Inez Cook has an uncanny ability to make strangers feel instantly at home.
The Vancouver restaurateur and member of Bella Coola's Nuxalk Nation has been proudly showcasing her culture at Salmon n' Bannock since 2010, and whether you are sitting down in the cosy West Broadway spot for the first or umpteenth time, Cook will greet you like an old friend.
On each table, a laminated sheet not only explains crucial information about Indigenous people and culture, but also includes a couple of lines about how relatives are basically everywhere. "There's a cousin behind every corner and a Cree behind every tree," notes the info sheet, which concludes "When we say we have cousins everywhere, we mean it."
Perhaps that's why dining at Vancouver's only restaurant dedicated to Indigenous cuisine feels like the opportunity to be a part of a bigger family.
Luckily for guests, being a part of the Salmon n' Bannock family means you'll be eating well and learning about Indigenous culture.
Though Salmon n' Bannock has drawn acclaim for its dinner menu, catering, and YVR outpost (the first Indigenous restaurant in a Canadian airport), brunch is a new offering.
Available on Sundays with seatings at 10 a.m. and noon, Cook is quick to point out that Salmon n' Bannock offers brunch reservations, so no need to stand in a line to wait for your weekend midday meal.
It's been awhile since Salmon n' Bannock served brunch; Cook says that when the restaurant was just getting on its feet they tried out offering brunch, but the business needed more time to establish itself.
Fifteen years and many accolades later and now is the time.
Dish names a storytelling component at brunch
Brunch at Salmon n' Bannock merges Indigenous ingredients and culture with familiar breakfast dishes. Most brunch platters are priced $18 to $26, though a breakfast sandwich on bannock comes in at $13. All of the meat is organic, the salmon wild, and the eggs free range.There's also a storytelling component, with clues offered by the names of each dish.
The more obvious nod to Indigenous history is in Salmon n' Bannock's name for their take on a classic "full English" breakfast: The Colonizer.
The Hunter is the name of the breakfast platter that comes with two eggs, roasted potatoes, and game sausage, which comes from a local vendor. For example, on my visit, it was elk and huckleberry sausage.
And, as Cook explained, Salmon n' Bannock's take on French Toast is called The Hibernator as a reference to what bears eat, which are wild berries. The dish takes slices of bannock and turns them into cinnamon-laden French Toast and pairs them with a double hit of berries, with a velvety warm compote and fresh fruit, plus whipped cream and maple syrup.
The bannock also makes the perfect platform for Eggs Benny, called Bennies on Bannock, fittingly, with poached eggs and hollandaise and options like wild smoked salmon or game salami (such as bison).
All of the dishes I tried were well-made and satisfying; it was a great blend of familiar brunch fare and a wonderful way to spotlight Indigenous cuisine.
Beverage options showcase Indigenous-owned businesses
The beverage program champions Indigenous culture, using coffee and tea and other products from Indigenous businesses. As the staff points out to each table, Salmon n' Bannock doesn't carry Coca Cola products because of the negative impact the company has had on First Nations communities. Instead, soft drinks are made using Indigenous ingredients, like a blueberry soda.
For those who imbibe, you'll find wine selections from Nk'mip, a B.C. Indigenous winery in Osoyoos, and at brunch they offer a pitcher of Sangria, which counts among its components white wine from Apricus (an Indigenous-owned winery in the South Okanagan's District Wine Village) and Bella Coola tea.
The coffee isn't "fancy" here - there's no latte art or strawberry matcha - but the generous mug of good ol' drip brew is part of what makes you feel like you're visiting a cherished friend. You will wrap your hands around its span, and take notice that it's decorated with Indigenous art, like the walls of the cozy dining room, and when Cook (a retired flight attendant) comes over wearing her infectious smile offering a warm-up, it will be hard to resist.
"Home," can be a complex notion for many people; your meal at Salmon n' Bannock begins with a land acknowledgement, which drives that complexity, well, home. But food brings people together, and offers an opportunity nourish your body, mind, and soul.
"Feed your spirit," reads a small handwritten sign on a table outside Salmon n' Bannock, while the new menu for the Sunday midday meal beckons you to "brunch your spirit." No matter where you're from, Salmon n' Bannock feels like home.
Video: New Sunday brunch launches at Vancouver's Salmon n' Bannock
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