Glowbal Dinner: Review

For once, the cold is gone and warmth is coming our way in Vancouver! As the weather becomes more ideal for hanging outside and the Spring Semester is coming to an end, friends and family finally have the chance to spend some time together. For myself, I had the opportunity to dine in one of Vancouver's fine restaurants for my mom's birthday.

Like most kids, I want to make sure I celebrate my mom's birthday the way she likes. Coming from a family of chefs, my mom loves to enjoy nice relaxing dinners whenever she can, especially when it comes to her birthday. So, I treated her to a dinner in an upscale restaurant in downtown Vancouver as her birthday present.

Calamari

Glowbal is an upscale dining paradise situated at the heart of downtown Vancouver. Built very recently, Glowbal offers a very modern dining experience and features an exquisite menu with cuisines from around the world. What is stunning about Glowbal goes beyond their menu. Built in the Telus Square Garden, Glowbal's design is absolutely amazing. Featuring a warm and relaxing patio with comfy chairs and a blazing fire place, a lively and uplifting bar near the centre of the restaurant, and a more romantic interior design near the sides of the restaurant, Glowbal offers an experience for all special occasions. And for those who really want to get away....there's a bird cage booth on the patio fit for a catch-up lunch with your friends.

On my mom's birthday, we decided to go with a full 3-course dinner. We started the dinner with a calamari. These little squids certainly satisfied our calamari cravings since our Whistler trip. Served with a side of in-house mayo, this was certainly a very satisfying appetizer to start of our amazing dinner.

New York Steak

Ahi Tuna

Next came our entrees. My mom decided to order their special of the day, which is New York Steak with Yukon potatoes and grilled brussels sprouts. I, on the other hand, ordered my favourite fish of all time, Ahi Tuna. Presentation wise, I have to admit that mine looked a lot more appetizing than hers. With the ambient lighting, her dish looked quite dark. Mine, on the other hand, was perfect as the brightness of my dish stood out. Taste wise, my dish was amazing. Even though the fish could have used a bit more lemon to give a fresher taste, the arugula and roasted vegetables complemented the dish. The sauce, which also served as a garnishment, provided some extra flavour to the dish. Similar to soy sauce for sashimi, the sauce gave enough saltiness to cover the fishiness of the Ahi Tuna, with enough seasoning to give it a unique flavour. My mom's dish, which I did get the chance to try a few bites, was also quite delicious. The steak was cooked perfectly to medium rare. In addition, their brussel sprouts was seasoned and cooked to perfection. As a person who hates eating brussel sprouts in general (I'm quite a picky eater!), this dish changed my perception of them! Overall, both dishes were awesome.

When I made the reservation at Glowbal, I indicated that I will be celebrating my mom's birthday. From my previous experience with other restaurants that are part of the Glowbal Group (e.g. Black and Blue, Italian Kitchen), something special is done for the birthday person. Along with birthday wishes from all their staff, Glowbal treated my mom to a wonderful dessert that features small tasters of all of their feature desserts! Among all the lovely cakes is a handwritten message that says "Happy Birthday" in chocolate fudge! It was definitely a wonderful gift from Glowbal.

Check out Glowbal this spring!