The Sylvia Hotel in Vancouver: A GEM!

Over the last couple of years, we have heard comments about an historic and beautiful hotel on English Bay in Vancouver called The Sylvia.  So, for a business trip to Vancouver in late February, we decided to book a room.


What a joy!  The hotel is BEAUTIFUL!  Built in 1912, it still maintains much of its original glory.  Yes- it may need some updating in terms of textiles and bathroom fixtures but, for us, it all just added to the experience.


These are the reasons to stay at the Sylvia:

• LOCATION!  Right on the ocean and next to Stanley park, and walking distance to wonderful restaurants and shops on Denman Street and Robson Street.
• It is affordable!
• the service is friendly and efficient.
• the patrons are varied and interesting.
• Parking is great. It is underground, and does not have the inconvenience of valet parking.
• The hotel is charming and quiet.

The hotel does have a bar and restaurant. In fact, it has the first cocktail bar in Vancouver!  The view is worth a visit in itself.

The existing bar is crying out for a restoration to return to its former glory. We speculated that with professional bartenders who make perfect cocktails with love and passion, the cocktail bar could be the premier cocktail bar in Vancouver!  

THANK YOU to anyone and everyone who has kept this gem of a hotel going for almost 100 years! It has not been torn down and replaced with a modern condo! It still retains a majesty of a era gone by. The stories the hotel could tell!

The Sylvia gets a hands-down WITH LOVE..... designation.

We will stay there many more times!

A restaurant you must experience: Tavola in Vancouver

On a cold Wednesday evening in Vancouver, we ventured out looking for a restaurant that would captivate us, and came upon TAVOLA, nestled at the bottom of Robson Street.
From the moment we approached the door, to the warm and exuberant welcoming, to the staff, clientele, food, wine and ambiance, we were perfectly captivated all evening.
One of our favourite features was the option to sit at a long table down the centre of the restaurant. There are plenty of separate tables, and bar seating, but we hoped that by sitting at the long table it would be conducive to socialising and meeting others. We enjoy getting to know people when we are out, and this seating option proved to work extremely well for providing chances to chat with others who were also clearly choosing a more communal dinner experience than by sitting at a separate table.
The food is fresh Italian, the menu is not too long, but every item is inviting. It includes sections such as "Mozza Bar", "To Share...", "Crostinis", "House Made Pasta and such...", and "Big Plates".
Our server was clearly knowledgeable, and we happily surrendered ourselves to his suggestions.


We began with Buffalo Mozzarella with Burrata (from Gioia in California) with LaQuercia Prosciutto (artisan cured from Iowa  www.laquercia.us) and crostini. Unbelievable. We still dream about this appetizer! The warm creaminess of the Burrata and mozza, and the lovely dryness of the perfectly cured prosciutto was stunning.
For those of you new to Burrata, as I was, it is described beautifully on the Gioia Cheese website as "Burrata, the dreamy, creamy cousin of mozzarella". www.gioiacheeseinc.com


We followed this with a platter of grilled vegetables. This is a signature of the restaurant- each day the chef seasons and grills a selection of fresh vegetables, and upon request a platter is served to you. Our platter included about 8 different vegetables, perfectly grilled, including asparagus, tiny patty pan squash, fresh beans, and many others.  We paired this with the spaghetti Puttanesca, that was deliciously anchovy infused (do not order this dish unless you love anchovies, as we do).


We paired both courses with Italian wines, suggested by the server,


Rest assured that what you eat will have been carefully and thoughtfully procured, and prepared and serve WITH LOVE.....


Go and enjoy yourself. Listen to the staff, and trust their suggestions!


Siri and Brett


TAVOLA
1829 Robson Street
Vancouver, BC V6G 1E4
604-606-4680
www.tavola.com
www.tavolavancouver.co