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Rus Yessenov Does The Dishes

The talented barman from Yew Seafood in the Four Seasons takes us on a food and drink crawl to his favourite Vancouver haunts.
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Rus Yessenov Does The Dishes

The Dishes is a new Scout column that asks Vancouverites to walk us through a map of their ideal day and night on the town. We’re talking breakfast, lunch, happy hour, dinner and late night cocktails. Tax and tip included.

Photo credit: Allison Kuhl

For this week’s edition of The Dishes, we ask Rus Yessenov, barman at Yew Seafood, to show us on the map exactly where he gets his fill of Vancouver, starting from his place of work…

YEW seafood (Closed) 791 West Georgia St. MAP

Good morning! What’s for breakfast/brunch?

Crispy Chicken & Waffles at Tuc Craft Kitchen paired with their ‘DIY Mimosas’ (bottle of bubbles & fresh OJ)! And they’re part of the Mealshare program (#buy1give1).

Tuc Craft Kitchen 60 W Cordova St. MAP

Where should we meet for coffee/tea?

The newish Di Beppe is the perfect friendly neighbourhood corner spot sporting oldschool Italian immigrant vibes. More importantly, they serve old school Italian coffee: dark, strong, without acid. Living a block away makes it an even more obvious choice. Pro-tip: stay long enough and you’ll hit the 3pm aperitivo happy hour.

Di Beppe 8 West Cordova St. MAP

Now we’re hungry again. What’s for lunch?

Channeling my inner bougie at Colette Grand Café in Holt Renfrew. Small Plates, Sandwiches, Pasta, Raw Bar, Salads = Perfection. Homer Street Café is a lovely space as well.

Colette Grand Cafe 737 Dunsmuir St. MAP
Homer Street Cafe & Bar 898 Homer St. MAP

Who has you figured out at Happy Hour?

Living next door to Pidgin [pictured at top] is awesome for their happy hour Penicillins and Negronis, but my guilty pleasure is Cactus Club #frosé.

PiDGiN 350 Carrall St. MAP

What’s for dinner?

Savio Volpe tops my list — great ambiance, great service, and precise food, cocktail & wine menus. I recommend taking the chef’s choice coursed dinner with a bottle of Super Tuscan and focus on the company you’re with.

Osteria Savio Volpe 615 Kingsway MAP

What’s for dessert?

I typically skip the dessert and indulge in a sequence of digestifs: amaros, bitters, vermouths, etc. Is offering a shot of Fernet still known as a ‘bartender’s handshake’? The Diamond comes to mind…

The Diamond 6 Powell St. MAP

Where are you taking us for late night cocktails?

My favourite cocktail spot is Pourhouse. Confidently choose a cocktail from the menu or any classic and flip to the bourbon list for the kick. The ambiance is dark and friendly — perfect for a date or a post-shift libation.

Pourhouse 162 Water Street, Vancouver BC MAP

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