The Citizen

I just returned from a few days in Toronto for the North By North East music fest. Among the highlights of the trip were two visits to The Citizen, located on Queen Street East. I can't say we were anything but blown away by chef and proprietor Rodney Bower's creation in the heart of the still-sketchy Riverside area. The Citizen's light hearted atmosphere belies the richness of its fare: new interpretations of Old World classics like schnitzel (a favourite, judging by the fact it was unavailable on our dinner visit) and pasta standards. Brunch (or, as Bowers dubs it, "Lupper") is simply a revelation: the braised beef hash, rich with tomatoes and topped with a poached egg was a popular and universally prised selection. Bowers himself is impishly affable, emerging from the kitchen to chat up guests and bus tables. During our brunch visit, Bowers told us he wanted The Citizen to be known as a destination spot. I know I'll certainly make a point of heading there whenever I'm in the Big Smoke.

Cascade Room

This is the Cascade Room, a relatively recent addition to the Main Street scene. Brought to you by the folks behind Habit (located next door), The Cascade successfully brings together solid pub fare, exceptional drinks and a hip-yet-accessible aesthetic.

The room itself is a open and warm space; the hokey Queen Victoria lampshades, exposed beams and prominent World War Two-era slogans exhorting us to "keep calm and carry on" all flirt with pub kitsch, but the effect is offset by sleek black vinyl, polished wood, the now obligatory heavily tattoo'd front of house staff and an overall air of sophistication that sets Cascade apart from the run-of-the-mill Plastic Paddy joint.

Once ensconced at a table, the bar or in the small dining area in the back of the room near the kitchen, one is immediately presented with the Herculean task of choosing from the enormous cocktail menu that is the Cascade's centerpiece. I found the eponymous signature cocktail underwhelming, but the martinis consistently hit the spot (read: my liver). You can stick with a standby or experiment: chances are, you'll find something on there worth ordering again. The gargantuan selection tends to overwhelm the other beverage choices, but once you get past the need for an aperitif, the compact wine list and sizable selection of beers will give you something to pair with your meal (the house draught Cascade lager is a good choice for a very good price).

The food menu offers few surprises, but some nice twists. The organic greens are as good a salad as you'll find for eight bucks these days. The calamari is crisp and delicately spicy and, when paired with the outstanding polenta fries, make an ideal nosh for a small group or a hungry pair (portion sizes are not an issue here).


Yum.

As far as entrees go, the venison bolognese is hearty with a slight gamey taste offset by lemon and subtle tang of capers. The lamb sirloin sandwich and Cascade burger are good, albeit a bit heavy on the bread front. I've heard good things of the pizzas, and they certainly look good, though my personal preference for thick crusts over thin has held me back from sampling them.

A couple of warnings: service can be spotty, particularly when it's busy as it usually is on weekend nights. I doubt it's a coincidence my best experiences with Cascade have been on Sunday-Wednesday evenings. And if you are sensitive or want an intimate chat, you'll be disappointed: the open room, abundant alcohol and often ear-splitting music create a din that can make conversation a chore. Personally, I don't mind a little bit of a racket in a watering hole: if The Cascade leaned further to the restaurant side of the coin, we'd have a problem.

Overall, nothing about the Cascade will blow your mind. It's an excellent place for drinks and a solid-but-unspectacular dinner option (I hear they are adding a lunch menu, FYI). It's certainly as close as you're going to get to a happening neighbourhood pub-type establishment here in No-Fun City and a refreshing break from the ubiquitous "small plates" focused places that seemingly make up 90 per cent of new restaurants in Vancouver. For those reasons, The Cascade stands near the top of my default dinner-out options.