According to one Vancouver urban legend, Blood Alley is so named because of its history as the citys meat-packing and butchery district, where workers would flush the blood from their shops out into the alley every day at close. When asked about the choice for his restaurants name, LAbattoirs executive chef Lee Cooper refers to the neighbourhoods past as having had a slight influence. But, leaning back comfortably in his chair, with a bit of a skeptical grin, he admits he isnt completely convinced by the stories.
I wouldnt say thats a hundred per cent accurate history, but Regardless of the verity of these kinds of tales, theres a history here that binds this tightly knit neighbourhood, a history that this restaurant is happy to perpetuate. And so the name has stuck: LAbattoir French for The Slaughterhouse.
Planning for the new restaurant began in 2008, as Cooper started to look for a place to call his own. He was joined in the venture by a childhood friend from Nanaimo president and founder of Truffles Fine Foods Catering, Nin Rai. But there was one piece missing; they needed someone to manage, to spearhead the front-of-house operations. Cooper didnt need to look very far. He happened to be working at Shangri-Las Market with someone who fit the bill perfectly: Paul Grunberg. With the LAbattoir trio in place, Gastowns newest restaurant opened its doors July 14, 2010.
Cooper began his culinary career in rather inauspicious circumstances, working in one of the A&Ws owned by his dad on the Island. At 33, still a tender age by nearly any standard, Cooper already has 15 years of experience in very good kitchens behind him. And he draws upon this wealth to make LAbattoir even better. Every day we try to cook the food a little bit better, push the cooks to be a little bit faster, to be better than we were yesterday.
As is expected, a major factor in that never-ending quest for improvement is the products the chef and his kitchen use. Thats why small local farms are so prevalent on the menu. Its a matter of pride in their stock, says the chef, which the smaller producers seem to have, that makes the difference. Independent farmers seem to more often than not bring a better product to market, whether its pork and lamb from Six Masters, or pigeon and rabbit from Lostock.
For a large part too, Cooper follows the seasons when determining what to prepare and serve Whatevers at its best at the time and likes to keep it lighter in the Spring and Summer months. This means that right now youll find the menu to be somewhat fish-and-veg heavy. But meat-lovers need not worry; there will always be a place for you at LAbattoirs table. For as much as he lets the seasons dictate his course, he also, like most good chefs, garners inspiration from what he himself likes and he likes meat. From the Steak Diane which has been a mainstay on the menu since day one to the duck breast roasted on the bone to the pork shoulder cooked in milk (not to mention the lamb, pigeon and rabbit which often appear on the menu), LAbattoir makes sure to live up to its name.
And in what seems like a nod to the long weekend, Chef Cooper has recently had a small charcoal grill added to his kitchen my favourite little toy, he calls it. Its a way of introducing different flavour-profiles to the dishes. One such dish, the aforementioned duck, features char-grilled duck thigh, which has quickly become a standout favourite among the restaurants guests.
As for Cooper himself, he likes to keep it simple when grilling at home. Asked what it will be this May long weekend, to go with a couple of beers and a few friends around the barbecue, his answer is one that may surprise: Burgersbut thats just me.
By Marcus Kaulback
