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The Minstral Cafe 4638 Lakeshore Rd. Kelowna, BC.
Date: March 2007
This is one of those places the locals keep a secret! In a residential area north of downtown, we were taken here by our friends Rod and Joanne, and ran into the only other people we know in Kelowna, Robin and Jen who were entertaining guests from out of town too. It was a very enjoyable evening, and the food was excellent with very generous portions. The tomato based bisque was delicious and very filling. The mussels were excellent. The chicken breast was delicious, the vegetables very fresh. Overall an excellent experience. Our table was next to the stage and when the Jazz duo started playing, we could still carry on a conversation...the signs of a good restaurant! This restaurant comes highly recommended by Dipsophilia!
The Vintage Room, Coast Capri Hotel, 1171 Harvey St. at Gordon Drive, Kelowna, BC. 250.860.6060
Date: March 2007
For a tourist visiting Kelowna, the dining options appear limited to the chains such as Cactus Club, Joey's Montana's, etc.....each with long waits for over-priced chain-restaurant food. I blame that on Kelowna's City Planners - but that's a whole other rant. After driving around strip malls, parking, finding line-ups were at least 30 mins., and with a 5-month old son, that isn't a good thing. We finally gave up and decided to eat at the hotel - the Coast Capri. We were pleasantly surprised to discover The Vintage Room. Our host was a smart man, and when he heard of our trauma at finding a decent restaurant he was quick to bring a martini for me and a beer for Aidan!
This is Kelowna's oldest restaurant (45 yrs). The executive Chef, Monika Lauterbacher, CCC has created a very interesting menu combining ingredients such as scalllop and lobster risotto, mustard seed crusted halibut, and hazelnut crusted veal chop. One almost got the feeling the chef was trying too hard and perhaps some of the meat/fish flavours would be lost. Still, we were still pleased it was not an over-priced burger at a chain restaurant.
Jackie started with lobster and asparagus soup, which was very good. This was followed by a Game Sampler....espresso and chocolate glazed venison loin medallion, wild boar and cashew sausage, and fireweed and honey glazed pheasant breast. It came with mashed fresh fingerling potatoes with a a blueberry and hillside Estate Gamay Noir reduction. It was disappointing...the sausage was bland, the pheasant overcooked and dry. The venison was excellent, very tender and juicy.
Aidan had scallops with mixed root vegetable salad which was excellent. He then tried the rack of lamb with lamb chorizo wrapped in proscuitto. He requested the lamb medium, which was unfortunately overcooked. The dish was served with a jalapeno jelly which was too much (too hot) and once in your mouth, tasting anything else on your plate was impossible.
Overall the service was excellent, the ambiance exactly what we wanted. The food was okay.....perhaps trying to be too fancy and losing the real flavours of the meats.