Although we play hockey every Friday in North Van, it would be a miracle that we actually ate there afterwards. Could it be the lack of options? Nope. Were people afraid of wildlife in the area? LOL no... Maybe it was the fear of driving up hills? Nah... Oh I know, it was the shock of not experiencing poorly parked cars and/or drivers that had the inability to shoulder check or use their blinkers (like in a place that is located South of Vancouver...). No not really, but it sounds good though. No matter the reason, it was up to me to suggest we head to the District for late night eats.
For me, I decided to begin my late night feasting on some Mushroom Soup which was more brothy than creamy. It was thick though with some texture (not completely pureed), peppery notes, noticeably woodsy essence as well as fresh thyme. It could've used a bit more salt though. Unfortunately, there was significantly-sized thyme twigs that diminished my eating enjoyment. Emilicious ended up with the French Onion Soup where all of the components were there including the crouton and plenty of melted cheese. There was a sweet onion hit, but once again, it could've used more salt.
Before my main, I shared the Steak Tartare with Emilicious. As stated on the menu, it was prepared with steak tenderloin, quail's egg yolk and seasoning. I found the meat to be smooth, melt-in-my-mouth consistency. However, I would've liked to see more yolk for the amount of meat and a touch more bite. Otherwise, it was good. For myself, I tried their Blue Cheese and Bacon Mussels served with patat friet. The modest portion of mussels were plump and buttery which were accented by a slight blue cheese sharpness. I didn't really get a whole lot of bacon though and the amount of broth was far too minimal to be useful. The side of patat friet was fantastic being crunchy and light.
Gordo went for the #13 Burger made with a tenderloin and sirloin patty, tapenade & caramelized white onion mayo. The house-ground patty was thick and moist which was flavoured mildly by the accompaniments. It came with a whack load of their fantastic fries which was more than I could say about the small cup that came with my mussels. Sweet Tooth, who got burned at the now-closed 3 Lions by their pathetic beet salad went back to the well and ordered the Warm Beet Salad. It was comprised of red and golden beets, sauteed red onion and spinach topped with a fried goat cheese ball, candied walnuts and a balsamic drizzle. This was a substantial portion with well-textured beets. There was a good balance of sweetness and acidity to the dish, but not enough salt. The fried goat cheese was crispy and a nice compliment.
Milhouse opted for the Oven Roasted Chicken and Brie Sandwich with sun dried cranberry mayo and house-made tarragon & rosemary preserve. He thought the chicken was sufficiently moist while the rest of the ingredients added both sweetness and aromatics. But a bit more salt would've made the flavours more balanced. So if you were paying attention... Bueller, bueller, bueller... You would have noticed that a pinch of salt here and there would've made the flavours sing. Other than that, the food was decent enough.
The Good:
- Open late
- Nice vibe (not too quiet, not too loud)
- Decent service
The Bad:
- Food needs a touch more seasoning (ie. salt)
- A little on the pricier side
The District
Posted by
Sherman Chan
on Monday, December 2, 2013
Labels:
American,
Bar,
Late Night,
North Vancouver,
Westcoast
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