Tags
Altitudes, bc, bistro, british columbia, granville island brewery, grouse mountain, Island Lager, north vancouver, patio, restaurant, vancouver
Having just outlined what makes Grouse Mountain so special, I thought I’d share the dining experience we had at their casual restaurant, Altitudes Bistro.
The room has the benefit of glass walls on the west and south walls, providing some of the best views and making your dining experience about more than just food. There are traditional booths and tables but the room also has a good collection of low tables with armchairs, perfect for après-ski.
The large patio is currently under construction and with any luck it will be open for this year’s ski season. Nothing beats a roof-top patio, well nothing but a mountain top patio with city, mountain and ocean views where you can enjoy a beverage and some great food after hitting the slopes! Let’s hope I’m right about their timeline.
Now, for the eats. To start, we had a pitcher of Granville Island Lager, a local brewery which supplies to many lower mainland restaurants. Always crisp, clean and easy drinking. To fill our starving bellies, we enjoyed a pulled pork sandwich, the burger and a pasta dish.
The pulled pork on a bun was moist and flavourful, the brioche bun was fluffy and balanced by a crispy onion ring and moist coleslaw and pork. I love coleslaw and I really like it on sandwiches so I can’t complain. I thought about getting this sandwich without the onion ring but wanted to experience it as the kitchen intended.
We also ordered the Angus Beef Burger, again featuring a brioche bun and came dressed with aged white cheddar, bacon and barbeque sauce. The burger looked so good that we were prompted to order it after we saw it at neighbouring tables and after we had already ordered a dish each! The burger was juicy, tasty and lived up to its presentation.
Both sandwiches came accompanied with greens. I was pleased with the salad; it was fresh, had plenty of veggies, olives and both the goat cheese and dressing were light and in perfect amounts. Where sometimes the salad is an after-thought for me, and I think to myself how much I prefer my own salads, this one had me longing for more.
The pasta dish was done well but it was not on the menu as they had to accommodate our allergies. They did a great job handling this and we felt well taken care of.
I don’t think this is a restaurant you go out of your way to go to. If you have a pass it certainly makes getting up there more tempting but the cost of food plus the Skyride would be an expensive night out for most. Generally, patrons are already up the mountain and need to satisfy their hunger before going down.
Located at the top of Grouse Mountain, North Vancouver, BC where the view reigns supreme.