barolo
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Posts posted by barolo
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Not surprisingly there's lots of pre-Olympic magazine articles about Vancouver, including its restaurants and hotels. Here's links to three:
Opus Hotel looks like the big winner, it made all three magazines.
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It’s been pretty slow around here. Here’s a list of various openings, closings, changes that come to mind:
- New Hapa Izakaya (#3) in Yaletown on Hamilton
- Villa del Lupo is now Lupo with the return of Julio Gonzalez Perini
- Glowbal renamed Glowbal Grill Steaks and Satay (ie, they added “steak” to the name)
- La Belle Patate, featuring poutine and apparently an offshoot of a Victoria restaurant, opened on 1200 block Davie (by the Super Value)
- Corner suite bisto deluxe is still not open, but has lots of press
- Mis Trucos, tapas, opened in Davie upstairs beside the Shoppers
- Cafe de Paris is closed
- Hawksworth is not opening until 2011
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Alan Richman, in his usual sardonic style, comments on Vancouver in the August 2009 Bon Appetit:
Nobody in this southwest Canadian metropolis ever speaks badly of ingredients, unless the stuff comes from somewhere else. Vancouver is the heartland of every admirable (and sometimes infuriating) food cause you've ever encountered—local, sustainable, organic, and eco-gastronomical among them.Read the full article here.
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It's not a long walk from the ferry to Okada; just take the ferry that docks at the foot of Hornby and it is a max 10 minute walk, I'd say. See map
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I don't know where to find trees, but I bet someone on the UBC Botanical Garden forums would: Forums.
They have a forum devoted to citrus.
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I haven't been to Whistler since last summer so I'm not exactly current, but I haven't seen or heard any restaurant news out of Whistler for a while.
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Various openings and closings reported on various Vancouver food sites:
Lombardo’s on Smithe is closing, reported in Waiterforum
Saveur is closed and will reopen as “the corner suite bistro deluxe” in July, reported everywhere
Latitude, from the former Raincoast Café owners, has opened on Main
Wally’s Burgers has emerged in a new incarnation in North Van and may open in other locations, reported in City Food
Jay Jones is leaving Vopa to open Pourhouse in Gastown, reported everywhere
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The old Fiddlehead Joe's place has reopened as Burrard Bridge Marine Bar & Grill. Looks like a burger and beer place and is owned by the Mill Marine Bistro, Prospect Point Cafe, Delilah's etc group.
Nook - looks like pizza and other casual Italian - in the former Schnitzels spot on Denman.
West is open for lunch again.
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Wow, I am very sorry to hear that. Thanks for letting us know.
On Scout this morning:We are very saddened to have to report that the very excellent Chow Restaurant at 3121 Granville St. will close tonight after service.Chef JC Poirier's ode to smooth and sophisticated French was outstanding in my book, from the always reliable food and the stellar bar program to the slick decor and genuine service.
Chow was a complete restaurant, the kind of youthful and independent neighbourhood operation I wish we had plenty more of in Vancouver. They earned Silver in 2007 for Best New Fine Dining at the Vancouver magazine restaurant awards, and enRoute magazine followed suit by declaring it one of "The Next 20" best new restaurants in Canada. It was also a shoe in for my "Top 10 New Restaurants" in the Westender, and generally a favourite among food lovers and critics. I am confused/angry/bummed that it is on its way out, and hope to make it down tonight for one last drink and a goodbye (and maybe one of JC's little brioche sammy's).
Sniff. I loved that place.
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Vancouver Magazine's 2009 Restaurant Awards are posted here
A little - not especially surprising - changing of the guard this year.
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Here's an interview and recipe from last Wednesday's Globe and Mail: The ratio rules
An excerpt:
Your book includes sections on stocks, sauces, forcemeats and custards, but ratios are traditionally associated with the art of the baker. How do ratios apply to those preparations?Dough batters show most clearly the power of ratios, but, for instance, I was grinding some hamburger meat last night and to have perfectly seasoned hamburger I went to the salt-to-meat ratio and knew exactly how much salt to add to the meat before I even ground it so that it would be perfectly seasoned. To have an all-purpose brine, twenty-to-one is a perfect, 5 per cent brine. It's great for brining, it's great for preserving, it's great for pickling, it's a great standard brine
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Au Petit Chavignol, a wine and cheese focused restaurant - from the owners of les amis du fromage - is open at 845 East Hastings St.
From their website:
The food menu consists primarily of cheese, house made terrines, freshly sliced Iberico Ham, Prosciutto di Parma and cheese accoutrements. Unlike most wine bars, Au petit also has a full kitchen where we prepare salads, soups, fondue, raclette, tartiflette, croque monsieur and other cheese based specialties. We make everything fresh daily and in-house.We offer several wines by the glass and bottle, along with bottled and draught beer. Our reserve wine list is made up of wines that vary from familiar to the obscure; to cheese friendly favourites and our favourite varietal...Riesling. Several of the "by the bottle" wines can be ordered by the glass if you commit to ordering at least two glasses
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Tomorrow is the last day for Save-on-Meats
Not quite closed yet, but Save-on-Meats on Hastings seems to be destined to close after 50 some odd years. A little publicity in today's Sun might help:Owner Al DesLauriers is 78, and wants to retire. He quietly put the Save-on-Meats building at 43 West Hastings up for sale last year for $3 million, and may close the business down on March 14 if he can’t find a buyer.Find story here
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The March/April 2009 EAT is on the streets and on-line.
Features include:
- curing ham
- duck confit
- bistro dishes to share
- best budget burgundy
- salmon safe beer
and the usual Victoria, Vancouver, Island, Kelowna round up
etc, etc
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Not exatly breaking news, but I haven't seen it reported here:
Ocean 6 Seventeen is closed.
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As it happens, someone over at the BBC is opining on this:
Any server worth their salt is going to try to persuade you that the two of you have been on a kind of journey together through your meal which can only be properly consummated with cash.Sometimes if you are British this will begin with a moment of awkwardness.
A young man in Jackson, Mississippi, once recognised my accent: "Like the Beatles, right?" he said and asked nervously if I knew about "the tipping thing".
I confirmed that rumours of it had reached our side of the Atlantic, but had been received with widespread disbelief.
Often a server will squat on their haunches to give them eye contact as they would with a recalcitrant toddler and then act as though you are co-conspirators in a plot to give you a heart attack: "Have we saved room for dessert?"
Read the whole thing here: The mechanics of tipping - US style
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A Cupcakes has opened on Thurlow, just north of Robson.
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Feb 28, I believe.
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I read today that Parkside is closing by March 1st and re opening a monthly later as a second la bacu. I am extremely saddened by this news…… Can any confirm whats going on?
Yes it has been widely reported in Urban Diner, Scout, West Ender, the Sun etc, etc - closed end of February, renovations, reopens as a La Buca, same menu as the Kits La Buca.
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I don't think this is a bad thing - Fresco's was good - but it was getting a little stale - I don't think it's how many people want to eat anymore. Waterfront is my preferred dining spot in Kelowna, while the terrace at Mission Hill offers outstanding food for lunch (though at dinner style prices).
Regardless - Rod Butters is a very very talented chef - I am sure this new venture will be intresting. It's good to hear that he has re-invigorated his business.
Yes, I agree it could us a freshening but the name is scary. Let's hope the execution is better.
I also agee with the Mission Hill comment. I haven't been to the Waterfront unfortunately.
Other news reported in Scout and Urban Diner:
Parkside will close at the end of February for renovations and re-open as a La Buca
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It's been a while since we discussed Alexandra Gill but, thanks to Rhonda May over at City Food, I thought I'd pass on a link to a spring 2008 column in the Ryerson Review of Jounalism: So you want to be a restaurant critic?
So before you embark on a new career path, please consider the following words of wisdom. Herewith, my five-step program for making friends, influencing people and rising to the top as a restaurant critic:...
The moral of the story? It’s a cold, brutish world out there, with no place for family or virtues. Don’t even think of going into the restaurant-reviewing business unless you’re willing to sell out or be hated.
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Over at City Food, Rhonda May reports that Kelowna's Fresco will be replaced by a new concept:
... Chef Rod Butters of Kelowna's Fresco restaurant stepped up to the podium and announced to a surprised audience that this would be Fresco's last public event because he and wife/partner Audrey Surrao, after closing the top Okanagan restaurant for a post-New Year's break, had decided not to open it again.Gazing down at his silent, jaw-dropped audience, Butters then laughed and whipped off his chef's jacket to reveal a t-shirt emblazoned with "Raudz Regional Table", the name of his new venture which will open in Fresco's location next spring.
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And here's some of the winners, in this case the critics' choices of the 25 signature dishes listed above, but there's tons of other information - including pictures of the signature dishes - on the website: Chinese Restaurant Awards 2009:
Crab
Ken's Chinese Restaurant
Golden Dungeness Crab with Spiced Salt
King Crab
Excelsior Restaurant
Live King Crab in Four Courses
Shrimp
Koon Bo Restaurant,
Sauteed Spot Prawns with Soya Sauce
Lobster
Shang Garden
Lobster in Two Courses
Northern/Shanghai-style Dim Sum
Lin Chinese Cuisine and TeaHouse,
Shanghai Style Juicy Dumplings
Cantonese/ Hong Kong-style Dim Sum
Shun Feng Seafood Restaurant,
Steamed Rice Roll with Pork Liver
Congee
Mak's Noodle Restaurant,
Pork Liver and Meatball Congee
Noodles & Rice
Tsim Chai Noodles,
Beef Tendon & Wonton Noodle Soup
Barbecue
Parker Fresh Meat & B.B.Q.,
Roast Pork
Innovative Dish
Loon's Noodle House,
Crispy Rice with Salted Egg Yolk
Vegetarian
Bo Kong Vegetarian Restaurant,
Taro Hot Pot
Cold Appetizer
Shanghai River,
Jellied Pork
Chinese Dessert
Yan's Garden Restaurant,
Golden Pumpkin with Honeyed Walnut
Chinese Pastry
New Town Bakery & Restaurant,
Apple Tart
Soup
Wonton King,
Wine Chicken Soup
Fish
Sea Harbour Seafood Restaurant,
Steamed Live Sablefish in Bamboo Steamers
Geoduck
Jade Dynasty Restaurant
Sauteed Geoduck with Mixed Vegetables
Scallop
Jade Dynasty Restaurant
Scallop-stuffed Zegua
Clam
VIP's Kitchen
Grilled Clams
Pork
Kirin Seafood Restaurant
Roast Suckling Pig
Beef
Flamingo Restaurant
Sauteed Beef with Chinese Long Bread
Lamb
Sun Sui Wah Seafood Restaurant
Lamb Hot Pot
Chicken
Jade Seafood Restaurant
Clay-pot Chicken
Duck
Shanghai Wonderful Restaurant
Stuffed Duck
Squab
Sea Harbour Seafood Restaurant
Roast Squab
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Not quite closed yet, but Save-on-Meats on Hastings seems to be destined to close after 50 some odd years. A little publicity in today's Sun might help:
Owner Al DesLauriers is 78, and wants to retire. He quietly put the Save-on-Meats building at 43 West Hastings up for sale last year for $3 million, and may close the business down on March 14 if he can’t find a buyer.Find story here
Openings and closings (2009– )
in Western Canada: Dining
Posted
A couple more:
La Brasserie on Davie is now open for weekday lunches (Tue-Fri), as well as brunch on both Saturday and Sunday.
Bao Bei Chinese Brasserie has opened on Keefer