(Ken Lum Photo)
There was a time when it was not only aspirational to live west of Ontario Street – it was mandatory if you had any hope of forward motion in your life. Okay, this is clearly overstating the point, but my parents certainly bought into this notion. East Van kids were bad and untrustworthy, and I should never be friends with them. They came from bad families, smoked dope, and drank from stubbies!
If you look at the latest real estate listings, and the crazy unsustainable home prices on the Westside, apparently there are still lots of people who buy into the pathetically provincial Vancouver notion that Westside=Good and Eastside=Bad. Their lack of imagination, their loss, I say.
Tellingly, more and more restaurateurs are heading eastward, even those who cut their teeth and found success despite the crazy real estate markets of Kitsilano, Kerrisdale, and Point Grey. And the move into East Van has been more than about replicating their Westside boiler plates – it’s given a chance to find some breathing room, to relax, to build deeper community ties. You get the sense that the chefs are not gripping their whisks quite as tightly and everyone is happy that you’ve decided to pull up a chair, grab a meal, and pour yourself a drink. Though only Hipsters drink from stubbies now.
2702 Main Street, Vancouver
778.371.3783
www.cafeteriavancouver.ca
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Andrey Durbach and Chris Stewart have been moving their way eastward ever since decamping from the West End, setting up the much beloved La Buca on McDonald Street, and then the highly regarded Pied a Terre in Cambie Village. Their Main Street venture, Cafeteria, draws from Andrey’s French discipline, but also reflects a wider range of influences. The menu can romp from Italian classics, take a run though South America, and then land on full blown Vietnamese and Chinese flavours. It all works effortlessly, reflecting the interlocking multiculturalism of Vancouver (I mean, have you seen some of amazing food at Queen Elizabeth Park picnics? If you’re smart, you’ll make friends with a Filipino family, pronto.)
A recent meal started with a starter of roast pork belly, local prawns and a bright green papaya salad with lime, chilli and peanuts, followed by a perfectly seared local snapper, dressed with a grapefruit brown butter, and finishing with a smooth moussey butterscotch pudding with house made honey comb. Three fantastic courses for less than $35. Factor in the friendly informal service and a roomful of easy conversation and you’ve got a winning evening.
843 East Hastings Street, Vancouver
604.255.4218
www.aupetitchavignol.com
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Starting life along Alma Street – the growing Les Amis Du Formage empire eventually moved much of their operations to this industrial stretch of Strathcona East Hastings, just past the really gritty bits of the Downtown Eastside. The site serves as their main kitchen, warehouse, and services the wholesale trade. The storefront is split between a large retail shop, and the lovely restaurant, Au Petit Chavignol. Big airy windows in the day, softly glowing lights at night – the room is wonderfully calm and civilized, but in a way that embraces, not denies, its edgy location.
It goes without saying the cheese and charcuterie platters are superlative, and with a glass of crisp Riesling, there is probably no finer way to spend a gentle summer evening. The hot foods have that wonderful French balance of richness and restraint. The macaroni and cheese is satisfying without cloyness, while the crisply toasted Croque Madam is napped just so with béchamel and then gilded with an elegantly runny sunnyside up egg. For dessert, the brown butter almond cake with its delicate crumb and dairy noisette richness makes for a perfect finish.
2297 East Hastings Street, Vancouver
604.569.0456
www.campagnoloroma.com
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At the time, expanding from the safe confines of (Re)Fuel in Kistilano to the toughest stretch of Main Street seemed utterly incomprehensible. And yet, not only did Robert Belcham and Tom Doughty’s ambitious Campagnolo succeed; it thrived – drawing crowds from across the city and sparking a renaissance on the block.
Their continued expansion eastward to the Hastings Sunrise neighbour is just as surprising, but for an entirely different reason. Campagnolo Roma is small, rustic, simple. The focus has been to create a genuine neighbourhood hangout and the lack of guile is a bit of shock. But clearly it’s working – the restaurant packed with nearby families strolling in with kids in tow and young urban diners with their bikes parked out front.
The cooking draws from the softer Roman style pizzas and bread, but with a good dose of local ingredients. The pane bianca is with whipped ricotta is an excellent place to start – with a delicate open crumb and crackling crust, the bread brings to mind Spanish pan de cristal.
Recent menus prominently featured local spotted prawns, tossed by the generous fistful with pasta or split, grilled and served on pizza or over dressed arugula. One of my favourite dining memories from this year will be eating the grilled prawns and dipping the sweet charred flesh into the rich tomalley of the head. Honest and delicious. What more could you ask of a restaurant?
East Van rules indeed.
~ Canucklehead pays for all of his meals and pretends to be anonymous while he snaps pictures of his food.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Two more east side eateries worthy of a list such as this. Le Faux Bourgeois bistro at the intersection of Fraser and Kingsway, which is packed seven days a week and shows no sign of slowing down three years into their run. And Divino Wine Bar on Commercial, where i had perhaps the finest meal I’ve had in Vancouver the past few years.
^ Totally agree, Palle. East Van rules!
^Palle – you bring up excellent examples. I think many would argue that Les Faux Bourgeois paved the way for many restaurantuers taking a harder look at opening on the Eastside.
Campa Roma seems to be following the same track…it too is packed every night. To all you good West side restaurateurs looking out over empty tables every night – go East!