Golden Ears Cheesecrafters

When I was asked to help judge the Poutine Challenge, I quickly took a look at the participants.  Along with some surprising non-participating establishments (Spud Shack, La Belle Patate and Belgian Fries), I had to do a double-take when it came to Golden Ears Cheesecrafters.  Maple Ridge???  If I were to head out there, I would've guessed Big Reds... But they weren't participating either.  Well, whatever the case, I made the drive out with the family to check the place out.

At first glance, one wouldn't expect a bistro to be located within the farmesque building, but once inside the cozy confines, there lay a bustling kitchen serving up brunch.  As such Viv decided on trying the Farmhouse Hash with 2 easy-over eggs.  At first, we thought the chorizo was missing, yet in the end, there was just very little of it.  Hence, the hash felt like it was lacking in oomph despite the tender potatoes and nicely runny eggs.  However, the red onions and peppers did add some impact. More meat would've made this pretty good.  My son didn't venture too far off his favourites by selecting the Grilled Cheese.  Being a place that produces cheese, it wasn't surprising that the cheese was good.  However, the bread was a bit overwhelming for the amount of cheese.

As for the Farmer's Feast Poutine, it featured baked fries topped with chipotle curds, bacon, roasted corn, scallions and 48-hour wheat free gravy.  Considering that they were not fried, the fries were pretty crispy (albeit a bit dense).  I found the gravy to be fairly mild where the chipotle curds definitely dominated the flavour profile.  Since soup and garlic are 2 of my daughter's favourite things, we had to get the Roast Garlic Potato Soup.   This was thick, rich and sweet with a definite roast garlic flavour profile.  Hence, it tasted like its description, which cannot be said for many other things I've had recently.  Overall, the food here was well-prepared.  However, each dish (other than the soup) could've used a bit more meat and/or cheese to elevate the flavours.

*Poutine was complimentary*

The Good:
- Friendly staff
- Homey decor
- Well-prepared eats

The Bad:
- Lacking in meat and cheese that would make things better
- Limited menu