Chef Metcalf

Here's how the French serve it Neil. This was served it to us (cut tableside) in Pont de Moussons in France two weeks ago at a little outdoor cafe. It didn't appear to have been marinated in anything except maybe red wine and evoo. I wasn't that hungry and just ordered a goat's cheese salad that turned out to be an enormous portion, as was the hanger that H couldn't even finish (eating copious amounts of bread might have had something to do with that too). It was bloody hot out too (35C) so we were forced to order a bottle of chilled rose! After the steak arrived and we realized it was hanger, (wasn't posted on the menu) we toasted all the egulleteers in Vancouver!

We arrived in Roses two days ago and had no problem finding accomodation. La Terreza is an excellent hotel and just a short walk to get to town. (144.00 E per night for a two night stay or cheaper if you stay three or seven) We drove along the road to El Bulli today and I would suggest you try and get a reservation at the hotel that is very close by on the beach next to El Bulli. It´s a road that you don´t want to drive in the dark let alone after 32 courses and wine. Sorry, can´t remember the name of the town or the hotel but Bux or someone should be able to help you out. We put our name on a waiting list, but as of yet have heard nothing (no surprise there)so we are off to La Llar tonight. All the meals we have ordered in Roses have been wonderful. The seafood is very fresh and expertly prepared. We had dinner last night at L´Estrop on the boardwalk and it was excellent, and a steal for the price we paid. Have fun and we envy your reservation for El Bulli! PS Con Roca is closed the first two weeks of July, but the other one, Con Fab(?)sp is open I believe.

Thanks all. While researching La Llar, I came upon this site which has quite a bit of info (albeit a little dated) for the region and mention of La Llar with phone number 972 25 53 68.

I agree with you Arne. If it's a farmers market, the ratio of farmers should far outweight the artisans. Not that there's anything wrong with artisans, but we are going there primarily for produce. Adios

Hi Mark I was just going by what the strawberry guy had told me about the produce vendors not being there because of father's day. The strawberries were good too. But I didn't see any cherries. I was there at about 4, maybe they had already left. I'm sure as the summer goes on it will get bigger and better. Hope so anyway. And I'll come say hi next time! cm

There is some other alternatives Joie.

Here's what we ended up with... I really enjoyed the Esperanza and the Rosado. The Las Rocas really needs a big steak with it. Nice though. Thanks for the help all!

Put them in the freezer for an hour or so prior to boiling or steaming. You won't need to kill them as they'll just go to sleep.

Yup...pretty sad. I was told that because it was father's day, the produce people did there usual morning markets and then took off for the day. I hope that's true and they have more than two produce people next week. Today only strawberries and mushrooms. cm

Thanks for pointing that thread out. Just to make you feel better Arne... you are only poaching it in the butter, not using it as a condiment, so actually it's probably leaner than your average fair served in a restaurant that has been steamed and served with butter on the side. Or do I just want that to be true?

Ditto this ^, and make sure that the lobster is room temperature too, just like you would a steak, before you poach it. I've had wonderful results from Keller's recipe. cm

Thanks John, I will be doing that. Already recieved the same info from El Bulli, but now there may be a small glimmer of hope.

But I wonder if they would know that information when you called in the day to check for cancellations, or would you have to just show up at dinner time and hope that some people opt for the terrace opening up seats in the restaurant? cm

Excellent. Thanks you Mumin!

I had the menu planned, than realized that one of the guests was allergic to seafood so I've re-hashed the whole thing at one in the morning to a Spanish tapa's menu (as we have Spain on the brain) sort of. Still one seafood tapa on the menu, but he can avoid that one. All the white wine drinkers in the group prefer "oaky chardonnays". Any rec's (and no razzing about the oaky chardonnay drinkers ) for Spanish whites around the $15.00-20.00 dollar range? I've never really drank that many Spanish whites (not my cup of tea), so I have no clue. I'd appreciate any input on this. Here's the menu, such as it is. Best I can do late night for a party tomorrow, starting at 4 or so. -Roasted Tomatoes with Thyme & Goat's Cheese on Puff Pastry -Lemon/rosemary/roasted garlic with sun-dried olive marinated BBQ'd chicken skewers (marinated, BBQ'd, cooled and then marinated in fresh marinade till serving time, to be flashed before serving, or maybe I will serve them cold depending on the weather and the time line) -Prawn Skewers done in the same way as above with a different marinade...any Spanish type ideas are welcome. -Roasted Asparagus wrapped with Serrano Ham -Portobello and Crimini Mushroom Pizza with Porcini Powder and some sort of cheese that I can't remember, before I froze it two weeks ago....maybe pecorino? Blueberry Limoncello Tiramisu made of course with home-made, egullet approved, Limoncello For the red I'm going to go with Las Rocas, Garnacha, 2003 (good cheap plonk and if it's good enough for Parker, it's good enough for the family)! My family wouldn't know the difference however, except if no oak was involved in their whites. cm

Cafe Luxemburg

I will ditto docsconze and say that we'll check it out for lunch and report back. Thanks for the info Revallo.

If you think steaming is the best result you should try butter poaching them, then make up your mind. Good results with spot prawns and scallops too.

Same same! Take-out on the Shore is a handful of places that you wouldn't normally eat at (even if you had the time). Get friendly with Hans at Thai Pudpongs and see if he will take your CC number and add the taxi delivery fare to the total bill? Capilano is good, live, but if you get take out, by the time it arrives you often get a puddle of grease on the bottom. Great noodles though! Email Deana and ask for her recommendations (that's your best bet). We used to order from a Chinese place called Sai Kor owned by a Japanese couple on Lonsdale. The food was excellent, cheap and fast delivery. Then it changed ownership and the battle on the phone to order with someone who speaks very little English was just way too hard. Not to mention the three follow up calls and hour and a half later asking us again for the address. We tried three times after it changed ownership, but gave up. Take out...(sorry Andrew, you'll have to get out of your PJ's and make a quick drive). Hamaei at Westview...good quality sushi, take out or eat in. Vina Vietnamese... and the best food of the chain...lovely hosts too. Thai Pudpons...Yum! The chef makes excellent Thai sauces...try and order the daily specials...including the stuffed chicken wings...you'll never eat those crappy wings at pubs again. We're waiting in anticipation, that someone will add some outstanding info to this thread and change the dire tone of our post and take-out.

When I was an expat, my first stop on the way home from the airport used to be the White Spot for a triple "O" burger. Times have changed though (take note White Spot) and now that they're not using the same buns and fries and have substituted cheap alternatives (after they got there liquor licence for a bar seating and are trying to become Milestones/Earls/ yada yada instead of a burger joint like they have been for the last 55 years)...I have no interest in going there. K, I'm done. Back on topic.....how bout the Red Door? Kids, chopsticks, lunch...it could work. Here's the link but you'll have to seach lifestyles/David and Goliath. cm

Thanks for reminding me! I still have some leaves in the freezer I need to use. Even if I did get sick from there, the meal was worth it! ← Hey, when you're in a foreign country, everything can make you sick because it's different bacteria, be it water, vegetables etc. For a meal like that, I think I'd take the risk.

I'm still alive Bux, but don't think that I didn't see the crime in this, albeit without personal injury We will check out the place across from Rafi's for sure and report back like good little egulleteers. I've now researched the two restaurants that docsconze recommended, but I'm hesitant in making a reservation because I am a foodie and Hans (the SO) is not. Don't get me wrong, he loves spouting the fact that he has his own personal chef and eating really well, but to have to drive 2 and a half hours there and back, it may be a hard sell (although, I would drive that and more for these two suggestions)! I have the info printed just in case! Thanks docsconze....and how's that Kaffir Balinese chicken coming along on the BBQ? Does it still need sugar? Even the "a couple of them felt sick the next day" does not faze me as it could have been one in a million things, from the guy who opened the cervasa to etc, etc. Thanks again Bux, docsconze and Corrina. frances

A big thank you for the helpful info chufi, jeroen and ludja. I think champagne and oysters would be a good primer for the plane ride back home to Vancouver. Yeh right, years ago I would have said that but now I just want to take an Ativan and sleep all the way home. We are wavering back and forth right now between laziness and practicality, airport or city hotel. We will arrive back in Amsterdam (flying in from London) on July 13, at 9:05pm to fly out the next day at 5:00pm to Canada. Are thinking was that we will probably just want to go to sleep after arriving at 9:05, by the time we get to the hotel etc, it's bedtime and we want to be in fine form to spend the next full day in the city. However, it's such a short ride into the city and we may feel like going out, so why not get a city hotel? I think we've made so many airport/hotel and restaurant (not a happy ending) reservations that our minds have turned to mush. Maybe you guys should decide for us? I think I'm really leaning on Amsterdam versu Shciphol myself, however Hans (yah, he's Dutch) may nix that idea depending on his post soccer mood tonight. It's not that he's moody, it's just that he can barely walk after a brutal hour on the field! But lets give it a shot. By the way, we are going to Europe for my SO's over 40's/50's (whatever) soccer league. Four or five games in Gaillac, France and three weeks to play around that... in The Netherlands and Belgium to visit relatives, a drive through Champagne and Burgundy to get to Gaillac and then a drive to Roses in the Costa Brava region, drive back to Montpellier, ditch the car, fly to London and back to Amsterdam to go home. Whoa, I feel exhausted already. Chufi, it's much warmer in Amsterdam than in Vancouver at the moment! It's warming up a little here, but we've had rainy cloudy weather for about 3 weeks and at times it's been pretty cold. Thanks everyone. hans en frans

We have three days in the Roses and Girona areas of Spain on the Costa Brava at the end of our trip to Europe. So far I have failed to get reservations at Michel Bras, El Bulli and El Celler de can Roca (closed for the first two weeks of July). We will be trying to get a reservation at Rafa's, but the way our luck is going they will either be closed or booked. I will be calling two weeks prior and hope to luck out and will also be calling El Bulli and Michel Bras just on the off chance there is a cancellation. So, with all the seemingly top choices booked or closed, I was wondering if there is any other high end or Michelin starred restaurants that you might suggest for us. Many thanks in advance. PS We have a car so anywhere within a half hour or hour of Roses could be taken into consideration. Frances

Banrock Station Sparkling Shiraz +575902 (product code) Phone the Cambie Street store, quote the code and they can tell your where the closest LDB specialty store that stocks it is. 660-9463