Daddy-A

From a discussion the "Queen of cuisine" thread: I know we've discussed this elsewhere but isn't BYOB is illegal in BC? I know it's done, but my understanding is that establishments that allow corkage are doing so against the liquor laws. If this is the case, it's best we don't "name names" in forum, for a variety of reasons Do I understand the rules correctly or not? A.

Coffee, toast/peanut butter & basil. And sunscreen. A.

Oh YES! Spicey Steve ROCKS! A.

My recs? Provence Marinaside, Aurora Bistro, and Cafe Artigiano (740 Hastings Street location). All are excellent. Aurora may be outside of your travel "range", but the other two are within the downtown area. Enjoy! A.

[host] I've moved Paul's post on his Paella Party HERE in the Paella thread in the Cooking forum. Do yourself a favour and have a look! Deliscious looking paella, and that pan!!! This is also a good time to remind everyone to consider into which forum they should post their thread. The Vancouver/Western Canada forum is for regional discussion. Finding rice for paella in Vancouver is regional. Cooking paella in Vancouver is not. Thanks! A. [/host]

I had a Ling-day on Saturday ... Breakfast at Whitespot before I opened the showroom. Met a friend from visiting from Kamloops who's not the adventurous type, so getting him up the street to Tomato was not an option. However, I'll admit to liking Whitespot breakfasts. I had the "Big Bowl" which is essentially a deconstructed Western omlette sitting on top of hash browns. Tasty, and surprisingly not greasy. Waitress brought me the wrong toast and didn't even offer to correct the mistake. Just said "sorry about that and left "J" and I met up after work (I open the showroom at 10, close at 4) and I was ravenous. It was going to be a couple hours before we went to the C's game at the Nat, and I wasn't going to make it. We stopped at the 5-Point on Main for some beers and snacks, sharing the chicken wings and blackened tuna. The wings were good as far as wings go, but the tuna bordered on deliscious. Does beer and fries from The Nat Bailey Stadium Concession Stand, and a jumbo apricot-oatmeal cookie from Fieldstone's (courtesy of lemon curd) count as a meal? C's won by the way ... and that Jeffy Boy sure gets surly after a couple ball-park brews. He was making the players cry the way he was taunting them! I'll let peppyre chime on on her hot dog. post game snack at Aurora Bistro. Finally able to cross them off my "must visit" list ... and I spent most of the evening wondering why I had waited so long. The hospitable kurtisk (who looks EXACTLY like his avatar!) made us feel most welcome in one of the best designed restaurants I have been in. Complete design coordination front to back, including the menu & moniker. Really excellent. I enjoyed the Tempura'd Zucchini Blossom stuffed w/ Curried Halibut Cheek and the Nicola Valley Bison Carpaccio w/ white truffel oil. Both were fantastic dishes with my nod going to the halibut. I love halibut cheeks but have never thought of doing them curried. "J" had the Blue Cheese Tart and a sausage of some sort (I know it had fennel!). All were washed down with a Kettle Valley Viognier. A cheese course followed with a bottle of Township 7 Late Harvest Pinot Blanc. Chef Jeff came out to introduce himself and accept accolades on a truly wonderful post-game "snack." A.

But the only good blues to be found in Vancouver is not on False Creek, but at the Yale or the Fairview ... still, admittedly within eyeshot of a sunset, or sunrise as the case may be. Great post Q! A.

Oh good! Anytime I've been in Langley (all 4 of them in the last 5 years ) I've managed to grab a coffee at EB. Nice place ... pretty good coffee too. A.

Pizza! Grilled Pizza w/ Smoked Chicken, Gruyere, Grilled Oyster Mushrooms, Grilled Peppers & Topped with Extra Virgin Olive Oil & Parm-Reg A. (sorry for the cross-post w/ Dinner!... but it applies here too )

There are a number of Latin American countries bordering the Caribbean, Arne. ← Point taken ... I suppose I'm thinking more about jerk chicken and the like. Churros never crossed my mind, but I can see now where they might fit in. A.

Last night's efforts from my beautiful wife "J" Grilled Pizza w/ Smoked Chicken, Gruyere, Grilled Oyster Mushrooms, Grilled Peppers & Topped with Extra Virgin Olive Oil & Parm-Reg (No, I'm not sucking up ... she really is beautiful.) A.

I've been avoiding the dine-out scene lately, and spending lots more time cooking at home. Besides, work has been to busy to allow me the privelage of the lazy lunch. Fridays seem to be a bit more flexible. Last Friday was another edition of the Lunch Mafia, this time at Simply Thai. I agree pretty much with all the others' comments. What they didn't say was that we were supposed to go to Budapest on Main Street, but although the sign said they'd be open for lunch, at noon there was nobody in sight. Is this just an eccentrisity of this place? Seems an odd way to run a business ... Sunday was Burger Club at Feenies. I've also managed to visit Churroliscious or whatever that place was we were all fighting about good churros over. For anybody intrested, they'll be over at Waterfront Park for the Carribean Days Festival. Not sure how churros are Carribean ... Today I dropped by for lunch at Go Fish! is search of the ellusive fish taco. I started with the soup, which was Szeschuan Salmon and Black Bean. Not their best effort. The flavours were good at first, but became quite muddy after a few spoonfulls. The coups here are typically clean and distinct in their flavouring. This one needs some work IMO. Lunch was save however by the Salmon Taco. Fresh, flaky flour tortilla (although I would have preferred corn it was really good) filled with cabbage, chipotle mayo, salsa and grilled Spring salmon. I bought two with the intention of bringing one home for "J". If I hadn't had the soup, there's no way the second taco would have made it home. A.

Yeah, like Jamie's ego needs more stroking! So in the interest of research, I took one for the team and sauntered over to Go Fish! for lunch. It was around 1:30 so the line-ups, although still present, were not so bad. I think the overcast skies today helped a little as well. I'll detail my lunch in the "Where Have You Eaten" thread ... but the definite star of the show: 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.

I'm gonna have to teach y'all how to do a SEARCH Restaurants that also do Catering Catering A.

This is a really great idea cnspriggs. I'd just like to remind everyone that we need to keep the discussion focussed on places in Western Canada. As a kid, it was always the Tastee-Freeze in Princeton on our way up to see Grandma in Kelowna. Today ... I think there's a Robin's Dougnuts in Merritt. A.

Now THAT is what makes eGullet so frickin' cool!! Thanks Andie!! Now all I need to do is go find me a soap maker. A.

I have a table available in August. Fish tacos, baja-style. Corn tortillas with three different salsas, fresh crema, shredded cabbage and radishes. s What's your October looking like. I'm not likely to be over on the Rock until then. On another note ... are the tacos still on at Go Fish? I have an opening for lunch tomorrow ... 1:30ish. PM if interested. A.

Are you thinking of the Afghani Horseman? Cuz I could really go for some tabouli! A.

This is the most sense I have heard yet. Thank you. A.

I'm happy to say that both the concession and the washrooms at Watermark are now open. The washrooms are smaller than they used to be, and the showers are missing! Nothing to do with food I know, but a pain in the ass if you're covered in sand after 2 hourrs of volleyball The concession offers the regular fare, along with sushi, fruit salad and what looked like a caesar. Saddly, hot dogs were not available last night ... another victim of the container driver strike? The "room" is pretty cool. Garage-style doors are three walls, allowing the "sweet" smell of Kits weed to waft through as you enjoy your fish & chips. There's a fireplace as well, so I assume this place will be open late-ish. I chose to sample the cappucino slurpee. An unfortunate choice. Coffee flavoured foam. Should have stayed with Mango. A.

Last week I re-visited Pho Thy on Victoria (at 39th) to re-aquaint myself with their Banh Mi. The week before, canucklehead & I were at Au Petit Cafe for bahn mi, and I needed to see how Pho Thy compared. Seriously, you gotta try Pho Thy. $2.75, fresh bread, perfect spices. A.

I'll do some reconnaissance work tonight before volleyball. Sadly it sounds like it will only be the concession. I was hoping for some shaken beef A.

Good to see lots of new faces here. I just want to remind everyone this is the Vancouver/Western Canada forum. Continued discussion of "brett" needs to take place in the Wine or Beer forums. The same goes for a general discussion of food seasoning in restaurants. Discussion of cnspriggs' meal at Bishops and others' experiences there, are welcome. Thanks A.

So is Husky the only chain of gas stations that has a restaurant attached? I'm pretty sure Esso did at one point as well, but unless there are some in the more rural areas, I believe that's no longer the case. A.

A small plate of appetizers for a small gathering before the Vancouver/Western Canada Burger Club Eating Crab Cakes with Roasted & Smoked Red Pepper Aioli The criss-cross garnish is garlic chives from the local Farmers' Market. Peppers were smoke while smoking the previously mentioned chicken. A.