Like its Commercial Drive counterpart, Stella’s on Cambie offers a vast selection of hard-to-find Belgian and Canadian beers.

Credit: Doug Shanks

ON THE PLATE: Post-construction fatigue? Kick back at Stella’s

The residents of Cambie Village — to say nothing of its business owners — deserve plenty of payback for all the grief that came with the construction of the Canada Line. But since it’s unlikely that everyone will receive a big fat cheque by way of an apology, there’s always Stella’s, a recently arrived casual restaurant specializing in European beer and tapas. Compensation, I suppose, comes in all sorts of guises.

I was a little skeptical prior to my first visit, because I hadn’t been all that wowed by two visits this past summer to the original Stella’s on Commercial Drive, where the service had been painfully indifferent. My disappointment reminded me that busy restaurants don’t necessarily make for good dining experiences, so I was doubly wary when I arrived at the Cambie location to find the place packed.

It’s an odd, U-shaped space, with patio tables to the left and right of an old-school barbershop’s storefront (the restaurant is literally wrapped around it). Inside the door is a large and rambunctious bar/lounge area, with hardwood floors and appointed with high-top tables and, next to a gas fireplace, a pair of black leather sofas facing each other under a large painting of a majestic stag (there are two in the Stella’s logo). The other side of the ‘U’ includes a slightly quieter room with proper dining tables and chairs. The soundtrack — a potpourri of classic-rock standards like the Rolling Stones — is mostly drowned out by the raucous assembly; I could only make out the bass lines.

Like its near-twin on Commercial, Stella’s on Cambie boasts one of the better and deeper beer selections in the city, with 20 on tap and 20 in either cans or bottles, plus a range of revolving rarities that come and go. If you’re looking for Budweiser or Molson Canadian, you’re out of luck; this place specializes in Belgian beer and the better suds made here in Canada. The staff I dealt with were well-versed in the variety, and didn’t hesitate to venture opinions on the relative merits of whatever labels I inquired about.

What impressed me most — even more than the service, which was problem-free — was the inventiveness of the tapas. It wasn’t the preparation that stood out (which was middling at best), but rather its somewhat noble determination to do something different than its dozens of watering-hole competitors. Instead of playing cut-and-paste with the dizzyingly mundane fare of popular chain restaurants or leaning on familiar pub grub, Stella’s seems to have spent a considerable amount of time and energy concocting original combinations. It’s just a pity the kitchen wasn’t always up to the task.

Flat Korean-style cuts of short rib ($11) were unevenly seasoned or basted; some pieces had a rich, addictive flavour that I couldn’t get enough of, while others were insufferably bland. Thick-cut rings of squid marinated in a chipotle-lime mix ($10) were given a too-conservative dusting of panko and slightly over-fried, the accompanying citrus-cilantro dipping sauce doing little to lessen the impression that they were one minute past perfect. Lemon- and Parmesan-flavoured cauliflower “popcorn” ($5) read like a real treat, but the miniature florets, over-juiced and under-cheesed, quickly grew boring. A full pound of chicken wings ($11) arrived oversaturated in a wet, sticky, and sickly sweet-spicy sauce of some unfortunate description (“Indian” sayeth the menu), the dipping raita of mango and mint giving it more superfluous soak than counterpoint cool.

Hits included little “Filet”-delphia Cheesesteak croûtes that were inventive and flawlessly executed. Four little pieces of perfectly fried bread came topped with wedges of beef tenderloin, pats of creamy Okanagan goat cheese, and dollops of zippy salsa balanced with cranberry. While a bit diminutive for $12, it was one of the only dishes that worked as well as it read. I was likewise besotted by a poutine made with miso gravy that had been flavoured with Blanche de Chambly beer ($9), as well as a dark and rich French onion soup loaded with Emmenthaler ($8).

Unlike the Stella’s on Commercial, this one ventures into full-meal territory with a handful of main courses. I couldn’t resist the sound of a Turkish Urfa pepper-crusted Black Angus tenderloin topped with a generous slab of smoked paprika butter. It was the most expensive item on the menu at $20, but it came with a generous portion of mashed potatoes and a forest of green beans. Also a worthwhile steal was a large local halibut filet with a creamy basmati risotto studded with peas and bacon (hard to resist at just $17).

While it’s too bad that there was so often a divide between the menu’s intent and the plated result, the mistakes appeared to mostly be a consequence of indiscipline in the kitchen rather than general incompetence — entirely fixable. It’s hard not to love a place that puts such a high premium on variety, imagination, and service, all at reasonable prices and in a laid-back atmosphere. All told, my affection for Stella’s was largely rekindled.

STELLA'S ON CAMBIE
3305 Cambie, 604-874-6900, StellasBeer.com
Food: 3 stars / Service: 4 stars / Atmosphere: 3 stars / Value: 3 stars (out of 5)