The District

It was our last game of the season and we were able to tie the game with less than 30 seconds on the clock. However, we ultimately lost the game in a shootout. It was disappointing to lose; but the good news is that we could go eat afterwards! There weren't many options because it was midnight and late night dining in the GVRD is limited. For a fleeting moment, I considered On Lok; but it was quickly shot down by Milhouse. He said that the questionable cleanliness concerned him. Well, I was in total agreement there. Finally, I remembered that The District Social House is open until 1:ooam. Since we were on the North Shore already, it seemed to be a good idea.

So we quickly left the rink and headed over to Lonsdale Quay (The District is at the foot of Lonsdale). I actually passed right by the restaurant since it was so dark. Milhouse was following me and was thoroughly perplexed why I did 2 consecutive U-turns. Since it was nearing closing, we were able to get a table right away. The original concept of The District was that it would be a place for people to connect, while enjoying good food. However, no one seemed interesting in connecting when we were there. Maybe it wasn't that type of crowd that night.

Whatever the crowd is, the dining space at The District is small, cozy and warm. However, they are in the process of expanding into the adjacent building. The warm and cozy feeling got kind of lost in the unnecessary loud music. We even had problems ordering because the server couldn't hear us and we could hear her. Regardless of that, she was very friendly and attentive. Boss Woman had the Crab & Shrimp Cakes and she was moderately pleased with them. They were good; but nothing really set them apart. The accompanying pea shoot salad was really good though. Polka King had the Indonesian Chicken Satay and he said they were quite tough due to overcooking. Moreover, they were a bit bland, even with the dipping sauce.

Milhouse and Lionel Hutz had the The No. 13 Burger and although the meat was moist, it was salty. The fries were also very salty, mind you, they were very crispy and pleasant to eat. I decided to go for the Mussels & Fries. There are 2 choices as to how the mussels are prepared. The District style is a savory tomato broth with chirizo and peppers. I choose the French style which is a white wine broth with garlic, onion, thyme, leeks and cream. I really liked the dish, the flavours were very delicate and didn't overpower the natural sweetness of the mussels. I could taste all of the aforementioned ingredients in a balanced state. There was a choice of grilled bread or frites with the mussels. I should've ordered the bread, for 2 reasons. First, the bread would've been perfect for soaking up the delicious broth. Second, the fries (as mentioned before) were super salty.

Despite the overall lack of enthusiasm from the group regarding the food, I still enjoyed my visit to The District. The overall concept of the restaurant in terms of style and ambiance is a winner. Actually, the only issue I had with my particular dish was the salty fries (which could easily be rectified). It is too bad that some of the other dishes were not as well received. My personal belief is that The District deserves a second look on my part.

The Good:
- It's got style and ambiance
- Cozy dining space
- Good service

The Bad:
- Price is a tad high (mind you it costs about the same as Milestone's)
- Restaurant is narrow and cramped (it's expanding soon)

The District
13 Lonsdale Avenue
North Vancouver, B.C.
778-338-4938
www.thedistrictsocial.com