Lorna, Marian, Michelle (Marian’s daughter) and I met up for lunch at JJ’s Restaurant (VCC).
JJ;s Dining Room & Lounge is the practical ground for the Vancouver’s Culinary College.
The restaurant is spacious and the decoration is simple but elegant.
We were seated right in front of a wall TV which has online feed of the kitchen in action.
The table setting is of western style.
Complimentary warm bread and butter to start the meal.
I had the Charred Vancouver Island octoput, chorizo and chick pea stew for appetizer. It is $4. We found that the octopus was a tad too chewy. The chorizo and chick pea stew was good though with a light spiciness in it.
Marian had the soup of the day which was a lentil soup. It was quite bland. The soup is $2.50.
Lorna ordered the Salmon, prawn and scallion cake topped with pea shoots for appetizer. It is $4. This was pretty good as the seafood cake was crunchy on the outside. The Thai lemon grass sauce was slightly tangy and went well with the seafood cake.
Michelle’s appetizer looked the prettiest. The Shrimp and Avocado Salad is $4.00.
For entree, Lorna and Michelle ordered the Lamb cooked two ways. It is $10.00. It is slow cooked leg of lamb and pan roasted loin with rosemary jus.
The lamb is served with a carrot mousse and fried polenta. This dish is worth ordering.
I wanted to order the lamb at first. But since Lorna and Michelle ordered the lamb dish, I ordered something different for the sake of this post. I had the Pappardelle with Ragu of slow braised veal. It is $9.00. The ragu has white wine mushrooms, San Marzano tomatoes and topped with Parmesan. This was just so, so as it was quite bland too.
Marian ordered the Fragrant green Thai curry with chicken. It is served with basmati rice, papadum and mango chutney. This is $9.00. This was also just ok.
I ordered the Sticky Toffee Pudding for dessert. It is served with English custard sauce. It is served warm. This is $3. For those who have sweet tooth, this is a great dessert.
Lorna and Michelle ordered the warm Lemon Souffle Pudding for dessert. Marian decided to share dessert with her daughter. This is $3. It is served with Chantilly cream. This is also pretty good.
Overall, we quite enjoy the meal here except that some of the dishes are quite bland.
JJ’s accepts credit card.
The menu is posted outside the restaurant. I’m sure the menu changes from time to time. You can click on the menu to have a larger view.
Reservation is recommended.
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The Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts at Granville Island has a similar restaurant showcasing dishes prepared by its students. It also has a buffet style lunch and dinner on Fridays.
Concepts like JJ’s ought to be replicated more around town. It’s a tremendously valuable opportunity for culinary students and the industry (ie: hotels, restaurants) to work together and reap the benefits of the synergy. I’ve eaten at JJ’s once and sure, the food can be a bit of hit & miss but that’s part of their training and you can’t (and should not) expect perfect execution. And the prices …… fair and value are the emphasis.
JJ’s can be hit or miss because these are student chefs. They have won awards in the past, but you never know how capable any class of chefs is. We have had some excellent menu items there, such as a fresh pea soup with spot prawns.
When my husband and I eat at VCC, we prefer Wild Salmon, which is only open during the summer for lunch. It’s around the corner from the market which sells bakery and other student prepared items. Wild Salmon specializes in First Nation influenced cooking, with boar, rabbit and fiddlehead ferns prominent on the menu. I love the ice creams they make, with unusual flavors such as salmon, dill and some other savory flavors. Prices are similar to JJ’s.
Looks like they’re learning to cook institutional food. Pretty bland and featureless. That lamb is WAY over cooked and looks pretty dry.