Joe Fortes: Free Lunch!
Joe Fortes, 777 Thurlow Street, Vancouver, BC
777 Thurlow Street, Vancouver, BC
To celebrate Administrative Professionals’ week (April 23 to 27, 2012), Joe Fortes offered complimentary lunch for all administrators. You just had to bring a business card. Granted, the free lunch was off the Blue Plate Specials menu but a free lunch is a free lunch.
Joe Fortes, 777 Thurlow Street, Vancouver, BC
As soon as we sat down, waiters wearing those familiar Joe Fortes white lab coats approached our table and collected our business cards and proceeded to explain the lunch menu. Two other servers, clad in the same white coats came to our table with bread baskets and a selection of dipping sauces. We chose the lobster and oil dipping sauce and one of the servers mixed the dish of golden lobster oil with a splash of balsamic vinegar right at our table.
Lobster oil bread dipper, Joe Fortes, 777 Thurlow Street, Vancouver, BC
The oil really did have a strong and distinct lobster flavour. And this was just the bread dipper. I love coming to Joe Fortes. The food quality never disappoints.
Since we attended on Friday, the Blue Plate Menu item was crab cakes and a choice of clam chowder or salad. Obviously, I chose the clam chowder.
Clam chowder, Crab cakes, Joe Fortes, 777 Thurlow Street, Vancouver, BC
The creamy chowder was thick and chock full of large pieces of moist clam.
Crab cakes, Joe Fortes, 777 Thurlow Street, Vancouver, BC
The crab cakes were huge! Each big hockey puck of a cake was bursting full of tender crab meat, peas, carrots and light seasoning. The crab meat was fresh and sweet. The batter encasing the crab cakes was crispy but light. In fact, the crab cakes were so fluffy and light that each forkful of the cake nearly fell apart before I could get it in my mouth.
Crab cakes, Joe Fortes, 777 Thurlow Street, Vancouver, BC
For dessert we got a selection of creme brulee or vanilla ice cream. Half our table chose vanilla ice cream but I went with creme brulee (one of my all-time favourite desserts). The caramelized topping of my creme brulee gave the perfect, satisfying crack as I smashed my teaspoon on it, caving into a rich, thick and creamy dish of custard. It was a great end to a delicious and free lunch!
Creme Brulee, Joe Fortes, 777 Thurlow Street, Vancouver, BC
Creme Brulee, Joe Fortes, 777 Thurlow Street, Vancouver, BC