Mooshmouse

Coincidentally, there's a current thread in the Pacific Northwest forum on foods indigenous to Seattle and the Pacific Northwest. You should hit the Seattle jackpot there.

That's the recurring sentiment from most posters since it opened 3 months ago: Good comfort food, great (rave-worthy) desserts, service issues. ← See, that's why our meal from November sticks out so clearly in my mind. I had an interminably long lunch at Diner soon after it opened and was expecting service to falter in a similar manner that night. No worries, since we weren't in a hurry anyway. But there weren't any issues with the pace of our meal or the timing of our dishes. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised. I think that canucklehead's comment upthread hit the nail on the head.

Oh, Wes. You so don't need to be painting any verbal portraits of you in your skivvies at 3:00 a.m.

As a Melriches-goer myself, I can confidently say that Diner has atmosphere in spades over Melriches.

Was cleaning out my camera's memory card the other night and stumbled across a couple of photos from a meal at Diner. These are of a dinner that Ian and I had on the Friday night of Remembrance Day weekend after shopping for presents at the Circle Craft Christmas market. We rolled in to the restaurant at about 8:30ish that evening. All but three of the tables were occupied, but there was an easy, relaxed vibe in the room. There were three servers on the floor who seemed to be handling things rather efficiently. Having had and loved the meatloaf on previous occasions, I heartily recommended it to Ian. I, in need of a starch fix, opted for the perogies. A pint of Red Truck and a tumbler of red wine were our respective beverages of choice. The meatloaf was as good as ever. Moist, sweet tomatoey goodness. And the perogies. Ooooh, the perogies. I'm no connoisseur, but these were pretty damn fine. Filling was well seasoned, not bland and pasty as it can be in the worst of establishments. Just enough bacon and fried onions to ration some out with each bite. Of course, we had chocolate soufflé. When I ordered one for each of us, Ian gave me that quizzical look as if to say, "What, are you on crack? Soufflé really isn't my thing. We should probably share just one." Yeah, right. That sentiment lasted as long as his first bite. All in all, a very well-paced meal. No service hiccups. Comfort food at its best on a damp winter evening. Ian's been a believer ever since.

Finally got around to formatting these photos. My post is, however, accompanied by a disclaimer. Warning: the pictures that you're about to see represent an obscene amount of food for two people to share... probably enough to feed half the population of Eritrea with leftovers. View at your own risk. So stylish. So chic. So very Gianni-Versacesque. NOT. Without question, some of the best dim sum that I've ever had in the Lower Mainland. Very, very high on my list. The best way for me to describe the bread would be like the feathery sweet Asian knockoff of brioche topped with a light sugar topping. Outstanding filling, flavour didn't overpower the lightness of the bread. In hindsight, I should have used my flash photo of the pea shoots as it clearly shows the oiliness of this dish. No worries. Only one small misstep. As Lee said, good but not outstanding. I thought the rice was slightly too dry but still well flavoured. The beef cheung fun more than compensated for the rice balls. Very lightly flavoured. Water chestnuts offered a good textural counterpoint to the soft noodles and tender beef. Surprisingly, though also filled with ground beef, much different in taste from the meatballs as seen below. An absolutely delicious version of this dish. The meatballs had a very delicate taste, and the cilantro added a lovely brightness. Excellent. The taro with scallops and curried pork was extremely rich. Not my favourite dish at the best, so I can't accurately comment on how well it was executed. However, as good as the steamed pork and chive dumplings were, they played second fiddle to the deep-fried version. These were wonderfully light, not too greasy with a hint of sweetness. Believe it or not, Lee, you actually forgot a dish. Char Siu So, a barbecue-pork-filled "cake" of sorts with tender, flaky pastry. You got that right, Lee. Do we ever learn? We were even thinking about ordering dessert but simply ran out of time. I leave you with this lovely post-holiday image of Christmas cheer at Shiang Garden. Classy.

i knew i'd get into trouble with that "organical feel" well, it's like, you know, it should kind of have the feel of a big relaxed muscle, yet sort of tacky... but actually, i think you'll know what i mean when you're there ← When you first start kneading the dough, it will be quite tacky and rather wet in appearance. As you continue kneading, the consistency will change from tacky to firm, and it'll become visually smoother. Resist the temptation to stop kneading when you get to this stage because you're not finished yet. Keep kneading through the extremely firm, smooth stage; the dough will soon ease up a bit on firmness and become slightly tacky to the touch once again. That's when you're done. ← ok I think I've been on this part before at one point or 2 ( since I did try baking bread twice ) I've been kneading say 10 min + then my dough gets to that firm consistency and becomes visually smooth.....but if i knead more the dough becomes less elastic, should that happen? coz it seems like if I knead more I might eventually end up with vulcanized rubber.... ← Yes, it should happen. That's exactly the point in your kneading to which I was originally referring. Stop right there. I start with my wet ingredients in a stainless steel bowl and add my flour gradually, stirring with a wooden spoon until it becomes the consistency of something less wet than mucilage and is dry enough to handle in a cohesive ball without too much mess. By estimate, I'm guessing that I've added about half my required amount of flour at this point. I then dump the dough ball out onto the floured countertop and continue to knead while gradually adding in flour. With this method, you should use up most, if not all, of the flour that's called for in your recipe.

i knew i'd get into trouble with that "organical feel" well, it's like, you know, it should kind of have the feel of a big relaxed muscle, yet sort of tacky... but actually, i think you'll know what i mean when you're there ← When you first start kneading the dough, it will be quite tacky and rather wet in appearance. As you continue kneading, the consistency will change from tacky to firm, and it'll become visually smoother. Resist the temptation to stop kneading when you get to this stage because you're not finished yet. Keep kneading through the extremely firm, smooth stage; the dough will soon ease up a bit on firmness and become slightly tacky to the touch once again. That's when you're done.

Think of a citrus fruit that combines the flavours of lime, lemon, grapefruit and Mandarin orange. It's all that plus an incredible floral quality that's difficult to describe; upthread, I likened the taste of yuzu to eating a delicately flavoured citrus flower as the flavour quite literally blossoms in your mouth.

Melanie, question for you that I forgot to ask earlier. What were the reviews on the apple-walnut strudels? I'm an apple pie/strudel girl at heart, and I was very curious about that dessert.

Et puis, les photos. Perfectly seared tuna, not overly crusted. Dipping sauce was outstanding, light yet very soft and round mouthfeel. Venison was beautifully spiced, exquisitely flavourful. Brilliantly paired with the SLC Syrah. Will agree with Deborah that the Sumac Ridge Pipe really elevated the taste of the chocolate mousse cake; it really needed that extra something to give it much-needed fullness and richness. And I'm with gingerfreak on the sorbet... a lovely, refreshing end to a delicious, well-paced meal. 10 points for service. Thanks again, David.

Actually, Mark Taylor worked with Township 7 to create his House Red blend. Glad that your meal was stellar on all accounts!

Milk is only sold in bags in some regions of Canada. Here in British Columbia, I haven't seen bagged milk for about 20-some-odd years now, give or take a year or two. For all those of you wondering about bagged milk, lo and behold, there is The Canadian Milk Bag website. If you click on "The Steps", you'll find a pictorial detailing the subtle nuances of milk-bag usage. And, under "Misc.", there's also a animated demo of the snip-and-pour technique.

I think they are the beans typically used in cassoleut...? ← Yup. Also known as coco white beans, they are the beans customarily used by the French in cassoulet. Navy beans (haricot blanc/pearl haricot) are used as a substitute. We now return you to your regularly scheduled West DOV fangirliness.

Thanks for the concern - but no, I wasn't. Not a thing. ← .. are you serious ?! you seem to have taken it extremely positive though; i know that given i was in that circumstance, my review would have not been so glamourous. even though the food was great. did the man with the leather jacket not complain either? i think that the lack of reconciliation, given accidents like these, show a bad part on the service at Bistro Pastis. ← Instead of rehashing this by adding another shovelful to this rather mountainous molehill, here's a link to my reply on the DOV Suggested Dining Protocols thread.

Link to the post describing ElizR's experience at Pastis (last paragraph) [CLICK] ElizR's mishap was unfortunate, to be sure. But it had NOTHING to do with DOV, and as I see it, the restaurant was under no obligation whatsoever to comp anything to anyone. Would a comp have been a smart business practice? Perhaps. Far too often however I'm reading about how a dining experience wasn't up to snuff, and how someone was "owed" something. It seems these sentiments are amplified during DOV, and I'm completely baffled as to why. The analogy I like to use is Disneyland. One of the most popular times of year to go to DL is Spring Break ... and that is why I will never go during Spring Break. 60+ minute line-ups for Space Mountain are no way to spend a vacation. But if I were to go, would I be asking Mickey for a comped slice of Cheesecake-on-a-Stick ( GOOD!)? Yeah, sure buddy ... ← Here, hear, Arne. I was going to keep quiet about this, but this has degenerated far beyond the sublime to the ridiculous. Let's be real, people. It was water that was spilled. An outfit-ruining glass of red wine? No. 150-degree scalding-hot third-degree-burn-inducing coffee? No. Water. Four of us were discussing this issue over a DOV dinner last night. As one of my dining companions so aptly put it, "If circumstances during a restaurant meal degenerate to the point where I'm expecting to be comped, chances are that I've already got my jacket on and am ready to walk out the door." To further agree with Arne's perspective, this is, after all, DOV. Goat rodeo central. As at Disneyland, there is no excuse for shoddy service. But concessions must be made on the part of both the fair-goer and the diner when knowingly visiting during times that beget beyond-peak volume. And, in ElizR's own words, service was far from shoddy. Here's a telling snippet from the original post: Touché.

Yuji's Japanese Tapas on West 4th Avenue serves a yuzu sorbet that is nothing like I've ever tasted. Extraordinarily delicious, it's like eating a delicately flavoured citrus blossom.

The Vancouver Courier Friday, January 20 edition Forks & Corks kicks off wining and dining season – Starting with this event hosted by The Vancouver Club on February 3, Tim Pawsey gives the heads-up on a number of upcoming competitions and tasting events around town.

Mid-February, from what I've heard.

Laura, we've signed up for the follow-up Advanced Course, having already taken our prerequisite installment of the Serious Foodie in September. Fear not: I'm sure that you'll have a few fellow eGulleters slicing and dicing with you come May.

Whoohoo! Me three, Dave. It'll be great to share a kitchen with you. And equally great to have you back in our regular Vancouver dining rotation, if only for a little while. Can't wait to tip a glass with you again.

Just think: you could have eaten crispy-fried Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam instead.

The Globe and Mail Friday, January 20 edition Food for your temple – Alexandra Gill runs down a few alternatives for healthy fare to start off your new year. Vive le vin français – France is the focus for this year's Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival, and tickets are flying out the door. (Alexandra Gill)

The Vancouver Courier Thursday, January 19 edition Doin' the Dine Out – Tim Pawsey runs through a few suggestions on restaurant patron protocol for both Dine Out newcomers and veterans. Tim Pawsey tastes his way through Al Porto's $25 DOV menu. The B.C. Wine Institute's comprehensive online list of suggested food and wine pairings comes in handy when negotiating DOV's maze of VQA offerings. Wine of the Week: Wild Goose Stoney Slope Riesling 2004 The Georgia Straight Thursday, January 19 edition Best Eating: T&T offers take-home New Year's goodies – By marrying tradition and convenience, T&T Supermarket makes Chinese New Year's prep a breeze. (Angela Murrills) Uncorked: Vanilla is turning has-beens into has-beans – "The vanillification of the [spirit] world continues." (Jurgen Gothe) Food of the Week: Libby's Kitchen (Angela Murrills) Drink of the Week: Phillips Brewing’s Amnesiac Double IPA (Jurgen Gothe) Straight Goods: Wallet stretchers – Non-DOV-participants Fiction and Lucy Mae Brown are still serving up bargains with their respective $25 and $30 three-course prix fixe menus. (Judith Lane and Angela Murrills) Straight Goods: Wine and wellness – The B.C. Heart and Stroke Foundation will benefit from your ticket purchases for the Canaccord Wine Experience being held on Tuesday, January 24. (Judith Lane and Angela Murrills) Straight Goods: Cooking large – Chef Michael Smith's visit to the Cook Studio Café airs Tuesday, January 24 on Food Network Canada. (Judith Lane and Angela Murrills) Straight Goods: Chi-knees – Tickets are still available for Gung Haggis Fat Choy, aka Toddish McWong’s Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner, on Sunday, January 22. (Judith Lane and Angela Murrills) Straight Goods: Critic alert – Spout off about Vancouver's eateries on the Zagat survey of our city's best and worst. (Judith Lane and Angela Murrills) Straight Goods: Cozze e vongole – The Italian Cultural Centre hosts a cooking class duet, the first of which runs on Wednesday, January 25. (Judith Lane and Angela Murrills) Straight Goods: Sunday tea – Janice Wong will be at the Roundhouse Community Centre on Sunday, January 22 to share stories from and sign copies of her latest oeuvre, From China to Canada—Memories of Food and Family. (Judith Lane and Angela Murrills) The Westender Thursday, January 19 edition (Lifestyles section) Curious brings a taste for tapas to darkest Gastown – Despite a few kinks in the menu, Andrew Morrison deems this Powell Street eatery a promising new addition to the neighbourhood.

Chef will be teaching you the proper use of a steel. If you come to class early enough and ask very, very nicely, one of the pro student assistants might sharpen your knives for you.