Circa Restaurant & Lounge

I had dinner with my parents tonight at Circa, a resto-lounge that features Pacific Northwest cuisine. The moment we stepped inside, we were surrounded by beautiful and stylish decor. There was a classic, yet contemporary feel to the place. We were there at around 7 pm and it was still bright outside, so the lights were dim and the candles on the tables had not been lit. I think the ambiance would be much better later in the night.

Since we were using our Indulge Living vouchers, we were led over to a table on the left with a special Indulge Living menu. It was a 3-course tasting menu, meaning "don't expect to be full after the meal". For appetizers, my mom and I decided on the beef carpaccio while my dad got the salmon sashimi. I thought that eating sashimi at a non-Japanese restaurant would not be a smart move, but I was wrong... The sashimi was in thin slices with a splash of lime-maple vinaigrette and sweet onion soubise. I could tell that the salmon was very very fresh. The carpaccio was in even thinner slices (paper thin), topped with wasabi remoulade which is similar to tartar sauce. Both the salmon and beef were very tender and tasty, but the portions were tiny.

I had beef again for my entree: a rare tenderloin steak complemented with peppercorn sauce and fries on the side. The meat was very juicy and almost melted in my mouth. I love rare steaks that are bright red in the middle :) The fries were stacked on top of each other like Jenga blocks. The presentation was impressive as it was, but for the first time I was impressed by the taste of fries served at a restaurant. They were very crispy and had a strong potato flavour.

Both of my parents went for the lamb rack with mashed potato. The lamb was garnished with dijon mustard, and was very tender and flavourful. The mashed potato was rich and creamy with a hint of roasted garlic. I enjoyed both dishes, but I prefer a good steak to lamb.

Dessert time is always my favourite part of the meal. My mom and I had the vanilla creme brulee. She fell in love with creme brulees ever since she had her first one on a cruise. I can't blame her though. They're sooooo creamy and delicious!

My dad had the lemon meringue pie (which is the best choice according to the waiter). The crust was firm and buttery, and slightly sweet (my favourite kind of crust!). The lemon flavour was very strong, but not overly sour. The meringue on top was sweet and airy, just like a fluffy cloud. And all 3 parts of the pie fit together so well.

Although we weren't really full at the end of the meal, we all agreed that this was the best meal we've had in a long time. All of the dishes we ordered were excellent, and $15 per person is a very cheap price to pay for the quality of the food, service, and ambiance.

Side Story: When I went to the washroom, I either forgot to lock the stall door or the lock came loose. So this girl walked in as I was wiping... How embarrassing >_< Here are a couple of washroom pics to go with the story. I think the decor is really quaint!