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Central Bistro and Lounge
Categories: Restaurants Breakfast & Brunch Restaurants Canadian (New) Restaurants Burgers Breakfast & Brunch, Canadian (New), Burgers [Edit]
1072 Denman StVancouver, BC V6G 2M8
Neighbourhood: West End
(604) 689-4527
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 8 am - 12 am
Fri-Sat 8 am - 1 am
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner, Brunch
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Drive-Thru:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Patricia L. said: "I've been here over 5 times and it's been A-OK. The food is good and the service is nice, but it is on the pricier side for deli eats. Though it is in Yaletown, so what can anyone expect? The PHAT Smoked Meat Sandwich with extra…" read more »
58 reviews for Central Bistro and Lounge
Review Highlights
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"i tried the tofu scramble and loved it." In 4 reviews -
"I had some amazing goat cheese salad, as well as the..." In 6 reviews -
"I walked in to a great atmosphere, and then I spied it." In 4 reviews
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58 reviews in English
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Review from JRJ J.
Vancouver, BC
5/14/2012 1 Check-in Here
Came in Sunday for an early breakfast with some friends.
We ordered the smoked salmon benny and the gruy
ere cheeze baked free range runny eggs; shared these two dishes with bottomless cuppa java.
Friendly staff; could hear ourselves talking; good food - a good receipe for a great place.
I'd recommend this place; besides, it looks like many of the local crowd dines here on a regular basis. -
Review from Loves Z.
Vancouver, BC
5/14/2012 1 photo
Bittersweet experience between the plethora of martini options and excellent bar service, to the mediocre courtesy we received once we were seated.
The hostess told us we would be seated in 15 minutes, however 45 minutes later we were finally seated. Once we were seated our drinks came continuously (BONUS).
Our appetizers and salads took about 45 mins and our main entrees took over an hour. The salads were deliciously farm fresh!
I ordered the Ratatouille Stuffed Organic Chicken Breast , black eye pea, roast eggplant and chick pea ragout, with slivered almond green beans. First off my chicken was not stuffed with anything but chicken? Did I miss something here? I only had three martinis...so its's possible! The black eye pea, roast eggplant, chick pea ragout was also COLD! Don't get me started about COLD food.
We all received complementary desserts for our troubles. The chocolate cheesecake was a West End portion, baked and savoury.
But the question is will we return... -
Review from Rebecca C.
Vancouver, BC
2/16/2012
This neighbourhood gem is one of my staples - not just because its a stones throw from my house either - although that is certainly a perk !
I've brunched, I've lunched and I've dinnered here since it was Brass Monkey :-)
I love the Benny's at Central to the point of distraction they use free range eggs (hooray) and organic turkey sausage and every experience I've had there has been fantastic. The servers a chill and know their shizz and never let a glass run dry, we can all agree this is a big plus, no ?
For dinner my past two visits have been light meals of salad, they have a delicious selection, and soup which are generally seasonal and served with what appeared to be housemade cornbread nicely warmed !
To say the least I'm a big fan - so just go already will ya ! -
Review from Nancy D.
Downtown, Vancouver, BC
5/15/2012 1 Check-in Here
Pretty good once the food arrived- we did have an hour wait and were a little peeved when the table next to us got their food before us. But, the food was really good.
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Review from Nicole F.
8/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
My friend and I were wandering Denman waiting for a restaurant to pop out at us, and after taking a look at the Central Bistro menu we decided to give it a shot.
I tried to order the West End Hipster Benny because I liked the sounds of the hemp seed crusted tofu, but they were all out, *sad face* and it was the second time I was denied eggs benny during this particular weekend.
I went with the Goat Cheese Scramble instead. It was SO GOOD that my brunch buddy stole half, and traded me part of her meal for it. There was plenty of pesto and tomato in it, and of course the goat cheese. The hashbrowns were big chunky ones and I think probably deep fried, but it's been a few days and I'm starting to forget.
Anyways, I'd come back for sure! It was good, the service was quick and our waitress was really friendly! AND.. brunch is served until 4pm on weekends!! HELLO! -
Review from Russel M.
7/21/2011
The Best Breakfast Sandwich we've had in years. Fresh FR Egg, High Quality Ham, Yummy Cheese, on Fresh Brioche, HOMERUN!!
We just landed from Honolulu (redeye) and it was on our way to Coal Harbor so we decided to try it.
The Service was perfect along with the Coffee and we plan to return. -
Review from Sahra G.
7/28/2011
Tried this place for the first time with my BFF for her B-day Brunch. And seriously it was the best eggs bennedict I have ever had in my life (and I drink hollandaise sauce...well not really but you get the idea). I had the East Coast Benny which consisted of the usual poached eggs on an english muffin topped with hollandaise but low and behold CARAMALIZED ONIONS AND FRESH LOBSTER MEAT. *insert heavenly aaaaahhhhhh sound here*
Seriously if it wasn't $14 and I hadn't ordered a $13 mimosa I might have ordered myself an extra entree because it was that good. In fact I am salviating like Pavlov's best friend here just thinking about it.
BEST BENNY EVER. -
Review from Deanna D.
8/7/2011
Great cocktail spot while strolling through West End and Stanley Park. We stopped into the bar early in the evening and had a lovely experience. The bar is small but the restaurant is cute, simply decorated, and inviting. We sat at the bar and I had the Clockwork Orange and Yuzu or Loose You martinis and both delicious! The bf had the a few beers and the beer & sausage sampler which consisted of 3 local brews & sausages that were made using them which were all scrumptious. They had a small but nice selection of local brews which were solid & reasonably priced. The bartender was great---friendly, attentive and most importantly he made great martinis.
Bottom line= Great stop for drinks if you're in the area.Listed in: Pacific Northwest
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Review from Paula P.
Vancouver, BC
Updated - 12/28/2011
New update - Dinner!
Finally, I had dinner at Central, my favorite breakfast hangout.
First bonus - they had the Joie Farms Noble Blend - my favorite wine - available by the bottle.
For a starter, our foursome had the Brie appetizer - we ordered two between the four of us and loved it (that being said, it's pretty diffucult to mess up Brie).
The service time was pretty slow as mentioned in previous review but we were with friends that we needed to catch up with and really enjoyed the atmosphere at night so it made no difference to us.
For dinner, I ordered a creamy roasted vegetable and pine nut risotto - topped with cherrywood smoked duck. The duck was amazing and the risotto also did not disappoint.
My dining companions had two lamb dishes (small but succulent) and the steak (perfectly cooked with truffle compound butter and crispy fries). Our entire party was happy with their meal.
Dessert - I couldn't even have a bite (and that is saying something!)
Also - at the end of our meal, our server delivered us two red envelopes to be opened in the restaurant in January. The suspense is killing me. (I would have been back in January anyway).Listed in: West End Favorites, Rise n' Shine
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/22/2011
Oh Central - my most favorite weekend afternoon haunt!
Can you say 'Breakfast until 4'?
I have nursed… Read more »
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Review from Amy V.
7/31/2011
We went here for a bachelorette party before a night on the town. We had a large party and had made reservations - we had been warned that they had a very small kitchen and the food would be a bit slower. That was ok with us, we had great company! Our server was extremely accommodating as far as splitting checks, doing special orders, and being sure that we had what we needed.
Our food was slow, definitely. But, our server (Jeff) worked very hard to be sure we were happy. In fact, he was totally sweating. I had some amazing goat cheese salad, as well as the halibut. All was delicious. Tried the gnocchi, it was good but very sticky. In fact, the table was also sticky. And I ended up with something sticky in my hair... Not sure how that happened, but a good time was had by all!
Jeff the server brought us out dessert shots, and was even sweet enough to make a 'chocolate milk shot' for our friend who is pregnant. Great work! I say definitely try it, especially if you aren't in a hurry. -
Review from Ryan G.
8/7/2011
This place for dinner and drinks is A++ in my books.
We were turned away, actually I walked the heck out of Raincity as my "reservation" wasn't honored to say the least so we showed up @ Central and were showed a table near the middle of the restaurant. I had the cheeks, and my lady had the steak. We split a bottle of wine and it was out of this world. Def coming back, esp on Sundays, free live jazz!! -
Review from Sharon C.
Surrey, BC
1/14/2012 9 photos
Thoroughly enjoyed the Creme Brûlée, Mussels, and the service. The steak and the pork chop are mediocre. Casual ambiance.
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Review from Alex S.
11/24/2010 3 photos
We just finished a three hour walking tour through downtown and Stanley Park and were hungry as hell so it was fortunate we ended up on Denman street, a mecca of all types of cuisine in Vancouver. Unfortunately we were caught up by the cute looking building which was the location of Central Bistro and well, took the plunge without checking http://yelp.com, a big mistake.
One reason we decided to eat here was to escape one of the coldest nights in years, temperature was in the 20s so obviously being Californians, this ish wasn't tight. Through the windows we saw a fireplace in the back and figured we'd get toasty inside, well, no we didn't. Place was damn cold but we stuck it out because we were hungry and the menu looked promising.
I'll start with the highlight, the appetizer as the rest of the meal, or at least the food itself goes downhill. We ordered the "Fall Scented Baked Brie" which included caramelized pear & apricot chutney, a cinnamon Cabernet reduction and grilled baguette. This was tasty, the brie's ultra rich flavor paired with the sweet pear slices and the accompanied swipe of either chutney or cinnamon reduction was incredible. Felt almost sinful how good each bite tasted. The dish elevated our expectations for the rest of the dinner.
Dinner entrees included the Howe Sound Pumpkin Braised Peace Valley Bison short ribs and the 8oz Sterling Silver NY Steak & Frites.
The short ribs for as good as it sounded on paper, just didn't come through in the end. Its almost like the years the Yankees don't win the World Series. Every year they buy the best players, expectations increase, however when the time comes to produce, even the best talent or in this case the best ingredients just fall flat on their face. Ribs had no flavor whatsoever, just a weak sauce that didn't give the protein its proper respect. The Gnocchi it came with was sad, and the potatoes used for this probably wished they were french fries or anything but these sad dumplings.
The Steak and Frites were ok, kind of hard to ruin a steak ordered medium rare and the fries, well at least they were filling. Probably could have gotten something similar at a Sizzler, however this place doesn't have the amazing cheese bread. In the end, we were both full, however we were left unsatisfied with what we ate.
In order to drown our sorrows due to the mediocre dinner, we tried a couple of drinks. The Denman tasted like death, nothing enjoyable about drinking it, and the margarita, well i guess i blame my friend for this one. Not sure why anyone would order margaritas in Vancouver but i digress. Dinner was finally finished with a coffee creme brulee. It was good, nothing special, probably the #2 dish of the night.
Well, we gave this place a chance, next time we come to Vancouver we'll hit up something else, place was cold, food shamed the ingredients and overall, a little expensive for the quality of the final product. I guess this is a reflection on the overall yelp score, something i will definitely never forget to review before settling on a place to eat. -
Review from Victoria R.
Vancouver, BC
Updated - 12/21/2010 2 Check-ins Here
I came back here after the owner, Doug, contacted me on Yelp confirming that they had indeed changed cooks, but that the bad cook had since been let go. I was happy to give the place another shot, since I miss having the Central as my regular brunch spot.
When we went in, the server told us there would be a 30 minute wait for food, the kitchen was backed up. I let her know I was picking up a gift certificate left for me by the owner. She went to find it, and when she returned she seemed notably nervous, and called the GC a 'review' - slip of the tongue, but you could tell she knew that I was going to be reviewing the restaurant again.
I ordered the orange juice, and my long-time favourite, the Goats Cheese, Pesto & Tomato Scramble - this was what I always loved, so this is what I wanted to try and make sure it was back to good. There were some new additions to the menu that looked absolutely delicious - like the gorgonzola egg bake, but I wanted to try my old faithful.
The orange juice tasted quite bitter, and when I asked the server if it had grapefruit juice mixed in, she mentioned that several people had commented on the OJ, and that she thought it might be rancid.. not something I wanted to hear about the juice I was drinking. She came back with a fresh bottle, showed me the expiry date, and opened it in front of me, inviting me to taste it (Did I mention she was nervous?! I've never had someone present a bottle of OJ to me as if it were a fine wine). It still tasted incredibly bitter, so at the end of the meal she came over to tell me that she had taken it off the bill. Nice. Our food came out faster than the 30 minutes we were initially warned about, but something tells me the server had something to do with that. She even asked me if I wanted to keep a copy of the menu when I delightfully commented on the new additions.
Now here's why we've got 2 stars. I was broken hearted when my Goats Cheese, Pesto & Tomato Scramble came out completely void of goats cheese. It's pretty bold to serve a dish with the main advertised ingredient missing. I kept taking bites looking for a bit of goat cheese, but alas, there was none to be had. I had my boyfriend try it, he agreed - there was no goats cheese at all. I even took a picture of it as proof. I couldn't believe it. This dish, when containing all the ingredients, is amazing. I didn't have the heart to tell the server - she really was trying so hard, I was afraid she'd start crying.
I do agree that the Central has improved since the last time I went there, my boyfriend had no complaints about his meal - I think I may just be super unlucky when it comes to this place. While it may not be back to its glory days, there is a notable improvement since the summer with the crappy cook and even crappier service. I just hope the new chef doesn't regularly omit key ingredients from the dishes.Listed in: Brunch Love
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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11/10/2010
Something's happened to the Central, and it's not good.
I loved this place. Read my review from… Read more »
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Review from Jenna L.
2/28/2011
It's been a long time since I have eaten here (1 yr ago?)
Seemed like a nice place On Denman to drop in Saturday afternoon.
But I remember walking out with very minimal tip because I was upset about the service. The food came slow, the server (guy) was not curteous and I felt I was not welcomed here (for whatever reason ).
Given its prime location, Saturday afternoon was not busy at all, maybe 4 tables full at max.
Looks like the chef changed and .. well not sure about the service as of moment. But the first impression is always strong, and given numerous options in the neighborhood, I am unlikely to return! -
Review from Curtis R.
Vancouver, BC
11/24/2010 1 Check-in Here
Went to Central on Monday night. I have been there a few times before and it was better than Monday but not really a "rock my socks off" experience in any of the previous visits. Monday's meal was very average to the point I had to go somewhere and get a dessert to change the residual taste in my mouth.
It was a very cold night and it was the second place we dropped into after the first was so cold my legs were frozen solid. I was worried I would be found the next day stil sitting there so we left without ordering and went down the street to Central. It was a bit warmer but not really as warm as you would expect.
The menu items we had were the Fig & Tomato Slow Cooked Lamb Shank and the Roasted Butternut Squash & Pine Nut Risotto. The Lamb was dry and didn't fall off the bone like a good lamb shank should. The Risotto had too many pine nuts and was quite bland. Not sure what kind of "finished with love" it was finished with. Ironically the pictures on the website of the lamb were very juicy and looked like I would drive across town to get a taste of.
The service was reasonably good but the food was very average and uninspired. Wasn't sure if it was me or the cold but based on the other reviews before this one, it seems our experience is consistent.
Not on a repeat list for me. -
Review from Cheryl H.
Vancouver, BC
1/6/2011
First time at Central Bistro today, even though I have passed by it almost on a daily basis! But today a couple of friends wanted to take me out for "brunch" for my birthday. One of them recommended Central because the menu had breakfast/brunch items (which is my favourite meal of the day) and had items for the vegetarians and one vegan amongst us. I figured, as long as everyone could find something to eat from the menu, I didn't really care where we went.
Well, you can imagine my delighted surprise that there seriously was wonderful items that everyone was happy with! Two of our party had the Tofu Scramble but since they were out of Pesto, Chef Paul created it with a tomato based sauce which both members of our party really enjoyed. Another had the veggie burger and she really enjoyed that. I had :::drum roll please::: the breakfast sandwich with bacon instead of ham.
OMG!! Seriously... I have had many breakfast sandwiches at many different restaurants (fast food as well as sit-down, waiter served) and I have NEVER EVER tasted any sandwich as SUPERB as this sandwich. Is the sandwich the same every time? I read other reviews where Chef Robert has changed things up, that the menu has changed and/or changes on a regular basis... but today, for our brunch, our chef was Paul and I don't know if this sandwich can be expected every time one goes in, but I am already craving another one!!
If I could give more stars, I would. Truly fantastic and now I'm afraid to go back because I'm starting to wonder if I dreamed this??
(grin)
Major major cooking points for Paul... and our waitress, who I didn't catch her name, was wonderful. Friendly, bubbly, funny... yet was not one of those in your face, interrupting servers (that drive me around the bend). She was exactly what one looks for in a server.
I couldn't have had a more wonderful meal or experience anywhere else. -
Review from Shore M.
Vancouver, BC
5/22/2011
If you live in a neighbourhood / area / region / district, it follows that you'd like to establish yourself as a regular patron, and become familiar with the staff and the other clientele etc. etc. Well, Central Bistro fits the bill. This place is so good, so inviting, so homey, that it'll take a couple of Yelps to fully disclose how good we think it is.
Firstly, sit at the bar. Every time we go we meet interesting people and swap interesting stories, and Robert, behind the bar on this occasion, is the Glue that holds it all together. Wanna talk music? Wanna talk food? Wanna talk drinks? Wanna talk eco - green / ridiculously healthy food and drink? Robert's yer man. We are going back for brunch and dinner. End of. At which time, we hope, another 5 star review will no doubt appear.
A lovely local establishment. Over and out. -
Review from Kate W.
Vancouver, BC
9/9/2010 2 Check-ins Here
Living right across the street I've probably been here between 6-8 times over the last few years. No more. I'm convinced they stay afloat because of the tourists and their ideal location.
Brunch is way over priced, mushroom soup was horrible, ravioli bland. We keep going back to give it another chance and it keeps disappointing us.
The last time we showed up with a group, they pointed to a table so we sat down. We must have waited 20 minutes after receiving the menus for a server, while they were all chatting behind the bar, we went ahead and showed ourselves to the door.
Too bad, I really wanted to enjoy some afternoons on the patio. -
Review from Tori K.
Vancouver, BC
11/9/2011
I have dined here twice and each time the presentation was appealing, the food delicious, flavourful and fresh and the service great.
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Review from Sandra G.
Vancouver, BC
Since my boyfriend's been doing his beer blog thing, we spend our weekends searching for the perfect medium of a restaurant where he can get great beer selection and I can eat good meat-free food.
Leo's long time friend Robert Erickson is a partner and new head chef at Central Bistro, so he got the tip on their monthly food and beer pairings. However, I did not know this before I was escorted into the restaurant, greeted firsthand by Robert, and had the first few bites of my entree, so when he asked me to do a Yelp review during our meal, you can bet I already had my impressions of Central.
The place was not what I expected. "Bistro" gave me the impression of a small, cafe-like place without much food selection. I was surprised to see a dimly lit, romantic but social, restaurant (not spacey, but not izakaya-like either) with a full bar. The menu was pretty versatile, with lots of seafood choices popping out. Very West coast.
Our table started off with the Red Truck Salt Spring Island Mussels (there are two kinds) with Pomme Frites ($15 + $3) - and I neglected to see the chorizo was there... wish the size of the mussels could have been bigger, but no other complaints. Leo ordered the Seared Qualicum Bay Scallops ($14), but sadly couldn't eat them because there was coconut in it, so he let his mom finish it, and she said it was good.
My entree was the Roasted Butternut Squash & Pine Nut Risotto ($18) which was so filling, it made me regret eating the appies. Eggplant, spinach and squash - veggie goodness. To top that off, I had a few bites of Leo's Chocolate cake with stout (yes, beer) ice cream. (I couldn't get the proper name of the dessert from their website.) And that was good as I could get a feel for it!
The strength of Central Bistro is in the presentation. Erickson's background is Asian food, which is evident in the subtle spicing in some of the West coast food (hence, the coconut in the scallop broth). So there isn't much consistency or theme to the menu, but whatever you're craving when you go is sure to be on there. The presentation of the dish Leo's mom chose, the Morrocan Spice Rubbed BC Trout ($20), was the most impressive, with the salad almost stuffed neatly into the piece of tuna, and served on a large white square plate.
Central has a great atmosphere for their food & beer pairing nights, though the bar space isn't very big. They also feature jazz on Sunday evenings.
If it's been over a year since you've been to Central, and especially if you didn't have a good experience then, try it this time. Expect a bit of a wait before your entrees, even with a reservation on a weekend night, so come with company. -
Review from Dani F.
Vancouver, BC
5/1/2011
Great atmosphere, the staff is very helpful, and service prompt.
I've been here a handful of times and each time I try something new, and so far I've yet to be disappointed.
The one thing I did not care for was their mousse, it tasted very strange even for having chili mixed in. Their tiramisu is wonderful however. -
Review from Monica S.
7/26/2011
Jack Johnson coming out of the speakers, good coffee, friendly service, best croque Monsieur EVER!
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Review from Paul R.
Vancouver, BC
Updated - 2/13/2012
Since my last review I've visited a couple more times.
Every single visit here we have left early or changed our extent of stay at their intimate bar due to the same person using it as their office; lap top open, completely a buzz kill. Just our luck?
SSSHHH... the manager(?) is doing his homework. Well it's clearly him or someone connected to the establishment. Central Bistro & Lounge or Central Public Library?
I'd (maybe) let this behavior pass in the morning or daytime, but come on boss, find somewhere else to do the office work. I pity your staff with you hovering over their money making area like that as well. We were going to meet up here for a Happy Hour drink recently and as soon as we saw the dude with the laptop again, occupying the best seat, we fled.
The rest of the bar area was empty. Hmmm.
Oh, and leaving the place, which of the generic matching doors do we push to open?
Overlooked things like this are annoying and bad for biz.
Hit and miss, but has potential.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/20/2012
Central had a reputation for lousy food and service for the longest time.
The menu is much better… Read more »
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Review from Dai H.
Vancouver, BC
11/24/2011
Not a pleasant experience. The two people I was with ordered salmon. It was badly overcooked - very dry and the bottom was charred. I ordered a pork chop. It was very black with char and I sent it back. The second pork chop was not burnt, but it was exceedingly tough - the sort of meat that must be choked down with a gulp or two of water. Part of the problem is that this was a very thin pork chop; it appeared to have been cooked for about twice as long as was required - or exactly as long as it would have taken to cook a different chop that was actually worth the $23 price tag. All the food was grilled and my conclusion is that the cooks are using a fire that is far too hot to adequately cook food like this. At $20+ dollars a plate, this was very, very disappointing.
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Review from Pia W.
1/30/2009
I wanted to try out Dine Out Vancouver (finally), after hearing all the comments about it, and decided whether it's a good "bargain" like what most people claim it to be. I started with the cheapest rank of the 3-tier price range: 3-course meal for $18. Doing a little research with the menus at that rank, I chose Central due to its menu and location.
I had to arrive an hour early to be able to find nearby street parking after some 20 minutes of driving around. Even at 7pm on a weekday the streets are packed tightly with parked cars.
From the Dine Out menu, I had the Central Clam Chowder as my appetizer. When it came, the first thing that caught my eye was definitely the size of the soup container...which is small, any guy friend I know would be able to devour it and the soda crackers on the side within 5 minutes. But the meal's only for $18, what can one expect? The clam chowder was slightly disappointing as there were just a few small chunks of potato and carrots and maybe one or two tiny pieces of clam meat. Definitely not Central's forte soup. Their clam chowder should be named "Cream of Carrot/Potato/Clam bits soup" instead.
Reminding myself of the fact that this only cost $18, I patiently awaited the arrival of the entree. My entree of the braised lamb shank with rosemary, goat's cheese mash and seasonal vegetables arrived, and as expected, the portion is not big, but of decent size (this is coming from a girl that can get 75% full from a bread basket). The lamb was really nicely done, not dry at all. The mashed potatoes were a bit on the dry side. The seasonal vegetables were...I had, count them, 2 carrot slices and 1 string bean. But overall, the main attraction in the entree was the lamb shank, and that was very well done.
Finally came the dessert, I had chosen the deep dish apple pie with whipped cream. It was warm and had a good crust to it. The apples could be debated on whether they were alright or too sour. No cinnamon was in the pie though, so it further accentuated the relative sourness of the apples. Some of my other peers chose the Chocolat Orgasm of rhubarb puree, chocolate mouse and fresh cream for their dessert. I had a few bites of it, and it's lives up to its name. But again, portions are a little lacking.
In the end, my stomach was filled just right: Not too full, not hungry either.
PROS:
-relatively cheap menu for decent food
-located in the West End area, so it's a good place to walk into for a meal without a reservation
-good atmosphere for groups to just hang out
CONS:
-hard to find parking
-relatively small area, so seating can get a little tight -
Review from Amy P.
Vancouver, BC
6/25/2009
Looking for a place to have a drink and some food after a long day of work, a coworker and I settled on Central since there wasn't a long line and had some good classic comfort food on the menu and a good drink special.
Pros:
Well, I wasn't joking...the drink special was good. On Wed. they have a $5 special on select wines, and I'm also a fan of $5 martinis on Mondays. The atmosphere is loungey, dimly lit and clean and they have live music on the weekends (that may be a Con if you're looking for a quiet dinner). Service was friendly and prompt.
Cons:
The food was just average, in my opinion. Considering the area, I would say they are competitively priced - but it's still a tad high for the taste and portion size. We shared mushroom bruschetta to start, and I had the paella while my friend had the mussels. The bruschetta was delicious (if a tad hard to share, just one large piece of bread), the mussels were dry, and the paella had lots of good seafood (salmon, mussels, prawns) but the rice was missing the crispy "crust" and was a bit mushy and bland.
I should also mention that the seating was really tight, which isn't abnormal for the city but is not exactly my favorite feature.
Bottom line:
If you live or work in the area, this would be a good choice for an after work cocktail and or a quick bite to eat, but I'm not sure I'd go out of my way to come back for anything other than the drink specials.
Food and Presentation (1-5): 2
Ambiance and Decor (1-5): 2
Quality of Service (1-5): 3
Favorite Menu Item: Mushroom bruschetta
Best Suited For: Happy hour
Kid Friendly? Not really
Vegetarian Friendly? A bit
Recommend to a friend? No -
Review from Janine T.
11/28/2010
When I used to live in the West End, we always arrived at Central with such high hopes for something yummy; unfortunately they always ran out of eggs and pesto during brunch so we decided to boycott the place.
I went to Central last night and they are now under new ownership. The menu is fabulous: amazing cheeses, yummy entrees and the brunch menu looked amazing, will definitely be going back for that (plus brunch is served 7 days a week!) They kept the tofu scramble on the menu but I was told that it is new and improved.
Drop in on a Saturday night so that you can sit at the bar with the new owner, Robert; you will not only be downing yummy drinks but he will leave you in stitches, he's hilarious. Great atmosphere, forever changing menu, fresh ingredients...end the boycott, go back to Central now! -
Review from geraldine g.
Toronto, ON
4/29/2009 1 photo
You know me, I go for the brunch menu first!!
Living in the Westend, I like to explore one of my favourite Sunday habits in my own neighbourhood, One day, I gave this place a whirl.
Brunch is not their forte. I've had much better food from them during their dinner service. So if you are in this area consider somewhere else for brunch but come back for their regular menu and busy lounge atmosphere.
The food I ordered was my usual: hash browns, toast, scrambled eggs and sausage. It was quite bland and to be honest, flavourless and greasy. I didn't finish my food. I really wasn't happy with what I had. There are enough places on the denman strip to choose from that serve a greasy spoon breakkie for less money.Listed in: The West End
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Review from Colene C.
4/18/2010
I've been to Central Bistro half a dozen times now for dinner and each time I've been disappointed. The thing is: I really want to like this place! The staff are friendly, its ambiance is sleek, dark and cozy, and the menu sounds good; however, when it comes to the actual execution of the dishes, it just. doesn't. work.
On my most recent visit to Central, they had completely revamped the dinner menu. Part of me was hopeful ("Maybe THIS time they'll get it right!") and another part of me was wary ("What have they cooked up this time?").
Playing it safe, I ordered a burger thinking that it was pretty hard to mess that up...but trust me, there's a way to mess up even a simple burger. I tried to mitigate the disaster by asking them to leave off the butter and dijon mustard since it also came with truffle aioli, but the flavours of the burger still didn't taste quite right.
I subbed the regular fries for yam fries and wasn't disappointed, just not impressed. They tasted very run of the mill...and because we were a large party, my particular plate came with a lot of little odds and ends of fries.
Bottom line: I felt like many things on the menu were trying to be inventive and interesting..to the point of being its downfall. They're just trying too hard. And for the price, you're better off going somewhere else. -
Review from Steve L.
Victoria, BC
We've been here for brunch a couple of times now and it hasn't been too shabby at all. I tried the bacon and mushroom frittata this morning, while my girlfriend dabbled with the breakfast sandwich. Neither of us were disappointed with our selections.
Only three stars this time around though, as the service, while friendly enough, was a little slow. Also we felt the cost was a little pricey for what you were getting. It's nothing too outrageous but they could probably knock a couple of bucks off the price of most of their breakfast items.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/23/2010
It's hump day, it's sunny outside, and they're testing the fire alarms in my building so what better… Read more »
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Review from Courtney S.
9/17/2011
Fantastic egg white omelets and quiche. We came in out of the rain and received excellent food and service. The place is clean and sort of hip too, which always making dining more enjoyable.
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Review from Luisa S.
Vancouver, BC
9/2/2008
Popped in here after a quick jaunt to the shops. Proper dinner reservations were for eight o'clock at another place but by the time six rolled around, I was starving. Had spotted Central whilst on an afternoon stroll with a friend and have wanted to go there ever since.
It felt more like a casual bistro than a full-blown restaurant. On special that night were martinis (always a plus). Since I still intended to have dinner later, I just wanted to glaze my stomach to prevent it from sounding like Godzilla on yet another rampage. I found it really hard to control myself once my potato wedges arrived. There was something about the aioli. Perhaps it was homemade? The whole dish, simple in and of itself, was great, with the right amount of heat and garlic. Yes, I only ordered the one dish but it's enough to guarantee a second visit. -
Review from Deena Y.
8/17/2009
Being new to Vancouver, I have been trying a lot of restaurants, and Central is the first place that made me smile as I ate. I realize the reviews before mine have saying something different, but all I can venture is that their lunch menu is their specialty...
We shared a bowl of Tomato Basil, which was amazing. I'm not a big fan of tomato soups, he loves them, we both agreed: great flavo(u)r. He had a Spanish omelette, which I didn't try, and he said he enjoyed (although I could tell it was nothing special to him... I think he just saw how excited I was about my food, and he didn't want to deflate my mood. He's good at what he does). When I ordered the club sandwich, it was just a fallback, as I felt the menu had limited choices, and I didn't feel like brunch, but it was the best decision I could have made. The chicken was tender and juicy (it was a sliced whole breast, not deli meat), the bacon was just right, and all the ingredients were perfect... I know, I never thought I would rave about a club sandwich either!
Docked one star because the menu is quite limited, and the service, although friendly, was pretty slow. We never got refills, and our meal took a long time to come out.
Overall, I'll definitely be back, and I would recommend giving it a try if you love fresh fare (and have a longing to eat at Urth Caffe in Los Angeles). -
Review from Jessica O.
Vancouver, BC
7/27/2010
A really good breakfast with really small portions is what you will pay 15 dollars for. Add on coffee and juice and it becomes a 20 dollar affair - and you will be hungry again in 1 hour.
Interesting decor, a great Denman location and an inventive brunch menu kept us coming back when we lived on Davie, but overall the cost is just a bit too much for what you get.
We popped in for supper one evening and were unimpressed with the menu - we just finished our drinks and went elsewhere - which means I can't really give a well rounded review - but that says something, I suppose?
Overall - a decent place to have a tasty breakfast - but you will need to grab some takeaway on the walk home. :/ -
Review from Namit M.
5/7/2010
Why is it that I so want to like this place more than I do. Maybe its the cool digs, maybe because it's next doors to me, maybe maybe maybe.
Stopped in for the Dine Out experience....and between the two we ordered the Crab Cake croquettes which were decent. My Tuna Tartar was extremely ordinary.
The Meatballs with papardelle were OK - the meatballs were tough but the pasta was cooked perfectly.
The lamb shank - came out cold and was tough - it was very much a "Meh" dish.
The apple crumble was OK.
The service is extremely friendly but spotty at times. Like I said I want to have liked the experience and the food more than I did - but it just isn't so. Given the convenience factor I might give Central the proverbial "third time". Stay tuned. -
Review from Lynn H.
Vancouver, BC
8/10/2010
Adendum: I have received assurances from the owner of Central that they work constantly to improve their restaurant and while this does not change my review for now... it does make me more willing to go back in the future and try again. If you care, and you probably do not unless you own Central, stay tuned in a month or two for an updated review.
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Came here with a friend a few years back and was pretty impressed. The lamb sliders we had were perfectly cooked, the service was friendly, and the atmosphere was laid back and fun. In retrospect, and hind-sight really is 20/20, I think the alcohol may have gone to our heads. I say this because we agreed to go back and familiarity really did breed contempt.
We returned because our positive experience there the first time left us hungry for more but we were sadly disappointed. It isn't just that the prices seemed to have gone up, after all... this is Vancouver, it was also that the quality of the food seemed to have gone down. Way down. The only thing that was familiar was the alcohol which remained strong but was no-longer distributed by an uber-cute bartender. Instead we were served by a slightly rude man who didn't seem to have time for us (despite how expensive the food is) and who took his good, sweet time bringing us our orders. The my sliders were just a little over cooked and my friend's were a little under-done and all in all we were just disappointed.
I certainly cannot speak authoritatively for the rest of the menu (or for the brunch that another reviewer was impressed by) but I can say that I will not be returning to Central. It is quite a shame really that this quaint, well situated bistro would go to such horrible waste :( -
Review from Christie S.
Vancouver, BC
11/24/2009
I am a West End resident and a longtime fan of Central Bistro. For years, this has been the spot where I would bring my staff and co-workers for a company party, a good friend for brunch, or my lover for cozy drinks tucked away on the couches at the back.
I am sorry to say that yesterday evening they lost a good customer.
A friend from out of town was meeting me for drinks and dinner. I insisted upon Central because I have always felt welcome, and the food is good and reasonably priced. Last night I was shocked by the disrespect and complete lack of service I was subject to.
I arrived at 8 pm, opened the door and noticed a server standing right in front of me in front of the bar, chatting animatedly with two male customers. The restaurant was fairly empty aside from these gentlemen seated at the bar. I waited at the door to be acknowledged for a full three minutes before seating myself. I thought perhaps the server must have actually been a guest, since she did not even look at me while I stood next to her for so long.
Choosing a table for two along the narrow hallway, I watched this server bring these men a round of drinks and remain with them. She was indeed a server, but evidently only for single men.
I waited for the second waitress to notice me as she took the order of the table right next to me. But she walked briskly past me not just once but three separate times without so much as a greeting. At this point it had been seven minutes since I had entered the restaurant. I was beginning to wonder if I was invisible to them: at 6 feet tall in heels, I am no shrinking violet, and ignoring me was either a concerted effort or a complete display of ignorance.
As I stood up and pointedly put my coat and gloves back on, the same waitress once again breezed by me without a glance. My friend had entered the restaurant at this point, so I called a loud "Hello" to said server. At this point I informed her of how long I had been waiting and how disappointed I was. Her reply was, "I'd be happy to serve you". She certainly didn't appear happy to serve me or even acknowledge my presence until this point, so my friend and I decided to leave. To add insult to injury, as we walked out the door, I turned around to see the two female wait staff glaring at us out the window.
We ended up having a wonderful dinner somewhere else. -
Review from Thom H.
2/7/2010
I have mixed feelings about this place. It was right near my hotel, and it quickly became the meeting spot during my trip to VAN. Over the course of the week, I had a breakfast, a brunch and late night drinks here. The first breakfast was excellent, but two days later the home fries tasted like they were from the same batch I had two days earlier. They were dried out and the oil smelled kinda old.
The people here were very nice and attentive. For example, when a delivery guy arrived, they asked the guy to come through the front door to avoid cooling down our dinner when we were seated near the side door. (As if winter air in Van could possibly phase us - we would've eaten outside if it wasn't raining).
Great happy hour specials throughout the week. Great sangria. Comfortable place. Best for drinkings and coffee. Food is a bit uneven. -
Review from Nick C.
3/1/2011 2 Check-ins Here
The Central Bistro won't win any awards, but it really doesn't deserve a 2.5 star rating. The service was prompt and friendly. Chocolate milk french toast with caramelized bananas & candied pecans and banana bread french toast with berry compote and whipped cream... yummy choices for a sweet tooth.
