Vancouver Appetites

With a green heart and waterfront views, it’s not surprising that Vancouver is at the centre of a culinary revolution.

Driving through Vancouver at dusk, its Manhattan-esque skyscrapers emanating a homely glow, you can’t help but notice the mountains. A few shades darker than the evening sky, they tower over the city, reminding you that in this marvellous metropolis nature is never far away.

Given its proximity to the natural world (and the subsequent allure of foraging and regional fare), it’s little wonder that Vancouver’s foodie scene is rather revolutionary. With daring chefs and a bumper larder, menus inspire and flavours are anything but expected. But before delving into this realm of restaurants and food trucks we must first meet the city that makes it all possible.

Cityscape

As an introduction to Vancouver I spent a morning with Alfred Esmeijer from Vancouver Private Tours and Charters, a man able to recall the story behind almost every building we visited. Together we admired the Law Courts, designed by architect Arthur Erickson to look like a 55 storey building placed on its side and covered in greenery, and the Marine Building, an Art Deco dream adorned in gold and creatures from the deep. Nearby the Rosewood Hotel Georgia, frequented by everyone from Edith Piaf to Nina Simone, reminds you of the 1920s when art and music flourished, despite prohibition’s best efforts. The Burrard Bridge is another Deco delight best admired from Granville Island. Once a hub of industry, Granville Island is now home to a vibrant food market and a collection of artist galleries and studios, performance art venues, ever-smiling buskers and cement silos painted like people.

Across the city public art and green spaces abound, the most iconic of which is Stanley Park. Larger than New York’s Central Park, this 1,000 acre oasis is hugged by Vancouver Harbour and English Bay, brims with fir and cedar forests and is best explored by bike which hotels, like the boutique Loden, will gladly lend to guests. Luxurious and pet-friendly, the Loden flaunts elegant earth-hued interiors and soft furnishings that invoke the colours of the natural world. Floor to ceiling windows and an abundance of mirrors invite the city’s natural light into the opulent rooms, while from cloud-like beds – there is a selection of pillows so slumber is guaranteed – you can look out over the Downtown rooftops. For a comfortable and decadent experience I’d recommend ordering room service from the hotel’s French bistro and making a night of it.

To explore Chinatown, I joined Judy Lam Maxwell from Historical Chinatown Tours. Meeting in Sai Woo, a restaurant that has existed, in various forms, for over 100 years, we wandered into aromatic pharmacies selling everything from ginseng to dried gecko and learnt about the world that exists behind Pender Street’s history-rich facades. There are 12 recognised association buildings in Chinatown, each linked to various societies, be they clan, county or political organisation, and initially established to fight discrimination and help new arrivals, drawn to Canada by the Gold Rush and the promise of work with the Canadian Pacific Railroad. Today, they function almost like retirement communities, yet it’s not difficult to imagine how vital they once were, promoting the idea that you’re stronger as an extended family and that if it’s possible to help others, then that is exactly what one should do.

Word on the Street

To understand Vancouver’s pioneering culinary world you must take to the streets – with a guide from Vancouver Foodie Tours – and encounter the city’s food trucks. Vancouver is home to the largest food truck scene in Canada and for this we thank Councillor Heather Deal. Inspired by New York’s food truck craze, Deal couldn’t understand why a similar trend hadn’t gripped Vancouver and began investigating. In 2010, just after the Winter Olympics, she invited food truck owners to apply for licenses. From 800 applicants, 17 were awarded and in 2011 a permanent programme was introduced with keen entrepreneurs pitching their original ideas and business plans to a panel of chefs, councillors and food bloggers.

Our sampling began with city-wide favourite JAPADOG, founded by ex-Tokyo native Noriki Tamura. At the forefront of the food truck movement, JAPADOG serves Japanese hot dogs that are worth braving the inevitable line-up for. Their signature is a creation that combines teriyaki sauce, Japanese mayonnaise, butter-fried onion, seaweed and Kurobuta – meat from a rare breed of pig, a herd of which is kept by the Royal Family at Windsor.

A short amble from the Law Courts is the Vancouver Art Gallery, another Erickson creation, with food trucks parked on all four of its corners. It is here that you’ll find Mom’s Grilled Cheese Truck – adored by those with a hankering for comfort food. Begin your experience with a ginger and mint lemonade before trying one of Mom’s daily specials – Monday’s meatloaf option is immensely popular. ‘Mom’ Cindy Hamilton started the company to spend more time with her daughter and happily gives Gaston, the French Bulldog who visits her daily, treats upon arrival. Respect must also be paid to Kaboom Box, which specialises in dishes made from sustainable British Columbian produce. Their smoked salmon, marinated in brown sugar and salt and smoked on site, is a must.

Substance and Style

Of course fine fare comes in more traditional packages. Keen to sample west coast seafood (less salty than its eastern counterpart), I dined at Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar where even the amuse-bouche is a celebration of complexity. Flavours here are bold, almost Nordic, and the atmosphere is immediately welcoming. The signature Seafood Tower honours the oysters of British Columbia with Spanish and Asian piquancy making the fruits de mer all the more enticing. The stars are the Kusshi oysters, a west coast delicacy found in the deep water of Vancouver Island, but it would be a crime to leave without sampling the black cod, so delicate that it crumbles should you hover a fork nearby.

For something casual, stop by Latab, a wine bar that collaborates with different chefs and brewers once a month to celebrate Vancouver’s culinary creativity. A pared back aesthetic ensures the space feels intimate and relaxed while the regular bar menu sees owners Eryn Dorman and Kris Barnholden get a little daring. Similarly passionate is Savio Volpe, known for its osteria-rustic fare and Italianate respect for fine local ingredients. There is an openness to the space, all light wood and immense windows, and your eyes are constantly drawn to the central open kitchen and bar where charcuterie plates and desserts are prepared with flair – the construction of creamy, zesty cannoli proving hypnotic. After watching the dish take shape throughout the evening the pyramid of pastry shells slowly disappearing it was impossible not to order one – although a tiramisu sundae is something I will have to return for.

Brunch is a Vancouver staple and Cafe Medina is where the locals head. With lines around the corner, some come for its waffles, some for the coffee and others for the cold-pressed juices, the creation of Nectar who have a juice truck a short walk away. Others come for the decor. With pastel tiles, intricate woodwork and an artfully faded ‘Medina’ painted across the back wall in vintage type, it captures the bohemian Parisienne vibe perfectly. A chalkboard displays their list of suppliers, dishes come dressed in edible flowers and the menu, with its unique mixture of ingredients, encourages conversations. Everyone looks happy – good food does that – and there is spice aplenty, proof that breakfasts can be a savoury affair.

Waterfront dining is also essential and for this I propose Ancora with its view’s across to Granville Island and flair for fusion cooking. Mixing Japanese and Peruvian traditions with the bounty of the west coast, here dishes are perfectly balanced. The sophisticated interior, full of glass, mirrors and mosaic tiles, ensures the attention remains on the food and local wine pairings (although the meal should always commence with their pisco sour).

An evening must also be passed in historic Gastown, which brims with cobblestones, gas lamps and stores catering to the design savvy. This is the domain of L’Abattoir, situated between the atmospherically-named Gaoler’s Mews and Blood Alley. With an appealing brunch, dinner and dessert menu there is much to entice culinary aficionados, yet I was here for the cocktails, each drink coming with its own tale L’Abattoir’s most popular tipple; the Avocado Gimlet, was created by accident when the kitchen ordered a few too many avocados and the bar team decided to experiment. Adding rosemary and olive infused gin, Apfelkorn schnapps and lime, they were left with a pastel-hued drink that tastes like a summer evening spent in a forest. This goes down a treat with rich oysters accompanied by garlic butter and truffle shavings – just one of chef Lee Cooper’s appetisers.

Hunger sated, you require somewhere to rest your head – and you never fed quite as cosy as you do in a motel. The Burrard originally opened in 1959, a time when life was simpler and patterns bolder, and after an extensive renovation, now playfully mixes 1950s design flourishes with all necessary mod-cons, ensuring guests have a good night’s sleep in an era they thought long gone. There is a greenery-shrouded courtyard, teal and yellow room doors and neon signage that adds character to a city already refreshingly vibrant. Clearly in Vancouver flavour and creativity come in all forms, meaning there is something for every taste.