jamiemaw

Oh Pan, a lot of people, including many of our friends from KL actually prefer Canadian durian. Our favourite is 'Hockey Bag' brand durian as much for its organic provenance as its authentic aroma.

By ascending price. Mission Hill Five Vineyards ChardonnayMission Hill Five Vineyards Chardonnay 02/03 $14.99 Mission Hills Reserve Chardonnay 02/03 $18.99 MH Estate Chardonnay 01/02 $29.99 Limited Availability All available at Mark Anthony.

Yeah, like Jamie's ego needs more stroking! Spring Salmon Taco with Cabage and Chipotle Mayo Don't tease me Jamie ... this will be a regular menu item, right? Abso-frickin-lutely amazing! I bought two, but decided I needed to bring one home for my wife. It's sitting there, on the counter, waiting for here ... taunting me ... A. ← That's some of the best food-photography I have come across in quite some time! And astonishingly close to the image in the Globe this morning. And yes, Arne, they say that the salmon taco will stick and that halibut tacos will follow shortly. J.

Thank you.

Director's Cut: the unexpurgated version of today's Globe piece in the 7 section: In Search Of The Elusive Taco Pescado Jamie Maw hunts down the perfect summer food For every Vancouver chef who has become a media darling (mea gulpa)—David Hawksworth, Rob Feenie, Rob Clark, Pino Posteraro, Vikram Vij, John Bishop and the rest of the first division—there are a thousand other cooks who toil for thee. For the most part in utter anonymity. Although our city is often judged by the work of these few icons, our real worth as a gastronomic destination lies in our diversity, in the wealthy mosaic of our banh mi, garlic squid, kolachy, pho, curries (in all their many wondrous incarnations), piroshki, laksa and ramen. So why, I ask you, is it damn near impossible to find a fish taco—that simple but supremely satisfying Mexican street food—in a city this size? They’re certainly profitable items of culinary merchandise: a soft tortilla grasping a little braised or fried white fish, cabbage and crema—that delightful Mexican soured cream licked with poblano and other mysteries. Philistines add salsa and cilantro. The cost of a taco surely lies not in its ingredients but in its labour of love, as my fruitless chase around the city would soon prove. Fruitless not because I was finally unsuccessful, but fruitless because a muy autentico taco is savoury, not sweet, and should not catapult mango, strawberry, or kiwi into the construct. The Cactus Club restaurants deliver a fruitified version that actually tastes rather refreshing, and suggests a glass of pinot gris. But that was not the nature of my exercise. Besides, a real taco suggests an icy Pacifico, its label the brilliant cadmium of a Mexican sunrise that in turn suggests it’s time for bed. No, I judge all fish tacos by the taqueria at the end of our dusty street near Manzanillo. Rickety tables are set up early each morning, serving pulled pork tacos and later, when the fishermen have weighed in, the fish version. The tortillas are pressed by one woman, griddled by a second, stuffed and rolled by another. In short order the village is fed. With a pint of grapefruit juice it’s one American dollar; the tacos redolent of sea, spice, and the simple life. But in Vancouver, a fish taco worthy of its name is harder to find than Siberian peach pie in February. My first stop was a throwaway, a drive-by looting at Taco del Mar, a 150-unit American chain that promises to “Release Your Inner Baja.” Alright, I was raring to get my Bajas out. A pleasant young counterman took my order for the “FISH TACO—Our Specialty! Alaskan Cod! Plus Shredded Cabbage, Spicy White Sauce, Cheese & our own Salsa.” Seven minutes later my tacos arrived. Understuffed, they stretched semantics without stretching their foil wrappers, for the cod, rather than being exclamatory, was a flaccid, breaded fingerling that recalled Capt. Highliner. The cheese was anathema and the crema had the personality of Steven Harper, which is to say not very much personality at all. Depressed, I got my Bajas the hell out of there. “The Best Mexican Food In Town” exclaims the banner over the door at Tacos Mexico Rico, at once managing to be correct while also damning itself with faint praise. A breeze of braised pork issues from the doorway, warming the endearingly sketchy 400-block of West Hastings. Addressing the owner and head chef, Ana Salazar, I ordered from the menu board over the open kitchen, a hazard of pans and roiling pots. “Dos tacos pescado, por favor,” I asked, in Spanish so alarming it reminds my Mexican friends of a gallstone attack. “We have no fish tacos, señor,” she said, with that ineffably gracious simpatico that suggested that while she shared my pain, she was going to have to cure it with something else. She did. With knockout tacos al pastor, little tortillas heaped with tender pork deliciously braised with pasilla and guajillo peppers, garlic, cumin, vinegar and cloves. And then she upped the ante, with shredded pork carnitas as tender as the night. Delicious, but mission unaccomplished. Newly arrived in my neighbourhood, Burritto Bros. Taco Co. promised “Baja Fish” tacos—fresh, crispy cod (I had no idea there were cod in the Baja) with salsa crema. It also promised an al fresco patio and keen pricing, just $6.99 for the “Taco Trio”. Pacifico at the ready, I dove in head first, lighting the first bundle with a fuse of sauce picante. But there was to be no explosion of flavour here; the tacos were good, but the ocean got lost in the breading. The crema carried only the solitary note of supermarket sour cream. Food writing, like more conventional forms of oral sex, is not always as easy or as pleasurable as it looks. Especially when the writer is having a lamentable research week. But I was off for one last stab at taco greatness, having almost kissed it adios. Since opening his Go Fish café beside Fisherman’s Wharf nine months ago, chef Gord Martin has promised fish tacos to augment the superb halibut and chips and oyster po’ boys that highlight his menu. They did not appear. I and others muttered threats. But, last weekend, there they were, carefully chalked up on the specials board, but soon to be a regular item: “Salmon Tacos, $5, two for $9”. The substitution of salmon was upsetting, but I bit anyway. The tortilla wrapper, grilled with a coat of chilli oil, gave way to a crunch of well-made cole slaw of jicama and celery root, then the grilled salmon, sesame oil and toasted pumpkin seeds. Smoky chipotle mayonnaise and house-made snakebite salsa moistened, heated and invented complexity. These were delicious tacos, and if not authentic to my memories of Manzanillo, at least erased any thoughts of Steven Harper completely and forever. Taco del Mar 680 West Broadway (604) 675-9447 and locations citywide Tacos Mexico Rico 102-440 West Hastings Street 604-688-7426 Burrito Bros. Taco Co. 2209 West 1st Avenue 604-736-8222 Go Fish 1505 West 1st Avenue 604-730-5040

I received an email overnight from one of their media handlers saying that Watermark was opening at lunchtime today.

This is a wonderful product, made right on site, as Vancitygirl says, and just a short detour off the highway for anyone travelling to the interior. They have a variety of excellent cheeses as well, but a call ahead is wise as they tend to sell out of product (especially at this time of year) rather quickly.

I have never encountered this problem in the many years of visiting and cooking, but mainly in the coastal towns--east and west. Scalloped potatoes with peppers is a once a week dish.

I was watching some lunatics around the group barbecue at the Jericho Tennis Club the other night. One guy tripped over every grill hazard known to mankind: dumping his chicken breasts out of the supermarket styro tray right onto the grill (they stuck); using the same tongs for his chicken breasts and burgers; incinerating the exteriors of everything while the centres were raw. I suspect his gut was doing the watusi by midnight. His girlfriend, quite wisely, joined us for some deep-cut sirloin and grilled bok choy, simply saying she was too young to die. But this thread isn't about food safety, I'm just curioius about what everyone's throwng on the barbecue this summer: cuts of meat, favourite sausages, marinades, rubs etc. Recipes welcome. Bonus marks for the unusual and esoteric, such as the bok choy (as above), soaked, I cheerfully confess, in Paul Newman's. Now then, I wonder if Gerald's firing up burgers, and Neal's throwing on hanger steaks . . .

For those of you interested, I'm in relentless pursuit of fish taco greatness tomorrow in The Globe 7 section. Your obedient servant, Jamie

In the bath. After I'm finished the crab. And ribs.

Where is Sam Po Keith located?

Some highlights of the menu are covered in Post #2 on this thread.

Wow. Will Karl Rove be joining you?

← Thank you for your cartographic shepherding, Arne: you continue to distinguish yourself as both a forum manager and urban geographer and I believe that I can now plot myself with confidence from the Super-Save to Robin's Donuts. If I had only had this important information last weekend I might've been able to trade my ALL ACCESS Tim McGraw/Stompin' Outlaws /Billie-Jo Bryce PASS for some real sustenance.

To Stephen's mention of Vintropolis I would also add Waterfront (it's not) Wine Bar (next door to Bouchons) which has a crack little menu, a nifty wine store next door, and cold beer!

We throw them down the outhouse bunghole to keep flies and odours at bay, Arne. But once again, wait until thy're thoroughly out: The coincidence of hot coals and methane can disturb the neighbours and adds one more nasty chore to the 'Honey Do' jar.

Seems we're all fanning out around the province now that the weather looks 'hotter than Tamara Taggart in culottes'*. Any reports about dining in various of the winery dining rooms or on their terraces: on the Island, Gulf Islands, Okanagan or Fraser Valley? Oh yes, did they serve only their own wines or that of others as well? And did they (bonus round) happen to serve ice cold beer? Your reports here, please. * --Keith Talent, March 17, 2003 at Chatters' Restaurant, Richmond, BC, referring to Chef Sven's incandescent Swedish curry.

Could you direct me to the Home in Merritt? I realize that it's a town that's hard to get lost in (and usually I'm only in the mood to gas and go at the Super-Save, where they sometimes have good homemade grilled hot dogs in support of Women's Softball/Rotary/League of Nicola Valley Transvestites). Occasionally I fight off the hordes at the Tourism BC kiosk at the crossroads, but the only gas you're going to get there is from the chronically underdone dogs--they usually chime in right around the toll booth. Speaking of which, the new restrooms there have a sign over the toilets strongly suggesting that you not drink the water. And I'll keep an eye out for that doughnut shop--Does it have a name?

GAS STATION FOOD: You're on the road, passing through Merritt (the Gobi Desert of dining opportunities) or abandoning Hope (where you can go Home again) and you just want to get where you're going. After you've gassed up, that is. Where are the best gas stations in Western Canada to fill up the other tank--to pick up some quick road food, placate kids maybe--and move on with dispatch? Could be country, or it could be rock, then roll downtown. Your confessions here, please. Midnight cravings also welcome.

The article was indeed in the Sunday travel section and began with the brief introduction, "Good restaurants seem to feed off Seattle's winter rains like forest mushrooms, and new ones pop up with th e same delightful frequency." So it seems natural that they would mention what's new in the space alloted. Earlier, it also mentioned, "From July through September, the dry months in this notoriously wet city . . ." OOps, let's bust that myth, Seattle receives 39 inches of rain per year, New York 43. Seattle does have more rainy days (158 versus 119), the better to grow forest mushrooms, I suppose--seeing as they notoriously underperform in blizzards. Question though. Can't help but notice the lengthy ''Farewell and Welcome" thread that's now percolated to 28 pages on your Forum. Do you think that Seattle has a higher turnover of restaurants than might be the norm? Or is your eGullet membership simply more intrepid at tracking them? If there is an unusually high turnover, why is that? Real Estate pressures? Labour? Transporattion/density issues? Unusually competitive for its market size?

Egads. You have absolutely no idea how troubling this is to a Virgo. Along with my English master, the Marx Bros. (and George Kauffman) must be rolling in their graves too. My weak spelling has likely begged the question (see upthread) as to what shaken beef really is as well. But now, back to our regularly scheduled programming. Watermark was featured on the late news tonight. At least the concession stand part. The angle? Westside POSH. As in the serving of sushi, fresh fruit salads and Ben & Jerry's kind of posh. I had no idea Neptune was doing sushi actually, but at my advanced age am thrilled in being so easily surprised.

As your northern neighbours we've often noticed how Big Smoke writers cruise into our town and end up blowing smoke up their readers' (and our) arses by their bizarre choices of supposed go-to restaurants. An article in the Wine Spectator a couple of years ago was laughably inept, another flying visit from a middlebrow glossy to the Okanagan wine country was merely painful. We noticed that The New York Times deigned to visit Seattle yesterday, selecting Tamarind Tree, Volterra, Crush and Ibiza Dinner Club as four worthies in your city, rendering largely positive reports. Did they choose well? Would you have chosen four other rooms that you think might have demonstrated a more balanced view of current Seattle dining?

Some truths remain universal.

Almond-coconut? Although the way you're spelling it leaves some questions still unanswered.