Breaking: Pepino’s Alum Vish Mayekar’s New Restaurant, Elem, Opens November 19

Earlier this year we broke the news about Chef Vish Mayekar’s newest endeavour, Elem. Finally the wait is over and Mayekar’s highly anticipated Mount Pleasant restaurant and cocktail lab is set to open its doors November 19.

Though Chef Mayekar’s legendary cookery (he is a Top Chef-alum after all) is one main draw to Elem, Hassib Sarwari and Winnie Sun of beloved Afghan restaurant Zarak (which snagged silver in our 2024 Restaurant Awards) are also partners in the restaurant. “The team has been working incredibly hard in the past few months to make Elem come alive, and we are excited to finally welcome guests to experience incredible cuisine by Vish and creative cocktails by Winnie,” says owner-operater Sarwari.

Behind the scenes the team at Vancouver-based Simicic and Uhrich Architect has been at work designing and building the room, which is inspired by the four elements: earth, air, fire and water. At 2,946 square-foot, the 76-seat space features three separate dining spaces and an open window to the kitchen so that while dining you have the opportunity to watch Mayekar in action as he whips up dishes inspired by his travels and South Asian heritage.

While the menu highlights BC-grown ingredients, the food is meant to be an exploration in flavours and spices from all over the world (think Mumbai, Mexico, Italy, California, Spain and Bangkok). Highlights from the menu that will be available upon opening include small plates like cone cabbage with taleggio fondue, beef nduja and meyer lemon crumb, barbecued carrots with mandarin kosho, smoked yogurt and bubu arare (small, crunchy rice crackers) and beets and chicory with squash chips, quinoa and sungold tomato vinaigrette.

Larger shared plates will also be available: like honey mussels with tamarind rassam, sushi rice balls and curry leaf oil, squash caramelle (a delicate pasta shape) with chaterelles, miso beurre blanc and pumpkin seeds, whole red sea bream with green coconut chutney, red adobo and herb salad, and Fraser Valley Loong Kong Chicken (a special Taiwanese breed) with maple-espresso glaze and season veg.

“At launch, we will have 16 thoughtfully crafted dishes, each one harmonizes with the next. Guests can pick and choose to create their own dining journey, depending on what they are craving,” says Chef Mayekar.

The cocktail lab is equally ambitious. Sun has created some standout signature cocktails that, like the restaurant itself are meant to evoke the elements. Take the Chef’s Negroni (with dark chocolate gin, spent mulberry Campari, Stoney Paradise tomato vine vermouth and applewood and cedar smoke), which represents Earth, the Fried Rice (with duck fat washed gin, kimchi maraschino, rice milk, sweet potato and thyme), that represents fire, the Tokyo (matcha vodka, banana, shiro shoyu and yuzu mochi) representing air and the Mango Rasmalai (named after the popular East Indian dessert and made with gin, mango, cardamom, Vancouver Island sea salt, saffron white chocolate paint and saffron milk clarification) which represents water.

“It’s very ingredient, sustainability-driven, and adaptable,” says Sun. “An example of this thought process is utilizing duck fat from kitchen waste to create a cocktail that resembles Vish’s duck dish. When creating this menu and future ones, we are focused on creatively doing the best we can for the environment from the inception of Elem through upcycling leftover fruits, spent spices, kitchen waste in our house liqueurs, fermentations, infusions, and carbonated sodas.”

While Elem officially opens November 19, there will be a soft opening the week prior—and reservations are now open via the restaurant’s website. Once launched, the Elem will operate Tuesday to Saturday, 5PM to 11PM.

Elem

2110 Main Street.