Daddy-A

Okay, so someone's drinking G&T ... scotch ... can't quite make out what's beside the Lamb's & the Grand Marnier. I'm amazed you were able to post today! A.

Might I suggest those of us living near each other help each other out with some of the ingredients. e.g. peppyre lives near me (or at least where I work) so we could join forces with regards to say, confit. From CB's excellent post, I gather it's simpler to to it in larger portions ... and perhaps make it simpler to do cassuolet or more than one occaision. Same story for sausage, although I doubt I'll be making my own ... too many good sausage places near me. A.

Strange ... I always though it was so-named for the fisticuffs that went on during the post-Christmas Day sales. A.

Two new Wusthof knives: a 3.5" paring knife, and a filet knife! Used the paring knife to prepare roasted cauliflower & brussel sprouts for Christmas dinner. Books! Rhulman's The Soul of a Chef, The Best of Food Writing 2004, & The Cheese Companion by Judy Ridgway. We've also received some GC's for The Bay, so a new le Creuset dutch oven is in our future. Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays everyone! A.

Must ... fight ... urge ... to make ... fun ... I'm just wondering how the hell they harvest the damn things! Anything like moth balls? A.

I dunno ... what do you have to trade? Not an NHL season, I know that for sure! 2 more days until the World Juniors start!!! Sweet hockey release! A.

Snickering from the West Coast while I get ready for a quick round of golf I don't know what your kids are complaining about ... they apparently don't have to eat veggies Really enjoying this Marlene. Taking notes for a Souther-Style Pig-Thing I'm planning for this summer. I'm helping Varmint with his kitchen ... he's helping me with the BBQ. This eGullet trade-off thing seems to work well for us Canucks eh?? A.

Okay ... I'll say it: Nice buns Brian! A.

I heard that Brando was up for the role...but he died. Adam Sandler would be a good second.... Working title: The Passion of the Dough! ← Have you seen Spanglish yet? Apparently he trained with Keller for the role. Maybe he could train with you & Keith for the role. Working title II: The Kolachy & I A.

That's hillarious! I can't imagine Keith as a 285 lb-er! Great post Brian, and a great story. Just goes to show that good food and people that care about it will be successful regardless of the food trend o' the day. Is there a movie deal in the works? A.

Breakfast for the first day of winter: Poached eggs on dark Russian Rye with shaved parmigiano reggiano and Big Don's red tomato chutney. Latte is in the Mickey mug in the background. A.

Hey! When did I become the kolachy-cszar? Moosh was the one who got me hooked in the first place! Let's blame her! Besides, I share. Ask peppyre & nwyles A.

Surely, you must be joking. No kidding. We'll be sure to tell the cod fishers in Newfoundland that the fish stocks are in good hands. Ooops! Too late! A.

editor, Neil & James, Great discussion! But we need to find a way to get it back onto the subject at hand (i.e. Who has the best service in Vancouver / Western Canada) or this thread may get moved, and thousands will be confused (where did that thread go?). Feel free to start up a thread in General Food Topics ... especially regarding the tax situation. The many many FOH people on eGullet will be interested in that! A question: What places in town implement these "rules" the best? I agree with many here that Earl's does a great job of using a system to keep their service extremely consistent. This from the Where've You Eaten Lately? thread: This is exciting news! So just what does Andre have to do to get Chambar firing on all cylinders? A. Forum Narc

Great Neil, now I'm going to be doing Kolachy runs for everyone! Then again you pastrami-stud that was a more than equitable trade. Warm them up ... just not too long. And not in the MW if you can help it.

Farm-fresh butter on saltines It's a childhood thing. A.

Patience Foodie, patience. You have to have something to look forward to in 2005! A.

Kolachey SHop - Last Friday with Moosh and the little Mouse (jeez that kid can eat!). Enjoyed a nice bowl of the Beef Stroganoff, a Reuben & a Roasted Veggie & Goat Cheese. Dropped off a couple kolachey for peppyre as her office is on my way back to the showroom, and took a Christmas Ham kolachy home to J. What did you think of the Christmas Ham peppyre? Sand Bar - Staff Christmas Party, *sigh*. I try and I try to get the powers that be to go to some place better ... bot wallet-busting better, just better. Can somebody explain to me how a set menu with 3 entrees can use the same frickin' sides for all 3?? Steak (more like gristle surrounded by meat), chicken and salmon ... all served with mash potatoes and red cabbage. I understand the concept of keeping it simple for these parties ... but that was just lazy. I was actually surprised as I've had a couple of decent meals at Sand Bar. Highlight of the night: The 4 cougars hitting on one of our carpenters. Cru - Yesterday, J & I spent the afternoon decorating the tree and listening to Ella & Nat sing Yuletide favorites. By four, neither of us were feeling particularly "festive" ... we were just tired and hungry. So before an impromptu visit to Van Dusen Garden's Festival of Lights, we dropped of for dinner at Cru. This was our first visit ... and I feel bad for all the time I wasted. Enjoyed the roast Lobster w/ beets, frites ... duck confit ... lamb (sooooooo good!)with gnocci ... bruschetta. Dessert was poached pears for me, goat cheese cake for J ... okay, we shared I also had a glass of a really nice rosé, and forgot to write down the name. I want to add a couple bottles to the cellar, so if anyone knows the wine lists there really well ... What I really liked about Cru was how Vancouver it was. The food was wonderful, but everything was so unpretentious and welcoming. The room is great too ... I took some decor notes for my own home. We'll be back for sure. A.

My suspicion? Location location location. Just like the Safeway in Kits is higher priced than the one I used to frequent in North Burnaby. A.

Sean - you'll notice how I cleverly worked "cheeseburger" into the equation. As long as it's food related, go for it. Check out some of the threads under General Food Topics and you'll see how fine some people cut that rule! A.

Coop, don't forget the Lougheed! Man I miss the Arch ... best cheeseburgers ever. A.

Sean, Are we talking about the building or the business? Because, if it's the building then I'm behind you all the way. Vancouver is very bad at levelling its architectural history in the name of progress. We're getting better (e.g. Yaletown) but still have a long way to go. Now if we're talking about the business, here's where we part company. A business survives not because it is "historically significant" to the city. It survives because it provides a service people want. Places like The Aristocrat fall by the wayside all the time. I should say I know absolutely nothing about the place (except a coffee and muffin I had there one "morning after" ) so other than the building being sold to make way for another, bigger building, I don't know why it didn't relocate. Perhaps the owners took their big "cash-in" and retired. I do agree that we are lacking in the long-standing diner-type places. Legislating them into solvency isn't the answer. Supporting them so they'll stay open is. Throw a PARTY!!!!!!!!!! Honest to god does anyone care about that ancient bastion of mediocrity? <SNIP> Think of restaurant history as a karmic wheel-all that is here today is illusion and will soon fade to be replaced by another illusion. Driving along a city street it's easy to believe in reincarnation when one contemplates the buildings that once held someone's dreams now flogging used bicycles and garden tools-all illusion. I never thought I'd say this ... but I agree with Sam The Naam is okay. Never understood the buzz. But it stays in business so it must be doing something right. I like you're illusion analogy too Sam. History cannot be created, it must simply exist. A.

$35 for a 3 coarse dinner in a fine dining restaurant that normally charges $25-$45 for a main course is a still a fantastic deal. $25 is barely break even point. ← I agree. It's amazing how much of the public feels they are "owed" something during events like this. $35 is a steal! A.

I'm really enjoying this thread ... good dicussion on Vancouver service staff. Is that really the case here? Are we really Hollywood North in that respect as well? Peter, you scare me dude There are many great forums on tipping already going: The Concept of "Pooling Tips" Waiter's Tip Tricks Tipping for Take-out Feel free to continue the conversation there. A.

There's no question as to the illegality of the practice. But it appears it still happens. The original purpose of this post was to find out which restaurants do allow BYOW. Since the practice is illegal in BC, this part of the thread is dead in the water, since a)eGullet cannot be seen as supporting the practice, and b)eGullet cannot be seen as the cause for one of these establishments getting into trouble with the BCLDB. However, the discussion of whether or not BYOW should be allowed is fair game. A. Your Friendly, Neighbourhood Forum Narc