Erica Jane
Restaurant Review
This brand-spanking-new fine dining restaurant opened its doors in March of 2023. It is located at One Water St., right downtown, across from Prospera Place. Right now, there is a general question on the life of fine dining. With some notable and globally recognized fine dining restaurants closing, the question is coming back up if this restaurant style is worth the effort. The idea at Erica Jane is to provide elevated Okanagan dining and to show this restaurant style still has a proper place on the dining landscape. I had the opportunity to work in a 4.5-diamond restaurant in my younger days. The minute details in a fine dining establishment are an Olympian feat to master and manage. Yet, it is possible to be done and done well with such seamless ease to look effortless. This classic dining style isn't getting as appreciated as it should be.
Yes, I'll admit the price tag can be intimidating, but attention to detail is the essence of fine dining. They always aim to provide a dining experience, not just a dinner experience.
Some of the performance targets I remember having to work with when I was working in a fine dining establishment;
*A set time to wait for appetizers and for the main course to arrive
*Napkins folded onto table whenever guest stepped away to the washroom
*Cloth napkins are a typical offering. However, the operation will have the opposite color available. If the standard color is navy blue, they will have white. So that any lint remains hidden - dark lint on dark clothing and light-colored lint on light-colored clothing.
*Women always served first
*Allergies are always confirmed when plates presented
*Chef curated amuse bouche. (Think of this as a little snack "gift" from the chef to start your culinary journey for the evening.)
I observed many of these standards in operation within Erica Jane.
The decor within their bar and lounge area evoked impressions of old-school 20s and 30s Chicago gangster style but in a modern presentation. The dining room looked artistically crafted. Seeing the construction pics on their Instagram, you'd know the concrete and steel base materials as the ingredients of a very modern building. This dining room takes an open concept to a beautiful new plateau. Designed with a plethora of glass windows, they are thoughtfully designed to be moveable, turning the enclosed dining room into a patio that perfectly capitalizes on the breeze the lake encourages. The incredible sunlight gets tempered by the condos/townhouses across the way by the shadows they create.
Another aspect of the fine dining style of the restaurant operation is that every department has a perfected purpose adding to your dining experience.
The Host/Greeter. Warm welcome. Knowing the reservations that are coming in, they train to try and use reservation names as much as possible to add to the impression of you being their special VIP guest. We all love being recognized and called by name. They then take you to your table and seat you while introducing you to the next person you will interact with. Before they leave, will be your first choice/decision for your evening - sparkling or still water? (Bubbly or tap)
The Server, mine named Alex, will arrive with your water selection (In other fine dining operations, the host could still do this, and then the server comes to speak to wine/cocktails/daily specials.) I view the server in fine dining as your dining concierge. Recognizing allergies noted in the reservation and being proactive instead of reactive show an extra level of care and attention that are impossible to measure but add to the word-of-mouth value. Our server, Alex, a young male with a nicely trimmed and manicured beard, is my concierge on this journey. This will be easy as what sold me for my first dining experience is that they have a seafood tower on the menu! For those who haven't tried it, a seafood tower is at least three tiers of iced seafood delicacies. Usually, in the 6-12 offerings, hit on any the big swingers - crab, shrimp, scallops, oysters (6 or 12), salmon, and tuna. This one is a three-tier with six offerings. However, a bottle of wine is needed since our dinner selection is known. The server takes our request for a Riesling. I chose one from a micro-winery created by one of the big dogs in the Canadian wine industry, Mission Hill - Martins Lane Winery (Named after a little path the owner's father used to walk regularly). The Martins Lane Riesling is an easy choice - I remember tasting the first bottled Rieslings under this label when it was imagined. I, unfortunately, didn't get the vintage. But knowing the history and inspiration for this winery made it a simple no-brainer, and O M G, was this an incredible wine.
The Sommelier. The server sent in the wine host to elevate the wine experience by adhering to classic presentation of the wine and bottle. The placement of the removed cork - serves no purpose but to show that it is still wet, indicating "continuously" in contact with the wine when stored. This sommelier showed his knowledge of the selected meal and provided his impressions of the flavor journey we are embarking on. Something that has saddened me is seeing the art of opening a bottle of wine table side decline. With smooth movements that all serve a purpose and maximization of time spent, this choreographed sequence of actions turns opening a bottle of wine into performance art. Cutting the foil wrapper. Piercing the cork. Effortlessly removing the cork. Placement and presentation of the cork that is always in the same spot. Pouring a small sample to the host ordering the wine. Continuous display of the wine label to the guest the ENTIRE time, even when pouring-holding-presenting the wine bottle. Effortlessly capture the last drop into the glass following the pour. This is such a beautiful dance that, when done well and with ease, comes across as graceful as ballet and creates a magical air. Such a simple sequence of moves can elevate the dining experience. With wine service in a fine dining restaurant, it will also come with the constant watch by the Vino Dark Knight - the sommelier; they will watch over your glass and mysteriously appear with the bottle to top it up when you are low. Nothing needs to be done on your part for this action to occur other than drink your wine. This. Is. Service!
Now before I continue, I have to pause and highlight this wine. I regret not getting the vintage because this Riesling is incredibly divine, ethereal, and transcendent. The balance of acidity, residual sugar, and fruit flavors was on point. The glass has an inviting aroma of ripe stone fruit with citrus peel essence in the background. Wow, on the palate, the acidity gave it a beautiful, mouthwateringly refreshing quality, surrounded by flavors of citrus fruits like pomelo and tangerine with crisp fresh juicy apples, all around impeccable wine. I have to visit this winery and experience a tasting there.
Alex has returned with two little-tiny teacups filled with what looks like a mini cappuccino. Surprise! Alex introduces a seafood bisque, amuse bouche. An Amuse Bouche is a tiny little taster crafted by the chef and is complimentary to all at the table. It's to engage your palate and tastebuds, readying them for an adventure. This bisque was decadent and remarkably rich with very pronounced shellfish flavors. The foam provided a light flavor and texture compliment to this elegantly rich bisque. This bisque was so incredible that I wanted to bathe in it. With the wine, this amuse bouche is a perfect, complimentary match.
Then, the server clears the tiny teacups once everyone at the table is finished. Alex then inconspicuously places some cutlery for your meal. As our tower includes oysters, some little oyster forks needed to be placed.
A new figure appears at my table side. This is a support staff of the dining room floor running plates of food from the kitchen. When this main course was ready, there were a few more tables for my server Alex to attend. I didn't catch this person's name as my wife asked them a question, and he wasn't prepared with an answer. He had to go back and check that the dietary was adhered to or what was modified to accommodate. This little hiccup cracks the flow of the evening's enjoyment as we pause and await their
return with an answer.
Once he returns, he confirms that nothing requires altering and the entire meal is already gluten-free. Consisting of (top tier) half dozen fresh oysters, (middle tier) black tea smoked scallop, chilled leek crusted albacore tuna, yuzu braised octopus salad, (bottom tier) chilled West Coast crab, poached prawns. The seafood presentation celebrates the natural flavors of each piece of meat. It was effortless to get lost in the variety of
textures as well. The soft and delicate tuna, the soft and chewy octopus, the soft firmness of the scallop….all around it was a kaleidoscope of textures.
As you look at the pictures, you may think there is still more space on the trays for more food. Fine dining isn't about overfilling plates. The quantity was perfect for two persons to enjoy, AND it still left room for dessert, which is sometimes a challenge at other restaurants. And I will point out something to note - a restaurant with a pastry chef is the jackpot. When you have this combination, the dessert menu is just as creative and engaging as the regular menu. And then when your desert comes out to you is when you understand why.
Alex returns after clearing the annihilated seafood tower to present the dessert menu. I was curious what the sommelier would recommend for pairing with our dessert choices. And the recommendations didn't disappoint.
Our selection for dessert is the Coconut Semifreddo (Gluten Free) and the London Fog. The plating of the semifreddo was modern art as a dessert in a bowl. The dessert wine paired with this is a Botrytis Semillon from the Australian winery Debertoli. Flavors of apricots and peaches drenched in honey with a strong backbone of acidity that tempers the sweetness and balance everything out. The London Fog is a decadent dessert with lovely artistic plating. The pairing
with this is Graham's 10-year Tawny port. A good pairing, but I must admit that I'm not a massive fan of a 10-year Tawny port as I find
them to be less balanced when I compare it to a 30 or 40-year Tawny port. But my personal preference aside, I can admit that this pairing also worked. The alcohol of the port was perfect for cutting through the richness of the desert and complimented the desert's flavors beautifully. Looking at the presentations of these deserts is why I love when a restaurant has a pastry chef.
This may sound funny, but I enjoy checking out the washrooms of high-end restaurants. Here is where you can feel like royalty depending on the decor. This one didn't disappoint. Like a child with a new toy on Christmas, I had to play with and push every button on the bidet control panel. The vibrating, heated seat is an exceptionally impressive touch.
Overall I immensely enjoyed the dining experience at Erica Jane, and I will return to try other items off the menu. A perfect place for date night with your special someone, celebrating a special occasion, or a place to bring friends visiting Kelowna. They also have a lunch and a happy hour menu (2 pm-5 pm, 9 pm-11 pm). As for the future of fine dining, I remind myself how well the Terrace Restaurant at Mission Hill Winery is doing, and I have great hope for the success of Erica Jane.
Cheers🥂
-BC Wine Nerd
Website: Erica Jane
Instagram: @ericajanerestaurant
Address: #2 - 1187 Sunset Dr
Phone #: 778-214-9336
Dietaries: Can easily handle most special dietary restrictions.
Menu $: 💵💵💵💵
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