The Rain at Grain Stays Mainly on the Pane

A breath of fresh air

Regional cuisine is not what first used to come to mind at The Hyatt Regency Vancouver. However, all that has now changed.

The main floor bar (just off the lobby, overlooking Burrard near Melville) has been convincingly reinvented and remodeled as Grain Tasting Bar (655 Burrard St., 604-639-4771). It’s an impressive space—a casual and sleekly modernistic room, which now sports a decidedly local-focused menu—not to mention a dramatic, fold-away half-wall that, truly, brings the outdoors in.

Dramatic views of the downtown core, table side

The new look is more than just a perfunctory nod to all things BC, with some thoughtful sourcing behind the menu.

Grain: Healthy Local Fare

One recent sunny day we worked our way through tastes of Grain’s healthy fare, such as Albacore tuna sliders with apple and fennel slaw and lime aioli; Dungeness crab Louie; a Spring Creek prime rib sandwich, an Oyama charcuterie platter and plenty more, including wood oven pizza.

Albacore tuna sliders, with fennel & apple slaw, and zippy lime aioli on brioche bun

Local wines and brews play along, with decent draughts on tap from the likes of Lighthouse, Red Truck, Howe Sound and R&B, while a serious drinks list calls on Long Table and Victoria Spirits to assist in an inventive cocktail line-up.

If Grain’s daytime persona is bright and breezy, looking out onto leafy Burrard, the evening mood is sophisticated and sexy, enhanced by a reflective ceiling, coloured glass and richly textured woods.

A pretty sleek bar, and a dynamic cocktail list (image supplied)

There’s a determined effort at hand here to position Grain as a stand-alone room in its own right.  And while everything arrives via dumb waiter from the hotel’s expansive kitchens, it does sport a distinctly regional and, yes, less corporate personality.

Looks good to us—and prices overall (considering it’s in a top tier hotel), are fairly moderate.   www.grainvbc.com