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gastropimp

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Everything posted by gastropimp

  1. Subtle note to those trying to snub the overpopular Stephos by going next door to Taki's. While it may seem you're rooting for the underdog, rumour has it that it's the same owner owns both! Crazy, but true. The Ouzeri has always been quite good and dependable for me, I eat at Minerva's every single day for lunch, as well. Chicken souvlaki on pita. The pita is so perfectly cooked, with a little olive oil. 6bucks I think.
  2. Absolutely not. The only reason you wouldn't use it is if you have small children or pets who like to climb on kitchen counters.
  3. There are few decent places for great jazz in this town. It's a shame, as we currently host quite an outstanding jazz program at Cap College, you would think these young students would start ripping up the town. Jazz Cellar - west broadway. By far the best for jazz in the city. Food is ok and ambience is great. One downfall is that there is no dancefloor, but once I think I saw someone trying the horizontal mambo on one of the banquettes. Capones - Hamilton st. Yaletown. Dinner, dancing, patio and italian food. You can't not like this place but I'm not sure who the entertainment is these days. Call ahead. Frederico's Supper Club - Commercial Dr. This is where serious rug-busters go. I've never eaten there, but it should be worth the trip anyway. To sum up. Jazz Cellar will have the best jazz, Frederico's the best dancing, with Capones having the best food. 3 way tie with no clear winner, I guess you'll have to hit all three! ps. Carnegies has turned into Bogarts Chop House. I don't think they do music anymore.
  4. ha. love this one. Vancouverwaiter: well put and better said than I could. In your honor, I would like to announce the opening of my new restaurant chain. . . B.T.'s Bucket of Food CELEBRITY GUEST CHEF GORD MARTIN BRINGS HIS BIN CONCEPT TO THE 'BURBS WITH HIS LATEST CULINARY FORAY. Mr. Martin's concept calls for a smaller salad bar and, of course, his ATKINS bar where folks can elbow up for anything they can't find on the menu. The fun here comes from asking the chef directly to substitute, add, subtract, put on the side, any and all things on the menu and get the genuine experience of working as a waiter with those always agreeable culinary professionals! The laughs are un-ending. A vertical of white zinfandel was being originally planned but we made sangria bellinis instead. and instead of those annoying servers and their T.I.P.S blackmail, it will all be completely self serve. Go right in to the kitchen and ask Gord 'what's cookin'?' You've heard of supersize? We've got deepfrize! Yes, that's right! Any of our 'meal deals' can be deep fried on command, the whole shebang. Just say, "can I get that deepfrized?" and your personal cooks will throw the whole meal right in the fryer for that crispy, golden goodness. Wines will be available both in the box and in the bag, whichever you prefer, and will cover both california chablis and clarets. For those interested in expensive imports, we'll have Corbett Canyon and Domaine D'Or. Our vintage Baby Duck is getting pulled out of my uncles house where he says it's been stored in perfect cellar conditions in his bomb shelter. I believe he's got verticals dating from '84 to '87. Should be just about ready! For those wanting a sneak peak, catch our development and building progress on a special episode of 'Opening Soon' right after the Trailer Park Boys. I'll just sit back and wait for the cash to flow on in. . . . .
  5. I really shouldn't give this one away. The Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge is the CSB only competition. and it's free. Not that I don't mind paying for superior uniforms or higher quality keychains, but I will never ever go to Cap. Wandering around the Lynn Canyon park is outstanding. You can reach the water in places and hike the creeks to find hidden pools, some so deep and clear they seem unreal. Take your dog, a great lunch of wine, LesAmis Cheeses, Terra breads and some fresh fruit from that awesome produce market across from Fiction in Kits. good livin'. sorry, no website, but it's near the top of Lynn Valley road in NV.
  6. Let's not fool ourselves, here. Even after you attend a professional cooking school, you will need to apprentice in a proper restaurant and spend countless hours being humbled by this craft. There is more to learn than making a perfect terrine or whipping your egg whites to stiff peaks. FYI, a few weeks in a kitchen will tell you whether you would enjoy this lifestyle. Hit the road and start begging chefs to let you do stages in their kitchens. This will give you the best indication. If you don't follow your heart, your head will revolt. As much as the two should never meet, they will collaborate at times. Follow your dreams, chase your goal, and don't be afraid of a little misery. None of us had any idea what a crappy lifestyle this was when we signed on. Optimism breeds cooks and restauranteurs and your next. I whole-heartedly encourage you to chase this fantasy down and make it a reality. The worst that could happen is that you fail miserably and continue on with your life with the knowledge that you tried. Far better than knowing if you could have done it. With proper discipline, hard work and a good attitude, success crosses all borders into all vocations. If this is what you want to do, settle it quick, be decisive (rash) and start down that path. I've seen too many nights wondering where the passion was for this business, so you've got the main thing there. Good luck.
  7. I don't truly believe that a city like this really needs the external validation of the East coast gastro-snobs. I know most of us don't give a schnauzer's weiner for their opinion of what we're doing. If we did, we'd simply import the concrete, raze the mountains, pollute Spanish Banks and issue everyone their black on black on black. Back to the schnauzer. Sure, everyone laughs at wiener dogs. One would think that they were bred to be the clown dog, while retrievers, labs and shepherds did the heavy lifting. Not true. There is a nobility in these fine beasts, and though their equipment lies perilously close to stones, nettles, gravel and the like, they keep their heads nonetheless. The lesson of Wiener dogs is thus. Take what you do very seriously, yourself, not so much. If the noble Wiener worried about the regales of laughter from the peanut gallery, he would have gone the path of the savage yapping lap dog. Surely, an inglorious fate. Wieners make us laugh, give us joy, bring us happiness. They have their heads held high while their stature, at least in our eyes, hugs the ground. Long live the Wiener.
  8. I can attest to Nico's talents personally. I worked with him for a while and saw a dedication and singular drive only found in top chefs. Besides that, as an outed beer slut, my appreciation for Belgian Beers makes me messy. You will most likely be floored by whatever Nico comes up with, and I will make like Robin Mines and "eat my panties if they don't win best new restaurant". Those of you who fancy yourselves cooks looking for work, get down and join the queue, because you will rarely get an opportunity to work for someone like this again. Good luck Nico.
  9. Actually, I few friends of mine had discussed this at length. The concept was original in our minds at the time, but then I read about a similar concept in Tim Taylor's book, Stanley Park. The idea is not without its challenges, but was exciting when we were contemplating potential locations. Perhaps I'll re-seed his brain and we can put something together. We'll make it exclusive to gulleteers perhaps.
  10. the first rule of fight club is. . . . no one talks about fight club.
  11. Busted. oops! I think I hit one the KPRA members! Sorry about that Mr. Fish, no affront intended. I surmise that you're beautiful beachfront community is beset on all sides with sin, sodomy and other savagery and you're none too happy. I wouldn't blame you. I, too, am a home owner. I rue the day when progressive change and commerce hits my own beautiful neighbourhood. It's tranquil and peaceful and I can always hear the birds. However, change is the only constant, is it not? Either way, the real battle I see looming is with the litigations involved with the Elephant&Castle building Barnetts opening their new 'pub-style' restaurant in place of the concession. That one will get fun. Either way, we do have prime real estate that retailers are lining up for, and those amenities are just what new tenants/buyers want close by. What is the true issue at stake here, is that the concept of a 'neighbourhood' is not being truly developed in some of the newer urban areas. Your butcher, baker, coffee shop, bistro, sushi joint etc. all in the same little area with a cohesive knit into the fabric of the community. These are the fundamentals that the KPRA could be working towards to steer change in a direction favourable to their own. I rant. I gotta stop drinking before noon, it just makes me messy. Damn, I think I'm keeping that one.
  12. My information has OPM hitting the spot where MALONES is stoically waiting out their last days. Interest, as you may guess, in that location has been fierce, with the agent telling us basically, don't bother unless you're heavilly bankrolled. The information that OPM would be hitting that particular space came approximately 6 months ago. Could be nice to see that sad little block develop into something. . . Malones, Urban Well, Kings Head and Rossini's. All very tired little places that thrive in a great location. Wouldn't it be nice for this city to have a beachfront boardwalk, with fish n' chip shops, cafes, nightlife etc.? ? ? That particular neighbourhood would be perfect, if not for the consistent yammering of the Kits Point Residents association et al.. Anyhow. Given the choice, although I've not stepped foot in an earls or CC for 6 years, I would take them in a heartbeat over those in other cities I've seen. It could be worse, out east it's Swiss Chalet and Tim Hortons.
  13. The Danish Bakery is now closed. Quite the institution as well. The Harmony Donut shop would be well regarded for those missing 'the shore' as a place to get old fashioned cake donuts. Quite heavy, but it's honest and true, owner/operated, and a fun trip. Lonsdale and Queens. I second the Savoury Island pie recommendation. White chocolate raspberry pie. 'nuff said.
  14. Well, you were vague enough to allow for anything, but here goes. La Frenz Merlot Black Hills Nota Bene Kettle Valley Cab Reserve Poplar Grove Reserve Those would be my choices, sounding about right on the price point. . . Why don't you check their website? btw, I don't think you can get any of those except maybe directly from the winery. . . . I'm pretty sure they all ship only to restaurants. . . . anyone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong. Good Luck!
  15. Absolutely D-A. Couldn't agree more, on all counts. I was posting more on the nature of a new restaurant economic model which was a musing of someone previous. What would be interesting is if we could nurture more kitchen tips. i.e. I've seen many a regular who bring in everything from bottles of wine, hard to find beers, wine openers, sometimes just a simple thank you note penned on a napkin. The M.I.W. are often overlooked, overworked and underpaid. I try to make a regular practice of buying a round of Stella's for the kitchen crew if I've had a great meal. It's always appreciated, and I think it's a small way to send some thanks in the right direction. (a friend of mine did this at Cioppino's once, not realizing the size of the b.o.h. staff! $200. later and a lot of handshakes, he learned his lesson!)
  16. As much as I've tried, I can't live on love alone, While I applaud your idealism, in fact, I will fight to uphold it, the saddest reality of them all breaks down even a dedicated dreamer like the 'pimp. The jaded and frustrated employer of the emancipated serving masses finds that, although passion exists, it's a fickle lover with many, many needs. Chefs, cooks and painters immerse themselves daily in their craft. The daily routine is akin to a tantric meditation, the processes therapeutically massaging meaning into dry drudgery, the tiny joys revealed in the cycles of life and minutae of details that coalesce to inspire our taste buds to flower and saliva to dance on their bubbly heads. Yes, there is passion in that craft. "Garcon! Boy, more bread here, please!" "We'll just have two waters and two chicken, and here's our coupon" "Can you substitute the potatoes for extra mushrooms, dairy on the side and tell the chef to cook the f.mignon well done for me." "So which are you, actor or musician?" "Waiter, I ordered zinfandel, and you poured me red wine!! Where is the blush?" "Yes chef, no chef, right away chef. sorry chef." "Listen, I know the owner, so make sure everything is perfect." "What do you mean you don't have a table, Do you know who I am?" "Hey, I just brought my own bottle of YellowTail, that's cool, right? "Don't you have chicken fingers?" "Dude! Large nachos and 2 pitchers of beer!" "oh Dude, can we get a chick serving us?" "Excuse me, but can all 14 of us have seperate bills please?" "Where's your atkins menu?" I'm sorry, I have to stop there. This is a very small example of what I see peeling away the layers of passion on beautiful, smart and talented professionals in this business. If you asked any one of them, they would serve certain (maybe 10% of the general populace, probably 90% of gulleters) people for the pure joy of the craft. The rest, I'm sorry, but many of the diners just don't want passion from the f.o.h. staff, simply cold beer, friendly faces and thanks-very-much-have-a-good-night. Does tips make it better? Probably not, but it helps to justify getting through the night to see if someone like coop or mr. talent will walk through the door and truly appreciate the details. Passion exists, of course, but it must be fed, nurtured and challenged. I, too, believe in something more intrinsically satisfying, more convincingly honest and more personally motivating. I haven't stopped believing, I have simply put my faith in humanity in a very safe place and look at it from time to time when I need to be reminded of the 'why's' in life. Kieth, if you've not read Ayn Rand, it is a great story to say the least, you might understand my argument a little more than having to depend on my desperate attempts here.
  17. Ok, but hold on for this one mr. talent, it gets boring fast. . . You are correct, of course to assume that food cost should hit around 30%. let's assume we double the labour cost, that's fair to assume, no? What I theorize is that . . . 1. you've jumped tax brackets, adding cpp,ei,WCB,tax to the employee AND to the employer, who must double or sometimes more, the said remittance. Average increase could hit 4-6% of sales. . . no joke. 2. Overtime, stat holiday pay etc. . . when most restaurants are open, causing a prohibitive labour cost. Some don't even open because of this at the current wage rate. However, double time and a half tweaks things pretty heavy when it's a full staff. Percentage? . . . don't have the time to work it out, but assume that day's labour costs to equal 90-100% of sales. Total increase in labour should be about 150% of the original cost. That's based on doubling their wages, and a continuous training program, wine tasting, food knowledge etc... Assume, when you double the wage, the actual cost to the employer should be about 2.5 times original. stinky govt. and their taxes. 4. Food cost is $10., labour cost is $10. price should equal$60-65. Food cost is $10., labour cost is $25 (see fig.1,2) $105-120. (Each of those two trying to hit about 30-33%, depending on location. That's about double. Kieth, I wish I had as my super-power the ability to pull #'s out of my @ss, but they wouldn't let me in the Legion of Doom for that. All jokes aside, we did a study of an Australian project, where they have no tipout. It's a different beast, that's for sure. As to changing the model, . . why? I've seen so many 'tip pool' restaurants where the individuals aren't motivated by ca$h, and the service is sloppy and weak. Some notable exceptions exist undoubtably. Communism is bad for productivity, sorry. Either the achievers are rewarded, or they will simply slide down to the l.c.d. of effort. (note: Ayn Rand explores this in depth in her famous fiction based on 'collectivism'. . . Atlas Shrugged - great book) I think the numbers are accurate, but I encourage you to prove me wrong.
  18. I sincerely cannot believe what I'm reading. Do you seriously believe that you should deduct the wine or liquor? That is preposterous, disgustingly cheap and offensive to any professional in this business. Let's be straight about this. These are professionals. By and large, the people in 'proper, higher end' restaurants are highly trained, multi-tasking and charismatic people. The difference between running-your-ass-off burger joints and casual-calm-professional dining room servers surely isn't the effort, but the training, mentality and professionalism. Most dining room servers are required to have a minimum 5 years experience before they can hit the floor of a reputable restaurant in town. That goes beyond articling for a law firm or a residence at a hospital. Now I won't speak for your 'summer job' Keg waiter, (Hi, my name's chuck! Ladies, whut can I git fer yha!). That, surely is just job to get through school, or acting lessons or whatever. The professionals in professional restaurant settings deserve your respect. As much as you would expect it from them at your place of employment. Standard tip is 15%. On everything except tax. Large parties are usually subject to an 'auto gratuity' of 15-18%, depending on the venue. This covers everything. If you have an entertainment book coupon, or anything else, you tip on THE WHOLE BILL before the discount. Standard, expected and very fair. I won't bore you with the math, but if you didn't tip and still expected the same degree of service, assume to double your food bill, no joke. And yes, in the U.S., some servers and bartenders make $2.40 per hr. The restaurant economy has been based on tips for too long to change. We should get some perspective here. This is the best value in North America for great food, as well as some of the freshest, most diverse and underpriced. (Yes, booze is still way overtaxed) Go out and celebrate that instead of saving that extra $2 dollars for the skytrain home.
  19. It's pretty standard that a group would be waiting on a Saturday night for their table. Sadly, the reality is that this business can't just hold that table until 9pm, and it can't kick out guests who may be dawdling a little when it comes to payment time. The most savvy of restaurants will make your wait a lot more enjoyable by offering a space to wait, perhaps start the first round in the lounge or some such thing. I wouldn't think that this is anything to be upset about. Especially since you decided to go to this place based on the cheap drinks. Rule of thumb, you always get what you pay for. . . . If you had booked a table at a dining room as opposed to a more casual 'bar/burger joint' you would probably not had an issue. Don't feel snubbed, most 'casual burger joints' don't even take reso's, and are suspicious of late, large party bookings, who rarely order a meal and even more rarely come on time. Next time, however, as I know the management group there is extremetly professional and they are definitely quality people, if you simply asked to see the manager and let him know what he could do for you, they probably would have been great hosts. A word to the wise. When dealing with complaints at a restaurant, always think about what would make your particular issue go away. Be it an entirely new dish, free dessert, maybe a cocktail or two, or sometimes even just an honest appology. These things will help your maitre d' or host or manager fix the problem for you instead of trying to guess what would make you happy. Sorry your birthday wasn't all it could be, next time have someone else handle the details so you can just sit back and enjoy. . . .
  20. Hi Coop, I spoke with a colleague, who mentioned that Brian had decided that Toronto might be a better location for it. There is a lot of incestuous chatter amongst our lot, so I'm not sure how much there is too that. I must say, though, that of all the projects I've been involved in, large or small, this one seems the most ambitious. . . . having trolled for investors for many projects previously, I wish Brian the most luck.
  21. Hi Coop, One service that we're using now is Biovia. I don't have the number handy, but they should be in the book. Kim and Peter are the people you will want to talk to. I'm not sure if they do home delivery, but they do service restaurants.
  22. I've not got a vested interest in the place, let me begin by saying, but I find that Jeff's passion for our local food scene is strong and honest. I've enjoyed every meal I've had there, the brunch is inspired, and my wife (vegetarian) feels like there is choice for her as well. Where else could you get downtown dining with Main Street prices? I think Aurora fits Main St. perfectly as a classy, edgy neighbourhood bistro in a neighbourhood that is edgy, artsy and quite up and coming. Jeff has the passion and vision to pick this location (arguably quite challenging,) and make it fly, quite stylishly. I admire his guts and determination. I will continue to return as often as I can.
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