What makes a restaurant memorable?
That’s the question Josh Wolfe, chef and owner of Good Wolfe Kitchen and Bar asks himself everyday.
Chef Wolfe is no stranger to the bustling Vancouver food scene. Having worked for the Glowbal group as well as owning his own food cart, Fresh Local Wild, to say he’s made his mark here is an understatement.
Good Wolfe opened last September in Yaletown. The menu is Westcoast inspired and has a new twist on comfort food.
What stood out for me in this visit was the attention to detail in all the dishes. The complimentary bread is baked in house, the staff is more than happy to provide suggestions, and Chef makes himself available to answer questions from guests.
During this visit, we took Chef recommendations and ordered the following:
Artichoke Dip ($10) marinated chokes, kale crisps, chevre & Philly béchamel – Do yourself a favour and order this dish. I’m not a fan of kale on a good day, and I found myself wanting more. The kale is so crispy and compliments the flavour of the béchamel sauce so well. I love the marinated artichokes, and if you’re sharing this with someone – don’t. Just. Don’t. Tell them to get their own. Trust me on this one.
Hummus – Chef dares you to find a better tasting hummus in Vancouver.
Veal Sweetbreads ($12) – buttermilk fried, house made red-hot, carrot & celery, Roquefort. Again, this is something I usually wouldn’t eat, but here I was gobbling it all up. Great job.
Forgive the bad picture, but this is a good one: Poutine Mashed Potatoes ($8) – you can order them as a side dish. They’re massive, but oh so good. Mashed potatoes with gravy, cheese curds and fresh chives. The ultimate comfort food.
Good Wolfe House Pâté – pickled beet, hearts of palm, cornichons served with two mustards ($11) – This was my least favourite dish of the night. I simply found it too gamey.
Ratatouille Lasagne ($16) – eggplant, zucchini, tomato, basil, mozzarella, parmesan. This is a great vegetarian alternative on the menu. I’m a big fan of ratatouille and this was comfort food well done. Not sure what type of vinaigrette they used on the salad, but it was citrusy and tangy.
1LB Mussels Pasta – fresh pasta, garlic, basil, white wine cream ($22) – For the ones with big appetites. Pictured here is a half order. Great sauce.
As I mentioned before, the menu is Westcoast inspired, so of course there’s a lot of seafood dishes to choose from, like the
Scallop Crudo ($13)– Qualicum Beach scallops, chorizo spice, marinated peppers, olive oil. A very flavourful dish.
Steelhead Pastrami ($11)– house maple mustard, chervil, caraway. Pastrami made of rainbow trout? why not. Although some would argue that steelhead is salmon, it’s not. But it does taste similar.
Aside from good eats, the restaurant has an extensive and inspired cocktail selection. Most cocktails range below $10 and if you dine out regularly in Vancouver, you know that’s a good price.
The restaurant has a neighbourhood eatery feel to it. Non-pretentious and fun, Good Wolfe is a place where gourmet meets comfort and fine dining meets your kitchen table.
Follow them on Twitter: @GoodWolfeVan
Mary in Vancity 