FoodFlorence LFebruary 04, 2022C|PrimeC Prime, Vancouver Restaurants, Downtown Vancouver Restaurants, Fine Dining Vancouver, Italian Food Vancouver

C|PRIME || Downtown Vancouver's Best Kept Secret for Italian Fine Dining

FoodFlorence LFebruary 04, 2022C|PrimeC Prime, Vancouver Restaurants, Downtown Vancouver Restaurants, Fine Dining Vancouver, Italian Food Vancouver

This was my first time visiting C|Prime Restaurant located in the Century Plaza Hotel in downtown Vancouver.

I wish I had known about this posh dining space earlier because then I would have known where to bring my friends and family for a scrumptious dinner in a quiet, elegant setting. The glass wine storage by the entrance features the collection of fine wines guests could explore while dining at C|Prime, while the open kitchen gives guests a sneak peek as their meals are being prepared by the team of chefs in the kitchen. Colourful tiles on the counter and select walls add colour to the otherwise minimalist and modern decor. Spacious leather booths lie just past the bar for those who want to sit back and relax as they settle in for a 3-course meal.

*The wine storage at C|Prime showcasing all the fine wines in the restaurant’s collection.*

For each of our courses, we wanted to try both ends of the spectrum, which is why for our appetizers, we opted for the light and refreshing Tuna TarTar, and rich and decadent Bone Marrow. Paired with housemade potato chips, the Tuna TarTar with ahi tuna and avocado helps to kickstart the appetite; on the other hand, the tomato jam with the charred sourdough is so indulgent and delicious. The bison bone marrow was exactly as it should be — fatty, oily and creamy — and I thoroughly enjoyed every bite sprinkled with Malden Salt.

*Bone marrow served with charred sourdough and tomato jam.*

Now, onto the entrées. Again, we chose dishes from different categories to try and experience the signature dishes — the Dungeness crab tortellini with crab cream sauce and the Lamb Shank served with crispy brussel sprouts and saffron risotto.

Let’s start with the Dungeness Crab Tortellini. As you bite into the tortellini you can taste the difference with freshly made pasta. The outer shell of the tortellini is sturdy and chewy, and our server shared with us that the crab meat is made fresh each morning prior to being stuffed into the pasta shells. For those who love their seafood, you’ll be able to taste the difference in the first bite. This dish would be a great choice to share with the family since eating the entire generous portion of tortellini alone wouldn’t leave room for you to try all the other tasty dishes on the menu.

*Dungeness Crab Tortellini with Crab Cream Sauce.*

I love both pasta and heavier meat dishes, so both of these entrées were a slice of heaven for my taste buds. The Lamb Shank was fall off the bone tender and I used a fork to easily remove the bones. Every bite was juicy and tender, and the aromatic herbs on the lamb made each bite more savoury. Our server shared with us that the recipe for this dish is Executive Chef Behshad Zolnasr’s family recipe.

*Lamb Shank with Saffron Risotto and Brussel Sprouts.*

One highlight of this dish is how every element on the plate pairs wonderfully with the richness of the lamb shank; the fried brussel sprouts were crispy and flavourful, while the saffron risotto was perfectly cooked so that the rice is slightly crunchy on the outside, and a little chewy on the inside. This wasn’t a more is more dish, but a balanced dish where all the flavours worked together and everything was in sync.

*A scrumptious dish like this requires a closer look.*

Lastly, can we talk about the desserts? Because I’m someone who will always, always make room for dessert (and the dessert menu is sometimes where I start first!) and the desserts we had at C|Prime were thoughtfully designed and innovative with flavours and textures. When you go to an Italian restaurant, we tend to gravitate towards having a traditional Tiramisu at the end of the evening don’t we? Well, if you order the Tiramisu at C|Prime, you’re in for a sweet surprise, the Tiramisu uses mascarpone cheese instead of loading the dessert with a lot of cream, and it’s served in a dark chocolate outer shell that sits upon a layer of lightly torched, melted marshmallow. The crackle crumble adds extra texture if you scoop the ice cream, cake, marshmallow and crumble into one bite. Is your mouth watering yet?

*A non-traditional Tiramisu sitting on top of melted and lightly torched marshmallow.*

Let’s not stop there, because there’s still the Strawberry and Pistachio Semifreddo, which is a light-textured, frozen mousse Italian dessert. This was unexpectedly our favourite food item of the evening. Not only was it light and refreshing, but because the dessert is made of frozen mousse, it didn’t melt as we slowly enjoyed it (after having devoured two generous appetizers and sizeable entrées we were really slowing down) with our tea and coffee. The sweet strawberry sauce and the crumbly, crunchy pistachios were a delectable combination; mixed into the frozen mousse, another positive of this dessert is that it’s not too cold. Do I sound old yet? Who else would praise a dessert for being ‘not too cold’? Anyway, you must try the semifreddo, because I guarantee you will love it, and this is coming from someone who usually wouldn’t eat tarty or nutty desserts.

After this first visit, we truly enjoyed our dining experience and believe we’ve found downtown’s best-kept secret spot for a quality fine dining experience. I will definitely be back again with friends and family to try out the rest of the menu, I’ve got my eyes set on the short rib fettuccini and the wagyu striploin. Visit the website to view the dinner menu to start planning your next dinner date!