W
hen you walk into Duncan’s newest bistro, you are welcomed with a smile. Definitely not a sandwich shop, this new family run eatery opened by brother and sister team Logan MacQueen and Jessica Howarth and backed by mum Barbara MacQueen, had earned a loyal following long before they opened these doors. A VIU Culinary Arts trained Red Seal Chef, Logan has graced many of the most popular kitchens in the Valley from Providence Farm, to Duncan to Genoa Bay and the local markets with his food cart Om Nom Crepes before eventually opening Urban Forest Bistro with his sister. As with many great chefs his reputation precedes him and the eatery is already busy with regulars who have been enjoying Logan’s creations for years. Look for the bistro at the beginning of Kenneth St in downtown Duncan’s core. There’s a parking lot across the street, making it an easy stop for take out lunch to go. They offer easy counter service and Fire Roasted Tomato Soup is always on the menu along with a few daily specials to add onto your meal. A food haven for cautious diners, this is a family with many food sensitivities ranging from a rare bell pepper and canola oil allergy to more typical gluten, dairy and no added sugar intolerances. Their delicious soups are almost all gluten free and dairy free, but if your diet has no health concerns, your palette won’t even notice. While deciding on what to order I poll the customers around me. A few office staff from the building stride in confidently ordering “their usual” which I learn ranges from their delicious salads or one of their fresh made soups. Sitting at the table next to me is a cook from another restaurant waiting for his meal - “I’m in here all the time and always order the same thing. I love the beef brisket.”he shares. A few other customers nod in agreement. Slow cooked pulled beef brisket, topped with arugula and a hint of your choice of blue cheese or smoked gouda crumble served with grainy mustard and housemade horseradish aioli. If you are
for.
Urban Forest Bistro Lunch Review picturing an overflowing, messy dish - you are mistaken. Logan has managed to spin together a traditional favourite, hearty, rich and flavourful into an elegant and tasty hand held treat. Tender and tasty, the hot beef is gently paired with fresh first pick arugula all bedded between grilled focaccia. A delight bite after bite. Their signature PBLT also intrigued us today. Thick cut pork belly, organic greens, sliced tomato on True Grain focaccia cut to a perfect thickness (I might add), served with a house made garlic aioli. Upon my first bite there was something decidedly different. The crunch. Every single bite crunched! I call Logan over who explains that it is all in the finesse of how they lightly grill the outsides without touching the inside of the panini. Jessica quickly points out that actually it begins with the focaccia itself. “We tested several breads in the Valley, we were looking for quality and taste with minimal ingredients and True Grain’s foccacia was the clear choice because of their organic ingredients, but also because they don’t use canola oil - it was important that our bread represented the same canola-free kitchen policy that we have.” Canola-free… a new term to me but a bit of digging revealed that if one is trying to lead a GMO free life you already swerve away from anything containing it. Jessica has an allergy to canola, but many have banned
it from their home kitchens due to health effects caused by industrial production methods and association with glyphosate and artificial trans fats. Food for thought. Okay back to the PBLT. This delicious dish was inspired by the fact that “everyone loves bacon, but pork belly done well is so much more satisfying. Slow cooked whole, then sliced and roasted again with an extra dash of salt makes it a melt in your mouth experience.” smiles Jessica. It was a pleasant surprise for me that the pork belly did not over power the freshness of the Spring greens, or sliced tomato, keeping it fresh, healthy and sumptuous. A perfect assemblage of all three elements topped with the delicious crunch crunch experience that we will be back
As we already learned from the canola lesson, Jessica and Logan’s dedication to good, honest food doesn’t stop at the flavours. Favouring pasture and organic, they work with Meat Craft Island Butchery to find ethically raised meats for their dishes. “We order our ingredients as local as possible, and always organic if its not available from a local farm.” Keeping watch as more local farmers offer produce for sale, this duo looks forward to bringing their customers the freshest greens and vegetables possible to use in their food. If you haven’t been here already, its high time to try Duncan’s newest tasty gem. In additional to lunch and snacks Urban Forest Bistro serves brunch daily until 11:30am and there are also a great selection of vegetarian and gluten free choices on the menu. Thirsty? Beverage aficionados will appreciate nine blends of artisan coffee ranging from dark to decaf, Westholme Tea and a selection of cold natural sodas. Urban Forest Bistro, 23 Kenneth St, Duncan Open Monday Saturday 9am-5pm Brunch till 11:30am For take out call 250737-3933 or order online at www.urbanforestbistro.ca Sheila Badman, happy wife and mother of two, loves experiencing the treasures of Cowichan, both indoors and out.
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