The Vancouver Sweet Nothing from sweetspot has a review on the new Vancouver Restaurant known as FigMint:

FigMint of Your Belly 08/25/2006

We covet New York’s restaurant/lounge scene. The ambiguity of dining and drinking amidst suave dudes and sleek gals in dimly lit enclaves has us near screaming “The Mercer” and “SoHo Grand” in our sleep.

Wide awake and home-based we’re thrilled to say (in a loud or quiet voice) that the Plaza 500 Hotel has made our socializing fantasies of late come true with the new FigMint Restaurant & Lounge.

A palette of charcoal grey and Paul Smith fabric-covered banquettes, club chairs, and ottoman-cubes appeals to our urban senses. Tiffany’s Frank Gehry paper lamp shades hanging from the ceiling like crumpled puffs of clouds have us swooning in delight. (Multiple sips of fig martinis kept us steady.)

Our palette was teased and pleased with executive chef Lee Humphries‘ (formerly Chef de Cuisine at Elixir at the Opus Hotel) dinner menu. We loved the wickedly creamy white onion and Riesling soup with truffle oil ($8); fell for the grilled, wild sockeye salmon with pea shoots ($28); and begged for seconds of the lobster-based gnocchi.

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served, as well as brunch on weekends. Valet parking available. Open to the public next week.

Our West Coast persona is now sullied with NYC influence – we love it.

FigMint Restaurant & Lounge
www.figmintrestaurant.com
500 West 12th Ave.
(at Cambie St.)
604-873-1811