Gastro Pub Sydney vs Vancouver

[SBonner]

As many of you know, Helen and I, spent a fortnight wining and dining in Sydney late last year. One of our highlights was trying the beers and cuisine of several Sydney gastropubs. In Vancouver and Victoria we have great brewpubs such as Steamworks, Yaletown Brewing, Spinnakers, Canoe Club and Hugo’s to name some of the best. But after my return from Sydney I’ve realised that our pubs are no match for what is going on in Sydney Australia when it comes to food. Here are some images of what to expect coming out of an Australian gastro pub kitchen.

Thai green curry seafood laska with Morton Bay Bugs $14 Cdn

Pan-seared King fish filet with French Fries and lemon aioili $15 Cdn

Harissa Lamb salad with Feta, spinach, and 20 year old balsamic reduction $17 Cdn

6oz Grilled Wagyu beef loin with potato gratin, free range bacon, and wild mushroom reduction suace $18 Cdn

Moment of weakness vegetarian platter with Greek flat bread, risotto balls, stuffed zucchini flowers, phillo and Feta tubes, samoas and a trio of dips $15 Cdn

What suprised me most was the freshness of all ingredients. I discovered that the chefs all shop and the local fish and veg market several times a week and very little was bought at big box or "all in one" suppliers. These gastropubs also had great wines lists to accompany their food. Our own Steamworks and Canoe Brewpub have comparably sized wines lists as well. On the beer front, our beers are much more interesting overall, but the Belgium inspired beers at Redoak brewing in Sydney's CBD are stellar and beyond compare to anything made in B.C. From a front of house view, both cities have great service, with neither outdoing each other. If we could only produce food on a similar scale we would have world class pubs like Sydney, London, and Paris.

Cheers,

Stephen

Edited January 16, 2006 by SBonner (log)

[The Chefs Office]

Where was it in Sydney that you visited?

[vandan]

not a great surprise in my mind especially as far as ingredients go , climate is something that we can never compete with and lets face it van does not really have a pub culture and surely couldn't compete with a city at least 2.5 times bigger than us, maybe van and melbourne might be a better comparison, but all in all pub culture here is not what is it in much of the rest of the commonwealth, when we want good eats here its a restaurant all the way, not a pub. but i do see this asperhaps being the next big thing coming here

[Sam Salmon]

I see no Beetroot at all-how can this be?

It is Sydney Australia you're referring to is it not?

[TimK]

An article in todays Province's money section talked about "Pleasuring palates". It mentions the development of gastro pubs (a concept that I have enjoyed in London over the last few years). It goes on to say that pubs that are switching to the "gastro" format are doing well and that there is a blending of pubs and restaurants such as Earl's and Cactus Club. So apparently it is already starting here.

Edited January 16, 2006 by TimK (log)

[SBonner]

An article in todays Province's money section talked about "Pleasuring palates". It mentions the development of gastro pubs (a concept that I have enjoyed in London over the last few years). It goes on to say that pubs that are switching to the "gastro" format are doing well and that there is a blending of pubs and restaurants such as Earl's and Cactus Club. So apparently it is already starting here.

←

I'd be hard pressed to look at Earl's and the Cactus Club in the same format as a gastropub. I look at the gastropub concept more like a French brassarie. In the U.K. The Cow and the Eagle are my ideas of a gastropub as were RedOak Brewing and the Lord Nelson in Sydney. I think our best attempt to date has been Spinnakers and The Canoe ( Aussi chef as well I believe) in Victoria.

Cheers,

Stephen

[nwyles]

You had me right up until the word " vegetarian", then I just started to shut down.

Seriously, looks great.

Are all of the pubs like that ? If not, give me a percentage.

It is a shame about how many of the "locals" here are all about chicken wings in Franks hot sauce and Molson Canadian. The level of food that we have , save a select few, in the pub scene, does not appeal to me at all. There must be a demand for it as there are so many, but part of it is that peope do not know any better.

[SBonner]

You had me right up until the word " vegetarian", then I just started to shut down.

Seriously, looks great.

Are all of the pubs like that ? If not, give me a percentage.

It is a shame about how many of the "locals" here are all about chicken wings in Franks hot sauce and Molson Canadian. The level of food that we have , save a select few, in the pub scene, does not appeal to me at all. There must be a demand for it as there are so many, but part of it is that peope do not know any better.

←

Neil,

Not sure on the percentage. Helen and I were seeking gastropubs out as a comparison to the ones we frequent in London. Don't get me wrong there were alot of "dives" where you could get a BLT and some evil lager from unclean lines. I'd say the gastropubs are more like 1 in 20. We went to eight in total and all were superb. I'd just like to see some of our Vancouver establishments follow the same course as what we expereinced in Australia. It could all come down to a cultural difference... none of these places had TV's, loud music, or lottery machines.

Cheers,

Stephen

Edited January 16, 2006 by SBonner (log)

[canucklehead]

Is the lack of gastropubs in Vancouver directly related to the type of drinking culture we have locally? It seems like the gastropub scene in cities like London are a direct result of how entrenched the pub culture is there. I was talking to a British expat friend of mine who floored me with stories of how much people drank at pubs (9-10 hard drinks a night - no problem and this is a little lass).

Here in Vancouver we have the Irish Heather - which is a great gastropub - but for the most part, people do go to places like earl's, cactus club et al to fuel up on some beer before heading out for an evening. I don't think that gastropubs would be an organic extension of how people ate here. That being said, it does beg the question as to why places like Bridges and Watermark don't have a higher bar when it comes to food. The answer is of course - they don't have to, they make plenty of dough with easy food.

Given this is Vancouver - perhaps gastro-peeler bars would be a more natural expectation.

[Zucchini Mama]

Stephen, that laksa looks so freakin' good. If you get a chance to go to the pub at the Brentwood Bay Lodge on the Island, I think you'd find it to be a successful riff on the gastro pub. At least it was the summer before last when we ate there. I haven't been lately.

Zuke

Edited January 16, 2006 by Zucchini Mama (log)

[TimK]

An article in todays Province's money section talked about "Pleasuring palates". It mentions the development of gastro pubs (a concept that I have enjoyed in London over the last few years). It goes on to say that pubs that are switching to the "gastro" format are doing well and that there is a blending of pubs and restaurants such as Earl's and Cactus Club. So apparently it is already starting here.

←

I'd be hard pressed to look at Earl's and the Cactus Club in the same format as a gastropub. I look at the gastropub concept more like a French brassarie. In the U.K. The Cow and the Eagle are my ideas of a gastropub as were RedOak Brewing and the Lord Nelson in Sydney. I think our best attempt to date has been Spinnakers and The Canoe ( Aussi chef as well I believe) in Victoria.

Cheers,

Stephen

←

That was the Province's quote...I sadly shook my head that they were making the comparison as I couldnt think of any true gastro pubs in the downtown core. The gastro pub we went to most of the time was The Enterprise and the Pigs Ear in Chelsea....yes they serve pig ears....they are best washed down with a pint...they crunch. This is the corporate website for The Enterprise, restaurants are listed on the left. Menus are available through the site. http://www.christophersgrill.com/newsite/default.asp A little different than what we consider a pub to be here in Vancouver. No big screen tv's or lottery terminals as was already mentioned earlier. White linen and fresh flowers, clean beer lines. It isn't that much of a departure than what Stephen mentioned re: French brasserie....it isnt a place where people are having 10 drinks a night but you could if ya wanted to. Makes me want to go back to London.

Edited January 16, 2006 by TimK (log)

[Ducky]

You are right Stephen. There is no gastropub scene here as such. There are the one or two places you mention (Spinnakers etc) but that is it. The concept of "pub" in Vancouver has something to do with bad food and television - and that is a shame. When we go into a place and see TV screens with hockey games - we turn around and leave. I mean who needs this noise and distraction when you just want a drink and/or a small meal?

The gastro-pub scene in London and Sydney is highly evolved and it would be great if this concept could be transplanted to Vancouver.

It's very odd how things here evolved from dingey beer parlours with seperate mens and ladies entraces that served only pickled eggs and salt and vinegar chips - to peeler bars - an finally to sports bars.

We had visitors from London recently who asked what people do here when they don't want to go to a sports bar or a Starbucks. "Stay home" was our reply.