The Ultimate Vancouver Brunch Guide: Forage

Jun 3 2016, 2:06 am

We’re taking a tasty tour of Vancouver’s many brunches to create The Ultimate Vancouver Brunch Guide. This week we’re enjoying scrumptious brunch eats with a focus on quality local produce at Forage.

Located at 1300 Robson Street, Forage offers its guests a causal, comfortable dining setting in which to enjoy a range of farm-to-table fare. Perhaps better known for their dinner service, where Chef Chris Whittaker prepares a bounty of seasonally-inspired dishes, on the weekend the restaurant also whips up a variety of brunch classics and “Forage Faves.”

Scones and honey butter (Jess Fleming / Daily Hive)

Scones and honey butter (Jess Fleming / Daily Hive)

While brunch begins at 10 a.m. on both Saturday and Sunday, the restaurant is actually open from 7 a.m. for breakfast, complete with its own menu. With such an early start, brunch at Forage is buzzing from the get-go.

The menu showcases an array of offerings, from the sweet to the savoury; every plate is just as tempting as the next. Fortunately, the restaurant offers a side of freshly baked scones, served warm with honey butter and seasonal preserves, like blueberry and fennel, that diners can nibble away on while they make the all-important decision of which main brunch plate to choose.

Fresh pre juice and Forage Green Blend (Jess Fleming / Daily Hive)

Fresh pre juice and Forage Green Blend (Jess Fleming / Daily Hive)

For those who like their bacon and eggs in the morning, Forage dishes up a mean classic Eggs Benny served with free-range eggs and back bacon, in addition to a simple yet satisfying big breakkie plate, comprised of two free-range eggs, crispy potatoes, house-made toast and the choice of bacon, sausage or fruit.

The Two Rivers Turkey Sausage Hash is certainly a highlight on the menu. Composed of an assortment of perfectly roasted and seasoned veggies, this dish is served in an cast iron skillet, and topped off with two free-range eggs and watercress pesto. The meal also comes with toast, sliced from the restaurant’s own baked in-house bread, which is the ideal tool to soak up the excess yolk and slightly sweet pesto sauce.

Scrambled free-range eggs, bacon, sausage, and crispy potatoes (Jess Fleming / Daily Hive)

Scrambled free-range eggs, bacon, sausage, and crispy potatoes (Jess Fleming / Daily Hive)

Alongside the main meals Forage also offers a range of sides, like grilled kale, leg of duck confit, liver and toast, merguez sausage, and a delectable pot of house-made “Nutella.” Made from four simple ingredients, this take on the Italian sweetened chocolate spread is outrageously good, so much so patrons will want to eat it by the spoonful.

Two Rivers turkey sausage hash (Jess Fleming / Daily Hive)

Two Rivers turkey sausage hash (Jess Fleming / Daily Hive)

Speaking of sweet, Forage also prepares a local fruit parfait with yogurt and honey, brioche French toast, a granola bowl, and buttermilk pancakes. Presented as a stack of three, Forage’s delightfully fluffy pancakes are topped with valley blueberries and honey butter, which when left to melt creeps its way into the batter. The accompanying jug of maple syrup gives the dish a delightfully sweet kick.

Grilled kale (Jess Fleming / Daily Hive)

Grilled kale (Jess Fleming / Daily Hive)

From the bar, patrons will find a range of “Sober” and “Tipsy Beverages.” Drinks sans alcohol include loose leaf teas, Mogiana espresso, fresh pressed juices and the Forage Green Blend, while boozy numbers include, The Brutus (the restaurant’s rendition of a Caesar comprised of vodka, Walter clamato Juice, smoked chicharron, crackling and fennel salt), and a sparkling Mimosa, made with B.C. bubbles and the choice of fresh squeezed OJ, grapefruit or apple juice.

Buttermilk pancakes (Jess Fleming / Daily Hive)

Buttermilk pancakes (Jess Fleming / Daily Hive)

Bottled beer, craft cider and seasonal cocktails are also served at brunch, like the Todd Collins, which is a refreshingly light sipper, consisting of Okanagan Spirits gin, house-made fennel tonic (crafted by in-house fermenter Todd Graham), fresh lemon juice and bitters.

Todd Collins (Jess Fleming / Daily Hive)

Todd Collins (Jess Fleming / Daily Hive)

Diverse meal choices, well-executed classics, vibrant flavours, and friendly and switched-on service, make Forage an excellent choice when scouring downtown for a memorable weekend brunch feed. Don’t just add it to your list – go!

Forage

Address: 1300 Robson Street
Phone: 604-661-1400
Hours: Brunch is served Saturday and Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Website: www.foragevancouver.com

Jess FlemingJess Fleming

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