Chambar - Vancouver, BC

Mr. Piglet and I haven't been out to a nice place in a while but I've forced his hand.  It's my birthday! You have to take me out somewhere nice!  A few clicks and we've made a reservation at Chambar, a great Belgian place that we've been to before but never blogged about.  About a million people have already blogged on this place but we don't care - Mr. and I enjoyed the food last time so it's a safe bet to make here.

Doesn't matter which day of the week it is, this place is always full.  The restaurant itself is quite nice - comfy seating, really nice servers and a romantic dark ambiance which is great for romance but really bad for photos, especially when my camera is a point-and-shoot (yes, that is a hint to Mr. Piglet to get me a better camera for Christmas!).  ANYHOO....  A quick peruse through the menu and I know what I want (well, I knew before I even came) and a wine pairing from the server and off we go!

Duo de Petoncle de Porc - $17

Seared Qualicum scallops, crispy pork belly, Belgium endive, watercress purée, lemongrass rum caramel

On the pricey side but do you see what's in it???  Scallops, pork belly and chicharron??  Oh heck yeah!  It was absolutely delicious...  The pork was tender but then you got a bit of that porky salty crispiness and the scallops were perfectly seared.  The belgian endive side resembled coleslaw and it was just a nice tartness to cut through the fattiness of the pork.  We just ate the crispy chicharron by itself and it was cripsy delicious!  I should pair scallops with pork more often.  Everyone should! 

Vin Blanc (Moules Frites) - $23

Mussels, white wine, butter, braised celery & leeks, coarse black pepper

A giant bucket of mussels and a bowl of crispy fries - what's not to like???  The sauce was really smooth and the flavours subtle but you can still taste the richness of the butter, a nice accent of white wine and every so often, just a bit of bite from the black pepper.  Sublime.  Definitely up there among the best moules frites I've had (alongside Cafe Salade de Fruits - also very awesome).

Tajine d’aziz à l’agneau - $29

Braised lamb shank with honey, figs, cinnamon & cilantro, served with cous cous and zalouk

Among the most tender lamb I've ever had and not at all gamey.  Even Mrs. Teddy who never eats lamb, will eat this dish because of how amazingly fall-off-the-bone tender it is.  Mr. Piglet really enjoyed this dish and although I agree that it was tender, I was not a fan of the flavors.  I found it too cinnamon-y and too sweet for a savoury dish

Le Cafe Belge - $12

Espresso Cheesecake, Belgian Chocolate Mousse, Creme de Cacao Gelee, Crisp Chocolate Wafers

Everything about this dessert was wonderful - I love the contrast between sweet and a few more bitter notes, we loved the addition of the crunchy chocolate wafer and the mousse was just so smooth.  However, there were two exceptions: why is this dessert so small and what is the point of the gelee?  For $12, I appreciate the flair but sometimes a girl just needs an extra bite of cheesecake.  Mr. Piglet and I thought the gelee looked beautiful but didn't really add anything to the dish.  Overall, beautiful and delicious dessert but on the expensive side.  

Will we be back?  Perhaps for a special occasion but this is not the place to have dinner everyday for the price point.  Chambar is also a victim of its own success as well since the service suffered for its popularity - we couldn't find our server a few times because he was so busy tending to other tables.  If you need to treat someone special to a special meal, definitely check out Chambar as the food is delicate, divine and delicious - the essential 3 d's of a wonderful meal.  Just order a few glasses of wine, relax and maybe you won't even notice the slower service.  Bon appetite!

Oinks:

• Tasty dishes - get the moules frites of any flavour and you will not be disappointed!
• Great ambiance - not too loud, dimly lit and great for a romantic night
• Reservations can be made online

Doinks:

• High price point
• Spotty service