STRAIGHT AND MARROW || Cozy Eatery Delivers on Casual, Accessible and Creative Food & Drink
It’s a place where they’ve always wanted to go to.
This is how Straight and Marrow owner Christopher Lam and Bar Manager Chad Rivard describes Straight and Marrow. They wanted a place where they could go to experience dishes they have never tried before, and to enjoy late-night eats with tasty cocktails. The intimate dining space boasts an ambitious menu ranging from charcuterie to beef heart tartare, to seafood dishes, decadent desserts, and a creative and tasty cocktail list to boot.
Although the journey to opening the restaurant was a prolonged one, especially under the current special circumstances, Lam finally got to realize his dream when he opened the doors to the restaurant on July 29th.
THE INTERIORS
The cozy space lists the day’s specials on a chalkboard, and bar seating allows patrons to see the unique cocktails being prepared on the spot.
A long and narrow space, Straight and Marrow's interior design is the handiwork of Lam's former colleague and friend Genevieve Legg of Formed 4 Design and Vancouver-based artist Leah Bradley. The talented team collaborated to develop a creative vision for the intimate dining room, which includes a 12-seat bar, striking light fixtures, and custom-built wall panels showcasing decorative copper and wood elements.
ABOUT CHEF AND OWNER CHRISTOPHER LAM
Lam shares that prior to starting Straight and Marrow, he had been on a 6-year hiatus from cooking since he wanted a change of lifestyle to have more time for his child and family. He spent a lot of time in the area where Straight and Marrow is now located and realized that there were no options for late-night dining or even many dining options for that matter. When the Bistro Wagon Rouge space at 1869 Powell Street in Vancouver’s East Village came up for sale, Chris knew this was his opportunity to realize his lifelong dream to open his own restaurant.
A fourth-generation chef and restaurateur, Lam has worked in the industry for more than 12 years. After graduating from the Culinary Program at Vancouver Community College, he went on to hone his gastronomic talents at the original Provence Mediterranean Grill in Point Grey, eventually working his way up the ranks to become Executive Sous Chef at the award-winning restaurant. The talented young chef also worked in the kitchen at the Westin Bayshore during the 2010 Winter Olympics and more recently served as a Sous Chef at Gastown favourite Nuba.
Custom-built wall panel shipped from Quebec took months due to unforeseen Covid circumstances
THE TEAM
Bar Manager Chad Rivard brings years of industry experience to his new role behind the pine at Straight and Marrow having worked at The Acorn, The Shameful Tiki Room, and Odd Society Spirits. Designed to complement the meat-forward menu, Straight and Marrow's sophisticated-yet-playful drink list features a dozen signature libations from Rivard prepared with house-made infusions and syrups, including the namesake Straight and Marrow cocktail, which blends marrow-infused white rye with Benedictine, lemon, orange, and red wine.
Rounding out the front-of-house team is General Manager Marc Dumouchel. A Montreal native, Dumouchel began his hospitality career in the four-diamond dining room at Fairmont's Jasper Park Lodge in Alberta. He relocated to Vancouver in 2010 and has refined his wine knowledge and management skills over the last decade at a number of notable dining rooms across the city, including Provence, La Belle Auberge and Raincity Grill.
THE DRINKS
We had the pleasure of seeing Rivard work his magic behind the bar, a chance to experience 4 of the delicious cocktails on the menu. The creation process is also fun and engaging for guests, as the blowtorch to smoke rosemary, and also to create a créme brûlée-like topping for the Key Lime Cocktail.
Creating the charred rosemary for the Bent Not Broken cocktail
Guests can expect unique flavours such as charred rosemary olive oil, beef stock and marrow infused Mongrel White Rye. The Bent Not Broken cocktail is finished with a Rivard using a blowtorch to char the rosemary floating atop of a small piece of lemon, and the restaurant’s namesake cocktail, Straight and Marrow, features creative touches such as beef stock and Marrow Infused Montreal White Rye. Rivard shares that this cocktail would pair especially well with the meat dishes on the menu.
Creating the namesake cocktail Straight and Marrow
For those craving something on the sweeter side to pair with the desserts on the menu, Rivard recommends the Key Lime Cocktail, which is topped with toasted egg white. For those who enjoy a sparkling sipper, the L’avion is a concoction of aromatic Blueberry Sumac Lavender Liqueur with sparkling wine.
Needless to say, the restaurant’s creative cocktail menu should already attract you to pay a visit to this new establishment in Vancouver’s East Village, but let us also explore the range of delicious food options on the menu.
Rivard putting the finishing touches on the L’avion cocktail
THE FOOD
“My vision for Straight and Marrow is to provide a casual, affordable experience that doesn’t sacrifice on quality. ”
Although we tasted just 4 dishes off the menu, they were enough to demonstrate to us that Lam has realized his objective of presenting casual, affordable dishes that introduce his guests to new culinary experiences. We rarely eat octopus, and yet his Octopus Carpaccio, simply prepared with tomato, marrow, and smoked paprika aioli, had such a unique, smooth, almost crisp texture to it that was surprisingly refreshing. Pair this dish with the Bent Not Broken cocktail to enjoy with a drink.
Octopus Carpaccio
Beef Heart Tartare with Sorrel, Crispy Sunchoke, Cured Egg Yolks, Castelvetrano Olives
The Beef Heart Tartare is done the Spanish way with olives and tomatoes, giving it a hearty yet also tangy zest that makes it a great appetizer to kickstart your appetite.
We also loved the authentic light and fluffy texture of the house-made potato gnocchi in the Uni Gnocchi. The light uni cream provides just enough flavour to dress but not overpower the pasta. The leek ash peppered over the dish also adds an extra layer of flavour.
To complete our meal, we treated ourselves to the S’more dessert on the menu because — who can say no to melted marshmallow? Rivard recommends pairing this decadent dessert with the Key Lime Cocktail, the perfect balance to the sweetness of the plate.
Uni Gnocchi with House Made Potato Gnocchi, Uni Miso Cream , Leek Ash, Sorrel
S’more with Smoked Chocolate Terrine, Graham Tuile, Marshmallow, Raspberries
If these delightful dishes aren’t enough to entice you to make a beeline for Straight and Marrow, their other menu highlights include Lamb Sweet Breads served with fried Brussel sprouts and daikon and Bone Marrow with chicken crackling and pickled shiitake mushrooms. The next time you are looking for tasty eats late night, make sure to drop by this cozy eatery for delicious bites and drinks to complete your night.
An irresistible food spread
