Consider this a sneak preview – Abridged version running in the Dec. 5 Burnaby NOW – but here’s the full story, along with a whole lot more pictures from a great night at EBO Restaurant in the Delta Burnaby Hotel.
By Alfie Lau
With many people counting down anxiously to Christmas and the requisite Christmas meals, why wait for a great meal when you can try out the great new seasonal menu at EBO Restaurant in the Delta Burnaby Hotel and Conference Centre?
Executive chef Dan Craig has been working with new food and beverage services manager Richard Wischnewski and the Delta Burnaby’s director of sales and marketing, Sebastien Theriault to create a plethora of holiday dining options and can only mean good news for discerning Burnaby diners.
Starting Dec. 2 and running until Dec. 23, the fresh and festive three-course dinner for $45 per person will be on offer nightly from 5:30 p.m.
For those who love lunch instead, the festive lunch buffet for $28 per person runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily (excluding weekends) from Dec. 3 to 21.
But the fun doesn’t stop there, as Christmas sees EBO hosting a Christmas Eve and Night buffet for $49 per person, with seating times at 5, 5:30, 7:30 and 8 p.m.
On Christmas Day, brunch is $42 per person, with seating times at 11 and 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 and 2 p.m.
If you’re not full by then, New Year’s Eve will feature a tapas buffet for $75 per person, seating at 5:30 p.m., and the next day will feature a $42 New Year’s brunch, with seating times form 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
“It’s certainly an ambitious plan,” said Wischnewski, “But chef (Dan Craig) and I have such a great working relationship that we’re very confident that we can continue to exceed our customers’ expectations.”
Nodding approvingly is Delta Burnaby general manager Eda Koot, who is happy to let Wischnewski, Theriault and Craig do their things.
“I’m very lucky to have such a talented chef like Dan,” said Koot. “His cooking is unparalleled, but it’s also his leadership qualities. He wants to train and inspire the people in his kitchen. There’s such a strong respect in his kitchen and they are creating some unbelievable dishes. … I’m very comfortable with what Dan, Richard and Sebastien are doing.”
When the Burnaby NOW sat down recently with the EBO and Delta Burnaby team, we were wowed by the nuanced food selections, wine pairings and overall service. As Koot and Theriault entertained us with stories, Wischnewski was working a crowded dining room and Craig was cooking up a storm. The EBO and Delta crew wanted to show off some of the items that may be on their new winter menu and we were the willing guinea pigs.
We started with the appetizer before the appetizer, the delectable amuse bouche of puffed parmesan cracker, longanisa sausage and red pepper and it was a great way to start the meal, especially since Wischnewski also came with the Purple Villa martini, featuring raspberry vodka, cranberry juice, lime juice and a little champagne to give it that extra kick.
With martinis in hand, we could then dig into our appetizers, which started with a divinely-plated house-cured schinkenspeck, cornichons and grain mustard; torchon of foie gras; cranberry toast, compressed pear and fig jam. Perhaps even more memorable is this dish is served on wood reclaimed from an old wine barrel.
The lean pork schinkenspeck was the star, while the foie gras was a very close second. The Delta recently hosted an event where local chefs shared ideas on how to serve foie gras and Craig has incorporated those lessons into his menu.
Our next three appetizer dishes show off Craig’s innovative touch with locally sourced ingredients.
I couldn’t get enough of the albacore tuna and dungeness crab, served with avocado and compressed watermelon, while Theriault is licking his lips with the carpaccio of Wagyu beef, enoki mushrooms, compressed pear and light horseradish.
It’s not just protein that Craig excels at presenting, as the surprise of these dishes is the poached beetroot, featuring both yellow and red beets, served with goat’s pride Camembert cheese, pinenut butter and granola and yuzu fruit.
“You usually only get yellow beets in the fall,” said Wischnewski, “They really are a treat.”
We’re not quite appetizered out, as Craig’s roast scallop, served with cauliflower velvet, jamon serrano ham, capers and raisins is so good that it barely stays on the plate long enough for photographer Larry Wright to get pictures.
As our meal moves to its apex, Koot asks us whether EBO should be moving toward a more casual, yet still high fine dining experience.
“We’re always looking at ways to make this more than just a hotel restaurant,” said Koot. “We want to be known as a local restaurant serving the best fine dining in the city.”
Craig is certainly doing his part and there’s no better evidence than our main course, a 22-ounce 28-day dry-aged rib steak, served with several delectable sides, including orzo and aged cheddar macaroni and cheese, confit potatoes, asparagus and peppercorn sauce.
The steak is designed to be shared by two people and I joke with Wright that he can have my share of potatoes and asparagus in exchange for more of the steak.
The steak is exquisite, literally melting in our mouths, but the sides are almost as good. The macaroni and cheese is nothing like the stuff university students gorge on and the potatoes and asparagus are simple, yet tasty.
Koot has the roast halibut, served with a Chanterelle mushroom risotto and lobster emulsion, and it’s so good that she doesn’t even share it with the steak-eating men of the table.
“Chef knows this is one of my favourite dishes,” said Koot. “It’s a dish I always look forward to.”
It’s amazing that Koot has room for dessert and she’s downright giddy as we wait for Wright to finish photographing our three dessert dishes.
My favourite is the warm chocolate tart, served with a cream cheese sponge, five-spice meringue and fennel flavours.
Koot and Theriault are making short work of the roast pineapple, beetroot meringue and coconut parfait, while all of us enjoy the vanilla panna cotta and apple carpaccio, served with a red wine reduction and apple gelee.
“Make sure you give credit to our pastry chef, April Neacion,” said Koot. “She’s doing some great work and these are some of her best dishes.”
Well, if you consider the fact that all three pastry dishes are entirely empty after we’re done, then Neacion has certainly done her job.
Our meal is one of the best we’ve had in the city all year and when we return in the future, it will probably be even better, because Craig is not one to rest on his laurels.
As he joins us for a post-meal/post-cooking drink of Burrowing Oil pinot gris, he mentions that he’s off to Lyon in January to watch and learn from Canadian Bocuse D’Or competitor Alex Chen.
“My goal is to compete myself in the Bocuse sometime in the future,” said Craig. “I’m going to learn so much watching Alex in action.”
Lifelong learning is all part of Craig’s modus operandi, as Theriault lets slip that whenever Craig travels, he’ll call up a chef in the city he’s visiting and volunteer to work in the kitchen to learn and see what trends are all the rage in foodie hotbeds like New York and San Francisco.
“Chef is always trying to bring new ideas to his kitchen,” said Theriault. “We’re very lucky to have him.”
Burnaby diners should consider themselves lucky that they can taste Craig’s creations on a daily basis.
The EBO Restaurant is located at the Grand Villa Casino at 4331 Dominion St.
To make a reservation, call 604-453-0788.
For more information, especially on their holiday promotions, go to their website at http://www.eborestaurant.com or find them on Twitter, @eborestaurant.
http://www.twitter.com/AlfieLau
Cutlines: from top to bottom:
EBO 1 – The Purple Villa martini at EBO features raspberry vodka, cranberry and lime juice and the piece de resistance, a little champagne.
Larry Wright/BURNABY NOW
EBO 2 – The amuse bouche at EBO Restaurant features puffed parmesan cracker with longanisa sausage and red peppers.
Larry Wright/BURNABY NOW
EBO 3 – From left: EBO Restaurant and Delta Burnaby executive chef Dan Craig and food and beverage services manager Richard Wischnewski show off the house-cured schinkenspeck, cornichons and grain mustard; torchon of foie gras; cranberry toast, compressed pear and fig jam, all served on a reclaimed wine barrel.
Larry Wright/BURNABY NOW
EBO 4 – One of the new appetizers at EBO is the house-cured schinkenspeck, cornichons and grain mustard; torchon of foie gras; cranberry toast, compressed pear and fig jam, all served on a reclaimed wine barrel.
Larry Wright/BURNABY NOW
EBO 5 – The poached beetroot, featuring both yellow and red beets, served with goat’s pride Camembert cheese, pinenut butter and granola and yuzu fruit is a delectable appetizer at EBO in the Delta Burnaby Hotel.
Larry Wright/BURNABY NOW
EBO 6 – The albacore tuna and dungeness crab, served with avocado and compressed watermelon is a delectable appetizer at EBO in the Delta Burnaby Hotel.
Larry Wright/BURNABY NOW
EBO 7 – The carpaccio of Wagyu beef, enoki mushrooms, compressed pear and light horseradish is a delectable appetizer at EBO in the Delta Burnaby Hotel.
Larry Wright/BURNABY NOW
EBO 8 – The roast scallop, served with cauliflower velvet, jamon serrano ham, capers and raisins is a delectable appetizer at EBO in the Delta Burnaby Hotel.
Larry Wright/BURNABY NOW
EBO 9 – Delta Burnaby Hotel director of sales and marketing Sebastien Theriault shows off the roast scallop, served with cauliflower velvet, jamon serrano ham, capers and raisins at EBO Restaurant.
Larry Wright/BURNABY NOW
EBO 10 – The 22-ounce 28-day dry-aged rib steak, served with several delectable sides, including orzo and aged cheddar macaroni and cheese, confit potatoes, asparagus and peppercorn sauce, is one of the new items on EBO Restaurant’s new winter menu.
Larry Wright/BURNABY NOW
EBO 11 – Delta Burnaby Hotel manager Eda Koot shows off the roast halibut, served with a Chanterelle mushroom risotto and lobster emulsion at EBO Restaurant.
Larry Wright/BURNABY NOW
