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Joey Broadway (South Granville)

Raul — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 18:45:52 +0000

I have always liked the Joey Restaurants chain but I have really never eaten there. I am usually at Joey restaurants (either Bentall or elsewhere) for media events, or wine tastings. But this weekend I wanted to take JT and my Mom out for dinner and thus we went to Joey Broadway. As dinner was served, I told JT that I was totally shocked, and pleasantly surprised. I did not expect (a) food this good and (b) service this amazing at Joey.

Our menu is designed to bring people together. We combine unique flavours from around the globe with your favorite classics to create simple but unforgettable dishes. From can’t-stop-talking-about share plates to need-more-right-now entrees, there’s something to please even the most critical of palates.

We got excellent food at Joey Broadway at a very reasonable price with an outstanding level of service. We arrived at 6:30pm, and the great thing about Joey Broadway is that it’s so spacious that you really can’t feel cluttered or overwhelmed. We were sat promptly and our order was taken literally within 10 minutes of arriving. Our food might have arrived around 10 minutes or 15 later, but I did not even notice. It was THAT fast.

I ordered a Spaghetti with Kobe Meat Balls (seasoned with rosemary, toasted fennel & fresh basil with rich tomato sauce at a decent not too expensive $18). My own preference is usually Glowbal Grill or Italian Kitchen Kobe Meat Balls, but Joey did an excellent job of providing large portions of al-dente spaghetti noodles, generously showered with spicy tomato sauce and fluffy and filling meat balls. I would come back for this dish any time.

My Mom ordered the BC Halibut & Prawn Spaghettini, with tomato, Kalamata olive and fresh basil (at $19 a slightly higher price point than for example, the Classic Fettuccini Alfredo, generously showered in garlic-infused Alfredo sauce, $14). I did not try my Mom’s nor JT’s dishes but they both said they were extremely tasty. Mom did complain that the spaghettini was a tad too spicy but maybe that’s because she’s not used to Pacific West Coast cuisine.

Overall, as I mentioned, I’m positively impressed with Joey Broadway. And from now on, I’ll definitely consider coming back for dinner, not only for wine or drinks.

Disclosure: I paid for my, JT’s and my Mom’s dinner on my own dime.

A walk around Steveston (Richmond, BC)

Raul — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 19:00:27 +0000

I probably should publish this post on Wordless Wednesdays but since it was a little bit of a trek to head down to Steveston on public transit (Canada Line then 401) I figured I’d publish it for Travel Tuesday. Steveston is a really cute village in and of itself. So different from anything else I’ve seen in Vancouver.

Mom and I decided to have dinner at Tapenade Bistro and then head out for a walk along the Fraser River and the Steveston docks (we passed by Fisherman’s Wharf, the Gulf of Georgia Cannery, and more).

There’s a number of restaurants that have invited me to come check them out, and I might just do that now that Mom is here.

The sunset was extraordinarily beautiful.

I’ve also covered a lot of Steveston in previous posts, which you can check here.

Tapenade Bistro (Steveston, Richmond, BC)

Raul — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 18:30:44 +0000

The village of Steveston offers a myriad beautiful places, restaurants, shops, etc. I absolutely adore it. It would be even much more fun to explore Steveston if my good friend Erica Hargreave were in Vancouver (which she isn’t because she is dealing with family stuff at the moment). But since my Mom is here I wanted to show her Steveston and I took her for dinner to Tapenade Bistro.

To start we ordered a Romaine Heart Salad ($9.5, Parmigiano-Reggiano, garlic confit and anchovy crouton, “Caesar dressing”), which is a sophisticated version of the more pedestrian romaine heart salad (or the pedestrian version of a Caesar salad). I love how Chef Tung goes all out and inventive on his dishes.

For dinner, my Mom ordered the Haida Gwaii Halibut ($29, pan seared, grainy mustard spaetzle, ragout of double smoked bacon, mushroom, peas and pearl onions, herb garden salsa verde, pinot noir jus), which she indicated was absolutely delicious. I tried a bit of it, and found that while the ragout of double smoked bacon, mushroom, peas and pearl onions could potentially have overpowered the halibut, the combination was savoury and left me with a smooth taste of fishy bacon. Or bacony fish. Any of the two is great.

For dinner, I ordered what now ranks in my books as THE BEST EVER Linguine “Puntanesca” ($20, Line caught albacore tuna confit, kalamata olives, capers, scallion, Chef’s spicy tomato sauce). I have never, ever, ever had a better version of the Puttanesca (note that Chef Alex Tung calls it Puntanesca, most likely a play on words with the fact that the sauce includes albacore tuna confit (more delicate and a bit less powerful on the palate than the anchovy, traditional in any reputable Puttanesca). Chef Tung also includes scallion for good measure and doesn’t go out of the way on the spicy tomato sauce, which is great because the end result is smooth, silky and you can’t stop eating it once you start.

More about Tapenade Bistro

In January 2003, Vince Morlet opened Tapenade Bistro with the idea of bringing an urban bistro to the historic fishing village of Steveston, BC. Over the past several years, Tapenade has earned the reputation of being an exceptional neighbourhood bistro with great food, outstanding service and fantastic wine. The menu is steeped in French tradition, though is updated with west coast sensibility and is presented in an approachable and informal setting. The philosophy behind the Tapenade kitchen is to showcase the natural beauty of local, sustainable and seasonal ingredients in an appropriate and sumptuous manner.

Tapenade’s wine list is comprised of carefully selected wines with a focus on BC, California and France. These thoughtful and inspired wines make an ideal accompaniment to Chef Alex Tung’s simple, yet elegant cuisine. The restaurant seats 75 inside, as well as 70 on the patio for those warm days in Steveston Village. Tapenade is a stand alone building which makes it a perfect restaurant for large functions such as wedding receptions, private parties and corporate events. With a dedicated and passionate staff, critically-acclaimed food and a comfortable neighbourhood setting, the team at Tapenade Bistro looks forward to welcoming you.

While Tapenade Bistro is not an inexpensive restaurant, I didn’t find the prices discordant with the quality of service (which was excellent) nor with the quality of food. The portions are generous, the food is exquisite and I feel that I paid exactly what it was worth. And we had to walk for a solid hour afterwards to process everything we ate, we were THAT full and we loved the food THAT much. I’d definitely recommend Tapenade Bistro as a great spot for dinner when you want to impress the person you are going with, and I definitely think my Mom was impressed.

Disclosure: I paid entirely for both of our dinners on my own dime. 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 my experience at a restaurant I 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.

Lift Bar and Grill (Coal Harbour)

Raul — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 14:45:15 +0000

Nothing says “summer” like heading on a walk around the Coal Harbour seawall with my Mom and having martinis in a good patio. Lift Bar and Grill in Coal Harbour is a restaurant/bar that I’ve enjoyed several times (with my brother HZ, with Cisco Grajales and this past weekend with my Mom). I *adore* the martinis and the patios at Lift Bar and Grill, and I clearly I don’t come visit frequently enough.

We arrived and literally within seconds of our arrival (I think it helped when I mentioned “my Mom is visiting from Mexico and we’d love to have martinis on a patio while watching the sunset”). Our server was very friendly and prompt. We were seated in the patio around a communal area that they call The Fire Pit. And from the photo you can see why. The folks around us were very friendly.

I ordered “a girly martini” (amaretto with vodka and a dash of cranberry, extremely nice, $11) and my Mom requested a 007 (vodka, gin shaken not stirred with olives, $11). I wanted to share a dessert and ordered the special, strawberry shortcake ($ 9). That was my biggest (and only, in fact) disappointment. Excellent service, amazing view and wonderful company which was minorly marred by a very dry, strawberry shortcake.

The top layer (with chocolate), I’m pretty sure had the Lift logo on top (I couldn’t remember, and I ate it a bit fast). But otherwise, the service and drinks at Lift Bar and Grill were stellar and Mom and I had a wonderful time. You can also check the sunset we caught!

Disclosure: I paid for our drinks and shortcake on my own dime. I just enjoyed my time at Lift Bar and Grill and thought to share it with my readers.

Happy Father’s Day to my Dad and brothers

Raul — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 16:32:58 +0000

photo credit: Daquella manera

Even though I already talked to my Dad this morning, I made the unfortunate mistake of calling my brothers who are in the same time zone as me as well (I’ve been up since 6am), and obviously I forgot that on a Sunday morning, there is no reason to be awake this early (well, except for me, as I was on the radio on a panel for Public Eye Online talking about the Vancouver post-Stanley Cup final riots and the role of social media). Today we celebrate Father’s Day worldwide (it coincides in Mexico and Canada, this time, as opposed to Mother’s Day). And while my Dad really doesn’t read my blog, I wanted to take this opportunity to celebrate him (and my brothers, all of whom are Dads too), as well as my friends who are fathers.

My Dad and I have a very special relationship. We’ve butted heads through the years on occasion, but we love each other profoundly, and many of my own personality traits are a direct reflection of my Dad. As Dad put it very aptly, I’m 50% him and 50% my Mom, pretty much a good split (with very opposite personalities, I might add).

My Dad taught me how to play piano, how to play tennis and basketball. He taught me the importance of taking time for self-reflection, and to celebrate the diversity within my own family. I mentioned last year about how he drove me over 800 miles for a job interview, because he knew that interview would be one of the most important interviews of my life.

My Dad and Mom may have disagreed on many things, but the one thing they always agreed on was that it was better to have ONE bad education than TWO good ones (e.g. they always decided on what was best for us by consensus, and they presented a united front all the time). And he and Mom always agreed that the priority as we grew up was to love our brothers before anybody else. They instilled in me and my brothers the sense of unity that characterizes my family.

I adore my brothers, all of them. They’re amazing individuals, wonderful professionals and amazing fathers. They have worked really hard to make their children’s lives the best they can, and they’ve been wonderful role models. I doubt I’ll have a chance to be a parent, sadly, but I try to be the best uncle to their children that I can.

On Father’s Day, many congratulations to all my friends who are fathers, to my brothers and to my own Dad. And also to the memory of my Grandpa Juan (my Mom’s Dad), who was an amazing father himself, and to whom I owe much of who I am now.

Happy Father’s Day.

Brewsters Brewing Company & Restaurant (McKenzie Towne, Calgary AB)

Raul — Tue, 31 May 2011 17:00:57 +0000

Biggest surprise of my trip to Calgary? A pub that looks more sophisticated than a pub, that serves pub food, yet still has an atmosphere that is nice enough to bring your family along. My brother invited his wife, children and me to have dinner at Brewsters at McKenzie Towne, in Calgary (Alberta). I was shocked when I saw that there were 6 other families with children below the age of 5.

The food is respectably nice, and filling, and not overwhelmingly expensive. I ordered a Brewsters Burger, a seven ounce Alberta prime rib patty, Bow Valley BBQ sauce, cheddar, sautéed mushrooms, smokehouse bacon, lettuce and tomato for $13.99, with a side cup of “meat and potatoes” soup. The burger was extremely good, and cooked to perfection.

The burger was really good although I confess I should have never ordered it with BBQ sauce, which I really don’t like. The soup (“meat and potatoes”) tasted exactly like that, comfort food for someone in Alberta. I was pleasantly surprised by Brewsters and will recommend it as a family-friendly restaurant to anyone who reads me from Calgary.

Parksville through the eyes of a foreign visitor (series)

Raul — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 18:25:00 +0000

I am in beautiful Parksville, British Columbia, courtesy of Oceanside Tourism Association (Vancouver Island) thanks to a kind invitation by the always amazing Luba Plotnikoff. I had covered the UnCorked Wine and Food Festival before here on my site, and I am delighted to be returning to Parksville and Qualicum Beach, this time with my Mom in tow.

Indeed, my Mom was the inspiration for this visit. Writing about everywhere I travel in British Columbia and other parts of Canada is always fun, but given that I am a Vancouver boy now, it’s always much more fun to see it through the eyes of people who have never been to these parts of Canada. So I suggested to my Mom that she gives me her own insights into her experience at Parksville as a foreign visitor.

Let me tell you that Mexican tourism to Canada and in particular, British Columbia, is quite substantial, and I am glad to have an opportunity to build cross-national bridges. I’m heading out the door with my Mom to explore Parksville and Qualicum Beach, and I hope you enjoy reading of our travels.

Heading to the @CalgaryStampede

Raul — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 03:43:14 +0000

My brother, my nephew, my sister in law live all in Calgary (my nephew is as a matter of fact, a Calgary boy). My Mom is visiting them right now and I decided that I need a real, honest break from all the hard work I have been putting on my volunteer work (Mental Health Camp and my social media events) and my client work, as well as my teaching and research. So I am taking a week off and heading to Calgary to visit my brother, his family and hopefully my good friend Tanya Desrosiers (aka NetChick) (who moved to Calgary with her husband, Barry Desrosiers).

It shouldn’t be a surprise to people who know my academic side that there are additional reasons why I like the idea of going to Calgary. Yes, of course I want to see my family. But I also want to see the Calgary Stampede.

You’ll see, I wrote a doctoral dissertation that studied the lower nodes of the beef commodity chain (leather and footwear). I have analyzed in some way or another processes of animal husbandry and the environmental impacts of cattle. So, going to “CowTown” makes sense from every angle you look at it. I hope to see my other good friend, Nathan Tippe, who will be there visiting for his birthday.

Get ready, Calgary, because the Hummingbird604 is coming to town!

World Cancer Day 2010

Raul — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 18:23:31 +0000

Yesterday, February 4th 2010, was World Cancer Day. I thought about writing a blog post on the topic for most of the day, but I couldn’t really stomach doing it. If you have read my blog, you’ll know that I’ve lost 3 of my closest family members to cancer. You may also know that a very dear friend of mine, Derek K. Miller, is currently battling cancer.

One of the most important people in my life, my Mom’s sister, the woman whom I called my second mother and the one I bought flowers, cards and a gift on Mother’s Day (in addition, obviously, to my Mother) succumbed to lung cancer on February 1st, 1999.

This week marked 11 years, and I am still scarred by the passing of my auntie. Normally, around the beginning of February, my mood is somber and punctuated by a desire to be (for the most part) alone. But I also realize that part of my duty is to overcome my own pain and loss and raise awareness of worthy and important causes, and one of them is World Cancer Day. From the campaign website:

Cancer is a leading cause of death around the world. WHO estimates that 84 million people will die of cancer between 2005 and 2015 without intervention. Each year on 4 February, WHO supports International Union Against Cancer to promote ways to ease the global burden of cancer. Preventing cancer and raising quality of life for cancer patients are recurring themes. This year’s theme, “Cancer can be prevented too”, focusses on simple measures to prevent cancer

Despite a challenging week, I’m very pleased to share the good news that my friends Derek and Airdrie shared yesterday – Derek’s tumors have shrunk for the first time ever (which, as he said, “I’m not out of the woods, but at least I’m no longer sinking slowly into quicksand either”. In a week that begun with a lot of sadness and pain, triggered by the anniversary of my Auntie’s passing, Derek’s news were just fantastic, and I’m really happy. The week is ending well.

My eldest niece turns 18 today. Happy birthday, E!

Raul — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 08:00:13 +0000

I almost can’t believe it’s been 18 years since I held my niece E in my arms as a little baby. Eighteen years ago, I took a bus back to my parents’ hometown because I had this nagging feeling that my sister-in-law was about to give birth. My intuition didn’t betray me (it rarely has) because a few hours later, I was at the hospital, accompanying my brother and his wife in this momentous occasion. She was our family’s very first niece!

While we were a family of five boys (yes, I have FOUR brothers) we suddenly had to become used to actually having a girl in the family. Quite obviously, being the first, she has had to both endure a lot of challenges and been lucky to be spoiled rotten in some other areas. I am very proud of her and I know that she is currently under a lot of stress as she is trying to find financial aid to undertake her undergraduate degree in the US (by the way — do any of you dear readers know anything about scholarships for international students at the undergraduate level in the US? If so, could you please send me a message via my contact form or a tweet or an email, or drop a comment? Thanks!)

To my dearest princess: you make me proud every day and you continue to amaze me with your maturity in a number of realms. I know that you are working hard and that you realize that these are the times to work even harder. Remember that your sisters look up to you and that you set the example. Work hard. Play hard. Be happy, and laugh a lot. Find a moment every day to reflect and take stock of the blessings you have and don’t ever lose sight of the fact that your family (your Mom, your Dad, your sisters and of course all of us your extended family) love you very, very much and that we will be there to support you along the way. You will succeed, sweetie. I have plenty of confidence in that.

Today and every day, sweetie I wish you happiness, health, success, but more than anything, lots of love. Love you always, your uncle R.

Brothers and Sisters – A reminder

Raul — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 19:12:35 +0000

I really enjoy watching the ABC show Brothers and Sisters, as I’ve mentioned before. The song “Pictures of You” is one of my very favorites. And the funny thing is, even though I only have brothers, the family dynamics does remind me of my very own family.

While I am happy to report that my family is not dysfunctional like the Walkers, there are things that remind me of my brothers. The banter and playful chatter amongst the brothers and sisters. The disagreements in opinion, particularly between the mother and the children. But the one thing that reminds me the most of my family is the absolute love and adoration that each and everyone of the members of the Walker family share. This is the case with my own family.

My brothers and I may disagree on issues. We may have confrontations, sometimes. But we love each other deeply and we support each other ALWAYS. Ever since we were very little, my brothers and I got used to being each others’ best friends. We’ve stuck together through thin and thick. Same as the Walkers. That’s one of the reasons why I love the show. Plus, the matriarch is awesome, as is my mother.

I’m looking forward to the third season of Brothers and Sisters, which starts on Sep 18th (very timely!)

Spoilers

Raul — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 17:30:57 +0000

I think anyone who knows me at least a little bit knows that I love to spoil and take care of people. If we have been out drinking, I’ll force you to email me/text me/call me when you get home so that I know you’re safe. If we are downtown and you want to go home, I’ll insist in walking you home, even if that means backtracking for me. I enjoy being what I consider a good friend.

Now that I am in Mexico and throughout my visit, I think I’ve been spoiling my Mom rotten. I have been cooking, washing dishes, cleaning up the house, writing abstracts, making sure she doesn’t miss any appointments, inserting meetings into her Google Calendar, etc.

Right now, I’m Mom’s personal/research assistant. Of course, I am also encouraging her to get back to her normal routine, but if I can make her life easier while I am here, I am more than happy. I have been working semi-normally (my home office is fairly well equipped) while she is at the university or out doing errands, but the rest of the time, I try to spend it with her.

Yeah, I’m a spoiler. So sue me.

Telecommuting and working from home

The good and the bad of family success

Raul — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 01:31:36 +0000

Every summer, my Mom (who is a professor of Political Science) makes an extra-especial effort and takes some time off (normally a month) to come and visit me (and my brother, of course). Recently, she told me the good news that she was now a Dean of Social Sciences at her university/faculty/school. The bad news is that this new job implies added responsibilities, and thus she is unable to come to Vancouver to visit me. Which totally has me bummed.

Even though my apartment is really small, and sometimes I’m up to my eye-balls with work, I make a point of making time and spend a couple of weeks just spoiling her rotten. Mom and I are really best friends, and I always enjoy her company. She’s taught me a lot of new recipes and there are few things I don’t tell my Mom.

I am particularly bummed because many of my blogosphere friends were looking forward to meeting her, and I was really looking forward to showing her off. My mother is a really amazing woman who has fought adversity in a myriad of ways and has never given up. Even when I didn’t believe in myself, she believed in me.