estaurants in West Vancouver have begun to emulate Elliot Spitzer's career. Many places have closed recently, while a number of others have rotated staff. In the last year or so we have said goodbye to Bistro 1734, Beachside Café, and its replacement, Chill on the Waterfront. Local celebrity chefs, Alain and Steve Ray, saw their second venture, La Regalade Cote Mer, shut its doors. While some spots remain vacant, others have been revitalized with new owners hoping that formula, not location, was their downfall. Taking over from Bread and Tulips, Chippendale Drive's newest room with a view, Fraîche, should succeed in drawing the crowds.

In its former guise, the resto was helmed by an unknown chef. Located high above the city, it proved too far a drive to entice uncertain foodie pilgrims. Furthermore, though the room was gorgeous and the view spectacular, the kitchen and the service were unpredictable and often lacking. With Fraîche, owners sought out more experienced and well known partners and management, installing Chef Wayne Martin (ex-Four Seasons and current owner of Crave) in the kitchen and Mary Ann Masney (ex-Four Seasons and Quail's Gate Winery) in the front of house.

In its new incarnation, the room hasn't changed much, and that's a good thing. With eight bar-side seats and another sixty-two spread generously throughout the dining room, the space is open. Upon entry, a Robert Davidson solid bronze Haida sculpture will greet you. The room continues to impress with its dark, earthy tones and open kitchen. Covered in chocolate leather, chairs are sinfully comfortable while obligatory tablecloths top the tables. The amazing panoramic view of the Lower Mainland, from Point Atkinson in the west to Mount Baker in the east, will make you forget why you're at Fraiche in the first place; "breathtaking" is an understatement.

Currently open exclusively for dinner, Fraîche will soon begin Saturday and Sunday brunch services, as well as lunch shortly thereafter. Chef Martin describes the menu as “relaxed and comforting, highlighting fresh, seasonal and regional cuisine: new neighbourhood classics.” For now there is a rather formal dinner menu (and it doesn’t come cheap), but there will soon be a more casual bar menu offering many classics from Martin’s Main Street success, Crave.

Arriving at Fraîche on a rather slow Sunday in its first week we were pleasantly greeted and shown to our table. The crowd varied with middle-aged couples dining with friends, some obvious first-dates, and parents taking out offspring in their early twenties. Refined instrumental music kept things civil. The vibe was simultaneously formal and relaxed.