Getting to FigMint was easy right on the corner of a busy street and with free valet parking (make sure you get your ticket validated) this restaurant welcomes you with a friendly staff ready to take your jacket and show you into an elegant European-inspired contemporary designed monochromatic grey space with sparingly used punches of bright colors.
The first thing that came to our table was the usual ice water, followed by not so common small plates of lime and lemon wedges and slices of cucumber. Even though, it was not overwhelming with choice, the wine list covered all the basics, from Spain, Australia, Chile, California, France and British Columbia, we were certain to find something to our liking, being red, white, rosé or sparkly. Since FigMint is located at the lobby of a hotel (The Plaza 500 at the corner of Cambie and 12th), it has a wide variety of menus. Breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner all have separate menus with only a few items appearing in more than one menu. The restaurant also features a children's selection of dishes with items such as Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches and Apple and Vanilla Yogurt Popsicles. There is a different list of items exclusively for the lounge, which, according to the staff, perfectly fits the relaxed atmosphere the lounge has to offer. The dinner menu has several good options. The items are very easy to select because they single out the main ingredient in the dish, for example as a starter you can find a White Onion and Riesling Soup with Truffle Oil, Shaved Manchego and Soft Poached Egg, though the name of the dish on the menu only appears as "Onion." The menu has Beef, Prawns, Duc, Game Hen and a lot more.
Because we were a large party, we got a prix fixe menu, with a starter dish, a main course, a palate cleanser and a dessert. We were all pleasantly surprised to start our evening with an amuse-bouche, which consisted of a Beer Battered Prawn with a Butternut Squash Velouté. The velouté had a tangy flavor, perfectly pairing the light and crisp prawn. The only downside to this amuse-bouche was that the velouté was served on a shot glass, and no little spoon was provided. Fortunately we were served three kinds of bread, and if we chose to, they could be used to dip into the shot glass.
Our first dish was a Foie Gras with Braised Plums, Brioche Croutons and Toasted Almonds. Since Foie Gras is widely misconceived, I was glad and excited to see it on the menu. The hot, lightly caramelized escalope of foie gras didn't let me down. The crisp exterior masking a soft, melting centre surrounded by the sweet and moisture filled braised plums is not for those that don't take sweet over savory. Though, for those of us that do this is a succulent combination of sweet and salty.
Our second course was Seared Ahi Tuna with Butternut Squash, Pecorino cheese, Brussel Sprouts and Shaved Truffle. Going into a dish like this I am always wary. The Ahi Tuna can easily be undercooked or overcooked. Also, if the Brussel sprouts are overcooked they release sulfur compounds giving them a distinctive unpleasant smell and taste, making the mix with truffles and adventure. FigMint got it right for me. The only downside to this dish was that there were only a couple of small Ahi Tuna pieces, I would have lied one more, the taste of the tuna was slightly overwhelmed by the strong perfume of the shaved truffles. What was great about it, however, was that it was prepared with a Veal jus and almonds, giving it an extra boost of taste and some balance to the truffle. If you are a vegetarian, however, I suggest you let the staf know, in case there are some ingredients not mentioned on the menu.
The main course was followed by a Grape Soda with House Made Raisins Palate Cleanser, aside from turning our tongues and teeth purple, the sour cleanser did a great job in stabilizing our taste buds and making them ready for the Chocolate Tasting.
Desert consisted of White Chocolate Mousse, Flourless Chocolate Cake, Chocolate Bownie and a Bittersweet Chocolat Torte. The combination of chocolates was great, though most of my party didn't have much room left after the line-up of courses.
By the end of the meal, it was clear that the Chef lived up to his philosophy: :A dish or menu can not be profound if a Chef has not used the best ingredients, the correct techniques qhile still maintaining a sophisticated level of simplicity." That is what FigMint does best. From the second you walk in, you can notice the simple colours and designs, that mixed together create something unique. Even the name of the restaurant reflects this philosophy, tacking down the combination of any two ingredients can yield out amazing results, so long s the ingredients are used with knowledge and adequate methods of cooking. FigMint also does this at a reasonable price. You can enjoy a Two Course Business Lunch for only $18. Dinner prices are reasonable as well, compared to other similar hotel restaurants in Downtown Vancouver and other restaurants in the area. I strongly recommend you give FigMint a try.
www.figmintrestaurant.com
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