The best vegan poke bowl I’ve ever had came from a seafood restaurant
Bow & Stern
District 1881, 46130 Yale Road Chilliwack
How long would you wait in a restaurant without being served? That’s the question I posed on Threads while waiting for someone, anyone, to notice that I had been sitting at my table for 20 minutes.
For most it was 10 minutes max. Many said they would cause a scene, some suggested walking directly into the kitchen, and yelling at the wait staff.
The answer for me it turns out was 25 minutes as that’s when I got up and walked out of Hugo’s Mexican Kitchen at District 1881. No scene. No fuss. I simply walked out. And it’s a shame because they were the whole reason I was going out to Chilliwack’s District 1881 in the first place.
I had seen their menus and social media for quite a while and thought it was great they had so many vegan options. So on a Thursday when it wouldn’t be too busy I drove out to check out the Christmas display put on by the district (it’s so cutesy it’s like an influencer photo shoot heaven) and get some Mexican food. Walking in I was greeted by a hostess and as it was pretty small inside (maybe 10 tables) and their patio was open I asked to sit out there. I said it would just be for myself. I got my menus and then… poof.
I tried flagging people down inside, but the staff was nowhere to be found. I almost always eat solo, especially if I’m trying out a place I want to review, and I have to say there are definitely places that treat solo diners differently. I’ve been told it’s because they assume it will be a smaller bill and tip. Little do they know I was there to get a starter, main, and dessert. But even if I wasn’t the service shouldn’t matter. People dine solo and they deserve just as much of an experience as anyone else.
Defeated and stomach growling I wasn’t sure what to do. I had checked all of the menus in District 1881 and found few vegan options. The only place I knew for sure I could go to was Bow & Stern, a seafood restaurant I used to enjoy before I went vegan. I knew though there would only be one thing on the menu, a poke bowl. So I was locked into that choice if I went there. But again, it was 1 o’clock and I hadn’t eaten breakfast. I needed food ASAP.
Which is how I accidentally found the best vegan poke bowl I’ve ever had.
It’s called the “B&S Poke Bowl” and comes with furikake sushi rice, cucumber, roasted pineapple, radish, avocado, edamame, tamari spicy ponzu sauce, vegan sriracha mayo, tempura nori crisp, green onion, sesame seeds, crispy tofu.
Crispy tofu is pretty standard for vegan menu options. It’s usually just deep fried and decent if not thrilling. When I tell you the crispy tofu was better seasoned at this place than any I’ve had before. I actually couldn’t figure out what they’d put on it. The giant tempura nori cracker on top had the most satisfying crunch. The roasted pineapple was a total surprise and I could not get enough. Every part of the dish was perfectly thought out and presented in a visually pleasing way. You could tell that this wasn’t just an obligatory vegan option, it was a celebration of flavour.
And the service was impeccable. I was greeted the moment I walked in and asked if I wanted to eat at the bar or a cozy booth, whatever I wanted. No sooner had the host sat me down and said, “your server will be with you soon” than a glass of water appeared with the friendliest server. Introducing myself as vegan she knew right away what I’d be ordering and it was out to me faster than I could get through all my social media feeds. The decor was that sort of industrial modern, but the booths still seemed private. There was music but it wasn’t blaring and the selection was good.
And if I may do a little price comparison… before tax & tip my total was $20. It was so filling that I barely finished it all. What I was planning to order at Hugo’s would have been $42.50. So I saved money, had amazing food, and great service.
After I’d posted about it on Instagram the social team at Bow & Stern reached out to let me know they’re working to expand their vegan options as well. Never in a million years could I have expected to find such a fantastic vegan meal in a seafood restaurant, I am so happy to have had my expectations exceeded in every way.
In the interest of full disclosure after I got home that day Hugo’s reached out to my Instagram DMs and offered me dinner on them. To be honest I didn’t reply. I knew I wouldn’t be able to give an honest review of what happened or how I felt had I accepted. If the service was magically better was it because I have a public platform? I didn’t feel that would be right or give others an indication of how they might be treated. And after looking into some of their other reviews it seems this might be a trend. So for now I’ll hope that they will change their ways and maybe one day in the future I might try it again.
