Signature Dishes
Signature Dishes
A closer look at the dishes and drinks that define the Cactus Club Cafe experience — how they’re made, where the inspiration comes from and what to pair them with.
Shareables
Bold, bite-sized dishes built for the table, designed to be passed around, fought over and ordered again.
Salmon Aburi
Aburi is a traditional Japanese technique that involves gently searing fish with a torch, adding caramelization and a smoky contrast. Our Salmon Aburi is served oshi style, in bite-sized blocks rather than rolls, using Ocean Wise™ steelhead. Each piece is flame-torched, topped with a rich umami aburi sauce with a wasabi kick, then finished with crispy tempura crumb and serrano chili for heat. Pair it with a Hugo Spritz for a light, floral contrast, or an Amour de Tropez rosé for fresh strawberry and peach notes with a crisp finish.
Sticky Garlic Ribs
Inspired by Southeast Asian cuisine, we created a fall-off-the-bone pork rib with a satisfying bite, tender enough to rival American barbecue. We use St. Louis cut ribs, trimmed from the spare rib’s belly side and prized for being meaty and uniform, with plenty of collagen and fat for long, slow cooking. The ribs are slow braised, then fried crisp and glazed with our fish sauce caramel for a salty, sweet, umami kick, finished with crispy garlic, cilantro, fresno chilis and a lime cheek for acidity. Pair it with an Old Fashioned to echo the glaze’s maple and bitters.
Creole Crab and Spinach Dip
Warm, cheesy comfort food built for sharing, our Creole Crab and Spinach Dip is baked and served hot with crispy tortilla chips and a fennel chili crumb for crunch. We use red crab, sourced from the Atlantic and prized for its sweet, delicate meat. Creole cuisine originated in Louisiana, blending African, European and South American traditions into seafood-heavy dishes with bold seasoning. Conventional wisdom says cheese and seafood don’t mix, but this rich, creamy dip makes a strong case for breaking that rule. Pair it with a crisp Cava or Pinot Noir, light enough to cut through the richness.
Tuna Temaki
A simple, hand-rolled classic built on just a few ingredients. At Cactus, we use yellowfin tuna, often marketed as ahi, the Hawaiian word for tuna. We were drawn to the classic combination of minced ahi, crisp scallion and toasted sesame dressing for a familiar, comforting bite. Each temaki holds expertly seasoned sushi rice and delicate ahi in a sweet and spicy sesame dressing, wrapped in nori. Pair it with a Hugo Spritz for its floral effervescence, or a Kōparepare Sauvignon Blanc for crisp, herbaceous notes that go naturally with anything from the sea.
Lunch
Fresh, satisfying plates built for the midday table, whether you’re keeping it light or settling in.
Green Goddess Salad
A modern, fresh take on the classic green salad and a menu staple guests come back for again and again. It layers urban blend lettuce and frisée with avocado, tomato, Macedonian feta, spicy pecans and a free-run egg from hens allowed to roam, giving the yolks their rich golden colour. It’s finished with a creamy, herbaceous green goddess dressing, drizzled on top rather than tossed through so it’s easy to adjust for dietary needs. Offered with lemon thyme chicken, baked steelhead or without protein, it works as a light lunch or a shared side with a bigger meal.
Tuna Poke Bowl
Inspired by Hawaii’s iconic poke, our Tuna Poke Bowl has become a classic favourite at Cactus. It’s built on sesame ginger Ocean Wise™ ahi tuna over jasmine rice, layered with mango, cucumber, avocado, edamame, ginger, radish, napa cabbage and crispy tempura for crunch.
Mains
Hearty, satisfying dishes built for the center of the table.
Steak
Our steaks deliver superior quality, flavour and tenderness, served with buttered mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables. In the US, we serve USDA Prime steaks; in Canada, Certified Angus Beef®. Every steak is hand-selected and wet aged, sealed in vacuum bags to tenderize without drying out, deepening flavour over time. Sirloin, a lean cut from the rump, appears in our Steak Frites and Creole Steak & Prawns. New York Striploin, cut from the short loin, stars in our Mushroom Striploin. Filet, or tenderloin, is our most tender cut, found in Filet & Lobster. All cuts are also available à la carte.
Peppercorn Ribeye
Cut from the rib section, the ribeye combines three muscles, including the longissimus dorsi, or eye, making it our largest and most marbled steak. The Peppercorn Ribeye, part of our Signature Steaks lineup, is a 45-day aged, 14-ounce ribeye topped with a rich brandy peppercorn sauce, buttered mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables. The sauce is inspired by Chef Michel Jacob of Le Crocodile, where our Executive Chef trained as a young cook, and uses three peppercorns: hot, sweet and briny. Fun fact: pink peppercorns aren’t peppercorns at all, they’re a berry. Best served medium, the dish is also gluten-smart.
Rigatoni Bolognese
Born from tradition and reimagined with care, our Rigatoni Bolognese elevates a comfort classic. We use Rusticella D’Abruzzo rigatoni, an imported Italian pasta artisanally made in small batches and air-dried over five days for a rich texture that clings to the sauce. The bolognese starts with a vegetable-based soffritto, oven-broiled into a glaze used to brown a combination of beef and pork, then slow-roasted for three hours for a tender, traditional ragù. It’s finished with an in-house fennel chili crumb, crispy rosemary and truffled pecorino, served with garlic Pane Romano toast. Pair it with a bold William Hill Cabernet Sauvignon.
Desserts
Whether you’re marking a celebration, planning a date night or simply treating yourself, our desserts are the finishing touch worth saving room for.
London Fog Crème Brûlée
Crème brûlée is a rich baked custard, served cold and topped with brittle caramelized sugar that cracks when tapped, contrasting the crisp top with the smooth custard beneath. For our take, we drew inspiration from the London Fog, a tea beverage invented in Vancouver made with steeped earl grey tea, vanilla and steamed milk, for a flavour that’s familiar yet uniquely ours. It’s finished simply, garnished with blueberries and mint, in a perfect portion to share. Pair it with our Midnight Hour, a coffee-forward after-dinner cocktail, or an Old Fashioned, with orange and oak spice to complement the brûlée.
Key Lime Pie
We were inspired by the traditional Floridian style, featuring a dense, citrusy custard in a handmade graham cracker crust and finished with a light dusting of icing sugar. It’s an exercise in balancing extremes, with the intense pucker of freshly squeezed key limes set against the airy sweetness of hand-whipped cream. Key limes are smaller and seedier than the common Persian lime, with a much higher acidity and a stronger floral aroma. That extra intensity is what gives our pie its signature zing and authentic flavour.
New York Cheesecake
We drew inspiration from the legendary delis and steakhouses of New York, where cheesecake isn’t just a dessert but an institution. By pairing it with bright, acidic raspberry, we’ve elevated the classic flavour profile to keep it fresh and exciting for our guests. It’s accompanied by a beautiful rocher of raspberry cream and garnished with crushed raspberries, a stunning dessert that balances richness with a sharp, floral citrus finish.
Cocktails
Our bar program is built around bright, well-balanced drinks that pair quality spirits with fresh, thoughtful ingredients.
Paloma Rosa
An elevated take on the Mexican classic, combining sweet reposado tequila and Aperol with two types of grapefruit juice, fresh and ruby red, for a balanced, sessionable flavour. Fresh lime brightens the profile and a Tajin rim delivers a chili kick, finished with a dehydrated lime wheel.
Blood ‘n Blanco
A fun, fruity riff on a margarita that drinks like an agave fruit punch. It layers tropical notes from mango soju with bright, tart citrus from lime, blood orange and orange juice, rounded out by the natural vanilla sweetness of Casamigos Blanco tequila. Garnished with a dehydrated lime wheel.
Cadillac Margarita
A premium, full-bodied margarita showcasing reposado tequila with notes of vanilla and cooked agave. Grand Marnier lends rich orange notes with a backbone of vanilla and oak to support the aged tequila, while fresh lime juice brightens the flavours and balances the sweetness of the Grand Marnier and simple syrup. Served with a fresh lime wheel and a fine sea salt half-rim.
Hugo Spritz
A spritz-style cocktail built on the fresh flavours of spring: cucumber and elderflower. The recipe dates back to the early 2000s in Northern Italy, created as a lighter alternative to the widely popular Aperol Spritz. We use St. Germain elderflower liqueur, made from fresh elderflower petals harvested over a 3-4 week period each spring in France’s Savoie region, alongside Beefeater gin, a London Dry style gin with bold notes of juniper and citrus. Fresh lime juice brightens the flavours and cuts into the sweetness of the St. Germain. Garnished with cucumber slices and a fresh mint crown.
The Bellini
An iconic, frozen slush cocktail made with white rum, peach schnapps, sparkling wine and peach purée, finished with a signature floater of red sangria on top. It’s become one of the most recognizable and beloved drinks in the Cactus bar program.