Botanist - Vancouver, British Columbia

The Botanist was a lovely place to visit by the water inside the Fairmont. I came in for a set brunch menu, and it was pleasant. Service was 10/10. Food, I would say, is 9/10, but considering the price, it goes to an 8/10. I would definitely give the cultivated ... mushroom toast and butter-poached lobster benedict a try. I would come here again, on a special occasion for sure. Read more

Drink: 10/10, Food: 6/10, Presentation: 10/10. Unfortunately, the Botanist’s food did not meet our expectations, especially considering the price. For me, fine dining means high-quality food, but that was not what I experienced at the Botanist. We ordered the carpaccio, salmon, and (i think) ribs. Only the carpaccio was excellent; ... the rest fell short in terms of quality. I would recommend this restaurant only for drinks and appetizers. Read more

Few words needed when the food, service and atmosphere are equal. Had an amazing experience! Tried the octopus with the green mole, an exceptional presentation and great combination of flavors, was extraordinary. Mushroom tagliatelle was perfectly balanced with its silky texture and handcrafted pasta. Lamb duo was a unique presentation having the same ... protein in 2 different cooking methods. Had to try it. Summarizing it.. Would definitely come back Read more

This was a good experience overall and I can tell that they’ve put in a lot of work with being able to provide great experiences for their guests. The restaurant is located on the second floor of the Fairmont Pacific Rim hotel. The interior is elegant and feels bright and airy. ... The kitchen is open and visible from the main dining area and this evening there was a person playing the piano most of the night. We had the pan seared scallops to start. The scallops are well seasoned and cooked well and tender. There were cubes of pork jowl as part of the dish. Although I can see how they compliment each other, the fattiness on the pork jowl itself was overwhelming to me. The pork chop was bold visually with the way it is presented with the dark red mole sauce splattered at the base of the dish. I found the pork chop itself to be a bit dry on its own. Having it with the other components on the dish, like with the sauce and brussel sprouts helped give it some moisture. The mole sauce certainly has a great depth of flavour. We had the tonka bean bavaroise for dessert. This was a pleasant way to end the meal. I found the level of sweetness was perfect. The texture of the rye bread ice cream is very smooth and creamy and I really liked the flavour. The phyllo was great for some crispy flaky texture. I also really liked the wine poached pears. They were cooked well still with some crispness and were infused with a nice red wine flavour. I had the Beekeeper cocktail. It was a good drink and had a nice consistency to it. I liked the honeycomb shaped garnish on top for some crunch. As someone who loves honey, I wonder if it could incorporate some actual fresh honeycomb. Service was attentive and welcoming throughout. It felt like everyone was well coordinated and worked together to provide a good experience overall for their guests. Read more

I recently had the opportunity to dine at The Botanist, a restaurant located inside the PacRim hotel. While the restaurant's location itself was impressive, I must express my disappointment with the overall dining experience. Contrary to the numerous positive reviews I had come across, I found the food to be ... lackluster at best. Despite the restaurant's elegant ambiance and inviting atmosphere, the quality of the dishes fell short of my expectations. The portions, though adequate in size, failed to deliver in terms of flavor. I found myself underwhelmed by the taste and presentation of the dishes, leaving me with a sense of dissatisfaction. To illustrate my point, I have attached pictures showcasing the meals we ordered. As a group of seven diners, none of us were genuinely satisfied with the options available. Considering the substantial bill of over $500, it was disheartening to realize that we had paid such a hefty price for what can only be described as mediocre fare. Given my experience, it is unlikely that I will return to bOTANIST in the future. While the restaurant's location may be appealing, I believe there is significant room for improvement in terms of the quality and creativity of the food offerings. I hope that the management takes this feedback into consideration and endeavors to enhance the dining experience for future patrons. Read more