I Dare You to Eat at The Brave Bull
Vancouver has some great restaurant review websites.
Blogstar Raul prides himself on his copious amount of restaurant reviews. Tiny Bites is another site full of great photos and informative and fun reviews. Not to mention the searchable archives of the Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Edition.
Look through all of them and there’s one restaurant you won’t find reviewed. The Brave Bull.
You know the place, right on the corner of Clark and E Hastings. I’ve driven past it for decades and the prices have never changed, – still $8.95 for a steak dinner at this family restaurant, yet the parking lot is always empty. The sign still flips from open to closed, and the lights still come on – so someone is working there.
It’s a creepy, old building. There are windows, but they’re glazed yellow so you can’t see in. Up until today I had never actually seen anyone go in or come out, but at lunch time a construction worker was just walking out as I pulled up to the light. So it’ open. And it’s serving food. And people are leaving the place alive.
So, my challenge to you, restaurant reviewers of the Vancouver internets is: review The Brave Bull.
I’d do it, but I’m too damn scared.
The Blog According to Buzz. Spread the word, ya heard?
Tags: food
Hi Buzz,
I saw you yesterday at Joe Solomon’s talk but you left early and I didn’t get a chance to say hi. I’m in. I’ll review the Brave Bull
Best,
Raul
I did bolt rather quickly to get home to Z .. but I look forward to meeting you soon.. and reading your review!
[...] what do I find when I turn Twhirl on? A challenge by local news power blogger Buzz Bishop (of 95Crave fame) to review The Brave Bull. The restaurant may be in the seedier part [...]
Raul if you do it.. that would be great! I too have driven past that place wondering what’s up with it. Good luck!
Hmmm I’m wondering if we just have a huge “Dot Com Steak” event like what John Chow does with his Dot Com Pho…
????
no way! I’m a banker, not a food reviewer, but I can’t wait to see what comes of this one.
lol! Great idea. I’ve driven by that place countless times and said to myself ‘How is that place still open!’
[...] I need to grab Buzz Bishop’s challenge and tell you that yes, I have eaten at the Brave [...]
Hi Buzz, I couldn’t help it, I needed to write about the Brave Bull, a restaurant for which I have many warm feelings. However, it’s been quite a while since I last went there so I’m sure it’s time for Raul to check it out again.
Maybe it will be a DotCom Steak then
Lots of bloggers AND twitterers seem interested and willing to come along with me!
I think we should all get together http://www.improveverywhere.com style Mission. Everyone goes there in small groups and say we don’t know why there are so many people there.
I’m in! Especially if it turns into a group outing. I’ve eaten at many a questionable establishment…don’t let my online fru-fru reviews fool you.
And have you ever seen what Filipinos love to eat? You may have…it’s often on Fear Factor: http://www.nbc.com/Fear_Factor/stunts/stunt_203_balut.shtml
I drive by there every time I head downtown, and I’ve always wondered about it as well. I’m definitely interested in hearing what it’s like inside, but I’m definitely too chicken to try it myself.
This is timely. A bit more than a month ago, a friend (over a dinner at Zen) said he had been there not too long ago, and the verdict was it was run by a nice couple, and it was the best steak you were going to get for the price.
[...] For all you non-Twitterites, that was Buzz Bishop’s way of issuing myself and fellow foodie Raul a challenge: review The Brave Bull…if you dare. [...]
Buzz,
I ate at the Bull with a friend one afternoon on a whim. We’d noticed it before and thought it would be daring to grab a meal. We both had steaks. Mine was one of the most mediocre steaks I’ve ever had. The sides were forgettable, but the meat was passable, all things considered.
Nothing compared to the beef of Alberta.
[...] you may all have read, our very own 95Crave Buzz Bishop issued a challenge to several local restaurant reviewers, including my fellow foodie friend Karen and yours truly. I also took the liberty of inviting [...]
Been there, done that (twice). Run by an elderly Chinese couple who are extremely nice (like grandparents). You get a bit more than you pay for – they haven’t raised prices in 15 years and the age of the signs support that. The veggies are total mush but the meat (prime rib) I had was reasonably good. Certainly not a date night but fun to be had with a few buddies. Large parties need to call ahead cause they don’t have a lot of business anymore.
Not a full review, but I hit the brave bull years ago. It’s not nearly as scary as most people think.
http://www.inanimate.ca/2003_12_01_archive.shtml#107112523596729692
I ate there about 10 years ago with a friend. Like you, we had driven by so many times and decided it was going to be an adventure. An older Asian woman proudly seated us in “her garden” where she had a huge collection of plants. Oddly, she seated us in a completely seperate area than all the other diners in the restaurant.
As I remember it the food was fine… I mean, you are talking about a steak dinner for $8.95. Just as good as Denny’s or a similar restaurant. The value came in the atmosphere
OMG – too funny. Just heard Buz talking about the Brave Bull. We live in the area and think the same thing when we drive by. My boyfriend is dying to try it out – i’m terrifed. He almost has me convinced and since we are moving soon we’ve decided to go before we move.. maybe we’ll see you there monday.
@Lisa .. make sure you hit Raul’s blog – he’s got a bunch of people going on Monday night.. there will be safety in numbers.
http://hummingbird604.com/2008/06/19/steakcamp-2008-at-the-brave-bull-the-details/
My pals over at Urbanspoon at least have a listing page for the Brave Bull: http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/14/180220/Vancouver/Commercial-Drive-restaurants/Brave-Bulls-House-of-Steaks.html
Maybe once you and your readers give it a try, you can post your mini-reviews there.
I’ve been there a half dozen times and Helen (she’s the older Asian lady a pp mentioned; her English is a little sketchy but with patience she’ll get it) will be your waitress. She reminds me of the grandma I wish I had. She remembers the regulars that did appear whiel we dined there and knows what they like to order. My hubby is the chatty type so we found out that it’s just her and her husband (the reason why you will wait about 1/2 hour for your food to come out) and her kids are off doing their own thing. The decor is 70’s kitch and the prices stuck in the early 90’s (I hope they did change the menu to reflect the new percentage for the GST). Bring a open mind (and a couple of back up choices if they no longer serve the dish you want) and chill while you are there; you’ll have a fun time if not memorable time.
[...] this week I tossed out a challenge to local Vancouver restaurant bloggers to go and have a meal at The Brave Bull. I’ve driven past it for decades, but have been [...]
[...] it seems Raul has accepted a challenge to eat at The Brave Bull, a legendary (and I use that word loosely) restaurant on Vancouver’s East Side. Seeing as how [...]
[...] Buzz Bishop’s Challenge [...]
[...] Buzz Bishop’s challenge: Review The Brave Bull! * My response to Buzz’s challenge: SteakCamp! * Karen’s reaction on Tiny Bites * [...]
[...] last week I challenged some local restaurant bloggers to eat at a place that looks a little spooky on the outside. I’ve passed it for decades, but [...]
[...] Monday I missed the SteakCamp that was arranged by Raul right after he got a challenge from the Buzz himself to review a restaurant on Hastings. As I just got back to work that day and I had a busy [...]
[...] challenge was issued. Foodies around the city responded to the call. SteakCamp 2008 was [...]
[...] 24Hrs, particularly since in the past month, I’ve been covered (twice, with the SteakCamp-Buzz Bishop challenge and a lovely interview that Rebecca was kind enough to invite me to join (for Blogathon [...]
[...] challenge was issued. Foodies around the city responded to the call. SteakCamp 2008 was [...]
[...] For all you non-Twitterites, that was Buzz Bishop’s way of issuing myself and fellow foodie Raul a challenge: review The Brave Bull…if you dare. [...]