Diva At the Met

The Hot Chocolate Festival for 2016 has begun and my first pick this year is Diva at the Met and their intriguing chocolate globes and bombs. You can see a 4-​minute video of them in action here:
#21 — «CITRUS ZENSATION»
A chocolate globe filled with fresh raspberry purée melts into a steamy sensation of dark Cacao-​Barry Extra Brute, pure orange juice, and candied orange zest. All topped with freshly ground almond crumbs.
Served with a petit orange-​pistachio financier.
#22 — «LICORICE BOMB 21»
You have to be of legal age to try this. A chocolate bomb containing Pernod Anise, and cranberry juice slowly melts its way into a freshly steamed mixture of extra bitter Valrhona cocoa. Stirred and topped with an almond-​graham streusel.
Served together with a mini cranberry-​coffee pound cake.
Both drinks are structured similarly — a cap of chocolate sits atop an initially very hot hot chocolate drink and is allowed to melt into it. The drawback is that once you’ve waited the 2 minutes or so it takes, your hot chocolate is no longer very hot anymore.
I do not drink alcohol, so I only tried the Citrus Zensation. As hot chocolates go, it was alright. You are paying $ 8.40 (after tax, before tip) for not just the hot chocolate, but the chocolate cap and bomb, plus the fun of it melting into your drink.
You are also paying for the smaller-​than-​a-​ping-​pong cake. My orange-​pistachio financier was a very moist, dense cake very much packed with flavour and very tasty.
I’m pretty sure we missed the almond crumbs and almond-​graham streusel, but the bartender claimed they were in the chocolate globe /​bomb. Hmm… Despite this hiccup, I’m giving them bonus points for interestingness.

Christmas morning we decided to go to for brunch before heading out to a movie. Not much open so my friend searched and found Diva. As soon as we discovered it was a hotel restaurant I was reluctant to go, but it’s more about the company, right?
Peter ordered orange brioche french toast, which he was really pleased to find on the menu. He seemed to really enjoy it but the portion was pretty small and it wasn’t orange brioche but brioche was orange pieces on top.
I ordered eggs over easy but they came over medium. The potatoes had some sundried tomatoes but they were pretty flavorless. The sausage was good and I asked for it well done and it arrived that way.
$ 15 for a basic breakfast was frustrating for me as was the $ 4.25 for a coffee, even though refills were complimentary. But it was hotel so I just shut up and was glad I didn’t have to wash up afterwards.
Wait staff was super nice as was the hostess. It’s not hard or expensive to create good breakfast food. I understand there is a chef shortage in this city and based on the Unilocal reviews I can see Diva has been a victim of this trend.
Wouldn’t go back but it certainly wasn’t the worst breakfast I’ve ever had.

Hidden gem with a awesome menu full of exquisite tastes. The menu has a nice balance of anything and everything you could want. Pasta, meat, seafood, it’s all there and all are outstanding. The chef has put some time into every item as all are full of flavour and paired perfectly with chosen sides.

It would be three stars if the prices were lower, maybe. As it is, we experienced it as a Fancy Hotel Restaurant. Reasonable food but boring drinks, bad service, and prices that were a bit too high for the overall experience. Enough downtown hotels have restaurants that are great on their own merits that I expected more.
The restaurant was nearly empty and the service was *really* slow. The servers were friendly, I could imagine it being a staffing & kitchen issue rather than because of the particular people who helped us. We had noticeably long waits between ordering and getting our appetizers, and having our appetizers cleared and getting our entrees.
Drinks: Wine by the glass was on the expensive side for 5 oz pours. The most exciting beers were Guinness and Stella Artois (standouts given that most were Kokanee, «Coor’s» or the like). and $ 7 for a Budweiser? The cocktail list as a whole doesn’t stand up to what’s going on elsewhere in the city, and we weren’t even given the beer & cocktail list until we asked if they had anything but wine. Our water was refilled, though, quite often.
Food: Our dishes were fine. The burger was way too tall to eat as a sandwich, but despite being awkward to eat it tasted fine. The curry wasn’t spectacular curry, but it was about what we expected for a restaurant that doesn’t specialize in any sort of Asian cuisines. At least they had a vegetarian main dish on the menu. We weren’t particularly adventurous with the menu this time, it could be that other dishes are standouts.

We chose this for our 10^th wedding anniversary. Although we had a reservation and planned to get dressed up, the commute from the US to Vancouver was so bad that we showed up 45 min for our reservation and in our travel clothes. Regardless, they treated us like royalty. They were happy to get us a table and didn’t make any stink about being late. Then, even though we were significantly dressed down compared to others, the service and attention to making sure we had a great experience was prenominal. And of course, the food was delicious. They understand and articulate the gluten-​free options well, and even have gluten-​free bread that comes complimentary with dinner (which was very good). We would definitely return next time we are in town.

We were here for our anniversary celebration. We ordered scallop, the soup of the day, crispy sea bass and spring salmon. We love the scallop and the crispy sea bass. Both taste great! Soup of the day is good. They also surprise us with a lovely dessert with Happy Anniversary written on it.
We really appreciate the fact that they really care about customer experience and walk the talk. Overall, great food excellent service! Adam and Jessica are both great! They are genuine! Agree that Diva is an unpretentious hidden gem. It is a great place if you want a relaxed dinner with your family! They also have kids menu!

Adam was our server. Very professional and made sure we had everything exactly the way we wanted. Food was delicious. My hubby had a diva hamburger and I had the diva roll. Wasn’t the best roll in the world but pretty good. I liked the crispy taste to the sushi. Billionaire drink was my fav too, it’s a sweet tasting cocktail. Will go there again for sure when back in Vancouver. Oh yeah, their French toast is yummy too but I didn’t like the jam spread on top of it (had a tart taste).

An unpretentious hidden gem, but one of those places where everyone takes a bite and then says to everyone else at the table, «OMG, You’ve got to try this!»
Absolutely delicious seafood, savory lamb, hand made fresh pasta, and more. Simple and oh, SO delicious!!!
This, from a New York Superfoodie: save room for dessert! Tiramisu like you’ve never had before, or the Stilton cheesecake. Awesome! There are lighter desserts as well that I didn’t try, but got rave reviews at my table.
Definitely worth coming back to again and again!

My family treated me to Mother’s Day brunch at Diva, what a wonderful meal.
The food selections were an interesting selection of textures and flavours. All of the deserts were made in their kitchen. They were pleasing to the eye as well as the palate. The staff was friendly and professional, we wanted for nothing. I highly recommend Diva.

Food was decent. Good Service. Ambience left alot to be Desiree.

Solid 3.5, one of those few, fancy hotel restaurants that can back it up with real food.
And nice décor, impeccable service from Adam, a pro and knowledgeable about the menu.
Dine Out all evening, no a La carte menu which is a shame as I usually like to give back some extra business but I digress.
Ordered the pear soup: nice, creamy, didn’t notice much of the pork bellym.
Entrée: 2 pieces if hen, cooked crispy nice. Added the 3 scallops for $ 13, very yummy and moist. This and the barley rice are the highlights.
Also had the halibut gnocchi, just average.
Cheesecake average. Tiramisiu much better.
Great décor and ambience.

Last week I came here for Dine Out Vancouver with three other dining mates. Even though there was room for improvements, we all enjoyed our food. The service was professional and attentive — a big shout out to Sarah B. She refilled my hot water cup and wine glass in a gentle, quiet way I am impressed. She took the time to explain the menu (course by course) to all of us and politely explained the two-​hour seating limit.
I started my meal with roasted parsnip vanilla bean soup with apple compote, croutons, and a piece of fried dried pork skin. I enjoyed the soup a lot. It wasn’t too sweet and the consistency was spot on. I didn’t feel as if I was eating baby food. The portion was so generous to the point I couldn’t finish. I thought appetizers are supposed to wet your appetite? If I finished all the complementary bread with the soup, I think I wouldn’t need any more food for the remainder of the night.
Prosciutto wrapped halibut was my entrée of choice. The fish was notoriously overcooked but seasoned beautifully. The potato gnocchi was dense and slightly gummy. Either too much flour was added or the gnocchi dough had gone cold during the making process. The wilted greens were nice; they were perfectly cooked and seasoned.
I had an opportunity to try the grilled Cornish hen and it was delicious. The hen was juicy, succulent, and flavorful. The starch component of the entrée — red rice and barley had wonderful texture. I would highly recommend getting the grilled Cornish hen. The portion was generous too.
The stilton cheesecake, is still my favorite. I like my sweet and savory in one bite. I am not even a cheesecake person, but I can see myself forking it away like vegans to their kale salads. Diva nailed this cheesecake recipe. The top of the cheesecake was brûléed. I enjoyed the thin subtle texture. The rhubarb compote and port sauce both were delicious, what an elegant addition to the exquisite dessert. I think I would be perfectly happy eating the cheesecake by itself. The rhubarb compote would be my icing on the cake.

The last time I was at Diva, several years ago, they had snared a highly competent chef and the food was memorable.
Last night was an absolute travesty. Our party of five was seated at the very back on an elevated part of the restaurant. So dark I could barely make out the rest of my party. Forget about looking at the menus in that light. But worst part of that area is you get no service as wait and bus staff forget about you.
Once we finally received our meals the experience did not improve. The Minestrone soup is served on what looks like a regular dinner plate. So it became ice cold (and wasn’t hot when it arrived) in a matter of seconds and try ladeling shallow soup with bits of rock hard vegetables from a dinner plate…
I ordered the lobster salad as a main and the lobster was ROCK hard and tough as rubber. The salad poorly seasoned and boring.
My neighbor had the rack of lamb that had more fat and griddle than it had lamb and looked like it came out of a British boarding school cafeteria…
My other neighbor had the Fagottini which looked presentable but which I didn’t get to try. And across from me, she had the Black Cod entrée that was barely a sufficient portion for an appetizer.
Will not be going back. Servers tried but service was very underwhelming as well. I guess they have tried their food.
I have difficulty even giving them a one start.

Was alone so I was seated at the bar. It took forever for the bartender to take my order. Turns out he took down the wrong order, and so I end up with a dish completely different than what I was expecting. It was difficult to even get an acknowledgement that it was their mistake.
I’m still hungry and taking a break between finding a different restaurant to eat at.

Dinner with the boyfriend again :) The menu is pretty simple, and we couldnt pick between what to order, so we decided to try out the tasting menu, which seemed to contain all the dishes we wanted anyway. $ 55 for the tasting menu and $ 90 with wine pairing. We decided to go for the wine paring for both of us.
We started out with a glass of champagne and an amuse bouche of salmon ice (?) cream. Wow. Definitely a very good start! They also served us breadsticks and a basket of bread with butter topped with a brown butter powder.
1) Salmon tataki with pickled vegetables, sorrel, watermelon radish — The salmon was nicely cooked and it still had the gleaming glaze when it was served. The salmon was sweet and slightly seared outside while tender inside. Mm.
2) Pan seared foie gras with yuzu marmalade, membrillo, apple, brioche — The ingredients were plated in a way which separated all of them, which felt a little weird at first. The most wow thing on this plate wasnt so much the foie gras (oh it was still good though!), but the foie powder/​butter thing which had a powdery texture but melts like butter. We asked the waiter how it was made, and apparently it went through some very complicated process of boiling, freezing and then getting it back to room temperature for the powdery texture D: !!
3) Smoked black cod with olives, tomato, capers, almond — The highlight of the dish was definitely the pairing of the cod with the tomatoes at the bottom and the olive purée. The tomato was sweet, which neutralised the slightly acidic taste of the olive purée. Both added a bang to the fresh cod which was perfectly seared. So good I can eat more!
4) Prime beef tenderloin with braised root vegetable fricassee, red beet root jus — This dish was okay. The beef was supposed to be medium rare, but more to medium by California standards. It wasnt too dry, but still tender inside. The red beet sauce was okay, but not wow. The root vegetables though, were a nice touch.
5) Cheese cake — We read about the cheese cake on Unilocal reviews, and asked to swap one of the dessert in our tasting menu to a cheesecake. It was a good choice because the cheese cake is excellent! It was slightly thicker and creamier, but very very good :)
6) Torn spice cake with crème fraîche ice cream & pumpkin marmalade — This was supposed to be their regular desert on the tasting menu, but unfortunately the spice cake and pumpkin marmalade didnt work for me :(What a pity though, I wish the meal ended more with a bang.
We had at least 5 glasses of wine (including the champagne) by the end of dinner and were honestly feeling quite tipsy midway. The pairing was good, but a little too much. Probably would not do the pairing if we were to come back again. For $ 55 without the pairing, I’d say the price is pretty fair. However, if I compared this to our dinner at Le Crocodile, it definitely paled much in comparison. For $ 90 with the pairing… I’d probably go for Le Crocodile instead.

It was great food, very well prepared but I was basic, what you would find anywhere else. Good for a go to place you will know is good, but I can recommend better places around the same price and I’ve only been living here a month. Also it gives off a slightly cold/​hotel feel

I heard the Chef Hamid Salimian was left Diva at the Met and to teach full-​time at Vancouver Community College’s culinary program. I thought his skill and technique will keep on with other chefs, and still wanted to try it but we were a bit disappointed.
The service was great, our waiter was attentive and well-​trained.
canteloupe with lime soda — very refresh and ready bought up my appetite
artichoke soup — refined and delicious, thick and tasty.
yarrow meadows duck — good presentation but the duck just a bit undercooked. Black kale was a bit dry and blend.
smoked black cod w/​potato purée — black cod was smooth and cooked perfectly.
pork chop — just a bit red on each pork chop and few pieces of pork chop were too fatty!
chocolate soufflé with pistachio ice cream — beautiful presentation, rich chocolate soufflé with lovely pistachio flavour ice cream.

Diva at the Met located inside the Metropolitan in downtown Vancouver doesn’t always come to mind when choosing a place to eat (well, for us anyways). It doesn’t hit 90% plus on Urbanspoon (which I don’t quite understand either) and Unilocal’s only sitting at 3.5 stars with one girl complaining about the lack luster service and her ruined girls-​night-​out-​Vday-​dinner… Frankly, I believe there are many people who either order the wrong thing or don’t know what to appreciate the finer things in the category of food.
Chef Hamid Salimian, «may be the city’s most underrated chef». He is voted by industry as «Best Chef in Vancouver» for the 16^th Annual Golden Plates Awards 2013.
To make the experience closer to the kitchen we requested the Chef’s Table. Although, in hindsight it’s not really at eye level to peek at what is happening inside. You are better off requesting the corner sit right above the stairs, a little elevated for your viewing pleasure! Granted the décor of the restaurant is dated, chairs of somewhat uncomfortable and the ambiance doesn’t exactly match the food, but $ 55 for a 5 course meal is a bargain!
The tasting menu starts off with some amuse bouche. These single, bite-​sized hors d’œuvre already raised the bar for our expectations.
Joojeh Kabab (Chicken kebab): a thinly pressed sheet of chicken skin that was neither greasy nor soggy. It is crispy, fragile and crunchy. A drop of garlic yogurt and chives was added for flavoring.
Porani of Ramps: Yogurt dip that is made with ramps, raisins, walnut, scallion, crisp ramp leafs. Tangy yogurt contrasts with the warm earthy flavors of walnuts and provides that added zing. Crisp ramp leafs balanced the dish with a tad of bitterness and texture.
Kashk e Bademjan: Eggplant caviar and a buttermilk and kashk (sour whey) macaron. The macaron was light, airy and just disintegrates in your mouth. The eggplant purée was served with mint and yogurt power. What a refreshing take on a traditionally sweet macaron. Such a tiny surprised packed full of flavors.
Sekanjabin Kaho: Chilled and cooling like a slurpee. Compressed romaine heart, apple mint gastrique caramelized sugar, deglazed with vinegar and romaine granita. A spoonful of this packs a invigorating sour punch. Not only did it wake us up, but it also served as a palate cleanser. If you are wondering, it doesn’t have the green-​raw taste as a wheat grass shot. It is quite sweet underneath it all.

As we’re waiting for our a la carte lamb tartar to arrive, complimentary bread and butter. Butter is topped with brown butter powder. Breads are made in-​house and a selection of poppy seed ciabatta, rye and sesame seed crisps are provided.
Lamb Tartar 14: green olive tapenade, sorrel purée, cracked wheat. I have to admit, my first thought was «where’s there rest of my dish!?». My second thought (which out-​weighted everything) was damn those green olive powder was amazing! Frozen with liquid nitrogen and combusted into fine dust, the cool powder made the flavors more concentrated and intense. The lamb was well seasoned and not gamey. Just tender. Secretly, I think we all wanted to lick the plate had it not been so disgraceful and visually unpleasant. Jokes.
Halva: chilled foie gras, preserved fig, almonds. A thin frozen sheet of foie gras torchon was buttery and creamy. Unlike other restaurants that have you believing more is better, but reality, you really don’t need a thick piece to satisfy your taste buds. Underneath the foie gras was a dish from southern Iran where the chilled halva is grated and is made from flour, sugar, rosewater, and saffron. Combine these with the sweetness of fig, toasted almonds, and the creamy foie gras for a sweet, savory and tangy orchestra of flavors.
Kookoo Sabzi: a beautiful pieace sable fish tender and moist inside and a crispy exterior. Drizzled with a zingy tart dill, orange, sunchoke consume. It is probably not a wise idea to just drink the soup, instead break off a piece of the fish, some sunchoke purée and a bit of the Kookoo Sabzi. Allow the flavors to gel together. The Kookoo Sabzi was dense quiche-​like and packed full of various green vegetables and herbs like coriander, lettuce, parsley, dill and scallions.

Lamb: Tonight lamb was my friendenemy and I enjoy it’s tender flesh. Lamb two way in a tender medium rare striploin and crispy belly rolled in a roulade mirrors the crunchiness and roasted flavors of the crackling skin of a suckling pig. Served along side farro verde risotto, a delicious grain slightly smoky in taste and perfect for game.
Calamansi Sorbet: Like a pebble in a still lake, the calamnsi sorbet is crusted with sesame and sprinkled with some granulated sugars. The zesty South Asian fruit is accompanied with a honeyed pineapple and rose water sauce to mellow out the zing.
Bastani Akbar Mashti: Persian ice cream is one of my favorite desserts.

By far Vancouver’s best kept secret. Chef Hamid has taken this restaurant by storm. Had the 5 course tasting menu tonight, which could have easily been an 8 course tasting menu when you include the «snacks» that came with it. Hardly snacks by any stretch, it was like having little gems to feast the eye as well as the palate before the 5 courses even started. While all courses were amazing, I have to mention my personal highlights. Those were the Smoked Bone Marrow Truffle custard, the Sunshine Coast Sturgeon, and the Veal Cheeks. The bone marrow custard was ingeniously presented in hollowed out egg shells nestled in a bed of straw warming in a wooden box. The sturgeon was meaty, but deliciously moist and tender. The veal cheeks were melt in your mouth.
Another dish to mention (that was not part of the 5 course tasting menu) was the Butter Poached Atlantic Lobster. O-​M-​G. Decadence on a plate. Rich, bold, creamy, and just plain made you feel good inside. My friend had this dish as a starter. I plan to order this the next time I dine here.
Each dish was hearty, full of bold flavours of smoked protein and truffles, not to mention cooked and presented to perfection. I don’t know how it is this restaurant does not have a much bigger following. One of the best fine dining experiences I’ve ever had, and the service was to match. A must indulgence.
— — — — —
SADLY, CHEF HAMID HAS MOVED ON TO PURSUE NEW ADVENTURES. I WILL MISS HIS CULINARY TREATS!

DIVA AT THE MET
Part 1:
Deliciously
Inspired
Voluptuous
Appetizers
Assured
Tonight.
Take
Home
Exquisitely
Meticulous
Evening
Tonight.
DIVA AT MET
Part 2:
Translation of the scrambled words into a proper Unilocal review:
Delicious Appetizers served by beautiful Canadian girls with fixed smile that cannot be wiped off despite the terrible weather in BC.
Interesting menu with various choices given to the Spoiled LA epicurean,
Vintner’s table «like» feeling from «open» kitchen to enhance the dining experience,
Appetizing dish prepared by spanking hot, young, sweet and eligible Asian chefs,
Apple got naughty with Veggies and castle blue cheese, thus birthing the forbidden child of confit duck rillettte.
Tri-​layered architecture of the restaurant to sophisticate the dining ambiance.
Triple AAA red wine crusted beef tenderloin decorated with Yukon gold potato and bone marrow jus lands on your table,
Heavenly entrée is all you ask for, but don’t speak too fast,
Exquisitely decorated dessert waits,
Matriculate visual valrhona chocolate sauce warm chocolate soufflé with pistachio ice cream finished off the evening with orgasm in your mouth.
European Asian Fusion made scrumpdelicious appetizers and entrées.
Technology enforced payment system wrap up the evening with less painful $$$$ calculation.