VANCOUVER — Mahony & Sons has partnered with chef Vikram Vij to refresh its concept of classic pub fare, by infusing the social spirit of a pub with the bold, warm flavours of South-Asian street food. As part of the transformation, the Vancouver-based concept, which operates two locations, is now simply dubbed mahony.
“Evolving to a truly modern pub with cuisine that’s as exceptional as our locations meant searching for the right partner,” says Pete Mahony, president, mahony Restaurants. “We offer an incredible social experience and wanted a celebrity chef to raise the bar on our classic pub food and really standout from the thousands of other restaurants/bars in Vancouver. Chef Vikram Vij’s inspired approach to cooking bridges the gap between cultures. He’s the ideal partner for reinventing yesterday’s pub for today. We see this evolution as the future of gastropubs.”
Vij is a celebrated TV personality, sommelier, restaurateur, and award-winning author. He’s made an impact on the Canadian culinary scene with his restaurants Vij’s, Rangoli and My Shanti; a line of take-home meals; and TV involvement with Chopped Canada, Top Chef Canada, Dragon’s Den and Recipe to Riches.
Vij designed a new menu with beloved classics along with “spiced-up pub fare” in collaboration with mahony executive chef Liam Dougall. Crafted with local ingredients, traditional items include a 100-per-cent all-natural beef patty served on a Terra Breads brioche bun and Ocean Wise Pacific cod in a Guinness batter, both served with hand-cut fries. Vij-inspired dishes include an interpretation of pizza with handmade naan-bread crust available in four different styles; a Vikram “bunny” chow served in a Terra Breads sourdough bread bowl; and a gluten-free paneer pakora made with chickpea flour and served with mint and onion chutney.
