Kenneth Chan
Urbanized Van
Burnaby’s Metrotown area is set to see a major new eatery, just in time for the 2019 Easter long weekend.
Earls Restaurant Group has announced that its newest restaurant location at the new Station Square redevelopment, next to Metropolis at Metrotown shopping mall, is scheduled for opening on Saturday, April 20.
The Vancouver-based restaurant chain is taking over a new 7,300-sq-ft commercial space within the so-called Restaurant Row of the Anthem Properties and Beedie Living-built redevelopment. There will be seating for up to 287 guests, as well as additional capacity for 88 guests on an elevated seasonal patio.
This will be the first restaurant to open on Restaurant Row, the first new Earls to open in Burnaby in 20 years, and the second Earls to open in BC since 2010, with last year’s West Vancouver opening at the Grosvenor in Ambleside.
Within Restaurant Row, Earls will also be accompanied by a new neighbouring Cactus Club Cafe within a 8,245-sq-ft space at the northeast corner of Silver Street and Kingsborough Street.
No opening date has been announced for this Cactus Club restaurant, but it is set to replace the chain’s nearby existing, small Kingsway location. Tenants for two other smaller restaurant units in Restaurant Row are also unknown at this time.
The new Earls Station Square restaurant will feature the modern and bold interior designs the chain is associated with, as well as some local public art customizations such as vintage photography by Vancouver photographer Fred Herzog, a mural by Burnaby-born artist Priscilla Yu, and a curated gallery wall produced in collaboration with the Burnaby Arts Council.
Menu offerings at this Earls location will draw upon the diverse and globally-inspired menu the chain is known for, plus new dishes such as six permanent plant-based items.
“Earls is excited to give its guests a taste of the new, even meatier Beyond Burger 2.0, a 100% plant-based burger that looks, cooks and satisfies just like beef,” reads a release. “Earls will be the first premium casual restaurant group in Canada to offer the Beyond Burger on its menus, serving it on a vegan and gluten free bun, with vegan mayo as well as lettuce, onion, tomato and mustard for the ultimate vegan-friendly burger experience.”
“Earls Station Square will feature new and legacy Earls dishes created by Earls Culinary Development Chef David Wong and the Earls Chef Collective. This will include an epic brunch offering, along with lunch, dinner and happy hour selections, several of which will be exclusive to this location, including a Spicy Thai Lobster Salad, Lobster Tostada and Blackberry Peach Cobbler.”
The new Station Square entails five residential towers reaching up to 37 storeys in height with 1,800 homes and over 450,000 sq. ft. of new retail and office space. Phase One is fully complete, Phase Two is nearing completion, and the final two phases are currently well under construction, with the final phase set for completion in late 2021.
PriceSmart, replacing the former Save-On-Foods in the original Station Square, is the redevelopment’s largest retail anchor.
View the original article by Urbanized Van, here.