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

See all

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

Excellent food, went for dinner, had the mushroom gnocchi and it was perfect, except I i added bacon or pancetta and it was Crazy thick cuz blocks of bacon which was delicious but a little overwhelming. I loved the staff, had this French waiter that was super informative and kept cracking corny jokes, but he really brightened up our dinner. The place is dark and intimate, nice for a romantic evening, but I just went with friends. Cocktails were solid as well, but not groundbreaking. Anyway, will def return if I can I really liked my experience here. 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

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

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

The food was delicious, very nice ambience as well. It is expensive though but worth to try

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

This is my favorite spot for brunch. Most everything on the menu is amazing! I usually stick with the french toast and eggs benedict, when I'm in town I eat here weekly. Parking is never a problem and the staff has always been on-point regardless of how busy it is. Make sure to stop in for brunch if you get a chance! 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

Third time here and I wasn't disappointed (although I wasn't totally impressed either). The atmosphere is casual and pretty hip - they went all in with the "farm to table" aesthetic that their food focuses on. No complaints about service! I had the ling cod with celeriac remoulade. The cod had a great consistency and was just dry and tender enough to be enjoyable. The celeriac base provided a drastic but interesting contrast to the cod - it was perhaps a little too powerful for my liking. The cod serving was quite small for the price ($22) in my opinion, but what was there was certainly great. Good work once again, Fable! read more

Fable Kitchen - A small serving indeed - Canadian (New) Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

3.5 is my rating. Fable = farm on a table, nice restaurant name. Got excited when I saw the high ratings on yelp, but after my visit I felt like it was slightly overrated. The Best "Canned Tuna" ($12) It was diced tuna topped with a layer of potato puree and olive oil which you mix all together in the jar, and spread it on the toasted brioche. I like the texture as it's a smooth spread but still has chunks of tuna giving some chewiness. It tasted slightly creamy but lacked a bit of flavor. It was interesting, but wasn't much of my liking and overpriced for what you get. Spaghetti and Meatball ($11) Giant duck meat ball served with tagliatelle and mushrooms, topped with parmesan whip. The parmesan whip was amazing! Really creamy and strong in cheese flavor, mixed really well with the pasta flavor. The waiter mentioned when you cut the duck meat ball juice would burst out, which didn't really happen so I was slightly disappointed. The meat was slightly dry, not as moist as I thought it would be. Onion Gnocchi ($21, added pulled pork for $5) Pan seared gnocchi with burnt onions and fresh mixed vegetables, topped with pulled pork. The pulled pork meat was soft and tender, but I felt like the sauce didn't blend too well with the gnocchi. The gnocchi pieces were thick, dense but soft and creamy, and tasted great with the pesto sauce - flavors were on point. Loved all the fresh ingredients in the dish - the tomatoes, the vegetables, the greens. Really tasty and delicious. Don't get me wrong the food was delicious. Really like the decor and atmosphere for this place. Service was great too. read more

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

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

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

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

See all

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

The 4 stars is for the service, as I really didn't feel the food was too great. I ordered the scrambled eggs and it came in a tiny jar topped with melted cheese? There was so much cheese it looked like yogurt.. it seems very "experimental". I asked if I could order something else and they obliged me and even sped up my food, so I did appreciate the excellent service there. The eggs benny I ended up with was ok, but nothing special. Unfortunately I don't think the food is really anything special, but again service is fantastic. read more

Fable Kitchen - The scrambled eggs I ordered.. it's all in that tiny jar under the cheesy stuff - Canadian (New) Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

See all

Food is on the pricier side, but you do get uber-fresh, locally sourced ingredients that can't be beat. Ambience is lively and engaging, and even when the place is packed, service is attentive. 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

Loved every aspect of dining at Fable, from the service (friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful wait staff) to the ambiance, to the food. I had the tomato soup as a first course, which came with mini-grilled cheese sandwiches in the center of the bowl--I'm not normally a creamy soup fan, but in combination with the sandwiches and warm bread/buns for dipping, it was great. The highlight was the entree, Gnocchi + Onion with Pulled Pork. This was one of the best dishes I've ever had! It was an interesting mixture of flavors and everything was cooked and seasoned perfectly. My girlfriend had the salmon, which was great in its own right, but she couldn't stop picking gnocchi off my plate. For dessert, we had "Oops, I dropped the dessert" - an upside-down waffle cone simulating an unfortunate ice cream accident. We were hoping for more rhubarb (since it was featured in the description), but it focused on blueberry ice cream and relegated the rhubarb to a paste on the side. Still, it didn't disappoint and finished off an amazing meal for us. Highly recommend Fable to anyone looking for creative dishes in an upscale (but not stuffy) environment. read more

Fable is a must visit! Cozy decore and food that was incredibly good (Try the "Canned Tuna" and the chef's tasting menu) and friendly and attentive service. Also if you get the chance sit at the Chef's bar as it is a great way to chat about the food and see how everything is made. It was an amazing date night and I am sure we will be back soon. - Chris read more

Awesome place for loca-vores craving something fresh and a bit unique. Very laid back, rustic atmosphere perfect for the concept and the neighbourhood. I had the halibut with polenta and chorizo bouillabaisse. My server very helpfully informed me that the parsley crust that is supposed to coat the halibut contained flour as a binder, but she was able to make the meal gluten free by eliminating the crust and sautéing the fish with lemon, salt and pepper instead. Everything was perfectly cooked and absolutely delicious. We shared the gorgonzola cheesecake with pickled strawberries for dessert because it was the only gluten free dessert option. I'm not a huge fan of cheesecake and the gorgonzola taste was a bit strong for me in the context of a dessert, but I really enjoyed the pickled strawberries. It would be nice if they added additional GF dessert options. The service was excellent and cocktails we tried were also wonderful. Excellent food and service and definitely worth a return visit. read more

Definitely two thumbs up. It's been on my radar for a while, and especially since seeing all of the great Yelp reviews out so far. The food is definitely "from farm to table" and you can taste how fresh it is from the first bite. First of all, they have wonderful service. The servers are extremely friendly, patient and know how to deal with kids as we saw the table next to us. We ordered the appetizer of the day, which was some sort battered and fried fish neck, cabbage taco with sweet ginger/tamarind sauce and pickled carrot and beets. The fish was very fresh and meaty and not too oily considering it had been deep fried. We followed this with the steelhead trout for me and herb crusted halibut for my mom. We love seafood, and these two dishes definitely did not disappoint. My trout came out pink and perfectly cooked on a bed of kale with mushroom vinaigrette. I adore kale and I loved how they had both crispy and sauteed kale in the dish. I also tried a bite of my mom's halibut and it was fresh, flavorful but nice and light for a late-ish evening meal. We finished with the lemon meringue parfait on the server's recommendation and it was AMAZING. I loved the meringue on top and the tarragon ice cream underneath. I never thought I'd enjoy tarragon ice cream, but it complemented the dessert really well. The lemon part was tangy but sweet, and the graham crackers added texture to an otherwise smooth dessert. Overall, it came out to about 80 dollars for the both of us. Considering the great service, food and ambiance, it was a great deal and I'll definitely be coming back in the future. read more

The yogourt parfait was surprisingly good, but other than that there was literally nothing special about this place. Service was fine, eggs benny was nothing special, decor was nothing out of the ordinary. I don't understand the hype for this place. Wont be back. food 3.5/5 decor 3/5 read more

One of my favourite restaurants in the city. Menu changes but I've gotten the duck, the steak frites, and a pork chop special on separate occasions and I've loved it every time. The "canned tuna" with albacore tuna, lemon and fingerling potatoes cooked in a small mason jar sous-vide and served with crostinis is to die for. Must try! read more

Fable is by far my favourite restaurant in Vancouver. The food is incredible. The service is fantastic and if you have the chance sit at the bar to watch the amazing chefs prepare all of the delicious meals. This place is a foodie paradise. Brunch or dinner your palate will be blown away. Please take my recommendation and visit as soon as you can. Fable is the perfect example of fresh ingredients and stellar cooking. Enjoy! read more

Fable Kitchen - My delicious Sausage wrapped pork loin. - Canadian (New) Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

I came here based on a lemon dessert review from another Yelper. Price is between average to expensive, therefore, this is a place in which you want to save some $$$ for. Due to the lack of respect and etiquette from some of the people in our meet up grounp with last minute cancellations, Fable were really nice and accommodating about adjusting our reservation. They made me feel less embarrassed about the lack of consideration from some in our group. Really huge shout out to them on this part. The service was awesome and attentive. I had chicken served by the hottest guy in the establishment. Hot guy delivering me chicken = I love you. Decor was basic woodsy like, dim and unpretentious. Lemon Meringue Parfait = Good take on the traditional pie done in a sundae cup. It looks tall, however, it is a very modest serving. A bit $$$ at $12, however, worth it. The toasted egg white was like a marshmallow. Mascarpone Cheesecake = A bit of a rip off for $9 for the portion size. It was well plated and tasted awesome, however, you're looking at a slice that is 1" by .5"...really? This isn't suitable for sharing. The cake itself was well prepared and was smooth going down. Chickpea Fritters = 5 fritters for $9 was a decent deal. The curry mayo was unbelievable. It was tart, however, it was well paired against the chickpeas. Rossdown Farms Chicken = The dish was well prepared temperature and texture wise, however, I found this to be way too salty that it had any business being. Chicken was a little dry but edible. Very small portion for $24. Overall it was a good experience and the company was awesome on an Easter Friday. read more

One of the best dining experiences. Why? The restaurant puts in great care of their ingredients and serving to make sure you as a diner are happy. We were lucky to have Ben as our server extraordinaire. He's very knowledgable about wines, cocktails, food, where it's all sourced. Any questions were answered with detail and grace. Everything we ordered was outstanding. Really great decor, very comfortable and high quality overall. Not overpriced. Highly recommend this place for dinner. Mega impressed. read more

See all

I was dissapointed with Fable maybe because I have heard so many good things about it and had high expectations. We went there for brunch on the remembrance day long weekend. The wait was about half an hour. Cool ambiance, nice decor. But we weren't happy with the service. First of all, the server was not familiar with the menu. She didn't know what the menu ingredients were. She didn't even know if the steak and egg comes with two eggs or one egg. She had to go back to the kitchen and ask all our questions. Finally she ended up sending one of the guys from the kitchen to our table to answer our questions. Starting with coffee, we ordered an Americano and a regular coffee. I'm not sure if the Americano was really an Americano. The other coffee wasn't hot enough. We ordered the Fable eggs and the scrambled eggs. The food was ok, nothing special or too tasty. The scramble and spinach and lardons was served in a mason jar, which made it hard to eat. I like it when restaurants try to be creative and unique, but I think it's important to be practical at the same time. The mason jar idea reminded me of the story of the fox and the stork. http://www.story.net.in/2013/07/the-fox-and-stork-moral-stories.html?m=1 We also ordered a side of the rosti and I asked the server to have the chives cream on the side instead of the top of the rosti (for dietary reasons) but it came with the creme on top. Anyway, the food was mediocre - nothing really special. I think Fable is one of those restaurants who base their reputation on the " farm to the table" philosophy rather than focusing on the taste of the food and the quality of the service. All said, I would go back there for dinner before making my final judgement. read more

We tried all the recommended appetizers (canned tuna, the chickpea fritters, the duck spaghetti). None of them really worked. They weren't bad, but they were more gimmick than substance. I had the flatiron steak on bok choy as the entree, which sous vide was perfectly cooked. I enjoyed it more than the appetizers. The highlight was the service and our toddler got toys and crayons to keep her busy which made her really happy while offering us a relaxing dinner. We were celebrating my birthday but we were too full for dessert! The portions of everything were pretty large. I'd give it 3.5 stars read more

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

See all

Brunch review only: Delicious food but not NEARLY enough of it! Stopped in for brunch here after a recently planned beach day with Jessica "Violet Dear" O. was rained out. We were cruising up W. 4th when we spotted Fable and both realized we really wanted to try it out. Decision made! We arrived shortly after the restaurant opened for the day and were promptly seated after passing their open kitchen where Trevor Bird & his crew were hard at work. Normally a bunch of foodies such as us would have jumped at the chance to sit at the bar and watch them work, but we were looking forward to a good gossip sesh and decided to take a table instead. We ordered a round of drinks and were very pleased with the Big Best Brunch Caesar (with Gin - who knew?). The coffee was also quite nice. After perusing the menu we all settled on the dishes that grabbed our attention and were happily provided with our plates in short order. I had the Scrambled Eggs - so delish - and came in a cute little mason jar with the creamed spinach & bacon mixture underneath the egg. I proceeded to scoop out every last bite and chased each with a bite of my toast soldiers. I will say that while totally delightful, it was just too small. My dining companions felt similarly about their Benny & Fable Egg. On the whole the food was excellent and I would certainly return to try their evening offerings (which look amazing), but I wouldn't recommend brunch unless they step up their portions. Brunch is a meal that should tide you over from morning until supper and this was just not sufficient. read more