the acorn

2nd review: take 2. after the growing pains during their opening, was finally able to make 2 tripsbackto the acorn.

the last 2 times unlike the first were quite enjoyable dining experiences.

the bar remains their weakest element. the frenchman at the bar has a bad attitude, and gets easily offended which is funny, considering he

a) doesn't know how to pour a beer into a glass.
b) takes 9 hrs to make a cocktail
c) acts like they have something resembling a wine list.

the food is a different story. unlike a lot of wannabe veg restaurants, here you'll get the dining experience you want. seasoned food, balanced plates with protein/veg/startch, and restaurant quality presentation.

there's still a ways to go. some of the dishes are a little bit one note (lack a bit of acid or spice), but all in all very enjoyable.

sorry to hear that some vegans had dairy in their food. i go here with vegans all the time and have not had a problem, they're generally very good about making vegan subsitutions where possible.

desserts are a bit lacking. i had a date tart that was frozen and hard as a rock but they have some new items so hopefully this has much improved.

overall, solid place, check it out.


-----07 jul, 2012-----

tough to properly judge the food when it
doesnt leave the kitchen!

its vegetarian vegan ... why is everything so slow!!! prices are reasonable
... quality seems ok ... stoner hippie run... dont expect a professional operation

i. love. this. restaurant.
came here two years ago for the first time on my birthday. i was the only vegan out of a table of 9 and everyone really enjoyed their meals. had such a great time, being vegan this place is a dream. beautifully presented whole food without processed/refined, gross fake meat ingredients.
recently camebackfor the second time this month and it did not disappoint at all.

food: always amazing. they just know how to cook everything just right, use herbs and other foods for flavour, everything is always seasoned well. it's like thoughtful, fancy vegan/vegetarian in a nice but casual setting. look at my photos and you'll see.

it's always busy and they don't take reservations unless it's for 7 or more i believe. so arrive when they open or be prepared to wait.

i can't wait to gobackwhen i'm in van next.

located at 24th and main, the acorn is open for dinner only and you will want to make a reservation. although the small restaurant was fully occupied (according to the rules) and seemed a little bit crowded, we felt safe as they are as serious about social distancing as any place that we have been in recent history. the acorn offers a three coarse dinner for $49 per person which as you will see, is very reasonable considering what they put together. we still opted for a sharable starter in addition. this was essentially pumpkin with lobster mushroom 'fish sauce' vinaigrette, hazelnuts and a taste of cayenne. it was our first amazing moment of many. delicious! the menu lists the ingredients for each dish in exhaustive detail which felt a little annoying and confusing at first but as we got into our meal, we found ourselves referringbackto the menu as "oh my god, that was amazing! what was that exactly?" moments came. mharie's first course was called romanesco. it was cauliflower in 5 forms with a goat gouda fonduta (her meal was vegetarian but not vegan) and a lemon leaf vinaigrette. i didn't even realize there were 5 kinds of cauliflower (including the romanesco) nor 5 ways to prepare it. grilled, pureed, pickled etc., the result was that each bite was different and needed to be savoured and appreciated. i started with the shitake. if i understood the menu, 2 types of shitake mushrooms prepared 3 ways (including a house-made x.o. sauce) with leeks, kelp and lemongrass! the surprising combination of textures and flavours made us very happy. the kitchen likes to use pickling which cuts through the richness of other elements to provide a balance. mharie's main course was called corn and featured house-made pasta. the pasta was not surprisingly very good and was supported (or the other way around) by radicchio, garlic, chanterelles, preserved corn, buffalo ricotta and something called crosnes. this is also known as japanese artichoke and the root was pickled for this dish. we did not isolate this ingredient at the time but we're convinced that everything contributes to the whole. by ordering the brassica, i did not initially realize that i was ordering the barbeque plate! buttermilk ranch slaw, burdock molasses-baked navy beans. maple syrup collard greens and sour pickles were the give away (and all a step above the usual and perfectly fine barbeque sides) but the savoy cabbage and quince were the stars here. brined, rubbed and smoked, and served with kumbuccha barbeque sauce (which was more than a little piquant), we would never have expected the cabbage (which in no way mimics brisket or any other barbequed meat) to be such a perfect 'viande'. for dessert, i had peach. peach and a sort of peach tuile over gin and peach sorbet and served with sorghum popcorn. another dish where each detail was an enjoyable surprise. mharie had one of the day's specials, western larch tip and squash ice cream topped with squash pearls, oat crumble and candied jelly tooth mushrooms. wow! as you probably have been able to tell, the creativity in the kitchen here is on a different plane from our usual forms of sustenance. they have proven once and for all, that a big old slab of meat is not necessary. small, romantic and dimly lit (made photography challenging and i came close to walking into plexiglass) this is a very nice space. service is very good and our servers were quick to answer our many questions. the acorn should definitely be on your bucket list whether you are vegan or not.

this restaurant exceeded my expectations, offering truly delicious and inventive vegetarian food, a lovely atmosphere and brilliant service. we had the mushroom appetizer, “harvest” special and battered halloumi for entrees and brownie for dessert and each dish was complex and packed with flavor. our server was so genuinely kind and made the whole experience even better. in my opinion, for the quality of food, the price is very reasonable. would definitely gobackand would highly recommend (even if you aren’t vegetarian)!

not gonna lie - vancouver has a lot of overhyped food and restaurants in our opinions but this restaurant was absolutely perfect.

from service, to the menu, atmosphere, decor, knowledgeable staff, good value, cleanliness and more - we were impressed. we actually felt like we were dining out as a treat rather than 'bus your own plates' kind of establishment.

the only reason why it wasn't 5/5 was my preference of a larger portion and a lack of a place for my coat (not a deal breaker but it being on thebackof my chair had it touching the floor). we got two main courses, and if you come hungry - and usually eat a lot, it probably won't be enough. i do like that their menu isn't overwhelming/large, and the server was extremely well versed in it and the ingredients. the food tasted fresh, vibrant flavours, unique combinations (and for someone who's still struggling to eat less meat, i didn't miss meat one bit!) food came out quickly.

washrooms were clean and maintained, spacious, again - nicely decorated. they even had a recording of a bird chirping playing in the background!

i actually can't wait to make a point of comingbackhere to try what else they have on their menu.

firstly, we subscribe to weekly csa boxes and favor a vegetable-heavy diet, but this place was an unabashed rip-off where meals consist of morsels of farming detritus and playful sauces, backed by an understanding that decorations count as food. it has done everything right in terms appeasing the crowd of the dreaded h word (of which we're guiltily a part of), from cheap ingredients dressed as luxury goods (omg beets) fashioned by visual-centric chefs with a complete ignorance of what taste buds are for, to the obligatory appallingly small portions. and this is coming from someone who enjoys eating plain tofu and has a low-sodium diet. i would not comebackif these guys paid me.

we were blown away with our experience at the acorn. this place serves up such a unique and ever changing menu with a focus on farm to table plant based foods. we couldn't believe the amount of depth and flavour each dish had, with a refreshing and innovative take on vegetarian food. our favorite dish of the night was the halloumi! we will bebackto try their brunch menu!

very inventive, fresh, vegetarian fare. friendly service, and a nice bar to order a drink while you wait, i'd gobackjust for a cocktail (but would probably get tempted to food as well, let's be honest). by no means do you have to be vegetarian to enjoy this place, the flavours are full and servings can be large.

i was disappoint with my trip to the resturant to start with when we asked about something specific about the drinks the waitress said i dunno and waved her hand dismissively. also when i ordered i asked to start with my appetizer (because i was extremely hungry) she camebackand asked if i wanted it before my meal and i replied yes then when i got my food she brought it all out at once and place my main infront of me when i had asked for my appetizer twice. my friend i was with

excellent vegetarian food/ poor service. first, the food is excellent. the dishes are filled with fresh and interesting ingredients, such as spicy greens, fresh vegetables and delicious combinations. this is a wonderful wonderful vegetarian meal. there is gf and v options, so it will not disappoint.

however, the long bearded waiter ruined the experience. first, the hair from his beard was shedding as he walked around the restaurant - hairs floating from his beard to the ground. the beard was long and bushy and un-groomed - i would say probably to his chest. second, he completely ignored our table and got the drink order wrong. i ordered a syrah and the wine was cabernet franc. when we told him we had been waiting 45 minutes with no food, while tables all around us were on their second course, he snippedbackthat it was a busy restaurant.

i dont understand why restaurants that have such great food, can have such terrible waiters. i guess they feel they can treat people any way they want because there is an air of arrogance about the food.

but guess what, the waiter does not cook the food, so again as in my past reviews, a restaurant is the sum of the experience not just the individual parts.

great eats even for non-vegetarian. i'm a serious omnivore and had doubts about eating at a vegetarian place. but my doubts were misplaced and i'm eager to comebackand try it again!

um?. the food was for sure unique and well presented. i love veg food in general and enjoyed the acorn though i can't seem to see what all the hype is about. i left both times still a little hungry and usually just a main is enough for me. but i will bebackand try some more dishes. i will always support veg restaurants (although the owner is not veg), for our health, the animals and the environment!

i keep comingbackfor more!. perfectly seasoned, beautifully presented and portion sizes that always leave me satisfied. definitely one of my all time favourites!

great food but long waits and no reservations. i always enjoy the food here, but it is after having my mood largely spoiled by longs waits for a table. we have waited near an hour a couple times. they offer you a drink menu while you wait, but standing there in your coat in a crowded little foyer doesn't make holding a drink all that appealing. i don't think i will gobackuntil they take reservations - if you have limited time this place is not a good bet for dinner.

the first visit was magical,backin september. the second visit last weekend will make it difficult to go back. waiting for an hour for a table is okay if it's worth it in the end - but it wasn't. i also don't mind paying $20 for an entree if its great food. it wasn't. i had a mushroom broth soup with soggy veggies and boring noodles. i could have easily made this at home...ichiban is $0.22 and tastes very similar to what we were served. we had the battered haloumi. the chunks were too big and room temp in the middle. we did enjoy the beet tartar - it was reminiscent of what made us like the restaurant in the first place. unfortunately everything else makes me feel its gone downhill.