Foodie in Vancouver

I recommend considering Cru for a dinner. While the focus isn't totally on local as compared to Aurora, you will get an opportunity to sample some BC wines by the glass. And I would recommend Cru over Pair in a heartbeat. The other option for BC wine stores is Vintropolis on West 1st Avenue and Chestnut. It is very close to Granville Island. I suggest you go there to buy wine before heading up to Whistler where the wine prices are significantly inflated.

Don't know if this is in the line of truly DUMB questions, but is canary seed really seeds grown to exclusively for canaries? (Don't I sound like the flaky city girl?) And, who knew they grew all that coriander in Saskatchewan?

I have used a garbage bowl for a long time - I use a plastic container that lost its lid. It is about 10.5 by 6 inches and fits nicely into a drawer in my island making it very handy to pull out as I need it. I can't imagine cooking without it.

We may have 5 coffee places in Kerrisdale but we have no where non-sushi to eat. Surely a community that can support 5 coffee shops and at least 6 sushi places deserves somewhere reasonable to eat?

Is Duso's better for parm than Oyama? I have been buying mine at Oyama.

What about edamame? Nothing is simplier and they always disappear in mere minutes. Just remember to use good salt.

We are going to be in Kingston in a week or so to help the eldest daughter move in to start school. The food scene looks like it might be limited. Any updates to the advice already posted here? We need dinners and lunches for 3 days.

Thanks Jamie. Very interesting. Are any kitchens in Vancouver doing sous vide?

Jamie: I think I know what sous vide is - the pouches that you place in a hot water bath? But can you help me understand how it is going to "change everything"? (And correct me if I don't understand sous vide) Thanks

I know you were asking the restaurants but for what it's worth, when I have a cheese course at the end of the meal it is instead of a dessert. I think it is a perfect way to end a meal. But then, I don't really like dessert (unless it is GBP).

Please share more as your schedule allows. Surely you can see how we are enjoying the vicarious pleasure of hearing of your amazing Italian adventure. Any details would be interesting but definitely would love to hear more about your routine, who you cook for, how you choose the menus, how you select the wines etc.

Thanks for the photos Arne - perfect pictures which really tell the story. I am still pinching myself that I was really there. Amazing.

Arne is so right. It was magical on all levels. First off, I must admit to not knowing that the farm even existed so shame on me as I live very close by. But once there, the sense of occasion was overwhelming. I am sure I must have voiced my disbelief at being part of something that incredible at least a dozen or more times. Part of the magic was the fact that everyone was there with a common purpose - to experience the farm, the food and the passion for locally inspired excellent food. It is almost impossible to describe in words the setting and how it contributed to the overall effect but try to imagine a glorious sunny afternoon, a truck garden (I know it isn't, but that is how it appears at first glance because of the diversity of what is planted in a relatively small space), happy guests and, working purposefully in our midst, Chef Hawkesworth and his crew in kitchen whites. We started with a Sauvignon Blanc from Sumac Ridge, fresh-picked carrots and radishs with just a smidge of salt that served to bring out the sweetness of the carrots and tang of the radishes. Next up we heard about OIF and the Farm and then went off on a tour of the farm. While that may sound boring, it was just the start of the wonder of it all. Our tour guide was the student who is the production manager for the farm. I don't know when you last had an opportunity to have someone who is passionate about their work show it and describe it to you but it is quite possible to listen to them for extended periods simply to be in the presence of their passion. We tromped through the fields and got to live his enthusiasm for the farm, the products and the value of the farm in the community. Magic, pure magic. We then took our place at the table and what a table it was. It was one long table set for 100 -each of us had brought our own plates so the effect was one of colour and contrast. Seating was random - you simply placed your plate on the table as you arrived, only meeting your dining companions later as you sat down to dinner. We ended up beside Edible Vancouver (Eric) and his wife Gail because they thought our plates looked interesting! Our other dining companions were Deborah, the cheesemaker and her husband, the dairy farmer from Farmhouse Cheeses in Agassiz and Andre, a writer from the Georgia Straight. So our conversation was highly entertaining as well as educational. Dinner was served family style which suited the event perfectly. David was very much a presence as the food was brought out for each course, as were the local providers - Ian of Finest At Sea Seafood, the UBC farm staff and Deborah, of Farmhouse Cheeses. The food was honest, totally representative of where we are and absolutely delicious. The light on the gardens at this point was amazing, saturating colours ranging from the yellow mustard field to the pinks of the eichinachea (totally botched the spelling - but you know what I mean). We started with a goat cheese tart (David Wood chevre) on fresh greens and sungold tomatoes. All was excellent with a minor quibble, the greens were overdressed for my liking. But the tomatoes were heavenly - sweet and firm, popping in your mouth with flavour. I am sure Milan's are every bit as good but I will be out at the farm on Saturday looking for more. The second course was a real treat - smoked sable fish nicose with sardines and a terrific spicy aioli. The smoking was obviously done with a deft hand for it was evident but not overwhelming when paired with the fresh beans, tomatoes and pemberton potatoes. Perhaps my favorite course of all. But the best part is that Ian (owner of Finest at Sea) told us that he is setting up a retail location in Vancouver - mere blocks from my house - at 31st and Arbutus. Should be open by October/November. A real improvement to our neighbourhood. The main course was spit-roasted chicken which we had seen set up by David and his crew over a fire pit (with some last minute adjustments to the improvised spit). The summer squash ravioli was tender and flavourful but I wonder how it was cooked. Surely not over on open fire? There were many foil packs but somehow that doesn't seem possible. Don't know what cheese was in the ravioli but it was a perfect accompaniment - you knew it was there but it let the squash be the star performer. The other treat with this course was the roasted garlic - I know I had far more than my fair share but tasty, sweet roasted garlic is hard to resist. Especially after a winter of the imported bitter garlic that barely improves with roasting. The chicken was tasty and moist with a great jus. How they did that over an open fire I don't know The cheese course was comprised of 4 cheeses - a goat's chevre, a cheddar, a brie and a gouda. My favorite was the cheddar and the chevre. The chevre had just the right amount of tang. The surprise ingredient of this course was the freshly harvested honey from the hives dotting the farm. Amazing - rich, full of flavour (David pegged it as buckwheat) but not sweet in the usually sense of the word. The only descriptor I can think of is rich. Dessert followed - but by then I was out of gastronomic steam. Too bad as it was fresh strawberries in a jelly (no, not Jello) with lemon shortbread cookies. I had several of the strawberries and they were definitely local, real strawberries in total contrast to the fibre-containing look-alikes imported from California. They had that lovely summer-in-your-mouth strawberry taste, soft and juicy. At the conclusion of the meal we got to show our appreciation for the Chef, his crew and the amazing staff from OIF. The OIF staff head off to Alaska tomorrow and from there to Minnesota and the East Coast of the US. They travel in a 1953 Flexible bus which has its own amazing story and they have now produced 45 similar dinners with this being the first in Canada. Theirs is a passionate endeavour and the resulting product, our magical experience, is one that I shall remember for a long time. As I said to my husband as we wandered off into the night, I felt as if I was just heading home from a week of holidays. That's how restored and uplifted I felt. Thank you to everyone who worked so hard to make it a reality.

Just got my invitation and the Winemakers are Sumac Ridge, Cedar Creek, Mission Hill and Quail's Gate. Cool.

Nels and I are attending - truly looking forward to a wonderful day. The weather should be spectacular in keeping with the spirit of the event. See you there.

YES! there is an extreme shortage of restaurants in the neighbourhood. Having said that we do have a gazillion sushi restaurants of which Aji Sai is the clearcut winner. Other than that - Fish Cafe but how often do you want fish grilled or sauteed? So yes, Neil there is huge opportunity in this neck of the woods.

How exciting to read about the dining options in Chilliwack. We drive through on our way to and from the Okanagan - it is a natural place to stop, especially on the way down. Up until this point it was Earls, which isn't a bad thing at all but it is nice to have options. I am looking forward to meeting you.

If you are in Oliver, you must go to the Sonora Room at Burrowing Owl - for lunch, for dinner - whichever you can manage. As for the other options in Oliver. Hmmm. Jacques has a wonderful wine list but can be extremely uneven in terms of the quality and originality of the food. The Toasted Oak is an interesting location - an old service station which opens up completely onto Highway 97 so it can get a little noisy. But they also have a wonderfully varied wine list. Their food however is very pedestrian running to wings and burgers and such. Personally, I would head to the Cellar Door in Summerland before I went to Hawthorne Mountain or I would try the Naramata Inn. Bottom line is that no matter what, you will be driving to your meals, or at least some of them, if you are staying in Oliver. The fare in Ossyoos (I am sure I have misspelled that) is also on the dull side but I know Sandra and Kenn Oldfield have a list of favorites, especially Indian food in both Oliver and an Italian/Greek resto in Osyoos. If you get up to Westbank or Kelowna there are lots more options but that is a long, long way to drive for dinner. I know we have done it more than once. Let us know where you end up eating.

Thanks Sean - my husband will be gratified to know that he can avoid the ugly scene of my alpha female tendancies showing their dark side in public.

The smokers on the patio can also ruin a very nice meal for those indoors as well. We were enjoying a perfectly lovely meal at Raincity Grill when a table of 4 were seated on the patio and immediately started smoking - nonstop. Before the food, with the food and after the food. As well, they were drinking substantial amounts of wine. Not suprisingly, the breezes were blowing the smoke straight into the restaurant. It was awful. Waiter and the manager asked them to please stop smoking as diners in the restaurant were being affected by their smoking. Unfortunately, this was not a very courteous nor I suspect, intelligent group. They continued to smoke but now did so with running commentary. Restaurant did their best but to no avail. I am quite allergic to smoke - we left before our main course. Too bad but by this pont I had such a dreadful headache I could barely see. Was I upset - you bet. I think the sooner we ban smoking anywhere considered public, the better. Smoke your life away in the privacy of your own home - but please nowhere near me. And especially while I paying to eat in an environment I expect to be smoke free.

I'm glad someone explained the "you can take home the un-drunk portion of the wine so you don't get too drunk" situation. I had heard that this was now possible so we merrily ordered several glasses of wine to match the appetizers and then a bottle of wine at the upper end of our budget to go with dinner. And being the responsible people that we are, we drank responsibly but enjoyably under the impression that we would be taking home the wine that remained. Flash forward to the end of the evening - we ask to take the remaining wine home. Flatly denied. I am sure it is a "new rule" and ask to speak with the manager. Manager, not too kindly tells me that I am wrong and that under no circumstances can he allow us to take the wine with us. Akward scene as we both eye the 2/3 full bottle on the table - he is sure I am going to grab for it (he was right) and I was sure he was going to grab it. The only thing that stopped me from carrying on the silly game was the painfully embarrassed look on my dear husband's face. He was mortified so I shut up and huffed my self out the door. So I guess it turns out we were both correct. But it could have been handled better - at the restaurant but most importantly by the regulators. What a supremely stupid way to implement a reasonable regulation. Restaurant will go unnamed - because they weren't wrong. But I won't ever go back there - despite it being a very nice place. But for cripes sake - isn't there an easier way to enjoy nice wine with nice food?

I ran into Rob Clarke at Oyama; he recommended some of their terrines which were great. Especially the bleu cheese one (I tried to do the French name but could only do so phonetically which looked very strange).

The easiest way for me to describe why I like Vij's is to say that the flavours are separate and distinct. Each dish has its own taste points and aromas. The spices and combinations are unique for me and perhaps that is the appeal; I don't know how to cook with these flavours so it seems more interesting. The reason I prefer Vij's for Indian food is because, as Jamie put it, the flavours don't collude. When I eat Indian food elsewhere, I find that everything starts to taste the same after a few bites; that is my experience and probably not the same for everyone. And, again, speaking only for myself, to my tastes, the flavours at Vij's are fresh and vibrant. There seem to be lots of tastes happening in my mouth with much to exclaim about; but not so much that I can't parse out each flavour. Nothing tastes as if it came off a steam table or sat on the pass too long. And, I also like the fact that the restaurant is without pretension - dress up, dress down. No one needs to be seen - just enjoy. Is Vij's the best Indian restaurant in the city? Don't know, but I do know that every time I walk out after a meal I have a smile on my face, I feel like I got value for my money, my mouth is in a happy place and I feel as though I was treated with respect and authenticity. And, I make a note-to-self to come back more often. Why don't I? Simply the "line-up" outside factor. Which I need to get over. It is never that long and it is always worth it.

What about Opus? Bis Moreno?

If Grant is still the chef, the cheese soup is wonderful. He used to have a restaurant in Kelowna (deMontreils) and we had many wonderful dinners there.