annanstee

Oyster guy, I would love to see your recipe for crab cakes. I haven't found the perfect one yet. Ann

[ re: "the seagull has landed" too funny I used to work at the bagel place on 6th and Fir and we had some, shall we say interesting , thoughts/comments about visitations from him as well. ←

Yes! thank you. I think it might be Selig though. A LONG time ago, when I worked there, the warning when Michael had come down to the restaurant was "the seagull has landed." And yes, it was Abe Sacks. I remember there was quite the furor down there when that theatre idea was floated. Quite the political maelstrom, as I recall.

The Wedgewood is hands down my mom's favorite place to go on mothers day. And all mums get orchid corsages - at least we did last year.

Not an urban myth- it is true that they have a very good deal on the lease. To my knowledge. only one of the original partners has left- and I think he was a minority partner that got in because he is the ex husband of Michael's sister. Michael and his sister (what the hell is their last name?) were two of the originals, along w/Frankel and one other guy. Michael was a planning professor out at UBC, and George Frankel was an early False Creek developer. They were all well connected with City planning and CMHC at the time. Keep in mind, though, that back then nobody knew the kind of success that GI would experience. I think other early leaseholders got pretty good deals too. As for the deck, the story goes that they asked CMHC if they could put a few tables out, and the next thing is they have got about 400 seats out there- so it was a bit of a fait accompli. I know some people on the trust were not happy about that. It is still a public dock, so they have to keep a border around the exterior that people could walk on. Quite an investment it has turned out to be : )

Sollys. There is no other.

Karolee, I really like the food there, but haven't tried that dish. I promise that the next time I go, I will order it and give you an update via this thread. Ann

I am not sure why you keep using the word "fundamentalist"- I don't see anyone here is displaying the kind of rigidity that word connotates. And I am afraid the "facts" in your argument or pretty thin on the ground. With all due respect, I think it is you who feel removed from nature. Your position seems to be that because we are at the top of the food chain we can take from it with impunity. Isn't industrializing agriculture to the degree we have removing us from nature? You must see that there is a law of diminishing returns... The argument that you advocate is, it has become obvious, merely spitting in the wind. Ravaging the environment causes rapid ecological change. Rapid ecological change causes spurts in evolution. Evolution, while sometimes gradual, is often characterized by long periods of little change punctuated spates of rapid evolution.What causes these spurts? Historically, it has often been mass extinction, which opens up newly vacated ecological niches to be exploited. And this, my friend, does not just apply to mankind, but to bacteria and viruses too. The sudden change in ecological niches causes them to evolve and suddenly infect new species. Like us. Now who's at the top of the food chain? Do you think that increases in asthma, cancer, and new superbugs and viruses like the hantavirus, have no connection with deforestation, high yield animal husbandry, pollution, etc? Do you think that hunting species to extinction is not going to have a profound effect on the ecosystem- of which, you point out, we are a part? Do you not think that biodiversity is to our benefit? I am not a radical person- I haven't had Birkinstocks since university- but I don't really understand how anybody can stand against sustainability when it is so clearly the best evolutionary choice we can make, even from a purely selfish perspective. I find it strange that people still are trying to divide us into redblooded neo-Darwinists and nutbar hippies- which by the way is a typical tactic of "fundamentalists" you so trenchantly oppose (see "Feminazis"). This not about whether we eat meat -which I do- it is about maintaining stocks for both our benefit and that of the species, and about assuring that our kids can eat as well as we do. I hope I don't come off at a freak-but I can't accept the impending extinction of food stocks is just about evolution or competing money grubbing interests. on another note Hey Neil- do you think that the whole salmon thing is about demand? I remember tourists/locals used to come and demand salmon all year round in restaurants-hence the farmed fish, whereas now there is now more diner awareness of sourcing and the whole local/seasonal thing? I know I always ask where salmon comes from. I don't know, but I remember Chef friends complaining about diners who would ask if the salmon was fresh in January. Ahem. I think I have ranted long enough edited for heinous grammar

The high point of my weekend was taking my four year old son and the dog and strolling over to Granville Island. After doing the shopping and procuring a tiara ring for DS (he's very comfortable with his feminine side), we grapped some Pains aux Chocolats at La Baguette and L'Echalotte (and a fig and fennel loaf for later), and repaired to Pedros for Hot Chocolate, Balloon hats from the balloon guy, and the pastries. Life doesn't get much better.

Steelhead Trout is pink and looks and tastes just like salmon. The two species are very closely related- I suspect that they can interbreed. When I was a kid, they used to classify Steelhead as Salmon but now classify it as trout. That is probably what you were eating. Ann

Don't you mean "convenient to do so"? Am I not reading this right? ← Hi Butter: I was quoting Cubularis, who said that it was fundamentalist to conclude that there is a real environmental threat. I agree that it is more convenient to conclude the opposite. I associate fundamentalism with a reactionary attitude, ie opposed to change and refusing to recognize parameter shifts in culture, society, ethics etc. Sorry for the confusion Ann (edited for typos )

Szechuan Chong Qing has it. They call it double cooked pork. Ann

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Snappers, died in a swirl of financial/partnership rumours, it's been empty for years now, or has the space been renewed again? I don't walk by there much anymore. I remember they banned cars from driving down there, and forever ruined a great waterfront location. ← They are currently converting it into condos. It was a cursed location... I don't think any restaurant has been close to making it there. Not sure what you mean by the car thing though- cars are still allowed down there, though they have never been allowed on the seawall itself...I live nearby and have seen many many rooms come and go there. Sad. I am hoping the little cafe just around the bend makes it. One of Gord Martin's proteges. I miss Etoile, although I can still eat Andrey's cooking at Parkside. Also the On On Tea House. That was one of the places I used to go with my friends when we were old enough to be going out on our own for dinner (as young teenagers) I loved going in the midafternoon, when all of the cooks would be sitting out at the tables trimming vegetables, smoking and gossiping. I also miss Mulvaneys. My at-the time boyfriend worked there, and I used to make him bring me home the cajun chicken salad about twice a week. We used to sit in the little bar downstairs and quaff with the locals. A lot of interesting people used to hang down there, artisans, fisherman etc. Trader Vics! My god. Trader Vics. Scary. The Broadway Phnom Penh. Endless teenage coffees at the Aristocrat and the downtown Cafe Zen. RIP Saul Bellow

Hi Paul- C Restaurant uses sustainable and locally caught fish whenever possible- Chef Robert Clarke is very committed to these principles I thinks Bishop's uses exclusively organic- seasonal, local etc... Owner John Bishop made a documentary on GMO's and Industrial vs Sustainable Agriculture called Deconstructing Supper. David Hawksworth at West is also noted for using local and seasonal ingredients-He might be good to talk to. I am pretty sure that Rob Feenie (Lumiere) has agreements with local farmers to grow specific crops...not that he needs the exposure In fact, I suspect a lot of chefs in Vancouver are doing this kind of sourcing with local farmers and provisioners of foraged food etc. Maybe some of our forum's chefs could shed some light? I would also suggest you contact farmfolk/cityfolk for some more information. A couple of people from there started the Glorious Garnish and Salad Company, which works with Fraser Common Farm Co-op to provide local chefs with local, organic produce - and I know they work with A LOT of local chefs. Here is the farmfolk/city folk address: http://www.ffcf.bc.ca Happy Hunting! Oh- and I hope you post the story- we would love to see it. Ann

Jamie, Please let us know if you find any lovage. I would love to get my hands on some, and haven't seen it around. Ann

You know, a box'o'meat-steaks, etc.

Bingo, and the prize is meat!

Hey Zucchini Mama- Have really been enjoying your restaurant experience posts. Any other 4-year-old-boy friendly restaurants in that neighborhood? Ann

2.99 /lb at Whole foods. They looked great today.

And just think- Checkers across the street is packed every night- it must be the meat bingo. I don't think the neighborhood lends itself to a corporate ethos. Maybe that is the problem? Ann

The little tiny cafe at the end of the seawall (next to Stamps Landing) is manned by a former Bin Guy. Haven't eaten there yet, but will soon. Hope it survives; that location seems to be a tough one. Didn't Dana at Cru work for Feenie? On another note- totally agree on Lombardo's over Marcello's the number 11 ruined all other pizza for me. I will check out Da Francesca though it is a bit of a hike. Ann

Say it isn't so! NOOOOOOOOOOO! Stellaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

There really isn't much parking right off Island. The parking lot you refer to might be part of the Honda Bike dealership, or be the gravelly area just up the street. ← There are already transit stops just off the island, so tour buses probably wouldn't be able to stop & park in those areas, but drop-off and pick up might be possible. ← I don't think the locals would tolerate it. There are already sizeable crowds right on their doorstep waiting for the number 50. There is also the extra exhaust etcetera.