Fray on Fraser

Already in this young blog's life, I've posted about a place or two I wasn't sure qualified as pubs.  This week, I'm going to muddy the waters even further, by looking at a place that is definitely leaning more towards restaurant than pub (they have a kid's menu!), but as we've already established, there are no real pubs in Vancouver, and it feels like a pub to me, and it's my blog, so I'm going to write about it anyway.

Fray on Fraser, is definitely straddling that line between bar and restaurant.  It's laid out like an old school diner, but with a vibe that is decidedly more modern (it also has a fairly good sense of humour about itself).  It's not a big place, but it doesn't feel crowded either.  Some pubs just have a an aura about them, and this one certainly does.  You walk in and you just feel comfortable.

Food and drink are both excellent.  Nothing incredible on either front, but good quality on both.  The Fray prides itself on supporting local producers, and the menu has a great map showing where some of the local ingredients came from.  I like to try and avoid the politics of the whole "eat local" movement, but I have noticed that food tends to taste better when it hasn't had to travel far.  Beer is also good, a selection of some quality local microbrews, and a rotating tap.  I like places that change up their beer menu; shows that they're brave enough to experiment.  Our food was a little slow in coming, but without our complaining, the waitress bought us a round of drinks by way of an apology.  Nothing buys bygones faster than free beer.  Combine that with the fact that food was damn good, and I was certainly a happy customer.

The big draw for me here, though, was the games.  They have a huge selection of board games.  There's a whole shelf of them, and you can just grab a game and play it at the table.  I've been to a couple of "board game bars" before, but they always felt like the games were an affectation.  The sort of places hipsters go to and say "Board games, in a bar? That's SO ironic!"  At Fray, the games are there for the reason games should be there.  To be played with!  A game of Balderdash and a few beers with good people makes for a very enjoyable evening.

Overall, a fun, neighbourhood joint.  I'll definitely be back.

Fray on Fraser