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Restaurant House Piccolo * * * *

BEST PLACES NORTHWEST

Chef Piccolo Lyytikainen, a member of the prestigious Chaine des Rôtisseurs, brings upscale European cuisine to this intimate Ganges restaurant, widely regarded as among the finest in the region. Set in a tiny heritage house, Piccolo’s candlelit ambience is island-style informal. Main dishes range from charbroiled filet of beef with Gorgonzola sauce to roasted Muscovy duck breast and local lamb. Enjoy the baked-to-order warm chocolate cake.

Restaurant House Piccolo * * * * BEST PLACES NORTHWEST Chef Piccolo Lyytikainen, a member of the prestigious Chaine des Rôtisseurs, brings upscale European cuisine to this intimate Ganges restaurant, widely regarded as among the finest in the region. Set in a tiny heritage house, Piccolo’s candlelit ambience is island-style informal. Main dishes range from charbroiled filet of beef with Gorgonzola sauce to roasted Muscovy duck breast and local lamb. Enjoy the baked-to-order warm chocolate cake.

				Fodor's Review: Piccolo Lyytikainen, the Finnish-born chef-owner of this tiny restaurant, serves beautifully prepared and presented European cuisine. Creations include Scandinavian-influenced dishes such as B.C. venison with a rowan- and juniper-berry demi-glace and charbroiled fillet of beef with Gorgonzola sauce. For dessert the vodka-moistened lingonberry crepes are hard to resist. The 250-item wine list includes many hard-to-find vintages. The indoor tables are cozy and candlelighted; the outdoor patio is a pleasant summer dining spot. DINING OUT GRAHAM DUNCAN/ TIMES COLONIST ...This resultant addition of the formal to the militantly casual equals the happy sum that is House Piccolo. With only 36 seats, it is an airy, attractive room that indicates the meal that awaits. The gleaming glassware, the copper pots, the fresh flower arrangements; the whole scene says, “sit back, relax, you’re going to enjoy this.”
Frommer's Review Located in a heritage home in Ganges, House Piccolo offers excellent food and a good wine list in moderately formal surroundings. The Finnish origins of the chef are reflected in the northern European accents on the unusual menu, particularly the fish specials that feature the best of the local catch. You might see salmon chowder Finlandia; local black cod drizzled with red wine, honey, and balsamic vinegar reduction; or roasted venison with rowan- and juniper-berry-scented demi glace.