After a full day of hiking and the beach, we had a reservation at the Rimrock Cafe which was highly regarded online. It was in a much more residential area – literally sandwiched between houses – which was odd and made us wonder if we were in the wrong place or if it really was a high end restaurant. But as they say, don’t judge a book by its cover!
We took a bus to the area and arrived a bit early so we walked on a local trail first. At 6:15pm we entered the restaurant and were greeted by a friendly hostess. There is just the hostess and washrooms on the ground floor and then the dining room and patio is upstairs.
They sat us at what they regarded as their most romantic table in front of the fireplace (though of course there was no fireplace this time of year). It had a great view of the rest of the restaurant and was very private.
Our server was nice though not overly friendly or attentive. We had let them know it was our anniversary, though he didn’t mention that at any point. He was to the point, but we didn’t feel the same level of service as we had experienced at Araxi.
We perused the menu and told him about our allergies. For starters, we decided on the ceviche with halibut, prawns and scallops and also the scallops with green peas and crispy prosciutto.
We thought the ceviche was exceptional and perhaps the best we have had. The ceviche serving was generous though there were not enough chips on the side, so we had to ask for more. The combo of fish was refreshing, filling and overall light and lemony without feeling overdone.
The scallops were also great though we both felt like we had had something similar before. They were nicely grilled and I loved the green pea garnishment. I thought the prosciutto didn’t really go with the scallops. But all that being said, they were tasty, just nothing super unique.
For a main I had the halibut and GL had the wild salmon. We both got vegan risotto on the side instead of the mashed potato sides that normally came with the dishes because they had cream. Both dishes also included grilled veggies.
I loved my halibut and it was my favourite dish of the weekend. It was crusted with porcini mushroom powder which has this beautiful earthy flavour. The vegan risotto was exceptional and we have no idea how they made it so amazing without any dairy. There were nice wild mushrooms in the risotto and it was somehow creamy and decadent. We asked how they made it but I guess it’s a trade secret as we didn’t get much out of the server! You must try the risotto here, vegan or not.
GL’s salmon was surprisingly juicy and tender and he loved it. He was also obsessed with the vegan risotto and there were also some nice fresh veggies on the side. The salmon is a nice light and healthier option for a meal out.
The only GF and DF dessert they could offer was sorbet like pretty much every restaurant we visited this weekend. Both of us would prefer something chocolatey for dessert so we thought this was disappointing. But we were also quite full so maybe it was for the best.
The food here was good but the service wasn’t as warm and friendly as we have had elsewhere. Perhaps with a different server you would get that. The location is also a bit odd, but it was fun for us to explore a new neighbourhood. We would definitely try this place again.
Did You Enjoy This Article?
If you enjoyed this article, you might also like to read about our other culinary adventures sharing our gluten-free and dairy-free experiences such as Araxi Restaurant & Oyster Bar in Whistler, Homemade Spot Prawns Done Three Ways, and Hook Seabar in English Bay.
