Flux bistro opened in Gastown in 2007 to little fanfare, though I had recently heard a few recommendations from fellow foodies that I should definitely go check it out. This past Friday a friend and I decided to give it a try on those recommendations and the fact that it’s probably the only place in Gastown I hadn’t visited yet.
As we arrived we noticed that the bar was quite crowded with a gathering from the Vancouver Young Professionals club that was quite reminiscent of an office party where the accounting guy has too much to drink and really ‘lets loose’. Thankfully they were confined to the bar area and we made our way past them into the main dining room which is quite nice with a modern feel that incorporates a lot of the Gastown flavor that you’d expect (antique floors, exposed wooden beams etc). The room was reasonably quiet and would be certainly very nice for when a more private and personal setting was preferred.
The menu is a bit different, and took me a few minutes to understand, but they’ve made it so that any item on the menu can be ordered as either an appetizer or as a main. I think this is a great idea especially for people who have a tough time making up their mind between items. Have both!
I ordered the frisee and goat cheese salad with beets(pictured above) and the chorizo and shrimp linguini special. The salad arrived fairly quickly but I have to say was fairly bland, and the beets burnt. The generous slices of goat cheese lacked much of the sharpness one would expect, and I was quite honestly wondering if they had given me cream cheese by accident. Not a painful experience by any means but for an $8 salad I would tend to expect a bit better.
The linguine came out next and was finished with a light pesto-creme sauce which was quite good. However I found the pairing of the spicy chorizo, creme sauce, and shrimp to be a bit odd by themselves. Again, not bad by any means, but I felt almost as if there was an ingredient missing. I can certainly attest to the attraction to and appeal of simple food but flavors and textures should always be well balanced.
Now before I’m accused of being too nit-picking (it has happened before) I think it’s important to consider the competition on the doorstep of Flux. Looking at the other options even on the same block, I don’t think it’s too harsh to hold Flux to a high standard, although it is far more reasonably priced than other premium restaurants in the area, and that is often a consideration to take to heart.
Flux Bistro
162 Water Street
604.678.8800
Monday - Thursday 11:30am - 10:15pm (last call)
Friday - Saturday 11:30am - 12:45am (last call)
Sunday(w/ brunch special sheet) 11:30am - 4:15 pm (last call)
Closed Sunday nights except for private events.
PHOTO CREDIT: Courtesy Stephanie Vacher
SIMILAR POSTS:
PREVIOUS POSTS: « Ladies First: Indie Music Video Festival | MAIN PAGE | Bridging the Gap Conference: Approaches to Global Poverty »
