As I’ve noted repeatedly (to some, probably ad nauseum), I’m really looking forward to Mak N Ming opening up at 1629 Yew Street in Kitsilano. You can read more about why here, but the short of it is that I think owners/chefs Makoto Ono and Amanda Cheng are rock solid with Japanese/French meets West Coast cuisine (if you follow them on Instagram, you know, and if you at Makoto’s food at Pidgin, you remember), and I’m totally in love with the look of the place (the work of Scott & Scott). They’ve already held a couple of soft services and a celebratory supper for their construction guys, and are on track to officially to the public on December 10th. Unfortunately for me I’ll be out of the country, but I was able to sneak in a visit before I headed to the airport. I also grabbed a copy of the opening menu, which I’ve included verbatim below (not set in stone, naturally).
Chef’s Menu
first bite
kombu cured snapper
mushroom chawanmushi
black truffle pork & cauliflower
crab noodle soup
goat cheese cigar
hibiscus pear pavlova
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Demi Menu
first bite
kale salad with soy cured steelhead trout
crispy chicken & oyster
hibiscus pear pavlova
Vegetarian menus available upon request
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Reads intriguing, no? Makoto explained that they’re thinking of just running with two menus: a three course demi and a six course chef’s spread. That isn’t to say that there won’t be a couple of a la carte items, but they don’t have a bar (a la Lumiere), so you never know — it could just be either the full experience or half the experience. “I do prefer to keep it simple and vague, leaving room for surprises,” he reminded me. I can’t wait to see how it develops.