Fayuca: ever-changing North Pacific Mexican cuisine in Yaletown (PHOTOS)

You won’t find one hundred different kinds of tequila at Yaletown’s newest Latin restaurant, Fayuca, but you will find stellar North Pacific Mexican cuisine.

The menu is a perfect marriage of locally-sourced ingredients and internationally-sourced flavours, and it was crafted by owner Ernesto Gomez (Nuba, Waldorf, Fox Cabaret) and head chef Jair Tellez or Mexico (Laja, Merotoro, and Amaya).

The corner 3,500 square-feet Hamilton Street space was formally the Hamilton Street Grill, the interior was transformed by Scott Cohen Design.

With elements of Latin flare in every corner such as hand-cut clay brick detailing and carefully placed sea-blue tile in the bar, Fayuca has all the charm and atmosphere you’d expect to see in an established neighbourhood joint in Mexico.

The current space seats approximately 100 people, and a private back room will soon be available for larger parties and celebratory occasions.

Fayuca also offers some patio space for those sunny days, but as mentioned before, don’t expect to be pounding back Jose Cuervo shots and $1 tacos while soaking up those rays – the bar and cocktail program here is meant to be enjoyed, sans spring break vibes.

Fayuca offers mostly locally-produced spirits and beer, along with organic wines made using biodynamic methods.

The cocktails here are the kind you sip and savour, made with fresh ingredients and quality spirits. A must-try is the sour and refreshing Damiana Margarita, a Damiana-infused combo of Cazadores, Cointreau, fresh lime, and agave nectar.

Other selections from the cocktail program include the Suelo Sour, White Smoked Negroni, the Derbi Trike (Torres 5-year, curacao, tamarind, lemon, kaffir tincture), and the Panamericana (Pisco, Mezcal, Cointreau, Fresh Pineapple, Lime, Yerba Mate).

It’s easy to fill up on drinks, but we recommend you pace yourself because the imaginative plates on the menu will be more than enough the satiate your appetite.

The food is inspired by the culture of the Pacific Northwest region of Mexico, along with found memories of the landscape from the projects’ collaborators. The selections here will be changing constantly, and this spot only sources products from local farms, fisheries, and suppliers.

Order for yourself or opt for tapas-style for a group – there are plenty of options for every palate.

Standouts from the current menu include the Grilled Wild Rockfish with Green Nordic Pipian, Grilled Spring Onions, Potato Confit, and Labneh.

Served alongside the house Guacamole with Crispy Sunchokes, patrons can expect crispy flour tortillas are made in-house daily, and Charred Habanero Lime Salsa.

There all also corn tortillas from Gomez’s newest project – Chancho – an artisanal, non-GMO tortilla producer in Vancouver that uses corn straight from the Pacific Northwest. Chancho is set to open in July, approximately three blocks aways from Fayuca.

Other delicious eats include the Cockles with Lime, cucumber, and olive oil, the Albacore Crudo Salad with Watercress and the Potato Dumplings, Grilled Beef Tongue, topped with Spicy Birria Broth.

The food here is exciting in presentation and flavours. So it’s a good thing Fayuca is now open for a casual lunch service, happy hour, late night service, and an upcoming brunch on weekends. AKA, plenty of opportunities to stop in.

The happy hour menu (Tuesday to Sunday from 3 to 5 pm) features some of Fayuca’s dishes and drinks at a fraction of the price, while the late night menu (Friday and Saturday from 11 pm to midnight) offers a handful of food offerings and the entire beverage program.

We foresee Fayuca becoming a must-hit for locals, visitors, and anyone else who wants to taste elevated cuisine inspired by North Pacific Mexico.

Fayuca will soon be open daily, but you can plan your visit by checking out their current hours.

Fayuca

Address: 1009 Hamilton Street, Vancouver
Instagram: @fayucaville