I continue to be impressed with the strides the formally known as Donelly Group is doing to usher in new and exciting, good food to their chain of social houses and bars. The transition began a couple of years ago with a new district head chef and their increased standards has since trickled down. The chain acknowledged that their drink specials are leading the way, but their food offerings need to catch up. This past year has seen them rebrand as Freehouse Collective, a hospitality service focused on the customer experience.
And today I was invited to try their new vision, by way of their revamped brunch menu. It is available at a few of their locations, but I chose Three Brits by English Bay as the one to visit, for its beach side views and people watching potential all year round. Not to mention, during the day, it is a well lit and relaxed spot to dine in.
We began with a couple of their unique brunch cocktails. The Orange Julius promised nostalgia for those who grew up drinking the frosted orange smoothies for the once trendy juice bar, but remade here with a grown up twist. Olmeca altos tequila, orange, egg white, sugar, whole milk, and vanilla. And like at the real Orange Julius, you have the option of adding in a banana to the blend, which we did. The cocktail tasted exactly as promised, like the mall food court blended fruit smoothie, but with the warmth of a barely noticeable spirit.
The Bright Lights was another fun blended cocktail. A mix of Absolut vodka, curaçao, pineapple, sugar, cranberry, and watermelon it was as fun as the coloured Absolut branded can it was served in. This had the same vibe as a mimosa with citrus, but closer to tropical punch with the additional fruits.
For food, we gravitated towards items that are not common to brunch and are definitely more unique to the Freehouse Collective Group. Like the Smoked ham hock poutine with cheese curds and maple flakes. This was honestly some of the best poutine I have had. Not traditional, but it started right with a solid base of quality fries. It was saltier with the pork bits, which also made it more filling, but balanced out by the fragrant green onions and its added freshness.
Fried chicken and waffles included a spicy buttermilk marinade, Belgian liege waffles, a sunny side up egg, and a chilli maple syrup. It looked messy on the plate, but ate wonderfully. The block of butter did little, especially as it failed to melt down, and was left on the side. The sweet crumbles of caramelized chilli maple was a nice note to end each bite on, well combating the extra spice. The salad was an interesting side, it felt Asian inspired with the mandarin orange and did match the sweetness of the waffle. Though when ordering something as indulgent as chicken and waffles, the last thing you think of is a salad. I would opt for a bowl of mixed fruit instead, as a complimentary side.
The Chicken katsu burger was a classic crispy fried chicken sandwich. I wanted more Korean flavours from the bulldog sauce, cabbage, and kewpie mayo; but it ate more like a spicy and sweet Nashville fried chicken sando. I liked it just fine, it just was not what we were expecting when reading the menu.
The order typically comes with a side of regular shoestrings fries, but we got the upgrade to Rosemary fries instead. Same shoestring potatoes but topped with grana padano, and served with a curry aioli for dipping. Once again, I cannot rave more about their fries, these had the texture of McDonalds fries, which are some of the best in their own right. The seasoning was simply a dusting, so I still looked to the classic tang of ketchup for flavour, and dipped into the more bold and spicy curry aioli when I wanted a shift.
The Chorizo and chimichuri breakfast sando had a Spanish flare to it with roasted pepper, cilantro, arugula, and a sunny egg. The chorizo was not as spicy or zesty as I am familiar with, so all the flavours came together in harmony. And the crispy tater tots made a delicious side, offering a more neutral break in between bites.
In summary, I cannot recommend one of their Public Houses more for a wonderful, reasonably priced brunch option. This is the sort of menu and offering you would expect from a bistro or diner, not a bar broadcasting sports matches on one of its many flat screen televisions. By far this was better than many of the other dedicated brunch spots out there, better food for better value, and the bonus of no lineup. Plus, they are the only ones in the area with breakfast sandwiches on the menu.
The Three Brits Public House
1780 Davie St, Vancouver, BC V6G 1W2, Canada
+1 604-801-6681
freehouse.co
