Alphablogs

I hope my friend Raul won’t be disappointed with this, him being Mr. Vancouver restaurant reviewer.

But I need to grab Buzz Bishop’s challenge and tell you that yes, I have eaten at the Brave Bull.

It’s been quite a while so maybe Raul can give an update. Although for a place like the Brave Bull, I’m not sure that six, seven years make a difference.

Actually, the other day I was meeting with one of my old friends from the Downtown Eastside, we weren’t quite sure where to eat – but when I proposed the Brave Bull I could just see a big black question mark form over her heavily furrowed brow.

I only have pleasant memories of the Brave Bull.

For example the time I went there with someone who was later going to become one of my closest friends. The Brace Bull is (was?) a cosy, tucked-away place if you like peace and quiet and that old-fashioned diner feel. It’s one of those 60s mixtures of “Chinese and Canadian Cuisine”, both in décor and food. Which means, of course, watery, pale iceberg lettuce – but you don’t go there for the veggies, do you? That’s what Greens & Gourmet is for.

So anyways, Haedy and I hung out there for two hours or so, I forgot what we ate, the old Chinese lady who’s always been there ever since I first darkened the doors of that establishment would pad over to us once in a while in motherly fashion and refill our coffee. It remains in my memory as one of the pivotal moments in our friendship. Haedy also told me that once in a while she’d take her husband there for a good dose of trucker’s steak.

My husband used to work in that area, just a bit up on Clark in one of the industrial areas, so once in a while I’d truck down to the Brave Bull and we’d have lunch together. Invariably, I’d have their oyster sandwich. I love oysters! Four plump deep-fried oysters with a bit of tartar sauce on a piece of white “bread” – again, don’t go there for your health food. Don’t matter; you know what, I still find myself wanting to go there once in a while, just for those oysters. I even took my educated-palate son there once and he liked it. Oh, and I remember my husband having beef dip there and liking it.

Other times were when I took one of my daughters to volunteer at the SPCA, and I’d make a point of hanging out at the Brave Bull (or the Old Foundry, with their fabulous sign that says EAT) waiting for her, reading a book, slurping coffee, eating – you guessed it – an oyster sandwich.

Now if you’re not into the romance of old greasy spoons where they still don’t use point-of-sale computers, where they haven’t changed the curtains since 1979, and where a salad still means a slice of tomato and three leaves of lettuce – well then maybe the Brave Bull is not for you. But if you like that kind of nostalgia, go and try it out!

(What do you think, Raul, maybe we should go there together?)

(And next time I guess we should go back to regular programming and do a blog review)

(Image by Buzz Bishop)