Daddy-A

Similar questions are being asked here in British Columbia. The Dirt on Organic Wines A.

Amazing what a little search can turn up ... I was pretty sure this question had been asked before: Best of the West - What to Take European Foodies. Another couple of threads that might also prove interesting: Local Holiday Shopping Best of BC: Food Wine & Cookbooks A.

Honey, I don't think you need a headhunter. See thread titled, labour shortage in the hospitality industry. The doors are pretty much wide open. ← HERE is a link to the thread shelora mentioned. [host] I've changed the title of this thread to clarify that we're talking about looking for work in Western Canada. Helps with site searches and all that ... A. [/host]

Which one? Vancouver I'm assuming, but there's one in Coquitlam as well. A.

Nowhere but on eGullet would I read that! Now for $10 worth of foie, my loyalties can be rented ... A.

[host] This discussion has veered towards a more generic discussion of why it's hard to find line-cooks, etc, that can be applied to any market in the world. Since this is a regional forum, I need to remind everyone that discussion in this thread needs to be focussed on the labour shortage as it pertains to Western Canada. If we can't keep things focussed regionally, the thread will need to be moved over to General Food Topics. Thanks for your help. A. [/host]

So I'm out in Coquitlam last Wednesday (a common occurrence as I'm usually on my way to see my kids in Pitt Meadows) and I happened upon a new(ish) Persian place called "Arian Persian Cuisine". Yup ... Arian. Anywhoo ... not feeling like visiting the Pho Hoa next door, I ventured in for a late lunch. Pretty much a cafeteria style joint with long rows of chafing dishes filled with allsorts of Persian delights with very un-Persian names: "Eggplant Stew", "Lentils & Rice", "Chicken Kebabs" ... you get the idea. A very helpful staff member walked me through each of the dishes. She seemed quite proud of what they were offering ... usually a good sign. Here's what I had for lunch: Eggplant, Tomoto & Beef Stew Crunchy Basmati Rice Fizzy Yoghurt Drink WARNING: If someone offers you a bottle of this stuff, RUN! OMG! I consider myself to have a pretty tolerant palate. This stuff tasted less of yoghurt, and more of that fluoride crap you have to rince in your mouth for a minute or so at the dentist! I did manage to trade a bit of this for a spoonful of saffron ice cream with pistacios from the neighbouring table. Best thing I ate that meal. Lunch came to $8.50. Not bad, but not anything I'd rush back for. Well, maybe the ice cream. A.

This may not be strange for some of you, but I damn near drove my shopping buggy into the wall when I saw this: Sorry for the blurry picture (Treo 650) but it's an ORANGE CAULIFLOWER! Also listed but not in stock was a PURPLE caulifower. Is this sort of thing common where you are? A.

[host] I'm going to have to ask that continued discussion of how to cook with cassava take place over in the Cooking forum. While a quick search was unable to unearth any threads on cassava, HERE are some posts that discuss the product. If they don't help, I'm sure a new thread in Cooking on how to cook with cassava would be most welcome. Thanks! A. [/host]

Ahhhh ... so this is what my co-forum-host has been up to! Blogging during Passover AGAIN? Obviously the winter in Manitoba wasn't cold enough to freeze some sense into yo this year! Good luck. I'll hold down the fort! A.

[sarcastic host] You know that little voice inside your head that says "I'm pretty sure what I'm typing is off topic"? We should all listen to that little voice more often. Time to steer this ship back on course and continue the discussion of local retaurants we haven't visited but feel we should. Thanks! A. [/sarcastic host]

I don't think the average diner on the Vancouver forum pursues an agenda- certainly there are a few professionals who use the site to shill- but most do not and certainly the chef in this case is and has been an active member with much to say of interest outside of the Rare adventure. To me it is natural that a long standing and valued member of the eG community is going to get some encouragement. Well stated Ann. I'd also like to ask how we are supposed to avoid this situation in the future? Refuse membership to chefs or restaurant owners? eGullet has created this "monster" by becoming one of the premiere internet sources. How it evolved in our little corner of the world is hardly our fault. A.

This thread was started because in your review of Rare you questioned the ability of eGullet members to post negative reviews, in particular in the Vancouver/Western Canada Forum. winegeek wanted to discuss that idea further. Your review may have been the catalyst Ms. Gill, but it ain't the subject. You see ... this is the kind of back-handed comment you make that really taints your writing. You might call it style - I call it pissy. Don't get me wrong ... a negative review is fine. While my experience at Rare did not reflect yours, I support 100% your right and your obligation to report what you feel was your experience. I believe your meal at Rare was as you described it. It's just the nasty shit ... it might work for Dose, but until you came along I thought it was beneath the G&M. This is my beef with your review ... I'm still waiting for a reason why eGullet (ling, Zuke, et al) were dragged into this. I'm still trying to draw a connection between the two. How do milquetoast reviews on eGullet (hey, we're not professional-journalists here) and a new restaurant sending an invitation to you have anything to do with each other. Sorry, I may be obtuse here, but just what is the "problem in this rather small town"?Thanks for chiming in. Kinda strange isn't it ... the reviewer being reviewed? A. edited to play nice

Great example winegeek. The same thing happened not too long after Chmabar opened in Vancouver. This time the culprite was the frites. Someone on eGullet commented that the fries were not up to their usual standard. Lo and behold it turned out the deep friers were not operating properly (temperatures were too low) and needed servicing. Win win. A.

[host] I've just moved a few posts over to the discussion in General.HERE is the link to the thread. Let's please keep the discussion in this thread focussed on Rare - the restaurant & the food. A. [/host]

I went to Kim Phung about a year ago and had exactly the same problem, and it didn't even taste good. I haven't been back since. About how common is this phenomenon? I've not experienced this "dark broth" at Kim Phung. I either order it "regular" or "spicey" with the "spicey" being a darker redd-ish colour. Either is good IMO. A.

Count Daddy-A in for 2. A.

He will, as soon as he cleans up from this past weekend. HERE is another related thread on "inexpensive but good" sushi. A.

This is exactly the point of constructive criticism, which is the type of criticism we should all be striving for: it might improve things. Constructive criticism is non-oppositional. Although negative comments are certainly an important part of constructive criticism, they're usually part of a larger evaluation that includes positive comments as well as suggestions for improvement. ← Constructive criticism. That's the point. It get's back to Steven's comments on "community." I agree that if nobody said anything negative the community would suffer. But I also agree that critiquing recklessly and without concern for common decency would also cause the community to suffer. I'm not suggesting one sugar-coat a negative review, but surely flying in with a "that tasted like shit" is only serving to make the reviewer fell better. On another issue (Gill's review of Rare) I have no issue with her review of the restaurant. But IMO she crossed the line BIG TIME by attacking members here who had NOTHING to do with her meal. Needed to get that off my chest. A.

What did you have at Fran's Chocolates? ← LB ... if you click over to her "Day in Seattle" post, you'll find a link to her dessert post contained therin. Pretty impressive. I gained 10 lbs. just reading that! A.

Burnaby ... Hastings & Gilmore. A.

Must suck to be you. I NEVER get invited to parties Must be all those negative reviews ... A.

Melissa, As someone who's had a Marmoleum floor for the last 4 years, I give it the big thumbs-up. There is maintenance to deal with, yes. We damp mop as often as we would with any other floor. We clean/seal (same product) about 3-4 times a year, which takes just as long as the moppig we'd be doin anyway. We have 2 teenagers, and two Jack Russel Terriers ... it's a well used kitchen. It looks brand-new today ... or at least it will once I sweep it A.

The fact is Steven, that's exactly what happens. Negative reviews are posted, owners, chefs, managers, jump on and try to put out the fire, and pretty soon narry a bad word is spoken. At least that's what I've seen in Vancouver/Western Canada. If one goes through the regional threads and reads, there are plenty of negative reviews. However, for many there is an inability to simply come out and say "I didn't like it." Rather, they feel it necessary to say the food tasted like "crap" or that the servers looked like "crack whores" .... you get my point. Venemous reviews may be entertaining, but in the same way that watching the school bully put gum in the geek's hair is entertaining. What has happened in the Rare thread has happened in other threads, and in other on-line communities. If I say something good about a restaurant, I'll get accused of shilling. If I say something bad about a restaurant, I'll get accused of trashing. Pretty soon, members are protecting their POV for fear that if someone disagrees with them (heaven forbid!) it somehow devalues that opinion. In Vancouver, this has been complicated by the social apsect. Friends now protect friends. It all becomes so personal. Get over it. Read Chew Discuss. I need a nap. A.

[host] To quote an old friend: One more time ... this time with feeling. This is NOT a thread about the world of reviewing. It is NOT a thread about whether or not reviewers should out themselves in these boards. This thread is about RARE Please feel free to start a thread over in General about whatever issue around this incident you wish to discuss. However, further off-topic discussilon in this thread will be removed without notifiction. A. [/host]