Mooshmouse

"The perfect matcha", a recent article in the Georgia Straight, should help you out.

In the space formerly occupied by Lesley Stowe Fine Foods, I saw a sign that read "quince... coming soon". Who's got the dish on this?

In the case of the latter three, I'd call you silly for missing out on some wonderful dining experiences, all for the sake of a name.

This post (click) should answer your question.

The Vancouver Courier Wednesday, July 27 edition Tasty detours on B.C.’s open road – “Somewhere, B.C. This week join me on a tasty road trip, as I prove there's no shortage of good tastes to be found on the smaller highways and byways of this bountiful province, well beyond Vancouver.” (Tim Pawsey) The Georgia Straight Thursday, July 28 edition Best Eating: Bountiful berries – “‘Think globally, act locally’… This borrowed concept also leads one to learn more about the wild fruit that has sustained people of this region for centuries.” (Nick Smith) Best Eating: A secret tomato treat that gets ready as you sleep – Nick Smith’s epiphany on the magic transformation of slow-baked oven-roasted tomatoes from “the familiar into the unfamiliar” Uncorked: Wasting away again in genuine margaritaville – “[W]hen the weekend forecast calls for seasonable sun and warmth, with occasional cold drinks and afternoon funny periods, there’s nothing to do but to haul out the plastic patio glasses, the real tequila, the fresh limes and lemons for the juice—and the kosher salt. The discs by Old Parrothead are optional.” (Jurgen Gothe) Food of the Week: Café D’Lite relocation – Kitsilano budget eatery to close on August 31 (Angela Murrills) Brew of the Week: Digging through ciders – Growers Red Ruby Grapefruit Dry Cider is Jurgen Gothe’s pick for a lazy summer afternoon on the deck Straight Goods: Gorgeous George – Yaletown’s newest “ultra lounge” is a stunner (Judith Lane) Straight Goods: Pasture of plenty – Head down to Granville Island on August 1 for a special BC Day farmers’ market (Angela Murrills) The Westender Thursday, July 28 edition (Lifestyles section) A bounty of delights on offer at Hapa Izakaya – “One minute you feel like getting tanked on sake and making mischief with your oshibori (wet towel), while the next you're in foodie heaven on the cheap.” (Andrew Morrison) Foodie Q&A / Bubble tea yes, larvae milkshakes no – Profile of David Chan, Executive Chef at Enthuze (Andrew Morrison) Terminal City Thursday, July 28 edition Rollin’ like thunder: Sushi surprises in the gaybourhood – Naben Ruthnum is schooled on the specialty rolls at Kadoya on Davie Street, “full of unexpected textures and flavours, varyingly warm and cool and extremely delicious.”

The Vancouver Courier Tuesday, July 26 edition Iron Chef grills appliance – Rob Feenie recently helped Siemens launch its arrival on the Canadian marketplace at Future Shop's West Broadway location Saveur offers a welcome respite from Robson Street's hustle and bustle, not to mention an outstanding $38 prix-fixe dinner menu

Did I read wrong? Is Le Crocodile not on that list of already-dined-at places? That'd be my pick.

The Vancouver Courier Wednesday, July 20 edition Passion drives perfection – “[spanish] winemaker Telmo Rodriguez is critical of the wine-making status quo.” (Tim Pawsey) The Georgia Straight Thursday, July 21 edition Best Eating: From Belgium to the world – “Fresh from the culinary hotbeds of London and Spain, chef Garry Mallel sends out a mostly cliché-free menu of original flavours and familiar ingredients given a makeover…” at Stella’s on The Drive (Angela Murrills) Straight Goods: Summer scorcher – With roots in West Africa, Awassi Ebese Zozo Hot Sauce is the latest concoction available to fire up your palate (Judith Lane and Angela Murrills) Straight Goods: Blueberry rush – Bremner’s Pure Juice “crams well over a kilo of berries into a 946 mL bottle” (Judith Lane and Angela Murrills) The Westender Thursday, July 21 edition (Lifestyles section) Hey big spender! Prepare for a lesson in Waiternomics – “Enter tipping, the real patron saint of the restaurant business. It may be a system based on illusion, but the truth hurts: without it, our dining options would quickly dwindle to Denny's and Mom's house.” (Andrew Morrison) Terminal City Thursday, July 21 edition A Study In Adequacy: Zesty leaves much to your tastebuds’ imagination – “There is a place in the world for restaurants that are inexpensive and gastronomically unambitious; while they may do okay on the balance sheet, they don't do much for restaurant reviewers.” (Ian King)

Thank you for that outrageously huge laugh!

The timing of this thread is splendid, as Ian and I are heading up to the Okanagan in about 2 1/2 weeks to celebrate our anniversary. As we'll be staying at the Naramata Heritage Inn for two nights, would you recommend dinner at the Wine Bar or the Dining Room? Our other intended culinary stops are dinner at Fresco and lunch at Burrowing Owl on the way back, and we've yet to choose a lunch spot for Sunday afternoon.

Canucklehead, Daddy-A, peppyre and I stopped in at Ganache Pâtisserie for a post-prandial sweet fix on Friday afternoon. Our selection by committee came up with the following four desserts. Starting from the top left and working clockwise, we have: Chocolat Noir: Tanzanie chocolate mousse, flourless chocolate biscuit, 70% dark chocolate ganache with cayenne pepper, brownie biscuit Caramel-Chocolat: Milk chocolate caramel mousse with hazelnut croquant, raspberry gelée, 75% Tanzanie dark chocolate mousse, praline crunch, chocolate biscuit Blanc Gingembre: White chocolate cheesecake, crystallized ginger, raspberries Campari-Litchi: raspberry campari cream, lychees, vanilla sablé Of this quartet, my definite favourite was the Blanc Gingembre. Delicate and creamy, not too sweet with just a hint of ginger flavour offset nicely by the tartness of the raspberries. And the Chocolat Noir had a lovely subtle bite, courtesy of the cayenne pepper. I'll leave it to my dining companions to weigh in on our other two pastry selections. As an aside, Chef Peter Fong unveiled his new summer menu on Saturday... definitely worth another trip down soon to check it out.

Soba, you're thinking of munggo guisado: stewed mung beans often cooked with prawns/shrimps or pork. Here's a pictorial recipe link in case you're still curious.

The Vancouver Courier Monday, July 18 edition Stella's! Stella's! – "From "tapas" to "taps," it's guaranteed you'll find something here that appeals, from a line-up of sensibly priced Belgians and locally grown R&B on tap to a rundown of bottles that pushes all the right buttons," writes Tim Pawsey of the newest spot on The Drive

Here's my take on Friday's trio of restaurants. Lunch with canucklehead, Daddy-A and peppyre at Simply Thai on Hamilton Street in Yaletown. Though it was packed to the rafters, they managed to shoehorn us into the last available four-top. Started off with Spring Rolls and Peek Gai Yad Sai (stuffed chicken wings)... little morsels of deep-fried goodness. These were quickly followed by three selections from their "Power Lunch" menu: Simply Thai Salad (garden greens, cucumber, tomatoes, onions and boiled egg with Simply Thai's special dressing topped with grilled chicken breast), the requisite Pad Thai, and Pork Green Curry. Of all the dishes, I felt the Pad Thai was the weakest; too sweet for my liking. The Green Curry packed a nice amount of heat, but the hands-down winner was the Stuffed Chicken Wings. Two orders of those with a Singha chaser and I'd be all set. Quick trip around the corner to Ganache Pâtisserie for dessert x 4. I'll post my photo and review on the "Sweets In The City" thread. Needless to say, Chef Peter Fong's pastries did not disappoint. Ian and I were able to squeeze in a date at Cru, thanks to the ever-gracious Mark Taylor who saved us two seats at the bar on a very busy Friday night. I partook of a Coupe Framboise, and Ian started the evening's libations off with a pint of draft wheat ale. Two amuses-bouches soon appeared to accompany our drinks. Cortes Island Oysters with an orange and ginger mignonette Wonderfully light and sweet. The perfect way to start off our prix-fixe dinner. Asparagus Velouté with crème fraiche and white truffle oil Tough for me to comment, as Ian only sacrificed one spoonful of his incredibly delicious soup. Creamy and rich in texture, yet still very bright and fresh tasting. Delicious. Beef Tenderloin Carpaccio with caperberries, truffle aioli and shaved parmesan Pairing: Kenwood 2002 Sonoma County Zinfandel Excellent as always. Paired with an extraordinary wine, big on body with lots of blackberry and fig, beautifully smooth finish. Beef Tenderloin with cabernet mushroom demi and blue cheese soufflé Pairing: Kenwood 2002 Sonoma County Zinfandel One of my go-to main courses. If ever I’m in need of a really good dinner, I’m assured of nothing but the best whenever I order this dish. Ian usually has the lamb, but he declared this to be one of, if not the best piece of beef he’s ever eaten in Vancouver. And the blue-cheese soufflé? I would never have thought I’d enjoy blue-cheese anything until I tried it for the first time… it started me off on the path to stinky-cheese enlightenment. Pan-seared Local Halibut in a coconut-curry broth with pea shoots Pairing: Pierre Sparr 2003 Pinot Gris Reserve Few restaurants in Vancouver, if any at all, do halibut as well as Cru. A perfectly seasoned, well-seared exterior with fork-tender flesh on the inside. The coconut-curry broth was very well executed: extremely soft and flavourful without overpowering the fish. Nicely accented by the round honey and pear aromas of the Pinot Gris.. Bitter Chocolate Torte with port-stewed rhubarb and crème fraîche Pairing: Broadbent Madeira Terrantez Old Reserve Intense dark-chocolate flavour, velvety-smooth texture, paired nicely with the Madeira’s rich fragrance. I had to pry Ian's fork away in order to get my share. Frozen Passionfruit Soufflé with macadamia-nut biscotto Pairing: Quails’ Gate botrytis-affected Optima 2003 This was, by far, the runaway dish of the evening. Delicate and light with just the right amount of tang, perfectly tempered by the Optima’s honey notes. All in all, yet another extraordinary evening at Cru. Mim was wonderfully entertaining behind the bar; unless we have friends joining us for dinner, it’s now our new favourite place to sit.

No.. but I read an interesting review somewhere... maybe the Canadian Jewish News? ← Well, it's not the Canadian Jewish News, but I did manage to Google a review here.

Well, according to the Jewish Western Bulletin, Omnitsky's is on Cambie Street... 5866 Cambie Street to be exact. East side of the street, across from Oakridge, just south of 41st Avenue in a little commercial mall.

Lo and behold Soba: siopao. And here's another link, just for good measure. Slightly sweet steamed buns filled with either pork or chicken. I've also had a 'chicken special' that has ground chicken, Chinese sausage and hard-boiled egg. Perfect for breakfast on the run or merienda. Hmmmm. Time to go and get some siopao. It's been a while.

I had the same experience last night with the Natural burger vis-à-vis the classic Vera Burgers that I've ordered in the past. Mind you, perhaps this has more to do with the leanness of the meat rather than the method of cooking. Just speculating is all.

On our way out to Third Beach last night with Vera's Junior Dog in hand for Junior Mouse, we drove past a hotdog stand along Beach Avenue that I wish I could have stopped to photograph. No word of a lie, the sandwich board beside it read, "Cougar's Menu." After all, it's common knowledge that there's nothing a cougar wants more than a good all-beef wiener...

Vancouver Magazine July 2005 edition Where the Bites Are – A list of 25 “under the radar” restaurants well worth checking out (Jamie Maw et al) The Vancouver Courier Wednesday, July 13 edition Spanish Al Barino a ‘no-brainer’ – “Val do Salnas… home to Albarino, the truly distinctive Spanish white wine renowned for its delicate floral aromas, crisp acidity and sometimes pronounced minerality.” (Tim Pawsey) Wine of the week – Martin Codax Albarino 2004 The Georgia Straight Thursday, July 14 edition Go simply into the night – “The heart and soul of aperos is getting together with friends at home on the spur of the moment. And the key word is simple. Simple food, simple drink, everyone sitting around a table set with bowls and bottles.” (Angela Murrills) Best Eating: Ice cream, sorbet and gelato: frozen, sweet and so decadent – Jennifer Lyon indulges in the tantalizing frozen treats of summer Uncorked: Marinate some meat for green-wine treat – Jurgen Gothe waxes poetic on the virtues of Vinho Verdes Food of the Week: Salmon seven days a week – Salmon: The Cookbook offers new pescetarian inspiration Brew of the Week: Robertus Double Malted Beer Straight Goods: Grow ops – The Fruit Tree Project supports local charitable organizations The Westender Thursday, July 14 edition (Lifestyles section) Marmalade needs to get jammin’: The newest spot on the seawall, Marmalade, is still looking for its land legs Foodie Q&A / Dragonflies: A sour apple martini anyone? – Profile of Ali Piran, Head Chef at Grotto Lounge & Grill Terminal City Thursday, July 14 edition Moderne Mach II: Weep no more, West Broadway – Allen Forrister chows down, fifties style, at “the post-fire, freshly re-opened Deluxe Moderne Burger”

Still in Salt Spring holiday mode, the Mouse family ordered some burgers to go from the Vera's Denman Street location for an impromptu picnic at Third Beach. Junior Mouse had a kid-sized hot dog (1/2 a Hebrew National dog) which falls outside of the Burger Club realm; hence, no photo. Vancouver at its best Vera's Lamb Burger Topped with dijon, mayo, ketchup, lettuce, tomato, pickles, raw onion and blue cheese. Ian demolished it so quickly that I didn't even get a chance to taste it! Vera's Natural Burger My burger: a Blue Goose organic beef patty topped with dijon, Vera's sauce (heavenly), ketchup, lettuce, tomato, pickles, sauteed mushrooms and provolone cheese. Nicely seasoned patty, a bit drier than the regular Vera Burger but the Vera's Sauce compensated nicely. Boylan's Grape Soda The perfect accompaniment to any burger (or kolachy, for that matter!). Couldn't have asked for a finer evening. Feenie's, I'm waiting to be impressed!

Mmmmm... ube cake. That's pretty impressive Jenn; ube isn't a flavour widely known among non-Filipinos. Goldilocks also makes an ube macapuno buttercream roll, akin to a jelly roll, that has tender young coconut rolled into it. One of my favourites. The boat tarts are pastry shells filled with various tropical fruits: jackfruit (langka), young coconut (macapuno), ube (purple yam), mango, pineapple, almond and cheese. If anyone ever needs a gastronomic tour of the Goldilocks pastry case, I'm in!

The Vancouver Courier Monday, July 11 edition Going gaga for B.C. grape – “It takes us a while to get around to these things in Canada, but finally a collective of minds has decreed July to be B.C. Wine Month.” (Tim Pawsey) B.C. Wine of the Week – Gray Monk unoaked 2004 Chardonnay Pop culture – Michael Kissinger provides “an unflinching guide to some of this summer's good, bad and downright troubling non-alcoholic refreshments for those willing to broaden their beverage horizons in the name of thirst and perhaps, morbid curiosity.”

Edited: Simultaneous post to Vancouver They don't have a website per se, but their page on diningoutguide.com as noted above gives you all the information you need. Well worth the drive to Burnaby... it's one of our favourite restaurants. Enjoy!

The Vancouver Courier Wednesday, July 6 edition Spice Girls on Broadway – “Chutney Villa co-owners Lisa Lahey and Chindi Varadarajulu bring the tastes of South India to Vancouver.” (Tim Pawsey) The Georgia Straight Thursday, July 7 edition Order at the court – Angela Murrills takes “a culinary tour of Asia only 25 minutes from downtown” at Aberdeen Centre in Richmond Best Eating: There’s more to dig in Pemberton than its world famous potatoes – “If you’ve never ventured beyond the Upper Village turnoff all the way to Meadows Road, then expect the unexpected…” (Andre Lariviere) Uncorked: Every little breeze tells of new wineries – Jurgen Gothe tallies a few of the many new wineries throughout the province Food of the Week: Vista d'Oro Farms – Sample Chef Lee Murphy’s artisanal spreads (Judith Lane) Brew of the Week: Dave's Big Beer Adventure – Dave Holden’s annual trek down to the Oregon Brewmasters’ Festival, July 29-31 (Jurgen Gothe) Cheap Eats – Fiction and Lucy Mae Brown feature new three-course prix-fixe menus for $25 (Judith Lane) Smoke Free – Moderne Burger’s Peter Kokonis happy to reopen for business (Judith Lane) The Westender Thursday, July 7 edition (Lifestyles section) Take-out has come a long way baby – LilyKate and Enthuze step up to feed and feed on “fast-moving urbanites” Foodie Q&A: A hot dog is what’s needed after nine holes – Owen Knowlton, Sommelier and Wine Director at West Terminal City Thursday, July 7 edition Guac’in Tall: In nachos, as in life, resistance is futile – Read on to find out “how one woman won the Avocado War in the Guacamole Jungles of Death.” (Suzette Brulée & Foody McEat)