Reflect Social Dining + Lounge

Reflect Social Dining + Lounge was the first dine out I went to this year. I looked into it pretty late and most restaurants were already booked solid, especially since Penguin and I wanted to go during the weekend. I browsed through the endless listings of restaurants and was able to get a reservation at Reflect. Their Dine out menu was offered at $40.

Penguin was over at my house showing me the joys of Game of Thrones earlier that day, as the time of our reservation approached, we got ready and made our way down to the restaurant. Reflect Social Dining + Lounge is located inside Hilton Metrotown.

The lounge was pretty peaceful and quiet. The black granite tables were accented with red candle light. However, I found the the lighting inside the restaurant a little too harsh, I would’ve preferred if the light was a little dimmer and warmer in colour. Service was friendly and attentive.

For starters, I ordered the sake Infused Octopus Carpaccio Salad. The thin slices of octopus were tender, but my favourite component of this dish was the octopus bits that were marinated in a wasabi sauce. There’s also kelp, tobiko and radish on the plate. Everything tasted fresh. I couldn’t find the sake anywhere, but the zing from the wasabi and the citrus notes from the ponzu vinaigrette made this a very appetizing starter.

I got the duo of ½ atlantic lobster thermidor and sesame ahi tuna loin for my entree. The portions were on the smaller side and the flavours were underwhelming. The ahi tuna tasted like roasted sesame and tuna and the lobster thermidor tasted like cooked lobster meat mixed in a cream sauce that’s been placed back in its shell. Everything on this dish lacked sodium and seasoning. The red kuri squash puree did not go well with the rest of this dish and the greens under the lobster were in dire need of some sort of vinaigrette.

Penguin has never been to dine out before, ironically, he decided to order off of the regular menu. He got the 10oz. AAA ribeye steak ($30), which was a very good call because it was delicious. The steak was nicely charred on the surface and remained juicy and tender on the inside. There were also a medley of veggies under the steak, the only thing he didn’t like was the artichokes which had a strange sourness. Unlike my entree, Penguin’s steak was very flavourful and filling and he was quite satisfied with it.

For dessert, I opted for the salted caramel cheesecake. The cheesecake was like a new york style cheesecake with a layer of what tasted like melted Werther’s original candies on top. very rich, smooth and decadent, a tad too sweet for me though. The macaron on the side was also too sweet. I thought it’d be a strawberry flavoured macaron but it was just a plain almond one.

Penguin got the dulce de leche cheesecake ($8.50), which was essentially the same cheesecake as mine but in a different cut with slightly different garnishes. His cheesecake came with a chocolate ganache and mango puree while mine came with strawberry syrup. It was a little too sweet for me, but not for Penguin, who thoroughly enjoyed it.

 

REFLECT SOCIAL DINING + LOUNGE
+1 604 438 1200
Central Burnaby
Hilton Vancouver Metrotown, 6083 Mckay Avenue, Burnaby