My recent meal at Bite at the Quay, the new, self-proclaimed “high-end Asian buffet” at the market, left me feeling ambivalent.
On the one hand, for a modest $22, I was able to try about a dozen dishes, a number determined solely by the breadth of my appetite and not by the restaurant’s variety, which is laudable. A dozen dishes, if ordered à la carte, would have set me back a pretty penny.
On the other hand, as I finished the last bites of my meal, I wondered whether the consumption of a dozen dishes, none of which prompted me to rush back for another helping, was really necessary in the first place. Sometimes, as they say, less is more.
Whenever I quit the table at a new restaurant and feel conflicted about my experience, I find it helpful to weigh the pros and cons of the meal in order to arrive at a fair and reasonable conclusion.
To that end, here are my top impressions about Bite at the Quay, presented in no particular order:
1. The location is spectacular. I remember sitting on the south-facing, second-floor patio of Lonsdale Quay back when this space was called Tantra Lounge and thinking that there were few places better suited to whiling a summer afternoon away.
When Tantra closed, it was some time before that patio was accessible again under the management of East Side Mario’s. Following the closure of this latter, the space sat unoccupied for another long spell, which seemed a shame given the volume of traffic that passes through the Quay on any given day, including a steady stream of tourists that would surely enjoy a meal taken al fresco, overlooking Vancouver’s vertically expanding skyline.
2. The service is welcoming and efficient. I brought my son, The Boy, to join me for dinner and we were warmly greeted by the host and manager who promptly seated us at a wonderful patio table situated right against the railing above Lonsdale Quay’s fountain square below. Our server was quick in fetching our drinks and clearing our spent plates and periodically made discreet quality checks to ensure we were faring well with the buffet.
3. The buffet is an ambitious affair, with dozens of items, including cold vegetables and garnishes on the salad bar, staple dishes like chow mein and steamed rice, soups, stir-fried vegetables, tempura, various meat and fish dishes, and a section devoted to fresh fruit and fruit jellies. For the price, this variety represents good value.
4. The buffet includes a hefty offering of deep fried goods, some of which closely resemble each other in flavour and texture due to the generous application of batter. The Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings, Salt and Pepper Fish, sauceless, deep-fried General Tao chicken morsels, and battered Lemon Chicken, with its scarcely discernible citrus notes, were, in my opinion, nearly interchangeable.
Of the deep-fried items, The Boy and I agreed that the whole fillet of sole in soy sauce was the most enjoyable. The fish, moist and meaty, was encased in a golden brown batter in the spirit of decent fish and chips, and was topped with ribbons of scallion and sat in a thin bath of soy sauce, which gave the sole its seasoning.
5. Bite’s interior design is cool in a 1980’s, wispy-mustachioed Prince sort of way, with its royal purple upholstery and shimmering silver lighting. On a rainy evening, forfeiting a seat on the great patio may not be entirely displeasing.
6. A risk inherent to all buffet service is the miscalculation of quantities based on forecasted guest volumes. How many dishes do you put out when you’re uncertain about how busy you’ll be? It’s a tightrope and I don’t envy buffet restaurant operators the task of keeping food costs in line.
In a similar vain, it is a risk to offer a large variety of dishes with intense and challenging flavours on a buffet lest the average palate finds itself limited in its options. Accordingly, it is the practice of many buffet restaurants to cater to the middle of the road, translating in food that is perfectly, well, fine, but not adventurous or innovative enough to be outstanding or particularly memorable.
I fear that Bite has adopted this approach, producing dishes that do not offend in any way, but that equally will not cause the seasoned diner to rave. It is my hope that this is simply a reflection of the restaurant feeling out the appetite of its diners and that, over time, it will feel empowered to introduce a bolder repertoire.
7. Bite is family friendly. Aside from the warm service The Boy and I enjoyed, I was pleased to see that the youth buffet price, which covers children aged five to 10 years, is just $12. There are no limitations on this offering and kids with a healthy appetite will enjoy no shortage of dining options.
It is worth noting that Bite has an à la carte menu available, which features more than 100 options. It occurs to me that after a sampling of the buffet, one could return to the restaurant and select one’s favourite dishes from the menu.
Our buffet meal for two, including a soft drink and a pint of lager, was $44 before gratuity.
Bite at the Quay is located at 123 Carrie Cates Court (Lonsdale Quay). biteatthequay.com 604-771-0301
Chris Dagenais served as a manager for several restaurants downtown and on the North Shore. A self-described wine fanatic, he earned his sommelier diploma in 2001. Contact: [email protected].
