First Time at Judas Goat
After hearing so many good things about this new place, last night we finally headed out to Judas Goat for dinner. It was raining so we took a taxi from Coal Harbour which turned out to be a bit of a challenge because the driver did not know where Blood Alley was nor how to get close because of the one way streets. We got dropped off about a block away and made our way down the alley. Mom (who is visiting from Winnipeg for Easter) thought we were taking her somewhere to get rid of her, until we came upon the restaurant door. Actually it was quite busy in the alley with what looked like a local musician posing for some type of publicity shots for two different photographers.
If You Go – Make a Reservation
We had made a reservation; they do take a few each night, since they only have 28 seats and were seated promptly. Since the place is so small we were quickly greeted by a server and a couple chefs who basically cook right in the restaurant area. The wine list was small but included Sandhill Small Lots which we love and we proceeded to consume two bottles with our great dinner. The menu at first looks a bit daunting as you are handing 5 copies and a pencil but after a quick read almost everything was appealing to us and it was hard to weed down the choices. We started with one of each of four Bruschetta options. They were small and just enough for two people to share which was OK since they all contained too much ‘greenery’ for Jeff. The Chorizo, Caramelized Onion & Dark Chocolate and the White Anchovy and Salsa Verde were our favorites. There were three choices for salad; Marinated Beets with Ricotta, Crisp Prosciutto with Squash, Arugula and Manchego and Potato and Quail’s Egg with Botarga and we chose the first two. The beets (two different varieties) were delicious and the Ricotta was much creamier than others we had tasted. The Arugula salad had a light, lemony dressing which was very refreshing and the squash was tender and delicious. Both salads were a big hit with the two of us at the table who eat greens.
The Main’s at Judas Goat
So I guess you are wondering what Jeff ate this whole time? Well for the first half hour or so, just grapes, meaning a very nice glass of Sandhill. But once the mains rolled out he was happy too. We had Sablefish cooked in Lemon and Paprika with Israeli Cous Cous. The fish was tender and rich, as Sablefish is and the Cous Cous had a great texture, not mushy at all. We also had 24 Month Parma Ham from Italy and Cured Salmon Pastrami. The Ham was not too salty and melt in your mouth and the Salmon had the texture of a smoked fish but was very tender. Both were delicious. We went out on a limb and also ordered the Rabbit Rillette with Carrot Panna Cotta. The rabbit tasted like dark meat turkey and was served with a very spicy grainy mustard to give it some kick. The Panna Cotta was a bit strange as we usually think of it as a dessert but the carrot flavor went well with the rabbit. As you can see Judas Goat is a place for sharing. We ended up with 7 dishes for under $60 all of which had great flavor and was the right amount of food for 3 people to share. We finished with the Goat Cheese Apple and Almond Cheese Cake which had a bit too much topping and not enough cheese filling for our liking but the Goat Cheese also gave it a great flavor.
Post Dinner Drink at Steam Works
It was then off to SteamWorks for a Blueberry Tea and Irish Coffee to watch the dismal ending of the Canucks 8 – 3 loss to L.A. Give Judas Goat a try. Make a reservation if you can. The food is interesting and delicious. Just don’t ask a taxi driver how to get there.
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