Bridges Restaurant in Granville Island will be closing its doors this weekend. Tomorrow is their last day of operation. After renovations, the iconic yellow building will be the new home of Tap and Barrel Bridges.
My Bridges Restaurant Memories
I moved to Canada in 2015, and my first full-time job was at the building by the entrance of Granville Island. According to my Swarm App, I have been to Bridges Restaurant seven times (before today).
First Promotion
My first time at Bridges was when I had lunch with our CEO last April 2018. He told me the fantastic news that I will be the new manager of our Vancouver office. I was shaking with excitement, joy, and fear all at the same time.
I wanted to cry after our meal as we were walking back into the office. You see, I was underemployed for nine months after I arrived in Canada. I got married in October 2017, and my hubby was unable to work right away until we get his work permit. It was a challenging time financially and emotionally.
The news I received that day while enjoying a delicious meal at the patio of Bridges Restaurant is something I will always be grateful for.
Farewell Dinner
A month after my first visit (May 2018) - I am back at Bridges Restaurant to have a farewell and thank-you dinner for my first manager in Canada. He is a great manager and a wonderful human being.
Acquisition Celebration Dinner
The third time I was in Bridges Restaurant was a year later (May 2019). Our company just got acquired! It's an exciting and scary time for the company, but we celebrated the acquisition that evening.
Meeting New Colleagues
After the acquisition, we had many new colleagues, and some of them even visited us in Vancouver. For one team lunch, we enjoyed a meal at Bridges. It's the ultimate Vancouver experience - good food with amazing views.
Customer Meeting
Our office is isolated, meaning we only communicate with our customers over the phone or by email. The one exception is when a customer from Israel is on a series of business trips to meet their suppliers worldwide, which means a short stop in Vancouver. So my colleagues and I agree that they deserve to see and experience Bridges Restaurant.
Lunch with Parents
On a random stressful Friday, my parent's dropped by Granville Island, and we had lunch at Bridges Restaurant because I just knew my mom would love it - the view, the ambiance, and the food.
Celebrating Anniversary
Hubby and I got married twice - once in Canada and a second time in the Philippines. We celebrated our first Catholic wedding anniversary with a beautiful summer dinner in Bridges Restaurant.
Thank You Lunch
Thank you, Bridges Restaurant, for all the beautiful memory. I will miss the cozy yet sophisticated ambiance, delightful staff, and good food.
For lunch today, I made a reservation for 12:30 PM for a table outside. It was a beautiful sunny day! We were almost late because we decided to take a stroll along the seawall from Cambie Bridge.
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| Vancouver is so beautiful. |
Kat is the name of our lovely server today. She told us that Bridges is closing and it's the last weekend. She also mentioned the items that are no longer available.
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| Nachos with Cajun Chicken Menu Description: Tortilla chips, cheddar, mozzarella, cotija, corn and black bean salsa, cilantro, banana peppers, sour cream, avocado crema, and Valentina hot sauce. |
For sharing, we ordered the Nachos with cajun chicken. Hubby and I enjoyed the cheesy goodness while discussing upcoming projects and planning for the future.
I ordered the Spicy Tuna Burger (the sesame lemongrass crust was amazing!) with french fries while hubby ordered the Grilled Steak (it was delicious!).
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| Spicy Tuna Burger |
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| Spicy Tuna Burger Menu Description: Seared ahi tuna, sesame lemongrass crust, avocado, cucumber, spicy miso mayo, crispy onion, and pickled onions. |
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| Grilled Steak Menu Description: 6 oz sirloin steak, truffle chive butter, mashed potatoes, seasonal vegetables |
To finish things up, I ordered a double scoop of gelato (because the Milk Chocolate Brownie is not available). Meanwhile, hubby ordered the Pecan Caramel Cheesecake.
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| Espresso and Chocolate Gelato |
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| Pecan Caramel Cheesecake Menu Description: New York cheesecake, candied pecans, and caramel sauce |
Tap and Barrel Bridges
The iconic yellow building in Granville Island will be the new home of Tap and Barrel Bridges. According to Kat, the renovations will take around six months, and they expect to open late spring or early summer next year.
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| This photo of the Bridges Restaurant and Granville Island Public Market was taken last May 9, 2021, when we were walking along Burrard Bridge. |
