Category Archives: food

May 09 2013
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bacon, Beer, Delicious, food, Gourmet, Restaurant, vancouver

Mr. Brownstone – Comfort Food 101

Main street is a great place for food lovers to wander around and discover new culinary gems in our fair city. Particularly between 5th Ave and King Edward Ave. There are great places to eat on every block and it seems there’s somewhere new opening up all the time. My latest Main street find is Mr. Brownstone located on the east side of Main at 13th Ave right beside Parallel 49 Coffee. Mr. Brownstone serves up modern takes on comfort food classics, great craft beers and BC wines on tap and offers live music featuring some great local artists. I was invited to try a few items from their menu, find a comfy chair because I ate a lot…

Fried Brussel Sprouts

Fried Brussel Sprouts

First up are some delicious fried brussel sprouts with parmesan cheese, shallots and lemon. It’s pretty widely known around Vancouver that the Glowbal Group does some of the best brussel sprouts in town but these ones are easily on par with theirs and they’re priced very well. Just $7 for a good portion where Glowbal’s come in at $6.75 for a much smaller portion.

Wonton Nachos

Wonton Nachos

Next up was a really cool twist on a classic pub dish, nachos. Mr. Brownstone’s are made with crispy fried wontons in place of tortilla chips. They’re topped with tomatoes, green olives, jalapenos and a nice mix of rich cheeses. The wontons are amazing in place of boring old chips. They have a great crunch and a lighter feel and stay crisp for longer. They come with tomatillo salsa and wasabi sour cream on the side. The wasabi sour cream is awesome, just enough wasabi to impart a slight heat and flavour that balances perfectly with the creamy, cool sour cream. Great dish.

Lobster Mac and Cheese

Lobster Mac and Cheese

The third dish I sampled was their lobster mac and cheese. I always cringe when I see lobster mac and cheese on a menu because it’s usually made with a product called “Lobster Delight” which is made from Surimi (ground fish, usually pollock) and is artificially flavoured like lobster. This dish has NO FAKE LOBSTER!! Huge chunks of real lobster are abundant and border on excessive, which is a good thing when you’re talking about lobster. Simple flavours, butter, garlic, cheese and lobster all work in perfect harmony here. Rich, decadent and addictive. Your friends will want to try this, tell them to order their own. Did I mention it’s just $18? A total steal for this much lobster and this big of a portion.

Duck Confit Potato Skins

Duck Confit Potato Skins

Next up they brought out some duck confit potato skins. Oh man, you guys see what’s happening here right? This place is doing comfort food right. These potato skins were so good. A good amount of duck confit with applewood smoked bacon, smoked provolone cheese, 40 Creek BBQ sauce, scallions and chipotle sour cream on russet potatoes. Another comfort food classic done up for the big city. Amazing.

The Brownstone Burger

The Brownstone Burger

You guys know where the best burger in town is. I’ve shouted it from the mountain tops for a few years now, it’s at Uli’s in White Rock. The burger at Mr. Brownstone is almost as good but it’s so different than Uli’s it’s a little unfair to compare the 2. This behemoth features a fresh ground chuck patty cooked medium (perfect), Montreal style smoked brisket, a fried egg, sauteed mushrooms, an onion ring, smoked provolone and caramelized onions on a fresh toasted bun with L/T/M (you can figure that out, right?) and some hamburger relish type sauce. Standing about 10 inches high and held together with a steak knife this burger is a towering monster of deliciousness. The price? Just $15.

Pear and Stilton Flatbread

Pear and Stilton Flatbread

If you’re keeping track this is course number six, a delightfully rich and sweet dish that is a meal all on its own. Tangy Stilton cheese, pear slices, crispy prosciutto ( I think, my note taking got a little fuzzy at this point) on fresh baked flatbread. Simply delicious.

Maple Bacon Caramel Chicken Wings

Maple Bacon Caramel Chicken Wings

Ok you guys, this is the one most of you asked about when I posted this picture on Instagram/Twitter/Facebook, The maple bacon caramel chicken wings. They sound crazy, like the kind of crazy that would get you locked up for life in some shady parts of the world. In the middle ages you would’ve be branded a witch for even suggesting that this dish sounded tasty. Guess what, these wings are crazy, CRAZY good. If these guys used this recipe on chicken for chicken and waffles they’d easily be the best in the city. Think of these wings as dessert, made of meat. Everything you love about “Maple Bacon” flavoured things kicked up with caramel and tossed lovingly with deep fried wings. You simply have to try these.

WFLBC approved

WFLBC approved

So there you have it, Great food and nothing over $20. Solid craft beer on tap from Phillips, Odin, Alameda and others. BC wine on tap including one of my favourites, Blasted Church Hatfield’s Fuse. I’ll be back soon, I need those wings in my life.

Scott

Legal mumbo jumbo – My food was provided by Mr. Brownstone for review purposes.

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Apr 27 2013
4 Comments
bacon, food, Gourmet, Surrey, vancouver, White Rock

Beast and Brine

The Beast is here

The Beast is here

A few months ago I told you about Beast and Brine, a cool charcuterie and cheese (and a million other things) shop that was set to open in South Surrey just up the road from Crescent Beach. Well guess what? They’ve been open for awhile now and it has become a weekend ritual for my daughter and I to visit and stock up for the week ahead. Sausages, high end cold cuts, the best bacon in Greater Vancouver, specialty cheeses, a sandwich counter and much much more. This kind of product used to be the exclusive domain of Granville Island Public Market vendors and a few hidden gems around Vancouver. A lot of their product is made in house by Uli’s Restaurant Executive Chef Ryan Bissell who is a co-owner along with Uli’s owner Tyson Blume.

Words to live by

Words to live by

The staff is incredible and it’s always buzzing in the shop with happy customers eagerly awaiting their meaty treasures to take home and brag about to their friends, it’s that good. Check out some photos I’ve taken over the last few weeks, they’ll make you want to drop whatever you’re doing and drive to Beast and Brine. It’s ok, I would too. Kudos to Tyson, Ryan and the whole Beast and Brine team for totally living up to my ridiculous expectations. I love this place.

Added bonus - Fieldstone Artisan Breads is right next door – food heaven. After you’ve looked at the pics there’s a list of my “WFLBC must buys” at Beast and Brine at the bottom of the page.

Stuff from my first visit

Stuff from my first visit

Buffalo Brats

Buffalo Brats

Heritage Bacon (The BEST)

Heritage Bacon (The BEST)

Pickles and sauerkraut

Pickles and sauerkraut

Delicious craft sodas

Delicious craft sodas

Amazing Avonlea clothbound cheddar

Amazing Avonlea clothbound cheddar

Charcuterie

Charcuterie

Cheese porn

Cheese porn

Twitter – @BeastAndBrine

Facebook – Beast & Brine

Interwebz – www.beastandbrine.com

WFLBC Must Buys

Heritage Bacon, Double smoked bacon, Frikadelle, Porchetta, Bavarian Meatloaf, The famous Uli’s hot dog (!), Avonlea Clothbound Cheddar (when it’s in stock), Phillip’s Soda Work’s Captain Electro Intergalactic Root Beer.

Scott.

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Apr 07 2013
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food, Restaurant, vancouver

Quick bite – Nat’s New York Pizzeria

Pizza is one of those no brainer foods, even bad pizza is pretty good. Every now and then you come across somewhere that does things with pizza that seem crazy but the results are surprisingly good. Nat’s New York Pizzeria has been a Kitsilano institution since 1992 and is a favourite of the local high school lunch crowd. Their pizza is New York style thin(ish) crust pies that are best eaten folded in half. The slices are big, the dough is decent and the ingredients and toppings seem to be of decent quality.

Nat's Pizza

Nat’s usually does a special pizza each day and I happened to be there the day the made a wonderfully unhealthy but obviously amazing mac and cheese pizza with ground beef. This thing weighed about 2.5 pounds and the slice of pepperoni I had along with it was totally unnecessary. The pasta wasn’t dried out as you’d expect it to be after a trip through the oven, the cheese was evenly distributed throughout the pasta and the beef was nestled in a nice layer between the pasta and the light layer of Nat’s own pizza sauce. Was it good? Hell yes. Would I get it again? Absolutely. Should I get it again? Not if I want to live past 40.

Scott.

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Apr 06 2013
4 Comments
food, Restaurant, Surrey, vancouver

Boston Pizza – The Pizza Burger

Boston Pizza, it has been in a serious decline the last few years in terms of quality and reputation (in my eyes at least). Even their advertising drives me crazy, finger cooking with Phil and taking shots at people who like good food (Don’t be a foodie). That being said if you have kids you know that BP has an affordable kids menu and offers things like cups with lids that make parents lives easier. After a pretty rough week I headed out for dinner with my daughter and my cousin Kurt and his son and Boston Pizza was an easy choice both location and menu wise for our little ones.

Pizza Burger and Cactus Cut Potatoes

Pizza Burger and Cactus Cut Potatoes

Upon arrival I noticed a big glossy poster for their new “Pizza Burger”. I know I’ve already said that BP’s quality has fallen off quite a bit but this new menu item was too intriguing to ignore. Described as a bacon burger wrapped in a pepperoni pizza it sounded like something a cardiologist would love… so I obviously had to try it.

The goods

The goods

The burger patty is prime rib (grade unknown) and it is wrapped in pizza dough and stuffed with bacon, pepperoni, mozzarella and pizza sauce before being baked. The pizza dough is actual pizza dough, I was concerned it would be more bun-ish. Aside from being pretty greasy and totally unhealthy this thing was really good. I’m as surprised as you are. One thing I’ve always liked at BP is their Cactus Cut potatoes so obviously I had them as a side. The Pizza burger could’ve done without the pickle, lettuce and tomato skewered  on top of it though, it makes sense with the burger part but not the pizza part of the dish.

To sum up, Boston Pizza has made something good and original and for that I salute them.

Scott.

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Mar 16 2013
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Delicious, food, Gourmet, Restaurant, vancouver, VANEATS

Art of taste at Mosaic presented by VANEATS.ca

Running a restaurant in Vancouver can be tough with so much great competition out there. Mosaic at the Hyatt Regency has the added problem of not being located at street level, you’d have to look up to see their sign one story above the side walk. So how does a fantastic upscale hidden gem like Mosaic get noticed in this town? Enter VANEATS.ca and their dining packages. This package moves VANEATS.ca further upmarket then they’ve ever been and gives you arguably the best value of any package they’ve offered in the past. Called “Art of Taste”, it is a 3 course package for an outstanding $22. Chef Thomas Heinrich and his team deliver an excellent culinary experience. I had other menu items not included in the package so there will be a second post to cover those.

For your appetizer you can choose from the following,

Spring Salad

Spring Salad

Warm a la minute smoked Skuna Bay salmon

Warm a la minute smoked Skuna Bay salmon

The spring salad has house made sheep’s milk ricotta , fava beans and a mustard citrus dressing. The ricotta is fantastic and this salad is a tidy little package with all of the flavours complimenting one another. The a la minute smoked salmon is is so delicate and delicious and comes with an avocado terrine and drops of maple matured sherry bourbon oak vinegar gel and a little bit of decadent caviar on top. The salmon is from Skuna Bay, a world renowned salmon farm located near Nootka Sound on Vancouver Island and is easily the best quality salmon I’ve ever eaten. Say what you want about farmed salmon, this fish is world class and is raised in way that few other fish farms can even come close to. They call it “Craft Raised salmon”. I like that description. The dish comes covered in a clear dome filled with smoke adding a slight smokiness and a treat for the nose when the dome is removed.

8 hour braised short rib

8 hour braised short rib

Long line caught BC ling cod

Long line caught BC ling cod

For your main course you have a choice of 2 dishes. The Spring Creek beef short rib dish is braised for an incredible 8 hours and is fork tender and full of rich flavour. It’s served with morel mushrooms, BC foraged ramps and sweet onions. This dish is aimed directly at carnivores who have a refined palate (or think that they do, like me). The Ling Cod is long line caught and grilled to perfection. Served with baby bok choy, shiitake mushrooms and bathed in dashi broth. I loved this dish. Dashi broth is a magical thing.

Mosaic's signature chocolate cake

Mosaic’s signature chocolate cake

Banana split

Banana split

There’s 2 desert choices as well and they’re both outstanding. The Chocolate cake is something out of a chocoholic’s fantasy. It’s a triple layer affair with dense moist cake and a healthy dose of amazing icing that’s texture is somewhere between mousse and fudge. The banana split has caramelized banana, fresh berries, honey almond brittle and of course vanilla ice cream and whipped cream. You can’t go wrong with either dessert, they’re both outstanding.

Conclusion. Mosaic is somewhere you should check out. It’s close to transit, has a great wine/beer (Craft too!)/cocktail list and offers the kind of fine dinning that Vancouver generally lacks in it’s popular restaurants de jour. They offer the highest quality ingredients, gorgeous plating (perhaps a few too many edible flowers but they are quite lovely) and an attentive and well trained staff. This kind of meal for $22 is something you don’t find everyday. You can purchase this package HERE.

Scott.

Legal stuff – My meal was complimentary for review purposes courtesy of Mosaic and VANEATS.ca. As always the fact that meal was free didn’t make it taste any different :-)

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Mar 10 2013
2 Comments
food, Restaurant, vancouver

Quick bite – Meat and Bread

Meat and Bread is everything that’s good about the Vancouver food scene. It’s fresh, fast, simple, cool, affordable (really) and it’s very good. They’ve been around for a while now but this was somehow my first visit. Meat and Bread has made an appearance on the Food Network’s uber popular show Diners, Drive – Ins and Dives featuring the inexplicably popular Guy Fieri in all of his frosted tip glory. During his visit he tried the Porchetta sandwich and mentioned the pork was “culinary gangster”. Mr. Fieri aside I think everywhere he visited in Vancouver deserves a look and Meat and Bread is as awesome as advertised.

Porchetta goodness

Porchetta goodness

The Porchetta sandwich is pure magic. Salty, but not too salty, tender and crispy at the same time and very fresh. $8 for a sandwich this good is a steal. Porchetta is a new thing to me but I think I might try to make it at home. The rolled up layers of pork (mostly boneless belly), fat, skin and stuffing make for a tasty filling all chopped up and drizzled with salsa verde all tucked inside a fresh ciabatta roll. So good.Porchetta1

Head to Hastings and Cambie st or Pender between Thurlow and Burrard (near Oceanic Plaza) to try it for yourself. If you work downtown it’s a great choice for lunch!

Twitter – @1meatandbread (Cambie) and @2meatandbread (Pender)

Facebook – meat-bread

Web – meatandbread.ca

Scott.

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Feb 13 2013
1 Comment
bacon, food, Restaurant, vancouver

Like bacon? I bet you’ve never had it like this

I know you’ve probably heard enough about bacon. It might be the most overused meat in North America at the moment but who can blame us, bacon is delicious. You can find bacon in everything, doughnuts, Martinis, Pancakes, cupcakes, Caesars, cheesecake, the list is endless. Add that to more traditional uses for your favourite little salty strips of pork and you could eat bacon for or with every meal. Should you? Probably not, you wouldn’t want to overload on something so tasty and ruin it for yourself. There’s also the fat and sodium content but everything in moderation, right?

Boom goes the dynamite.

Boom goes the dynamite.

Screw moderation, The Rumpus Room on Main Street (at 11th Ave) has deep fried bacon and it’s ridiculous. Called “sh-BANG!” on the menu, these tempura battered strips of heaven are something that you should try at least once in your life. They come with some tempura battered avocado and some aioli (aka mayo) and hot sauce with a decidedly BBQ flavour for dipping. This is the pinnacle of self destructive excess and I love it.

Book yourself an appointment with a cardiologist if you get addicted, I’d hate to be the cause of your congestive heart failure. While you’re there say hi to the worlds greatest bartender, Mr. Jason Wheeler.

Scott.

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Feb 10 2013
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Beer, food, Restaurant, vancouver

Check out the SalivEIGHT package from Eight 1/2 Restaurant and Lounge and VANEATS.ca!

The crew at VANEATS.ca are at it again, this time teaming up with Eight 1/2 Restaurant & Lounge to bring you the salivEIGHT package. For a ridiculously affordable $15 you get to choose from Dungeness Crab Cakes, Filo wrapped Baked Brie or Tortilla Soup for an Appetizer. You also get to choose from 3 thin crust pizzas, The 8th Avenue (Hot calabrese, chorizo, banana peppers, and sautéed mushrooms), The Marketplace (Roasted vegetables, goat cheese, torn basil, sun dried tomato base) or The Wild Smoked Salmon (BC smoked salmon, creamy dill, capers, red onion, craisins). Last but not least you get a flight of Belgian style beers from Stanley Park Brewing, 2 Amber and 2 Brun.

Crab Cakes

Crab Cakes

I decided on the crab cakes as my starter and I’m very happy I did. These aren’t your typical 80% breadcrumb and seasoning crab cakes, these suckers and LOADED with sweet, tasty crab! The crab doesn’t need much other than a little seasoning and they nailed it. They were perfectly cooked and came with a small side of arugula with a citrus yoghurt dressing. Crab cakes rule.

Eighth Avenue Pizza

Eighth Avenue Pizza

The 8th Avenue pizza called to me, with its spicy Calabrese, Chorizo and Banana Peppers. Add juicy sauteed mushrooms and a healthy dose of cheese to the mix and I am a happy boy. The thin crust was perfect for folding the slices in half and eating New York style.

Beer Flight

Beer Flight

The Beers? You know I like beer so this one is obviously a win. Being a craft beer enthusiast it’s great to see some local beers being offered up in a package like this and the two Stanley Park beers offered here are very approachable to the craft beer novice. Easy drinking with no big hop punch or boozy undercurrent.

SalivEIGHT is available now for $15 at VANEATS.ca. Crazy deal, you should grab this one before it’s gone!

But wait, there’s more!

Steak Bites

Steak Bites

As I wasn’t dining alone I had the chance to sample a few other items from Eight 1/2′s menu, bonus! First up is the Steak Bites, Chili rubbed and roasted medium-rare with creamy parm dip. They were a big hit with my hot date and I liked them too. The parm dip was tasty!

Tuna Tataki

Tuna Tataki

Next up we had some Tuna Tataki, Seared Albacore, fresh avocado, wasabi aioli, sweet soy, ginger. This is a winner, I love Tuna Tataki and this is a great example of how it can be done with a North American palate in mind but not be off putting to someone who likes traditional Tuna Tataki.

Caesar

Caesar

And then we had a Caesar in a boot! Actually we had it first but whatever, it was awesome. The picture makes it look huge but it’s just slightly larger than the water glass behind it. The garnish is dry pepperoni and a tiny pickle. This is a pretty classic Caesar with some great background heat. I would order another one in a heartbeat.

Legal stuff – My pizza, appy and beer were complimentary on behalf of Eight 1/2 and VANEATS.ca for review purposes, the other items were paid for in full and are not included in the package. We also left a big tip because we appreciate great service!

Go check out Eight 1/2!

Twitter – @eightandahalf     @VANEATSca

Facebook – Eight-12-Restaurant-Lounge     VAN EATS

Web – eightandahalf.ca     VANEATS.ca

Scott.

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Jan 13 2013
3 Comments
Beer, food, pub, Restaurant, Surrey, vancouver

Central City Brew Pub

Central City Brewing Co. is living proof that Surrey is indeed the bomb. Located in (wait for it) the Central City complex that houses a shopping mall, an SFU campus and one of the best looking buildings in Greater Vancouver, they make world class craft beer that has won numerous awards over the past few years. Did I mention the building they’re located in? I seriously love the Central City Tower, it’s a true architectural gem that is very under appreciated by most of the GVRD. I stopped in for a few beers, dinner and some NFL playoff football watching recently with my cousin Kurt (@truKrenruT).

Central City Tower

Central City Tower

Central City has tons of free parking and is right next to the Surrey Central Skytrain Station, I highly recommend my readers from north of the Fraser hop on the train and give Central City a try. I would list all of the beer/brewing/brewpub awards they’ve racked up since 2008 but it’s easier to just give you guys the link. I started out with their amazingly good Imperial IPA which has won some sort of beer award every year since 2008 and it’s quite deserving of the praise it gets. I followed that up with their Winter Ale, a seasonal beer that is unlike other overly sweet winter ales. This beer has a nice malty body with a subtle hop finish and a very mild sweetness. It’s quite nice.  I had an ESB as well before returning to the fantastic imperial IPA. I’ve never met a Red Racer beer I didn’t like (aside from a lemongrass infused pin cask of their pale ale…). 2013 will be the year that BC breweries start to overtake their Pacific Northwest and Californian competition, you heard it here first. Canadian craft beer has never been better and it gets better with every new brewery that opens up!

Red Racer Imperial IPA

Red Racer Imperial IPA

The food at Central City is also outstanding and has really moved upmarket since the hiring of Executive Chef Carl Sawatsky a few years ago. Having spent time as the Executive Chef at Bacchus Bistro at Domaine De Chamberton Winery Chef Sawatsky has changed a very pedestrian pub menu into something that encompasses locally sourced, high quality ingredients and non traditional dishes along side modern twists on traditional pub grub. After publishing this post I’ve learned that Chef Sawatsky may not be with Central City any more (he’s still listed as Executive Chef on their Facebook page) but his menu remains and is still executed quite well.

Shortrib Beef Dip

Shortrib Beef Dip

Kurt and I both ordered the same thing, the Braised Shortrib Beef Dip and I’m happy to say this is one of the best sandwiches I’ve had in recent memory. Red Racer beer braised short rib, pickled grilled zucchini,  stout cheddar from Farmhouse Cheeses in Agassiz, crispy onions, horseradish Dijon mayo, served on a house made ciabatta bun with Au Jus for dipping. I think I got a little lucky because my short rib was roughly an inch think, Kurt’s was less thick but it was still enough. The pickled zucchini is awesome, the stout cheddar is rich and delicious and the bun is fresh and tasty. The fries are good, nothing mind blowing but good non the less.

Great Beer, great food, great building, great pub. Go check it out if you’ve never been and if you haven’t been in awhile it’s worth a revisit.

Scott.

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Dec 30 2012
1 Comment
food, Surrey, vancouver

Red Robin, It’s like a 90′s time machine!

I remember it like it was yesterday, I was in high school. My first visit to Red Robin was in the mid 90′s at their brand new Guildford location in Surrey. It was great, lots of retro posters all over the walls, a train that circled the room hanging from the ceiling and these crazy shaft driven ceiling fans. The menu was centred around burgers which were pretty good and they had “Non stop pop” which wasn’t that common in 1995.

It's a plane!

It’s a plane!

Fast forward 17 years, outside of Red Robin it’s 2012, inside…it’s still 1995! The same posters cover the walls although they’re very faded, the fans are still there but the train is sadly gone. There’s so much brass in this restaurant and the colours are pure 90′s. The fact that “What’s the frequency Kenneth” by REM came on while we were eating was perfect, it totally fit the mood of the place. The menu is pretty much unchanged with a few new burger variations, the beer menu is pure Macro brewery garbage but at least they have Guinness on tap. Somewhere over the last 17 years they’ve added “Non stop fries” to their menu, I’m ok with that.

Prime Chophouse Burger

Prime Chophouse Burger

I ordered the Prime Chophouse Burger, a heavyweight for sure. Nestled between it’s Onion bun (with about 4 specks of onion on it) is a surprisingly good beef patty, horseradish, steak sauce, provolone cheese and crispy onion straws. All of this was held together with a large steak knife thrust through an onion ring into the heart of the burger.You know what, this burger is pretty damn good! I wasn’t expecting to like it as much as I did and the steak fries, which come seasoned with Red Robin’s own seasoning salt, are good to!

This location has always been busy, there’s almost always a wait for a table but Red Robin has seen some local closures in the last few years, most notably their Surrey/Newton location and their Vancouver/Broadway location. Red Robin works in the suburbs, for now, but it desperately needs a HUGE face lift. It’s so dated it makes me feel really old because I remember being young and it looking exactly the same. 17 years is too long to stick with one look. I wonder how much longer the Robson location will last?

Scott.

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