Something Nu for Fall

While Canada’s restaurant scene continues to thrive on fresh openings, every once in a while, something Nu comes along. Nu, the eclectic sibling of Vancouver’s C and Raincity Grill, captured national attention earlier this year when EnRoute magazine named it Canada’s Best New Restaurant.

The accolades have been many and immediate, but for all its allure, Nu’s charm is firmly fixed on the plate. From the abundance of seasonal mainstays that mark its menu to the harbourside patio that, along with the entire restaurant, extends into Vancouver’s False Creek Harbour, it is true: Nu lives up to its name in every sensory category.

Of course, having as seasoned a veteran as Chef Robert Clark coordinating the farm fresh food supply and restaurateur-cum-culinary-vanguard Harry Kambolis driving the vision, it had an edge from the beginning.

Kambolis has been one of the quietest champions of sustainable foods on the West Coast, preferring to let the plates and the ambassadorial Chef Clark do the talking. Regardless, the 40-something father of two has done much to educate and entertain Vancouver’s visitors and locals.

His recipe for success could not be simpler, or more difficult to replicate: singular style and sustainable sourcing. Location naturally benefits Nu’s position on Canada’s new restaurant pantheon, but it is the fresh flair of the food that continues to turn heads. Nu’s steel, stone, and glass edifice provides an artful contrast with the dishes themselves, which sing with the simple grace of the surrounding surf and turf.

Fried local oysters perched on ale-filled applicators provide magical mouthfuls, as do the ch?e-stuffed chicken wings and side-striped shrimp cocktails: each convivial course carries a healthy dose of conscious sourcing compliments of the house. Fraser Valley duck, Skeena River salmon, and Salt Spring Island honey mussels are just three edible illustrations of Nu’s regional roots. Elsewhere on the menu, artisan cheeses, local greens, and other touches of BC terroir predominate.

In keeping with the Ocean Wise ethos (see vanaqua.org/conservation/oceanwise) of C and Raincity Grill, Nu is guided by both good taste and the seasons, albeit in as dynamic a setting as might be found at any Canadian table. The style never overpowers the cuisine but provides the ideal backdrop for exploring how good real food can be in the right hands.

Across Canada, September is the perfect time to take advantage of the last bites of sun-ripened summer and the first hearty helpings of autumn’s pantry. Fortunately for alive’s readers, finding a Nu take on old favourites is what comes naturally to Kambolis and crew.

Recipes

• Woodland Mushroom Risotto
• Whole Baked Apple Crumble
• Pacific Oyster and Leek Stew