There is a fun new cocktail bar in Mount Pleasant. Dressed like the neighbourhood’s vintage store, is this bar and grill with a retro theme.
Opened in August of this year, Vintage & Provisions might be hard to spot, minus the 1920’s bold sailor style tattoo mural that marks their patio (weather permitting). They are located behind the entrance of the ‘Coulter House’, a now historic landmark built in 1902 with its original facade protected. This once served as the community’s grocer until shuttering in the late 70’s.
Behind this, a lot of work and finite curating has gone into the decor. The owner has personally sourced design materials from locals, and even took a two week trip to Winnipeg to scour antique halls and yard sales to create this flashback in time. His vision is to host a rotation of pieces that will come and go as they get bought and sold.
This 70’s collection includes the autumn floral love-seat we sat on, with matching crochet throw pillows in yellow, orange, and brown. Next to it was a metal side table with a caddy for news print and magazines at its bottom, and a level surface up top to hold the turn dial telephone with curled cord and matching amber table-lamp. Naturally the glasses we drank our water out of were a familiar opaque brown tumbler. And we would have our meal on top of fold-out television trays.
There are also regular high top tables, seats at the bar, and large group lounging spots available. Although I felt like we got the most out of the experience with our time capsule living room arrangement.
We would begin our evening with a couple of drinks. Their entire menu is an accordion-style fold-out, which reads as fun as the setting. It lists plenty of quirky names and unique ingredients to get you trying something new.
Like their Taco Flavoured Kisses cocktail with Caz Repo, Siete Mezcal, Ancho, Grapefruit, and Taco Spice. Naturally, with the latter most ingredient, this cocktail drank true to name. It was savoury with a peppery accent that made my lips tingle, hiding an unsuspectingly strong cocktail.
The Scooby Snack was like if you wanted to spike a pressed juice. Absolut, Vermouth, Passion, Spirulina, Gingseng, and Been Pollen. It was tropical and fun in flavour, but swirled like a healthy green juice on the tongue. A great option for those who are counting calories and stocking up on vitamins, but also want a good time.
Both of our drinks were so distinct that I would not suggest pairing them with any food. They stand alone as their own well-mixed flavour profile. A criss cross combination of sweet, heat, savoury, and tropical. An achievement the bar takes great pride in, as the owner has even gone so far as to purchase 3 different ice makers. This is in order to provide the restaurant with nugget, cube, and block ice; options perfect for any cocktail they wishes to compose. This attention to detail and need to have the best speaks through to the cocktails. You can taste the fresh juices squeeze to order and the quality of the seasonings used to flavour.
Comparatively, I found the food as a whole was more on the well-chard and smoky side; and in complete contrast to the playful concoctions we had. I would suggest starting the night off with a couple of cocktails first, simply enjoy them as is. Then following them with a solid meal: multiple courses paired with either beer or wine. Let the cocktails sell themselves, and the dishes speak for themselves.
The food tastes uniform because everything is prepared using the restaurant’s completely custom giant wood-fire hearth and roaster. A set-up that took 6 months to build, and as a result is on full display within their open kitchen. There is no gas alternative to the kitchen, only live fire and wood sourced sustainably and locally, varying depending on each offering.
The following is all the small plates we shared between two, focusing on the international cuisine variety their menu offered.
Like the Choripanes which is an Argentinian sausage and chimichurri sauce on a baguette. It is exactly as the menu describes it. A juicy sausage with thick skin that once penetrates squirts with a salty miso-like jus. I enjoyed the woodsy flavour of the charred sausage as is. And found that the baguette added nothing, other than an obstacle for wrapping my mouth around. I also didn’t get much of the aforementioned chimichurri. It would have been nice to have it, along with a couple of additional condiments to mix and match and dip into. And then to have the bread as a selective option on the side.
My favourite dish of the night was the Nigella Hummus that came highly recommended by our server, as the unexpected but delicious option. Currants, Castelvetranos, and Toasted Lavash. This was hummus elevated with the bold tang of the green olives and the pool of quality olive oil. I just could have used more flatbread to fully hand smear all the hummus on to.
The Smoked Crackling Pork Belly was a little too sumptuous for my tastes. Served sliced up as is with a side of Nuoc Cham dipping sauce and their house made pickles. The pork meat was so fatty, you were left wanting a base to help cut into it. Some rice, a steamed bao, or even a leaf of lettuce to wrap it. The fish sauce and pickles were meant to help chase the richness, but being so bold in vinegar-flavour themselves, they only compounded the issue. I found myself needing to take breaks from this dish.
This is where the beer I recommended earlier would have been helpful. Even what we figured would be a more simple dish was teeming with flavour. Our vegetable option was no less muted, not like the side we originally intended it to be. Scorched Greens Beans, Shittake, and sprouts in a Szechuan peppercorn dressing. Smoky and saucy soggy beans, slightly sweet hoisin sauce mushrooms, and a salty soy base with slivers of beans sprouts. This one could have used a bowl of steamed white rice. And I would have preferred the beans more crisp and less bogged down by its own pooled sauce.
The lightest dish was the Hokkaido Scallop Aguchile made with Coconut Milk, Lemongrass, Lime and Habanero. A milky scallop fragranced with the tropical essence of coconut. No complaints, it ate sparingly as you thought it would.
In summary, I cannot recommend Vintage & Provisions more as a new original bar. It’s one of a kind concept will have your head rotating on a spit. Stop in to grab a creative cocktail and teleport yourself back to the past. The mood is set with 90’s to early 00’s hip hop from the owner’s own iPod. Music so good that it had us asking if there was a DJ hiding somewhere. I will most definitely have to return when the weather is warmer and their patio is open for seating.
Mount Pleasant Vintage & Provisions
67 W 6th Ave, Vancouver, BC V5Y 1K2
(604) 416-2830
mtpleasant.bar
