Brunch is a popular affair in Vancouver, and there is no shortage of brunch places to eat at for your weekend ritual. However, with the weather warming up and the rain finally abating, people may want to spend their weekends outside soaking up some of that essential Vitamin D. To get the best of both activities, check out this brunch patio in downtown Vancouver with a view.
Located at 1010 Beach Avenue, Ten Ten Tapas is an upscale casual restaurant that boasts a beautiful patio with a direct view of the waterfront in False Creek and the famous Vancouver Seawall. It specializes in tapas with a focus on West Coast cuisine, and I recently had the chance to try their new brunch menu at a tasting event.
The Atmosphere
Tucked away amongst a cluster of buildings on the Seawall, Ten Ten Tapas might be easy to miss if you don't know what to look for. Thankfully, I was able to spot the restaurant by the large patio out front, which did indeed have a clear view of the False Creek inlet. Too bad it was raining the day I went, or the view would have made for an Insta-worthy background.
Upon entering the restaurant, I was struck by the the coziness of the inside. Most tables were set for 2-4 people, and the neatly arranged place settings, paired with the blue-and-white and tablecloths, gave the place an elegant feel. Despite the rain, the floor-to-ceiling windows provided plenty of natural light, and I sat by the windows to get the best view for photos.
The Food
Our kind hosts provided us with a tasting of 7 different dishes, most of which were meant for sharing.
The first course was the Blackstone Eggs Benny, a classic eggs Benedict with tomato salsa, smoked bacon, and avocado. Apart from the hard English muffin, I enjoyed it: the egg was soft and runny, its yolk melding right into the creamy avocado, and the acidity of the Hollandaise sauce livened up the dish.
The next set of dishes were from the Featured Tapas menu: Tiger Prawns (with olive oil, yuzu, and peanut sauce), Heirloom Tomatoes (with olive oil, buffalo mozzarella, and baby basil), and Mushrooms on Toast (with shaved fennel, fennel fronds, and sea salt). Of these, nothing really stood out, but I thought the Mushrooms on Toast was an interesting concept.
After the previous 3 dishes, I had a delicious duo of Shared Plates, including slow-roasted Baby Back Ribs brushed with piquillo pepper glaze and Krispy Fried Cauliflower topped with truffle oil, lemon, chilies, and Parmesan. The ribs were sweet and had meat falling off the bones, while the cauliflower was hearty and would have gone well with some dipping sauce.
As a special treat, the chef also prepared some Pulled Pork Taquitos, which were one of my favourite dishes of the tasting. The meat was tender and juicy, and I could taste the work that went into cooking the pork. It's too bad this item isn't on the regular menu, but I'd recommend it if it were available.
For dessert, we had mini lemon meringue tarts and salted chocolate ganache with crème fraîche. I preferred the chocolate ganache over the lemon tarts, as it was smooth and went well with the salt. The crème fraîche was also a welcome addition to the dessert, as it helped to temper some of the sweetness of the chocolate ganache.
The Drinks
In addition to the food, I had frozen mojitos when I arrived and wine (Pinot Grigio and Blasted Church Big Bang Theory) along with my meal. While I don't know enough about wine to comment on these, I thought the frozen mojito was sweet and refreshing, and I would have loved to try their mimosas had I not reached my alcohol limit for the day.
If you ever find yourself feeling hungry after biking along the Seawall in False Creek or swimming at the Vancouver Aquatic Centre, you can stop by Ten Ten Tapas for brunch. It is open from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm on the weekends, and you will get a beautiful view (and hopefully some sunshine) along with your meal.