If you go to Vancouver, try the Sutton Place Hotel. Their 5 star basic suite is a little cramped, and the pool may be located at the bottom of the neighboring tower, but certain niceties may flow from their excellent staff. This is a story of a nice dinner, that went better than expected…

As we passed through the lobby coming back from a walk uptown, we asked at the concierge desk to see if there was a table available at one of the many restaurants in Yaletown. On our last visit we ate at Blue Water, and had a delicious meal. We wanted to try something new but could only get reservations for 9pm, which wasn’t the best, but we just wanted a meal. Then I had second thoughts back up in our room and called down to see if anything else was available in the same area at 8pm. David answer our call and after checking around he rang our room to say he’d found us a table at Glowbal Grill, a satay restaurant and trendy lounge. We arrived early and were seated directly, at a table on an elevated section, with Euro recessed lighting and a crowd of up and coming Vancouver-ites chatting excited over various drinks and strange finger foods.

In general, we loved the decor, felt good about our menu choices, but then, right after we were done ordering, our waiter delivered us a free hors d’ erve courtesy of our concierge at Sutton Place. Woah, David is sure nice! Our waiter, Brett, told us all about the delicious snack and the lady who was locally famous as a chef and turned millionaire with her delicate salmon and cracker tidbits. We told him we were from Seattle and he recommended a wine, which was great, and some entres, one of which I chose; spaghetti and meatballs. Delicious…but I have to say that VTGirl’s Butternut squash ravioli stole the limelight. They were so very, very good in their light, creamy sauce. As the dinner progressed, so did the attentions of our waiter - who had a variety of other establishments to recommend. Then the manager showed up and gave us his card. He had several restaurants for us to visit, especially a brand new one just across town. He’d be happy to call ahead and get us a table for a nightcap if we wanted it. When he left our table, I followed him as he looked around the room - he gave his card to no one else in our section, which I was fully expecting him to do. Who were we? Why was the manager showing up?

Before we left, Brett had a brochure of Glowbal’s sister locations and a coupon for a free satay on our next visit to Glowbal. The manager also returned to see how our meal went and say goodbye. We said goodbye to our waiter and laughed as we went out the door. What a strange and amazing dinner! VTGirl even kissed Brett’s cheek as we left…

How could it be, after torturing the hotel staff to find us a dinner table at the last minute, that we’d end up being mini-celebrities (perhaps we were undercover food critiques? Or well known bloggers)? Why would the manager visit us, offer his card and be so gracious when it seemed to us that we didn’t really deserve such attentions?

Five Star, baby. Go five star and become one of the elite…