Donnelly Group Opens Bras Fish Tavern In The Marine Building

Brass Fish Tavern opened its doors this January with a menu designed by talented Chef Clement Chan, and the dishes are inventive, far more diverse than you’d expect from a tavern, and absolutely delicious! There are three spaces in this large venue: a main floor tavern, mezzanine parlour, and sushi bar and izakaya section.

We’ve been twice now, once for some snacks share including the fried chicken, ham croquettes and a good sampling of the sushi, and returned for a more leisurely paced meal, tucked into one of the comfy banquettes. On the second visit we added prawn tacos, a kale salad and the lamb shank and sablefish to the order and once again ordered that delectable fried chicken.

The lamb comes with French beans, charred carrots, roasted celeriac and risotto and was so very tender and flavourful.

My sablefish dish is marinated in saku karu, and comes with tomatoes, Brussels sprouts fennel and a nicely textured orecchiette topped with nduja vinaigrette.

From the release:

The design has been led by Ricky Alvarez, and the space will retain the feel of a classic tavern which respectfully incorporates the building’s historic elements, enhanced with modern touches and flora to bring a bright, unstuffy feel to the richly textured room.

Chef Chan, familiar from his time on Top Chef Canada and Chopped Canada, has earned a reputation for creativity and excellence across a number of cuisines, from the playful snacking of Torafuku to the much-awarded fine dining of Blue Water Café and Chambar. Over the last months, he has been hard at work creating a menu of modern classics which seamlessly blends West Coast and international influences into familiar dishes and shareables for something genuinely new and authentically grounded in Vancouver.

“I’ve been inspired by the challenge of creating dishes which respect classic tavern culture while adding flavours and elements to elevate the experience and surprise the guest,” said Chan. “We plan to both comfort those looking for the familiar and excite those looking for something new.”

The sushi bar menu will offer traditional rolls alongside original dishes that offer new flavours and intriguing combinations. For the sushi bar, Chef Chan is being supported by Chef Kevin Wong who has travelled abroad to work in traditional Japanese kitchens and spent time in the kitchen at INUA, a 2 Michelin Star Tokyo restaurant (Nordic/Japanese cuisine). Closer to home, his resumé also includes experience in French kitchens in Vancouver most notably, Le Crocodile.

Donnelly Group Bar & Beverage Director Trevor Kallies has created a new cocktail list for Brass Fish Tavern which will “suit imbibers across all walks of life.” The focus will be on Highball-style creations and unique takes on the classics–think Shiso-infused Whiskey Sodas, Passionfruit Palomas, and other tall refreshing drinks.

Visit www.donnellygroup.ca to learn more about Vancouver’s leading independent hospitality group.