This week was particularly exciting because my friend Melissa successfully defended her PhD thesis. To celebrate this momentous occasion, Melissa held a celebratory get-together at the Tap & Barrel in Olympic Village. I was tasked with making the prior day reservation for the group of 20 which really amounted to nothing at all. When I called Tap & Barrel, they said that they could no longer take reservations for large groups on that day. However, they would make their best efforts to accommodate on a first-come-first-serve basis.
Patio Season
One of the major allures of this Tap & Barrel location (two other are in Coal Harbour and Lonsdale) is their two enormous False-creek facing patios. On a beautiful sunny day, patrons can enjoy a beautiful view of False Creek, Rogers Arena and Science World while sipping on craft beer or wine.
For our party, we ended up inside with cozy banquettes and high top tables. The interior is definitely a lot smaller than the patios. I did enjoy the lively and inviting atmosphere. Furthermore, I appreciate how kid-friendly Tap & Barrel is as they had several high chairs available in the corner.
My husband, son and I arrived late to the party as I had a media event earlier that evening. We ordered a few finger foods to share. My son is at that very curious and “I want to try everything” stage, so ordering an alcoholic beverage would not be practical. As a result, we ordered orange juice to share.
What We Tried
We ordered the following items:
- Southern Fried Chicken Strips ($14)
- Margherita pizza ($14)
- Orange juice ($3.50)
The Southern Fried Chicken Strips were wonderfully tender and had a deliciously crunchy corn flake breading. I enjoyed the breading so much that I am looking at recipes to reproduce it at home. The sea salted fries were a little disappointing because I really thought they could be crispier. The buttermilk ranch dip was nice and creamy. While I enjoyed the strips, I thought it expensive given that there were just four chicken strips for $14
The Margheria wood board pizza had fresh mozzarella, grana padano, fire-roasted tomato sauce, and fresh basil. I thought the pizza was hearty with a good crispy and slightly chewy crust. The topping to crust ratio was reasonable. However, I did think the portions were on the small side for $14.
Overall Impression of Tap & Barrel
I thought the food we tried at Tap & Barrel was good but on the pricier side. The premium location certainly got accounted for in the prices. I did like that the restaurant was kid-friendly, friendly and welcoming. Rating: 3/5