Northern Delights

By Glen Putman, GENTRY - January, 2003

...Often called Vancouver's “Little SoHo,” Yaletown, once the terminus for the Canadian Pacific railroad, has evolved over the last decade into an ultra-hip residential and retail neighborhood. Housed in the old red brick warehouses are nightclubs, a brew pub, a day spa, cafes, art studios, galleries, and some of the city's best restaurants and trendiest boutiques. Even a store-front dentist's office looks like a chic gallery. The elevated, brick-paved loading docks are crowded with sidewalk tables, where cantilevered canopies shield patrons from sun and rain as they sip chai and latte and watch the passing parade.

The hot new spot to catch 40 winks here is the Opus Hotel, a sleek and sultry boutique abode with a raucous lobby bar about the size of a two car garage (you meet interesting people this way). Conversely, the nifty restaurant next door quickly transports you to the Left Bank. The “très belle époque” 154-seat brasserie style Elixir restaurant is classic French with a pressed tin ceiling, marble mosaic floors, a stained glass ceiling over a horseshoe bar with brass railings, Carrera marble table tops, antique red leather banquettes, and walnut Venetian blinds and paneling throughout. Très chic and the cuisine is magnifique. Even spooning a thick soupe a l'oignon at the bar, I felt elegant. One evening the veal shoulder dinner special melted into my molars. The more intimate privated dining room has etched glass wall panels, deep ruby red carpeting, rich red mohair covered seating, and walls draped with ruby red velvet, all reflected in antique gilt framed mirrors.

Elixir presents inspired French “comfort” cuisine prepared under the direction of award-winning Canadian chef Don Letendre. The “see and be seen” cozy Opus Bar offers Letendre's artful, global take on tapas (Japanese eggplant with fried squid) and an extensive list of imported and domestic beers, wines, and spirits. David Robson, the friendly restaurant manager and sommelier will find just the right wine to pair with your meal, whether it is from the nearby Okanagan wine region or a classic Burgundy. Over a long weekend in early November, I managed to quaff some lovely selections, not one of which carried a Napa zip code.

The 97-room hotel, a member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World, features five unique interior designs, ranging from sleek minimalist to eclectic modern. The attention to detail is extraordinary. Many rooms have a fireplace and mine looked into a courtyard with a single maple tree. How Canadian...

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