  hef Rob Feenie's luminescent (sorry) Lumiere is a combination of refined elegance and intense passion. Both the food and the service at Lumiere are, without hyperbole, extraordinary. The lighting is dim, creating an ambiance of restrained elegance, while the menu is one of distinct priciness. The clientele is firmly of the double-breasted and expense account caliber.
Executive chef/proprietor Feenie's classically innovative cuisine enhances the mood provided by the décor. After all, it's hard not to engage in romance when noshing on aphrodisiacal fare like Pan seared foie gras & grilled scallop layered with BBQ duck broth, or Pan Seared with English pea ravioli and sage brown butter sauce. Preparation and presentation are pure French, while ingredients are resolutely local, which makes for interesting surprises: fresh local ginger with the veal, or raspberries in the foie gras.
Lumière's tasting menus are comprised of a series of 8 to 10 rotating, seasonal plates paired with a local wine and artfully presented. The Signature Prix Fixe is a must. Clocking in at $160, the journey takes you on a lengthy culinary trip with plates that include a Citrus Cured Wild Sockeye Salmon with crème fraiche, honey tangerine coulis and brioche crouton; Duck Prosciutto arrives with bing cherry coulis, cumin-caramel and cumin powder.
A plate of Roast halibut cheek with a sauce vierge, fava beans and ricotta ravioli; A Pan seared foie gras & grilled scallop with BBQ duck broth, seaweed salad and soybeans; a Pan seared squab breast with English pea agnolotti, baby artichoke and sauce royale…and on it goes. This tasting menu may take the whole evening, but you’ll be greatly rewarded with a euphoric stomach and amorous dining companion (so be careful). - R.L.
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 AT A GLANCE
Lumiere Restaurant
2551 West Broadway, Vancouver, BC
604-739-8185
French
Downtown
Venue:
Restaurant
Hours:
Tue. to Sun.: 5:30pm - 12:00am
Price Range:
$$$$ (expensive)
Payment:
Master Card, Visa, American Express, Diners Club
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THE BUZZ
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IN THE AREA
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7 Reader Reviews | If you want to drop your mortgage payment on a meal, this is the place to do it. Elegant, classy, zero attitude staff - great dining as it should be. Oh, and the food is always flawless. Heck, we'll pay the mortgage next month. ;o)
1. Anonymous's Review :: August 13, 2008 |
If you want to drop your mortgage payment on a meal, this is the place to do it. Elegant, classy, zero attitude staff - great dining as it should be. Oh, and the food is always flawless. Heck, we'll pay the mortgage next month. ;o)
2. F. Wallis's Review :: August 13, 2008 F. Wallis's Rating: 4 Stars |
We were very excited about trying Lumiere and had booked it from Calgary before going on a weekend trip to Vanvouver. Overall the service was very good. Two exceptions here were when we ordered a glass of champagne our waiter brought the "house" champagne at $25 a glass but didn't tell us about the two other Bubbly's at half that cost. Also I asked for a second cup of coffee but did not recieve it. We sat down at 7:30 and at 11 pm we were still waiting for 2 courses. We were so fed up by then we actually didn't want to wait but they sped up the process so we had a few bites of the last courses. Overall we were highly disappointed with the meal. Every course had a wonderful description but most were bland and insipid. We are real foodies as well and frequent many restaurants as well as being cooks ourselves. Honestly, we were more immpressed with our $25 Thai lunch in Van then our $600 dinner (plus tip) at Lumiere. I would not go back to Lumiere again at whatever the cost. Which was absolutely outrageous by the way.
3. Ross McNeil's Review :: February 12, 2008 Ross McNeil's Rating: 1 Stars |
Well the new chef is in and Lumiere will soon be out of buisness. We recently ate dinner on a Friday night. 6 of us had the $125 menue option. There was little to talk about as far as food quality. It was almost 2 hours before our first course arrived and it was NOT worth the wait. The restaurant was 3/4 full and the server acted like we were bothering him by being there. Nearly 5 hours later it was over...finally! $750 (just in food) later I felt like I was just mugged. The only thing I can say is take your money and fly to Mexico for the weekend, eat crappy all inclusive food, you will be much happier.
4. Anonymous's Review :: January 31, 2008 |
Well the new chef is in and Lumiere will soon be out of buisness. We recently ate dinner on a Friday night. 6 of us had the $125 menue option. There was little to talk about as far as food quality. It was almost 2 hours before our first course arrived and it was NOT worth the wait. The restaurant was 3/4 full and the server acted like we were bothering him by being there. Nearly 5 hours later it was over...finally! $750 (just in food) later I felt like I was just mugged. The only thing I can say is take your money and fly to Mexico for the weekend, eat crappy all inclusive food, you will be much happier.
5. Johnny Vancouver's Review :: January 31, 2008 Johnny Vancouver's Rating: 1 Stars |
THE LEGEND OF LUMIÈRE CONTINUES
By SANDY D
The legend of Lumière has for many years intrigued my curiosity as the venue known for serving Vancouver's finest cuisine. From watching Rob Feenie's triumphant television victory on Iron Chef America, to hearing the many reports from friends and family about the quality of food, the restaurant's aura has always been a source of great intrigue.
With the recent departure of Mr. Feenie from the business, and the hiring of Dale MacKay, new chef and a former protégé of the legendary Gordon Ramsay (from the Hell's Kitchen television program), I decided that it was time that I made my first visit to see whether the hype would live up to the experience.
I made a reservation in the main room to partake in one of the luxurious preset menus. There is the option, however, of eating á la carte at the fabulous tasting bar for those who just want to sample some of the many French delicacies available.
The dining room is very intimate, with a layout, which allows for a warm atmosphere that my girlfriend and I truly appreciated. We were offered a complimentary glass of champagne as soon as we walked in the door. Wow… this already look like a great night, the hostess was quite cheerful and set us up at the tasting bar before finding us a table in the main dining room in short order.
There were three choices available, and I selected the Chef's Tasting Menu, completely convinced that its eight courses would be more than enough for my taste buds to handle. To say that I was not disappointed would be a true understatement.
The foie gras terrine that incorporated smoked chicken into the mix was absolutely decadent and a beautiful match to the wonderful selection of bread that the courteous waiting staff continued to offer throughout the night.
The unique nature of the Queen Charlotte spot prawn ravioli was sumptuous, particularly with the innovative squid linguine that accompanied the dish.
Before continuing to comment on the additional menu items, I have to say that I was absolutely blown away by the way that each dish was presented and described by the wonderful Maitre d', whose eloquent introduction to each provided an excitement and wonder that is hard to describe. They made me aware of the ingredients I was about to take in with a flair that I have rarely experienced in any dining experience in this city.
The roasted arctic char was a magnificent match to the chanterelle mushrooms - a taste combination that melted in your mouth. At that point in the evening, I was only onto the third course, and had experienced about three or four flavours that I had never tasted before.
Though not a fan of lamb, the loin spiced with lightly spiced choucroute and golden raisins was sweet, rich and truly delicious. Cooked to perfection, I will never look at lamb (a meat that has never been my favourite) the same way again.
I would be remiss if I did not detail the decadence of the deserts offered at the end of my meal. The Jasmine Tea poached pears melted in my mouth, and were well complimented by the mango sorbet and black sesame praline. A tart and tangy taste that I will not soon forget. I was also blown away by the peppered blueberry compote and lemon,
basil & white chocolate ice cream, which turned out to be the most delicate and complex ice cream I have ever eaten.
Then of course there were the mini French pastry selections to finish the meal, which I had a hard time keeping away from, in spite of concerns about my waistline. They were immaculate on the tongue, and truly melted away into a sugary heaven that was far beyond my tolerance for sweets.
After a languid two hours of dining excellence, Lumière was definitely an outing that was able to meet and indeed exceed my expectations. In comparing my dishes to some of my colleagues, I began to understand how Chef MacKay's new additions to the menu had taken the restaurant to a new level of creativity and quality.
For a night out on the town, Lumière is quite frankly the most pleasurable dining experience in the city of Vancouver. And although my bank account ---from spending on shoes and purses-- won't allow me to go as often as I might like, I will most definitely be returning within a couple of months to partake in the other menus that continue to call to me from afar.
Sandy D is a Vancouver lifestyle writer who enjoys various kinds of food, and fashion brands. She can be contacted at qwew@hotmail.com
6. Anonymous's Review :: December 23, 2007 |
THE LEGEND OF LUMIÈRE CONTINUES
By SANDY D
The legend of Lumière has for many years intrigued my curiosity as the venue known for serving Vancouver's finest cuisine. From watching Rob Feenie's triumphant television victory on Iron Chef America, to hearing the many reports from friends and family about the quality of food, the restaurant's aura has always been a source of great intrigue.
With the recent departure of Mr. Feenie from the business, and the hiring of Dale MacKay, new chef and a former protégé of the legendary Gordon Ramsay (from the Hell's Kitchen television program), I decided that it was time that I made my first visit to see whether the hype would live up to the experience.
I made a reservation in the main room to partake in one of the luxurious preset menus. There is the option, however, of eating á la carte at the fabulous tasting bar for those who just want to sample some of the many French delicacies available.
The dining room is very intimate, with a layout, which allows for a warm atmosphere that my girlfriend and I truly appreciated. We were offered a complimentary glass of champagne as soon as we walked in the door. Wow… this already look like a great night, the hostess was quite cheerful and set us up at the tasting bar before finding us a table in the main dining room in short order.
There were three choices available, and I selected the Chef's Tasting Menu, completely convinced that its eight courses would be more than enough for my taste buds to handle. To say that I was not disappointed would be a true understatement.
The foie gras terrine that incorporated smoked chicken into the mix was absolutely decadent and a beautiful match to the wonderful selection of bread that the courteous waiting staff continued to offer throughout the night.
The unique nature of the Queen Charlotte spot prawn ravioli was sumptuous, particularly with the innovative squid linguine that accompanied the dish.
Before continuing to comment on the additional menu items, I have to say that I was absolutely blown away by the way that each dish was presented and described by the wonderful Maitre d', whose eloquent introduction to each provided an excitement and wonder that is hard to describe. They made me aware of the ingredients I was about to take in with a flair that I have rarely experienced in any dining experience in this city.
The roasted arctic char was a magnificent match to the chanterelle mushrooms - a taste combination that melted in your mouth. At that point in the evening, I was only onto the third course, and had experienced about three or four flavours that I had never tasted before.
Though not a fan of lamb, the loin spiced with lightly spiced choucroute and golden raisins was sweet, rich and truly delicious. Cooked to perfection, I will never look at lamb (a meat that has never been my favourite) the same way again.
I would be remiss if I did not detail the decadence of the deserts offered at the end of my meal. The Jasmine Tea poached pears melted in my mouth, and were well complimented by the mango sorbet and black sesame praline. A tart and tangy taste that I will not soon forget. I was also blown away by the peppered blueberry compote and lemon,
basil & white chocolate ice cream, which turned out to be the most delicate and complex ice cream I have ever eaten.
Then of course there were the mini French pastry selections to finish the meal, which I had a hard time keeping away from, in spite of concerns about my waistline. They were immaculate on the tongue, and truly melted away into a sugary heaven that was far beyond my tolerance for sweets.
After a languid two hours of dining excellence, Lumière was definitely an outing that was able to meet and indeed exceed my expectations. In comparing my dishes to some of my colleagues, I began to understand how Chef MacKay's new additions to the menu had taken the restaurant to a new level of creativity and quality.
For a night out on the town, Lumière is quite frankly the most pleasurable dining experience in the city of Vancouver. And although my bank account ---from spending on shoes and purses-- won't allow me to go as often as I might like, I will most definitely be returning within a couple of months to partake in the other menus that continue to call to me from afar.
Sandy D is a Vancouver lifestyle writer who enjoys various kinds of food, and fashion brands. She can be contacted at qwew@hotmail.com
7. Sandy's Review :: December 23, 2007 Sandy's Rating: 4 Stars |
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 2551 West Broadway, Vancouver, BC |
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