Sometimes, you get a nice surprise. Tuc Craft Kitchen certainly wasn’t what I was expecting, as all reports spoke of a “rustic” space, slightly bare, lots of exposed brick (typical of Gastown), but with a modernist feel. While bricks there are aplenty, there is also a soaring wine wall behind the bar in dark, reclaimed wood and a nice, upbeat feel to a room that seems permanently active without being overly busy. In a word, it’s comfortable.
Comfortable also describes most of the food. Almost everything is made in house, and ingredients are sourced locally, with most proteins coming out of the Fraser Valley. Starters like candied-orange-glazed lamb ribs are right on the money, as are the parsnip fries. The latter are served with a housemade and spice-licked “ketchup” that is good enough to be bottled and sold to the masses. The beef and pork meatballs, which you can order as a starter or single, were less impressive, being a tad bland and a mite too firm for proper albóndigas.
Mains like the beef cheeks, cabernet-braised and loaded with wilted spinach, caramelized shallots, and tubers, are so rich they should only be served in the British Properties. As with the lamb ribs, the meat here was perfect, falling apart at the touch of the fork, and meltingly soft. Chef/co-owner Roy Flemming obviously is a dab hand at the braises; no surprise when you consider he cut his teeth in restaurants like Le Marais and Le Vieux Pecheur in Montreal. Just make sure to order something with which to cut the fat ratio.
The chicken confit, however, was disappointing. The meat was dry, the wilted greens were too salty, and the accompanying biscuit was more of a cracker.
Full props, however, go to the stellar front of house. Our server noticed that we took only a few bites out of the chicken before calling it quits (many will studiously ignore such an ominous sign unless prodded by the customer). We politely explained, when asked, why we didn’t like it, and it was promptly taken off our bill. No questions about whether we understood the concept of confit, or if we were “sure” it was too dry. Just a graceful apology and an offer to bring another dish. We just as politely declined (we were already quite full), but it was a much-appreciated gesture.
Service overall was fairly excellent on both visits. Co-owners James MacFarlane and Colin Ross run a tight ship, and all is as it should be, including the excellent drinks list. A long list of classic cocktails is impressive, but the real value here comes from what’s on tap (wines mainly under $10, beers under $8), as well as the stellar bottle program. Mark-ups are low, and selection – including Little Straw’s La Petite Paille Sauvignon Blanc and some seriously-undersung Zweigelt Rosé from Seven Directions – is excellent. A couple bottles from Italy and New Zealand pop up, but it’s mainly all BC – and solid picks at that.
Tuc is creating a fairly decent space for Gastown locals to call their haunt, which, considering the growth of the neighbourhood, is excellent news.
All ratings out of five stars.
Food: ***
Service: ****
Ambiance: ***
Value: ***
Overall: ***
Anya Levykh has been writing about all things ingestible for more than 10 years. Hear her every Monday on CBC Radio One’s On the Coast and find her on Twitter @foodgirlfriday and Facebook.com/FoodGirlFriday. FoodGirlFriday.com
