Sorry, no pics - Hubbs felt it might ruin the romantic mood of our 4th anniversary dinner ;) We made an impromptu last minute decision to go out for dinner to celebrate 4 glorious years of marital bliss, and I picked Fraiche because it has been on my brain ever since I discovered it a few weeks before V-day. I had tried making reso's then, but they were of course completely booked. Next year I'm booking in October ;)This time we made early reso's and it was on a week night, so they had room and even a table with a view. The restaurant is located in one of the highest points in West Van and thus overlooks the cityscape of Van (particularly near the Stanley Park seawall area). An incredibly romantic place, and quite upscale; the dress code is business casual (at minimum) and the fellow sitting near us who wore a t-shirt probably felt pretty sheepish about his clothing choice ;) I wore a cocktail dress, and most ladies there did the same, so that should give you an idea what to expect ;)
Anyway, Hubbs and I both got starters, he the crab cake and I the foie gras. I think he enjoyed his crab cake (it was pretty yummy from the sampler I got). The foie gras I had was the best foie gras I have ever had, even better than the "Meat and Potato" appie at Hardware Grill in Edmonton. The foie gras was perfectly (and lightly) seared, and so delicate and flavourful and deliciously fatty and smooth that it made my heart flutter. The other part of the foie gras, the "pate" version, was also rich and smooth and paired beautifully with the crispy flatbreads that accompanied it. The clincher though was the candied pineapple that came with the foie gras. The slightly acidic juices were the perfect compliment to the creamy texture of the foie gras.
I could have eaten a pound of foie gros, I'm sure. However, I held back and waited patiently for the main entree. Hubbs had a pasta that came with lobster and sablefish, and I had their rack of lamb. Again, judging from Hubbs finishing all of his meal, I think he liked what he had. My lamb was very tender and roasted such that it was crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. I've not always loved lamb but this particular preparation was very very good.
For dessert (we made room), I had the creme brulee and Hubbs had the sticky toffee pudding. My creme brulee was good but not particularly stand-out (save for the wonderful "Happy Anniversary" message written in chocolate on my plate), whereas Hubbs' dessert was incredible. Next time I will probably order the toffee pudding instead; it was aromatic and just a decadent and rich dessert to finish off the evening.
Service was great; our server was very helpful and friendly and professional without being snooty. Given the eliteness of the restaurant, his attitude was refreshingly normal and approachable. I very much enjoyed the view and the absolutely wonderful fare. We've already decided we need to save up and come back every season just because we liked it so much!
Fraiche is a great place to celebrate anniversaries and other major occasions, though the place isn't very affordable so it's one of those "save up to go" sort of restaurants. The view is breath-taking, probably moreso at night, so I'd advise going for a late dinner rather than an early one like we did. Do take pictures because it is truly a spectacular view of Vancouver from their dining room; I will next time. :)
Service: 4.5 out of 5
Food: 4.5 out of 5
