I was invited to the media event to celebrate the launch of Dine Out Vancouver 2025 and with that, I had the opportunity to preview two restaurant menus. The first one was Cardero’s Restaurant in Coal Harbour. I must confess, it’s been FOREVER since I last went to Cardero’s and I forgot how pretty its location is, right by the marina and water.
Food
Cardero’s Dine Out menu is $55 per person, and I couldn’t believe what we got at the tasting was the actual Dine Out portion because they were HUGE! The skeptic in me asked two different staff members and they both confirmed it. Look at the size of these appetizers—they all felt like a sharing plate, but I was told repeatedly that it’s the Dine Out portion.
The Prawn Sizzle was tasty, and it’s so satisfying to dip the focaccia into the garlic butter.
It’s crazy to think this is a single portion of Hummus on the plate. And I don’t think they give you enough pita bread to finish it all.
The decision to offer an Asian influenced Vietnamese Chicken Wings was interesting, but I’ve always liked their Wok Squid (and recommend it!). It’s not my favourite among the three appetizer option, but it’s quite good.
As for entrees, all options were solid and of great portion size, and I was surprised by how much I liked the pasta dish. You can also choose to add $10 to upgrade to their sablefish or lamb shank.
Out of the three regular entrees, the Mushroom Tagliatelle was probably my favourite. It’s rich and creamy, and so many mushrooms!
Chicken is never my go-to protein when I eat out, but this Chicken Supreme was nicely done. The skin was crispy, and the meat was juicy. Each plate includes a breast and wing and that’s a good portion size.
The Signature Cedar Plank Salmon was moist and flavourful, but the surprise was in the wok fried rice—it’s really good!
This Miso-Sake Sablefish is available on their regular a la carte menu (listed as Roasted Sablefish); coincidentally Mr. recently went to Cardero’s for a work dinner and that’s what he ordered. Similar to the salmon dish, it also comes with the tasty wok fried rice. I appreciate that the miso-sake marinade wasn’t overly salty, which sometimes happen.
The Slow Braised Lamb Shank was tender and fell right off the bone. I personally would choose the sablefish over this, but this was a good dish too.
For your sweet finish, it all depends if you prefer a refreshing, fruity tart, or a piece of decadent cake. You can’t really go wrong with either.
I quite liked the torched lemon curd in the Sunburnt Lemon Tart. I’m sucker for anything lemon, and this was just the right amount of tartness.
The Chocolate, Coffee & Caramel Cake was rich, but this mousse cake was also airy. I appreciated the different layers in the cake and the flavours worked well together.
On the Dine Out menu, they also feature a few wine pairing options. I got to sample all four wines, and I personally enjoyed the Burrowing Owl Pinot Gris and Cabernet Franc with this meal.
Final Thoughts
These days, we often chase after the new restaurants in town, and forget the OGs like Cardero’s, so I’m glad that their Dine Out menu is something I can stand behind. I liked the fact that a lot of these items are available in their a la carte menu, so you are really sampling their food at a discounted price, which I believe it’s one of the intentions of Dine Out Vancouver. My recommended selections are Prawn Sizzle/Vietnamese Chicken Wings, plus Mushroom Tagliatelle/Signature Cedar Plank Salmon, or Miso-Sake Sablefish for an extra $10, finishing with Sunburnt Lemon Tart. Overall, I enjoyed my Dine Out tasting at Cardero’s and I think you’ll like it too.
Cardero’s Restaurant
1583 Coal Harbour Quay, Vancouver
604.669.7666
www.vancouverdine.com/carderos
VanFoodies.com 