ReFuel

Dinner was average but their brunch and lunch were standout IMHO. Their pear & quince mimosa = delicate and a nice twist on the standard oj/​champs combo. Caeser = great saltiness with a piece of sausage. Not too busy (easy to grab seating) and casual/​laid back/​modern atmosphere. They also do fried chicken fridays; i haven’t tried it yet. Will look into making this a regular spot…

The group consensus was: extremely underwhelming food and inconsistent service. We went for brunch on Sunday afternoon, just a girl’s day out with my mom and sisters, and were pleased to find that it wasn’t terribly crowded. I ordered the salumi plate, which came with 3 rows of 3 different types of salumi, mustard, a small cup of pickled vegetables and a slice of bread (why one slice if it’s for sharing?). I also ordered the salad, yet somehow received the soup. After the food came we couldn’t flag down our server, so we ended up talking to the other server on the floor — she quickly remedied the situation, but our server was AWOL until we were nearly done.
Someone in our party ordered the mushroom on toast, which was a slice of bread with sauteed button mushrooms, a bit of cheese and a fried egg; another ordered the burger with fries; and the last ordered the brioche french toast. The consensus among us was: the toast was overpriced for what you actually get, and kind of bland; the burger was fine but the fries were extremely salty; and the french toast was overly sweet. I enjoyed my salad but felt that they were a bit stingy on the orange slices — it was a bed of arugula with walnut pesto and maybe a quarter of an orange. Still, I think I chose the clear winner out of the four of us. I bet not many people say that about salad.
We also ordered Americanos. Somehow we only got 3 when we ordered 4. That about sums up what our experience was: just a sense of, «Really? This?»
I live a few blocks away, and I definitely won’t be returning, nor will I recommend this restaurant to others. The best I can say about ReFuel is that it’s okay. So unless you just want okay food, I’d say go elsewhere — at least for lunch/​brunch!

Dinner Club — ReFuel edition
The first Dinner Club of 2012 was a visit to ReFuel. Judging by the other reviews the dish to have should have been the fried chicken. Unfortunately for us the fried chicken is only available on Fridays. The special for the day was roast chicken which I’m feeling should have been the go to dish for the night.
The dishes the Dinner Club crew sampled included the potato leek soup (2x) and arugula fennel salad for starters and dry aged burger (2x with and without foie gras croquette), duck confit (2x), and mushroom & crème fraiche ravioli.
The potato leek soup didn’t muster many great comments. My friends basically couldn’t remember what the soup was and thought it might have been broccoli, my wife thought it was OK but not spectacular. I would say the arugula fennel salad was probably the better of the two starters but I think I would think twice before paying $ 12 for it again.
The burger was rated quite good with the foie gras croquette. The burger without the croquette was left undecided mostly because the consumer was sick during this outing. At first glance the burger looks a tad on the small side but it does work out to be a decent sized burger.
The common theme with the duck confit was salt. Salty, salty, salty. While the duck leg I had was cooked quite well, our friend’s edition was considered overcooked. I believe the duck leg was supposed to have some sort of dijon crust but I could barely make it out due to the overall saltiness. To top it all off the buck wheat spatzle that the duck leg was served on was overcooked.
The mushroom ravioli with smoked shallots, watercress and radish sounds great but the end result was just «OK». Looking more like a salad than a main the only thought that stuck from the ravioli was «it left a weird after taste».
It was a alcohol free night so the drinks included Fentiman’s «Botanically Brewed» sodas (Ginger beer and Dandelion & Burdock) and an in house «Not so Dark & Stormy» soda. The dandelion & burdock can only be described as a carbonated Chinese medicinal drink (reads not very tasty). The «Not so Dark & Stormy» was a little underwhelming considering it was a $ 5 soda.
Like I mentioned at the beginning I think the dish to try is the fried chicken or roast chicken so start with those and maybe you’ll have a better time at ReFuel.

Finally made it to ReFuel!
It’s been on my places to try list since it opened and I’ve had a Wagjag from last year that was expiring, so I finally made it. Service is a little spotty (they got our reservation mixed up with someone else with the same last name) and cutlery was missing a couple of times during the meal, but otherwise everyone was pleasant and friendly.
I really enjoyed this place — casual dinner spot and liked the menu. We both went with the $ 38 prix fixe… loved the salumi starter I picked which came with some super fresh bread and some great salamis. My fish was a ling cod and was well done and nicely seared with some potatoes and veggies on the side. To finish, the peanut butter and chocolate parfait was perfect.
Great value and casual atmosphere. Would definitely come back!
(They are doing a gift card promo right not for the holidays at 10% off if interested)

Such little portion for big cash!!!
Food is Ok! But u can get same or better quality for less price @ cactus or any other restaurant!
6 super small veggue ravioli’s for $ 21! I dont think so!!!

Un restaurant mémorable par sa cuisine inventive, le must la Côte de Boeuf (à commander en reservant) cuite son vide et terminé à la poële, à tomber par terre, boeuf sans hormones Alberta AAA, entrés, autre plats désert tout est délicieux
A marvellous restaurant for its creative cuisine, the must is la Côte de Boeuf (that is no longer on the menu but can be ordered in advance), its cooked sous-​vide and then seared in the pan with rosemary. Served with a Gentleman’s butter. Exquisite!!!
The blueberry crumble was delightful!
Chef Robert Belcham, Sommelier Tom Doughty and Caroline are most talented and welcoming! we wish we had them here in Paris!!!

Fried Chicken Fridays!
Fridays just got even better with the discovery of super delicious fried chicken. 3 big pieces of Polderside Farm chicken, buttermilk marinated, so juicy and tender. The skin, with just the right amount of crispiness. Also comes with a side of coleslaw, and a biscuit. And of course, a side of gravy. So good!
Also got a salumi plate to share-​dry cured chorizo, coppa, and fennel pollen salami. Everything was good, but wished it came with more bread.
Like the atmosphere-​clean, simple décor with a relaxed atmosphere.
Service was great, they always came in at the perfect times, never interrupting our conversation.
I’ll be back soon!

Really good food, service and atmosphere– I had the Celebration Salad which is actually appropriately named– the beets, pickled ginger, hazelnuts and herbs melded together perfectly for a wonderful mouth sensation… The Crostini with Salmon (usually with smoked trout but different today) was AMAZING! Freshly caught salmon, again perfectly seasoned with capers, dill and lemon… The only thing more I’d say is this is definitely a carnivore haven, with a very few veggie options.

I remember the first time I heard about this place and their chicken wings — it was great! We had a triple date and had some great food and great company.
This time — I was lucky enough to win a gift cert to the restaurant through twitter and was really looking forward to another great meal.
It was ABSOLUTELY POURING RAIN that night and we walked in soaked at around 7:30. There were two large parties that night — one with about 12 and another 8. All the other tables were filling up fast with 4’s and 2’s… good thing for reservations.
The waiter knew everything spot on as he repeated the special items very robotically and forced, in my opinion. We had the ramp risotto to share as an appetizer and it was delicious. Creamy, and had pieces of tuna that surprisingly went very well together. The textures were interesting, and the flavours filled your mouth with every bite. I wanted to lick the bowl.
For mains, we shared the BURGER, which I have heard great things about, and the steak salad. The aged burger, medium raw, was too raw for me… but none the less still very delicious. There was no lettuce or tomatoes of that sort — just straight up rich and cheesy. The fries were good too. The steak salad, which I believe was mistakenly a large portion, when I ordered a small, had a generous portion of steak. The tidbits that came with the salad gave it a lot of depth — from crunchiness, chewiness — all that jazz. The dressing was a little bit heavy for me, but that’s my fault for liking things bland.
Although the food was really good, and I mean REALLY good — service was terrible throughout the evening. There were two servers on staff for a full house and after our appetizer came out, it was more than 45 minutes before our main courses came out. I watched our waiter bring our food to another table, put the plates down … and then after a minute went back and picked them up because they had gone to the wrong people… walked halfway back to the kitchen, turned around and then brought those exact same plates to us. Bf said that the other couple never touched the plate of food, but it just made me feel a little uncomfortable upon receiving it, if you know what I mean.
The waiter throughout the night was in a frantic rush — I could feel the wind as he zipped by me because someone else was wondering where their food was, someone else had run out of water, and the requests went on. I know that you cannot expect large parties, but it’s also not my responsibility to deal with it. Who know a rained out night could have been so busy. Guess no one did.

Our 3^rd time for dinner at refuel tonight. Better than ever! As as vegetarian who is wheat sensitive and avoids lactose to find a place who will accommodate my appetite is a big deal. I’ve had a lot of risotto in my day… THE BEST EVER, like whoa.
The tuna salad, duck, both soups, and spot prawns were all delicious too. (apparently)
Had two 30^th birthdays being celebrated and they truly spoiled us, an amazing experience. Can’t wait to head back!

Meat and bread anyone?
I’m not talking about the hip new sandwich shop, I’m talking about the dry-​aged beef burger at ReFuel. The moist bun (a housemade bap) enveloping an intensely flavourful gourmet patty topped with cheese and bacon made my eyes roll back… whoa. My arteries said no but my mouth said ‘ohhhh yes’.
I’ll admit it felt a bit… unhealthy to be eating a burger sans lettuce or tomato (veggies on a fatty burger allow me the illusion of health) but the decadence of this handheld meal was worth it.
Perhaps share with a friend and split a salad just so you don’t go into full-​on meat sweats. It’s one rich snack.
I can’t wait to go back and try their famous chicken. Mmmm.

Came in with high hopes left with absolute disappointment.
We stopped in here lunch/​brunch so I could get my hands on the notorious Fried Chicken.
First all the place is modern and offers a killer beer selection. After settling in for a large bottle of weis beer I was rubbing my hands in anticipation of the fried chicken. The SO ordered a bacon and egg sandwich.
The fried chicken was somewhat under cooked and lacked even a modicum of flavor. The batter was so disappointing that I did not know what to make of it. The waffle was cold and soggy and the coleslaw was so ordinary that we were baffled.
The bacon and egg sandwich was very ordinary. There was not even a smudge of garnish, just two under-​toasted pieces of french bread, decent eggs and OK bacon served with very pedestrian fries.
Being a connoisseur of good southern fried chicken — I can safely say that reFuel will not get a mention in my not so soon to be published book on the best places to get Fried Chicken.

It is with great disappointment that after all the rave reviews I’ve
heard about Refuel… two thumbs DOWN are in order.
Not only what we ordered was mostly disappointing but the service lacked
emotional involvement on all accounts of our experience… an unenthusiastic vibe.
We started with a crispy pork terrine which was visually appealing but lacked
the pork belly texture and taste that I have come to crave… was just plain bland.
We than had Dougs crispy pork ribs with homemade bbq sauce… well as it turns
out Doug forgot to make these pork ribs crispy as well as when trimming to prepare
removed the meat instead of the fat.
The sauce had the texture of too much smoked paprika… grainy.
The crispy duck leg was stringy and dry.
On a positive note… we did enjoy the bone marrow as well as
the wild arugula salad, wine and bread!

Best burger I have had in a long time.
The rest of there food is quite good.
Very casual space.

What came first the Fried Chicken or the egg… I came and left with a purpose of chowing down on their Fried Buttermilk Chicken to go.
What a treat, this is probably the best fried chicken Ive ever had, 3 pieces that are cut different than regular chicken cuts in a cool way, the meat was ready to fall off the bone, sort like it was baked first then fried in a lite fluffy crispy buttermilk batter, each bite was full of meat that fell into my mouth, perfectly cooked… with a crazy gravy for dippin which really screwed my head up cause I didn’t know which direction to go: dip or not. both ways tasted so good. Just do it, Ya Fried Chicken!
I have to say I am very please with the whole experience and was happy to pay the premium price. A simple phone call for a pick up order that was ready in 10 mins (pre-​lunch rush), and the pleasure of indulging in fried chicken in the comfort of my own place, ahhh.

I came here when it was Fuel and I liked it then and I like the reincarnation of the restaurant. They have great service and the servers know the dishes enough to give you thorough advice on what to order based on what your mood is or what pleases your palette.
Are you a vegetarian? You might want to skip this place. On their menu include roasted bone marrow and several different type so steaks and other grillables. I’m a pretty healthy eater and stick to mostly vegetables and protein her and there for health reasons. I took a look at the menu, felt myself drool like a Pavlovian dog and forgot about the restrictions of my healthy lifestyle.
I chose the Duck Confit and because it was a dish that serves two I convinced someone who was part of our party to enjoy it with me. AHHHHH… duck, you are a wonderful bird and love eating you. The duck was flavourful and had a great zing to it (from the green apple and mustard). I’m usually used to something a bit more savoury such as morrocan or asian style duck so this was a great surprise.
I stole a piece of the hand rolled gnocci. Then I stole some more. It was just right — the right texture, the right taste. If you’re also looking to stick to your diet — forget it. This place provides you food that brings you comfort that leaves you satisfied and smiling. I didn’t dare try the fried chicken but I heard that it’s more than just good — I heard it’s divine.
I’d give this place 5 stars if I knew the food didn’t wreck my healthy lifestyle but as for a place where I can be a glutton — this place is where I would go to spoil myself.

My wonderful friend took me out for dinner tonight and we both agreed refuel is not a place we’d re-​visit.
First off, the oysters were the hands down the best part of the meal ($ 3 each). As for the rest of the dishes, they all seemed to be missing something. no WOW factor or MMMMMMmmm response.
We ordered the dry ribs which were quite bland and there were some darker pieces of meat that we think were ribs but we weren’t exactly sure. I had the organic beet salad and it wasn’t bad, but again it was lacking flavour, not to mention a few more croutons because I think I got one croûton, split in 3 pieces.
My friend got the fried chicken and it was meh. The coleslaw was really salty and «aj’s gravy» just didn’t hit the spot. (If you want fried chicken go for the wings at Phnom Penh)
Even looking around at the other plates that were being served we didn’t think anything looked overly appealing and I didn’t see any dish I wish I had ordered instead (maybe the burger but there are a lot of other places to go for a burger).
hmm…what else can I say. the art on the back wall was cool?

I’m having trouble selecting a rating for ReFuel. I think they probably deserve better than a 3, but I think I deserve better too, so I’ll meet them halfway.
I had wanted to visit for a while, and was pleasantly surprised that they could easily accommodate 4 of us on a Friday night without waiting. A late night burger and beer for $ 15.50 sounded appealing, but after a quick glance at the menu it was the buttermilk fried polderside chicken that put the burger idea to rest in a hurry. As a snack, we tried the beets and goat cheese. The beets were good, but I think the dish would be better served with goat cheese crumbles instead of just cream style. The chicken arrived and looked amazing. Three pieces. Jalapeño biscuit, cole slaw, gravy. The taste, however, was underwhelming. It needed something. It lacked flavour. It was boring. And it was oily. The sides tried to rescue it, but to no avail. My friends had the burger special and the wild BC salmon. They seemed satisfied with their meals, but I was looking for a taste of theirs instead. We all found the drink prices on the high side. The beer selection is limited to two R&B taps for $ 6.50, and lots of bottle and can options with a fair amount of price mark-​up. For casual dining with drinks, I think I’ll pass on ReFuel next time.

With all of the amazing restaurants this city has to offer I am very surprised that ReFuel pulls in so much attention and acclaim.
I’ve been twice and was underwhelmed with my meal both times.
Service was aloof. Pricing was as per usual at fine dining restaurant in Vancouver however with the food being so poor the value was not there in the least bit.
This place is absolutely a media hype up. I would have to say ReFuel is the very definition of over rated!

[in a southern drawl] «We’ve heard (on this here site) that y’all have some mighty fine looking buttermilk fried chicken. We’ll take two orders, and don’t skimp on that there gravy.»
3 perfectly crispy pieces soon arrived complete with a jalapeño biscuit, some cole slaw and a dish of gravy. I can’t say that it’s the most ladylike meal to bite into, but dang, was it ever tasty.
After all that grub, there was no way I thought I could handle a dessert of any kind, but of course, I was tempted by the cheesecake. And what a cake it was. Tart, yet sweet, creamy, soft but light, this was heaven, garnished with a raspberry sauce that was lick-​the-​plate worthy.
The service was well timed and not in-​your-​face. My dinner date was almost ½ hour late, but it made no matter, they fixed me up with my wine and not one look of judgement was passed while we lingered chatting before even considering ordering. I don’t usually wish this, but I wish that the lighting was just a bit lighter, if only to see the menu a little clearer.
Loved the menu separations, with starters, entrees AND snacks, perfect if you’re thinking of partaking in one of their cocktails. The menu appeared to be well-​appointed and classic, however, it was cold and I was all about the $ 7 melbec. But if anyone wants to meet for a drink and a snack, name the time, I’m there.

Oh my greasy goodness! What have I just done to my body? I’m short of breath, my blood’s turned to gravy and it’s circulating like bubble tea through a straw.
I’ve just had a two-​course meal at Refuel. Woah.
The two of us shared squid and spice-​rubbed pork for starters. The squid was delicious, a perfect texture, with a nice light batter, and the cilantro and chili added the ideal garnish. Meanwhile the pork had so much flavor packed in — that spice mix was addictive.
For mains, we ordered what I gathered from previous reviews are the signature dishes: the burger and the fried chook.
The burger totally kicked my arse. It’s a simple plate — one massive beef patty, topped only with melted cheese and bacon, but that’s all that it really needs. It’s one delicious heartattack. It also comes with a mountain of fries. My suggestion to the guys was to have a housemade sauce rather than the store-​bought ketchup. I hope they look into that once they’ve settled in with the new menu.
The chicken came out as dinosaur bones — freaking huge. The meat was tender and the skin crisped up just so. But by this stage we were both paralysed from the stomach up. There was no way we could finish this all off — the overload of fried meat was giving us some kind of toxic shock. So we just had to concede defeat.
Gotta say that the hosts were awesome too — I wish them all the best with the new joint. Oh yeah, the Nebbiolo was delicious too.
I’m unsure exactly how to rate the meal: I’m feeling 3 stars at the moment — but then again I gotta take the responsibility for overeating and wiping myself out. This much deep-​fried batter and meat is probably not my style — maybe I’ve grown soft from focusing on sushi and stir fries lately. But if that is your thing, then I can see where all the 4 and 5 stars are coming from.
Now I need to go lie down.