Patrick

Trying to book dinner for four next Wednesday night at Rain City Grill. Sunset is at 9:12. While two of our party generally prefer 7 PM or so, should we make this reservation for 8:30 to enjoy the sunset, or do you really not get much effect from it in the restaurant anyway? I recall seeing a post here about dining by sunset there, but from their website, I don't see that there appears to be much view.
By the way, how long should it take us to walk it from The Wedgewood? I looked at C instead, but trying to hold prices down some, and RainCity is considerably lower and seems less "big deal".

GaryA

First, whether or not you see the sunset depends of course on where you sit. There are a few outside tables facing the beach and if the tall trees, (including a few tall Palms), don't get in the way you could get a beautiful view from there. Most inside tables would not get much of a view of the sunset though if you had an early dinner you could go out and sit by the beach and watch the sunset from there.

Rain City Grill is a leisurly 45 to 60 minute walk from the Wedgewood down Davie Street though a more interesting walk would be along Robson to Denman and South on Denman to the Rain City Grill.

Finally, Rain City, though it's one of my favorite West Coast restaurant, is not much cheaper than C if at all and the portions are considerably smaller.

Meesthare

Hi, Patrick - I don't think sunset should necessarily affect your dinner plans. There are outside tables at RainCity Grill but there's a lot of traffic noise and I think you'd be happier sitting indoors, in which case there is only a bit of view if you happen to be sitting next to the window. If you dine at 7 PM you might well be finished in time for a stroll along the bay, or at least a post-dinner brandy on the patio.
I don't think it would take much more than 40 minutes to amble over there from the Wedgewood. I'm not a fast walker and we've done it in about that time. Be advised that there is a pretty steep hill along Robson just by the Landmark Hotel, if you take that route, which I assume you would. That might slow you down a little.
We're visiting friends today who are pals with the owner - I'll ask them about the sunset, just to be sure. I'll post back here when I find out, but we'll be gone all day and you probably won't see this until tomorrow.

Patrick

I guess I don't get the comment about prices at RainCity vs. C. I did both their websites, looked at their menus.
The average for appetizers at Rain City was $10. Average at C was $15.50.
Average for entrees at Rain City was $25.45. Average at C was $34.
Desserts are only $1 more at C. And I've taken out the lobster and foie gras selections (despite their appeal) at C which would have made the averages way higher.
The way I look at it, for a three course meal that's a good 1/3 higher per person. I'd also assume wines are more. Add the extras of tax and tip, and it has gotten a lot more. I don't mind if C is a whole lot better, but I've read more comments about RainCity Grill being people's favorites than C. Am I missing something here?

I guess I also get a little turned off by a website (C) which touts everything as being "an experience". We're looking for a really good meal and a fun or nice place, not a major "experience". Does that seem as pretentious to others as it does to me? Going to French Laundry is an experience I'd like to enjoy sometime. Just going out for a nice dinner in Vancouver doesn't need to be "an experience".

Meanwhile, I guess that sunset idea is no biggie, and I think we may drop that.

Meanwhile I saw that the Vancouver high next Tuesday is supposed to be 86! What happened to that cool break from Florida we were hoping for? But no doubt the evenings will be wonderful.

GaryA

Re: The differance in cost. Patrick I was just going by memory and perhaps C is more expensive than Rain City. I do feel however that Rain City's portions are smaller than C so maybe that's why I consider them to be not that much different in value if not cost.

Seeing the sunset from English Bay is really a beautiful thing, (I hesitate to use the word 'experiance'), and well worth being there. The Wedgewood is a very good hotel but not much for views so you'll have to be away from there for a good panorama.

The weather this spring and summer has really sucked. We havn't been able to string together three warm sunny days in a row. The past two days were pleasant enough but today it's cloudy and raining and in the high teens celsius. Long range forecasts have been wrong more than right so although it should be sunny and quite warm at this time of year we've been dissappointed too many times in the last 3 months to put much faith in it.

klam_chowder

Patrick, given your gut instinct to go to RCG, I think it's a good choice over C.

I think C is much over-rated. We went there a few years ago and had a poor "experience" (could not separate fish from the bone, rice accompaniment was crunchy raw, sent back food twice, on it goes, and they didn't seem to care, etc.).

A lot of people on this forum love the place and generally I have had excellent suggestions from posters so I haven't mentioned this so far. To each his own!

Enjoy-la!

Meesthare

Patrick, we've just come back from visiting our friends and I asked them about sunset at RainCity Grill. The answer was: yes, indeed, sunsets from there can be gorgeous. The caveat is that lately the weather hasn't been great (it's been an unusually cool, cloudy, and often rainy summer out here this year) and you can't really count on the sunset being there when you need it, so to speak. But the recommendation was that if you can get a reservation for 8:30 and you're quite sure the sun will set nicely for you, go for it!
Have a wonderful time, at whichever hour you choose to go, and be sure to report back!