By Sherman Chan,
Special to The Post

Juniper is best known for their cocktails. The Juniper which is made with Aviation gin, juniper berries, lemon peel and Fentimans tonic was a super refreshing and light cocktail. We also had the Gin Grapefruit Mule consisting of Beefeater Gin, grapefruit, lime, ginger beer, Campari and bitters. This was also light and fruity with only slight bite from the ginger. The tart and bitterness of the other ingredients came through, but it was well-balanced.

The Duck Wings that were confit and smoked had meat that was soft albeit somewhat dry. However, the ample honey sesame sauce spiked with whiskey kept things peppery, sweet and sticky. The smokiness was not overpowering. The side of tangy and spicy cabbage stood up to the sweet wings. The Mussels which came with apple cider, boar bacon, grilled leek, kale and jalapeno buttered bread were prepared expertly. The side of jalapeno buttered bread was sinfully tasty and left us wanting more.

Prepared a perfect medium-rare, the flat iron steak in the Beef & Broccoli was mildly meaty with the sweetness and slight tang of the pickled mustard seed on top. The fingerling potatoes were nicely roasted. I thought the lobster and oyster mushrooms were on point.  Also prepared expertly was the Albacore Tuna which was buttery and soft, but was unevenly seasoned. There was the crunch of the puffed wild rice as well as an herbaceous finish. When eaten with the tangy salad, there was a nice brightness to the flavours. The squash was bland. As for the food, it was pretty good, but the drinks steal the show.

Juniper

185 Keefer Street, Vancouver, BC

The Good:

• Go for the drinks

• Nice room and atmosphere

The Bad:

• Seating is a bit tight

• Food is not bad, but drinks are the focus

Sherman Chan is the #1 ranked food blogger on the Vancouver portal of Urbanspoon.com. Read more of his reviews at www.shermansfoodadventures.com.