Crowbar
646 Kingsway | 604-336-2769 | CrowbarEastVan.com
Open nightly, 5pm-12am. Closed all statutory holidays.
I used to think of the intersection where Fraser Street, Kingsway and East 15th Avenue all meet as the Bermuda Triangle. For years, the little shops around these busy thoroughfares sat huddled like medieval beggars around a castle’s walls – easy to ignore. Over the last five years, however, things have been looking up. The long-running Lion’s Den (Japanese-Caribbean fusion) and Ba Le (Vietnamese sandwiches) and popular French bistro Les Faux Bourgeois have been joined by the likes of Los Cuervos and Sal y Limon taquerias, the Twin Peaks-themed Black Lodge and the more recent Savio Volpe. Gluten-free bakeries, artisan coffee shops and solid pizza options have all rounded out the offerings. No longer a commercial graveyard of lost souls, this is now a destination corner with a plethora of options. The one thing missing was a nice place to get a drink and a few snacks. Savio’s focus is on wine and its food is wonderful, but where was the neighbourhood bar?
Enter, with much applause, Crowbar. The restaurant takes over the former Mega Ill (and mega stinky) pizza spot. A complete reno has the room clad in reclaimed wood, with a long bar facing an equally-lengthy high-top banquette. It’s all high-top seating here, in fact, and it’s surprisingly comfortable. The bar is backed with crates re-purposed as shelves, and the result is charmingly rustic without extending into kitsch.
The duo behind this new venture have a solid pedigree. Co-owners Jeremy Pigeon and William Johnson met while respectively working the floor and bar together at L’Abattoir. They have assembled an impressive team in the kitchen that includes Chris Scott, Scott Downey (both from Wildebeest), and chef Scott Korzack, who formerly ran the kitchens at Beach Bay and L’Abattoir. The focus is on the cocktails and the snacks, and they are, for the most part, excellent. Drinks are named after characters from movies from the ‘90s. The Mary Swanson ($13), named after the Dumb and Dumber character, is a whip-smart concoction of Hendrick’s gin, elderflower liqueur, fino sherry, orange juice and bitters. The Tyler Durden (yes, the Brad Pitt character from Fight Club) is a neat take on a classic Pisco Sour. Lest you think it’s all about the cocktails, however, take a peek at the small and well-put-together wine list. Locals gems like See Ya Later’s Pinot Noir sit next to value-priced selections from Chapoutier and Concha Y Toro.
As for the food, starting with the house bread ($6) is a wise choice. The flour for the bread is milled in-house and it’s very nice, but the plate of runny pork fat mixed with chicken jus that it sits on is revelatory. The slightly-reduced liquid is smoky and salty, and ever-so-sop-worthy. Mushroom toast ($12) is one of those epic menu understatements that delivers much more than the sum of its parts. Veal jus is poured over chanterelles and then topped with a perfectly deep-fried whole egg that oozes a custardy yolk over the toast. Things on sticks ($4 or $6 each) are mainly lovely. Juicy chunks of veal tongue pastrami, shitakes with black garlic puree, pork shoulder with crab apple butter – all delicious. Less so were the duck sausages with mustard. The too-moist and mealy texture gave the impression of undercooked and over-extruded meat. On a later visit, this had been changed to duck balls with a blackberry whey, which sounds more promising.
There are some larger plates for those with more appetite. Chicken broth ravioli ($19) was another winner, although the portion seemed disproportionately small. Charred leeks with sidestripe shrimp, sauce gribiche, puffed barley and bone marrow ($15) is another good choice. These are dishes deep with flavour and texture, and are still good for sharing.
Crowbar is attracting a varied crowd. On one night, a multi-generational family party took over the window table, several couples cozied up to the bar, and what was obviously a girls’ night had taken over the back. It’s exactly what the ‘hood needed and if someone can now open up an ice cream shop within walking distance, all bases will be covered.
Food: ★★★★
Service: ★★★★
Ambiance: ★★★★
Value: ★★★★
Overall: ★★★★
All ratings out of five stars
★: Okay, nothing memorable.
★★: Good, shows promise.
★★★: Very good, occasionally excellent.
★★★★: Excellent, consistently above average.
★★★★★: Awe-inspiring, practically perfect in every way.
Anya Levykh is a freelance food, drink and travel writer who covers all things ingestible. Find her on Twitter and Instagram @foodgirlfriday.
