Patio time is serious business in Vancouver, and if you can factor in the dreamy setting of the mountains and water of Coal Harbour on top of beautiful food and drink, it's a match made in heaven.
There's a new contender for your patio time that's just opened up in Vancouver: you'll find a super-cozy new outdoor dining space at H Tasting Lounge.
A trio of dishes from the new summer menu on the new patio at H Tasting Lounge. Photo by Lindsay William-Ross/Vancouver Is Awesome.
Adding yet another patio space to the Westin Bayshore's food and drink offerings, H Tasting Lounge is a chic and comfy 1,765-square-foot space designed by Liv Interiors. With seating for 50 in a mix of tables for two or four, or larger groups at casual couch seating, the patio also has a fireplace running its full length for chillier times.
Chef Shaun Maclean is behind a fresh new summer menu that makes fantastic use of select ingredients brought in from local suppliers, including morel mushrooms, Two Rivers meats, sustainable seafood, and even micro-greens from a micro-growing operation in Gastown.
Kanpachi crudo. Photo by Lindsay William-Ross/Vancouver Is Awesome.
With an emphasis on share plates, light bites, and seafood, the H Tasting Lounge menu includes dishes and platters showcasing chilled and raw seafood like B.C. mussels, clams, and oysters and more, as well as seasonal crudo plates of kanpachi or halibut. A silky beef tartare is mixed tableside and paired with toast from Matchstick, while veg-centric bites like the Eggplant Carpaccio make for tasty and visually stunning choices.
Eggplant Carpaccio. Photo by Lindsay William-Ross/Vancouver Is Awesome.
Make sure to get something from the Tartines section; these open-faced loaded toasts feature crunchy sourdough (also from Matchstick) and toppings like Morel Mushroom (with house-made ricotta, black garlic mustard, watermelon radish, and micro kale) and the intriguing Clam (bechamel, Manila clams, pancetta, and gruyere) - the latter which is like the fanciest and most decadent version of a northeastern clam pizza slice.
Yuzu Spritz, a non-alcoholic drink at H Tasting Lounge. Photo by Lindsay William-Ross/Vancouver Is Awesome.
The food at H Tasting Lounge was meant to pair with the concoctions from the bar, both boozy and zero-proof. You'll note many similar flavour profiles between the kitchen and bar menus, and a similar respect for the tastes of the season and the quality of locally-sourced ingredients. Bartenders Andrew Kong and Chiara Fung are behind the selection of non-alcoholic gems that will delight any non-imbiber, from the coconutty foam and fruity sweetness of the "Rolling Uphill" to the puckery and refreshing zip of the Yuzi Spritz.
Peace Prize at H Tasting Lounge. Photo by Lindsay William-Ross/Vancouver Is Awesome.
On the boozy side, punches like the Late Blossom or the Rye Chai make deft use of the subtle flavours of tea mixed with spirits, while stronger creations, like Peace Prize, featuring rye, cynar, sweet vermouth, black tea, and bitters, pack a bold punch.
Beef Tartare. Photo by Lindsay William-Ross/Vancouver Is Awesome.
Rolling Uphill. Photo by Lindsay William-Ross/Vancouver Is Awesome.
Morel Mushroom Tartine and the zero-proof Dressing on the Side drink. Photo by Lindsay William-Ross/Vancouver Is Awesome.
Nicoise. Photo by Lindsay William-Ross/Vancouver Is Awesome.
Clam Tartine. Photo by Lindsay William-Ross/Vancouver Is Awesome.
Thinner Walls cocktail at H Tasting Lounge. Photo by Lindsay William-Ross/Vancouver Is Awesome.
H Tasting Lounge is located at the Westin Bayshore, at 1601 Bayshore Drive in Vancouver. The HTL patio is open daily from 11:30 a.m. to midnight (weather permitting), with happy hour served daily from 5 to 7 p.m.
