Food review: The fish outdid the steak for me at Red

I had the pleasure of eating at Red Steakhouse and Bar on Friday night with my partner and boy, was it excellent.

Red has been open for just over a year now and I had been hesitant to go. I’m glad we did. Chef Veronica Mal was unfortunately not working on Friday night but sous chef Trevor Johnston dished up some amazing food.

Brandon was our server and he was very knowledgeable about the menu and the wine list – always a plus in my book. After speaking with him and Marissa, the manager, we decided they would bring a wide selection food for us to sample.

The first thing on the table was this beautiful cranberry bread with chili butter. The butter had a hint of spice and paired well with the sweetness of the bread. Instant happiness.

For the first course, Brandon brought us Pork Belly with a Black Bean puree. He paired it with a Selbach Riesling. He also served a Local Bonita Ceviche paired with Paco and Lola albarino.

The pork belly was very flavourful and the creamy bean puree was a nice touch. The Riesling I drank on its own because I was too busy devouring the food to remember to drink it with the wine.

The bonita was definitely my favourite because I love ceviche, usually tuna. It had some spice going on and then the freshness with the lime and the cilantro.

It came in a crispy corn tortilla which gave crunch, saltiness and texture to the fish. A wonderful appetizer.

On to the mains. Brandon brought me a big fat piece of ribeye with garlic mashed potatoes and asparagus. He paired the meal with Chateau Greysac.

The steak had a great burst of smokiness and was cooked perfectly medium. I’m a fillet mignon girl so this steak was huge for me. I wasn’t able to eat it all but I wish I could have. It was that good.

The mashed potatoes were creamy and salty and the asparagus were crisp. Overall, it was a perfect meat and potatoes dish.

The underdog dish was the Rockfish that my partner had the pleasure of eating — before I took his plate. I never order Rockfish and this made me want to eat it every day.

The fish was cooked with an herb and citrus marinade and served with seasonal vegetables, fingerling potatoes and a citrus buerre blanc.

The whole plate was absolutely amazing and I hate to say it but was better than the steak. The fish was cooked beautifully and the sauce was a great complement. It was paired with Meiomi Pinot Noir

On the side, we had truffle parmesan fries which were crispy and salty. I would have like a bit more truffle flavour.

The desserts we had were okay — Dulce De Leche Cheesecake and Bread and Butter Pudding. 

The cheesecake had a lovely creamy caramel flavour but was a bit dense for me.

I enjoyed the bread and butter pudding but would have liked a bit more sauce with it.

Overall, this was an excellent meal and I now have no hesitations in going to Red for dinner and recommending it to my friends and family.