The menacingly-named L’Abattoir, between Goaler’s Mews and Blood Alley in Vancouver’s Gastown district, is nowhere near as intimidating as the neighbourhood names suggest. Although the building was originally the district’s first jail, fear not. The only actual blood you’ll see in this stylish restaurant and bar will be oozing from a rare steak.
Set in the former butchery and meat packing area, designer David Hepworth has retained architectural links to history through exposed brickwork and beams, and a warehouse’s sense of space in the double-storey bar. Tiles run throughout the lower floor, which includes an atrium, while the dining area sits raised above the bar.
Those in the know whisper that head barman Shaun Layton has off-menu cocktails aged in whiskey casks, and his resume points to a very jolly evening for those lingering at the bar. L’Abattoir also has a sommelier to point you in the right direction with the wine to complement the menu of chef Lee Cooper, who has worked at several Michelin-starred restaurants including Heston Blumenthal’s The Fat Duck. Quacking!
Photo © Bruce Edward Statham
Photo © Glasfurd & Walker
Photo © Glasfurd & Walker
Photo © Glasfurd & Walker
Photo © Glasfurd & Walker
Photo © Bruce Edward Statham
