Twenty years ago in Vancouver, not many people were pulling out their cellphones at the dinner table to take videos and photos of their food. The buzziest eating trends were low-carb foods, artisanal chocolates infused with exotic flavours, and a new wave of "deconstructed" dishes.
Consider this: Of the 10 restaurants hailed by the Vancouver Sun as the best debuts of 2004, only two remain in business. One is Toshi Sushi, while the other - nabbing the first-place spot for the year - is Chambar.
Known for its Euro-African-Middle Eastern menu with deep ties to Belgian beer culture, Chambar arrived in Vancouver and managed to not merely capture everyone's attention, but also remain a popular touchstone in the city's dining scene for two decades - and counting.
On a Tuesday night, the dining room of the Beatty Street restaurant, with its eclectic light fixtures and warm brick walls, hums with excitement, as cheeseboards, tagines, and Chambar's beloved steamed mussels land on table after table. The vibe is electric and lively; it's no wonder Chambar is where couples go on first dates, get engaged, and come back for anniversary dinners year after year.
Chambar's special anniversary menu has 2004 pricing
Chambar co-founders Nico Schuermans and Karri Green-Schuermans are marking the celebrated restaurant's 20th anniversary with several special events and offerings. The festivities are already underway with Chambar's limited-edition 20th anniversary three-course menu, which features dishes from the restaurant's earliest years at throwback pricing: $45. Optional wine pairings are available to enjoy alongside the menu.
Available now through April 28, diners can choose from two dishes per course (appetizer, main, dessert) with selections like an herbaceous parsley and mint tabbouleh topped with grilled ahi tuna and a smoky eggplant sauce; bouillabaisse of prawns, mussels, lingcod and calamari with tomato, saffron, and charred orange with a side of nutty black rice; and Chambar's signature Liege waffle with a dark chocolate sauce.
Those Liege waffles may also remind diners of another Vancouver restaurant, Café Medina, and the connection is no coincidence.
While Chambar got its start (in a smaller space a couple of doors down) as a dinner spot, Nico and Karri wound up partnering with an employee, Robbie Kane, to open Café Medina in the space as a daytime venture. In 2014, Chambar moved into its current spot at 568 Beatty St, and soon after Café Medina re-established itself as a standalone venture nearby on Richards.
Many esteemed Vancouver restaurant chefs and operators worked at Chambar
But the waffles live on at Chambar as part of its popular weekend brunch menu - another time of the week when you can expect to find the restaurant brimming with guests and the mimosas flowing.
Kane and Café Medina are one of many Vancouver restaurant icons with deep ties to Chambar. Among its alumni are several celebrated chefs and hospitality pros, including Paul Grunberg (Pepino's, Savio Volpe, the new Elio Volpe), Tannis Ling (Kissa Tanto, Bao Bei, Meo), David Robertson (the neighbouring Dirty Apron culinary school and deli-cafe), and Justin Tisdall (Juke Fried Chicken). Karri shares that she is so pleased to carry on relationships with Chambar alumns and enjoys sending her present-day diners - including many out-of-towners - to their restaurants with full confidence those guests will have stellar experiences.
In the coming months, as Chambar continues to mark its 20-year run and its 10-year tenure at its current address, fans can expect that many of the restaurant's past team members will factor into the celebrations.
“It’s been an adventure and a love affair with this city. We are so honoured that Chambar is a ‘special place’ to so many people, and that so many Chambar alumni have gone on to contribute to Vancouver's culinary landscape with their own establishments," said Karri in a media release.
- UPDATE: Chambar has extended its special anniversary menu through April 28, 2024.
Watch: Trying Chambar's 20th Anniversary Menu - with 2004 pricing
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