Just a block away from the office, Salmon n’ Bannock isn’t quite noticeable. E told me that it’s supposed to be Vancouver’s only restaurant that serves First Nations cuisine. Never tried the cuisine before, so I was curious what this was all about.

The restaurant is fairly small, but it wasn’t too busy during the lunch hours. The inside is decorated with First Nations decor and gives a very homey feeling. Staff was very friendly, but the only issue I had was how slow the food came out. We waited over 30 minutes for our food, and with a one hour lunch break, there isn’t really much time to eat. Come here if you are not in a rush.

Elk Burger

E tried their Elk Burger, which came with an elk patty, sauteed mushrooms, alder smoked bacon, tomato, smoked cheddar and organic greens. All the burgers also come with your choice of salad or sweet potato fries. E got the sweet potato fries and it came with a side of aioli. All burgers come with the bun as a bannock. I didn’t really know what bannock was, but it is the main staple in First Nations cuisine. It’s a flat quick bread and I thought it almost tasted like a scone, but less dense.

Salmon n’ Bannock Burger

For myself, I went for the Salmon n’ Bannock Burger, since it seemed that the restaurant was named after this dish. It featured a 6oz wild sockeye salmon fillet with tartar sauce, red onions and fennel slaw. I also chose the sweet potato fries, which were cut fresh and topped with lots of herbs. However, I found that they were quite soggy. The seasoning was great, but the fries needed to be crispy. There was a large piece of salmon fillet and the salmon was cooked to moist. I found the red onions to be a bit too overpowering as there were too much of it, so it covered the salmon’s flavour. However, I really enjoyed the change from your typical burger bun. The bannock was fluffy and crispy on the outside. A very interesting texture and worth trying.

The receipt came in a box with Aboriginal detailing, which I thought was a nice touch. Overall, Salmon n’ Bannock offer some pretty good burgers that are very different from your typical. It’s interesting to note that most of the meat they use are meats you wouldn’t normally see, such as bison and elk. Burgers range from $17-18 so not exactly the cheapest option. Still, it’s a cool place to check out if you’ve never tried First Nations food.