RauDZ: Saved the Best for Last

This was by far our best experience in Kelowna. The service was amazing and the food was even better. This place might even be the best I've tried in all of BC. I would come here over and over again.

 The room is very casual and welcoming but still a place you can go for any occasion, with a date or your girlfriends. I know it seems like I'm advertising this place but it really is great! I'm getting excited to even write about it.

 Our very friendly server recommended this bottle and man was he spot on what we wanted.

 Crab Cakes $13. Topped with a cabbage cole-slaw. I usually push the coleslaw over and go for the crab but this was was actually very good! Then we get to the crab cake and it was almost ALL CRAB MEAT. Enough said. We finished this in seconds... literally.

 Butchers cut Duck Breast over Gnocchi $25. This was a special for the week and wasn't on the menu. This is by far, the best duck I've ever had, and it probably will be for a very long time. The sauce was amazing and so was the gnocchi. They put so much TLC in their dishes, if you can't tell already. Combined in the sauce were 3 types of mushrooms. I was in heaven. If you look on their menu, they now have a duck breast with scalloped potatoes.

 Beef Tenderloin topped with Blue Cheese $28. Don't you love this place already!? This huge steak for $28. The steak was cooked perfectly. The blue cheese, which he ordered extra of, was the perfect softness and the peppercorn sauce was amazing. My mouth is watering as I am typing.

 Looking at the dessert menu, we really couldn't decide, so we went with 3! This one is the Double Chocolate Mashed Potato Brioche with a Raspberry Sorbet, their signature dessert $4.50. Yes, it is really made with mashed potatoes. You couldn't taste it if you weren't told what was in it. It was basically a chocolate cake, that's all. The concept is pretty cool though.

 My side order of ice cream $2 came with a homemade cookie! This has never happened before.

 Tiramisu $4.50. This one was my favorite. A classic made better.

 Pumpkin Cheesecake $4.50. The topping of this tasted a little like apple/pumpkin sauce but the actual cheesecake part was delicious and you can really taste the pumpkin in it.

As I've said, I would come here over and over again if I lived in Kelowna. This was was seriously amazing in all different ways.

Address:
1560 Water Street,
Kelowna, BC
Website:

http://www.raudz.com

The Vintage Room

Located in the Coast Capri Hotel in Kelowna. I had high hopes for the place after reading good reviews but it turned out to be a lot different than I thought it would be. I wish I would have taken a picture of the restaurant while I was still there. My first impression of the place was very bad. It basically was a square room with low ceilings, old carpets and nice table settings. Sort of like a banquet room. Yes, it was a hotel but this is supposed to be a restaurant.

Mushroom Dusted Qualicum Bay Scallops $18. Served with a mint risotto. The scallops were perfectly cooked and well seasoned. This risotto, I really didn't enjoy. It was very minty in the sense that I felt like I was eating risotto with gum in my mouth. They should really re-consider serving this dish. Props on the scallops though.

New York Cut Steak $24. A little over done but we didn't find anything special on this plate.

Bacon Wrapped Artic Char $29. This is what turned my night around. That tarragon remoulade (the sauce) was so good! The char was nice and moist and the bacon added a nice smokey-ness to the dish.

They're are way too many good restaurants in Kelowna to come back here for round 2. Especially at this price point, I will not be coming back.

Address:
1171 Harvey Avenue
Kelowna BC V1Y 6E8
Website:
The Vintage

Quails Gate: Old Vines

This restaurant is located at the Quail's Gate winery. Even in the dark this place is beautiful. I especially wanted to come here because the chefs that cook here are not just your typical chefs, but they specialize in cooking with wine.

My first thought was that this reminds me of the Van Dusen Gardens in Vancouver.

The restaurant was very empty since we came on a Tuesday night at 9 pm and the drive out here is a pretty long and dark.

The complimentary bread was fresh and crunchy.

Pan Seared Scallops $16. These were cooked perfectly with a very deeply seasoned sauce which was calmed with the citrus from the fennel leaves.

Side of sauteed beets $7.50.

Braised Wild Boar Gargenelli $25. I loved this one. Perfect seasoning, braised perfectly, with lots of mushrooms. The portion was also huge.

Ling Cod $26. This was not on the menu and was a special for the week. It came out so beautifully plated. The cod was a little dry but that puree made up for it.

Address:

3303 Boucherie Road
West Kelowna, BC


Website:
http://quailsgate.com/restaurant/