Chef Chris Lam reopens Straight and Marrow restaurant and cocktail bar with ambitious new menu of nose-to-tail dishes and signature libations from bar manager Chad Rivard
After a 10-week hiatus, East Vancouver eatery Straight and Marrow has officially reopened its doors for indoor dining with a fresh selection of adventurous, meat-forward menu items and handcrafted signature cocktails.
The intimate neighbourhood restaurant and cocktail bar, which does not have an outdoor dining space, temporarily suspended service on March 29 when B.C.’s COVID-19 circuit breaker lockdown measures came into effect. Throughout the closure period, Straight and Marrow chef and owner Chris Lam and bar manager Chad Rivard have been working hard behind the scenes to develop a range of exiting new dinner plates, desserts and original summertime libations in anticipation of welcoming guests back to the restaurant.
In keeping with his sustainable culinary philosophy, Lam’s latest menu features a range of out-of-the-ordinary dishes showcasing unexpected and overlooked cuts of meat and offal. Stand-out, one-of-a-kind items include Porcini Escargot Beignets with foie gras snow; Frog ‘N’ Grits served with creamy polenta, Creole sauce and lardons; Braised Lamb Neck with tomato potato ‘risotto’, breadcrumbs and Castelvetrano gremolata remoulade; and a new Beef Heat Tartare now served with a grilled cheese comprising blue cheese, horseradish aioli, fried capers and cured egg yolks. On the dessert menu, the original Hoof Wing and Fin Mille Feuille is a sweet-meets-savoury melange of puff pastry, chicken liver mousse, Chantilly, fish sauce caramel, and duck fat sugar.
At the bar, Rivard has envisioned a new lineup of bespoke libations to complement the restaurant’s new menu. Guests can take a seat at the restaurant’s central 12-seat bar and enjoy signature cocktails such as the Porkolada made with bacon flor de Cana 7 rum, pineapple, coconut and orange; Cactus Cooler featuring gin, green chartreuse, lime, prickly pear mint shrub, and soda; and Rise of the Phoenix, which offers a citrusy blend of Lapsang Souchong Pisco, lemon, passionfruit, sunflower orgeat, charred egg white and sherry oloroso.
“Our team is so grateful for the support we’ve received from the community since we first launched the restaurant in July 2020, and we’re thrilled to be safely reopening our doors this month,” said Lam. “We’ve missed serving our friends and neighbours during this time and we’re looking forward to revealing our all-new menu of unique dishes and cocktails that our team has been working hard on over the last several weeks.”
Late Night Happy Hour is also making its return. Daily from 10PM to close, guests can enjoy rotating cocktail specials, discounted classic cocktails, wine specials and small bite features.
Located at 1869 Powell Street in Vancouver’s East Village neighbourhood, Straight and Marrow is open for dinner from 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. from Wednesday to Sunday. Reservations are available
For more information about Straight and Marrow, visit http://straightandmarrow.com.
