There is nothing better than a patio on a hot sunny day in the Okanagan and The Terrace at Mission Hill is a picture perfect example of just how refined al fresco dining in BC can be.
On this last visit to the Okanagan we tried the brand new Terrace tapas menu, which is now available from 3-5 pm on weekends until the end of June. The menu will be offered daily for both July and August and then will return back to just weekends for the month of September before the end of the season.
The new tapas menu is a mix of $10 small plates of fresh seafood dishes (mussels, oysters, prawns) and a smoked goose prosciutto with an option for larger sharing plates of charcuterie $27 or house made dips & roasted olives $16. There is also an excellent list of BC-made cheeses for $6 per selection along with a few decadent desserts ranging from $11-$13.
The menu also continues the “Cuisine du Terroir” philosophy of the restaurant, selecting the freshest seasonal ingredients available locally in the Okanagan Valley, with much of it coming from their very own restaurant garden.
Here is a small preview of some to the items we tried during our visit:
^ Spot Prawn Ceviche ~ basil yogurt, lemon olive oil sorbet, taro root chips, baby cilantro, and a compression of apple and cucumber $10. Smoked Goose Prociutto ~ vanilla poached white asparagus $10. Spiced Almonds ~ fennel & paprika $10. Artisan Bread Basket ~ caramelized Fleur de Sel butter $7. Glass of Reserve Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris, each $10.
^ Six Black Pearl Oysters ~ verjus pearl mignonette $10.
We enjoyed the cool and delicate textures of the spot prawn dish so much, we ordered it twice.
After enjoying the excellent food and beautiful view of the surrounding vineyards and lake, Sous Chef Riley Bennett took us on an enthusiastically guided tour of Mission Hill’s Varietal Kitchen Garden at the back of the winery adjacent to the helicopter pad, which sits on the roof of the immense Oculus cellar.
click to enlarge
What I found particularly fascinating was that all the plants in the garden were arranged according to grape varietal, reflecting the natural food pairings for each wine. It was obvious talking with Chef Riley that he took great pride in the organic garden and appreciated working with food he helped grow from seed, and best of all it shows on the plate. I’ll be back! ~ PK
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
“Mission Hill’s Varietal Kitchen Garden at the back of the winery adjacent to the helicopter pad”
hehehe. love it!!
Props Riley. Looks good on ya.
Way to go son! Love ya…..
^ LOL. Excellent!