Central City Brew Pub – Spring Break Lunch with The Kids
Just because Spring Break is here, doesn’t mean that life slows down. If anything, with my kids home from school, we have been way busier. So, while out in the city running errands and my girls somehow being miraculously amazing, I decided to reward their behaviour with lunch at Central City Brew Pub.
While they were particularly well behaved that day, I still need a little cool down after a long week with all three of them and their constant requests. This Mama thought a delicious beer was in order – and Central City Brew Pub was the perfect place to meet all our special lunchtime requirements.
Seated near the back of the restaurant – because two girls and a grumpy little boy, I get it – we settled in and the girls promptly requested pizza. Thank goodness for any pub that welcomes and encourages kids. This immediately made the meal exciting for them.
I decided on the Hummus and Baba Ghanoush appetizer, as my oldest is a vegetarian, but is always up for anything in dip form. And the Thursday Daily Special sounded perfect to me. A fully loaded Salmon Burger paired with a 16 oz beer. This is not something that I would normally go for, but man, $12 is a great deal, and with that, I am easily persuaded. I’m a big fan of all the Red Racer brews but went for the Amber Ale for alongside my burger.
Colouring pages and crayons kept them all busy as we waited… and waited… and waited some more.
It was evident that the kitchen was having some trouble, but our server kept us updated and was welcomingly attentive.
Eventually our meals arrived, and the wait was well worth it. The appy was a hit with both girls; loads of garlic and spice with fresh pita bread, which quickly disappeared. They then took to dipping their fries in it instead of their ketchup. It really was that good.
Their cheese pizzas hit the spot and soon they were restless. The manager came over to plug in the air hockey table for them and a miracle occurred – I was left all alone at the table to enjoy my burger and beer!
Fresh tomato, lettuce and onion were the perfect compliment to the whole salmon filet inside the house made bun. The salmon was savoury and moist, always a plus, as it could have easily been over cooked. The Amber Ale was a great choice as the smooth maltiness with the subtle bitterness rounded out my palette.
After our meal, and the apparent lunch rush in the kitchen, I was delighted to hear the serving staff and managers praising the kitchen for their efforts and complimenting each other for how things were handled. Things can happen in any restaurant but how it is dealt with makes a huge difference for the patrons experiencing a wait. This moment alone redeemed them any frustration I had felt about waiting with three small kids. To hear such a positive team, and the fact that the food was satisfying enough to wait for, made the experience a pleasant one for all of us.
Air hockey and crayons aside, the staff were great with my kids and turned what could have been a nightmare into a daydream for this tired and overloaded mom. I highly recommend a lunchtime pit stop with your crew at Central City Brew Pub. Plenty of choice for you and the kids – plus a tried and true local beer with your meal is always a bonus.
Author: Erin Miller Schumann
Erin is proudly Surrey born and raised. She is the owner of The Yellow Umbrella Co. Virtual Assistant Services and loves working alongside fellow small business owners and entrepreneurs in the Fraser Valley. She believes that a good meal is a perfect excuse to try something new - whether its a locally made wine or beer, a topic of conversation, or an entirely new culinary experience. Food, coffee, and wine keep her motivated while reading, writing and her love of music keep her grounded enough to give all her extra focus to her husband, two daughters, and son. Erin is always open to meeting new friends over said coffee or a glass of wine and will never say no to a T-Rex joke.
