Father’s Day Specials, June 17

Before he treats himself to the day off at the golf course, you might want to treat Dad to brunch on Sunday, June 17. Trafalgars Bistro will be serving all its well-loved brunch and lunch menu items together with a Father’s Day feature of a tender flat iron steak sandwich with mushroom pickle on french baguette and a choice of side dishes. Look for father friendly features on the menu as well on Friday and Saturday nights, June 15 and 16.

Patio Sippin’ in the Sun

Nestled in privacy behind potted plants and topiaries on the prime Kitsilano corner of 16th and Trafalgar, the patio at Trafalgars Bistro is the perfect place to while away an afternoon with friends, meet associates for lunch or linger over dinner in the warm evenings. For cool summer sipping, a pitcher of house-made sangria or a chilled half bottle of Castillo Perelada Crianza or Cote Du Rhone Rasteau Village pair perfectly with the new summer daytime dishes of crab salad stuffed avocado and greens, pancetta and snap pea frittata with Asiago cheese, and barbecued halibut and citrus marmalade ciabata.  

For dinner and the evenings, go tapas-style with six oysters on  the half shell, Roquefort and watermelon salad or beef tenderloin carpaccio. Chef Chris Moran has fired up the grill for the summer and is now serving crispy-skin striped bass fillet or barbecued 12-ounce beef ribeye as two new summer entrees. Wind down the day with an outstanding dessert prepared by Sweet Obsession matched with the ideal nightcap from Trafalgars Bistro’s extensive list of aperitifs and dessert wines available by the glass including Marnier & Laposte Pineau des Charentes, Muscat de Beaumes de Venice P. Jaboulet and Elysium Black Muscat. Reservations for the patio are not required in the day, but are accepted at dinner.

Vegetarian Friendly and Ocean Wise

A proud member of Ocean Wise, the Vancouver Aquarium’s renowned conservation program, Trafalgars Bistro creates menus that allow customers to make environmentally friendly seafood choices. Look for ocean-friendly choices like Chef Chris Moran’s new dish of barbecued halibut and citrus marmalade ciabata on the daytime menu.

Vegetarian diners enjoy plenty of choices on Trafalgars Bistro’s new summer menus as well, from the two new soups: roasted fennel puree and mango cucumber gazpacho, to starters of pakoras and tamarind sauce or bistro fries and black truffle aioli to mains like wild mushroom and fresh herb risotto.    

Gourmet Lunches on the Go

While Sweet Obsession Cakes and Pastries is well-known for its luxurious, flavour-rich cakes and desserts, in summer it also offers inspired take-out lunches. The chefs at Trafagars Bistro pack up many of their popular lunch items to go, including the chicken and brie panini with mango chutney and curried mayonnaise, and stock them for take-out at Sweet Obsession. If you’re packing a gourmet picnic basket, Sweet Obsession offers the perfect finish for lunch outdoors from fresh berry-flavoured cheesecakes to chocolate ganache and tasty tiramisu.        

Meet Sous-Chef Dan White

Dan White was born in Hamilton, Ontario and moved to Vancouver in his early childhood. As a youngster, influenced by his mother who worked in the local food and beverage industry, he loved to experiment with food, testing his creations on his sister (not always to rave reviews).After graduating from high school in 1995, Dan worked at several jobs before he was hired as a dishwasher in the kitchen of a casual dining restaurant. There, inspired by a mentor, he quickly progressed from dishwasher to first cook.

With his early passion for food renewed, Dan enrolled in the culinary arts program at Vancouver Community College. At VCC, he drew a lot of creative energy from his instructors, who to this day still inspire and motivate him. He graduated near the top of his class with honors.

Dan was hired at Trafalgars Bistro by Head Chef Chris Moran in 2005. After two years, this year he was promoted to sous-chef with responsibility for the feature menu, a weekly selection highlighting local and fresh products designed to inspire guests to try something different. He also continues to create new dishes for the seasonal menu and enjoys catering for Trafalgars Bistro’s clients at various parties in different venues.

Watermelon Salad Plants Seeds of Summer

When the chefs at Trafalgars Bistro put their heads together, great things happen!
A quest for the perfect fruit juice and vinegar blend led to their creation of Pomegranate-Balsamic Reduction. Fresh crisp watermelon is the showcase for this harmonious blending of flavours, rounded out with strong and creamy Roquefort and some excellent local greens. All this salad needed was something sweet and a little whimsical to create the quintessential summer salad, which led to adding the last magical ingredient to top it off:
 
Filberts

2 cups whole roasted hazelnuts
1 cup sugar (¼ cup reserved)
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp nutmeg

In a hot, dry (preferably non-stick) fry pan cook hazelnuts and ¾ cup sugar until all of the sugar has melted and it begins to brown.  Carefully spread the nut and hot sugar mixture on a tray and cool slightly.  Mix remaining ingredients. Toss the nuts in the mixture breaking them apart as they cool. 
Always be careful when handling hot sugar!

Mango and Cucumber Gazpacho,
Courtesy of Chef Dan White

In keeping with the light and fruity summer theme, Sous-Chef Dan was charged with the task of creating a unique cold soup and did not disappoint with his creation of Trafalgars Bistro’s new Mango and Cucumber Gazpacho. His use of yellow bell peppers and sake in this recipe has created a now staple summer menu item.  Served well chilled on the side of any of the new summer sandwiches, it’s a hit!  

Mango and Cucumber Gazpacho
Serves 4 to 6

1 English cucumber. chopped
4 medium sized mangoes. peeled, seeded and chopped
1 yellow bell pepper. seeded and chopped
1 tsp ginger powder
1 lemon. juice of
1 L apple juice
500 ml pineapple juice
3 oz. Sake
2 oz. rice vinegar
2 tbsp canola oil
salt and pepper to taste

In a food processor, blend all ingredients except the apple and pineapple juice until smooth.  Transfer into a sanitized container and whisk in the apple juice. Use the pineapple juice to sweeten and adjust consistency. (If you have a hand blender, you can blend all ingredients together in a sanitized container.)  Salt and pepper to taste.

Contact Us

For reservations and information, call Trafalgars Bistro at 604-739-0555, extension 1, or email info@trafalgars.com

For advance orders and information, call Sweet Obsession Cakes and Pastries Ltd., at 604 739-0555, extension 2, or email info@sweetobsession.ca