and I look forward to experiencing your future posts.
Reply to this commentEverything looks so good, especially that Tuna Tartare — what was your favorite dish on the spread, John?
Reply to this commentThe beef tartare and beef dip were my favorites.
Reply to this commentI might be in the Vancouver area this summer, maybe we can do lunch.
Reply to this commentthat looks pretty good
Reply to this comment**** I’m hungry…I’m sitting here eating this soy ice cream…I should never have opened this post!
Reply to this commentjohnchow is really a food addict. how about wine from the bar mr john
Reply to this commentOh!! I’m on a diet right now but this looks so delicious, I’m sure I would eat all that food if I had it in front of me.
Reply to this commentReally looks delicious.. Maybe when I am in Vancouver…
Reply to this commentThe meal looks good. If I make it over that way I might have to check it out.
Reply to this commentYeah, a $100 lunch isn’t something most of us do ever.
Reply to this commentIt was only $100 for three people after taxes and a 15% tip, which is entirely reasonable for such quality food. Plus we were really hungry. If you wanted to you could get buy with just an entree at $14. We barely touched the fries at all since we were so full.
Reply to this commentThat is quite reasonable for a fine restaurant and 3 people!
Reply to this commentReasonable? If anything, it’s cheap..
Reply to this commentI have to say none of that looked appetizing. I am disappointed.
Reply to this commentI went to Feenie’s for dinner once. The crowd was loud and pretentious! I think I’d rather go there for lunch. The food I ate was okay. I have a friend who’s going to be working at Feenie’s. YEEEEAH!
Reply to this commentLoud and pretentious is just the way I like to play.
Reply to this commentI wake up and all I could think of is that gorgeous calamari sandwich (and the tartare, the salmon, the…)
Reply to this commentMost of that stuff looked way too “foo-foo” for my palette. But, damn, that beef dip looks tasty at the moment. I’d probably part with 50 bucks just to have one of those in my hands at the moment.
But, instead, I guess I’ll hit the fridge and have a bagel with sliced beef, cheese and mustard. (sigh)
On the other hand, ten minutes from now, I’ll be happy I saved the 50 bucks. LOL…
Reply to this commentOh sure, I could throw on some instant ramen noodles and save the money but it’s well worth the money for GOOD food.
Of course we don’t eat like this every day and we did go a tad overboard. Again, you can easily spend about $15-20 bucks a head and be perfectly satisfied…but I prefer to try tons of different things.
Reply to this commentJohn you should have gave Feenie a John Chow pen
Reply to this commentJohn is
, I bet he did give him one!
Reply to this commentdamn that beef dip looks amazing!!
Reply to this commentThat beef dip looks ridiculous! And by ridiculous, I mean delicious. And by delicious, I mean I would eat that if I could be in Canada right now, and by Canada, I mean Feenie’s.
Is this the same guy that played the principal on Boy Meets World? Ok…bad joke.
Reply to this commentYeah, yeah, yeah… the food looks yummy. But what about John? Is it just me, or does anyone else see Elvis in his sexy smile?
Reply to this commentyum, yum the hamburger
Reply to this commentDid you eat ALL of that??!!
Reply to this commentThe beef dip has my mouth watering!
blabEditor
Reply to this commentI made my own version of the beef dip for lunch — doesn’t look anything like Feenie’s, but it’ll do.
Reply to this commentLOL! So did I! It’s amazing what this blog inspires you to do.
blabEditor
Reply to this commentThat sandwhich looks delicious!
Reply to this commentthe beef dip looked good, can’t say that i would eat anything else that they have:(
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