FIVE SAILS || Downtown Vancouver Fine Dining with Panoramic Views
We can’t think of a better way to enjoy the sunny days of summer than with a fine dining excursion to Five Sails Restaurant at the Pan Pacific Hotel.
A quiet dining environment with plush dining booths paired floor to ceiling windows framing the scenic views of Vancouver offers the perfect space for intimate gatherings with friends and family for a much-needed catch-up session after all those days apart. A menu inspired by British Columbia’s ocean and coastal mountains serves up delicious West Coast fare featuring fresh seafood and seasonal tastes, and a curated collection of fine wines ensures you and yours will bound over stories and a mouthwatering meal.
Entrance to the restaurant
THE INTERIORS
The restaurant offers panoramic views of the downtown shoreline and North Shore mountains beyond. In the early evening, you can watch seaplanes take off from the harbour, a front-row seat to observe the serene setting of beautiful British Columbia.
Settle into one of the cozy, plush velvet booths for lunch or dinner, or if you are stopping in for a cocktail, grab a seat at the beautifully redone bar with white marble and wooden details. A sophisticated row of glass display cases houses the restaurant’s curated wine collection.
Unobstructed views of the water and the North Shore mountains beyond
Beautiful glass display cases with wooden details house the restaurant’s curated wine collection
Plush velvet booths
THE MENU
We recommend setting aside time to comfortably enjoy a 3-course meal, because who can say no to appetizers such as Quebec Foie Gras, Weathervane Scallops, and a refreshing Beetroot Terrine salad? You will have trouble trying to decide which appetizers to try first!
We opted for the rich and decadent Atlantic Lobster Bisque, which captures the flavours and essence of fresh Atlantic lobster, and is topped with slices of black truffle.
Another appetizer we highly recommend is the Spot Prawn Risotto, as the prawns were some of the sweetest and juiciest we have tasted; the texture is crisp with each bite, sweet to taste, and brimming with juices. We guess this is why spot prawn season is such a big deal on the west coast - the freshness and flavours are truly unmatched anywhere else.
Atlantic Lobster Bisque with grilled corn, topped with bisque foam and shaved truffle
Spot Prawn Risotto
Close up of the fresh, sweet and juicy spot prawns
The recommended mains on the menu would be the Whole Atlantic Lobster and the Slow-cooked Halibut with black sesame and almond. To highlight the freshness of the seafood and let the ingredients shine, the dish is simply garnished with seasonal vegetables and the lobster is poached in citrus butter. The halibut with black sesame was the star of our meal, pairing the creamy, buttery texture of the fish with the chewy, nutty, savoury black sesame sauce.
1.5 lbs Whole Atlantic Lobster poached with citrus butter and served with baby vegetables, lobster emulsion, risotto crisps
Slow-cooked Halibut with black sesame and toasted almond, compound butter, grilled asparagus, vegetables, croquettes
Save room for the classic and creative desserts on the menu, such as The Five Sails Grand Marnier Soufflé served with rum & raisin ice cream and crème anglaise. The crème anglaise is poured into the center of the piping hot, fluffy soufflé; scoop a spoonful of the soufflé and top it with a bit of the rum and raisin ice cream for a delicious bite mixing the sweetness of the fluffy soufflé with the slightly bitter taste of rum and tangy flavour of raisins for a heavenly flavour medley.
The Beautiful British Columbia Okanagan Apple Compote would be a lighter option for those who prefer a tart taste to complete their meal. With passion fruit and vanilla and calvados-scented mousse, the texture is light and refreshing, and the white chocolate shell adds just the right amount of sweetness. Inside the shell and nestled within the mousse are small, diced apple squares.
The Five Sails Grand Marnier Soufflé with rum & raisin ice cream
As restaurants re-open within the province, locals are cautiously venturing out to visit the restaurants they have missed dearly, and the iconic Five Sails Restaurants located within the Pan Pacific Hotel is definitely a treat for yourself and the family to celebrate the city regaining its previous vibrance.
Beautiful British Columbia Okanagan apple compote with flavours of passion fruit and vanilla, white chocolate & calvados-scented mousse, hazelnut crunch, shortbread crust