12B Underground Restaurant

The Menu
It seems these days underground restaurants are popping up all over, not just in Vancouver but all over the world. For a complete list of underground restaurants or to find one near you checkout http://www.saltshaker.net/underground-dining-scene. These establishments run on a word of mouth basis, and on the lovely reality of legal loopholes. Be forewarned they are not easy to find, cheap, nor are they easy to get reservations at. In the hopes of having a sophisticated birthday party me and a few friends visited chef Todd, to take our first foray into the world of underground dining. Chef Todd charges $65 dollars per person, for a 6 course meal, seating between 10-12 people, and reservations for weekends can need to be made up to 6 months in advance. The restaurant has a relaxed atmosphere, which is exactly in tune with Chef Todd as a person. Its BYOB, drink whatever you want, smoke  whatever you want. The rooms and hallways are lined with interesting and intriguing painting and other forms of art, all of which are for sale. 12B serves up a new unique, one of a kind menu for your event, based on home grown herbs, as well as fresh local produce and meat.

1: Scallop and spot prawn ceviche, Peas with Endive with a lemon shallot Vin, creme fraiche and strawberry Tomato , halibut pea cilantro blossom

This dish was amazing, it was really fresh, the seafood flavours were showcased and it was very original. The salad was plain but it was definitely not the intended star of the dish.

2: Tarragon Sockeye Salmon with asparagus potatoes, carrots, peas and morels

I have nothing bad to say about this dish. I personally am not a fan of salmon, but ate the entire fish quite quickly. My favorite part about the dish was not the salmon, but instead the morel mushrooms which were packed full of a rich meaty flavour unlike anything i had ever tasted, they definitely stole the show of this dish, and possibly the entire meal.

3: Tomato poached Cornish hen, homemade back pepper fettuccine with olives capers and  sage

I had never eaten a Cornish hen before this entree. I expected it to taste like chicken, which i guess it sort of did, but it had a much tougher texture to it. The tomato sauce was outstanding and really gave it a lot of flavour. Unfortunately the pasta seemed to be overly peppery to me, and some what suck together but everyone else liked it. The dish overall was definitely not anyone's favorite dish of the night.

4: Esplette Duck with saffron Israeli cous cous, oven dried tomato, garlic scape and baby zucchini

This duck was easily my favorite dish. The portion of duck given was just enough to leave you satiated while still leaving you with a desire for more. It was packed full of flavour and perfectly cooked. The oven roasted tomato was amazing, one of my fellow diners refused to try it, as he was vehemently opposed to tomatoes, but even he ate the whole thing and liked it after being forced to try it.

5: Bison Tenderloin with a fig balsamic demi glaze, parsnip puree, cippolini onions and grilled king oyster mushrooms

The bison is clearly front and center in this dish, which is obvious right from the moment it gets laid on the table, the presentation is fabulous and the meat was amazing. This dish was definitely still being talked about on the ride home, being a favourite of many of the diners. The Bison was seared to perfection, the meat was tender, and the sauce was amazing. The Cippolini onion really sealed the deal for me. it was sweet and juicy and a perfect segue into dessert

6: Berry Sorbet and star anise ice cream, with fresh strawberry and sliced almonds, Chantilly cream and homemade shortbread

Star anise ice cream has a new spot in my heart, as well as strawberry sorbet. The strawberry was off putting as i can eat a strawberry any time, but  this was not any other strawberry, a strawberry becomes more than just a strawberry with such an amazing Chantilly cream. The ice cream was smooth and silky and melted in your mouth, while the sorbet was summery and refreshing. The shortbread cookies were well done but took a backseat to the rest of the dessert on the plate.

Pumpkin Spice Millet Muffins

For Halloween, Christmas, or anytime of the year these muffins make a perfect healthy snack to brighten up your day. The crunchy toasted Millet's add a whole new dimension to these muffins and the ginger combined with the pumpkin puree make for a sweet and spicy treat that is sure to please!

please refrigerate these muffins if you want to keep them as buttermilk does tend to spoil quite quickly.

Adapted from http://www.recipezaar.com/recipe/Pumpkin-Millet-Muffins-85730

SERVES 15
Ingredients
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
1/2 cup rolled oat
1/2 cup millet
1 cup unbleached flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
Line a muffin pan with baking cups or grease (baking spray works well).
Combine eggs, oil, buttermilk, sugar, vanilla, and pumpkin puree and mix until there are no lumps of brown sugar.

Stir in the rolled oats.
Heat a dry skillet and toast the millet until lightly browned.
Add with the millet to the wet ingredients.
In a separate bowl mix the dry ingredients.
Add this mixture to the wet mixture.
Avoid over stirring as the muffins will come out tough.
Fill the muffin cups  and bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Roasted Beet Salad, with Toasted Walnuts and Goat Cheese

Recipe adapted from http://recipes.epicurean.com/recipe/21817/roasted-beet-salad-with-walnuts-and-goat-cheese.html

 After dining at one of Vancouver's fine dining establishments named Bacchus Restaurant and lounge, I could not stop thinking about the appetizer I had eaten that night. This salad has been on my mind since that fateful night in April when I stumbled upon what can only be considered THE BEST SALAD in the world. I am not a health food freak, nor do i particularly like beets, or salad at all for that matter, but I would gladly eat this salad everyday for the rest of my life. Its a veritable plethora of texture, creamy goat cheese, crunchy walnuts and lettuce, and soft tender beets, a perfect combination. The vinaigrette is a wonderful balance of sweet and salty in your mouth. I hope you like it as much as I do. 

Ingredients:

6-8 servings

1/2 cup walnut halves 

2 teaspoons olive oil 

1/8 teaspoon salt 

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper 

6 medium beets, trimmed and washed 

1/3 cup thinly sliced red onions 

1/2 lb fresh spinach leaves or any type of salad you like 

3 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled 

Sauce:

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 

3/4 teaspoon salt 

1/4 teaspoon sugar (preferably cane sugar)

fresh ground black pepper 

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Combine the walnuts with the olive oil, salt and pepper, mixing well to coat the nuts
Spread on a baking sheet and bake until toasted, about 7-10 minutes.
Set aside to cool.
Wrap the beets individually in foil and place on a rimmed baking sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees until tender, about 1 1/2 hours.
Let cool for 20 minutes, then peel the beets by holding them under cold running water and rubbing off the skins.
Cut into 1/2-inch wedges, and place in a large mixing bowl with the walnuts and onion
Combine all the dressing ingredients, taste and adjust the seasonings.
Pour over the beets and toss well.
Let sit at room temperature at least 1 hour.
Just before serving, arrange the spinach leaves in individual bowls or on a large platter.
Arrange the beets on top and crumble the goat cheese over.