Simple, tasty food hits the spot
Super casual vibe of this eatery suits its location and appeals to its varied clientele
When you live in Squamish, you’re no doubt good at roughing it — on mountain bikes, hanging off climbing ropes, on surf boards and on mountain trails. So going to the bathroom in outdoor portables and dining in a former greenhouse (with glass roof) should be a lark. And if the weather’s just fine, there’s an outdoor dining area.
The Joinery is part of a triad, sibling to The Locovore food truck a few steps away and the adjacent Cloudburst Cafe, a coffee bar. I’ve stopped by the food truck returning from biking and hiking in the area (I return each year to Diamond Head and Garibaldi Lake like a migratory bird) and liked the quality and freshness of the burgers and sandwiches.
The food truck was started by Cory Balano and Steve Moir, who operated Glacier Valley (organic) Farms in Squamish until three years ago, producing hogs, lamb, chickens, eggs and produce. Two other owners have come on board since.
Squamish is so ready for The Joinery and its super casual feel. Salted Vine is the other restaurant I’d recommend in the city, but you wouldn’t go there in your hiking gear. At The Joinery, I’d feel OK going from a sweaty five-hour hike in fragrant hiking clothes — it’s spacious and airy and no one will bat an eye. The music’s great, and the communal tables seal the small town vibe.
The Joinery aims to join things and people together and that’s what I saw — families, mountain biking dudes, seniors, millennials. Plus, as chef Cameron Hunter says, Squamish had a strong culture around wood and much of the furniture, caddies, platters and bar area are made of reused wood.
Hunter, who has cooked in London, was at Vancouver’s Century Plaza’s Beyond (now Prime) before joining the Squamish group a year ago. He also knows his way around butchering after a stint at Sebastian & Co. Fine Meats in West Vancouver.
I like his clean, bright flavours and presentations and the prices are attractive, too. The dishes are simple but there are nice surprises, like balsamic vinegar pearls and the costlier burrata in place of fresh mozzarella in his Caprese salad.
However, the candied salmon ($9), missed the mark. I recoiled a little from the too-salty, too-sweet dish.
An ample bowl of House Salad ($14) rescued and refreshed my palate. Fresh figs, apple, caramelized pecans, house-smoked bacon, blue cheese and toasted pine nuts were tossed with crisp greens.
West Coast Bowl ($18) is a poke bowl gone rogue — it has quinoa, sashimi-style albacore tuna, roasted beets, brown rice, avocado, pickled carrots, and beet chips, and makes you feel good all over. This is apparently the top seller, showing you how much Squamish has changed from its lumberjack days. (The pastel pink sauce ringed around it, however, was a little off-putting.) The other popular dish is the butternut squash agnolotti.
If meat’s your thing, the lamb shank ($21) should keep you subdued. You’d think lamb shank ennui is long overdue but people never seem to tire of it. This one’s tender, has good flavour and is served with a light sauce hit with tomato and citrus, and a puck of couscous.
“Our main focus is to be as fresh as we can,” Hunter says. (Two of the owners were organic farmers.)
For dessert, I liked the straightahead lemon tart. The olive cake sounds beguilingly Italian but it won’t excite anyone; the popcorn ice cream served with it was interesting, however.
The beverage list is better than you’d expect thanks to the handiwork of Shaun Layton, a talented Vancouver bartender. There are local brews on tap and a good selection of bottled. The wine list is smart and thoughtful; there are seven white wines and seven reds — all available by the glass or bottle.