A sense of luxury was felt upon entering the Delta Vancouver Suites hotel, perhaps from the perfectly polished stone floors and glass railings or perhaps from the welcoming staff and tasteful decor. Located on the main floor, at first glance appears to be the hotel bar, but upon further inspection it turns out to be the cosy 54 seat restaurant known as Spencer’s Resto Lounge. Although it is marketed as a pre-event drink and snack venue, Spencer’s actually serves up some tasty West Coast inspired global dishes for diners looking for a cosy and elegant dinner environment.
We had the pleasure of being joined for dinner by Randy Burla (Food & Beverage Manager) and Shafina Hajee (Director of Sales & Marketing). Their varied pasts and unique personalities were a great example of how The Delta Hotels promote the individuality of their employees rather than the standard scripted employee interaction of many other hotel chains. With 46 hotels across Canada, one can only imagine the number of pleasantly colourful personalities that exist to serve their patrons.
Upon first inspection of the drinks list, we were pleased to see that over 50% of the wines offered were from local BC wineries. We chose to start our night off with the martini list, which offered selections for all palettes ranging from the classics to the modern-tinis. The Espresso L’amour and the Orange Creamsicle were our favourites. While our drinks were being mixed and shaken, Randy and Shafina entertained us with colourful stories from their previous careers as a restaurant owner and a preschool teacher.
After some entertaining stories from our hosts, our appetizers arrived – Spencer’s signature appetizer being the Sockeye Salmon Spring Rolls. With a crisp house made casing, these spring rolls were filled with tender pieces of sockeye salmon and sweet onions. Indeed the signature dish for good reason! Another appetizer we thoroughly enjoyed was the perfectly seasoned Crab & Shrimp Cakes which had a fresh taste of the sea and a generous enough portion to share.
For the mains, it was hard to pass up the Grilled Sockeye Salmon, Spice Rubbed Lamb Loin and the Lemon & Herb Crusted Albacore Tuna. The salmon, presented beautifully grilled yet still moist and tender on the inside, was served with a tasty and creamy lemon & garlic potato mash and charred asparagus. A beautiful combination! The lamb was tender and flavourful, served with a unique blend of toasted bulgur wheat with sun dried tomato, fennel, artichoke and olives. The tuna was served perfectly rare and tender with a lemon/herb crust and went well with the crunchy noodle salad and soy vinaigrette.
The unanimously favourite dessert had to be the Banana Fudge & Caramel Gelato Bomb, consisting of a crunchy maple walnut coated banana, fudge, caramel flavoured gelato served with strawberry compote and a dark rum sugar sauce. Devoured in seconds, I should have ordered my own! Also of note, was the Manhattan Crème Brulee, with a subtle orange flavour and the classic crisp sugar glaze. Spencer’s desserts were a wonderful way to finish a great, fresh tasting meal.
The kitchen creating the food for both restaurants (Spencer’s & Manhattan) as well as all catering and room service requests, has been run for the past 3 years by executive chef Ian Thompson. Chef Ian changes over half of the menu three times a year to coincide with the changing seasons. With the ever changing West Coast inspired food, local wine and all-encompassing martini list, be sure to consider Spencer’s for dinner when you are planning your next pre-event drink venue.
About The Diner
