Fable Kitchen

Happy Birthday Meko ❤ I wish you all the best this upcoming year! I realize that every year I always have a difficult time selecting a restaurant for his birthday dinner. I personally dislike restaurants that participate in DineOut Vancouver; they always undermine their service and overprice their food during this event. So after considering over a dozen options, I finally narrowed it down to Fable Kitchen!

It was a great surprise, Meko had no idea where we were going. Parking was hard to find though, especially with all the construction on 4th Avenue. Anyways, when we got to Fable Kitchen, there was a line up! Good thing I made reservations early, so we were seated right away. When you get inside the restaurant, you are welcomed by an open kitchen, where the staff cooks right in front of you. There is a bar-style area that over looks the cooking surfaces. In the back, there is a cozy small dining room - dimly lit. Perfect for a date.

For those who don't know, Fable is a farm-to-table concept by Canada's Top Chef: Trevor Bird. He is passionate about fresh food and knowing his farmers to obtain full knowledge about the ingredients he is using in his recipes. By knowing the source, you will know the quality and freshness.

Pork Croquettes: gribiche mayonnaise and pickled onion (part of $35 pre-fixe menu)
This was delicious. It was amazing!! Everything from the flavour of the sauce to the crisp of the croquette. The pork was surprisingly not dry. I loved it. Recommended by Hippo!

Canned Tuna: albacore tuna, lemon, potato nugget ($12)
This appetizer is a feature of the restaurant. Cooked in a sealed jar and served with crostini. Tuna had a nice soft texture. Be sure to give the canned tuna a good stir, but do NOT puree it! This is like a high class canned tuna. Definitely not like the dried out ones you buy at the grocery store.

Roasted Ling Cod: winter vegetables, black bean glaze, mussels, miso ($26)
Meko enjoyed this. I was actually worried about this, since usually with fishes, it is a hit or a miss. Roasting can also over dry the fish. But in this case, it is a hit! Very light dish, but still flavourful with the sauce.

Beef Braised Stiletto: spaetizle, winter vegetables, mushroom puree (part of $35 pre-fixe menu)
Generous portion of beef. Great flavours, not too salty as compared to other places. The spaetzle was great - if you like gnocchi, you will love this! But my favourite part is actually the mushroom puree. However, it is just another beef braised dish, just a lower sodium version.

Gorgonzola Cheesecake: caramelized pears (part of $35 pre-fixe menu)
Who loves Cheesecake as much as I do? This is so exquisitely different and amazing. Not the traditional cheesecake. The gorgonzola cheese make its more savoury. Paired with mascarpone and caramelized pears as the sweetener. Very heavy and rich when eaten alone. Great to share with a friend.

Overall, Fable gave us a very nice dining experience. Our waitress was always present for our needs. Each of the staff was also very knowledgeable when we had questions.`I just found that our table was too small, as I always have to put my camera and cellphone somewhere.

Interior of Fable Kitchen

Location: In Kitsilano, West 4th Avenue and Burrard Street area. Currently undergoing construction, so it is heavy traffic during rush hours. There is paid parking along 4th Avenue - I believe $1 for 40 minutes (will update when I confirm).

Food: Entree was very typical, just less salty compared to other restaurants. Highlights were the appetizers and dessert! The 'from farm-to-table' concept would be nice if they educate the diners more on it.
Service: Excellent. Definitely recommended for special occasions and casual dates. Not a formal, fine dining kind of restaurant, but very nice ambiance. Note: reservations recommended. We went on a weekday and people had to wait for a table.
Price: The total came to $97 with tax for two people. This included an alcoholic drink.
Recommended? Yes!

- Hippo


Fable Kitchen
1944 West 4th Avenue
Vancouver, B.C.
Phone: 604-722-1322