Out Vancouver Meal #2: Hamilton Street Grill
Every Year Tourism Vancouver puts on Dine Out Vancouver [tv] which provides an oppertunity for locals and tourists alike to try some of Vancouver’s best resturants at a reasonable price. The event runs from January 19th through to February 4th. On Saturday night my girlfriend Lydia and I went to the Hamilton Street Grill [hsg].
Hamilton Street Grill
1009 Hamilton Street
Vancouver, BC V5N 2K5
Phone: 604.331.1511
Another resturant beside a comic book store? Is that a requirement for all Dine Out Vancouver joints? I’m not going to get into the frustration of trying to park in Yaletown. Had I known I’d waste fifteen minutes and end up spending $11 when Easy Park decided to charge my credit card for a full day instead of two hours I’d have just used the provided valet parking.
In my last review [mbv] I mentioned that I’m not much of a foodie writer. I find it hard to really communicate what I like about food. I don’t however find it hard to communicate what I don’t like about food and unfortunately Hamilton Street Grill wasn’t that good.
Let’s start positive before the jump.
The service was great. Due to Seinfield style mixups we were 45 minutes late for our reservations and despite being packed they were kind enough to re-schedual everything. The waiter was attentive and there was never any point where we started wondering when someone would come and pay attention to us. The wine was excellent.
Below the jump, “I know a good steak, and you sir are no good steak.”
I like steak, and in the world of food that’s sort of my thing. It’s my go to meal, and so I feel comfortable commenting on steak quality. I’ve eaten and enjoyed steaks from everything from family resturants like Denny’s to actual good steak houses. I’ve eaten bad steaks, good steaks and amazing steaks [rcsh].
I ordered the New York striploin with brandy and green madagascar peppercorn sauce as my main course. It was bland. The portion was a good size, but a filling quantity of bland is still bland. The meat was well cooked, but it seemed to lack even the natural flavour that a steak generally has. It was odd.
Odd too because though it wasn’t up my alley the opening soup, a lobster bisque, was really flavourful, as was the dessert, a gingerbread pudding. It was just odd that a returant known for steaks would go wrong. Especially since I’ve heard great things about it and others think it’s top drawer [mdt].
So if I’d give Aurora Bistro an A I’d have to give the Hamilton Street Grill a C+. It was good, not great.
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I’m no foodie writer, either, so I rely heavily on pictures! =) It’s Dine Out. It’s restaurants you don’t really plan on going to regularly. Pictures are mandatory. And it looks like there will be several more Dine Outs to hear about from you alone. =)
What’s with Lobster bisque? Don’t get me wrong..I like the stuff, but I swear that’s so Dine Out 2005 where it’s like all the Yaletown restaurants got together and made one giant communal container of it.
Jeffery,
Although it pains me to hear you did not enjoy your steak, I am happy that you and Lydia did manage to get seated and enjoy your evening. When Lydia called to cancel your reservation because she had lost you, we had given your table away. When she called back to request a table again, we did a quick bit of fancy footwork to squeeze you back in. I am glad that all worked out after your investment in parking that evening.
I have spoken to the kitchen about the amount of seasoning that they should be using as this should have cleared up any problems. I will also follow up with my local supplier on the steak. I have been using Certified Angus Beef for ten years now and have always found it to be consistantly flavourful. The New York is a personal favourite of mine so I will have one for dinner this evening to see if my experience is the same as yours.
I will pass on your positive service comments to Steve as he works hard to make everyone’s experience the best it can be. This will lift his spitits at the whole staff is giving 200 % for Dine Out.
All the best,
Neil Wyles
Owner
HAmilton Street Grill
Neil, thanks for replying. That’s why it was odd that I didn’t like the steak, because everything else about the Hamilton Street Grill was first class that it seemed out of place.
Basically I think the resturant is really great, and I’m sure I just hit the steak on an off night.
Just out of curiosity, as I see your dining companion has also posted in a blog about your dinner, how did your server Steve respond when you told him that you found the steak flavour a little lacking ?
Neil Wyles