Long before offal dining became the new "it cuisine", sweetbreads have been worshipped by gourmands and served at the world's best restaurants. Sweetbreads long lineage dates back to the sixteenth century and these delicate creamy morsels remain a sought after delicacy. Sweetbreads come from both the thymus gland, known as "throat sweetbreads", and the pancreas gland, known as "heart sweetbreads", of calves and lambs.
Unless you are a gourmet home chef, sweetbreads are best enjoyed at a restaurant as they involve lengthy preparation and a delicate hand. Once difficult to find in Vancouver, sweetbreads can now be found in many of the city's top restaurants. Here's where to dine on sweetbreads in Vancouver:
L’Abbatoir Restaurant Photo Credit: Virannly Liemena
Since opening in 2012, L'Abattoir which specializes in French West Coast cuisine has become a Gastown favourite for the hip and well dressed crowd. Their intimate bar offers a chance to see cocktails in action and is the perfect spot to indulge in their decadent pan fried veal sweetbreads on a toast.
Pan fried veal sweetbreads on toast. ($16.00)
Gastown
217 Carrall Street
604-568-1701
Photo courtesy: Jonathan Norton.
Wildebeest Restaurant is known as one of the city's best meat centric restaurants and caters to the chic Gastown crowd. Enjoy the cool vibe along with a dish of their heavenly roasted sweetbreads.
Roasted sweetbreads: buttermilk poached sweetbreads, apple & sorrel puree, charred onion petals, spiced granola. ($18.00)
Gastown
120 W. Hastings Street.
604-687-6880
Photo courtesy: Royal Dinette
Vancouver's current "it restaurant", Royal Dinette, co-owned by David Gunawan and the Donnelly Group took the prestigious title of Globe and Mail's best new restaurant in 2015. Specializing in farm to table cuisine, Royal Dinette showcases sweetbreads with hyper-local West Coast flair.
Sweetbreads with Carrot, Black Trumpet Mushrooms, Vadouvan and Spot Prawn Butter. ($18.00)
Downtown
905 Dunsmuir Street
604-974-8077
Photo courtesy: Le Crocodile
Vancouver's iconic Le Crocodile Restaurant has been serving up French fine dining for over thirty years and has remained at the top of the city's best restaurants. Drop by for lunch and with the patio open in the spring, this is the perfect spot to enjoy a glass of wine and a plate of divine sweetbreads.
Pan-Seared Veal Sweetbreads with Porcini Mushrooms, Citrus Reduction and White Turnip Puree. $($19.50)
Downtown
#100-909 Burrard Street
604-669-4298
Photo courtesy: The French Table
Fans of Odd Society Spirits's award-winning Cassis know that the prized and secret recipe comes from Herve Martin, the owner of the French Table. A charming bistro, the French Table has a loyal following and they serve up a traditional dish of Sweetbreads Grenobloise.
Sweetbread Grenobloise: capers, tomatoes, onion, parsley, lemon butter, celeriac remoulade. ($14.00)
Mount Pleasant
3916 Main Street
604-689-3237
Photo courtesy: Au Comptoir
Au Comptoir which opened in 2015 has become Kitsilano's much loved neighbourhood French bistro. Here you can find veal sweetbreads on the all day weekend brunch menu served with perfectly poached eggs. A truly sinful dish.
Riz de Veau Aux Champignons Sauvages ($18.00)
Kitsilano
2278 West 4th Avenue
604-569-2278
An East Vancouver gem, this cozy neighborhood French bistro serves up the classics including cassoulet, beef bourguignon, steak frites and mussels along with nightly specials which often feature their heavenly sweetbreads.
Veal Sweetbreads, lightly dusted in flower, pan fried and served with caramelized cauliflower, raisin and jus. ($15.00)
East Vancouver
1869 Powell Street
604-251-4070
