Out to the Crescent Beach for another review on Rosana's birthday!
I really love birthdays. My own best (I shamelessly like attention), but I am almost as thrilled when I am able to take someone else out on their special day.
My friend Rosana is a difficult one though. She has eaten in almost ever restaurant around the Lower Mainland, meaning I had to get creative to make the day special. So, out we trekked to Crescent Beach (near White Rock in South Surrey) to the Harbour House where I knew she hadn’t been.
We were practically blown in the door by winds that have been howling throughout the winter, so were pleased to be seated next to a cozy wood burning fireplace away from the door. In fact, the whole room looked comfortable with its pale yellow walls, white linen tablecloths, soft lighting and tasteful paintings done by local artists.
The menu is extensive and features what I call Mediterranean influenced Westcoast cuisine – a little bit of Italian here, some French there, and a good selection of local ingredients.
Appetizers include wild salmon salad, tiger prawns, pan-roasted Fraser Valley duck salad and bruchetta. We ordered up some kir royals (crème de cassis and champagne) to add some bubbles to the birthday celebration, and chose the Harbour House salad with avocado, mixed greens and baby vegetables and the duo of crab salad.
The dishes were little works of art and the accompanying dinner rolls deliciously flaked like bun-shaped croissants. The crab was amazingly fresh and wrapped in slices of marinated cucumber and honeydew melon – too bad it wasn’t my birthday or I would have insisted on taking more than my share of this dish.
Our server was attentive and knew the menu well. We met the owner who was entertaining a group of businessmen from the United States. The proximity to the border apparently dictates that Americans are often guests.
Feeling content that I had chosen well for the celebration, I sipped on some Australian shiraz and checked out the entrée list. Main events consist of wild salmon, seafood hot pot (assorted fish in a rich broth), osso bucco, Alberta beef tenderloin and free range chicken. Rosana went for the crab cakes and I chose a duo of lamb. Both dishes were excellent and the portions were so large we packed the remainder to go so we could tuck into some birthday dessert - a well executed trio of crème brulle in French pastry.
Delving into some restaurant history, I was told the Harbour House chef, Kevin Wall began cooking at the age of 17 and obtained the Red Seal, a prestigious designation in the culinary world, when he was just 23. He mentored at Vancouver’s Villa del Lupo, Umberto’s Al Porto and the Water Street Café. The experience shows in the menu selections and the kitchen’s attention to detail. Chef Wall wasn’t even in that night, which meant he had trained his crew well.
When I called to ask what characterizes his approach to the profession he remarked “I love people…and cooking is my way of reaching out and touching them!”. We really did feel “touched” that night, leaving another year older, but much better fed.
Appetizers are in $8-$35 (platter for 2), Entrees are $12-$13 and desserts around $8. The wine list is concise, but there’s a good cocktail selection and 12 by the glass wines are available, including some of my favourite British Columbian selections.
Harbour House Restaurant in Crescent Beach
101 - 12233 Beecher StreetSouth Surrey, BC
Phone: 604 542 3271
Open from 11:30 am until 11:00 pm everyday except Mondays (closed)
10:30 am Saturday and Sunday for brunch service
