I don’t remember Pemberton Station being quite as sports-oriented the last time I was in there, but then again, my life has changed significantly from the time of my most recent visit and the previous experience, and my recollection may be a bit fuzzy.
I didn’t have kids when I used to frequent the pub more regularly, and my visits tended to be after a restaurant shift, when most “civilians” were tucked up cosy in their beds and televised games were long concluded. In those days, I would descend on the Pemberton Station with a large contingent of industry pros, all wired from the rush of a busy dinner service, all thirsty and eager to swap war stories.
On my recent visit with my wife DJ, I am pretty sure we clocked at least two such groups, each with a ringleader boisterously recounting some tale or other that had their colleagues rapt in empathic attention. Oh, to be young again.
DJ and I, meanwhile, had crept out of the house some 15 minutes before our arrival, offering our babysitter final comments and instructions in muted tones as the three kids held a tenuous grip on sleep upstairs. DJ and I have learned to avoid the telltale signs of heading out on a date that tip the kids off. She will avoid putting on perfume, for instance, until we’re about to head out the door, lest one of the shrewd little creatures asks why Mommy smells so pretty and puts two and two together. For my part, I will avoid ironing a shirt until the 11th hour because there are only two reasons Daddy ever does that: an important meeting at work or a night out.
Pemberton Station, or The Pemby, as it’s better known, celebrates its 30th year in 2016, a milestone I can scarcely fathom in our fickle dining market. The anniversary is all the more impressive given that the pub is located down in the nether of the North Shore, tucked at the corner of the Low Road (First Street) and Pemberton Avenue, a stone’s-throw from the shipyards and the train tracks.
DJ and I arrived to a bustling room and found a seat towards the back of the pub, up on the raised platform of tables. Pretty much wherever you sit here, you are exposed to at least one TV screen broadcasting the game, whatever that happens to be at the time. I was pleased to see that the on-tap selection offers some cool brews from craft specialists Bridge and Postmark, in addition to the bigger brands you’d expect at a sports bar. DJ opted for a pear cider while I sipped on a Bridge Bourbon Blood Orange Wheat Ale, one of my favourites from the North Shore brewery’s lineup, offering fresh citrus notes paired with subtle, round flavours of American whiskey.
DJ chose an appetizer of potato skins, a pub classic, served with cheddar and jack cheeses, sour cream and green onions (she forfeited the bacon bits). The dish proved to be eminently satisfying, with close to two potatoes’ worth of food, effectively eliminating the need for a main.
My appetizer of prawns with garlic butter and cheese, served with a side of garlic bread, was similarly large and was exceptionally rich. The plump and tender prawns were drowned in garlic butter and topped with a quarter-inch of melted cheese. The bread was a welcome addition, ideal for mopping up the indulgent butter.
Under other circumstances, I might have quit there, but wishing to provide a bit more content for this article, I persevered, ordering the Sirloin Steak Dinner. This meal, a great value at $16, featured a grilled eight-ounce steak served with fries and seasonal steamed vegetables. I asked for a side of gravy, not listed on the menu, and was accommodated without hesitation with a ramekin of au jus.
The steak was grilled to my medium-rare specifications and had that great flavour of a hot-grill sear, but I must confess I found the beef a touch chewy and might suggest a marinade moving forward.
Still, with a glass of Sandhill Cabernet sauvignon/merlot, the dish was enjoyable, if completely superfluous given the sizable appetizers. DJ kept me company with a glass of light and friendly pinot grigio as I tackled my steak.
Our meal was $68 before gratuity. Pemberton Station is located at 135 Pemberton Ave. in North Vancouver. pembypub.com 604-984-3558
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The lower reaches of Lonsdale Avenue seem to be moving rapid-fire into a new era of dining. The North Shore’s third Browns Social House has opened following an exhaustive hiring process. The casual eatery, which has spawned nearly 60 locations from Vancouver Island to Ontario, opened its latest outlet on the corner of Lonsdale Avenue and West Second Street earlier this week.
Pretty much across the street is posted an Opening Soon sign, promising the imminent arrival of a high-end bakery from chef Jane Copeland, who has worked some of the most noted rooms in the world of dining, including the Michelin-starred Arzak in San Sebastien, Spain. Her independent room is billed as a breakfast bakery and is slated for a September opening.
In the same general vicinity, a new spot called Mr. Sushi is scheduled to welcome the public soon, as is a new location of the well-established North Shore favourite destination for carnivores, Windsor Meats.
Chris Dagenais served as a manager for several restaurants downtown and on the North Shore. A self-described wine fanatic, he earned his sommelier diploma in 2001. He can be reached via email at hungryontheshore@gmail.com. North Shore News dining reviews are conducted anonymously and all meals are paid for by the newspaper.
