Twisted Fork
My cousin’s wedding was a whirlwind. We didn’t have much time to visit – only about 3 days all told, and it was a veritable nonstop stream of family activities and Chinese Banquets from the time we arrived on a Friday afternoon. On Sunday morning we were able to sneak away to Vancouver, short SkyTrain ride away from the Richmond Landsdowne station. A neighbour of ours had recommended Twisted Fork, describing it as a “feast of a brunch,” and other online reviews indicated that we might have a nice, tasty time. We exited the Yaletown station, and walked a couple of short blocks to Granville. We anticipated a wait, having reached the restaurant around 11:30 or so.
The wait quoted – about 30 minutes – seemed perfectly reasonable, and we whiled away the time reading George RR Martin’s A Clash of Kings on our respective e-readers. And, true to their estimate, we were seated within a half-hour. Twisted Fork is small, long and narrow. Unless you’re sitting by the front entrance and windows, the rest of the establishment is quite dim, the darkness also enhanced by blood-red walls, black counter-siding and furniture. But, the banquettes were cozy and comfy, and towards the back there appeared to be seating for slightly larger groups.
The Brutus
DD is not one to turn down a hair of the dog, and promptly ordered the Brutus – their take on a Bloody Caesar. I like my bloodys thick and tart, and this drink did not disappoint. They also halved the amount of alcohol in mine, upon request. The Brutus is by no means a traitor to the Caesar, but is a fantastic alternative, with vodka, horseradish, dijon mustard, and spicy-tart house pickles, including an entire brussels sprout.
Eggs Benny
I cannot resist a benedict, and had to opt for the Eggs Benny – a decadent platter of toasted brioche, poached eggs smothered in hollandaise, a bit of spinach, some fried potato rosti and a crock of baked beans. Patrons also have the option of choosing a meat or non-meat item as a “filler:” chorizo, ham, bacon, smoked salmon, prosciutto; or roasted tomato or avocado. I opted for their crisp bacon, which held its crunch until I had consumed the very last bit of crumbly goodness.
Gruyere-baked Eggs
DD wanted the gruyere eggs, accompanied by sourdough toast, house-made jam, roasted tomatoes, bacon, potato rosti and baked beans. This seemed to be a variation of a traditional English Breakfast, perhaps missing a couple of meaty components, but hearty nonetheless. It seemed that the chef had broken eggs into the crock and topped them with cream and gruyere, simple and rich.
Stuffed French Toast
Because we’re in the habit of ordering something sweet for dessert, we also added the banana-stuffed brioche french toast to our orders, asking our server first whether we had requested too much. She emphatically shook her head and lied blatantly to our faces. Both egg dishes were considerable; this platter downright hefty. Though I’m not usually a fan of bananas, these were perfectly cooked and softly nestled in the brioche’s flaky interior. The gob of whipped cream was also formidable, and we were glad for the bits of sliced apple and strawberry to give us some respite from the buttery richness of the plate. Somehow we managed to make our way through most of the dish, giving up when only 1/2 a slice of toast was left.
Some reviews have critiqued the service as slow; indeed, a notice on the bottom of their menu asks for understanding: “There are only two cooks in the Twisted Fork kitchen. Please be patient. Our food takes time.” However, we didn’t notice this at all, and thought the pacing just fine. Perhaps it was because we had our books to distract us during the wait…
All in all, brunch was delicious, and Twisted Fork makes for a worthwhile trek from Richmond.
Twisted Fork Bistro
1147 Granville St
Vancouver, BC V6Z
(604) 568-0749
http://www.twistedforkbistro.ca
