Tuc Craft Kitchen Vancouver Restaurant Review
Brunch and Casual Meals
When Tuc Craft Kitchen opened a few years ago, it was immediately recognized for the high quality of the brunch offerings. Even back then, just about every Tuc Craft Kitchen Review wrote of their brunch offerings in glowing terms.
Today, they’re more of a lunch and dinner place though they remain casual and friendly in atmosphere. There’s still brunch, though that’s mainly reserved for Saturday, Sundays, and perhaps a few holidays here and there.
Ambience
The place is wonderfully laidback and casual. Upon entry you’ll be welcomed by the rustic décor tinged with industrial chic, with high ceilings, reclaimed wood and worn timber paneling combining nicely with the steel accents and concrete floor. It starts with a main dining room, with a loft that’s suitable for large groups and an attractive fully stocked bar.
It’s hard to keep yourself from being charmed once you come in. The place seems warm and familiar somehow, and the buoyant vibe is uplifting for the soul. There’s no pretentiousness here, though—it’s just as if you’re visiting a home of a friend you’ve known all your life.
They take reservations, and that’s probably a good idea on weekends when people come here from all over to enjoy the food. There’s no outdoor seating, and at least with a reservation you won’t have to wait long for a table to clear. At least there’s free Wi-Fi, though, as well as bike parking and wheelchair accessibility.
Food
The food is the main reason why people come here. Though the atmosphere in the place is nice and it even enhances the dining experience, you can take out the food if you want. They just don’t deliver.
What will strike you at first glance is that the prices are actually quite reasonable. That’s especially true when you consider the generous portions, as for some dishes the amount of food can be good for two people.
For brunch, the favorite here is the “Cubana Boy”, with shredded Gelderman Farms pork shoulder and 2 sunny side up eggs to go with open-face country bread, seasonal greens, and tomatillo cream. You can order this for lunch too. If you’re feeling a bit pecking, then your brunch order should be the Crispy Chicken & Waffles, which offers savory waffles to go along with the chicken breast (from “happy” free-run chickens) and Dijon mournaise.
Come in for lunch, and your starter options include the classic pork belly crackling. Somehow they’re able to make this taste beyond amazing, and you just won’t believe how the crispiness of the outer crust can somehow melt to offer you the rich juicy inside.
Follow that up with the Lamb Dukkah with tempura fried onions and white bean hummus, or with the “East Meets West” dish with poached egg, split pea daal, fried okra, caramelized leek, parmesan biscuit, and spring greens. Or get both.
Dinner dishes that you should try out include their version of the Surf & Turf with their miso cured tri-tip steak and tempura soft shell crab. If you’re really hungry, go with the Rib Eye & Frites as the 12 oz. certified Angus 30 day dry aged Double R Ranch rib eye steak will surely sate your hunger and your taste buds. You’ll find yourself writing an enthusiastic Tuc Craft Kitchen Review afterwards.