Lumiere, Vancouver

Lumiere's interior seduces. This is a good place for a special evening for those with money to burn. All diners must order from the same menu at each table( Tasting Menu, Degustation or Vegetarian), or all must order a la carte. Best item we tried was definitely the superb Arctic char served atop a sensational Grainy Mustard Risotto. Avoid the short rib ravioli, it was tough and served in a warm puddle of overly-salted consomme. Also steer clear of the seared duck breast, which lacked both flavor and pleasant texture, despite its' accompanying chili / lime/ garlic jus. Do spring for the cheese course (an extra charge of $15); the Comte Juraflore is a French cheeses of firm texture and pleasant nutty flavor. The dessert was terrific, a dynamic duo of chocolate and beet fondant served aside a dollop of espelette pepper ice cream, a marvelous blend of flavors and even better with a glass of Moscato d'Asti, a sweet and lightly effervescent dessert wine. Our dinner here was pleasant, but at a ridiculous price of $700 for three including 2 modest half bottles of wine, just nowhere near worth it. They have the nerve to charge for coffee, an insult after paying more than $100 each for the tiny Tasting Menu. This place has a world-class reputation, and it was nice to see famed chef Rob Feenie working his magic, but really Lumiere failed to shine the night we were there. Overpriced and over-rated, this place is best when someone else is footing the bill.

I was able to eat at Lumiere without having to concern myself with paying the bill, so I will focus solely on the experience. Nice simple decor, kinda reminded me of the Hotel Vitale in San Fran. The night we went there was three options for dinner, all tasting menus. the Kitchen and Seafood menus are 8 course and Signature menu is 10 courses. They strongly recommend you select same number of courses which is understandable to keep the pace similar. I could talk about each individual course, if I actually remember what they were.... a single scallop, flatten piece of lobster meat with beef, veal tongue and the entree of rabbit that was almost raw... the table adjacent ours sent it back and opted for some salmon. Not a single course, of the ten, stood out as anything but average and just overly produced and showcased by an attentive but otherwise self absorbed wait staff. I left asking myself... what was that I just endured, I found myself wishing it would just stop and I could get up and leave. My wife just eats fish or fowl, they assured us they would adjust the Signature menu accordingly, unfortunately that message never got back to the stage.... uh, kitchen, there were four course that had either beef or pork. I mention the stage because in a very prentious way the kitchen door is open and you see the head chef standing thier like surgeon preparing the microscopic portions in an all to serious manner. As for value, dinner for two with no alcohol, GST and 15% tips was $380, almost twice as much as a substantially better meal the night before at Diva, which I would HIGHLY recommend. As I left Lumiere, I kept asking myself, what was that and giving thanks that I didn't have to pay. I've been to many fine dining experiences around the globe in Paris, London, Sydney, NYC and San Fran... I've experienced fine dining, and tasting menus, this was a HUGE disappointment.

This place is amazing. When we saw it here, we decided to try it and the experience was 100% worth. The food is delicious and the service is outstanding. If you go to Vancouver, you must not miss it.

You don't go to Lumiere because you want to save money, you go there because it's a treat and an experience. I had the pleasure of going there for my anniversary dinner with my husband although we didn't share this with the staff. We had reservations. the service was beyond excellent. Every detail was attended to. The food came to our table at just the right time. The wine was great. The decor was rich and romantic. I loved the lighting, and yes I liked the attention to detail given to both the decor( subtle, private, romantic, and modern) and the service( discreet, attentive, quick, and non-snobbish). On top of this Feenie was there overlooking his restaurant. I've been to both his restaurants and what struck me is that the man is right there taking care of his business. Want to impress your date? Show how much you really care about him/her? Well bring him/her here. Enough said

I went to Lumiere on my last trip to Vancouver (from Montreal). The place is absolutely magnificient, yet simple, great set up and ambiance. We were hosted like if we were as important as any regular client. The service was impeccable, à la française, with the class that you would expect and wish from a place like this. We started a Sirah méthode champenoise, that is to say a red real champagne... never saw that before, and it was exquisite. Talking with our host, we finally asked to be served whatever the cook will come up with, so we did not know what was coming. The only special request from our group of 5 was to include foie gras, and some fish. The 6 services fest that followed was amazing. The foie gras was better than ever, the veal cheek perfect, every single tast of every single plates was just amazing and the choise of cheeze was very good. If you have quite a bit of money to spend, I hightly recommand this restaurant.

I've been lucky enough to experience Lumiere twice within a span of a year. I must say, both times were simply the best meals I have ever had in my entire life. The service is impeccable, the dishes are creatively succulent and the atmosphere is elegant but not pretentious. I was blown away by how much the wine stewart knew about wines and liquors. I have a nut allergy as well, and the kitchen was able to quickly alter my meals to fit my needs. I also have to mention that the two meals that I have had at Lumiere have also been the two most expensive meals I have ever had in my life. For a complete meal with an aperatif to coffee, with the fixed kitchen menu along with wine pairings, your bill can easily run over $500 for 2 people. Not exactly the most economical place, but they are apart of Dine Out Vancouver. Therefore, during this dining festival, if you can snatch a reservation before they disappear, you can try their simpler fares at a fraction of the normal costs.

My husband took me here for my birthday, and I was blown away by the creativity, simplicity, and amazing flavor of every dish in the chef's tasting menu. I was also impressed with the quality of the service and their willingness to accommodate special needs. My husband is allergic to more than 40 foods and ingredients, and yet with 24 hours' notice, the chef came up with a special tasting menu for him that was every bit as good as mine.