Eat This Week: Italian Flavours at C|Prime

We’re showcasing Vancouver’s best restaurants and special menu items—and why they should be your next meal

Restaurant: C|Prime

Location: 1015 Burrard Street, Vancouver

The Dish: The new dinner and breakfast menus

The Details: If you’re searching for an elegant yet relaxed dining experience in downtown Vancouver, book a reservation at C|Prime in the Century Plaza Hotel.

New executive chef Behshad Zolnasr is the creative force behind the food, serving up his vast experience and world-class culinary skills. Zolnasr graduated from the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts in Vancouver, then earned his chops working under renowned chefs at a number of Michelin-starred restaurants around the globe, including Ristorante Mamma Angelina in Rome, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in London and Jean-Georges in New York City, before returning to Vancouver.

“At C|Prime, I’m able to fully explore and express my love of Italian cuisine and pay homage to the dining experiences I’ve enjoyed while working in kitchens in New York,” says Zolnasr. “I look forward to bringing some of that same Big-Apple steakhouse atmosphere to Vancouver while showcasing the time-honoured, old-world Italian recipes I’ve been fortunate enough to learn in my travels.”

The bottom line: the food is delicious.

Appetizer highlights include the flavourful Ahi Tuna Tartare with sesame, soy, avocado and house-made potato crisps for $22 (pictured above); as well as the decadent Bone Marrow served with charred sourdough, herb salad, Maldon salt and tomato jam for $18 (pictured below).Must-order mains include the Dungeness Crab Tortellini, a house-made pasta absolutely stuffed with crabmeat, resting in a bath of crab-infused cream sauce for $32 (pictured below); and the mouth-watering 14-oz Benchmark Angus Ribeye for $55, which is perfectly cooked (although, you can’t go wrong with any of the steaks on the menu).C|Prime will also be launching chef Zolnasr’s new breakfast menu, featuring “a wide array of selections ranging from sweet to savoury as well as signature creations and traditional favourites and a variety of sides, fresh-baked breads and pastries and espresso-based beverages and teas.”And this is fun! There will be a ‘Benny Bar’ on offer, which features five elevated takes on the classic eggs Benedict: Traditional with sliced country ham for $18; Smoked Salmon with dill cream cheese for $19; Peppercorn Short Rib for $22; Wild Mushroom with goat cheese for $17; and Pork Belly with crispy confit pork belly for $18. All Benny Bar dishes include poached eggs and Hollandaise sauce atop a freshly toasted English muffin, with hash browns on the side.

C|Prime is open seven days a week from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. for dinner; and breakfast is available on weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to noon, and on weekends from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., starting March 12th, 2022.