M'd

"Is there a low alcohol white wine from the LDB that anyone can suggest? I thought there may be one within a 6% alcohol content. " Maybe not as low as 6, but there are some bloody lovely Rieslings out there for under 17CDN that ROCK at 10percent or under. Balthazaar Ress Reingau Riesling Dr. L Selbach's 2003 offering and even Lindeman's Riesling is good drink.

Hey Tofino, Relax and enjoy the food and wine boom in BC. There are NO shortages of opportunities here in BC for skilled managers such as yourselves. Pick a resort or city venue and welcome back to the flock!

Long Beach Lodge has had it's challenges incorporating into the community there in Tofino. --------fencing off the beach to all but the paying guests may have contributed greatly to that.-------that and some agressive clear cutting etc. Beyond local politics however the place is ok. We felt like we were staying in a drywalled, developers rec. room, surrounded by builder (not designer) grade design features and a lot of noise from other rooms in and around our wing of the building. The best food around there must certainly be at Sobo, although we have been impressed by Shelter a time or two as well. The Wick hosts the only true professional wait staff in the area and it is a very TIGHT ship. I personally would consider going all the way up the peninsula to Ucluelet and stay or eat or both at Tauca Lea. The place is cool, but you can really enjoy a pretty righteus dining experience in their Boat Basin dining room. Quite confidence in there service and food. ---------that said; the region's finest can often be experienced at the Clayoqaut Wilderness Resort when they are operating and our favorite place to stay as a couple has always been the Middle Beach Lodge. ---------if you have a family outing planned, than the Pacific Sands is just brilliant. ----------just my .02CDN worth.

---Sandbar count as waterfront? Provence is somewhat "waterfront".

I'd have to agree with the g-man; The Laughing Stock was impressive and showed the young wine maker's training (worked under Ian Sutherland of Poplar Grove). Similarly Poplar Grove's two single vineyard offerings were also exceptional. My only issue is with the price. These wines are priced to put them into a VERY competitive international field of competition. ---are they really ready for that?

Why must restaurants be that much more accomodating than EVERY other service provider in the market? Do auto repair shops allow you to bring in an outside mechanic at no charge? Does your butcher allow an outside steer to be brought in for butchering with merely a "plating fee"? Will Van. Mag. kindly edit your maiden publication as you may be a loyal reader? Why must restauranteurs suck up EVERY desire of the public while most other industries do not?

--trasfering my reply to "applicable" thread.........

Has there never been a liability case where in a restaurant has POISENED someone by serving a cake produced from an unknown/unprooven/unliscensed source that was brought into the establishment by a patron? My concern has always been about my liability. I guess it's okay to bring in a pre-prepared food item. I should be OK with that. --what do the lawyers say?

Sometimes I just want a really simple protein, starch and veg. plate to serve as frame work for a great bottle of wine I have chosen. Morton's, Hy's, Gotham........? I have never been, but I am finding myself wanting to. Any feed back on where I should go and why? All opinions are welcome

"Not to mention, why would you assume that your fellow eGulleteers are a bunch of wasteful environmental hooligans? I'll be walking over, myself" I assumed ALL OF US are doing the wrong. I need only witness myself, and almost ALL others to conclude that this is an incredibely pressing issue. Egulleters are lumped into "US" in this case.----so am I. p.s walking distance from C!?!--------NICE! Leonard; --yes it does start somewhere. Unfortunately it has started way too late in my humble opinion, and we need to make up for lost time. In this case I think any sensationalism from the media is WELCOME. I am not trying to piss anyone off personally, but as a whole (our society not our Forum), we are supporting the Ahi Tuna, Thai Shrimp and Prawns, and afore mentioned Pantagonian Tooth Fish market.

Fixing the problem: It is good to see us discussing (a very overdue topic-thanx Jamiemaw) with such obvious passion, ways to be sustainable in our fisheries through "don't eat/eat" lists etc. However, we will still all end up meeting for said sustainable product on mass at C now and do so via a swarm of SUV's with likely a max of 2/boat. We'll wipe our mouths with handsome DRY CLEANED linen and happily use 3 or 4 times the necassary bathroom tissue while flushing a a small country's annual rainfall down the imported porcelain shit tube. We all need to realize that it is not just about what we BUY/CONSUME that counts but also how we BEHAVE on this planet that will see our fisheries survive. I move for a list of truley Environmentally Conscious restaurants to be assembled. C and Raincity have been mentioned. Who else? ---maybe Birkenstock will sponsor a promotional leaflet we could stick under a few million windsheild wipers. lol

Bearfoot Bistso was also my best oyster experience ever. The price (before 7pm), the absolute quality, and the many fine Champagnes on offer make for a pretty great oyster orgy.

re: LIFT me thinks it may proove very hard to recoupe 6.5millionCDN without the afore mentioned 8% food cost and $13 pints. --did I get that math right? That said; I will contribute to the cause next "Cougar Hour" I have off.

My true value favorite has requested not be mentioned. They do not wish to be "re-discovered" siteing a perfect mix of volume, profit and lifestyle.--(young Japenese family) My second value favorite is likely Sobo in Tofino.

Doesn't Cru have an Oyster dinner this Sunday? I had their "Cortezean Gems" with an awesome Daikon&Cucumber Mignonette a few weeks ago.

1) Doesn;t anybody eat at the Deep Cove Chalet anymore?!? If your coming via the Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal it's an easy day trip if need be. I know he's clearly mad, but Peirre can fuckin' COOK! An epic cellar that is never advertised but always impressive. 1.5) I just have to make mention of Sooke Harbour House, but you all know it already. 2) You may want to give the Maele House in Cedar a try next time you are in the Nanaimo area, or for a GREAT view and simple fair try the Malahat Mountain Inn. 3) There used to be this cool little unpretentious place in Brentwood Bay that had killer dinners on the cheap.--Carydon Street Cafe I believe it was called. 4) For a great bargain in a semi-formal environment with another great view is the Dunsmuir Lodge on the Saanich Peninsula as well. 5) Haultain's Fish and CHips?!? 6) Last but never least is ZAMBRI's!!

Lunch may be harder to accomplish (Memphis rocks!-too heavy?), but I would gladly eat dinner out around that neighbourhood for a few days straight. Maybe Tojo's is open for lunch.---not S.Granville but worth the extra block or three.

I may be a "refugee" but I can still appreciate a nice Beaver.

Shelora, --just to be clear: I am and have been for some time now, a very proud BC resident. I am proud of my MB upbringing, but I am also proud of my new found ability to PLAY OUT DOORS ALL YEAR AROUND!!

On a side note: --I have observed many an executive chef and many an understudy. I have worked closely with "Michelle Star receiving Fancy Pants'", and "Joe Fisherman". --I have never seen a more efficient and precise butchering of poultry as I have while watching a crew of women on a Manitoba Hutterite Colony while they cleaned their weekly harvest. They might not be epicurean in any way, but they do have some serious SKILLS! p.s.--that goes for pork and cattle as well.

I am digging the "line caught pine mushroom" idea. I'll be waiting for that fishery to open with ahem...baited breath.

The "Nip" is the famous product of The Salisbury House. --a WPG institution. 10x the burger a White Castle "Slider" could ever hope to become. Paper thin patty(flat top fried, not grilled), darkly carmelized/fried onions flavoured by said flat top, sweet white bread bun of perfect "Wonder Bread" consistency. ----It appears I am severely missing The Nip. --and Alicia's perogies too. Beyond The Nip, there are also (or at least there WERE also) several Greek owned burger joints like Georges' in East Kildonan. There were a few other similar spots around the Peg. that offered awesome burgers too generally finnished with a generous dose of chili!!--------and CHEAP too.

With top soil like much of Southern Manitoba has there should be no shortage of winter stored root vegetables and with Mennonites making fine dairy keepers there should be great cheese. There are also some great French family dairies too.---more cheese! The afore mentioned farmers also make the world famous Winkler Farmer Sausage and are known to preserve/can/jar EVERYTHING. ---plenty in the pantry for the long cold winters....... How about Aboriginal dishes?!?

Mypoint of confusion came during the Awards ceremony when Lumiere got mentioned for Best French. --did I drink too much?-did I hear that right. Lumiere could just as easily been "Best Japanese" then too. It's really not a French Dining environment IMHO.

Great to hear the spirit lives on in Tofino. Just a note; Their is a little spot with pretty good food and a slightly under-developed wine list in "Ucki."------the Boat Basin offers good seasonal fare in a beautiful&peaceful setting. I have had two very enjoyable experiences there. Try it! Cheers, M'd