VAN: New Bambudda Winter Menu A Winner

Vv Magazine’s Danica Jeffery heads to Bambudda Restaurant in Vancouver to partake in a tasting of Chef Curtis Luk’s new winter menu to get the holiday culinary celebrations jumpstarted…

Last night, we popped by Gastown favourite Bambudda to partake in a tasting of Chef Curtis Luk’s new menu – just in time for the festive season to get underway.

This always-chic hotspot, located at 99 Powell Street, is in the heart of all the Gastown action and is an easy place to head to when looking to unwind with a cocktail in hand. We happily found ourselves doing just that when the bar team sorted us out with a variety of their specialty drinks to get the night started.

After polishing off the Kung Fu Derby (an LA-inspired classic featuring bourbon, fresh grapefruit juice, and chrysanthemum rock sugar), our group shifted up and over to a table and waited for the prix fixe feast to begin.

Curtis Luk (a Top Chef Canada season 2 contestant, formerly of veggie haven The Parker Restaurant) has recently made Bambudda home and gotten straight to work in the kitchen. He’s spent plenty of time polishing existing favourite dishes, adding his own unique touch to each while creating a new assortment of what we’re thinking will be solid culinary hits.

The new winter menu features plenty of those with plates meant for sharing — or not. We started with Red Prawn Dumplings, Smoked Duck Yuba Rolls (with Chinese dates, sesame crackers, and plums), Potato Vermicelli (with oyster mushrooms), and Thinly Sliced Beef Tongue (served with a curry vinaigrette and winter melon).

Potato Vermicelli

This was followed by perhaps the juiciest portions of exquisitely presented Pork Belly (served with taro, fermented red tofu, and lime) as well as Black Bean Beef, ‘Tang Cu’ style Ling Cod, and Salt & Pepper Humboldt Squid (lightly steamed and served with Sichuan pepper, chilli, and alliums).

Black Bean Beef

To compliment each set of dishes, we sipped new cocktail creations that worked perfectly with the melding of flavours. On our list of must-tries: the popular New-Gwie-Lo (made with rye, lime, rosemary pineapple shrub, pineapple star anise chocolate bitters, dehydrated pineapple rock salt rim). Your taste buds will thank you for it, trust us.

We’d be remiss if we didn’t also suggest you partake in a bit of dessert. Try the house-made Almond Cookie, accompanied by the Post Opium cocktail, for the perfect grand finale.

Almond Cookie

The new menu is offered weekly, Tuesdays through Sundays starting at 5:30pm until 7pm, at $32 per person – which won’t break the holiday celebratory budget.

Learn more about Barbuda’s prix fixe and make a reservation by visiting them online here.

What are you most excited to try from Bambudda’s new menu? Let Vv Magazine know in the comments below or tweet us @ViewTheVibe.