I am a huge lover of all things wine and charcuterie. I am always on the hunt for a good charcuterie board and VV Tapas Lounge did not disappoint. They boast a hefty selection of meats and cheeses to choose from as well as wide variety of house made pickles and accompaniments. The majority of their house made items can also be purchased from their store! VV Tapas Lounge is definitely a blink and you’ll miss it type of restaurant which is such a pity. It’s such a lovely spot with a gorgeous interior and a very solid wine list and food menu. One of the key menu items is the ability to curate your own charcuterie board, which is perfect for picky or adventurous eaters! VV Tapas Lounge is truly a one of a kind experience that I cannot recommend enough.
The Wine and Charcuterie Experience at VV Tapas Lounge
Ordering the charcuterie board at VV Tapas Lounge is quite straight forward. You can choose 4 items for $25, 6 items for $34 or 8 items for $43. All boards are served with house-made pickles, nuts, olives, condiments and bread. They even have a couple plant based options! Check out the full list of meat and cheese options here.
Dine Out Strathcona
The Strathcona Business Improvement Association (SBIA) is bringing back its popular Dine Strathcona culinary event from November 17 to 30, 202. VV Tapas Lounge is one of the participating restaurants and their feature dish is – Flat Iron Steak ($27.00). $5 from the sale of that dish will go to HAVE and their mission to support members of the Strathcona community facing barriers to employment.
Dinner Experience at VV Tapas Lounge – Appetizers
As part of the media night for previewing Dine Strathcona, we were treated to a variety of dishes on the menu as well as the Flat Iron Steak feature dish.
To start we had a small charcuterie board with a variety of meats and cheeses. I was particularly blown away by the delicious house made pickles and mustard. In fact, after dinner, I purchased a couple jars to go! Following the charcuterie board a couple dishes came in quick succession – Ceviche and Cauliflower Dip.
The Ceviche ($10.00) was an incredibly unique take. When I think ceviche I think raw fish that’s been cut up with lots of citrus. This version however features halibut, cantaloupe gazpacho, sherry gastrique and crackers. This dish ate more like a soup to me, albeit a delicious one. The Cauliflower Dip ($14.00) features cashews, olives and fresh bread. The dip is served warm and is so creamy and luscious on the crusty bread.
Dinner Experience at VV Tapas Lounge – Mains
Following the appetizers, came a bevy of mains. We had – Waldorf Salad, Wild Mushroom Risotto and Flatiron Steak. This trio of dishes was absolutely unbelievable. I was completely blown away by the flavours and I will definitely be back soon to have these dishes again. The Waldorf Salad ($14.00) features roasted potato, walnut, grapes,
Okanagan apples and buttermilk dressing. This salad, was light, crisp with a touch of creaminess from the dressing and potatoes. This salad was a great palate refresher from the much heavier steak and risotto dishes.
The Wild Mushroom Risotto ($22.00) features Porcini stock, marinated oyster mushrooms, black garlic miso paste, and yolk sauce. This is one incredibly indulgent dish. There was so much umami flavour in this risotto and it was the perfect texture. Definitely one of the best risottos I’ve ever eaten.
To round off mains we had the star of the night – Flat Iron Steak ($27.00). This steak was perfectly tender and had a great smokey flavour. The green mango-chimichurri slaw was a refreshing element and the burnt honeyed almonds gave a lovely textural contrast.
Dinner Experience at VV Tapas Lounge – Desserts
Ending the evening on a sweet note we tried the tiramisu with chocolate dipped cherry biscotti. There was a strong coffee flavour to the tiramisu and the biscotti had the perfect crumb texture.
Worth a Try?
Yes! I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at VV Tapas Lounge. I have been before previously, but this was my first time having such an extensive taste of their food menu. All the food we had was on point and I was particularly impressed by the charcuterie selection. The restaurant is easy to miss, but there is plenty of parking on Hastings Street and the side streets so I do recommend you give this lounge a try.