Ethnic Eats – Sampling the World’s Cuisine Without Leaving Vancouver

Considering my love of things Middle Eastern, it’s a bit surprising that I haven’t been to Sanafir before now. It was also the last of the Glowbal Restaurant Group venues that I had to dine at, so I had a chance to check that off my list as well.

I think I swooned as soon as I walked in the door and saw the slate gray walls studded with flickering candles. Souk-like chandeliers and gauzy curtains hang from high ceilings and override any memory of Granville Street as soon as you’re in the door.

We sat at the bar while we were waiting and I had a  Red Sea Champagne cocktail (Absolut Mandarin, Alize Passion & Fresh Blood Orange Juice) to start. Light and fruity, it was the perfect aperitif to sit and savour the venue.

Tricia asked the mustachioed barkeep about the delicious concoction he had just made and upon finding out that it was a Shirley Temple, we decided we’d better check out the martini list instead.

I ordered the Pink Lotus (Vodka, Red Alize Passion, White Grape juice & Champagne), which turned out to be my favorite cocktail of the evening. Huge favorite. I thought it might be too sweet, but the white grape juice cuts in and keeps it mellow. I could have drank it all night and been supremely happy.

Except that I also wanted to try the Mumbai martini (Ginger of the Indies liqueur, Vodka, Muddled Fresh Lime & Curry Leaves). I was delish. Spicy. Exotic. Complex. Good. Possibly a little strong to drink all evening, but that would be my only complaint. Actually, no my second complaint (not about the Mubmai, however), is that the serving staff kept taking away our water glasses. Each time they passed by and saw an empty glass, they would pick it up and carry it off with them. So not only did they not refill it often (essential when you’re drinking some of these pure martinis!), but each time we asked for more, they had to bring us a new glass. Interesting. I’m not sure what’s going on there.

The lack of water didn’t keep me from trying my dinner date’s Marrakech Mint martini (Mint, apple puree, Sourz Apple liqueur and Cointreau), which I really liked. It looked like it should be more of a savory drink with the mint and what looked like celery salt but was actually some kind of appley sugar mix around the rim. Here it is with our appetizer of bread and hummous with roasted garlic and smoking rosemary stuck in it. So good!

Dinner was an excellent Chef’s Selections spread )a trio of dishes), for which I chose the Asian spiced salt and pepper squid, Oxtail cappelletti with white truffle cream and black truffle and the Crispy Pork Pakora. And for the first time in a long time, I also ordered dessert. Like dinner, you get a choice of 3 types and I picked the Black Pepper Pecorino cheese, Cardamom Baked Yogurt and Crispy Fruit Gyoza. I also ordered a Figari cocktail (Guava, Fig puree, Dark Rum & Sparkling Wine), which turned out to be a bit of a mistake, because not only were we entirely out of water at that point, but it was also a very – incredibly – strong drink. And surprisingly not that figgy. I think I would have done better to choose the Pears of Persia cocktail (Absolut Vanilla, Sake, pear puree & Fresh Citrus) or another Champagne cocktail instead. Oh well, next time.

And here are my lovely dining companions, Tricia and Tammy:

Thanks girls!

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Sanafir
1026 Granville Street