BC Business
Hy Aisentat opened four steakhouses in Vancouver over the years. Three are gone, but Hy’s Encore—the first Hy’s in Canada to open for lunch—is still in its original location on Hornby Street and more popular than ever, says company president (and founder’s son) Neil Aisenstat. After turning away people most nights of the week due to a lack of seats, Hy’s has just completed a major renovation to add 80 more. The entire upstairs has been converted from banquet space to à la carte dining with three connected rooms including a bar with a DJ during happy hour. It opens for dinner tonight and for lunch on Monday.
The dark-panelled main floor remains much as it was when the restaurant opened in 1962, yet some nights the diners are younger than at Gotham Steakhouse, also owned by Hy’s, says Aisenstat. “We have an authentic identity after 53 years. I think that they relate to that as something they don’t see every day.” BEST TABLE Upstairs, the centre room has two booths separated by a built-in wine rack that are set back yet still connected to everything that’s going on. All three upstairs rooms can be used for private functions, together or separately. MUST-TRY DISH The lunch menu is designed to get diners in and out in less than an hour with lighter options like the duck confit salad. Or you can linger over a petit filet mignon for an old-school power lunch. DRINK UP Bartender Ryan Shimozawa, previously at Gotham Steakhouse, recommends a mocktail of lime, pineapple, spices and soda with the duck confit salad. With the filet mignon, he suggests rye flavoured with pecan, maple and cinnamon. INSIDER TIP The century-old building was previously a bicycle shop. Bikes were wheeled to the repair shop in the back along the sloped floor in the corridor that now leads down to the main dining room.