Vancouver Icon Bin 941 Shines On
I was a devotee to the Bins back in the day, both 941 and 942, and had many a first, and a few last, dates there. These were the first real tapas-style dining opportunities outside a few of the Spanish and Greek options that existed at the time. Owner and Chef Gord Martin took home many a restaurant award and chefs as amazing as Tina Fineza assisted on menu design and made the place legendary.
Recently we revisited Bin 941 (Bin 942 closed a while ago) and I was a little shocked to find out Martin is no longer involved, especially after perusing the menu online as it still flush with those creative Gord-style items, many old favourites included. However, after our first bites, it was obvious he left the restaurant in some very capable hands.
The new chef and owner, Vishwa Mohan, has spruced the place up a bit, and made some operational changes, but the restaurant is not vastly changed, and the menu has moved forward, while still honouring Bin’s traditions. Chef Mohan trained in some of the top kitchens in the world, beginning with his native Indian cuisine, but was soon inspired to branch into western methods, traveling to the Maldives and Dubai and eventually landing in Vancouver at the Fairmont Airport, before he bought Bin 941 on Davie Street.
Thankfully there’s still that dangerously addictive Navajo Fry Bread which must be had with the Trio of Mezze, scoops of Chickpea and Kalamata Olive Hummus; Oven Dried Tomato and Goat Cheese Salsa & Roasted Red Pepper Hummus. After that, you can’t go far wrong no matter what you order, but we can guarantee the Harissa Grilled Octopus, Beef Wellington and Pan Seared Pesto-accented Gnocchi are divine.
We sat at the kitchen counter in the back and chatted with Chef Mohan and watched the dishes in finally assembly; I wanted to order each and every one of them and two of many. The wine list has a great BC selection, cocktails suggested are on the classic side, and my partner Michael would find a beer or two he’d be happy with, but this was girls night, so the wine prevailed! Brunch was something we decided we’d return for after glancing over the menu.
The cheesecake was over the top superb, completed with sauteed bananas and the a drizzle of caramel syrup that made the plate lickable, but I held off. My dining companion wasn’t pleased that this was a dessert I wanted at least my half of.
Currently Social Shopper has a deal on for $69 for $100 worth of food and drink, making this an even bigger deal. Grab one and revisit Bin for some new memories!
- Dinner for two with choice of three tapatisers and one bottle of house red or white wine or four 16-ounce beers
- A Davie Village landmark for over 17 years, Bin 941 Tapas Parlour is a cornerstone in Vancouver’s West End neighbourhood
- With a great selection of tapatisers, you can choose from: East Coast West Coast Crab Cake, Beef Short Rib, Beef Wellington, Harissa Grilled Octopus, Mushroom Risotto, Roasted & Grilled Cauliflower and more
- They take pride in working with local farmers, fishermen and retailers to make their dishes with the freshest ingredients
