Mosaic Bar and Grill 3

Yes, we crumpets have been to Mosaic Bar and Grill three times now! Things are looking good for Mosaic Bar and Grill! As my family haven't used up one Vaneats coupon from last time (see Mosaic Bar and Grill 1), and the expiry date was emerging, we made a reservation to go to the restaurant for another delicious meal at the Hyatt Regency.

We actually went on the second last day of the expiry date, and it turns out that they have a new summer/mid-summer menu! I was thrilled, as I love eating seasonally and what's better than summer produce? No surprise, the service and ambiance were both great and we were given ice water and some complimentary sea salt scones to nibble on upon ordering our dishes. See our previous blog post for the scones' review.

To my surprise, Chef Heinrich really wanted to make use of the fresh ahi tuna and we each were brought complimentary mini appetizer! I can't speak for the ahi tuna, but my company both gobbled it up! Along with the tuna was a little side of pickled radish and corn salsa. I loved the freshness and tangyness of the radish. It really helps kickstart your appetite!

I love how they put the dish in a dainty sardine can, so adorable!

There's not much to say about the Vaneats menu, as I have already reviewed it. However this time, the portion of the A La Minute Salmon was so much smaller! I decided it was because Vaneats was almost over and they are running out?! I'm not really sure, but as least the presentation and taste remained the same.

See the size difference from the first post? Ah, well that's okay; it's not too much of a big deal. (I'm not the one eating this anyway) ;)

Let's move on to the new menu. 

Mosaic Bar and Grill

There has been an increasing number of bloggers going to mosaic bar and grill @ Hyatt Regency recently, but that wasn't the reason why I visited this restaurant for dinner. My sister actually purchased 2 coupons on  Vaneats (check it out if you haven't!) which is basically a prix-fix three-course meal for only $20 instead of $40! 

I was pretty stoked since it was my mom's birthday, and I read that they give out their ever-famous chocolate cake for free on birthdays. However, I was kind of worried they wouldn't have a vegan option for me because the online menu was all flesh (sorry for those carnivores out there).

Coincidentally, the reservation was booked on the day of Eat! Vancouver, so I made sure I wouldn't over-stuff myself at the festival for the sake of enjoying a very special birthday dinner. Well, if you haven't read the post about Eat! Vancouver, there really wasn't much that you could stuff yourself with this year, which was disappointing for both Coconut Crumpet, our fellow "clumsy" friend, and me!

ANYWAY, When my family went into the restaurant, I wasn't surprised at the quiet ambiance. There wasn't a lot of people even on a Saturday night, which I liked. The waiters and waitresses were all very accommodating and very nice, and I give a thumbs up to the service.

Once seated, we were told that they had a special spot prawn tasting menu for $45 and $65 if you wanted wine pairing with it. Of course, as a shrimp-a-holic, my mother gave no other thought and ordered just that. My dad wanted to use the coupon that my sister got, but failed to resist the temptation of the menu. I, myself, didn't use the coupon because there was only the choice of fish or beef as the main course. That's okay though, because the coupon won't expire until July :)

I was so glad that they had a create-your-own menu, including the source of protein you want (TOFU OPTION AVAILABLE!!!), the way you want it cooked (grilled, sauteed, roasted, i-forgot-the-rest, etc.), 2 types of veggie accompaniments, way you want the veggies cooked, and the starch you want. I ended up ordering grilled tofu with olive oil mushrooms and summer greens, and sunchoke puree. 

My sister, with the coupon, had a pretty interesting menu. My dad says that it's a "very good deal", which is a big compliment on his part (he is one tough critic). 

After ordering, we received some complimentary mini sea salt biscuits along with a cube of butter to start our meal. Since the biscuits probably has dairy in it, I didn't try any. My parents thought they were a bit too salty, but gobbled them up nonetheless. 

Vaneats Menu Experience

Mosaic Bar & Grille: Coconut Crumpet's Turn

What time is it? SUMMER TIME! Coconut Crumpet has finally been freed from school (for two months), and what better way to start my vacation than with some fancy food?

I managed to convince my parents to bring me downtown to have dinner right after I took my last exam. Factors that helped me convince them were that my aunt was in town for the week, and my brother's prom was in Downtown and we had to drive him there anyways. After much consultation, suggestions, and research, I made a reservation at Mosaic Bar & Grille inside the Hyatt Regency Hotel on Burrard Street, as recommended by Peanut Crumpet. Her review can be found here.

Traffic was horrendous that evening; roads were blocked off, it was rush hour, and it was Friday night. It took almost one and a half hours to reach Downtown, by then my stomach was growling. Before leaving the house, I called Hyatt to ask about their parking prices. It is extremely expensive, probably going to cost $30, so park at Pacific Centre instead for $6 during after-hours (i.e. dinnertime), it's only a few blocks away.

Mosaic Bar & Grille is on the second level of the hotel. We were seated by the window with great natural lighting for food photography and a view of the street to do some people watching. The menu isn't very vast, but the ingredients are seasonal. On one side are appetizers and main courses, and the other side is build-your-own main course. You can choose a protein (either 4 oz or 8 oz), two vegetable sides, a starch, a sauce, and a broth(?) There is also a tasting menu for $45, it's a good deal but I didn't try it this time.