where jess ate

During our visit to Vancouver, my mom planned a trip to Domaine de Chaberton Estate Winery in Langley, about a 45 minute drive from Vancouver.

Our intention was to drop by Bacchus Bistro for lunch, a restaurant located in the winery. We arrived a little early and decided to do a little wine tasting beforehand. In the tasting room, they allow you to try three wines at no charge.

You choose from a selection of wines which changes weekly. It was a nice way to get our little visit started!

Despite the weather being a little cold and rainy (it is BC, after all…), we still opted to sit on the patio at Bacchus Bistro which overlooks the 55 acre vineyard. Thankfully, the patio is covered and heated, so the cold and rain couldn’t keep us away.

Reservations are highly recommended as their hours are quite limited. They are open Wednesday to Sunday for lunch and Fridays/Saturdays for dinner.

The restaurant features French bistro fare with a focus on local ingredients. Prices for entrees range from $20 to $25 while their lighter lunch options (including a quiche, stuffed crepes and omelets) are all under $16.

Since we were in BC, I decided to stick with the seafood options on the menu and started with the Seafood Chowder ($8).

I was really blown away by this Manhattan-style chowder. There were large chunks of well-cooked fish, shrimp, clams and mussels swimming in a deep, flavourful broth. It’s definitely a must-order in my books.

My mom ordered the French Onion Soup ($8) which was also excellent. The soup had a generous gooey melted cheese topping and a large crouton in the broth which soaked up all the soup. The broth had a really nice onion flavour without being too salty.

For my main, I ordered the Gulf Island Mussels – steamed in white wine with grainy Dijon mustard, onions and garlic ($16). It was a very generous amount of mussels for only $16! I especially loved the sauce that came with the mussels – it was so good, I almost wanted to drink it all. I never thought of pairing grainy Dijon with mussels but it really made a big difference in the sauce. Another highly recommended dish!

Once Mike saw Beef Bourguignon – boneless beef short ribs braised in Chaberton Rouge with pearl onions, bacon and mushrooms ($24), he immediately knew he was going to order it. We had recently come back from a trip to France and have very fond memories of this dish.

Bacchus Bistro’s version consisted of a large, tender piece of boneless beef sitting in a sauce that had a nice beef flavour and wasn’t too heavy on the wine (which I find sometimes overpowers the sauce).

Mike mentioned that the dish needed something to soak up the sauce. While the beef bourguignon came with a side of potatoes, they already had their own sauce on them and wasn’t the greatest for soaking up the beef bourguignon sauce.

Overall, it was a solid beef bourguignon but it just couldn’t compare to the amazing dish we had at Chez Dumonet in Paris.

My parents went with something on the light side and shared the Onion and Okra Quiche – served with mixed greens ($13). I had a bite of the quiche which was light, fluffy and perfectly seasoned. My parents seemed quite pleased with their pick.

For dessert, we ordered the Strawberry Pavlova to share. Pavlova’s don’t seem very complex but there’s something about them that I just find so satisfying. The meringue wasn’t too sweet and I loved the fresh strawberries and cream that accompanied it. It was a nice, light way to end off the meal.

Overall, we had a wonderful time at Bacchus Bistro. If you’re looking for something a little off the beaten path, a visit to Domaine de Chaberton Estate Winery and its Bacchus Bistro restaurant may be just what you’re looking for!

At a glance:
• Located in Langley, BC (about 45 minutes away from Vancouver)
• The restaurant is located in the Domaine de Chaberton Estate Winery
• Wine tasting at the winery – 3 complimentary tastes per person
• The restaurant is a French bistro with a focus on local ingredients
• Reservations are recommended – I recommend requesting a seat on the covered/heated patio which overlooks the vineyard
• Open Wednesday to Sunday for lunch and Fridays/Saturdays for dinner
• Lunch entrees are around $20-$25; lighter entrees are under $16
• Favourite dishes: Seafood chowder and mussels

Ratings (out of 5):
• Food: 4 stars
• Service: 3 stars
• Atmosphere: 4 stars