This past weekend I grabbed brunch at The Oakwood, a Canadian restaurant in Kitsilano that prides itself in using only local products. I was eager to try out this restaurant because I wanted to see their take on Canadian food. Upon arrival, I was happy to see that there was no line up at all, despite how it was a Saturday morning. The most interesting part about the restaurant is that they use oakwood tables all throughout; I guess that’s where they got their name. Very Canadian indeed!
The Oakwood Exterior
Menu
Since we were at a Canadian bistro, I decided to order a Caesar’s. It was kinda nice having one in the morning. This caesar’s was less spicy than I would’ve liked, but it wasn’t bad. A portion of it also goes to charity!
Caesar’s ($6.5)
For my main meal, I ordered the Blueberry Mascarpone French Toast…although I quickly realized that didn’t go with my caesar’s very well at all. Nevertheless, my order came and I was impressed with its display and aesthetics. The french toast however was mediocre. It was a little too mushy for my liking, but the taste of blueberries in it was very obvious. I didn’t bother using the syrup because there was already a lot of flavor in the toast (not so Canadian of me).
Blueberry Mascarpone French Toast ($11)
My friend got the Braised Shortrib, which would’ve made more sense if I got myself. Along with the ribs, this dish also comes with a salad, a fried egg, and a potato pancake. The potato pancake was by far the best part of this dish, as it was a neat twist on a hash brown. The ribs were very tender, but just a bit dry.
Braised Shortrib ($11)
Brunch at The Oakwood is indeed very Canadian and true to its name. I really liked the homely yet elegant vibe of the restaurant; it’s perfect for some good casual times with some friends. The fact that this restaurant uses all-Canadian ingredients is just the cherry on top of all this. I would like to come back for dinner or snacks sometime to try what else this restaurant has to offer. There’s nothing quite as satisfying as a good Canadian steak! Alberta beef is the bestest.
- Very neat atmosphere and decorations
- Food was not bad
- Reasonable prices
- Limited brunch selections
- Mushy French toast