Ethnic Eats – Sampling the World’s Cuisine Without Leaving Vancouver

Despite being there on opening night (and many nights since), it never really occurred to me to write about a relatively new favorite haunt of mine, Gastown’s Pourhouse, because let’s face it, a place redolent of cocktail culture and comfort food – as good as it is – wouldn’t normally garner much space on an ethnic food blog. But I did have biksemad there for the first time and as I’ve recently had it again, I wanted to share it with you.

Biksemad is basically a leftover Scandinavian hash, often made with fried eggs and bacon. Good for breakfast, the Pourhouse version made with potatoes, ham, pickled beet and quail’s egg is salty and hearty and also good very late at night when you’ve had one too many Gold Fashioneds.

Since we’re on the subject, please allow me to comment briefly on the superb cocktail culture at work here. Manned by proprietor Jay Jones, formerly of Voya, the bar program at this beautiful space is booze-forward, balanced and happy-making. There are only six cocktails listed on the postcard-sized menu (of which the maple and bourbon Gold Fashioned is one), but talented barkeeps will make you pretty much anything you want, to your taste. I’ve not once been disappointed, but if you need some direction, they do amazing things with whiskey and make a mean Pisco sour.

And then after you’re done plying yourself with alcohol, get an order of biksemad (or a sloppy joe if that’s more your style) to soak it all up.

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Pourhouse
162 Water Street, Vancouver.