Stellar Southeast Asian Food at The Union

Lately we haven’t been venturing much outside the neighbourhood to dine, and have been eating rather unadventurous dinners. Fortunately I got an invite to dine at The Union, and remembered how good some of my previous meals there, so packed full of flavour, so I was totally game.

The Union, led by Chef Lisa Henderson, dishes up the flavours of Southeast Asia using fresh, locally sourced ingredients.
The restaurant, located on the cusp of Chinatown, recently revamped its dinner menu, hence the invite.

New dishes include: Pulled Pork Crepes with hoisin BBQ sauce and pineapple cabbage slaw; Gold Bags – prawn wontons with mango nam jihm;  Kimchi Fries with bacon, cheese curds, gochujang mayo, scallions and bean sprouts; Ginger Scallion Yellow Noodles; Fried Rice with Chinese sausage and peas; an array of delicious Vietnamese Banh Mi sandwiches, including crispy pork belly and fried tofu; and more!

In addition, two new curries are sure to hit the spot: Green Curry Seafood with cod, prawns, mussels, clams; and the Panang veggie curry with market veggies, sweet coconut, peanuts and Thai basil. Optional sides include rice, naan and papadums.

In terms of drinks, the extensive bar menu is known for its spirit-forward cocktails infused with house-made juices. Try a Banga (literally meaning jar in Filipino), such as the “Banga #1” with gin, lemongrass, lychee, ginger, Thai basil, fresh lime and gomme.

On Sundays, The Union serves up All Day Happy Hour with a variety of drink specials, including wine, draught beer, house high balls, cocktails and shooters.

We went for a bright salad, the tasty and generously stacked pulled pork crepes and the seafood curry and sampled a cocktail or two. Reasonable prices, good people watching and great service will bring me back.

The Union is open daily from 5 pm and also serves weekend brunch, starting at 10 am.  http://theunionvancouver.ca