Salmon n' Bannock — Restaurant in Vancouver

I took my boyfriend here for his birthday on July 8 as it was recommend to us by an acquaintance. He's been really interested lately in trying game meat, which is very hard to find if you're not getting it yourself.

We booked a reservation in advanced which was a good thing since it was quite busy on a Monday evening and it's not a huge place. It seems to be a place very popular with tourists.

The decor was really neat with lots of Indigenous art that also seemed to be available to buy so it's cool that they're also supporting local artists.

Our table was actually a longer one divided in 2 by large clear glass. I thought it might bother me but I hardly noticed our neighbours at all and noise wasn't an issue.

Our plan was to start with the bison marrow then he would get the bison pot roast and I was going to get the smoked sablefish. But since a busy weekend just passed, they didn't have everything on the menu available BUT they had a special item that day: elk steak. So we got the game sampler for the appetizer, I got the bison pot roast, and he got the elk steak.

But first, for drinks he got the Sea-zer (caeser garnished with candied salmon) and I don't remember the name of the drink I got but was a mocktail with sprite, orange juice, and something else. It was topped with lovely soapberry foam mixed with some other berry to make it pink. I'd heard of soapberries so I was pleasantly surprised to see it appear (they're neat--look it up if you don't know about it!)

We got the game sampler that came with bison salami, some other kind of bison cured meat (can't remember what it was called), dried bannock crackers, cedar jelly, and blueberry pemmican. The cedar jelly had a light, floral, bright taste and the pemmican had a nice whipped quality with a subtle rich flavour. The bison salami tasted like any normal salami (in a good way) and the other cured bison stuff was also very good and tasty. It was a softer texture than the salami, almost similar to prosciutto but not super salty.

Back to the mains--by boyfriend was really excited to try the elk steak. He cannot eat beef and having steak is one of my favourite things to have for special occasions. It came with a tasty, smooth, rich gravy, buttery mash potatoes, carrots, and asparagus. The veggies tasted so good, I think they were roasted. He ordered it rare and it was cooked perfectly. He was nice enough to share a few bites with me and it was very very good, not gamey tasting at all. It tasted very similar to a beef steak so if you've never had elk before and if you're lucky to come in on a day where this is available, do try it!

I got the bison pot roast, which was very good as well! The meat was so tender, and it came on top of the same buttery mashed potatoes, carrots, and asparagus. All mains come with bannock and it was perfect to dab into the sauce. The taste was also very similar to beef and was not gamey at all either. The plating was beautiful and overall the taste was also very homey like a good Sunday stew. It was topped with horseradish, which seemed freshly grated and was not harsh at all.

The dessert options were very enticing, but we had a birthday cake waiting at home so opted out.

Instead of after dinner mints, I loved that we got 2 small freezies since it was a hot 30+ day. But the temperature in the restaurant was very comfortable.

The service was excellent. We interacted with all 3 servers that evening and they were all very good.

Overall, it is a bit pricey but well worth it. Remember that these are very difficult ingredients to procure. This is also a busy place so keep in mind that some things may not be in stock if you are coming in earlier in the week. You could always call ahead too to see if what you're planning to have is available.

I highly recommend trying out their game dishes especially if you've never tried it before. This is the only Indigenous restaurant in Vancouver so support it if you can! It'd be great if there were more of them.

We want to come back for some fish dishes and bison marrow! (edited: added...

When specialized restaurants that are far and few in a city have 5 stars in Google, I question if people are being nice because of the lack of options and tastings in that area.

So I went in judging this place hard. How could they have simple dishes with game and fishes be worth the price they were asking.

Well slap me silly, I walked away in awe and inspired. 😍

Its a small joint, so reserve and expect an intimate eating environment. This was my only issue if it was even one to consider.

Food: I had a smtaste of everything. The Sable fish and corn palenta was so good I think I found my spirit animal, the Sablefish in a creamy sauce. Not sure what it was that made that dish brilliant, but it made me sit back and think about all the wrongs that colonizers did to the Indigenous and only if they ate this, maybe it would have been all different. 100% perfect dish worth every penny.

Bison pot roast and mash, a classic flavor with a bit of game to it. I'd say if you're from the south and feelin like a taste of home, here's a great dish that will fill you up. The asparagus was flavor packed too, never before have I had it cooked this way.

Okay, for our appetizers, we had the game and salmon combo board thing. Sliced salami style elk and other game served with a cedar jelly that I could eat every day. I don't even like jellies! Venison patte with blueberries, crazy smooth and not harsh on the palette as many pattes.

The salmon mousse was my favorite from the selections as I think every time I've tried it anywhere else, I was left with a stanky fishy breath and unsatisfied. Yet, they crushed it!

The salmon on rice was good, but I felt it was a little more dry than expected. I see what they were doing with it sitting on rice and asparagus, but it was my most I liked dish.

The tacos for a vegetarian option we're great as they were on fantastic bannock and packed full of various flavors. Salmon burger I did t try so I needed to take the work of my friend that it was awesome

Overall: 9 out of 10 for food (which is higher than I give nearly any high end restaurant)

Service was spectacular, she was on time and perfect. Music was environmentally satisfying. Lighting was dim and intimate, so I can focus on my dish. So when you pay for these meals, thinking, this better be worth it. Know that you are in good hands and each bite is a taste of professional chefs and culture. BRAVO SALMON n...

Reading the reviews this place had, our party had high hopes that our visit would live up to them. Unfortunately, this was probably the worst dining experience I've ever had. I wish I could give zero stars if possible...

We made a reservation for 7:30pm, but ended up having to wait until 7:45pm to be seated. Then, it took 15 more minutes for someone to come explain the menu to us. The history behind the cuisine was interesting, but when asked about specific food choices, the waiter didn't seem too well versed in answering them.

We got the Game Sausage, Salmon Sampler, Sockeye w/ Rice, Salmon Burger and Duck Special.

I think this is common with reviews for this place, but we waited an hour before even getting the start of our appetizers (Game Sausage & Salmon Sampler). The sausage came 30 minutes after the Salmon Sampler. The reason? First, the owner said that they accidentally brought the game sausage to another table. Then, after 30 minutes, they came by to tell us that their oven broke down. Maybe we just got unlucky.

Both were decent, but nothing special, and it felt extremely overpriced for the small portion they provided (the sausage was literally just one small piece of sausage for $16). Then, we waited ANOTHER hour just to get our main dishes.

In addition, I had to ask to get our water refilled, and it didn't feel like we had any customer service at all.

Finally, we got our main dishes at 9:45pm, 2 hours after we sat down.

I was so excited to dig in, just to be disappointed by a dry and overcooked salmon, overcooked duck and undercooked rice. The sauce for the duck wasn't even the correct one, since they weren't able to make it for some reason.

I'm not the type of person to complain outright in front of the owner/waiters as to not cause a scene — but this whole situation really ruined our appetites. We paid and left the restaurant feeling extremely disappointed.

Unfortunately, I cannot recommend this place at all. Despite having some decent food, it was not worth the wait/headache and absurd prices ($50+ per person!!). I honestly wish I just left before I spent the hour waiting for the main dishes. After all the time waiting, they could have at least provided a discount or comped the meal. Sorry, but...