As I tucked into an enormous plate of food at Sharky’s Chophouse, I suddenly thought of Bedrock brontosaurus ribs.
You see, towards the end of The Flintstones’ titular song, an insidious ditty the melody of which still periodically infects my brain like a skipping record on a 1960s turntable, shortly before the final refrain of “You’ll have a yabba-dabba-doo time,” the cartoon’s intro sequence shows the eponymous family receiving an order of brontosaurus ribs at a drive-in diner.
The dish, which a waitress perches on the driver’s side of the family car, is absurdly big and ultimately tips the vehicle over.
The Flintstones was inspired by 1950s situation comedy The Honeymooners and traded on a currency of nostalgia for the “bigger is better” undercurrent of the American Dream pervasive in that decade. In this romanticized domestic prehistory, working class families in the town of Bedrock strived for big lawns, big cars, and big steaks on the backyard barbecue.
As tensions surrounding racial and gender inequality reached a breaking point alongside an American foreign policy that left many disillusioned, divergent sects of counterculture emerged and offered alternative perspectives on the popular dream, exposing it as both unattainable by many and innately artificial in its white-fenced, shimmering capped teeth optimism.
This shift in outlook had an impact on the dining experience as well; exclusive country clubs and swish rooftop supper clubs offered a stuck-in-time oasis to those who yearned for the good old days while the grittier urban scene exploded with new and exciting offerings from around the globe that would eventually help redefine the entire concept of American cuisine.
The first time I considered Sharky’s in this column, the butcher emerged victorious in my blind tasting meat pie experiment, eclipsing what I thought would be shoo-in winners, with their fantastic steak and kidney pie. Since that time, Sharky’s has carved out a niche for itself by putting together lovingly crafted meals built around succulent, slow-cooked meats.
A Hot Case Menu is posted daily on Sharky’s social channels (most reliably on @sharkyshotmeals on Twitter) and frequently includes roast beef, glazed ham, meatballs, sausages, chicken and another pork preparation. Meals are $9.95 for a regular portion, $13 for a large.
Either option includes your choice of two sides, so the fundamental difference between the two meal sizes comes down to portion and not variety.
And it is on this subject of portion that we arrive back at the beginning, in full-on Flintstones mode. You see, Sharky’s meals are enormous, towering mountains of stick-to-your-ribs starches and carved-with-reckless-abandon proteins, with the odd vegetable thrown in for good measure.
But unlike the anachronistic perspective of the mid-20th century, in which an imposing cut of top-quality beef was a sign of having made it, Sharky’s meals are decidedly egalitarian, attainable by many and innately honesty in the simplicity and care of their preparation. For a tenner, you would be hard-pressed to find a better, bigger meal.
I tried two Hot Case meals for this column, the first a weighty offering of Roast Sirloin Beef (by my estimate, six to seven ounces of meat), with mashed potatoes, steamed vegetables, gravy and sautéed onions.
The beef was remarkably tender and retained a medium pinkness in the centre. The mashed potatoes were hearty and rustic and included the skins, while the gravy had a significant depth of flavour and restrained saltiness. Steamed vegetables included cauliflower, carrots and half an ear of corn.
The other meal, which for my palate won out over the beef, was comprised of two sausages, perogies, and sautéed onions.
The sausages – one bratwurst, one Polish – were made in-house by Sharky’s and revealed silky and light textures with a little spicy kick on the finish. I surmised that the perogies were stuffed with potato and cheese, given their dense texture and creamy taste, and appreciated the inclusion of chopped green onion and sour cream on the plate.
Other Hot Case offerings on the night of my visit included Italian Chicken, Barbecue Pork and, for a bit of retro fun, Salisbury Steak.
The two meals, tax included, came to $19.90. Sharky’s Chophouse is located on the ground floor of Lonsdale Quay in North Vancouver. 604-980-9870. No website, search for them on Facebook.
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We’re heading into the final weekend of festivities surrounding Vancouver Craft Beer Week, but there is still a lot to experience, including the signature setup at the PNE.
Visit the PNE Fairgrounds June 3-4 from 1 to 6 p.m. to sample from 100 craft breweries (including some North Shore operators) and cideries showcasing 300 products. Art, music, food trucks, games, market stalls and even a pop-up barber will be on hand. For a full schedule, visit the event’s official website at vancouvercraftbeerweek.com.
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 [email protected].
North Shore News dining reviews are conducted anonymously and all meals are paid for by the newspaper.
