Date Night: Elisa Steakhouse Review

Elisa is easily one of my favourite restaurants right now. When it comes to the perfect date night, most of the time it’s not so much what you’re eating but more about the company. So if someone offers to take you here, you know they really like you because the food, wine selection, ambiance and service is impeccable. This spot basically wins everything on my ideal dinner date destination checklist. You know the foods going to be good even before you walk in because you can literally smell all their deliciousness from their wood-fired grill a block away. The tall revolving doors lead you to a charismatic bar, lounge, and dining area with beautiful wooden accents, which is exactly where you want to be seen. Their wine list is thoughtful and diverse so you know there’s something for everyone. The room is always happening but not distracting so those meaningful conversations can take place. Ultimately, they’re accommodating, attentive, and dedicated to providing a warm experience.

One of the most frequent questions I get in my DMs is: “What do you recommend eating at Elisa?” Well, that’s a loaded question but you’ve come to the right person! Fortunately, my partner in crime and I are both c̶r̶a̶z̶y̶ avid eaters and like to order for five between the two of us so I can confidently say that we’ve been through the entire menu. So without further ado, here are my top picks:

The rundown

Tartare: The ‘Classic’ Beef Tartare

The first time we ever visited Elisa in December 2018, we felt obligated to try a tartare since they have an entire section dedicated to the dish. We ended up trying the ‘Signature’ Beef Tartare featuring a quail egg, easter egg radish, gem lettuce, barbecue sauce and Vancouver Island sea salt, over the ‘Classic’ Beef Tartare. Now I have to confess, Kev and I did not enjoy it then and have put off ordering tartare since. Looking back, I remember we didn’t enjoy the ‘Signature’ as much because we wanted to something more substantial than gem lettuce to help mop up our tartare. Fast forward to June 2019, the ‘Classic’ Beef Tartare redeemed its tartare reputation when one of my friends insisted I try it again. This one is garnished with caramelized shallot aioli, crunchy onions, and watercress, and is served with thinly sliced grilled bread. Something as simple as the char on the bread added another level of enjoyment and was exactly what we missed the first time round — I’ll definitely be ordering this again as a snack. To my pescatarian or seafood loving friends: the Yellowfin Tuna Tartare is a solid alternative!

Starters & Salads: Hand-cut Beef Carpaccio

Can’t go wrong with this combination: hand-cut beef carpaccio, harry’s bar sauce, arugula, shaved pecorino al tartufo, and burgundy truffle. We usually always add a few extra g’s of truffle on there for good measure.

Starters & Salads: Wood-grilled New Bedford Scallops

I’ve been raving about this dish since I tried it for the first time and we’ve never visited Elisa without ordering this since. It’s such a well executed dish featuring scallops with the most beautiful grill marks in Thai style salsa, chilli, lime and cilantro. Expect delicate, sweet, and buttery scallops paired with a bright, refreshing salsa.

Starters & Salads: Alaskan King Crab

Sweet, bouncy king crab skewers grilled over burning coals served over crack sauce aka. a happy marriage of Japanese chilli oil (rayu) and chick pea, coriander and olive oil sauce. If you still have your house bread handy, don’t let that goodness go to waste!

Land & Ocean: Roast Gindara Sablefish

This is hands down my favourite type of fish and I can never resist ordering it if it’s available, let alone Elisa. Chef kept this dish simple and classic to let the sweet, velvety fish shine on its own. If I was ordering my own entree, this would most likely be what I’m eating because its served with romanesco, rapini, harissa, lemon and olive oil (basically all my favourite veggies).

Spot the Sablefish between the Whole Branzino & steak

Land & Ocean: Whole Branzino

I’m a sucker for whole fish especially if it’s grilled. At Elisa, you know they’re going to get you an amazing flavour on the skin with their wood-fired grill. Unlike eating a messy burger or spaghetti on your first date, I find tackling whole fishes so fun and interactive. You can take turns trying to serve each other and poke fun at the other person if they serve you a bone. Pro-tip: Don’t be shy with the lemon, it acts as a seasoning so season to your hearts content!

Land & Ocean: Whole Roasted Chicken

I know what you’re thinking, you’re going to a steakhouse but this is like your go-to rotisserie chicken on steroids and it’ll blow your mind! You’re looking at a succulent 3.5 lb. slow-roasted chicken with a thin layer of lemon, garlic, thyme, tarragon and burgundy truffle stuffed between the skin and meat, served with roasting jus. Pro tip: You can order half a bird so you can still try other dishes!

Steaks: Cache Creek Natural Beef, British Columbia — rib-eye grass fed, 40 day dry aged 10oz

On the days I’m craving a good cut of steak, this will send me to the moon. I always get my steaks medium rare and it always comes well seasoned and evenly cooked on all sides. Plus, the wood-fired grill gives it such a delicious crust.

Steaks: A5 Japanese Wagyu — rib-eye (2oz minimum)

This comes with a steep price tag but it’s a real treat. I usually let Kev decide on the cook and occasionally we get it cooked to medium to render off more of fat content. Once it was so beautifully slutty and marbly inside, we had to order a glass of sauternes to pair with our steak. The sweetness balances out the fat and it’s a pretty mind-blowing, sweet and savoury, umami explosion of flavours.

All the usual suspects & trying the prime rib for the first time!

Steaks: Prime Rib

The most tender and flavourful piece of prime rib I’ve had to date. It’s only available on Friday sand Saturday evenings so I’d definitely choose this over everything else if you find yourself dining on one of those days.

Sides: Fries, Hashbrowns, Onion Rings, Acquarello Carnaroli Risotto, Burgundy Truffle Mac + Cheese, Roast Squash Varietals

I think most of these sides speak for itself. You really can’t go wrong with any of these but if you have limited tummy or table space, I’d definitely encourage you to try the Acquarello Carnaroli Risotto (always add truffles) or the Burgundy Truffle Mac + Cheese. Since their menu is seasonal, I’ve tried multiple variations of the risotto; my favourite is wild and foraged mushrooms! If you are in the mood for potatoes or something deep fried, hashbrowns and onion rings are exciting choices cause you won’t find them at the other steakhouses. I personally love the triple cooked fries from here because they’re super crispy, highly addictive, but not overly greasy.

Desserts: Cinnamon Sugar Doughnuts, Baked Alaska, Strawberry Eclair

If you still have room for sweets, (I’m proud of you!) the Cinnamon Sugar Doughnuts are easy to share, the Baked Alaska is beautiful and rich. The Strawberry Eclair is a new addition by their new pastry chef that I really enjoy! It’s on the lighter side and I’m pretty sure I can finish one all by myself so make sure you’re getting the doughnuts too ;)

Okay I understand that if you order everything I just recommended, you’re looking at a $600+ CAD dinner — dining here is expensive but honestly so worth every penny. Considering the fact that steaks from your go-to chain ranges from $30-$50, I can justify spending a little more for a more sophisticated and memorable dining experience at Elisa. With the reputation of the best steakhouse in Vancouver, reservations are recommended. However if you do walk in, enjoying an aperitif at their cute and cozy lounge while waiting for the next available table is encouraged.

Happy date night!

XOXO.
STEPH

@stephwants - Twitter - Facebook - Snapchat - YouTube

Date Night: Elisa Steakhouse Review

The rundown

XOXO.STEPH

XOXO.
STEPH