Hummingbird604.com » dining out

Scoozis & Cassandra’s Wine Room (Downtown Vancouver, Financial District)

Raul — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:30:39 +0000

Obviously because of my good friend Cassandra Anderton, anything with the name “Cassandra” and “wine” makes me turn my head twice and think of her. Well, recently my good friend Minna Van and I went for dinner to Scoozis Mediterranean Grill, which is also (on the other side of the restaurant) Cassandra’s Wine Room. Located at the very heart of the Downtown Vancouver Financial District, Scoozis is a total gem. Even more amazing, it wasn’t packed at the time we went for dinner (5:45pm or so). It was semi-full both on the side of Scoozis Mediterranean Grill and on the side of Cassandra’s Wine Room there was ample space.

Minna ordered an orange juice and I had a glass of Zinfandel (delicious, I might add). Minna ordered a Minestrone Soup with a Greek Salad side order and I had a Spicy Meatballs Platter, which comes with a lot of salad and tzatziki sauce. Having had all sorts of Greek food, I’ll say that Scoozis ranks high on my list the next time I have to come for dinner downtown. It’s really a hidden gem, and the owner warmed our hearts by welcoming us saying “I am very glad you are here for dinner tonight”. Genuinely interested in their customers.

The Spicy Meatballs Platter ($13.50) worked perfectly I think because I wasn’t terribly hungry, but I probably would have ordered a larger portion size dish had I been really hungry (for example, I saw a delicious salmon dish that looked totally like a dinner plate). My meatballs were very well cooked and the tzatziki was of really good quality. Even though they weren’t super busy, I have to admit that the speed at which they served us was really impressive.

Overall, a very nice gem of a find. I did not realize that a downtown restaurant in the very core of the Financial District would be so nice. And so welcoming to children. Moreover, if you are downtown on a weekend working at your office, they also offer lunch AND brunch. I’ll have to come with Ianiv and Arieanna some day as it’s literally 2-3 blocks from Waterfront Skytrain Station. Scoozis and Cassandra’s Wine Room are great finds for dinner in the downtown core, and great value for money.

Disclosure: Minna paid for both of our dinners on her own dime. We were generously offered a complimentary dessert, but we did not expect this, nor does this influence my review. As always, I retain full editorial control over anything I post on my site.

The Bengal Lounge at The Fairmont Empress (Victoria, BC)

Raul — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 16:00:49 +0000

Considering how little time academics have to eat, let alone eat AND socialize, I feel blessed that my good friend Janni Aragon (Political Science, University of Victoria) had the time to come meet me at The Bengal Lounge at the Fairmont Empress in Victoria, BC, for lunch. We both teach in respective Political Science departments and carry a fairly busy research, community service and teaching agenda.

But we had the chance to meet for lunch and we decided to splurge and go to The Bengal Lounge at The Fairmont Empress. I had stayed at the Empress before, but never made the effort to eat at the Bengal Lounge. So, I’m glad we did. We both ordered the buffet and I can tell you, I have NEVER had THIS MUCH FOOD in my entire life. Even as I was full I kept going back.

The Bengal Lounge : Drawing inspiration from Queen Victoria’s role as the Empress of India, this colonial style lounge is known throughout Victoria for its authentic curry buffet and signature cocktail menu. While new restaurants and lounges appear in Victoria regularly, The Bengal Lounge is a favourite of residents and visitors alike. Overlooking our stately gardens, the richly appointed Bengal Lounge offers not only a delicious curry lunch and dinner buffet but also an impressive international à la carte menu. Cocktail and martini aficionados will appreciate our vast selection of signature drinks.

Oh, and the desserts. Did I tell you about the desserts?

If you are hungry and it’s my fault for showing you just how delicious the Bengal Lounge’s buffet service is, you’re welcome.

Disclosure: I paid for both Janni and my lunches on my own dime and did not receive any special treatment by the Bengal Lounge. As always I retain full editorial control of anything I write on my site.

Tavola (West End, Robson and Denman)

Raul — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 04:40:25 +0000

I had my heart set on trying Tapastree (the former incarnation of now Tavola) and I never had an opportunity to do so. But I have eaten at Nook before (the brother restaurant of Tavola), loved it and Minna had really wanted to try Tavola so we set out to walk (in the cold!) from our office at The Network Hub to Tavola (which is slightly west of Denman and Robson – if you know how much of an urban geography nerd I am, you’ll know that I also love that, like Adesso Bistro, Tavola is technically in the actual urban residential area of the West of Denman side – following the steps of Cardero Bottega which is on Cardero and Nelson).

Tavola is a terrific West End neighbourhood restaurant, serving modern Italian food. Welcoming you is the team who brought you previous local heroes Tapastree and Nook. Tavola continues the tradition of sharing food – family-style, in a warm, contemporary environment at value-conscious prices. The dining room reflects this convivial atmosphere with a 25-seat shared table that is perfect for both groups and casual diners.

The antipasto bar is the place to start as we feature Mozzarella di Bufala, Burrata, artisan proscuitto and salami – sliced to order, along with an constantly changing offering of crostini and salads. Also setting Tavola apart is the commitment to house-made Pastas and sauces – toothsome and hearty. Share some with friends and family along with one of our Big Plates – steak, roast chicken, braised meats and fish, prepared as classic Italian platters.

I loved the concept of a communal table for dinner at Tavola. I’d probably bring my friends here for dinner. For Minna and I it was a great opportunity to just spend time together and sharing a meal as we had not spent any time together since late October.

I started with an arugula salad with pomegranate seeds ($9, in a vinaigrette that had chili flakes – I fell in love with the chef because he adds that extra spicy kick to almost every dish, and it is, for someone like me who love spicy stuff, a glorious experience). I followed with a Spaghetti which anchovies, chilies, garlic and lemon (at $18, probably more inexpensive than many of the local Italian restaurants, at a decent dinner price). The flavour was extraordinary (who doesn’t love anchovies with garlic and chilies and lemon), although the consistency is not of a sauce, but it’s drier (and I like it like that). Almost like a ragout.

While Tavola’s menu is intended to share, both Minna and I had our own dinners and we loved both the size and the flavour. I totally would recommend visiting Tavola if you have the opportunity!

Disclosure: Minna paid for her and my dinner on her own dime. As always, I retain full editorial control of what is published on my site.

Nicli Antica Pizzeria (Gastown)

Raul — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 04:25:33 +0000

So, I finally made it. Finally, after 8 attempts (all of them with JT) to have dinner at Nicli Antica Pizzeria, I made it (with my good friend Minna from The Network Hub, instead of JT – and I feel awful because I promised I’d bring him, but I’ll do that next time – the last time I took him to Incendio because we couldn’t get into Nicli). I had been trying to make it to Nicli Antica Pizzeria for months, ever since it opened. My good friend Derek K. Miller had dinner there last year, before he passed away, and he raved about it. He was such a good writer, I think his review is better than mine will ever be.

I love Nicli because it’s such an elegant pizzeria restaurant (e.g. somewhere where you sit down and eat like a civilized human being), accompanying your pizza with a stiff drink or a glass of wine. This is such a lost art. I remember a couple of years ago, JT took me to Pizza Hut for a sit-down dinner with pizza and we reminisced about how this used to be more frequent yet take-out-pizza seems to have taken over our societal interest (this is also because we are so stressed out and have no time to sit down and eat, so we grab a slice of pizza on the go).

Born in Naples and widely considered to be the best, every Neapolitan pizza we serve is a labor of love. At Nicli Antica Pizzeria our pizzas are made with passion and attentiveness, using only the finest and freshest ingredients in our wood fired oven, made from the stone of Mt. Vesuvius.

I love Nicli’s pizzas. Admittedly, technically mine wasn’t a Neapolitan one, simply because (a) I removed most of the additional cheese they would put on it and (b) because I requested they added olives. So, my pizza (individual size, with very, very thin crust that almost melts in your mouth) was pretty much a Puttanesca sauce on top of thin crust. Delicious nonetheless ($17 for an individual-size pizza, which if you think about the fact that this is higher-scale pizza, doesn’t surprise me).

My pizza had just about the right amount of garlic, and although it had a bit of a burnt out balloon on one side of the pizza I didn’t mind (strangely enough, I loved the flavour of slightly burnt dough, a bit bitter and tart contrasting with the delicious goodness of anchovies and garlic). Overall, I really enjoyed the experience. Minna loved her Prosciutto-covered pizza. It was hard to cut the pizza but I think that’s just normal because the dough almost melts in your mouth. And we were using normal knives. Probably my fault, all in all.

Overall result: I totally loved Nicli Antica Pizzeria and can’t wait for them to launch their Valentine’s Day promotion. Minna and I had to walk off the carbohydrates and despite how cold the weather was, we didn’t mind a bit because we enjoyed our dinner SO MUCH.

Disclosure: I paid for my and Minna’s dinner on my own dime. As always, I retain full editorial control of what is published on my site.

Luca’s Cucina and Taphouse (Victoria, BC)

Raul — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 22:00:09 +0000

There are some gems that come into your life just by sheer luck. I was looking for a place to eat at during my visit to Victoria for WordCamp Victoria 2012. Since I stayed at the Accent Inns near No, Urbanspoon wasn’t helpful and neither was Foursquare. So what I decided was to go for a walk and found Luca’s Cucina and stayed for dinner.

Photo credit: Raul Pacheco on Flickr.

I ordered a Chicken Scaloppine (chicken breast, mushrooms, artichokes, capers, prosciutto, lemon butter, at $17.99 for the dinner-size portion, $14.99 for the lunch-size portion this is the regular price point for medium-to-high-end dinner places). You can read their menu here, which is quite varied. And the funny thing is, I was in Victoria to speak at WordCamp Victoria 2012 and the website for Luca’s Cucina and Taphouse is actually built in WordPress.

I would strongly recommend Luca’s Cucina and Taphouse. Personally, I found the staff incredibly friendly, the food was to-die-for (and yes, I know it was oily but heck, I love Italian food despite the artery-clogging that comes along with it!). You should check it out next time you’re in Victoria. Near Mayfair Mall.

Disclosure: I paid for my meal on my own dime

#DineOut with @hummingbird604 and @eatDockside

Raul — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 18:00:09 +0000

I love the Dockside restaurant on Granville Island, and you all knew this. I came here for the first time, I think, when my good friend KG celebrated her birthday, many moons ago (heck, I think I was still doing my MBA!?). And then JT took me here for one of our Valentine’s Day celebrations. And then we came here randomly because we needed to have dinner on Granville Island. And I’ve come here for brunch with LJ before (a good Mexican friend whom, sadly, I have lost all touch with). So, all around, this is the place I come for, in the good and in the bad, particularly when I need a good patio to relax and have good wine and food.

Photo credit: Used as provided by the restaurant.

The Dockside Restaurant offers superbly prepared classic dishes in a setting like no other. Located on the waterfront where Granville Island faces the city, guests can enjoy panoramic views across False Creek to the world-famous cityscape of Yaletown and beyond to the mountains of the North Shore.

The open dining room is relaxed yet refined, wrapped in spectacular floor to ceiling windows, while the lounge offers warm intimate surroundings for evening cocktails. The award-winning patio catches sunlight from morning to late afternoon. Protected on three sides it’s an oasis of calm, disturbed only by the occasional sound of boats making their way along False Creek. Recent renovations have added fireplaces and casual seating areas to this Vancouver destination.

The Dockside Restaurant has also been a partner of mine for years and this year for Dine Out Vancouver 2012 they have also partnered with me to give a lucky reader of mine the opportunity to enjoy dinner for two (drinks, taxes and gratuities excluded) at the Dockside Restaurant. This should be a very fun experience. This is the Dockside menu for Dine Out ($28).

Photo credit: Used as provided by the restaurant.

All you need to do to enter my giveaway (2 entries per person maximum, one via Twitter, one via comment) is to tell me your favorite Granville Island activity. For me, it’s usually having dinner at a Granville Island restaurant, often the Dockside, and then head to the theatre. I also stroll through the Granville Island market.

Photo credit: Used as provided by the restaurant.

For the second and additional entry, you can post the following on Twitter:

Mentioned my favorite activity on Granville Island on @hummingbird604′s blog to enter to #DineOut at @eatDockside http://is.gd/oJ2aO0

I will draw a random winner on January 20th at 2pm, the day that Dine Out Vancouver 2012 starts. Thanks again to the Dockside for always supporting my projects and giveaways! Stay tuned as I have another giveaway coming up with the Dockside. Check out in the mean time the delicious menu of the Dockside for Dine Out Vancouver:

Seared Scallop with smokey corn puree, crispy prosciutto and pea shoots
or
Zucchini Ribbons sauteed with cream, dried tomato, thyme and shaved asiago

ENTREE

Carrot & Caraway Braised Veal Shank with whole wheat gnocchi and brown
butter broccolini
or
Halibut and Jumbo White Prawns with tomato fillet, capers, white wine and crispy
fried dauphinoise potato with grilled asparagus
or
Grilled Vegetable & Goat Cheese Lasagne on yellow tomato oregano coulis with
black olive crostini and shaved parmesan

DESSERT

Filo Wrapped Warm Black Cherry and Marzipan Cheesecake – cinnamon
almonds and spiced white chocolate
or
Caramel Pot au Feu – with 72% Michel Cluizel and crystallized ginger, honey
roasted pears, Madeira stewed figs, orange scented, sea salted short breads

#DineOut with @hummingbird604 and @millbistro

Raul — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 17:15:55 +0000

It’s amazing how I have been to so many of the Daniel Hospitality Group restaurants, yet I don’t think I have had an opportunity to write about The Mill Marine Bistro (and let me tell you, I’ve been here for dinner and for drinks. The first time I came here was with my good friend Nathan Tippe, in fact). But I really love their restaurants. And specially, The Mill Marine Bistro.

The Mill Marine Bistro is a European style waterfront bistro and neighbourhood pub with a small, cozy sixty-seat interior, and downtown Vancouver’s largest outdoor patio! Our menu concept is healthy bistro & pub fare; simple comfort food at a great value. No fried foods – all fresh and seasonal ingredients prepared in a healthy manner. We love great music, the outdoors, and a fun and positive attitude! We are environmentally and socially responsible, and this is fundamental to our being. Come play with us and have fun on our patio – downtown Vancouver’s largest outdoor patio! Or relax in our pub – we can’t wait to serve you at The Mill.

This year, The Mill Bistro has generously offered to partner with me during Dine Out Vancouver and thus enabled me to give away a gift certificate for dinner for two (drinks, tax and gratuity excluded) during the period of Dine Out Vancouver 2012 (January 20 – February 5, 2012).

All you need to do to enter my giveaway is to tell me what which seawall in Vancouver is your favorite. As you may (or may not, in fact), a substantial number of the Daniel Group Restaurants are located within mere metres from the seawall. For example, The Mill Marine Bistro itself is in Coal Harbour. The Burrard Bridge Grill (also from the Daniel Group) is underneath the Burrard Bridge, and very close to the Northern False Creek seawall. My favorite seawall is, without a doubt, Coal Harbour (and coincidentally, the one nearest to The Mill Marine Bistro!). Though there might be other seawalls I don’t know about that are more secluded!

To earn an additional entry for a total of two, you can tweet the following:

Shared my favorite seawall in Vancouver http://is.gd/17JRLv to enter to #DineOut with @hummingbird604 and @millbistro

I will draw randomly from all Twitter and comment entries one winner on January 20th at 2pm, which is the day when Dine Out Vancouver starts. Good luck everyone, and thanks again to The Mill Marine Bistro for partnering with me to bring Dine Out Vancouver to more Vancouverites! Check The Mill Marine Bistro’s menu here. During Dine Out Vancouver, it should be a beautiful viewing spot and a great opportunity for dinner. Hopefully you’ll try it soon, whether it is by winning my contest or on your own! Reservations highly recommended.

#DineOut with @hummingbird604 and the @Glowbal_Group

Raul — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 16:45:26 +0000

Every year, I write about Dine Out Vancouver. And every year, I wish I could enable my readers to participate in this fantastic event that aims to promote Vancouver (and some neighbouring cities’) restaurants with a very broad variety of ethnic foods. This year, several restaurants have partnered with me to offer a unique opportunity: a dinner for two (drinks, taxes, and gratuities excluded) during the period that Dine Out Vancouver takes place: January 20 – February 5, 2012. The first one that has generously accepted to partner with me is my long-time and trusted partner, the Glowbal Collection of Restaurants headed by Emad Yacoub and Shannon Bosa-Yacoub.

I have had dinner at Sanafir before, and absolutely loved it. So I was thrilled to accept the generous offer of the Glowbal Group for a gift certificate dinner for 2 for Sanafir during Dine Out Vancouver for one of my lucky readers. All you need to do is tell me which one of the Glowbal Group restaurants you’ve tried (or if you have never tried any, which one you would likely visit this 2012). I’ll fully admit: I’ve been to all of them. ALL OF THEM. And I have a very special place in my heart for Coast AND for Glowbal Grill.

I will draw a winner for the gift certificate for dinner for two at 2pm on Friday January 20th, the day that Dine Out Vancouver opens. Good luck everyone! You can also earn an additional entry by tweeting the following:

Told @hummingbird604 my preferred @Glowbal_Group restaurant http://is.gd/ZLftLB to enter to win dinner for two during #DineOut

More on the Glowbal Group’s Dine Out Vancouver offerings below (as per their notes to me)

glowbal’s three-course Dine Out menu is $38. Choose from roasted butternut squash soup, grilled beef tataki or prawn cocktail to start. Entrée options include: Beef tenderloin; seared Alaskan black cod; or wild mushroom gnocchi. Dessert is chocolate crème brûlée with cinnamon and pear compote and almond biscotti.

COAST’s three-course Dine Out menu is $38. Choose from roasted parsnip and bay scallop chowder or crispy fried reid oysters to start. Entrée options include: grilled BC snapper; pan-seared icy water arctic char; or grilled Alberta beef tenderloin. Dessert is lemon bavarois with cranberry ice cream.

Sanafir’s three-course Dine Out menu is $18. Choose either the pan-seared tandoori prawn, tabouleh salad, yellow coconut curry, with lemon chutney and a papadum crisp, or the fried chickpea and saffron cous cous salad, with mint and tomatoes, to start. Entrée options include: Singapore prawn cashew curry with aged basmati rice; butter chicken with aged basmati rice and papadum; or almond cauliflower korma with papadum. Dessert is cardamom-dusted zelbias, cinnamon crème anglaise and chocolate bark.

Italian Kitchen`s three-course Dine Out menu is $38. Choose from truffled celery root zuppa or artisan lettuce with prosciutto and mascarpone croquettes to start. Entrée options include: herbed roasted beef tenderloin; lobster ravioli; or baked rigatoni primavera. Dessert is classic tiramisu with mocha anglaise or lemon and basil brûlée with biscotti.

Trattoria’s three-course Dine Out menu is $18. Choose from arugula, orange and fennel salad or cream of cauliflower soup to start. Entrée options include: roasted pork loin or butternut squash, gorgonzola and spiced walnut risotto. Dessert is classic tiramisu with mocha anglaise.

SOCIETY’s three-course Dine Out menu is $18. Choose from the sweet potato and pulled pork croquette or spinach salad to start. Entrée options include veal piccata or prawn linguini. Dessert is a chocolate smore ‘flambe’ crème brûlée.

Black+Blue’s three-course Dine Out menu is $38. Choose from “bacon ‘n’ eggs” (thick cut double smoked bacon, fried duck egg, spicy maple syrup), or tuna carpaccio to start. Entrée options include: Angus tenderloin; roasted sablefish; or roasted onion tart. Dessert is a classic crème caramel, served with orange-almond biscotti and orange liqueur.

You can make your reservations online on the Glowbal Group site.

Bite of the Rock (White Rock, BC)

Raul — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 01:40:03 +0000

And who said I only promote Vancouver? Of course not! Even though I don’t make it to White Rock nearly enough, I do have dear friends who live there. And I am SO curious to know about Bite of the Rock, which in a way is kind of like Dine Out Vancouver, but in White Rock. An incredibly nice area that is so often mistaken for *just* being on the way to Blaine, the one municipality you have to drive through to get to Seattle and Bellingham. The festival runs January 16th – February 7th, 2012.

Sunset in White Rock, BC. Photo credit: mybulldog on Flickr.

Residents and visitors are invited to come out and ‘Taste the Flavours’ of White Rock. Bite of the Rock returns for its 6th year showcasing local restaurants and dining experiences. This year includes special waterfront hotel offers and live entertainment at most of the participating restaurants.

The 6th annual restaurant festival presented by the White Rock Business Improvement Association, features three course menus from $15.00, $25.00, $35.00 and $45.00 at eateries located throughout White Rock. This is a fantastic event to encourage to ‘Eat Down the Street’ for White Rock residents and nearby locals to venture from home for an affordable evening out! Diners have the opportunity to sample menus from over 20 White Rock restaurants. From fine dining to to international cuisine to meals for the whole family, there is something for everyone to choose from. Many of the participating restaurants also include Live Entertainment on select evenings.

And impressively, you could make a night of it and stay at the Ocean Promenade Hotel with the Bite of the Rock promotional offer of $99.00! Really nice, I totally would take advantage of this promo.

For a list of participating restaurants, menus and further details please visit In White Rock.

How much to tip at a restaurant?

Raul — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 17:45:48 +0000

While I eat out a lot, and I review restaurants quite often, I’m not technically what you could call “from the industry”. That is, I don’t have a background as a chef, or as a server. I have served before, but mostly at charity events (and mostly, I’ve bartended), and thus income derived from this activity has never been an issue for me. I recently did what some people may call “over-tipping”. I tipped about 20% in one case, on top of tax AND an automatic gratuity (I did not realize well until I had already paid), and in the other case, I tipped 20% on top of the total after tax.

Photo credit: citroenverde on Flickr

I took to Twitter to ask how much was I supposed to pay for tip. I’ll fully admit that I have no problem over-tipping, for several reasons. One, when I go out, I already have budgeted what I’m going to spend. Two, many of my own undergraduate students at UBC work or have worked as servers or bartenders to put themselves through school. I figure if I tip them well, hopefully other people will do too and that will help them overall. Three, I think that serving is hard work, and if the service has been fantastic why not reward it?

One thing that struck me was what Sarah McKay said, which I think is often forgotten in the process. Servers pass on some of their tip to the rest of the house. And obviously, that may put them in a fragile position if you tip BEFORE tax.

One of the biggest problems I have is with the fact that HST (while theoretically and empirically a sound tax) has actually had an impact on how much people decide to spend and eat out. Obviously that also impacts people who work in the industry.

So, how much do you tip, and do you tip before or after tax?

Fraiche (West Vancouver)

Raul — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 22:34:19 +0000

When I decided I wanted to try Fraiche (in West Vancouver) and told JT and he agreed to drive all the way up to West Vancouver on a rainy and dark night, I knew that if it wasn’t amazing, I would have huge remorse. After all, we could have had a quiet dinner near by my place. But I had promised my friend Phil Reigh (who works at Fraiche) that I would come by sometime (and I wanted to surprise him). So away we went, and after a solid 45 minutes drive (with a couple of turnarounds and twists) we made it to Fraiche. Best. Decision. Ever.

Renowned as one of West Vancouver’s most celebrated dining experiences , Fraîche is a feast for the senses. The bright and elegant dining room provides a sophisticated and comfortable framework to showcase the spectacular, panoramic view, while the top notch service team similarly supports the talented kitchen brigade. Led by rising culinary talent Executive Chef, Jefferson Alvarez, Fraîche offers delicious and diverse menus for lunch, dinner, bar and brunch that incorporate westcoast sensibilities and ingredients with global flare and flavours. Enjoy an evolving and inspired selection of wines by the bottle and glass expertly paired for your meal or mood. Guests looking for a light lunch, indulgent weekend brunch, mouth watering chef’s table experience or savoury bite after the game will find a welcoming place at the Fraîche table.

While I know that my point-and-shoot digital camera does not make justice to Fraiche’s amazing views, I am pretty sure you can imagine how beautiful the view is. The dining room at Fraiche is spacious, inviting and delicate. The staff is simply out-of-the-ordinary. And they spoiled me. We all know how much I love being spoiled!

As soon as we arrived, we were promptly seated (even though we didn’t have a reservation – I didn’t want to spoil the surprise for Phil). The servers were incredibly friendly and attentive (not only with me, but I noticed that with everyone in the room). It was impressive to see that so many people had chosen to have dinner at Fraiche on the same night (considering how rainy and dark it was, it requires a bit of a trek to go up – but the drive is totally worth it – I will include detailed instructions on how to get there).

Very graciously, Phil sent a couple of appetizers to my table as well as a couple of glasses of sparkling wine (I totally wasn’t expecting this). Though I’ll admit, I’m totally a fan of the prosciutto. My photos aren’t the best as the lighting is fantastic for mood, but horrendous for photos!

I am really impressed with the culinary prowess of Jefferson Alvarez, Executive Chef, Fraîche Restaurant. From his biography on the Fraiche website:

Self taught chef, Jefferson Alvarez left Venezuela for Ottawa at age 16 where he briefly attended Le Cordon Bleu Ottawa Culinary Institute. Throughout his career, Alvarez has taken many return trips to explore Spain in-depth while working stages at exciting restaurants such as the three-star Michelin rated Arzak and Akelare. Ready for a new experience, Alvarez decided to move to British Columbia in 2009 to head up the kitchen at Divino. His experience and techniques paired with his culinary passions are sure to spell delicious and exciting times for the guests at Fraîche.

While Fraiche’s website purports this wonderful restaurant to be casual, it’s an elegant dining room that is well suited for romantic dinners or special occasions. And this is good as I’m about to publish my List of Romantic Places for Dinner for Valentine’s Day. Both JT and I commented on the fact that we were happy we had worn dressier clothes, as we would have felt bad to be in such nice place with just t-shirt and jeans.

For his dinner, JT ordered Smoked Bison Short Ribs with root vegetables (at $29, a pretty decent price for an upscale restaurant). For my dinner, I ordered Free Range Chicken Supreme ($30, soft truffle polenta, wild mushrooms, porcini jus) which was absolutely to-die-for. While some people may wonder why I didn’t order the Sablefish, I wanted to try the chicken supreme. The wild mushrooms combined with the porcini jus give this dish a salty, rich and fulfilling taste where the polenta provides texture and context. The chicken was perfectly well done and I totally would have done seconds if I had had room in my stomach.

(Sorry, my photos are a bit overexposed because of the flash).

While we could have been totally happy with this, we decided to go for dessert. Best. Decision. Ever. After, of course, deciding to have dinner at Fraiche.

I ordered a Chocolate Trio ($9.5, lava cake, jelly, honeycomb bar) and JT ordered an apple tart ($9.5). Both desserts were delicious, though I have to say my dessert was much tastier. I have no idea how we ended up eating this much, considering that we both were very full from our meal. The lava cake was fluffy, filled with chocolatey flavor, and the honeycomb bar was the perfect after-taste palate cleanser.

I totally will return to Fraiche, particularly on a special occasion. It left an indelible positive impression in my palate. And considering that it has such beautiful views of the city (including the North Shore), and how excellent the staff is, I have to say that I have no qualms recommending it as a romantic place for dinner and/or for a special occasion. JT and I agreed we need to come back. Soon.

TRANSPORTATION NOTE:

You HAVE to drive, I think (you may be able to take the bus but I’d strongly recommend driving). Take Marine Drive (in West Vancouver) until you hit 21st Street. Turn right and take 21st Street all the way up until you cross Queens Avenue, and the highway (99 and 1). Immediately after crossing the highway turn left (west) towards Skylift Road. Take Skylift Road until Falkenstone (you’ll see Salmon House on the Hill, that’s where you should turn right, or North in this case). Go all the way up and then turn to the right towards Chippendale Road, until you reach 2240 Chippendale Road, West Vancouver V7S 3J5. It looks a bit convoluted but it’s totally worth getting up there.

Disclosure:I paid for both of our dinners on our own dime. We were offered a couple of complimentary glasses of sparkling wine and appetizers, but I paid in full for the rest (and we did NOT expect nor request any special treatment). As always, I retain full editorial control over anything I post on my site.

Sunset Burgers (Yaletown)

Raul — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 19:00:07 +0000

As I said on Twitter, Sunset Burgers kind of looked pedestrian as I walked by, but the truth is, the local is extremely clean, well kept, kind of looks like a small diner (hey with Yaletown rent prices, I’m sure they can’t do more with the space they have!). And the burgers are DELICIOUS. I have been looking for an inexpensive burger I can grab on my way home when I am in Yaletown, and Sunset Burgers seem like they’ll be my go-to place for the time being. I’ve done Vera’s Burgers but as I add more and more things, my usual $9 burger goes up to almost $20, which is ridiculous for a burger joint. So, I’m quite pleased with having spent less than $11 for a burger combo here at Sunset Burgers. I’ll definitely be back.

Disclosure: I paid for my dinner on my own dime.

Hamilton Street Grill (Yaletown)

Raul — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 17:45:21 +0000

I now understand why Arieanna said it was her favorite restaurant a couple of years ago when I requested a list of the favorite restaurants of people (remember that post?). We went for dinner to Hamilton Street Grill recently to celebrate Arieanna’s 30th birthday, and the experience was simply spectacular. The service was outstanding (my waitress was definitely an absolute sweetheart), and the company was bar-none. Airdrie and I had a fantastic time catching up at Arieanna’s birthday, and it was great to see other close friends of both the Schwebers and myself.

Located in the trendy Yaletown area of the city, the Hamilton Street Grill has a great location. It is close to everything, whether you are interested in sporting events, the theatre or a special concert by that big-name entertainer. This converted warehouse now features high ceilings, rich oak and a long bar where you can enjoy wines by the glass from the extensive wine list. The Hamilton Street Grill is a contemporary steakhouse featuring Certified Angus Beef along with a large selection of fresh seafood entrees.

Admittedly, the Hamilton Street Grill touts itself as a steakhouse, and I recognize if people think it’s kind of ridiculous that I stuck to seafood at a steakhouse, but I’m not terribly drawn to steak in Canada (Mexico, that’s another thing). Besides, the food was SO DAMN GOOD. I ordered Garlic Prawns (pan seared with garlic butter and lime) to start ($12, not a bad price point for an appetizer, but on the higher end of the scale – this is Yaletown, after all). I wish my prawns had had MORE garlic, but what they didn’t have in garlic sauce they made up with garlic bread. Really nice presentation too, and huge prawns. I could have had the prawns for dinner and be happy.

For dinner, I chose the wild salmon with vegetable risotto and balsamic reduction ($24, at the medium-high end of the scale, but pretty common for any restaurant that does fine dining, and a really big portion). The salmon was cooked perfectly, it was flavourful without being overpowering. It also included some shavings of green onion that complimented the slightly tart flavour of the risotto.

I could have stopped there but I ordered a chocolate mousse for dessert ($8, in hindsight a mistake because I was too full to eat it all). Drinks at the Hamilton Street Grill are delicious but lethal (I had chocolate martinis at $10 and a couple of other nice sweet martinis, which totally gave my wallet a big hit)

Overall, I totally would come back for dinner to the Hamilton Street Grill, but perhaps be a bit more frugal (there’s plenty of good items that are great value for money and that I could have had, but I went all out – also, the drinks added to my bill!)

Disclosure: I paid for my dinner on my own dime. No portion of our dinners was complimentary. We didn’t receive any special treatment even though it was Arieanna’s birthday (we didn’t expect special treatment either). Chef Neil Wyles did kindly recharge my iPhone for 30 minutes, though, as the battery was totally depleted.

The Sandbar (Granville Island)

Raul — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 21:00:49 +0000

The hardest thing about writing a blog that has extensively covered the food industry in Vancouver, the lower mainland and all across Canada is that I often have a huge challenge in finding new restaurants that are close by to wherever I need to be. Luckily someone recommended The Sandbar and I took JT there before we went to the theatre.

You may know that The Sandbar is recognized for its seafood, and thus I was actually looking forward to trying some of the dishes that were made with seafood. I never, unfortunately, come out for dinner hungry enough to eat 2 or 3, let alone 5 courses’ meals. Which is good because The Sandbar had just enough food.

JT and I were going to check out a play on Granville Island and I had to find another restaurant I hadn’t written about, and despite the fact that I’ve eaten at other Sequoia Group of Restaurants locations, I hadn’t ever written about The Sandbar (and yes, I had eaten here before!). He ordered a Sweet & Sour Wok Chicken wonton crisps ($11) which he loved (arguably, he loves Chinese food and this variation made by The Sandbar is pretty tasty).

I ordered a salmon burger (salmon burger with homemade tartar sauce, choice of mixed greens or fries, at $15 pretty much around the same price point as other local restaurants). In my case I did a 50/50 of fries and greens (I love the fries at The Sandbar). The salmon was perfectly cooked, the tartar sauce was exquisite and it was really filling. I probably shouldn’t have had the fries because I was full by the time I was done with my burger. Overall, great seafood as usual (I remember previous visits to The Sandbar being also really good).

Disclosure: I paid for both of our dinners on my own dime.

Dunn’s Famous (Vancouver)

Raul — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 19:20:30 +0000

I love poutine even if that means I have to eat my poutine WITHOUT cheese curds (I know, the purists among you will say that poutine REQUIRES cheese curds). Anyhow, poutine, Montreal smoked meat sandwiches, all of those dishes are pure comfort food. JT wanted some comfort food and he does love poutine, so I told him about Dunn’s Famous (I had been invited to the opening but I decided not to write about it until I stopped by and paid on my own dime).

An iconic Montreal smoked meat restaurant and delicatessen has opened its first western Canadian location in Vancouver. “Dunn’s Famous” is a truly loved Quebec institution founded in 1927 by Myer Dunn. It uses traditional recipes that include unique brine, proprietary light rye sourdough bread and always hand sliced, prepared to order, your-choice-of lean to fat, double A beef brisket smoked for 17 hours then steamed for 3 hours immediately before serving.

The first west coast location offers all the Montreal favourites; Montreal smoked meat sandwiches, reuben’s, poutine, a gravy covered hot chicken sandwich reminiscent of a 1960’s diner, and their famous baked cheesecake as well as new, locally inspired recipes with a Montreal twist. The menu includes matzoh ball soup, a spaghetti slathered in rich tomato meat sauce and chopped smoked meat (a top three favourite on the Montreal menu), all day breakfast items and a children’s menu – Co-General Managers Stuart Heaven and Francis Lo think the six varieties of poutine will be popular with the late night crowd as well and with the kitchen open until 1 am on weekends and midnight on weekdays, it marks a return to late night dining in downtown Vancouver.

On to the food and service. The food was, as predicted, comfort food (and I’m surprised that JT loved it, as he’s got a palate that is hard to please). He ordered a Super Montréal Smoked Meat ($10.99, 6 oz hand sliced smoked beef brisket on light sourdough rye). And in my case, I ordered Hot Chicken ($11.99, two rivers free run chicken breast on sliced white bread covered in gravy,topped with “mushy” peas).

I will fully disclose that while we tried really hard to finish all AND a strawberry cheesecake, we just couldn’t finish the cheesecake. We were SO. FULL. I definitely will come back again and again to Dunn’s Famous. I may not miss Montreal as much as Anabelle does, but by heck, I totally love comfort food that is affordable and tasty.

Disclosure: I paid for both of our dinners on my own dime. As always, I retain editorial control over everything I post on my site. I was invited to the opening night of Dunn’s Famous but I did not write about it as I wanted to ensure to come and eat and pay by myself and write just one review.

The American Cheesesteak (opening/media event)

Raul — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 19:00:56 +0000

While I’m on a blogging break, I had already been invited (and committed to attend) The American Cheesesteak opening a few weeks ago). Chef Anthony Sedlak, let me tip my hat to you: you know how to introduce a concept to Vancouver foodies that is iconic from Philadelphia (hence the Philadelphia cheesesteak) and reminiscent in some ways of the Mexican torta (although the bread’s form is not the same, it sort of has that same feel of inexpensive, filling, honest-to-goodness sandwich).

Located on Davie between Howe and Granville, I was pretty impressed with the way the event was run. Chef Anthony Sedlak was on hand to talk to each and every one of the media and VIP guests, and while I had no room in my stomach to eat ANYTHING, I did try a few of the cheesesteaks. And more importantly, I got a chance to talk to friends of mine, like Mary Sheridan (Mary in Vancity, who already wrote about the event), Sean and Leila.

Photo credit: Mary Sheridan

Now, you’ll probably wonder how I eat a cheesesteak without actually eating cheese? Well, I’ll be honest – I had no problem at The American Cheesesteak, as there are a few variations that can be made without cheese. I will definitely come back, because really, it’s an inexpensive, really filling and tasty approach to eating comfort (and kind-of-gourmet-fast) food.

Disclosure: I was invited to attend the media event so this post does not constitute in itself a review. I will return for a visit on my own so I can form my own opinions (but from what I ate, it was REALLY good). As always, I retain editorial control on anything I write on my site).

All India Restaurant (Davie St, West End)

Raul — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 17:00:53 +0000

While Ethiopian food is usually my comfort food, cold autumn/winter nights always remind me of how much I love Indian food. With its delicious variety of dishes (both vegetarian and meat-based), hot rice, amazing aromas, and delicious textures, I figured it was high time we had Indian food again for dinner (JT and I usually eat sushi or Italian, or Ethiopian. I know, not very varied). So to All India Restaurant we went.

We ordered a salad to start (in my case it was a chicken salad that I did not realize would taste like a prawn/shrimp cocktail). Pretty abundant, extremely well cooked and fresh, marinated, with only white chicken meat (which really is the only one I eat, the breast), I could not finish my salad, but it was delicious. Could have been eaten for dinner or a solid lunch ($11.00 price point).

My dinner was a butter chicken that was out of this world. While not colored the same way I am used to (very creative use of saffron here), it was glorious. Not too spicy to the palate and very filling. We had to order rice and naan on the side, but it was reasonably priced.

JT’s dinner looked like lamb shish kabab ($11.95, minced lamb marinated in garlic, onion, ginger, yoghurt and backed) but I’m mildly afraid of mischaracterizing his dinner. It was delicious, that I can tell you.

Overall, a very nice discovery. I did not realize I liked All India Restaurant this much. Compared to other Indian restaurants, the service here is good (although it was not as fast as in other restaurants, the presentation and flavour of the dishes we were served were bar-none). I’d definitely come back.

Disclosure: JT paid for both of our meals on his own dime.

The Laughing Oyster (Okeover Arm, Powell River, Sunshine Coast) #scac2011

Raul — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 15:45:54 +0000

What could be more fun than dinner with three lovely ladies (Andrea, Andrea and Robyn)? Well, finding a restaurant that has amazing food and that you had never heard about. Yes, The Laughing Oyster is an absolute gem that everybody should know about. Located at Okeover Arm (in Powell River, on the lovely Sunshine Coast), the Laughing Oyster was our dinner stop after a busy second day.

We had dinner at The Laughing Oyster during the Sunshine Coast Art Crawl 2011, and I’m really glad that we did.

There are very few places where you can enjoy seafood in a setting as beautiful as at Laughing Oyster Restaurant in Okeover Arm. Located at the very northern end of the Sunshine Coast, our establishment provides the very best in relaxed, fine dining with an exuisite menu designed by executive chef, David Bowes. A beautiful view of Okeover Inlet nestled among the edge of the Coast Mountain range is the back drop to your visit at the Laughing Oyster.

My mistake was to start with a salad, because I really did not know that I was in for a treat for dinner. The salad was delicious, but really abundant and thus I had a really hard time finishing off my actual meal.

I requested a variation on the following dish substituting the halibut for salmon. Amazing, flavourful and overwhelmingly delicious. I *had* to finish it ALL. And for the price point ($26) it wasn’t really all that expensive.

Thai Pineapple, Halibut & Prawns, three ounce halibut, five jumbo prawns, not too spicy

How can I explain a salmon covered in curry spices and tiger prawns on a bed of delicious, organic, local vegetables and rice? How can I describe and properly pay homage to a delicious concoction of flavour and exquisite visual design. I’m not sure my photos give enough credit, but seriously, I can tell you that this dish ranks right up on the list of some of my best meals.

And yes, I did have dessert. Boy, did I ever have dessert!

Visually extremely appealing (and really pleasant to the eyes, despite the fact that the lighting didn’t really help my photos), The Laughing Oyster is one of those places where you really need to bring someone you love for dinner.

I definitely will bring my loved ones for dinner to the Laughing Oyster. It’s totally worth the trip up to Powell River, particularly if you’re already up in the Sunshine Coast doing some crawling. Can’t wait to come up again!

Disclosure: Our dinner was courtesy of our hosts. I participated on the Sunshine Coast Art Crawl 2011 as part of a media trip. My accommodations and transportation are compliments of our hosts and the tourism agencies in charge. I paid for a few miscellaneous expenses associated with this trip, specifically incidentals and my own shopping etc. You can follow along my adventures on the Sunshine Coast through this tag.

Fray on Fraser #FoodFriday

Raul — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 21:49:31 +0000

Best news of recent weeks? Knowing that there are so many new restaurants moving to the Kingsway and Fraser or upper Fraser area (e.g. Mount Pleasant/Riley Park). I have written about many of them including the Lion’s Den, Les Faux Burgeoises (Kingsway and Fraser) and now of course, what can we say about the Outpost Cafe, which I absolutely love.

As I mentioned a few years ago, Fraser is really becoming the new Main, and Fray on Fraser is one of the very welcome additions to this neighbourhood. In fact, Marche St George is also one of the shops that is attracting a lot of business, much like the Outpost Cafe AND Fray on Fraser.

JT and I went for dinner to Fray on Fraser (we walked from my place, and the walk showed us that this area of Fraser Street is actually changing and evolving a lot, for the good). We sat down rather quickly (Fray is ample and spacious and has a variety of different little areas that can accommodate families and couples or singles who just want to come grab a pint and a burger).

I started with bacon-covered figs as my starter, which I absolutely loved. The balsamic reduction made the fig moist (even though the bacon provided a nice counter-point flavour). From the Fray menu

Fray’s Famous F-Bombs: Our signature dish – a variation on Devils on Horseback, this is a share plate of Fraser Valley bacon-wrapped fresh figs with a balsamic reduction. –$7.95

I ordered a delicious burger with salad. The bun was slightly toasted and thus I wasn’t fully crazy about it, but as far as the meat patty, it was fresh, tasty and nicely sized. From the Fray menu:

Fray Burger: A hearty wedge of Pemberton B.C. beef, freshly ground on the premises, with home-made mayonnaise on Chef Antonio’s signature purple yam bun with market salad. –$10.95 * Add extras and sides as you like for $2 each item. Choose from: Aged cheddar cheese, sauteed mushrooms, Fraser Valley bacon, homemade potato chips

I definitely will come back to Fray on Fraser. The service (staff) could use some training in customer service because it took our server a bit to come and take our orders, but overall, the place is absolutely lovely, the food is pretty good and I can even say that JT really enjoyed the burger (and he’s a bit of a burger snob).

Disclosure: I paid for both of our meals on my own dime.

Taste of Yaletown 2011

Raul — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 20:31:02 +0000

A few months ago, I made the commitment to myself to promote more local events, and in particular, events related to food. I try almost always to attend Taste of Yaletown but rarely do I get a chance to do the whole thing. I have checked out the list of participating restaurants.

As a matter of fact, I have eaten at many of them (and love a few). Plus, this year I’m a media sponsor for Taste of Yaletown 2011. Taste of Yaletown 2011 goes from October 13th to 31st, 2011. You can check the menus here. I will try to profile a couple of participating restaurants on my blog throughout the event.

You can track the event hashtag via Twitter.

Al Porto (Gastown)

Raul — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 14:00:43 +0000

You know that restaurant that you have always wanted to check out, that you think it’s going to totally rock your boat and then sort of disappoints you with a series of mishaps that you did not expect, and most likely neither did the staff? Yeah. That was the case with Al Porto in Gastown. A gorgeous restaurant, extremely spacious, brick-walls, amazing decor and a view of the mountains on the North Shore that many businesses would envy. And a lovely staff.

BUT

Sadly, I was quite disappointed with my lunch there recently. Admittedly, perhaps the expectation was too high. I had heard great things about Al Porto. But our server, lovely as he was, really had mishap, after mishap, after mishap. And at some point I just simply stopped caring about whether my food was ok or not, and whether the service was going to get better. I looked around and other lunch attendees had a wonderful experience. I could see it in their interaction with the server. My drink, I should say, was actually pretty good (a Zapphire)

Sadly, my experience was pretty much this short of bad. The food was not the complaint. The chef complied exactly with what I wanted (I ordered the $12 special for soup and a pasta for lunch). I requested that my French onion soup did not have cheese (and they were kind enough to remove the cheese from a cheese-covered crostini). BUT they left the cheese in my Caesar salad. Oooops. I got overcharged on a drink (which was removed from my bill, yet the delay in the food was quite unacceptable because… well, they brought me canelloni instead of what I had ordered in the first place).

My pasta (a simple Penne Puttanesca that is really hard to screw up) was tasty, but comparatively speaking, I’ve had better Puttanesca elsewhere (with the best being at Tapenade Bistro in Steveston, Richmond BC). Not to say that it wasn’t good but the texture was a bit on the chewy side (similar to what I had at Pacifico Pizzeria) and not “al dente”. Frankly, I totally think that this was one bad day on a generally good restaurant and specifically on my meal, because the rest of the folks I saw chatting over lunch seemed to be enjoying their food.

I’ll probably give Al Porto a second try. Not soon, but at least I will do it again. It’s inexpensive, it has a beautiful view, the food is ok, and the most important thing: the staff tries SO HARD. But the series of mishaps that occurred on the day I went there for lunch really left me with the impression I might come back another time… in 2012.

More information on Al Porto:

Gastown’s popular Water Street is alive with the taste of another era. Meander down the cobbled sidewalk and stumble across a true find, the uniquely situated Al Porto Ristorante. Spacious yet cozy, the room is as distinct as the cuisine that defines the rich flavour and culture of Italy. Candlelight and a warm welcome await you as you cross through the iron-gate.

Al Porto Ristorante
321 Water Street
Vancouver B.C.
V6B 1B8
Phone 604.683.8376
Fax 604.683.6682
Email info@alporto.ca

I paid for my lunch on my own dime.

La Notte (Dunbar and 16th Avenue)

Raul — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 14:00:51 +0000

Three things I absolutely adore: good food, amazing friends and lovely atmosphere. This past week, La Notte (a wonderful Italian restaurant on Dunbar just south of 16th Avenue, near the UBC campus) had all 3: food that was delicious, across my seat in the same table I had my good friend Erica Hargreave who is one of my best friends, and the atmosphere was just right (although the lighting didn’t help my photos, not even in macro).

I loved La Notte for so many reasons: the food was excellent, and not extremely expensive (actually, quite inexpensive). The service was spectacular. The pasta they create is perfectly cooked and not overwhelmingly heavy, and they totally spoiled me on my choice of dinner. And it was lovely of my good friend Erica to take me there for dinner (I had been working late at the university), since she was in town just briefly on her way to Ontario.

Casual fine dining is yours to enjoy in a Tuscan atmosphere. Well known for its Pasta selections and veal specialties, including our popular Osso Buco offered every Friday night. A new feature at La Notte is the takeout menu, with all pastas for takeout at $12. Seating capacity is for 80 people and is great for private parties. Serving the Westside for 20 years, it’s a restaurant “good friends recommend.”

My dinner consisted of a 50/50 combination of Linguine Puttanesca (an extremely affordable price point of $13, with black olives, anchioves, capers in a spicy tomato sauce) and Spaghetti Pescatore (again, an affordable $15, fresh seafood in a garlic tomato sauce). I found the pasta really fluffy and easy to digest, the shrimp were extremely tasty (and overloaded with garlic just the way I like them), and the Puttanesca-style sauce was really good too.

Overall, absolutely delighted. I’d give La Notte a 9 out of 10, and with those prices, totally worth visiting again and again and again. You can check their menus online.

La Notte
3307 Dunbar Street, Vancouver, BC
Call for Reservations
604-222-4033
Open from: 5:00 pm nightly, 7 Days a Week

Disclosure: My good friend Erica paid on her own dime for both of our dinners as it was my birthday.

Paired Wine-Food Dinner with Ingo Grady at April Point Resort (Quadra Island)

Raul — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 18:00:38 +0000

I’ve covered some of the best wine and food festivals in British Columbia, so it’s not like I am new to the game (see my coverage of, just for starters, the Chef’s Congress President’s Ball Dinner 2011 in Vancouver, Chefs Across The Water 2011 in Salt Spring Island and Parksville Uncorked 2010 and 2011 in Parksville). And I can confidently say that Tastes of April Point 2011 (at the gorgeous April Point Resort) qualifies as one of the best food and wine festivals I’ve attended.

I was very, very pleasantly surprised with the attention to detail that the organizers of Tastes of April Point put on organizing every single detail of this festival. And clearly, my table companions (Barbara from Mission and Mary from Abbottsford, a mother and daughter pair with whom I had the pleasure of seating) were just as impressed. One of the things I do whenever I cover an event is ask the attendees why they participated and how they heard about the event. Barbara and Mary had heard great things online about this event and had already been to Quadra Island so this was a no-brainer. And they both loved the festival as much as I did.

I met Ingo Grady a few years ago at Parksville Uncorked, and I have drank Mission Hill wines for a while now, so I kind of knew what to expect (amazing food paired with fantastic wines). I also attended an event earlier organized by Tastes of April Point called the Affinities Experience (you can read about it on my blog). Dinner was served, first of all, with a booklet that had space to write comments about each wine, as well as the tasting notes.

A booklet like this is a brilliant idea, and I can tell you from seeing my fellow food bloggers/writers, we all DO take notes about the meals we are getting served, so facilitating this process really enables the writer to focus more on what they are eating and less on trying to remember how it tasted and what kind of wine these delicaces were paired with.

To open our apetite, dinner started with a First Course of butternut squash soup, Quadra Island scallosp, hazelnut oil, garlic puree and creme fraiche, paired with Lucien Albrecht Cremant Rose. You simply can’t go wrong with butternut squash soup, although I will fully admit that the scallop was a surprise in and of itself. The garlic and hazelnut oil complimented perfectly the sweet flavour of the butternut squash, while the scallop maintained a very firm texture that enriched the soup. I could have had that dish for a meal and be content. The Lucien Albrecht Cremant Rose wine was another surprise because it tasted almost briny and salty, with a hint of sour/tart (probably coming from the green plum) and fizzy bubbles. Strange for a rose, but very nice compliment to the background scallop in the soup.

The Second Course was by far my favorite: Moroccan spiced albacore tuna “Nicoise”, Russian blue potato, taggiasche olive, quail egg, salsa verde, preserved lemon and champagne vinaigrette, paired with Gunderloch Fritz’s Riesling. The wine last-minute substitution proved a smart move, as this apricot-flavoured, sweet and nimble Riesling was chilled down to almost zero degrees Celsius, which liberated the sweet flavours of the Riesling. I am in love with Rieslings, I’ll have to say. And this particular one, the Fritz, was a great compliment to an albacore tuna that was chock full of flavour (the Moroccan spices gave it a great spicy and almost hot kick, whereas the taggiasche olive tapenade fully rounded up the ‘Nicoise’. I wouldn’t have cared much for the quail egg, although it was tasty, and the Russian blue potato was tart and fresh, which proved a nice counterpoint to the salty/spicy Moroccan spiced albacore tuna. Pairing a sweet wine with a spicy fish: beautiful.

The Third Course consisted of pan-seared Pacific halibut, Manila clams, fennel puree, pea coulis, bacon jam paired with a Rodney Strong Chalk Hill Chardonnay. Now, admittedly, you can’t go wrong with bacon. And this dish was my second favorite. The vanilla and spice hints in the Chardonnay compliment very nicely the robust, well-cooked and nicely spiced halibut. The choice of bacon jam was spectacular here, because it provided a nice salty flavour to the halibut, that also combined well with the Manila clams. I’ve never really been a fan of fennel puree or pea coulis, but I’ll say that they provided subtle hints of mild flavour that neutralized a somewhat stronger bacon jam.

The Fourth Course would have been a winner with JT, since he loves his meat almost blue rare. But I don’t, unfortunately. So, while I can appreciate every other element of the dish, the meat was not my favorite. A slow-roasted Island bison strip loin with parsnip puree, porcini mushrooms, Pattinson Farms organic baby red beets, flat leaf parsley and black truffle sauce was overall, incredibly well-assembled. All the strong flavours of the porcini mushrooms, the black truffle oil, went very well with the Antinori Il Bruciato red wine, which is extremely intense, deep in colour and has a little hint of menthol and lots of hints of sweet spices. That Il Bruciato red wine is a delicacy in-and-of-itself (a little too robust for my taste, since I’m more of a white wine kind of guy, but delicious nonetheless). While I only had a bite or two of the bison, I could appreciate how nicely done it was, but I could have just eaten the garnish elements (porcini mushrooms, parsnip puree, black truffle oil). I wish my bison had been a lot more cooked. But that doesn’t detract from the quality of the dish nor the assembly.

I would have stopped at this point (and so would have my lovely table companions) but we were promised dessert and we weren’t about to waste it. So we waited for the Fifth Course (dinner took a solid 3 hours, which went by so fast it was incredible). A chocolate tart with strawberry coulis, sugar tuile and vanilla ice cream topped a delicious evening.

Paired with Cockburns Special Reserve Port (a port that while it can be consumed alone, it went really well with the vanilla ice cream), this dessert was worth the 45 minutes run I will have to do the next day (and my photos of the dessert actually turned out horrible so I am not posting them!).

Listening to Ingo Grady explain each one of the pairings as well as seeing the whole (packed) room (with people of all ages, I must add) give the Head Chef a standing ovation was an absolute delight. I asked Mary and Barbara how they liked the dinner and they would just not stop gushing about the whole experience of Tastes of April Point. Frankly, neither can I. Absolutely loved it.

Disclosure: I was invited as a guest of Tastes of April Point. I flew into and from Campbell River compliments of my hosts, the Oak Bay Marine Group. This post was neither paid for nor expected, but I do think that Tastes of April Point is an excellent event and so do the numerous people I interviewed while on site. As always, all views are mine, and I retain editorial control on anything I publish on my site. You can read more of my coverage of Tastes of April Point 2011 in Quadra Island here

The Observatory at Grouse Mountain

Raul — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 17:45:59 +0000

Generally speaking, I don’t go up Grouse Mountain unless I have something exciting to do. Doing the Grouse Grind is something I do once a year just because I have to. I am, after all, a Vancouverite. And it’s a strenuous hike. So, when I go up Grouse Mountain it’s usually for something fun. I had told JT I wanted to try The Observatory (I had eaten at Altitudes Bistro before, but never at The Observatory) for my birthday. Gentleman that he is, he wanted to fulfill my birthday wish, so he made reservations for the evening of my birthday at The Observatory in Grouse Mountain.

First off, you DO want to make reservations. We saved $70 just on the lift tickets to get us up the mountain. I was somewhat shocked at the price, but after all, it’s a nice ride up.

Your Grouse Mountain Admission is complimentary with advance dinner reservations and includes admission to the Skyride and mountaintop activities such as Ranger Talks at the Wildlife Refuge, Scenic Chairlift Ride, and the Theatre in the Sky.

We arrived too late to take in any of the Theatre in the Sky shows, but it was a really beautiful chairlift ride (plus, it’s always about the company, and JT and I always enjoy each other’s company). Besides, we both already knew much about Grouse Mountain (he hikes it regularly, I certainly don’t). The view is simply spectacular from inside the restaurant, and even from outside.

We could have chosen off the menu between a Prix Fixe ($125 with all the pairings, a 5-courses meal much like the ones I’ve had at Chefs Across The Water in Salt Spring Island, Parksville Uncorked in Parksville or Tastes of April Point in Quadra Island) or choosing A La Carte. We chose the latter because (a) JT doesn’t drink and (b) I wasn’t about to do a 5 courses meal for a dinner on a Monday when the next day I have to wake up early for work. It’s a really good value for your money, though, so if you have a chance, you should try the Prix Fixe.

We started with an Appetizer ($16 price point, which is on the higher-scale of Vancouver’s restaurants, from my experience). Having had good experiences with cold soups (I’m a die-hard fan of Spanish gazpacho), I ordered a Squash Velouté with brown butter croutons, pumpkin seed purée and burnt sugar gastrique. JT ordered Vancouver Island Venison Loin with walnut gnocchi, apple, celery root purée, licorice jus. Admittedly, I had just about everything I expected in the squash velouté: a cold mini-soup that was refreshing, sweet and cleansed my palate for a solid main dish. Just as an aside, I did not expect a large portion as velouté‘s tend to be sauces rather than main dishes, but it was interesting having it as a first course.

What annoyed me the most was the lighting, and after that, a screaming baby. As for the lighting, I know it’s lovely for a romantic dinner, and it really enhances the mood, but it made my photos look pretty crappy, even with the Macro setting. Oh well. It was all about the company, and the meal itself. And it was my birthday, so that was what made it all great. On the crying baby note, I did not appreciate having a little baby screaming in the same room, and I’m pretty sure my parental audience will not appreciate me posting this comment. Unfortunately it’s true. I totally understand going out for dinner as a family, and I get it, but it really did detract from my experience. It was, at points, impossible to talk with JT without getting distracted with the little baby screaming at the top of his/her lungs. Luckily it only lasted about 20-30 minutes.

For my main dish, I ordered a Pacific salmon (Ocean Wise, as The Observatory is certified) with 2 types of beans with a bacon reduction (this dish is not available on the website’s menu). Had I had the menu that is posted on the website, I would not have chosen the salmon and would have gone for Mission Trout with carrot ravioli, salmon roe, rose petal sabayon or the Albacore Tuna with bonito onigiri, bok choy, shiitake mushrooms, shiso leek emulsion. Hands down. While the salmon was really good (and who can go wrong with bacon), at a $39 per main dish price point, I expected a lot more in regards to presentation/assembly. The green beans’ texture didn’t really go well with a delicate dish like the salmon.

Also, while I totally get why servers recommend a particular type of cooking style (e.g. for my salmon he advised me that it would come medium rare and I asked him to ask the chef to bring it up to medium well), it’s my dinner and it’s my food, so I do not appreciate being told what style my food should come (he did mention JT what he thought was the right cooking point for his dinner. Fine, that’s alright – not me). For his main dish, JT ordered Fraser Valley Duck Breast that was presented with ravioli and a greens salad (not the herb spätzle, cauliflower, hazelnut velouté that I expected from the online menu).

While from my write-up it may sound as though I didn’t have a good experience, that’s not the case at all. I did love The Observatory. The food is great, the service is ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC (one of the servers took several photos of JT and me until we were satisfied with the outcome and how beautiful the evening showed on the photo), and the view is bar-none. That I am picky (sometimes annoyingly so) and that I like my food a certain way and an environment where I can eat without being disturbed, it’s also true. But I am pretty sure that having a baby that little and that was screaming to the top of their lungs is such a rare occurrence, it’s just unfortunate it happened on my birthday.

Verdict: Would I recommend eating at The Observatory at the top of Grouse Mountain? Absolutely. It’s an experience you must have at least once in your lifetime. And I’ll definitely be back, particularly when I see a different menu that I might want to try out.

I do love the fact that The Observatory is so focused on sustainability.

Sustainable Dining: We are dedicated to sourcing the finest and freshest regional ingredients available, creating memorable dining experiences.

Ocean Wise & Green Table-Certified: We are proud to be a member of Ocean Wise, a conservation program created to educate and empower consumers about the issues surrounding sustainable seafood. Look for our ocean-friendly options highlighted on our menus. All the restaurants at Grouse Mountain are also certified by the Green Table Network, which puts sustainability on the menu through innovative solutions that measurably reduce the impact we have on our environment.

And the view is simply spectacular. My photos don’t do justice to how beautiful Vancouver looks from the top of Grouse Mountain. Dining out at The Observatory in Grouse Mountain is something you must try, definitely. I’m glad I did, and I’m glad JT took me there for my birthday.

Disclosure: JT paid for both of our dinners on his own dime, as he was taking me out for my birthday. Grouse Mountain did not know that we were coming for dinner so I’m sure we did not get any special treatment. As always, I retain editorial control at all times of anything published on my blog.

Apollonia Greek Restaurant (Kitsilano/Fairview Slopes)

Raul — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 21:51:39 +0000

This is a really weird area of town, the north-of-4th-Avenue area between Granville and Burrard. It’s not Kitsilano per se, but it’s also not really what most people would recognize as Fairview Slopes. But the number of hidden gems I found within this area in the course of attending the recent Standing Armed presentation of their Spring/Summer 2012 collection is unbelievably high. Apollonia Greek Restaurant is a little gem that produces some of the best Greek food this side of Takis Taverna, Stepho’s and Bouzyos.

It wasn’t really my discovery, it was really Anabelle’s. She had dinner there and I just landed for a quick appetizer (although Anabelle gave me her salad, I ordered an appetizer of Keftedes (Greek meatballs) that was really, really tasty and filling. The price point at Apollonia is pretty decent and it’s not going to break your wallet.

I’m sure I will get flack because the meat balls look a bit overcooked on the top. Personally, I like them like that. I’m glad Anabelle invited me here for dinner as I am sure I could have not come here had she not discovered this little gem. I’ll definitely come back, most likely bringing JT for dinner.

Pacifico Pizzeria Ristorante (Burrard and Smithe, Downtown Vancouver)

Raul — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 17:30:31 +0000

You know, despite the vicinity with some of the biggest players in the food industry, and in the movie industry, somehow I’m not all completely thrilled with Pacifico Pizza (otherwise known as Pacifico Pizzeria Ristorante), located on Smithe between Burrard and Hornby. Don’t get me wrong: their food is very good. But I don’t know why, with their beautiful decor and ambiance, with their wonderful staff and their excellent service, and with the lovely oven that you can see from afar, I found the food good, but not AMAZING.

You know what I mean? Their food is very good, don’t be mistaken. But it’s a special kind of “very good”. As in, very good of the type “sure, let’s go for dinner there” instead of “let’s make a special trip for this“. But given its proximity with Scotiabank Theatres, I can totally and safely recommend having dinner at Pacifico Pizza. In particular, I loved their meat balls. Very well prepared, and spicy.

I took my Mom there this past month when she was visiting, and we ordered our usual standard order when we visit Italian restaurants in Vancouver. I went on the safe side of a Puttanesca, and my Mom ordered spaghetti with meat balls. At $13 price point for a VERY large portion, Pacifico Pizza is inexpensive and definitely a “must try at least once“. If you’re going to go watch a movie, you definitely can (and probably should) come have a pizza or some pasta.

Disclosure: I paid for both my Mom and my dinner on my own dime. All views are mine. I retain full editorial control on anything published on my site.

Creme de la Crumb (Yaletown)

Raul — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 18:25:05 +0000

Total surprise for me: edible food in a coffee shop that is licensed to serve booze and within a half a block of the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, where many of the theatre and musical shows I attend is. As Charlie Sheen would say, I call that WINNING. Creme de la Crumb in Yaletown, right underneath the CBC Vancouver is definitely a surprising gem. I wouldn’t call their cuisine high-end or upscale, but it was good enough and I didn’t have any problems with it.

I stopped by Creme de la Crumb a few weeks back when I was waiting for JT to meet me for the opening night of the Canadian premiere of Mamma Mia (Broadway Across Canada). I probably had never seen it not because I was blind, but because somehow Creme de la Crumb never registered in my radar. But I’m very glad it did. I ordered a 3 items combo ($8.99) and a bottle of Coke Zero ($2.50) for my dinner.

Overall, as I mentioned, a nice surprise that the food was good enough for dinner. I would probably not go out of my way here for a “romantic dinner” but for sustenance, BUT OF COURSE. I was able to survive going through almost 3 hours of musical theatre thanks to the fact that I had had dinner before, and that it was tasty and good enough at Creme de la Crumb.

Disclosure: I paid for my dinner on my own dime.

Sea Monstr Sushi (Gastown)

Raul — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 18:00:03 +0000

I love the fact that my friends almost always have the same adventurous approach to eating out. I hadn’t checked out Sea Monstr Sushi in Gastown, and I had wanted to try it for a long while. My good friends Ashleigh Smith and Chris Walts had just returned from a month in Peru, and thus we agreed to meet at Sea Monstr Sushi for a bite to eat. Not sure why, I wasn’t really too hungry, but I wanted to see them, so we met up there. Sea Monstr Sushi is a quaint little place, so don’t expect huge decorations or a very fancy, flashy restaurant location. But the sushi it serves is very good and the service is really excellent.

I ordered a Sushi Combo ($9.00) and 1 piece of salmon nigiri ($2.50). My combo brought along a few pieces of California roll, spicy tuna roll and some salmon roll bits. It also included a miso soup.

I loved in particular the spicy tuna sushi roll, fresh, tasty, spicy and just the right amount of rice. The miso soup was really flavourful and not very salty (a negative characteristic I have found in some restaurants’ sushi combos).

Disclosure: I paid for my dinner on my own dime.

The Rumpus Room (Main Street, Mount Pleasant)

Raul — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 16:01:32 +0000

The highest concentration of hipsters per square foot in a room, the friendliest and nicest service, and the tastiest burgers in a fairly large perimeter around Mount Pleasant can be found at The Rumpus Room on 11th Avenue and Main Street. Recently renovated, apparently, because I recall that there was another establishment there (one that I thought of writing about because it always seemed so… lonely).

I asked around on Twitter on where to have dinner close to my house (I have been working from home for a day and a half, when I’m polishing papers, literature reviews, journal articles or syllabi I often do this – lock myself at home). But nobody mentioned a restaurant I hadn’t visited yet, so what I did is I went to The Rumpus Room (on my friend Heather Watson‘s suggestion).

The restaurant itself is decorated totally hipster, but it’s so relaxed it’s almost unnoticeable. I sat on a very comfy reclining chair and ordered a standard burger ($9) with a potato salad side. I found the prices extremely reasonable. The potato salad was extremely well done, perhaps one of the best I’ve ever tried. Not crazy about the celery, but the creamy dressing complimented very nicely the sometimes a bit dry kaiser.

It was totally my fault that I didn’t order any toppings on my burger (speaking of which, they use hormone-free, free-range meat, just as an FYI – important these days). I felt a lot of garlic flavour and the beef patty was very moist and cooked (as they say) to perfection. I definitely think if I add roasted garlic (one of the toppings that The Rumpus Room offers) and probably some avocado, a basic burger can be a total heaven.

After dinner I absolutely had no space for dessert. The bartender and server both were extremely sweet and told me about their Sunday movie nights. Good times, I’ll definitely be back to The Rumpus Room.

Nook (Denman and Robson, West End)

Raul — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 15:00:40 +0000

I’m a bit of an Italian food fan. I love anything that has to do with Italian cuisine, in particular pasta Puttanesca (a type of pasta that I am sure anyone in the Vancouver Italian restaurateur community know I love and adore). I told JT that before we attended the last show of Theatre Under The Stars (Anything Goes), I wanted to try and eat at Nook on Denman, between Robson and Melville. Given that they don’t take reservations we weren’t really hopeful that we’d find a seat. But we did, at the bar, and it was a great experience.

I ordered a Gnocchi with Baby Meat Balls (very, very reasonable at a price point of $16), which I didn’t know how it would turn out. The truth of the matter is – it turned out incredibly tasty. The tomato sauce wasn’t overwhelmingly heavy drenched in garlic and oil (which I would probably have expected, and even would have welcomed it, but the flavour was really delicate). Gnocchi are a tough type of pasta in some cases, because it can be easily screwed up. Luckily, that wasn’t the case.

JT ordered a Margherita pizza ($15, very reasonable as well) that was extremely tasty (I had a bit of a morsel from his pizza). Overall, beyond the tasty food (which was really good), I think what I liked the most was the family ambiance. At Nook, you can tell that the owners have a really good relationship with their customer base and with their staff, current and former. The day we showed up, a former chef dropped by with her daughter. So cute.

I would strongly recommend that people go and eat at Nook. Authentic Italian fare that won’t break your wallet. And a service that really counts at the best moment.

Disclosure: JT paid for both of our dinners on his dime. A review is neither expected nor paid for. All opinions are my own, and I retain editorial control at all times over anything published on my site.

Goldfish Seafood and Chops (Yaletown)

Raul — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 01:33:14 +0000

So strange. I swear to God Goldfish used to call itself Goldfish Kitchen. But since the last time I visited (which was A LONG TIME AGO, when Steve Jagger invited Rebecca and me for lunch), Goldfish has experienced some rebranding and relaunching of menus and is now Goldfish Seafood and Chops. The very first people I saw right after my head shave were my good friends Mat Wilcox, Erin McConnell and Wendy Hartley (Erin and Wendy both formerly worked at Wilcox PR) who were there with another couple of friends (one of them, Lecia Stewart with whom I had an absolutely wonderful chat.

Mat and Erin

Me and Mat

Wendy Hartley and me

Wendy invited me along to join their “Girls Night Out” at Goldfish Seafood and Chophouse for a glass of wine, which I accepted as I hadn’t seen them in months, and wanted to catch up. And of course, show off my new hairless do. Interestingly, I can tell I blog about food because I totally went in to take photos of the food before I even let anyone sample it.

We ordered a few appies and shared a couple of bottles of white wine. I’ll have to say, Goldfish definitely has upped the ante on the seafood menu. I hadn’t had any of their food recently and came to be quite surprised.

The marinated Tiger prawns with chili (available on the Happy Hour Menu) were to-die-for. Even if you aren’t a fan of the BBQ short ribs (which I’m not), they were still very tasty. But again, those marinated Tiger prawns totally captivated me. We also sampled some scallops with capers and a creamy dill (those were also to-die-for).

Overall, my verdict on the new Happy Hour Menu at Goldfish Seafood and Chophouse? I like it. I’ll have to come back for dinner!

And also… who doesn’t love dinner companions who are bright, smart, opinionated, entrepreneurial AND who are thoughtful enough to make me pull my gut so I don’t show like I weigh 300 pounds on photos?

Disclosure: My appies and drinks were compliments of Wendy who would NOT let me pay (thanks, Wendy!). While not a full review of the Goldfish Seafood and Chophouse menu, I sampled and loved the Happy Hour menu and will have to come back for dinner on my own dime and taste the rest of their food after the rebranding. As always, I retain editorial control on anything I publish on my site.

Gusto Di Quattro (Lower Lonsdale, North Vancouver)

Raul — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 22:00:15 +0000

The Quattro family of restaurants is one of my favorite, and I’m pretty sure everyone who reads my blog knows this. I took my Mom to Quattro on Fourth (in Kitsilano) for her birthday 2 years ago, and I took JT for dinner for a special occasion to Quattro al Centro on Richards Street (in Yaletown/Downtown). I hadn’t seen my good friends Ianiv and Arieanna Schweber and their little one, Aiden (whom I affectionately call my nephew, as I am very close and I do feel he is like my actual blood nephew) so they joined me for dinner at Gusto Di Quattro.

Going to Gusto Di Quattro was a big gamble. Not because of the food (I’m pretty sure that the food at ALL Quattro restaurants is consistently good). The gamble was – would Gusto Di Quattro be child-friendly-enough? We were all very surprised by the really great food available on the menu for the little ones, and Aiden loved his dinner. As for us the adults, Arieanna and I shared a Combinazione (at $24 per person with substitutions $2 per, with a minimum of 2, a fairly decent price for a higher-end, high-scale Italian restaurant). We enjoyed a combination of rotolo farcito, fusilli salsiccia, penne arrabiata, linguine pesto, and fettuccine caprese. Ianiv ordered their risotto with fruti di mare.

I’ll have to say that I knew the Combinazione would be a winning combination. Both Arieanna and I love pasta, and this particular combination of pastas was a definite winner. In particular, I’m in love with the rotolo farcito. The fusilli salsiccia (with sausage) is a popular one, flavourful and strong (but bear in mind – I LOVE strong flavours). And even the linguine pesto had enough garlic that I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Overall, as I knew it would be the case, Gusto Di Quattro was a big win. Great food, really nice upscale decor, and a service that has nothing to ask other restaurants. The staff was incredibly sweet and kind to Aiden, and we didn’t face major issues (with obviously the exception that the restaurant isn’t really well equipped for changing toddlers, but that’s not even an issue as Arieanna and Ianiv have handled these situations before and they totally adapted quickly). The staff was very apologetic for not having the changing station for toddlers, but as I said, it’s not an issue to dampen our dinner. Overall, great experience at Gusto Di Quattro in the Lower Lonsdale area of North Vancouver. You should try it out.

Disclosure: We each paid for our dinners on our own dime. All views on this post are mine and mine only. A review is neither expected, nor has it been paid for (since, as you can see, we paid on our own dime). I retain editorial control at all times on anything published on my site.

Chefs Across The Water at Hastings House in Salt Spring Island (August 2011)

Raul — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 03:28:28 +0000

Chefs Across The Water is an amazing series of dinners where a guest chef comes and cooks at the absolutely gorgeous Hastings House in Salt Spring Island. I have always been invited but I never manage to attend simply because Chefs Across The Water is on a Monday and I *always* teach on Mondays in the fall term. But this year I was privileged to be invited to the August 2011 dinner and I promptly said BUT OF COURSE!.

The first thing I do when I attend an event with a media invite is to check out what other guests are saying about the event. That way, I can not only relay my experience to my readers but I can also share what other guests think. For the August 2011 Chefs Across The Water dinner, I talked to a number of guests, but the ones who struck me the most were a couple from Houston, Texas who have come for dinner at Hastings House15 years in a row. You read right. Fifteen years. In a row. From the Chefs Across The Water site:

Hastings House Country House Hotel and Dining Room on Salt Spring Island is pleased to announce our guest chef program is returning for 2011—top BC chefs have been invited to prepare multiple-course dinners in the Hastings House kitchen, incorporating Salt Spring Island’s produce, seafood, and meats. Wine pairings featuring BC wines will be offered to complement the extraordinary menus.

Salt Spring Island is a food-lover’s paradise, blessed with a mild Mediterranean-like climate and devoted growers and producers renowned for their organic fruits and vegetables, meats, and cheeses. Fresh-caught, wild seafood rounds out nature’s local pantry. In recent years, island wineries have further added to the diversity of the local harvest. Diners can look forward to amazing experiences as the celebrated guest chefs each put their own personal spin on Salt Spring Island flavours.

These events will also raise awareness of the health and economic benefits of using local, organic and sustainable ingredients and bring into focus how local farming is being challenged by changing regulations that favour large
agri-businesses. A portion of the proceeds of the Guest Chef dinners will go to Island Natural Growers to benefit the Salt Spring Abattoir Project.

I flew into Salt Spring Island‘s Ganges with the lovely folks of Salt Spring Air (I’ve flown Salt Spring Air many times, and I love their service). I arrived to my lovely accommodations at Hastings House always welcome by the great Kelly McAree who is the general manager of Hastings House.

I changed quickly and headed to the Dining Room to see what Chef Ernst Dorfler of the Five Sails Restaurant had prepared. Chef Dorfler has an extremely solid reputation, and what I did not realize was that I was in for a series of full-mini-meals in a row, with extraordinary wine pairings.

We started with an appetizer of Local Dungeness Crab Salad, Hastings House Garden Greens, Citrus Vinaigrette, paired with Road 13 Old Vines Chenin Blanc 2009. I love Road 13 wines, in general, and the Chenin Blanc was just the perfect compliment to the citrus vinaigrette. Fresh, quick in digestion and paired to perfection.

From the first course onwards, it was all a feast of mini meals. Chef Dorfler doesn’t pull any punches with his interest in satisfying the palate with miniature full meals. The first course, Caramelized Qualicum Bay Scallops, Cauliflower Purée, Carrot Reduction, Mirin Glaze, Capers & Crispy Shallots was paired with Joie Farm A Noble Blend 2009, which is a blend of Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Pinot Auxerois, and Riesling. I found the Joie Farm Noble Blend quite apt for the scallops, which despite being caramelized, had a very powerful flavour punch. I also love strong flavours so the capers gave the scallops a much needed counterbalance. The wine pairing was perfect in this case too.

For the second course, Pancetta Wrapped Roasted Breast Of Fraser Valley Quail, Shiitake Mushrooms, Natural Jus, Austrian-Style Ravioli, I was a bit worried. I’ve never been a fan of quail, no matter how much pancetta you add on top. But this quail was really tasty. I think the texture helped (I like my quail well cooked), as well as the natural jus and the ravioli. A perfect compliment was the Garry Oaks Pinot Noir 2008. Here is where I think I made a mistake because I know that, while the pinot noir was to compliment with its tannings and strong flavour the gamey texture of the quail, I can’t really combine red wine and white wine. Not a fan. I would have preferred in any case a white wine, perhaps a Sauvignon Blanc.

I would have been completely happy with just this much food, but we weren’t even yet in the main course. For me, I chose the Pan Seared Pacific Halibut Brushed With Fine Herbs and Citrus & Brown Butter Emulsion, paired with the Mission Hill Perpetua Chardonnay 2008. I absolutely love the Mission Hill wines, and I’m in general a fan of their Chardonnay. The halibut was cooked to perfection and the citrus and brown butter combined with the brushed fine herbs made the dish quite strong (remember, I love strong flavours — delicate flavours almost never do it for me). Sadly, it was really dark at the time and my camera wouldn’t respond as I wanted it to, so I’m not happy with my photo of the halibut nor the dessert.

I was ready to not eat more, but I couldn’t say no to the dessert, Luxe Lemon Mille-Feuilles, and Fresh Summer Berries. Absolutely nice with the Hester Creek Late Harvest Pinot Blanc 2009, which is appropriate as a dessert-accompanying wine (note, it’s NOT a dessert wine though).

Overall, I think Chef Dorfler really hit the spot not only with me and my palate, but with that of the fully packed room. More than 60 people were seating and the service was outstanding. I was particularly impressed with my server, whom I bombarded with questions about the meal and the wine pairings. She was extremely knowledgeable. All in all, I’m so glad this year I finally made it to Chefs Across The Water. I really think more people need to know about this wonderful event.

There might be some spaces for the September 12th Chefs Across The Water with Chef Michael Jacob and possibly for the October 3rd with famous Japanese Chef Tojo, so I would strongly recommend you to contact Hastings House for your tickets. At $100 per person with $40 pairings, this is an amazing deal. AND Hastings House is lovely in and of itself.

Disclosure: I was invited as a guest of Chefs Across The Water. I flew into and from Salt Spring Island compliments of Salt Spring Air. This review was neither paid for nor expected, but I do think that Chefs Across The Water is an excellent event and so do the numerous people I interviewed while on site. As always, all views are mine, and I retain editorial control on anything I publish on my site.

Charm Modern Thai (Yaletown) and its new menu

Raul — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 02:52:17 +0000

I have never really been a crazy fan of Thai food. Except, of course, for Charm Modern Thai. And the truth is, my love for Charm Modern Thai doesn’t only stem from the fact that I know the owner very well, Desmond Chen. No, the truth is, even though I’m not a super fan of Thai food, whatever items Charm serves me, I usually like.

Before anything else, while today I’m reporting on their new menu and I was invited on a media dinner, I should add that I’ve eaten at Charm (and paid on my own dime) several times before, but for one reason or another, I never had a chance to blog about the restaurant itself. On to the new menu (here is a link to their dinner menu).

We began with little samples of lobster bisque (which to me, is comfort food – it could be a little bit more dense, rich). Tiger prawn satays are hard to screw up, and Charm executes them supremely. The peanut sauce was just perfect. The larb gai was pretty interesting, and kind of like a Thai ceviche. I would have several of these starters in a row if asked to, quite gladly. The fish cakes were pretty good, and I didn’t touch the duck sticks, but loved the pineapple braised shortribs. These pineapple braised short ribs should come in a different type of meat as I don’t really like short ribs.

We tried an interesting new noodle soup and I asked them to call it Fish Soup (maybe they will, maybe they won’t). Perfect taste, I should say. I enjoyed the right amount of spice, and the little slices of chive and chili made it flavourful without being offensive to the palate.

The peppercorn beef, garlic fish and yellow curry prawns as well as the panang curry were items that were wildly popular with me. I love fish, and garlic just adds to the flavour. I almost didn’t have space for the panang curry and the yellow curry prawns. What I like about Charm Modern Thai is that it makes food spicy just at the right hotness point and it doesn’t make me feel that I need a glass of ice cold water to eat its food.

Some other notes I took on my dinner:

* Green tea chicken: strange flavour with the citrusy infusion combined with green tea, I would have liked more spice.
* Peppercorn beef: Really tasty though I would have wanted thinner slices of beef.
* Pad thai: A tad on the sweet side, but I love it. Light fare for lunch.
* Braised short ribs: They feel like authentic thai!
* Green curry: I was worried it would be too spicy but no, it was perfect.

Overall, I would want to give Desmond and his team kudos. I look forward to coming for dinner sometime soon.

Disclosure: As indicated on the post, this was a media dinner and it’s not per se a review. I have tried Charm Modern Thai and liked it a lot in previous visits, and will come back to have dinner on my dime. All views are mine. No review is expected, nor was I paid for any content posted on this entry. As always, I retain editorial control on anything I write on my site.

DiVino Wine bar (Commercial Drive)

Anabelle — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 05:30:11 +0000

This is Anabelle’s first restaurant review for Hummingbird604.

On July 28^th I attended a meetup with the Social Butterflies—five of us had dinner and wine at DiVino Wine Bar on Commercial Drive. Thursdays are Wine by the Glass days: take any bottle, divide the price by four and buy two glasses and you can taste any wine on the list.

It was my first time in this part of the city and I was surprised with the amount and variety of cafés, bars and restaurants on my walk up from Commercial station. It might be an area I choose to move in eventually. I liked the energy and the Petite Italie feel I got from the street.

We were seated on the small but nice patio because it was such a gorgeous evening. The owner quickly brought the menu and wine list… what a wine list! The first page has wines by the glass, and the other 20 pages or so so are all bottles… some going up to 1800$.

We ordered what’s called “Flight of Wine”: 3 2-ounce glasses of wine chosen to fit with your meal. With the five of us, the table was filled with wine glasses!

I ordered the Bison Short rib Rigatoni Pasta, Cherry Tomatoes, Arugula and Grana Padano. The pasta was cooked to perfection, the bison short rib tender and juicy and there was just the perfect amount of tomatoes and aragula. I would have liked a bit more cheese, but that’s a personal taste—it didn’t bother me that much.

I’m not much of a foodie but I appreciated the fact that there was very little spice in the meal. I think any spice or herb would have detracted from the strong taste of the bison and arugula. Or I might just have been very hungry and willing to eat anything. Your pick. :p

The wines were perfectly matched to the meal, from lightest to fullest. The woody notes of the last two glasses accompanied game meat quite well. The portion size was good: not so much that you feel stuffed after finishing your plate but not so little that you are still hungry after eating. In my case, I still had space for dessert, so I ordered the Mascarpone Mousse. They took a while to bring the dessert to us so they gave us a complimentary glass of prosecco while we waited. Great service! The prosecco was dry and bubbly, perfect to accompany the mascarpone mousse with berry compote and gelato.

The mousse was light and just a little sweet. I have a slight lactose intolerance but this dessert didn’t affect me. The gelato was absolutely delicious—I think they sell it by the cone or by the tub, so if you pass by I strongly recommend you get yourself some. The berry compote still had big pieces of fruit in it and was also tasty.

I know this city is full of great restaurants—that’s one of the reasons I chose to move here. The DiVino wine bar is great for a date or a girl’s night out. It’s moderately priced (about 20$ for a main course) but for the quality of the wines and food, totally worth it.

Disclosure: I paid for my own dinner. As always, Raul retains editorial control on any review posted on Hummingbird604.com. EDITOR’S NOTE – Follow Anabelle’s quest for the best poutine in Vancouver on her blog.

Adesso Bistro (West End)

Raul — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 23:50:46 +0000

My fascination for urban form is well known both in academic circles (I have done extensive research on industrial/urban restructuring) and social circles (where people know that I always have been amazed with the little corner stores within neighbourhoods like Cardero Bottega, and with houses within a condo-transformed area such as Coal Harbour). I have a great ability to be amazed and marveled by little things.

And one of those little things I totally adore is a cute restaurant that is totally off the beaten path. Embedded in a fully residential neighbourhood (West of Denman), Adesso Bistro is a wonderful gem of urban restaurants who are little gems. I had been wanting to try Adesso Bistro for years, but for one reason or another, I hadn’t gotten a chance to visit. So last night I took JT there for dinner.

The exterior patio is wonderful, and while I felt minorly bad for taking photos when people were having dinner, I felt really great about the fact that their patio was packed. Located one block west of Denman and Haro, Adesso Bistro is a modern-Italian, elegant restaurant that is a must-try at least once in your lifetime. And the martinis menu sounds really fun. Plus they have a great Prix Fixe for $28 per person. Moreover, Adesso Bistro focuses primarily on Ligurian cuisine.

At Adesso Bistro we take a modern approach to traditional cuisine of Italy’s Ligurian region, a refreshing return to food made with love, tradition and soul. Our goal is to create an experience for our guests that will capture the essence of adesso italian cuisine. Liguria is a coastal region of north-western Italy, the third smallest of the Italian regions. Its capital is Genoa. It is a popular region with tourists for its beautiful beaches, picturesque little towns, and food.

We couldn’t make good on the Prix Fixe because we went on a Thursday, but what we ordered was fantastic. We opened palate with a shared Cimelio di Pomodoro ($12, heirloom tomato salad, buffalo mozzarella, basil and balsamic). The salad was delicious although I think it’s slightly on the higher-end of the price scale for salads, I think. Next time I come I have to try the Arancini (risotto croquettes).

The tomatoes were exquisite, I have to add. And I’ll apologize for the horrible quality of my photos. I just didn’t seem to find my “groove” nor the proper lighting. We were offered complimentary olives that I quickly disposed of as I love very strong flavours. Probably a mistake as I ordered Aragosta (at $25, pretty much in the range of what you normally would pay for lobster dishes, I think.

The Aragosta had poached lobster, risotto with lemon and ricotta, lobster sauce and it was absolutely exquisite. You may notice that I decided to ask for them to get the meat out of my dish (I don’t work for my food, my food works for me). While I’m someone who loves their food with strong flavours, and lots of spice, the risotto was delicate and just the right amount of citrus with the lemon. The lobster sauce kept the lobster flavour in my mouth for a long time, which I enjoyed.

Overall, I really enjoyed Adesso Bistro. I must come back to try their Prix Fixe. It’s not extremely expensive (bill came to about $80 or so after tip and taxes, which for 2 people seems to me VERY reasonable for a higher-end restaurant like Adesso Bistro). I’d definitely recommend it. And I really want to check the martinis.

We also had the pleasure to chat with a family (Mom, Dad and son) who were visiting from Michigan and thoroughly enjoyed this hidden gem. AND they took photos of their food, just like I did. It seems it’s now the norm! And I’m glad Adesso Bistro’s staff was so wonderful and accommodating not only to my requests but those of every customer in the restaurant.

Disclosure: I paid for both JT and my dinner’s on my own dime. I am neither expected nor required to write a review. In fact, I don’t even think the owners realized I blog about food even after we took photos, because another family did the same thing: take photos of their food. At any point, I retain editorial control of what’s published on my site.

Triple O’s Picnic in the Park-ing Lot and launch of the Triple Os food truck

Raul — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 20:15:35 +0000

I normally don’t attend events when I feel sick, overwhelmed, tired or have a migraine. However, I had already accepted the invitation to attend the Triple O’s Picnic in the Park-ing Lot event, organized by B.C.’s iconic burger brand, Triple O’s, which will soon be Canada’s first quick service restaurant chain to hit the streets via its innovative new mobile kitchen concept. I really have to admit that I have a minor obsession with food trucks (although I prefer to call them mobile restaurants, to be honest).

What is Triple O’s? Well we serve burgers, fries and hand scooped shakes! But more than that, we serve the sauciest, juiciest, tastiest bestest burgers around, the crispiest, freshest, hottest, bestest fries around and the chilliest, thickest, creamiest, bestest milkshakes around. All situated in a retro cool diner and drive thru that can be found in locations across British Columbia, in Alberta and even Hong Kong. Headquarted in Vancouver, BC, Triple O’s is a division of White Spot Limited and proudly serves more than 3 million guests a year.

I make a point of attending events that are organized by my friends even when I don’t feel terribly well. Thus, I took the Canada Line and joined a small number of Vancouver local foodie bloggers at the picnic (which I have to say was a brilliant idea). The whole concept of a mobile kitchen is not foreign to anyone who has been eating around Vancouver in the past year. There is a total craze about food trucks. Even 2 local street apps for food carts exist.

The launch of Triple’s O’s mobile restaurant, Triple O’s on the Go allowed us to be among the first to taste test new food items not on Triple O’s menu, tour inside the 30-foot truck and meet the brains behind this revolutionary new restaurant concept. Unfortunately, I wasn’t feeling well enough to try the menu, but my fellow blogger friends did (I’ll let others speak about the food, but from what I could see, it was good).

I don’t eat poutine so I can’t speak to that one. And I couldn’t eat the burger. But those creamsicles were delicious. In media events it’s hard to test a full menu as the portion sizes are not the same, but I think we all had a good taste of what this new menu would look like. I was really happy to attend as I got to meet the CEO of White Spot, a brand that has been definitely in my radar since I was doing my MBA.

I’ll have to check the new Triple O’s on the go once they publish where their food truck will be roaming the streets of Vancouver. And to reward one lucky reader, I am giving away a swag bag and a 4 pack of burger combo coupons for Triple O’s. To enter my giveaway all you need to do is tell me your favorite type of burger. I don’t know what is it, but I absolutely love burgers with bacon and guacamole, and a bit of chilpotle chile. And of the Triple O’s, my favorite is the Double Double. Nom. Nom. Nom.

For an additional entry, you can post the following on your Twitter stream:

Posted my favorite type of burger on @hummingbird604 ‘s blog to enter to win a @TripleOs swag bag http://is.gd/00DnO8 What’s yours?

I will draw a winner on Tuesday August 16th at 2pm from all randomized entries on Twitter and my blog. Good luck everyone!

Disclosure: I attended the Triple O’s Picnic in the Park-ing Lot and received a swag bag of my own. Triple O’s is also sponsoring this giveaway. I’m neither obligated nor expected to blog about Triple O’s, but I love this Vancouver-born, Canadian restaurant and I’m happy to give them coverage as it brings good memories to me from my MBA years. As always, I retain full editorial control of what’s published on my blog.

Save On Meats (Downtown East Side, Vancouver)

Raul — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 19:05:12 +0000

I’ve written before about how the Downtown East Side is such a derelict, impoverished area, one that (if I had the time and the emotional resources) I would research (anthropology of poverty has been always a topic that raises my intellectual curiosity). When I first heard that Save On Meats had closed a couple of years ago, I was devastated. Save On Meats was such a great institution in the Downtown East Side. Well, someone decided to renovate it, take over the lease and take the risk to reopen again. And I’m SO GLAD they did. The burgers are just as amazing, the service is incredibly good and the staff is definitely very human.

Extremely well trained to do what they’re doing. And the nice renovations to the place (both to the meat market/butcher’s market and the actual coffee shop/diner) are a big part of what’s again giving Save On Meats traction.

I ordered a very basic burger with a side of mashed potatoes and a milkshake. Nothing really fancy, and that’s perhaps the one thing that keeps attracting me from Save On Meats. It’s such a no-frills diner. That’s how it was before (well, before it was MUCH smaller and the coffee shop was within the actual butcher’s market). But even now it retains a feeling of a diner.

Somewhere where you can bring your friends for a basic, inexpensive, “fuel-for-the-body” burger. I had the pleasure of sitting with my friends Karen Quinn Fung and April Smith, as well as shuttle from my table to Erin Mussolum’s for a quick chat. And the burger itself was really tasty, the patty was well cooked (cooked the way I prefer, let me just say that) and as I mentioned, it’s pretty basic sustenance but definitely worth visiting, particularly if you’re in a rush to continue working as I was. Glad to have Save On Meats in the DTES neighbourhood.

Disclosure: I paid for my dinner on my own dime. As always, I retain editorial control on anything review-like that I publish on my site.

Campagnolo on Main (Strathcona/Chinatown)

Raul — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 22:02:57 +0000

I had eaten at Campagnolo on Main before (with Tony Nicalo) but never actually thought of writing about it. Recently, my good friend Lisa Thomas-Tench invited my Mom and I to have dinner there (my Mom and I have always had a very strong friendship connection to Lisa and this was almost certainly the only chance we’d all get to have dinner together while my Mom is in town).

I don’t know if it’s the fact that I had been to Campagnolo already or the fact that I was there with Lisa and my Mom, but I think the service was absolutely spectacular and fast. The evening went by without even noticing the pass of time. We started the evening with a martini and I asked for a house salad.

I ordered a Polderside Chicken (cacciatore sauce, sunchokes, red swiss chard at $21, regular price point for main courses in casual/fine dining restaurants). My Mom ordered a traditional Lasagna ($19, but it brought along a salad) and so did Lisa.

My Mom raved about Campagnolo’s Lasagna as one of the best she had tasted anywhere. As for my chicken, I think the presentation was great, the execution wasn’t stellar but overall, it was a very nice dish. I think at an Italian restaurant, it’s a bit of a mistake to deviate away from the traditional pastas/pizzas, but I liked the chicken. I was just expecting a bit stronger flavours (used as I am to Puttanescas and Arrabiata’s and the like).

But if there’s something we all agreed upon was that the dessert is always supremely well executed, and this wasn’t the exception when we were there for dinner.

The best part of dinner was simply spending time with two of my favorite people (Lisa and my Mom). Obviously, eating together was great and the food at Campagnolo (and service) were stellar, but overall the main plus of the evening was just hanging out.

Affordable, casual Italian dining in a warm and welcoming space. Campagnolo serves rustic dishes inspired by the Piedmont and Emiglia-Romagna regions of Italy in an open, spacious room highlighted by original old growth fir wood beams. Owners and savvy restaurateurs Tom Doughty, Robert Belcham and Tim Pittman of the award winning Fuel Restaurant have created a pleasurable and entertaining dining experience for guests.

Overall, I had a great time, and I would probably come back to Campagnolo for their Tagliatelle.

Disclosure: Lisa invited both my Mom and I for dinner. I wasn’t paid to write this review, nor was I required to do so either. The purpose of this blog entry is just to describe and document our experience at a restaurant we all really liked. In any review I write or publish on my site, I retain editorial control at all times. Should you have any questions/concern feel free to contact me via e-mail through my contact form.

Hapa Izakaya (Yaletown)

Raul — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 19:00:58 +0000

My good friend Airdrie Miller recently invited me for dinner to Hapa Izakaya in Yaletown recently, right after we participated in the eBeauty.ca and CityTV event. I had been to other izakaya’s but not to Hapa (I went to Hapa Umi the other day, but it’s not the same thing as Hapa Izakaya).

We ordered a ISHI-YAKI (Hapa’s version of the Korean hot stone bowl: rice, minced pork, flower chives, egg, tomato, lettuce and spicy-miso; mixed tableside, $8.80), some GOMA-AE (vegetable, in this case, jicama with goma-ae (sesame) dressing).

For a first time visiting Hapa Izakaya, I’ll have to say I’m thoroughly impressed.

I was even more impressed that we didn’t really eat that much and yet we weren’t hungry after dinner. Overall, Hapa Izakaya is definitely a place I want to come back and try several other items. The “tapas” style is one that gives me a bit of cognitive dissonance since I’m used to Spanish tapas rather than Japanese tapas, but overall, I’ll definitely have to come back. Thanks Air, for introducing me to Hapa Izakaya!