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Cassandra Anderton | Last Updated: October 23,2008 11:45:53 pm
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But this is an escape for us; we want fine dining, so we opt for the warm leek and endive salad ($14) topped with creamy hazelnut dressing, which comes with little stacks of flavourful herbs and mini-croutons. The baked gnocchi is layered with ricotta, eggplant and a tart tomato sauce. Perfect for a fall night. The baked halibut with chanterelles, capers and lemon is tempting, as is the roasted beef with béarnaise, peppercorn and horseradish.
But if you want to feel like royalty, don't just stop there. Grab a snifter of port and find some room for dessert. Options include a decadent chocolate dome with passion fruit and mandarin sorbet and a rich lemon curd tart with almond cream. There's a fine line between a refined meal and full out gorgery, but I expect you'll be able to straddle the threshold. This is a place to come to escape the real world, if only for an afternoon or evening. And with the rooms just upstairs, you may just want to extend your stay and have a proper vacation. In fact, after a tour of the spectacular hotel, you may vow to do just that. But your mind will probably change once you take a look at that harsh reminder of reality: your bank statement.
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 AT A GLANCE
Voya
1177 Melville Street, Vancouver, BC
604-669-5060
Canadian
Coal Harbour
Venue:
Restaurant
Hours:
Breakfast - Mon. to Fri.: 6:30 am - 10:30 am Sat. to Sun.: 7:00 am - 11:30 am Weekend Brunch - 10:30 am - 3:00 pm Lunch - 11:30 am - 3:00 pm Appetizers - Sun. to Wed.: 3:00 pm - 10 pm Thu. to Sun
Price Range:
$$$$ (expensive)
Payment:
Master Card, Visa, American Express
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THE BUZZ
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IN THE AREA
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17 Reader Reviews | Absolutely amazing. A bit pricey but I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Service and food is top notch. Have the crusted prawns that is just ridiculously good. I believe it runs about $70/person but for special occasions or when you want to impress that special someone...you can not go wrong. Reservations recommended.
1. Jacob Smythe's Review :: January 03, 2009 Jacob Smythe's Rating: 4 Stars |
We have tried several dishes on the menu with friends at Voya, and it's good but I wouldn't rate it up at the Top of Vancouver dining.
2. A Rogers's Review :: December 27, 2008 A Rogers's Rating: 3 Stars |
VOYA
A place where aging queens dine on bad food. Served by bumbling waiters.
Felt as if we were on the set of a Faulty Towers remake.
Half expected John Cleese to burst out of the kitchen chasing a server at any moment.
Don't waste your hard earned dollars here. There is zero value for your money.
Read all of the reviews if you doubt the place is crowed with aging queens thinking there Hollywood starlets. Nothing sadder. Liberace is DEAD.
One star for the music.
3. Kim Lee's Review :: December 13, 2008 Kim Lee's Rating: 1 Stars |
I'm amased how many people use this site to attack server's like Cyrus just did!!!!!
4. Wow's Review :: November 21, 2008 Wow's Rating: Stars |
Rubber chicken anyone?
I ordered the duck.
Something I rarely have but expected something deliciously prepared considering the rep of the chef, and the expense.
The portion was tiny and the usually delicious fatty skin was akin to chewing gum.
Accompanied with beets and beet tops?
Yawn.
The menu is surprisingly boring;
the bar menu 'looks' better.
Our server can be described by nothing other than a goofy guy.
Probably new at this, or came from a McDonald's.
I know this all sounds 'bitchy' as another writer put it
but this was truly a disappointment for such a pretty place.
Other than some staffer playing with the lighting levels the music was perfect.
Once the new restaurant hype is over, this place, in such an inconspicious locale, may have its challenges.
I'm certainly in no hurry to go back.
5. Cyrus's Review :: November 20, 2008 Cyrus's Rating: 2 Stars |
You can really tell the amateur bitchy fags who think they can review a restaurant with their pretentious diatribes.... Mikey and T. Blair - you've been outed, and your blowsy run on sentences are embarrassing... I'm sure the wait staff would know who you are from your endless unimpressed banter. Do Vancouver a favour and order takeout next time,as you truly don't have the class to sit in this room. It is a beautiful classy room, complete with 3 dimly lit chandeliers and large mirrors much like an old Hollywood champagne club. Like most of the reviewers, I enjoyed a quiet meal with my dining companion consisting of a wonderful stuffed cornish game hen, side of wild mushrooms and a butternut squash risotto. The server paired wine for us, and we finished with some petit fours and a nougat semi freddo. The prices, especially the wine list is much more reasonable than many of Vancouver's other "fine dining" establishments. As a gay man, I choose to support, not tear apart others' successes. Cheers to you Marc - Andre Choquette, Vancouver has been waiting and it's well worth the wait!
6. JC McCarthy's Review :: November 20, 2008 JC McCarthy's Rating: 4 Stars |
I've had the pleasure of eating at Voya twice now and both times the service and food were truly superb. I can't think of the last time I dined at a hotel in this city or abroad, where the food has been at this caliber. Fresh, well prepared and nicely presented. Perhaps, at least from what I've read above, it's people's expectations that are off and not the food and the service... it's a hotel restaurant first and foremost, not a stand alone fine dining establishment...it must cater to the masses and be accessible. This chef may have come from Lumiere but his menu selections at Voya, while refined, seem to have something for even the most picky eater. I also thought the prices were very reasonable....again, compare them to a restaurant with a similar concept and I don't think you'll find they are all that off...certainly not for a hotel! You're usually gouged!!
For what it is...I liked it very much as did my fellow guests and we all will be back.
7. Marta's Review :: November 13, 2008 Marta's Rating: 4 Stars |
Voya shows promise but, as is often the case in Vancouver, the place just does not live up to the hype. The much lauded interior is fine if you like the international-moderne style, but we certainly were not awestruck. Banquette seating is preferred as it offers a bit of privacy and space.
The drinks card is overly pretentious, and our cocktails took forever to arrive on a slow night. They were fine, nothing at all spectacular, though the Sazerac is recommended for those who like a bracing old-school cocktail.
The Warm Leek Endive Salad is just okay, the highlight being the succulent leek wrapped in bacon. The BBQ Eel and Fatty Duck Liver Terrine would have been luscious in texture had it not been served too cold giving it a greasy mouth-feel, and it also lacked any finesse in flavor. The accompanying pickled shimeji mushrooms were lovely, and the dish is served with a good but unremarkable brioche.
Our party of 3 opted to share the Roasted Beef ($75 for a whopping 28 ounce portion). It was perfectly cooked to order, though some slices were a bit too chewy. The 3 sauces served with it were all very good, but the beef had cooled off by the time it reached the table. We also ordered some very ordinary Sauteed Fingerling Potatoes, the Steamed Rapini which was fine but miniscule, and a fabulous side of Creamed Kale Gratin.
Desserts were all fine but nothing outstanding. The Lemon Curd Tart would have been much better with a lighter crust. The Chocolate Dome was nice, and the "Modern" Brulee perfectly ordinary. Some of the ice creams served with the desserts were excellent however.
The wine list is surprisingly affordable for the most part, with a good selection of glasses.
Service was friendly and upbeat, but not terribly professional. I cannot imagine dining here on a busy night, as the several servers seemed frazzled just trying to keep up with the 8 occupied tables.
I'll definitely try Voya again, but for now Management needs to iron out some kinks, and pay more attention to the flavors and temperature of the dishes. Some menu changes are already in the works, which hopefully will improve the quality of the experience, especially given the fairly aggressive pricing of the menu.
8. Mikey's Review :: November 11, 2008 Mikey's Rating: 2 Stars |
Came here not to long ago, and my expectations were really high. I thought everything was well plated, creative, and looked really beautiful... but, the flavors weren't all there. We did the tour, I think it was 5 courses it took a little over 3 hours. Conceptually it was great, taste-wise I've had better.
9. Carole F. Simpson's Review :: November 09, 2008 Carole F. Simpson's Rating: 3 Stars |
I cannot recall the last time a restaurant so far exceeded my expectations. Maybe the night my wife and I dined at Voya all the stars were aligned perfectly in the universe. But we walked away believing Marc-Andre Choquette just may be one of the best and underrated chefs in the city.
10. Antoine McCroix's Review :: November 08, 2008 Antoine McCroix's Rating: 4 Stars |
I love this new restaurant... not so much for the food, although it is fabulous. But for the decor, staff, locale. I have been several times in the last few weeks, and the food has always been correct and prompt. The desserts, drinks, everything "top notch".
11. Danielle Frazier's Review :: November 05, 2008 Danielle Frazier's Rating: 4 Stars |
Decor, Bartender and Hostess all scored a 10. However I was a little shocked at the level of professionalism diplayed by several of the staff. Once seated in the dining room the length of time it took our server to offer drinks was over 10 minutes, in spite of the fact he breezed by several times and the dining room had only 8 tables with any customers. Twice he snuck up behind me and whispered BOO into my ear about an inch from my head?? I realize it was the day after Halloween but this is not The Macaroni Grill! I found the service to be lackluster and slow. Food was good, but I did find the Duck to have a gummy consistency. As a word of advice to the Bar Manager, please talk to your hostess for the low down on the lounge tables and who's bill has been paid etc before you start questioning the guests and dragging tables around. It is not our job to tell you who's moving into the dining room and which cheque belongs to which guests. The hostess knows these details. Again your not running a Chuck E Cheese. A final word of warning to your guests in the Dining Room, if your seated on the banquette do not allow yourself to be seated too far down the row as the light from the open kitchen door will blind you for the duration of your meal. As for the rubber placemats on the dining room tables, the only purpose they serve is to spill your drink and they are very creepy to the touch, plus they make the table setting appear as the Voya was on a tight decorating budget which clearly they were not! So put the rubber shelf liner back where it belongs. PLEASE! I will definately be back, however unless I get to choose my server I won't ever allow myself to be seated in the dining room. Several other server's were right on the ball, but unfortunately we were not fortunate enough to be seated in there section.
12. T Blair's Review :: November 04, 2008 T Blair's Rating: Stars |
Frankly, we were expecting to be blown away by the food, but that didn't exactly happen. Maybe it's time to lower our standards. Our table ordered half the menu - and, most items were just average in preparation. I'd love to try their lunch menu next time.
13. Jen Frazier's Review :: November 04, 2008 Jen Frazier's Rating: 2 Stars |
Voya does a superb job of presenting the excellent food on your plate. Their presentations are impressive as is there food. The food is a blend of continental with doses of French.
On a 10 point rating system:
Food 9
Service 6 ( normally better, but it can be spotty)
Ambiance 7
Value 7
Price $$$$
14. Dinnis C.'s Review :: October 26, 2008 Dinnis C.'s Rating: 3 Stars |
Voya probably doesn't need another review, but I'm going to chime in with the already loud chorus of praise, anyway. A recent dinner was superb. The waitstaff are skilled professionals, and the wine holdings fit the menu nicely. A truly enjoyable meal - hard to do better.
15. Diane C. Hall's Review :: October 25, 2008 Diane C. Hall's Rating: 4 Stars |
My 1st perfect rating. Outlandish on the expense side. But unmatched on the quality / culinary arts side.
16. Darrell B.'s Review :: October 24, 2008 Darrell B.'s Rating: 4 Stars |
Finally, some material sensuality. I’ll be booking my flight to Vancouver shortly.
17. Barbara Sheltie's Review :: October 23, 2008 Barbara Sheltie's Rating: 4 Stars |
| Click here to view all 17 reviews |
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   1177 Melville Street, Vancouver, BC |
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MBO Vancouver :: Vancouver Restaurants & Dining Guide
