The Arbor
3941 Main St.
604-620-3256
thearborrestaurant.ca
Open daily 11am-midnight
So, yes, vegetarian food is popular in Vancouver. It goes with our mountains and lakes, lululemon trackies and smoothie diets. It’s so popular, in fact, that even restaurants that serve meat have begun advertising their “plant-forward” menus. Oh, yes, we serve meat. But not a lot, really.
So. Many. Vegetables.
Don’t get me wrong: I’m all for it. A self-proclaimed enthusiastic omnivore with carnivorous leanings, I’m inordinately fond of vegetarian dishes as a main, both at home and while dining out. If you can impress me with a salad, I’m in ecstasy.
But it’s not always about eating healthy. Vegetarian dishes can serve up enough fat and calories to make a traditional burger look positively virtuous.
Take the broccoli popcorn ($8) at the Arbor, Main Street’s newest veg eatery (and little sister to the Acorn, just down the street). Chef Robert Clarke (the Acorn, Bishop’s) fries florets of broccoli – and, oddly, a couple of cauliflower – to a crispy crunch, and lacquers them in a tamarind glaze that, when I sampled it, was slightly too acidic for my taste. The outer core was almost cheesy in texture, though, like well-baked lasagna, and was set off nicely against diced red onion. The only thing missing was a hint of sweetness. It was a generous bowlful which, between my guest and I, was difficult to finish.
The tacos ($9), on the other hand, lacked any acidity at all. Palm-sized tortillas came loaded with poblanos, criminis, roasted-tomato salsa, avocado mousse, cashew crème fraîche, and jalapeños. It was rich, succulent and earthy, especially with the add-on of queso fresco ($2). It really was delicious, but the richness would have been much more manageable with a light squeeze of lime.
Pulled jackfruit steam buns ($9) were absolute perfection. The buns were pillowy, the jackfruit successfully disguised itself as pulled pork (seriously, if you didn’t know better, you’d think it was the meat of a happy swine), the shitakes were plentiful, and the cilantro sauce was addictive. Another winner was the poutine ($8): a large bowl of hand-cut fries doused in a peppery mushroom gravy that zapped the buds with delicate hits of heat that were complemented nicely by authentic cheese curds.
Flatbreads (read: pizzas) are simple and straightforward, like the mushroom with goat cheese, balsamic, parsley and thyme ($15). And one of the bestsellers is the Arburger ($9), a nutty-’shroomy patty served with lettuce, pickles and house-made ketchup. Don’t miss the eggplant “bacon” for an extra toonie. With some cheddar cheese, it’s a satisfying mouthful.
Judging by the packed room every time I’ve visited, the menu is going over extremely well with local residents. This could also be due in part to the stellar service. Nowhere was this more visible than on one lunch visit, when our server was on her own, the room was packed, the take-out counter was five deep, and the card machine had decided to take a holiday. She was smooth, organized, and got everybody’s plates out in a timely and efficient manner, with a smile and a good memory for the water-chugger at my table. (Ahem.)
The Arbor is also licensed, meaning cocktails and naturalist wines, as well as some choice ciders and beers, are on hand, courtesy of sommelier and business partner Paul McCloskey. I’ve been equally impressed with the zero-proof options, especially an iced rose-petal white tea with lemon ($4).
Make sure to come back once the warm months begin, as the “secret garden” back patio that was so popular when this location was Crave is still in existence. Some of those steam buns and a tipple would be just the thing.
Ratings:
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.
