Well, well Nanaimo has the best kept secret ever. Mahle House is the most exceptional establishment we have been in. There was one in New Orleans for sure and a couple in France and then this one.
We had talked about trying this restaurant for a couple of years and decided this Father’s Day to take the plunge. Boy oh boy are we glad we did. They have the best trained staff ever and Marisol, our server, tops the ladder for sure. This young lady is truly exceptional in her position. When we return we will be sure to request her area.
Here is where this Restaurant becomes an exceptional dining experience.
We opted to try the “Porcupine Prawns”. OMG! It is hard to describe what it is…thread like pastry that is piled up all over the prawns and flash fried to perfection. Kelly and I literally were licking up every thread that was on the plate. I could say also the table but we stopped if any had fallen to the floor, we checked: NOPE none had.
Don ordered the Seafood Hotpot and could barely speak he was enjoying every morsel and the broth was divine. Clams, Mussels, Prawns, Rockfish and Steelhead in a Thai Green Curry Coconut Milk Broth and had a grilled baguette on the side. He said it was the best salmon he had ever had and everything in the bowl was cooked to perfection. All of it!
Kelly and I both ordered the Braised Boneless Beef Short Rib that had a red wine honey demi-glace, pickled fennel, sundried tomato pesto and barley risotto. The presentation was beautiful and the meat…it literally melted in your mouth. It was so exquisite in flavour and quality we did not leave one grain of barley on the plate.
Everyone who know us, knows our favourite dessert is Creme Brulee. The Mahle House version is deconstructed. This is what I mean. Well, they start with a thin layer of phyllo pastry, pecans, custard, topped with another layer of phyllo pastry. Marisol brought 3 spoons but said we would and could order another one. No we couldn’t. No more Room.
The staff all seem to help each other and are constantly checking to see if anything is needed at any table. We were in a lower level (smaller in size) and they could glance (not stare) through the glass doors.
I am telling everyone….Run do not walk slowly to this place. The house (1904 ish) is beautiful and the professionalism of everyone from the Chef to the rest of the staff is not anywhere else that we have seen here in BC.
It is a place for special occasions for sure but you get back in spades what you have paid for.
