Vancouverites, and Food Network lovers, may know Chef Dale Mackay from his Top Chef Canada win and his well known Vancouver restaurant, Ensemble. Mackay is revered for his fine dining skills and his mastery of perfect presentation, some may even call his food "precious". But, this prairie boy has a few other tricks up his sleeve and has unleashed it upon Vancouver in the form of pub food with flair.
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On the menu you will find things like nachos, wings, burgers and plenty of meat, but it's not your typical comfort food you would find in other pubs. The nachos are kicked up with a juicy serving of pulled pork on top, while the chicken wings are supremely crispy and the Thai version is a must order. Other comforting dishes on the menu you will find are bangers and spaetzle, a crispy chicken burger that's loaded with guacamole, bacon and a bold chipotle aioli on a fresh focaccia bun, a pulled pork sandwich, popcorn shrimp, a juicy burger and a smoked pork chop, just to name a few. Tap's menu not only caters to the comfort food lover, but dishes like clams and chorizo, Thai broth mussels and a seared Albacore tuna salad will satisfy those that sneeze at pub food.
A pub wouldn't be complete without a hefty selection of beers an they've got 15 of them on tap, with another 25 in bottles. The beer focus is on Canadian and European microbreweries, which means that you're going to get some pretty stellar pints to suck back. For all you sports lovers, there are 14 flatscreen televisions that are spread over the two levels, so a great view of the game is available from just about every seat in the house.
Marshall Astor - Food Fetishist — Photo courtesy of Marshall Astor - Food Fetishist
Regulars of Ensemble will recognize some familiar faces at Tap. Christopher Cho has moved over from Ensemble and has taken on the role of Tap's General Manager. Chef Brad Hendrickson was Mackay's right hand man at Ensemble and it only seems fitting that he will be predominantly sailing the ship in Tap's kitchen, while Mackay spends most of his time at Ensemble on Thurlow and Robson.
Located right below Scotiabank Theatre, it's the perfect spot to grab a pre or post movie meal. Chef Dale Mackay has taken Vancouver's food scene by storm in 2011 and Vancouver eagerly has their eyes on this young chef as he continues to grow his delicious empire.
