This week L’Abattoir opened up a new private dining room in its Gastown restaurant. Tucked away just behind the main dining room area, you can access the private room at 1 Gaolers Mews (L’Abattoir is on Carrall Street). You’ll first see the kitchen – but if you head straight up the stairwell from the kitchen entrance, you will welcomed into a spacious chic private dining room. Upstairs, this new room seats up to 50 and can host up to 80 for a stand-up cocktail reception.

I was invited to attend their media night introducing the new space. Upon arrival, I was greeted with a glass of bubbly. The room was full of people – half the room was setup reception style, the other half a 16 seat dining table on showcase. Servers passed around freshly baked cheese biscuits that were bite-size, soft on the inside, and crunchy on the outside. There was also freshly shucked oysters paired with a light vinaigrette and lemon, bite-sized crab cakes, and beef tartare.

The new private room is much needed in the densely populated Vancouver restaurant scene, where large parties can finally find some privacy for a nice sit down meal. The room also has some television screens installed in the back walls, perfect for the corporate function requiring broadcasting of a logo, sponsors’ message, or even a slideshow. As a local corporate meeting planner, I look forward to hosting an event here one day.

For more information on L’Abattoir’s new dining room, visit: www.labattoir.ca and follow them on Twitter: @LABATTOIR_VAN