Aqua Riva Review [Kerrie]

[ROLAND's NOTE: Thanks's Kerrie.  Looking forward to more reviews of places you are passionate about!]

I have never felt compelled or qualified (due to my nearly numb taste buds!) to review any of our restaurant visits for you guys, but after last night [editor's note: September 4th], I simply couldn't resist.
 
Last night Antonia and I went for our second visit to Aqua Riva, (200 Granville Street, 604 683-5599) and I can assure you it won't be our last! If you've never been there, it is a large, bright restaurant that probably wouldn't suffice for a quiet, romantic encounter but does allow for private conversation witout having to worry about your neigbours overhearing you. We've been there twice and have friends who have been there several times, and it always seems to be full. Reservations, therefore, are recommended.

Based on our first visit, we knew how the evening would start. I always avoid ordering the same thing twice, but knew a good thing when I drank it, so I ordered their ceasar while Antonia had their Dragonfly, a mixtures of "exotic" fruit juices with dark and light rum. Both are excellent drinks with my caesar being, by far, the best I have ever had. I was quite sad to finish it. The Dragonfly was blended just right so that you couldn't taste the alcohol, but you knew it packed a bit of a punch.

From there we ordered their prawn spring rolls while we comtemplated the menu. The spring rolls are a perfect appetizer; surprisingly light with enough flavour that you'll wonder how their other appetizers taste.

After agonizing over what meal to select, we finally decided on ther Slow Roasted BBQ Back Ribs for Antonia, and their Wood Roasted Rack of Lamb for myself.
 
The side dishes for the Back Ribs make the dish almost as desirable as the ribs themselves. The green beans are somewhat typical, but their wood oven corn bread and cheese potatoes were simply outstanding. As for the ribs, incredible. The meat is tender enough to eat with a plastic spoon, and the sauce on the ribs was chock full of smokey flavour. The only small complaint we might have had was that the meat on the ribs was totally overpowered by the taste of the bbq sauce. That is not a bad thing, as the sauce is undeniably amazing, but it would have been a bit better (to me) had there been more of a hint of the flavour of the ribs themselves. None-the-less, after just one bite, the urge to pick them up with your hands and dive face first into them, regardless of what those around you may think, is nearly uncontrollable.

As for the Rack of Lamb... quite simple the best restaurant meal I have ever had!!! I now know what the term "to die for" means. My first bite of lamb was actually quite small, perhaps the size of a pencil eraser. Still, the flavour exploded in my mouth. I have never had meat that tender, that flavourful, and that outstanding in my life. I recommend trying them medium rare, as they were cooked to absolute perfection. The lamb sat on a wonderful base of oven roasted baby potatoes, greens, and raisins in a mouth watering gravy, but was completely insignificant. This lamb was nearly as amazing as the birth of our daughter. Okay, that might be stretching it, but not much! Like the ribs, I wanted to dive into my meal with both hands and savour every morsel of it.

If you like lamb, do yourself a favour and go to Aqua Riva! The prices are a touch higher than most places - the ribs were $24.95 and the lamb $29.95 - but they are in the Entertainment Book, and quite often, there is a coupon in the Georgia Strait. Thankfully, the portions are substancial enough that you will not likely want dessert, but their dessert menu looked incredible.

Based on just two trips, this is now our favourite restaurant, and I can not wait to go again!