Small plates, west coast cuisine. Environment: tables close together, loud, crowded. Service: good but could be more attentive. I sat there all night with one water refill. And water is important because the food is very salty. Sorry that I don't order alcohol- don't mistake that for being cheap. Your food is just too salty! Food: limited selection because they make what is in season. It is too salty. But it is really good. And filling. I ordered the duck breast and my partner had the steak. Forgot what we had for appetizer. But you can tell the difference in the proteins- it is really tender and juicy. For dessert we shared the smores. Too sweet. Reservations: recommended. They get really busy. Overall.... if you really want to sell the 'farm to table' approach, why not try to let people taste what 'real food' tastes like without all the salt and sugar? I felt like my taste buds were going through highs and lows (extremely salty and then extremely sweet). Isn't it important to know how good the food is without covering it in salt? I would come back on a quiet weeknight. However, there are a lot of comparable restaurants nearby. Fable is not bad, but wasn't especially memorable with how common west coast tapas restaurants are now. The crowd is also very yuppie. (It's in Kits after all). Next time I will bring my own water. Because... too salty!!! :0 read more

Went for brunch with friends and the food was ok - nothing really special. I got the steak and eggs and my friend got the eggs benedict. For $25 I was expecting my steak to be a lot bigger - I only got a few slices that was maybe 120g in total? I guess this is Vancouver pricing for ya. The service was fine. read more

Wow! We went for Dine Out Vancouver, and this place was so delicious. I didn't know what to expect when reading the menu, as a lot of the menu items were things that I've never tried. I went due to the farm to table concept and it was conveniently during Dine Out. My appetizer was the Chickpea Fritters. I've never had Chickpea, but every bite was amazing! The Braised Lamb entree was delicious and I tried a bite of the Seared Ling Cod which was perfectly seared and the hollandaise sauce paired well. Lastly, we got the Lemon Parfait and Sticky Date Pudding for desert and both tasted great. Loved that they were in the glass cups and were the perfect size for us. As for the service, it was great! Our server came by several times during the dinner and asked us how our food was, despite how busy the restaurant was. Love this restaurant and will definitely be going back next time we're in Vancouver! read more

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STOP! Stop scrolling through reviews. Stop flipping through tips and highlights. Give me your full attention for 10 seconds folks. Even if you don't read the rest of the review, take this tidbit to heart and carry on: Lemon Meringue Parfait. Order it. This dessert is my spirit animal. A mythically fabulous concoction of fantastic feasting. It is the Unicorn of desserts. And it's f&*king fantastic. Now not many dishes make me cuss. But this combination of meringue, tarragon icecream and lemon goodness was one of those desserts that is so good, you realize half way through you've been unintentionally making some fairly inappropriate sounds whilst eating. I would like a giant version of this, so I could Diva Von Tease the heck out of it. Giant martini glass be damned. And I dare say, this little number just hopped into my top spot on desserts in the city. Yes, even beating out Pidgin's fried chocolate fabulousness and the Acorn's dark chocolate cherry ganache. It's really, really good. Just order it. .... ok, you may continue on. But if you're sticking around, this is what else went down at dinner: Starters: Chickpea fritters - was expecting "fries". Maybe i've been spending too much time at Storm Crow. But I was pleasantly surprised by these hearty little balls (snicker). It's nice that they have full chickpeas and the garnishes are great. Nice portion size. Would recommend. Oysters - so long as they are fresh and shucked properly, can you really f'up an oyster? Either way, these were lovely. Spagetti & Meat Balls - so there's not multiple balls. It's one ball. But it's a good ball. I'm not sure if i'd order this again as a starter. It's a pretty hefty portion for a first course and quite heavy. Pasta cooked well. Duck ball was tasty. Not mind-blowingly so, but i'd order it again. Mains: Salmon - except they were sold out of the salmon so we subbed for halibut with all the salmon sides (dining with a veggie). The cassoulet was the stand out on this dish BY FAR. Light and earthy dish all around. Would order again when looking for a lighter dinner. Gnocchi - with peas, pesto, pea puree, pea shoots & mushrooms. I would actually pass on this one next time. But I think I ruined it for myself by declaring my love for Acorn's Gnocchi immediately before it hit the table. Tasty, but there were better things in the mix. Those mushrooms however? Mmmmm Drinks: Oaken Gin Old Fashioned - order it. Lavender Spritzer - pass. I have to stop ordering girly drinks. Just not a lot of interesting going on with this one. Would be nice for brunch. Of everything we had tonight, the cocktails were the only thing slightly lacking. Besides the old fashioned, nothing much else jumped out at me. And give a girl a scotch cocktail would ya? Desserts: Lemon Meringue Parfait - I'm in love. Gorgonzola Cheesecake - close second. Rich but not too heavy. Super fresh berries. Blueberry Lavender Tart - for those seeking a more traditional dessert. Not my favourite, but would be nice with tea. Didn't get much lavender off this one though. Sweet Bites - we had chocolate macarons. They were pretty tasty. But there are SO many people doing macarons now, it's hard to stand out. Safe bet. Lemon Meringue Parfait - I'm so in love i'm mentioning it again. Service: Ninja status. Overall: Get this lady a strong, balanced scotch based cocktail and you'll never be rid of me. Total fan. read more

Thank you for the update. I look forward to visiting you soon! I loved the food previously.

What is Fable? More than a short story, that's for sure! During its first week of operation, we arrived at Trevor Bird's kitchen with some friends in hopes to catch a late dinner. Even with a single-sheeted menu, it was difficult to commit to one dish because we couldn't decide what to order. For a small menu, they seem to cover their bases pretty well, and with reasonable prices. While waiting for the rest of our party to arrive, we ordered a few appetizers. We began with an order of spaghetti and duck meat ball ($11), canned tuna ($12), and the ubiquitous spot prawn ($12).They advised us that their menu may change slightly, so when our server informed us there is a 5 course tasting menu option ($45), we jumped at the opportunity to sample their creations. It was the best decision ever that Thursday night, aside from choosing to go to the place itself. I don't think I've had a duck meat ball before, and my first time was amazing! It was served on a bed of tagliatelle, topped off with Parmesan foam. Yes, foamy cheese - picture whipped cream coming out of a can, and that's exactly what we got. Except it was cheese, and we were impressed! But if that wasn't enough to blow your socks off, then the canned tuna will do the job. This creative dish was served in a short canning jar, where the bottom layer of softly cooked potatoes and traces of tomatoes hold the flaky tuna. Before serving, they give you a mini spoon with sea salt, and you'd mix everything up so you can slather it the toasted bread it came with. Best canned tuna ever! With spot prawn season in full swing, you can bet that every chef in town is whipping up their recipe for serving these yummy creatures. The raw and crispy spot prawns were sweet, yet the tanginess of the pickled fennel made it more refreshing. I would highly recommend the five course tasting menu if you want to sample a little of everything. We got different appies from what we already ordered, so we got the sample sawmill bay oyster, and chickpea fritters. These were amazing as they were perfectly cooked, and the hint of curry added a little kick in that mouthful. The first entree we received was the ling cod and chorizo. It replaced halibut that night, but I didn't mind as cod is a favorite of mine. This was a nice dish, but the best dish of the night was coming next. There in front of us was duck breast, sharing the plate with a nice big scallion perogy and fiddleheads. The meat was super tender, and the duck skin was cooked to crunchy perfection. It tasted sweet, so I think they must have brushed it with a thin layer of honey or some kind of syrup. Dessert was lemon pot de crème, and that was good palate cleanser. The service was good considering they had just been open for a week. I really hope this place does well. They just got their gift certificates, so it would be a great gift for your foodie friends, or anyone looking for good food. read more

Fable Kitchen - Duck breast with scallion perogy, fiddleheads and cauliflower at Fable - Canadian (New) Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Food was good, you could really taste the quality of the ingredients. However it was nothing super amazing. Service was also a bit slow and waitstaff was not that attentive. read more

One of those places I know I need to come back to! Abby S and I had a lunch meeting here, and I can't wait to come back just for funsies! The staff were super friendly and seated us quickly, letting us know the specials right off the bat (and repeating the for us a few times too. I had their breakfast sandwich, which had tomato jam (WHAT EVEN IS THIS AND HOW CAN I CONSUME MORE), black pepper jam (see previous parentheses), egg, and a housemade sausage patty. The sausage was a tiny bit pinker than I usually like so my hypochondriac side may have freaked out a little (needlessly, I was fine, other than being SUPER FULL). The potato hash brown type this was STUPID good - I want eight hundred more of them! It's served with some kind of delicious chive cream and I am seriously craving it right now. The salad was also brilliant - well dressed and not just a heap of boring leaves - there was STUFF in it! Great atmosphere, great staff, terrific food. Can't wait to return! read more

My first time having brunch at Fable! It was delicious! Yes, I love the farm to table concept, but the real selling feature for me was the sounds panels. I have been to so many restaurants where the decor involves high ceilings and hard surfaces, so the noise bounces around making it difficult to hear the server and the people you're with. My hobbies are eating and spending time with friends, so I get very annoyed and frustrated when I can't have a conversation. I had the chance to speak with Ron, the owner, to commend him on the sounds panels and tell him I wish more restaurants did this. I strongly recommend this restaurant not only because it's a great place to have a yummy local farm to table food, but an exceptional place to have conversations with those you are with. read more

DELICIOUS vegan options. Friendly service. Walk-able. Fabulous choice to try out or keep going to!!

Fable has a seasonal menu (which ties in with that farm to table concept) so while my boyfriend went with their butcher's cut special, I went for their lamb and cod option. And then we decided to try their cornbread (which they offered instead of a traditional bread basket). I'm happy to report that I was pleasantly surprised when the food arrived. Cornbread - The best cornbread I've ever had. When I think of cornbread I think of something that's dense and possibly dry. However, this cornbread was moist and full of corn flavor. It was served with honey butter which I was tempted to just eat without any bread. Lamb & Cod - The lamb was incredibly tender and delicious. However, I wasn't a fan of the lamb and cod combination. The two flavors and textures just didn't work together. The star of the dish for me though was the tomato stew base underneath the proteins. It was so flavorful and rich that it helped blend all the components together. And with every bite you get a punch of cumin to the face with their dukkah (a mix of herbs and spices). In summary, this restaurant was a nice surprise. A lot of places use these key phrases like farm-to-table to try to market themselves as some kind of revolutionary one-of-a-kind restaurant. However, Fable actually stepped up the plate and delivered. I definitely recommend coming here because it's got a unique menu that has something for everyone. For my full review of Fable and other restaurants visit: http://cassiexiong.com/2016/05/31/fable/ read more

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No need to go any further. Just go. Seriously, stop reading, and get there already. Why are you still here? Fine... Prices: For gourmet food? It's supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. Service: As good as Bill Murray's funny. Food: You know the best day in your life? You can multiply that by infinity, and add one. You can seriously order any main dish, and you'll be a happy camper. Seriously, I can't say enough good things. It's like hot sex in your mouth. Recommendations: You must order the Lemon Meringue Parfait, or you're an asshole. read more

One sunny day in the city, a husband said to his wife, let's go out for a nice breakfast. So nice, we'll call it brunch. They had heard of a place called Fable in the enchanted village of Kitsilano. Fable was known for its mystical ways with the local bounty of the land, so they traversed the city to reach its door. The first thing they noticed was the kitchen, as it is not hidden away, but right up at the front, where everyone can see the chefs working their magic. Here too was a tall shelf filled with mason jars containing preserves and jams. Beyond the door was the dining room, filled with happy-looking people dressed in the local costumes of fleece and flannel and curiously large glasses. And lo and behold, a table for two awaited. Because it is taboo to both order the same thing at a restaurant, the husband chose the french toast and the wife, scrambled eggs with wilted spinach and bacon. The french toast had blueberries and syrup, and when he offered her a bite, she said it tasted like a muffin and a pancake had lived happily ever after. She scooped up the fluffy eggs and their Parmesan foam topping from the wee mason jar it was served in, saving a bit of brioche to soak up the juices - that which she did not slather with the wild blueberry-bay leaf jam. The server smiled indulgently as she brought around frequent coffee refills, and with the check, complimentary fresh house-made cookies with white chocolate and raisins. They were very, very full and walked very, very slowly, admiring the delights of the village, such as the community gardens just a block away, and remembering the warmth of Fable and all who worked there. If there is a lesson here, it is eat well and be happy. read more

TL;DR: Get the Duck Breast, the Risotto and the Chickpea Fritters This place was recommended to me by a server at Heirloom. He told me he helped conceptualize Acorn, Heirloom and Fable (from the Farm to the Table) and that it was a MUST try. So I gathered a bunch of my girlfriends and we gave it a try. I've been back twice since. Of course before going, I looked it up on yelp to see what type of reviews they were getting and I was impressed. The duck seemed to be the star here and having never had it before that's what I got. Since there was a few of us around the table we ordered many items and shared. My thoughts: 1. Chickpea Fritters: Amazing and well dressed. I just wish there was more on the plate. 2. Canned Tuna: Perfect size, not the best for sharing because you'll want to lick it out of the jar 3. Beet salad: nothing to write home about 4. Pumpkin Risotto: Creamy, flavorful, generous portion 5. Duck Breast: Like I said, it was my first time eating duck, and now, thanks to Fable, I am hooked. It was both crispy and tender and it just melted in my mouth. It came with some silky, braised red cabbage, tender parsnip and a perfectly crunchy duck confit croquette. The duck and the Risotto were the highlight of my night (every time I went). I loved this place enough to want to try their lunch and their weekend brunch. Last but not least, a HUGE ++ for me: They take reservations!! read more

let me just start by saying.. gourmet food in canada is definitely pricey! we were hoping to get a break from the exchange rate but very little did that help us in the land of delicious grub everywhere haha so Fable was actually one of the recommendations my friend gave me~ made a reservation well in advance and got a seating for 2 no problem~ when we arrived on a late thursday evening though, the restaurant was packed! so lucky to have that ressie! so we began with the canned tuna and the duck meatball~ The canned tuna was very interesting. quite fragrant and definitely not your average can of tuna! very smooth in texture. though, i do wish the tuna flavor jumps out more. since it's mixed with potato and olive oil, it delivered a very creamy taste like a spread but imo the aroma of this overpowered the tuna itself a bit. still very enjoyable and def good start to dinner! The duck meatball... oolala was certainly one to remember! i savored every bite of it! i recorded a mini clip of cutting up the meatball, but it turned out to be very anti-climatic so yea.. lol didn't post that BUT even though, appearance was so-so~ the flavors were out of this world! along with the pasta at the bottom, each bite was so packed with savoriness. if you're a duck fan, you absolutely have to try this! entree: Duck breast with gnocchi on yogurt sauce i remember it was tasty.. but wasn't phenomenal. it is however note worthy that they incorporated the yogurt sauce to add that summer freshness~ the plating and the garnishes nailed the summer theme perfectly. i enjoyed the dish as a whole. while they served just a fair portion of the duck, i was hitting the wall with the last bite with the gnocchi and greens on the side. my friend ordered the steak special that's paired with bok choy and shiitake mushrooms. it was for sure more of a asian fusion dish but still very good! so overall, it was a very fun dining experience. i'm not sure if i would make a trip out to kitsilano for Fable. the fact that rain and shine is next door makes it a big plus! lol i certainly wouldn't mind having that duck meatball again :O~ mayb i'll just double down on that next time and call it a meal! haha read more

Fable Kitchen - Yum~ - Canadian (New) Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

I love New American cuisine, so during my recent trip to Vancouver, I had to see what New Canadian food is all about. And I am glad I tried it at Fable! Everything was cooked so deliciously, the ingredients were balanced with richness and freshness, service was great, and dinner was priced reasonably. We made a reservation for a Friday night, and the hostess informed us that we had to be out within 2 hours. I was a little confused because I'm typically a quick eater. Once the food hits the table, I snap my photos, and then the food is in my belly. The dining experience was so enjoyable, I didn't even realize we were there for almost 2 hours! The menu isn't very extensive, maybe about 20 dishes total for appetizer, entree, and dessert. There was also a prix fixe menu for just $35, a lot of cocktails to choose from (no whiskey; only gin and vodka), and also non-alcoholic mocktails! For 4 people, we pretty much ordered half the menu options, I enjoyed every dish, and was overly stuffed! Here's a run-down of my favorite dishes: - 'Canned tuna': house-cured tuna in a jar with herbs, potatoes, and oil. It's mashed together and spread on crusty bread. A must-try if you enjoy cured meats like me! - Tomato soup: paired perfectly with an onion, grilled cheese sandwich. The sammie is served on a shallow bowl, and the soup is poured at the table from a tea pot. The soup is nice and thick, but not overly acidic. - Butcher's Cut Special of the evening (Sous vide chuck steak for 48 hours): there were only two slices of steak, cut very thick. I wish there was more! The steak was SUPER tender, and paired so perfectly with a black pepper jam for a little kick, shiitake mushrooms, and bok choy. - Roasted duck for two: such a hearty meal with crispy Brussels sprouts, lentils and spicy chorizo, and broccolini. The duck skin was sweet and crispy, and the meat was so tender we could comb it out with just a fork. - S'mores: the texture of the homemade brownie was a good balance of crispy like edges and soft like the cake portion! It wasn't overly rich from the brownie and chocolate ice cream, and the meringue was soft and creamy. -Lemon parfait: too sour for me, but I enjoyed the London Fog ice cream and streusel crunch. The dishes I probably could have done without were the rustic loaf with garlic and Parmesan butter (butter wasn't garlicky or cheesy enough), and the duck meatball (nothing special to me). I highly recommend to give Fable a try! read more

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Excellent! Best breakfast in Kitsilano. They don't accept reservations, just walk in. We walked here today (Sunday) to try the brunch, based on reviews we saw on Yelp. Delicious, fresh, made in house black pepper jam, hearty bread, unique breakfast presentation. We ordered the kids pancakes with apple butter, omelette (deconstructed flat egg crepe with bacon/mushroom/goat cheese/onion/salad on plate), scrambled eggs in a Mason jar with Parmesan foam, thick brioche, and a hashbrown cake square. Light and sparkling mimosa, fresh coffee, attentive but not overbearing service. They offered a coloring book and crayons for our daughter. The orange juice is fresh squeezed. Tasty jam. The restaurant and washroom were clean. On the weekend, get there as soon as they open because they fill up quickly. read more

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First impressions are key -- and the hostess starts you off on a winning note. Both times I've been here, there was a wait. The hostess took my name and number and offered to call when a table was ready. With prime location on West 4th, my dining companions and I have had ample time to walk around and do some window shopping while waiting for our table. When the table was ready, the hostess fired off a quick text and call to let me know. The place is always packed, but doesn't feel loud or overly crowded. Service is friendly and attentive. Prices are fair and the quality is excellent. The cocktails are delicious. The canned tuna is fantastic. The chickpea fritters are great. The lemon meringue parfait is really freaking good. Trust Jody B's review on this menu item. In terms of the main meals, my selections were very tasty both times but did not blow my mind. The first time I went for dinner, I really wanted the squash gnocchi but ordered the steelhead trout instead because both my dining companions ordered my first choice dish. I took one for the team to add a bit of variety but wished I had gotten the gnocchi after all. My meal was excellent, no complaints, but it was no gnocchi. My second visit was for brunch and I ordered the "Fable Eggs" dish. As a savory flavors fan, the tomato jam's sweetness was a touch heavy but I still finished every bite. My dining companion and I did not, however, finish the rosti side dish which was a little dry. My one complaint would be that I really really wish they had the canned tuna available during the brunch service. Is that a complaint, though? Overall, I am a big fan of this place but it's not quite a 5 star for me. One final impression -- the hostess remembered my name as she thanks us for coming upon our exit. Nicely done, and that perfect little touch that means a lot and tells me this is the kind of place I want to come back to again and again. read more

The food was VERY good. Not amazing. I can't believe I'm saying this- but I just expected so much more especially in Vancouver. I think this is good food with a higher price point than I'd like to pay. Funny thing is if I were in Toronto this would be a solid 4 star establishment. But because I'm so used to really good, high quality and low-priced good food in Vancouver...well..it gets one star off. At the table we had: The feature appetizer- almost like an arancini- but meatier... gotta say- it was like a meaty-glorified falafel (3/5) Eggplant main- breaded eggplant, really flavourful (3.5/5) Chicken main- nice tender chicken , ratatoullie- again, very flavourful (3.5/5) Salmon main- good salmon, not overdone at all but I like my salmon a little underdone- this would be the equivalent to "medium" for a steak. came with gnocchi- was really good. (4/5) two glasses of wine- standard selections- only a few by the glass but many by the bottle. 97$ excluding tip The food was modest but good portion- definitely not over-thetop- you will likely be finishing your main plate and you will want an appetizer OR a dessert to pair- if you took three courses that would be too much food. The dessert menu looked uninpired so we did not partake Our server and the host were both Aussies. Nice folks, very polite servers and staff. It was just a really good experience but I won't be rushing to come back. Good food. Fine value, given that it is an oceanwise menu. But when I go out to eat I want GOOD to very good food with good value. This does not fit that description. Nothing was so exciting or rare that, with a little ingredient sourcing from the market and a good pan, I couldn't do myself. read more

I have long believed that there is no dish that can't be improved by the addition of chocolate, bacon and/or applewood smoked cheddar. To this list I will now add a fourth, miraculous ingredient: the black pepper jam at Fable. The jam was the condiment on my husband's perfectly cooked, beautifully rare steak -- a steak that on its own would be noteworthy. But the addition of the smokey sweet peppery jam turned it into what may be the most delicious meat dish I have ever eaten. Really. Happily, Fable sells its miracle jam by the jar, so it will now be a staple in our own cupboard. The rest of our meal would be judged well, even if nothing quite lived up to the spectacular heights of the Jam From Heaven. My slow-cooked salmon was a tender, tasty creature, and a departure from the usual salmon dish. The "canned tuna" starter was a lemony yummy treat, and while the heirloom tomato salad was quite simply -- just tomatoes, ricotta and chèvre -- the tomatoes were perfect and needed nothing more. And the cornbread we were encouraged to munch on while reviewing the menu was way beyond the usual....it was basically cake! Our service was excellent: helpful and friendly without being either obsequiously formal or intrusively chummy. The server recommended a wine that we loved, and the service was prompt without feeling rushed. The room itself is extremely pleasant, though I wouldn't want to sit at the kitchen side bar during this heatwave! The menu is very appealing -- I was in the rare position of being tempted by virtually every item on the menu -- so it's the kind of place I'd love to treat as a neighbourhood standby. And on paper, that makes sense: it's a casual enough vibe for every day, nice enough to feel special for a date, with a delicious but unpretentious menu. It's a little pricey to turn into a regular hangout, however: dinner for two, with wine but without dessert, came to $175 with tip. Not unreasonable for the meal, but not a weekly event either! Fable is a great addition to the Kits repertoire. Welcome to the neighbourhood! read more

Couldn't think of any negative things to say about Fable. Truly a masterful dinner with creative and well executed dishes. Service was great as well. Fable is now on my "must go back" list. I loved the potato gnocchi, one of the best vegetarian dishes I've had in a long time. A beautiful plate of food in every sense. The lemon meringue parfait is mind blowing. read more

One of the best meals I've had in a long time, this place is nw cuisine at its best. They have special bread everyday which is amazing and unique and really everything is. Chickpea fritters were light with an amazing curry sauce, the sausage wrapped pork had their own Korean BBQ sauce and kimchi and was lovely as well. Order one of their signature cocktails as well. Oh and not to mention the service is also great. I'll come back here every time I return to Vancouver. read more

I went to this restaurant having watched Top Chef Canada in its entirety, and received what I believe to be Top Chef Canada's best. It honestly exceeded my expectations. For appetizers we had the Sawmill Bay oysters with vodka & citrus, canned tuna with crostini, and duck meatball with tagliatelle. Oysters perfectly accented with what tasted like Grey Goose Vodka and a touch of grapefruit and black pepper. A perfect balance while still tasting the seawater. Next was the play on "canned tuna", which was freshly canned raw Albacore Tuna, lemon confit, potato confit with olive oil poached in a small mason jar, served with grey salt & crostini. Another perfectly balanced dish, the lemon was like candy, and potato and albacore welcomed the grey salt, harmonious.... The duck meatball was crispy outside, medium rare inside stuffed with sauce & served on tagliatelle with parmesan foam. Big flavors from spices on the meatball, allspice and fennel seed I believe. I'm not big on foam, but it had great mouthfeel and really tasted like parmigiano reggiano, awesome. My main was the potato crusted chicken with ratatouille. I kind of dislike chicken as its usually bland and easily dry. Trevor Bird's version however, tasted like it was soaked in milk, crusted in potatos and fried to excellence. The ratatouille was amazing, freshly tasting of basil, and acidic enough to counter the richness of potato & chicken. Dessert was Curtis Luk's macaroon, cookie and pavlova. Absolute master work! Especially the pavlova. The meringue melted in your mouth. Paired with blueberries I cannot even imagine anything better. When you combine this food with personable, fast, efficient service & reasonable prices, the only outcome is me and my friends becoming regulars, and we don't even live near this neighborhood!! Feeling pretty happy about having such talent in our city! Great work and keep it up read more

Fable to me kind of suffers a problem for portion size and flavor complexity. [canned tuna] The canned tuna is something they pitch where it comes in a mason jar. It's good. [gnocchi] The gnocchi is pretty fresh, but as a meal, I find it hard to recommend it to stand alone. It just seems kind of odd to eat just eat potato type dumplings for a meal. [potato crusted chicken] A good dish. [overall] I just kind of think Fable doesn't give enough food for their portions. To me if you are going to do small portions like fancy food, they up your flavor complexity with more layers and depth. The food is okay and good. But not great, and not bad. Just A-OK as Yelp says I suppose. read more

Gone are the days of Refuel's Buttermilk Fried Chicken and bone marrow. Before I even went around to write about Refuel, the space has been taken over by Fable for almost a year (since March 2011). I better not procrastinate any longer. Before Chef Trevor Bird from Top Chef Canada goes anywhere. Fable is located on West 4th in Kitsilano. The menu is concise but has a lot of varieties. Not much has changed in terms of the decor, fancy red bricks, wood tables and a fabulous chalkboard wall in the back. The service here is top notch and the food is impeccable with lots of great textures and flavors I came here many months ago for a girl's night out, while I longed to seat at the bar to soak in all the kitchen action and see secrets maneuvering skills Bird pulls out, we grabbed a table near the front. House Bread: Tarragon and orange butter with rosemary, olive oil and butter focaccia. The bread is salted lightly on top and holds a melt in your mouth yet does not crumple as you spread the butter. The smell is amazging: pigmented with rosemary herbs and a humble citrus flare. But what took this baby home was the butter. If you like garlic butter... it can not compare. This was a good start. Our waitress was such a dear and explained everything to us, never rushed us, and made sure to give us plenty of great recommendation. Canned Tune "The Best Canned Tuna" 12: Albacore Tuna, fingerling potatoes marinated with lemon and sage, served with sea salt on the side and crostinis. The sous-vide fish is tender and moist. The olive oil made it slightly on the oily side, but it is no doubt sinful. Sea salt cuts thru the fattiness nicely while the potatoes packed in all the flavours in a small mason jar . Chickpea Fritter 9: Pickled red onion, shoots, curry mayo and pea shoots. This battered breading was filled with curry reduction in a light density. I liked how it wasn't overly crunchy and the curry mayo was powerful enough to standout without stealing the show. Tartness of pickled onions was needed to lighten the heaviness of the dish and added great sharp textures. Veal Breast Raviolli (daily special) 23: A bounty of game meat that wasn't gamy. This was no doubt a bold dish with bold flavours. Unfortunately the veal was slightly tough which Bird explained later it was perhaps the cut he chose. Raviolli was beautiful with juices and meat all stuffed inside. Spaghetti and Meat Ball 11: Duck meat ball served over tagliatelle. The flavorful meatball was impressive. Juice and the sauce oozed out as we slit it apart. The tomatoe and duck au jus reduction was perfect for the al dente pasta. To continue our epic meal, we moved onto desserts. Daily Sweet Bites 10: Mini Pavlovas filled with rhubarb and blueberries. What's not to love about this elegant dessert with a fluffy meringue? nothing. It's amazing. The pavlovas were crisp and airy. Blueberry Macarons had a crispy eggshell exterior. I liked the fact it was not tremendously sweet. The love-hate dual Curtis Luk and Trevor Bird nailed it. Sable Cookies were buttery soft but forgettable. Bread Pudding (daily special): Vanilla cream and rhubarb sorbet. A simple way to transform stale bread into a timeless classic comfort food. Drizzled with blueberry sauce (as you can tell blueberries and rhubarb was the season's finest!). Slightly toasted golden brown bread adds for an extra special touch while the bottom layer is moist and sweet. The sorbet was refreshing and broke away from traditional flavours! Yay! We were all star stricken! We love you Bird! read more

We went here with a big party expecting great food and great service (based on past experience and reviews). We got a breakfast that went wrong at every turn -- we were almost the first party to sit down and dishes we ordered were sold out, our order was skipped over multiple times (people who sat down after us were paid and leaving before we got food), one of the staff kept telling us our food was moments away when it clearly wasn't, and then one of the orders was wrong. Everyone at the restaurant was very nice about it, but it was so many things went wrong that they just wrote us off so they could focusing on salvaging other people's mornings. The food was pretty OK. I didn't ever figure out what people think is so special about the place - it's a good enough diner breakfast in a good location. Maybe lunch or dinner is more special, we probably won't be going back to find out. The staff was cool and nice. Same with the clientele. But this is a "skip" for me. read more

After my last review, Fable sent me a gift certificate to come back and give them another try. For the past couple of months, I've randomly tried to make reservations (which turns out to be just shy of impossible) and shown up at 5:30pm for dinner (really early, or so I thought) to be told that they didn't have any room for the rest of the evening. Not "oh we have an hour wait" but literally no room for the rest of the evening! This place is obviously very popular! Long story short, I called yesterday and somehow managed to get a reservation for two to celebrate my birthday with my mother. So here's my update... We arrived and the only thing we were greeted with was "Hi" from the hostess who acted as if we had interrupted her in the middle of something. Maybe I'm just being picky, but a more friendly greeting would have been nice as it felt like I had to request to be seated rather than being offered. It was a pretty awkward way to start off my Fable experience. OK, maybe I am just being picky, moving on... As I noticed during my original visit, the decor is really charming, love the open kitchen and the whole notion of farm-to-table really fits well with my values. The menu changes seasonally, which I really appreciate, to use fresh, local ingredients. All things I can really support, yay! The server seemed almost kind of nervous, I'm not sure if it was her first time or first week or something. But she'd obviously forgotten the feature entree and ran off to go double-check and come back to tell us. After a quick look at the menu, it was clear what we both wanted: chickpea fritters, steak frites and "P" gnocchi with pork belly, and lots of water to wash it all down. The chickpea fritters were the star of the meal! They were so flavourful, all of the ingredients balanced each other out so well and my mum and I just could not get enough! I would have liked those fritters as my main course. The steak frites came Medium, just as was ordered, and was really tasty - my mum really enjoyed it. I got the "P" gnocchi with the pork belly. It was very flavourful, the homemade gnocchi was delicious and all of the flavours were well represented. I did find that when I was finishing my plate I had a lot more gnocchi than pea shoots/pea puree/ricotta/tomatoes so I would have liked some more balance between the pasta and the other ingredients. There was another little mix-up with our bill. The server seemed really thrown when we gave her the gift certificate, but managed to calculate our bill by hand with a calculator. However, we brought back our change in larger bills. So we didn't have ANY cash to leave for a tip. We asked for smaller change, she said she'd find some but never came back. Went up to the cashier to ask again, she said she was still trying to find some. 20 minutes since receiving our bill and paying it, we gave up and left. What restaurant doesn't have a till full of change at 5:30pm on a Monday? Why does it take 20 minutes to pay your bill and try to tip your server? Why did we have to chase staff down to pay at a restaurant? Overall, the food was delicious and if I was reviewing just the food this place would get 5 stars. However, even this visit the front-of-house staff seemed really awkward about bills, using the tills and greeting at the door. The service is just not what I expect when I'm paying for dinner at the same price point as restuarants like Lupo and Seasons in the Park. Those are restaurants that provide the exceptional service you expect when splurging on a nice dinner out at a "higher end" restaurant. Fable, for the same price point, just seems lacking in that department. For the money spent at a place like this, you really expect the whole package and the 'experience' of dining at a nice restaurant. Not sure I will be returning any time soon... sorry Fable. read more

My current absolute number one favourite restaurant in Vancouver. How's that for a lot of words. Where to start? Canned tuna. Strange name, SO frickin good. Canned (as in canning things to eat them later in all of their beautiful deliciousness). Tuna as in perfect sashimi with stuff mixed in, I can't even remember what. Just so good though. (I realize now that this review is going to be more emotional than factual). Spaghetti and meatballs? That's right but it's an appetizer and it's only one meatball which would normally raise a red flag. In this case, it means one perfectly spiced delicious duck meatball with something in the middle of it like cheese? And perfect pasta and a parmesan foam? I don't know. So good though. The main course. I've had pork chops, trout, I don't even know what else but it has all been outstanding. Fresh, well cooked, with beautiful accompaniments. The thing that stands out the most for me at this moment is what my friend had last time. Chicken stuffed with something and encrusted with something potatoey. I cannot tell you how fresh and moist and mind-blowingly delicious this was and how crazy good that crust was. It all just worked together so perfectly. It was the best main course that I've eaten there (though I could only politely ask for two bites). This is what I'm getting next time I go. Alright, and for the grand finale. The lemon meringue parfait. It is tart, delicious, and crunchy bottomed heaven. I can't even explain it except to so that it's my favourite dessert on earth besides a chocolate pot du creme or perfect creme caramel (they don't have those at Fable that I know of). So, yes, it's all that good. In my opinion anyway. p.s. the service is warm and knowledgeable ("that grass-fed beef came from blah blah farm in Ladner") p.p.s the wine list is exceptional, including by the glass. read more

So, I saw this place on Yelp and I thought, "Yes! Fresh, local ingredients!" I'm a sucker for that sort of thing. Well, the dishes are pricey and it seems the main seasoning they use is sea salt. Although they replaced my dish, it was only after much coaxing and a detailed, in-depth explanation that their pumpkin risotto was bland, too creamy, too salty, and what makes you think pesto goes with this? It does not, sir; no sir, it does not. The waitresses were genial, which was nice, but overall menu options were limited, overpriced, and cooking was done by amateurs (it looked like they hired the kitchen staff from UBC's Pit Pub or something). No, probably won't be back. read more

Fable was the most enchanting restaurant experience I've ever had. We were sat at the bar but with the open Concept kitchen, it ended up being the highlight of our night. The food was so well prepared in front of our eyes. The chefs eye for detail on the presentation was Pristine. Watching the care put into each meal started my love for small business and changed my outlook on how going out for dinner should leave you feeling read more

Wanted to have a Canadian breakfast. Locals recommended a few places and decided to stop here. Food was good, very rich, sweet, and flavorful. A little too sweet for my liking but nonetheless still tasty. I loved the different ingredient pairings. I ordered the braised pork flat cakes, ham Benedict, and eggs. All very tasty. The restaurant had such a great atmosphere, really enjoyed the decor. Very intimate setting, love the fresh ingredients and farm to table here! read more

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Oh no, I was really hoping to enjoy Fable as the concept is really up my alley but my mum and I were both disappointed! To start with, our servers were absolutely delightful and they seemed to be very knowledgeable about the menu. My mum had the duck breast and enjoyed the flavours but not how there was a sort of tendon (?) running through each piece of meat and was difficult to eat. She also found the brussels sprouts to have been charred a little too far. I went for the potato crusted chicken which was plated beautifully, although it really tasted like a semi-glorified tater tot, but sadly underseasoned. I was surprised that the breast meat was used because it doesn't offer too much flavour, which added further to its blandness. As a place that served pig trotters as a daily special, I didn't expect for Fable to use a very boring part of a chicken! I ended up taking most of my meal home, and the next day added some sea salt and dijon mustard which added a little more flavour. That being said, when a friend took me here for a birthday over a year ago, we had a pretty decent lunch. Although you can't really go wrong with grilled cheese sandwiches and salad : ) I would love to come here again and try something else! Hopefully we just had an off night. read more

Came here with my partner and we both thoroughly enjoyed our experience! We attempted to book a reservation for 7pm on a Monday two days before, but their 6:30, 7:00, and 7:30 spots were already full. The place was packed for a Monday evening so I would definitely recommend booking a reservation several days in advance. We got a table for 8pm, and as we arrived a bit early, we decided to have a couple drinks at the bar. I had the Kiss from a Rose which was sweet and delicious. The rose syrup flavour really came through. My partner had a mezcal based drink, and while I am not the biggest mezcal fan, he assured me that the drink was top notch. Cocktails were about $9 and $12 respectively, so not terrible. As they had given us menus while we waited at the bar, we were able to order our food right away. We got our meals in about 25-30 minutes which I thought was prompt given how busy the place was. Service was also great - everyone working there was friendly and pleasant and made sure our water glasses were always full. I ordered a glass of the rose to go with dinner, and my partner had an Okanagan white. Having come here for lunch once before, we had to once again get the canned tuna to start with because it does live up to the hype. So worth it. For dinner, my partner had the gnocchi with the pulled pork add on, and wow these were some of the best gnocchi I've ever had. Double the size of your standard store bought gnocchi, it was like biting into a pillowy soft cloud of potato goodness. They were also very generous with the pulled pork, which was a welcome addition. I ordered the smoked duck breast with brown butter hollandaise, walnuts and brussel sprouts. I tasted some of the hollandaise first and I'm pretty sure my eyes closed and I let out a little moan of happiness - oh my god it was so good, such a simple idea but added so much to the dish! Everything else was great too. My duck was cooked perfectly, and I appreciated the parsnip chips on top to give each bite some texture. Our dishes were around $28, so it's a little on the pricey side, but it's a good place to come celebrate a special occasion. We didn't order the desserts because they didn't seem particularly appetizing to me, but then the table next to us got the meringue and the smores dessert. I had instant regrets when I saw how good they looked. So get a dessert if you're going to go. I can't complain, so five stars it is! read more

I went to fable for a "boozy brunch" (last Sunday of every month) with my girlfriends. They had all been before and raved about it so needless to say I had pretty high expectations. The good: the booze was indeed boozy and very, very reasonable. The okay: The French toast. I ate it, but it wasn't anything special. Too soft in the middle The bad: We were rushed (out before an hour even though our seating was for an hour and a half). It took forever to any drinks to make it to us. They were out of ketchup because (direct quote) "someone forgot to make it this morning." My girlfriends Benny was undercooked and she didn't get any compensation or a new plate. My four dollar bacon side was ONE piece of bacon. It was good but clarify that somewhere. My friends even said they were appalled by the service and that they had never had an experience like this prior. Maybe it was a bad day for Fable, but I won't be returning based on this experience. read more

Fable is absolutely amazing! I've been here almost 5 times and it just keeps getting better. Their canned tuna is the signature dish - my girlfriend and I orders it EVERY time. Comes in a glass jar, where you'll mix the tuna with a ton of good tasting mix and you have it on crostini. Order more crostini for free cause there's a ton of tuna :) Their duck meatball with pasta is delicious. You can really taste the duck flavor and it's pretty special. For the entree, there's a board in the back of the room with daily specials. Check that out before the menu, it's always something different. One time we had a pork special for about 60 bucks, and they served a ton of pork cooked in many ways. It was so good! Make sure to ask their servers for recommendations because all of then are awesome! They'll take their time and figure out the perfect combos for you. In fact, I mostly just ask them to recommend almost all of our food ;) read more

Fable has to be one of my favorite restaurants right now!. This place is on Kits right on 4th ave and Trevor Bird is the main guy here! (There's a reason why he was on Top Chef Canada!). The place isn't big but definitely cozy. As soon as you walk-in, the greeter takes your name down. Every time I have been there, I had to wait a bit. It gets packed and no wonder why...believe me; it is worth it!. The service is great, the waitresses are super friendly. The kitchen is right by the entrance so you get to see the guys cooking their butts off while you wait (such an art!!!). I love their smoked trout bennies and their french toast for brunch. It is just perfection on a plate!. Great flavours, textures, colours. Their eggs are amazing!!! Just out of the farm!. Their main vision is using local ingredients. Fable never disappoints!!!. Great success for a great restaurant! All the best guys and keep it up!. 5 stars!!!! read more

Fable Kitchen - Smoked trout bennies - Canadian (New) Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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What a great name for a restaurant because every time I tell someone about it I can say "Fable, you know like farm to table." I don't know why, but I love saying that, it makes me feel witty. We went to Fable on a double date. Everyone enjoyed their dishes. I don't think there was one bit of food left on our plates. We were delighted with the fresh ingredients and good flavors. There were lots of interesting new things I never heard of but really liked, such as chorizo crusted halibut and duck meat balls. For dessert, I had the lemon pot de creme and seriously, this dessert was amazing. To me lemon desserts can be on the tart side and I never really order them. But it was a special night and had already made up my mind that I would have dessert. The dessert had gin foam, ice lemonade shavings, creamy lemon custard, and wonderful vanilla seeds sprinkled on the bottom. It was yum. My only complaint was that the restaurant space is small with lots of tables. Since Fable is so popular, every table was filled which meant it got really noisy in there. But whatever, with food this good, I don't need to have a conversation, I'll just sit back and enjoy my meal. read more

So many attempts at fancy brunch in Vancouver, and so many of them drain my wallet and make me wish I cooked up greasy bacon and eggs at home. Show me something special! Fable is something special. Steak and Eggs. Black coffee. Try it. #30DaysOfYelp (10/30) read more

Okay, like everyone else, I've heard all the hype about Fable. I believe the sister restaurant is Campagnolo, and I like that place. So, I showed up 6:00 on a Friday night with no reservation. I didn't expect to get seated that night, but I thought at least there could a slim possibility that my party of two could wait at the bar for a table. Nothing doing. The restaurant was full. The bar was also full. Okay. Popular. Good for them. Now here's the irritating part: The ditsy hostess actually suggested with a straight face that we stand at the entrance for the 45 minutes or so that she estimated it would take to get a seat at the bar -- even though the next table wouldn't be available until 8:30. If there's one thing that irritates me, it's when restaurants get an opinion of themselves that is in the clouds, and they are doing mankind a huge favour by simply being open. Well, this is Vancouver. There are hundreds of spectacular places to eat, and Fable will not be one of them, for me. And that high opinion that they have of themselves now may be on borrowed time, because 99% of restaurants don't sustain that level of success. I don't hope for their failure, but they're kind of setting themselves up for a hard landing. I had the same issue with Chambar a few years ago and I haven't been back since. Chambar is doing fine, I hear, and that's great for them. But I can't be bothered with these hoity-toity attitudes. It spoils my appetite. Hence the 2-star. read more

I've now been here 3 times and everyrime I come here I'm blown away. Last night I went with a friend for dinner and we decided to go to Fable. We started with the chickpea fritters and they we really tasty. But the duck basket was just amazing. Came with gizzards, necks, and drumettes in a really tasty glaze. Best appy I've had there by far. As for our entrees my friend got the duck breast and that dish is always good Everytime we go. I decided to try something I don't usually order and let me tell you that the free range chicken I got was epic. Tender juicy and delish. I would really like to know how they make chicken that good. Will be ordering that again. As for dessert we shared the lemon meringue parfait. I don't eat desserts but I will eat that its so good. As for service, it's always fantastic. Can't wait to go back and eat here again. Fable=awesomeness read more