‘Tis the Season: Celebrate the Holidays with Toptable Group
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
‘TIS THE SEASON: CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAYS WITH TOPTABLE GROUP
– Acclaimed Restaurants Offering Seasonal Specialties and Holiday Gift Ideas –
Vancouver, B.C. (November 8th, 2016) – Whether it’s rejoicing with clients and colleagues or gathering family and friends, Toptable Group invites guests to celebrate this holiday season with Whistler’s Araxi Restaurant and Oyster Bar, The Cellar by Araxi, and Bar Oso and Vancouver’s CinCin Ristorante, Blue Water Cafe, West Restaurant, and Thierry Cafe.
HOLIDAY LUNCH AND DINNER MENUS
Available for a limited time only, Toptable Group’s executive chefs have crafted delightful seasonal menus for each restaurant allowing guests more opportunities to get together and spread the holiday cheer.
Araxi Restaurant and Oyster Bar
Chef James Walt and his award-winning brigade invites guests from near and far to celebrate the holidays with an a la carte Christmas lunch menu and a traditional holiday dinner for the festive day.
Lunch: December 24th and 25th, 11:00am to 2:00pm.
Specialties of the season include:
Smoked Sockeye Salmon + Steelhead Rilette
Blended with Fresh Herbs accompanied by Fried Croutons
Orange Segments and Cilantro Shoots
Crispy Rossdown Farm Turkey Salad
Baby Gem Lettuce, Sliced Proscuitto and House Ranch Dressing
Cherry Tomatoes and Sliced Hen Egg
BC Albacore Tuna ‘Nicoise’
Local Fingerling Potatoes, Baby Green Beans, Heirloom Tomatoes
White Anchovies, Assorted Olives, Arbequina Olive Oil
Casarecce Pasta + Wild Prawns
White Prawns, Sauteed Sweet Peppers and Lemon Cream
White Wine, Chives and Toasted Breadcrumbs
For a sample menu, please click here.
Dinner: December 25th, a la carte traditional Christmas dinner, 5:00pm to 11:00pm.
Sit down for Araxi’s festive dinner with selections, such as:
Pemberton Squash Soup
Toasted Pumpkin Seeds and Apple Curry Oil with Spiced Creme Fraiche
Fraser Valley Organic Turkey
Rosemary Roasted Breast with Fresh Herb Stuffing and Sherry Infused Gravy
Local Baby Carrots, Brussel Sprouts and Pomme Puree with Cranberry Sauce
Traditional Christmas Pudding
Steamed Pudding with Mixed Nuts and Assorted Dried Fruit
Brandy Butter Sauce with Fresh Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
The Cellar by Araxi
Join us for an intimate dinner in The Cellar by Araxi during the holiday season and enjoy Chef Walt’s beautifully crafted multi-course prix fixe festive menu. Sommelier Samantha Rahn’s wine pairings elevates the occasion and makes the celebration with family and friends a memorable one.
Dinner: December 17th to January 1st (exclusive of December 31st), 6:00pm and 8:00pm seatings, $89, additional $59 with wine pairings, and $59 for children under 12.
Bar Oso
Cozy up to the bar and spread the holiday cheer at Whistler’s Bar Oso for a delicious selection of Spanish-influenced small plates and handcrafted cocktails to savour and share. Not-to-be-missed guest favourites include the Fresh and Cured Charcuterie Boards, Wild Scallop Crudo, and Lamb Albondigas – paired with our favourite Oso Sour cocktail and artisanal Gin & Tonic, of course!
CinCin Ristorante
Indulge in an a la carte lunch menu, featuring dishes from Chef Andrew Richardson’s famed Grillworks Infierno, such as daily wood-fired whole roasts and fish.
Lunch: December 1st to 23rd, Monday to Friday, 11:30am to 2:30pm.
Specialties of the season include:
Porcini Mushroom and Chestnut Soup, Ciabatta Croutons, First Press Olive Oil
Goat Cheese, Golden and Chioggia Beets, Smoked Orange Vinaigrette, Pistachios
Spaghetti al Ragu – 6 Hour Bolognese
Mixed Grill of Seafood – Rosemary and Chili Branzino, Arctic Char, Ling Cod
Wild Prawn
Wood Grilled Tenderloin of Beef, Potatoes with Prosciutto, Salmoriglio
For a sample menu, please click here.
Closed: December 24th, 25th, and January 1st.
Blue Water Cafe
Chef Frank Pabst’s a la carte lunch menu features classic dishes and seasonal specialties perfect for the jingle bell holidays.
Lunch: December 8th to 23rd, Monday to Friday, 12:00pm to 2:00pm.
Choose from a multitude of signature dishes from Chef Frank Pabst’s award-winning kitchen and Masa Kudo’s sushi bar, such as:
Baked Bay Scallops with Parmesan Crust
Tomato and Caper Relish, Spinach, Toasted Bread Crumbs
Lemon Butter with Fresh Thyme
Tsunami
Torched Hamachi, Thinly Sliced with Jalapeno, Ginger and Sesame Oil
Seafood Tower
Two Tiers with Oysters, Prawns, Seared Red Tuna, Salmon Tartare, Jellyfish
Scallop Ceviche, Clams and Mussels
Jumbo Prawns
Pearl Barley Risotto with Artichokes, Brussel Sprouts, Tomatoes and Basil
Albacore Tuna
Mixed Beans, Baby Kale, Sweet Onion Puree, Soy and Balsamic Reduction
Lobster / Dungeness Crab from the Tank
Seasonal Vegetables, Fork Crushed Potatoes, Lobster Nage With Tarragon
For a sample menu, please click here.
Closed: December 24th and 25th, December 26th open for dinner only from 5:00pm to 11:00pm.
West Restaurant
Celebrate the holiday season with Chef Quang Dang’s three unique tasting menus during the month of December.
Lunch: 11:30am to 2:30pm, three-course prix fixe menu, $45.
Choose from a selection of dishes, such as:
Potato and Leek Soup
Black Truffle Creme Fraiche
Ricotta and Herb Cannelloni
Fraser Valley Beet Root in Textures, Verjus Vinaigrette
Pan Roasted Branzino
Yukon Gold Potatoes Ragout, Celery, Chive Butter Sauce
Squash Creme Caramel, Spiced Doughnut
Pecan Crumble, Caramel Apple Ice Cream
For a sample menu, please click here.
Dinner: 5:30pm to 10:30pm, Holiday Tasting Menu, $150, Chef’s Tasting Menu, $98, and an additional $69 for wine pairings.
Taste the holidays with these sample menus:
Holiday Tasting Menu
Truffle Scrambled Eggs
White Alba Truffles, Mushroom Relish
Argiolas “Costamolino” Vermentino 14, Sardegna
Pan Roasted Branzino
Yukon Gold Potatoes Ragout, Celery, Chive Butter Sauce
Truchard Roussanne 13, Carneros, Napa Valley
Braised Wagyu Beef Cheek
Roasted Squash and Apples, Sage Jus
Louis M. Martini Cabernet Sauvignon 13, Napa Valley
Chocolate Torte, Raspberry Poached Pears
Pecan Crumble, Raspberry Gelato
Taylor Fladgate 10 Year Old Tawny, Port
Chef Tasting Menu
Foie Gras Parfait
Agassiz Chestnuts, Cranberries, Toasted Brioche
Pfaff Gewurztraminer 13, Alsace
Diver Caught Scallop
Red Cabbage in Textures, Bacon Jam
Laughing Stock Pinot Gris 13, Okanagan Valley
Slow Cooked Lamb Neck
Spinach, Parsnips in Textures, Rosemary Essence
Chapoutier Occultum Lapidem 12, Roussillon
Quince Cake
Calvados Cream, Apple Sorbet, Fresh Pomegranate
Chateau D’armajan Sauternes 10, Bordeaux
For sample tasting menus, please click here.Closed: December 25th and January 1st, December 26th open for dinner only from 5:00pm.
Thierry Cafe
Savour and revel in the Christmas season with Chef Thierry Busset’s renowned Buche de Noel – the holiday centerpiece at every Christmas celebration in his native France. Crafted to delight and make a big splash as the finale at your holiday table, these yule logs will be available in several flavours including Black Forest and Chestnut. Buches de Noel are available by advance order only; orders can be placed starting December 1st for pick-up on December 23rd or 24th.
Another great way to refuel during the hustle and bustle of the holidays is to enjoy Thierry’s light lunch menu and selection of festive pastries and treats.
Closed: December 25th, modified hours for December 24th (open from 8:00am to 5:30pm) and December 31st (open from 8:00am to 10:00pm).
NEW YEAR’S EVE
Guests are invited to ring in the New Year with each one of Toptable Group’s four approachably elegant restaurants. Guests at Araxi Restaurant will enjoy a memorable night of spectacular food and wine with lively music and a midnight countdown. CinCin Ristorante and Blue Water Cafe will be offering diners an a la carte menu and special seasonal additions. For added colour to your night, guests experiencing a late seating at Blue Water Cafe, $60, and CinCin Ristorante, $50, will also enjoy a New Year’s Eve countdown celebration featuring DJ entertainment and a glass of sparkling wine at midnight. West Restaurant will be offering a decadent five-course tasting menu for $125 plus tax and gratuity.
SPECIAL GIFTS
A Culinary Journey
Take a slice of the restaurants home with you this holiday season with the gift of cookbooks written by the culinary masters of Araxi Restaurant, Blue Water Cafe, and CinCin Ristorante. CinCin: Wood-Fired Cucina, the latest addition to Toptable Group’s collection and Executive Chef Andrew Richardson’s debut cookbook, embraces the essence of Italian cuisine and marries it with fresh local ingredients combined with techniques calibrated for the home cook. Araxi: Roots to Shoots, Fresh Farm Recipes, the newest Araxi Restaurant cookbook, is a continuation of the story introduced in Araxi’s first collection of recipes, Araxi: Seasonal Recipes from the Celebrated Whistler Restaurant, highlighting the best of local ingredients under the guidance of Executive Chef James Walt’s farm-to-table approach to cooking. To gift the quintessential taste of seafood, don’t miss out on picking up a copy of Blue Water Cafe’s Blue Water Cafe: Seafood cookbook by Executive Chef Frank Pabst, and relish in the excellence of the Pacific Northwest. Make holiday shopping a breeze with a cookbook set of three for $110 plus taxes, available at Araxi Restaurant, Blue Water Cafe, and CinCin Ristorante.
Sweet Treats
Delight your family, friends, and co-workers with Chef Thierry’s artisan creations. Gift a sweet surprise with hand-crafted chocolates and macarons, house-made jams and petit fours as the perfect hostess gift, or Chef Thierry’s signature Buche de Noel – the French Christmas classic – for a perfect ending to a festive feast.The Gift of Choice
For the person who has everything, give the gift of choice. Toptable Group offers gift cards that promise a phenomenal dining experience at any of our award-winning restaurants including Araxi Restaurant, Bar Oso, CinCin Ristorante, Blue Water Cafe, West Restaurant, and Thierry Cafe. Valid all year long, gift cards can be purchased online or in person at any of our restaurant locations.
PRIVATE DINING
The private dining rooms of Araxi Restaurant and The Cellar by Araxi, CinCin Ristorante, and Blue Water Cafe are the perfect venues for hosting seasonal parties for groups of 10 to 200 corporate colleagues, family members, and friends. The Cellar by Araxi features a unique Chef’s Table and show kitchen for interactive chef demonstrations as well as state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment. The chefs and wine directors of our award-winning restaurants have been busily collaborating to design unique seasonal menus with accompanying wines for an intimate and memorable dining experience. Further private dining information can be found here.
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ABOUT TOPTABLE GROUP:
One of Canada’s leading hospitality groups, Toptable Group has six elegant yet approachable restaurants in Vancouver and Whistler: Araxi Restaurant and Oyster Bar and The Cellar by Araxi, Bar Oso, CinCin Ristorante, Blue Water Cafe, West Restaurant, and Thierry Cafe. More information can be found online at www.toptable.ca.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Judy Ahola
Director of Communications
Toptable Group
judy.ahola@toptable.ca
604 836 8005