The amount of restaurants opening up in Vancouver over the last couple of years has skyrocketed. Each new spot seems to offer a menu filled with delicious, fresh, and innovative items plus lovingly crafted beer, wine, and cocktail lists.
I recently found a wonderful new gem in the crowd. Luke’s Corner Bar and Kitchen has been open for little over a year and half now, located in the South Granville corridor.
An inviting space awaits diners as the welcome sign on the door indicates. The interior is filled with wooden tables, a centrally located bar, and booths, offering a variety of seating options for sports and non-sports lovers alike.
This forward-thinking establishment is owned by Mark Roberts, who together with co-owner Peter Baker is putting truly sustainable dining on the map. This is the first Vancouver restaurant to dive into high-temperature composting of vegetable waste (plus coffee grinds and tea bags). This new technology greatly reduces a restaurant’s ecological footprint.
Later this month, a micro-farming operation will begin from behind the restaurant: a container is being prepared by Urban Stream’s Nick Hermes that will turn the waste into compost, either to be planted back into the onsite garden or sold back to the community. For now, several herbs and arugula are grown and used in Luke’s dishes. Plans are to add hydroponically-grown bib lettuce and oyster mushrooms, an extremely locally-sourced option.
Chef Megan Anahaw has a flair with presentation, bringing out colourful, healthy, and fresh dishes to enjoy. I ordered Diane’s Choice salad, named after the restaurant’s neighbour, Diane’s Lingerie. Part of the brand-new menu, this dish is a hearty mix of grilled chicken mixed with quinoa, black beans, asparagus, and other vegetables – a meal in itself.
Another new and very welcome menu item is the Ahi tuna poke stack, piled high with tuna, and offset with flavourful fruit salsa, and a lovely ginger/soy dressing to complement to crisp wonton chips.
Luke’s uses 100% heritage Angus grass-fed beef for its burgers. This ensures a hormone and antibiotic-free product. The burgers are hand blended and served with a house made chipotle Granny Smith ketchup and skinny fries.
[Luke’s house made veggie burger served with skinny fries]
I opted to try the house made veggie burger, piled high on a brioche bun. This thick, flavour-packed burger is made with black beans, wild mushrooms, quinoa, egg, and BC white cheddar. It is a lovingly crafted masterpiece!
I also couldn’t resist trying a few bites of scallop and prawn risotto, made with white truffle oil, red pepper, and zucchini (I chose a non-pepper version). It’s so smooth and flavourful with the tender bite of both the seared scallops and jumbo prawns.
There’s several share plates, salads, Ocean Wise-sanctioned seafood, pasta (lobster ravioli is on the new menu!), and those thick and gorgeous beef, chicken, and veggie burgers.
A good variety of red, white, and sparkling wines offered in 6 or 9 oz. pours (and by the bottle) are on the backside of the menu, as are the craft beers and daily drink specials.
[L to R: Elysian Red, Driftwood Fat Tug IPA, Phillips Blue Buck]
Luke’s features local craft beers from the Pacific Northwest, rotating microbrewery favourites such as Deschutes and Elysian with local favourites Driftwood and Phillips.
The restaurant aims to regularly rotate the taps to bring both new and lesser known brews to the forefront, with a few brewmaster’s dinners already in the works. Three 6 oz. pours can be had for $7.50.
Sangria pitchers ($20; $16 all day on Saturdays), plus Luke’s spiked lemonades and classic cocktails are also available. Luke’s also pours coffee using Spirit Bear Coffee Company beans. Spirit Bear is an aboriginally-owned company that gives back: 10% of all sales go to fund the Spirit Bear Center Society.
I hope to save room for dessert the next time I’m in!
Luke’s is open for lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch and lunch. It’s located at 2996 Granville Street at 14th. Visit the website for detailed menus and news.
My lunch was compliments of Luke’s Corner Bar & Kitchen.