The Home Block Restaurant at CedarCreek Winery opened in June 2019 and we were fortunate to dine there before the summer crowds arrived in Kelowna.
Considering it was only the second week after the restaurant opened, the service and food were exceptional.
We found a place to park and trek back to Home Block, after running the gauntlet of construction equipment that was finishing the new Cedar Creek Estate tasting room.
Parking was not a problem once the construction for the new wine tasting room was completed.
We passed an interesting Martin Lane Winery statue of Vincent van Gogh on the way!
The Vision
What is the Restaurant’s Menu Theme?
The Ambience
A scenic view of Lake Okanagan greets you entering the restaurant. We were met by the Assistant Manager, Kamel Toor, and shown to a table with a view.
The Home Block Decor
The Home Block Restaurant setting is rustic, barn board and fieldstone. With 60 indoor seats and another 60 seats on the heated patio, this stunning, beautifully equipped restaurant features a Grillworks wood-fired grill. The restaurant has a delightful airiness to it.
Infrared heaters are ready for colder weather. Blinds have been ordered as the late afternoon sun may be a challenge without shades. There is not a bad table in the house. One of the quirks I did find interesting was the unisex restroom.
The Chef
Neil Taylor, the Executive Chef, and his team were busy in the open kitchen. Both Neil and General Manager Michael Ziff have recently relocated from the Vancouver restaurant scene.
The Food
Let me start by saying the service is first class. Our waitress attentive but not hovering. We started with sparkling water, Cedar Creek Block 1 Pinot Noir Rosé and a plate of Focaccia. The bread is home baked with olives and caramelized onions and served with garlic olive oil hummus.
For the main course, I selected Grilled Tuna and Octopus which was accompanied by new potatoes, chorizo, morels and sherry vinegar.
Judy selected Grilled Pickerel with Asparagus. Both dishes were fantastic! We finished with Rhubarb, Ginger and Almond Tart served with sour cream and red wine ice cream. Extremely decadent!
To make a Home Block Restaurant reservation please go to the following link.
The Home Block Vineyard
The Home Block vineyard deserves a mention considering the restaurant name.
CedarCreek’s Home Block Vineyard was originally planted in the 1930s. Known as CedarCreek since its purchase in 1986, it is home to the winery, tasting room, Home Block restaurant, and 50 acres of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, and Riesling.
This northerly site is ideally suited for Pinot Noir and white aromatics.
The Wines
CedarCreek Block 1 Rosé 2017
From a single block of pinot noir in the Home Block vineyard that was groomed for rose´ production. There is a brilliant glow to this pale pink rose. It has a very fine, floral nose with watermelon, red grapefruit and strawberry and some fresh citrus notes. It is very bright, nicely tart-edged and fresh on the palate with a hint of softening sweetness. But the finish is dry, and the length is excellent.
CedarCreek Estate Meritage 2015
The backbone of the Meritage is grown in our Haynes Creek Vineyard in Osoyoos. The exceptionally warm site and sun-baked, sandy soils provide a ripe richness and distinctive purity of fruit.
This elegant Meritage shows black currant, blackberry, plum, cassis, vanilla and cloves.
CedarCreek Merlot 2016
At the heart of our Merlot lies the diversity of our 25-acre Desert Ridge vineyard just north of Osoyoos. This vineyard is alive with nuance across 100 north to south running rows. Soil types vary from sandy to stony with some deep-running clay. Vine vigour varies, as do corresponding cropping levels. It’s as if it is 100 mini vineyards in one. After nearly 1 ½ years in barrels, 100 mini vineyards are integrated into one pure expression of place.
Blueberry pie, spicy black plum, blackcurrant, peppery steak seasoning and dark chocolate. The ripe firm tannins and wood are well integrated. A smooth long finish.
To find the complete portfolio of CedarCreek wines please visit the winery website.
The New CedarCreek Tasting Room
What are the Restaurant Hours?
Conclusion
I definitely recommend that you dine at the Home Block restaurant when in Kelowna. Both the food and service are first class.
The restaurant was nominated for Air Canada / enRoute Canada’s Best New Restaurants 2019.
The only area where the experience could be improved would be ordering wine by the glass. Suggest that wine sold by the glass should be a choice of 6 or 9 oz. Standard glass is 5 oz and is small for a winery.
For other Kelowna Winery restaurant reviews please see: