Off to the first course, we were served a trio of bites including Khao Kriap Pak Mo (stir-fried organic chicken breast with steam rice paper dumpling), Yum Salmon Fu (Thai crispy wild sockeye salmon salad in crispy golden pastry) and Kuai Tiao Lui Suan (rice noodle butterfly paper salad roll with Thai herbal sauce).  I've been always impressed with Chef Nutcha's attention to detail and the use of vibrant colours.  These were too beautiful to eat!  My favourite of the bunch was the dumpling as the wrapper was soft and glutinous.  Inside, the chicken was layered with flavour from the caramelization of the stir-fry as well as the intense sweetness of the palm sugar.  The crispy edible vessel for the salmon was crispy and light giving way to the different textures and flavours of the salad.  Definitely aromatic with sweetness and some tanginess.  Lastly, the salad roll was bright and full or crunch from the vegetables.  Definitely could taste the herbs.  All of this was paired with Chiran Fukamushi Sench Green Tea.  I found this both subtle yet impactful at the same time.  It didn't take away from what I was eating though.

Next course consisted of many different items that were even more stunning than the previous trio.  They included Thung Thong Nuea Kwai (stir fried water buffalo money bag), Khao Chi Nuea Yang (coconut sticky rice with marinated beef tenderloin with tomato Thai chili sauce), Thot Man Kung (crispy mangrove prawn cake), Tao Hu Thot (deep fried organic soft tofu and wild seaweed caviar) and Gai Sa Tay (homemade brioche and grilled yellow curry organic chicken breast).  I know it is an easy thing just to say, "it was all delicious", but really it was.  I've had the money bags before and believe me, beyond the crispy exterior wonton shell, the meat in the middle was sweet and flavourful.  Beef tenderloin was tender and was complimented well by the spicy tang and it sat atop fried sticky rice.  This was a study in textural contrast with crunchy and chewy.  Oh that soft tofu was so easy to eat and delicate.  Finally, the curry chicken mouse atop brioche was an aromatic and textural delight.  All of this was paired with Yiwu 2006 Shu Pu’er Tea that was both earthy and a bit sweet.

Our last course featured Kai Tao Phueak Sang Kha Ya Bai Toei (deep fried taro ball with pandan coconut custard), Phon La Mai Kae Sa Lak (hand carved seasonal fruit), Luuk Choop (mung bean paste coated with agar) and Khao Niao Ma Muang (sweet mango with coconut milk sticky rice).  Oh that taro ball was was crispy, then chewy while revealing a sweet custard inside.  It was aromatic and tasty.  The mango sticky rice was carefully-prepared and once I took a bite, this definitely showed.  The rice was chewy, yet soft while aromatic and lightly sweet.  The ripe mango was expertly carved and intensely sweet.  This was paired with Dong Ding Oolong which was rather smooth and aromatic.

Ending off our meal, we were served the Tropical Sunset, Flavoured Green and Black Tea Blend which also featured flower petals.  Hence, it was predictably floral with fruitiness.  Overall, the afternoon tea was a great experience and all of the bites were carefully constructed in terms of appearance and taste.  Teas were a good match and definitely a cut above "typical" teas.  Service was attentive as expected, but a little less polished than the dinner service (possibly less experienced-staff for the afternoon).

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:
- Stunning setting and dining space
- Carefully curated food and teas
- Attentive service

The Bad:
- It is afternoon tea, so don't expect to be stuffed, but for bigger appetites, it might not be enough
- Service was good, but less polished than the dinner service

Onto the food, we had some of their Chicken Wings served with BBQ sauce.  Surprisingly, these were some of the best wings I've had recently.  Since they were brined in beer, they had good flavour and the meat was super juicy and tender.  The skin was beautifully rendered and was crispy despite being glazed with BBQ sauce. We had some extra BBQ sauce served in the middle of the basket and it was tangy with some spice.

The last dish was the Steak Frites featuring a  7oz Certified Angus Beef sirloin, peppercorn sauce, fries and truffle arugula.  This was asked to be prepared rare and it came out as such.  Due to this, the steak ate a bit chewier, but it was still fine.  The peppercorn sauce was creamy and lightly peppery.  In the end, we thought the food is pretty good, but really, the draw here is the killer location and view.  In terms of food execution and quality, I've had better at other Tap & Barrel locations.

The Good:
- Awesome view and location
- Good service

The Bad:
- Food was fairly good, but I've had better at other T&B locations 

Now to some items that required cooking, we had the Seared Diver Scallops with wild garlic puree, pickled ramps, tobiko and garlic & Parm chips. Aesthetically-pleasing, this dish was equal to the task when it came to overall execution.  The scallops were beautifully seared maintaining a rare centre.  They were properly seasoned and buttery soft in texture.  The brightness of the garlic puree was welcomed while the crunch from the chips broke up the softness of the dish.

My mom decided on the 6oz AAA Beef Tenderloin with braised short rib crepinette, shiitake marmalade, baby carrots, gruyere pomme puree and red wine jus.  She asked for it to be prepared rare and it was exactly that.  Nice sear on the outside of the steak too.  That short rib crepinette was tender and meaty while the pomme puree was smooth with a balanced cheesiness.  Loved the jus, but wish there was more of it (maybe serve some on the side?).

My dad got the other fish entree in the Pan-Seared Halibut with cherry tomatoes, baby chard, pesto fregola and sauce vierge.  The large piece of halibut was expertly prepared where it was flaky and moist.  The sauce was tangy and aromatic from the herbs.  This was further amped up by the al dente pasta tossed in pesto.  The addition of tomatoes added more brightness as well as acidity.

My daughter loves duck and it was no surprise to anyone she went for the Seared Duck Breast.  It sat atop porcini polenta, pea puree, morels, grilled asparagus and cherry jus.  Prepared medium, the duck was tender and moist.  The skin was semi-rendered while slightly crispy.  Jus was sweet and complimented the duck beautifully.  Loved the morels as it added both earthiness and texture.

My son went for the Hart House Burger featuring an AAA beef brisket patty, garlic mayo, smoked caciocavalla cheese, pickles, tomatoes and arugula.  The last time we were here, I had the exact same burger.  Therefore, it was no surprise that it was good.  Well-charred, the beef patty was moist and juicy.  Lots of beef flavour and nicely complimented by the cheese.  Those truffle frites were super crispy with plenty of earthiness and saltiness.

As part of the chef's menu, the dessert was the Baklava with walnuts, candied pistachio and pistachio ice cream.  Normally, I'm not a huge fan of this because it is so sweet.  However, this was just sweet enough so I could actually have more than one bite.  The layers of phyllo were crispy on top while the sweetness of the honey was restrained.  Side of pistachio ice cream added a creamy coolness to the dessert.

Even though we were sharing the desserts, my daughter essentially ate Dark Chocolate & Raspberry Trifle with lavender roasted white chocolate all by herself.  This featured discernible layers of sweet and bitter chocolate intermingled with the tanginess of the raspberries.  It was purposefully sweet and nicely balanced.  It was topped with meringue, chocolate shavings and fresh raspberries.

Our last dessert was the Basque Country Cheesecake with vanilla Chantilly & blueberry compote.  This is very different than a classic NY cheesecake where it was, of course, burnt on the top and also lighter and more custardy than cheesecake-like.  I liked how the cheese flavour still came through, but the texture was a bit more eggy than other versions I've had.  Still loved the texture and the blueberry sauce was mild enough to not add too much sweetness.  Overall, it was a good dinner at The Hart House.  Nothing mind-blowing, but solid and predictable.  A classic experience in a heritage Tudor-style house.

Fine dining and Thai cuisine are not normally a thing in the GVRD, but there is a place in Steveston that takes Thai food to a whole new level.  Baan Lao, located right on the water, offers up not only refined dishes, it also affords a complete dining experience with white glove service.  You won't find the standard Thai fare here.  Rather, they only offer their Signature Dining Experience for $190.00pp.  Ophilia and I checked out this unique tasting menu out in beautiful Steveston.

As an amuse bouche, we were started off with the Maa Haaw. It consisted of stir fried minced Berkshire pork, Thai herbs and bird’s eye chili atop fresh pineapple marinated for 24 with kaffir lime leaves.  This little bite was a flavour bomb while being delicate at the same time.  There was definite sweetness to go with the spice from the chili.  Loved the texture of the meat as it was akin to being candied.  Lots of subtle flavours at play here and it came on in layers with each chew.

We were served a pair of little bites next. The Sohm Dtam sported fresh green papaya tossed in a zesty lime dressing with chillies, garlic and tomato.  Don't let the portion size fool you, it was packed with plenty of punch and as the menu stated - sweet, salty, spicy and sour.  On the next spoon, we found the Thoong Thaawn aka "money bags" with minced pork and prawns, fresh herbs and tied with fresh chive.  The outer wrapper was super crunchy and stayed as such even though it sat in a sweet and sour sauce.  Inside, the meats were discernible and fully seasoned with definite herb aftertaste.

Presented in a hollow glass bowl, the Yam Neuua was actually a salad that featured Sumas Mountain tenderloin with fresh herbs grape and fresh mint.  Yes, it could be confusing to some (that this is a salad) as the prominent part of the dish was the tender and beautifully prepared medium-rare tenderloin.  Well, if all my salads were like this, I would eat salads exclusively!   The flavours were bright being tangy which made this dish appetizing.

Before we progressed to some bigger dishes, we were served Naam Dta Khrai Baitoey which is a Thai medicinal elixir.  At Baan Lao, they combined fresh lemongrass and pandan juices to create a palate cleanser that was mild and subtle.  We got the unmistakable essence of lemongrass which was accented by the aromatic sweetness of the pandan. 

Now onto something that most people would be familiar with but not necessarily with the presentation - Phat Thai Goong.  With this version, it was immediately obvious that there was more care put into this dish than the usual.  The stir-fried rice noodles were encased in an egg lattice (I've actually had it this way before) which made for a striking visual as well as added texture.  As for the noodles, they were al dente, not clumpy and blessed with the beautiful sweetness and tang of palm sugar and fresh tamarind.  The proverbial icing on the cake was the perfectly-prepared tiger prawn.

One of my favourite items of the meal was the Dthom Yam Goong Laai Seuua featuring a spicy broth with mushrooms, fresh lemongrass, bird's eye chili and fresh tiger prawns.  I'll go ahead and say it - this is the best version of this soup I've ever had.  It was so clean, yet complex at the same time.  Layers of aromatics were intermittently available between the jolts of spice from the chili.  Even though the spice was impactful, we could still get the sweetness, tanginess and light seafoodiness of the broth.

Continuing with the hits, we had the Bpet Yang Sauce Gaaeng Phet served with Khaao Haawm Mali & Khaao Riceberry.  This featured sous vide Sumas Mountain Organic Farm duck with red curry, fresh pineapple and cherry tomato.  The duck was indeed succulent from the sous vide, but the fat could've been rendered just a touch more.  The star of this dish was the truly exceptional red curry.  It was rich, spicy and full-bodied.  There was real heat to it but the creaminess of the coconut milk and sweetness from the palm sugar helped balance things.

Moving to the last savoury course, we had the Bplaa Salmon Sauce Khaaio Waan. The delicate wild sockeye salmon was just barely cooked through, hence it was flaky and moist.  It sat atop green curry sauce and was topped with Ocean Wise Acadian Caviar and Manetti edible 23k Italian gold leaf.  I found the curry to be once again, full of heat with the creaminess of coconut milk.  There was just enough sweetness to balance.  On the side, the basil crumbs added texture and more aromatics.

As an interlude before we got to the dessert, we were presented with the Sorbet Ma Naao or Organic Lime Sorbet.  This meant business with the lime as the sorbet was bursting with tanginess.  This really woke up my taste buds and washed away the strong flavours and heat of the previous dishes. 

So for dessert, we had the Khaao Niaao Ma Muaang, Ice Cream Gathi and Woon Gathi.  The pressed on-site coconut glutinous rice was aromatic and lightly chewy in texture. The ripe mango flower on top was tender and sweet.  On the side, the coconut milk ice cream was sweet and lightly creamy.  Lastly, the coconut milk jelly was another texture on the plate that was aromatic and akin to coconut pudding.

As a bonus, we finished the meal off with Phohn La Maai, Luuk Choop and Chaa Mint.  The hand-carved watermelon was sweet and full of juice.  In front, the "chili" was actually made of luuk choop which is like marizpan, but made with mung bean paste coated with agar.  Very whimsical indeed and overall, a finely prepared meal that to me at least, worth the cost.  In addition, the ambiance and the service was equal to the task as well.