2roost

O.K. I'll admit the journalistic standards aren't much but I still think The Province qualifies as a Sunday paper.

Hope I'm not too late but I must second (third?fourth?) Salades des Fruites.

Pizza is always a delicate personal issue but I've gotta go with Chef Hawkesworth on this one - I have tried hard to like Zacchary's because they are right around the corner but the sauce and crust at Firewood is simply superior in my opinion - and after all sauce and crust are what Pizza is all about. As for champagne and Pizza we have tried it a couple of times and I agree it is NOT a match made in heaven.

Save on Meats (Hastings near Abbott)- just returned with a lovely piece of Sirloin ($3.98 lb.) and a nice little 4.5 lb. Ham ($1.99 lb.) passed on the Pork Hocks, this time, for $1.49 lb. Last week I picked up a 3.5 lb. prime rib roast there ($4.98 lb.) that was excellent and as BBQ season nears I highly recommend their 2" thick Rib Eyes at $5.98 lb. The seafood counter there is also excellent but stay away from the produce, walk a couple of blocks to Chinatown. Despite the general high "Island" prices on most things I still find the chicken place on Granville Island to be the best alternative for quality/price ratio

Without getting into a rant let me just say that while I think the VanMag Restaurants Awards are a great event it strikes me as odd that the 2 highest grossing restaurants in the city year in and year out (Bridges and Joe Forte's) are never acknowledged. Both places have been "doing it right" for 20 some years boys - throw them a freakin' bone ! Somewhere in between the VanMag awards and The Golden Plate probably lies a middle ground.

Well the building is empty with a second story being added and there's a "thanks for your patronage - visit us at other locations" sign in the window, so I don't think they will be re-opening anytime soon.

Kin's Market at City Square - lovely produce, large organics section and easy layout. I have tried the Oakridge location but find the selection much better at City Square.

1) Dijon Mustard 2) Pesto 3) home made apricot/red onion salsa (almost all summer long)

Papillotte went under because of their failed "chicken concept restaurant" Reds, the Papillotte space was taken over by Randy Dufour (ex Cannery now with Vincor) and run as Dufour and Co. for a while. Has anyone mentioned Vancouver's original "Cougar Bar" Mama Gold's ? As I recall Bruno Born worked the stove there before opening Zeppo's.

This reminds me of the days when Chianti on 4th avenue had lineups out the door for large plates of very ordinary food while across the street Portobello sat virtually empty. The food at Portobello was good solid regional Italian with a real wood burning oven, a nice little wine list, an excellent tomato and onion salad and good service in a quiet attractive room. We calculated that the difference was at most $5 a head but the lineups continued at Chianti and Portobello eventually moved to west Broadway. Go figger.

Given the Sandman location I agree with Neil that it was likely El Patio - slightly less boisterous than La Bodega but both fun and (in my opinion) both better than Latin Quarter.

There was a Portuguese restaurant on Robson street , on the downhill slope, in the early '80's that served very good authentic Portuguese food including excellent salt cod, grilled octopus and chorizo. The name escapes me - any help ? As to the dearly departed, my 1st job in Vancouver was at English Bay Cafe and I will always be sorry that it was dumbed down. EBC could have become a landmark instead of a BoatHouse - remember the "waiter, there's a sunset in my soup!" ad campaign ? Boy am I old.

Let's not forget the old standby's - Joe Forte's and Il Giardino there's a good reason they've been around as long as they have. Plus the 3 Tier Seafood Tower at Joe's never fails to bring out the cameras from Japanese guests.

I've enjoyed most of the Neibaum-Coppola wines and many of Greg Norman's - I doubt if Greg has much to do with the production though. I believe Gerard Depardieu is involved in a couple of wine projects and actor Sam Neill is one of the pioneers in New Zealand's Central Otago region just to add a couple more. Didn't Tony Blair buy a vineyard in Tuscany or was that just a rumour ?

SandBar Patio is open year round.

Didn't the leek and potato coup come in a 4 door hatchback model as well ? Joking aside Alabaster was brilliant food but I would agree the room was a bit too formal, the room seemed to demand hushed tones and had a cold impersonal feel - not something Vancouver seems to embrace.

Happy to report the night was smooth like butter, home by midnight - I don't think I even saw a crying woman or a drink tossed in anyone's face. What is this world coming to ?

Bruno Born does, indeed, still own Sausi on Broadway - nice to hear a "Zeppo's" reference. Scott Kidd is at Cafe de Paris. Potovsky was indeed a brilliant chef - does anyone else remember "Cherrystone Cove" in Gastown- and I wish him well (heck of a baseball player too). Anyone know the whereabouts of Sonny Mendoza, last I heard he was chefing on the Cruise ships.

'99 Vosne Romanee Little Jesus in Silk Pyjamas? Dissapointing

As a waiter I work 4-5 nights a week and only have dinner at home, with wife and daughter, 2-3 times a week. We always have wine with dinner on the "home dinner" nights, usually a full bottle. On the nights I work I carbo/protein load before work then post work I usually, OK always, have a cold beer. If I have been fortunate to get home before midnight I will often indulge in a little antipasto and a glass of red before hitting the sheets. All in all I would guess my personal consumption is about 3 bottles a week, but I taste an average of 20-25 a week so who knows how much gets absorbed despite spitting.

Amazon list about a dozen used starting @ $75 - suggest you try Bookfinders.com or scour the local 2nd hand stores - I wouldn't part with my own copy, the wine spills alone are worth more than $75.

Brunel is a great producer, 2002 was a bad vintage its true but Berry Bros, 7/10 drink or hold is probably a better reflection than 58/100. At $21 it's not a Great Buy as I have seen it around in the low $20's at most retailers who carry it but still good value if you enjoy it. Personally I'd rather drink his 2000 Cotes du Rhone Rasteau which is widely available in the $13-15 range but the '02 Chateauneuf may end up being a real steal. Buy a bottle drink it up and let your palate be the judge.

Buy Kevin Zraly's "Complete Windows on the World Wine Course", get some friends together every 2 weeks and toss $10 in the pot and buy wines to taste, stay regional, varietal whatever. Read "Wine Spectator" and such but please don't take the ratings as "absolutes". Take notes every time you taste seriously this is the best way to improve your palate - it's taste memory. Find a retailer and start having frank discussions regarding wine, what you like, what you are drinking it with etc. I know Lincoln ain't San Francisco but I'm sure with a bit of leg work you can find a good retailer or two. Go to as many tastings as you can afford - they are good value. If you pay $20 to go to a tasting and taste 20 wines that normally retail for $15 each you've added $300 worth of wine to the memory bank. Don't read Parker until you have formed an informed opinion - this is not a slag but the man has VERY definite opinions on what makes great wine and they are often at odds with issues like acidity, terroir and food pairing so be your own man first then see what "the man" has to say. Have fun - remember it's only a beverage.

Try to stay with some good general coverage houses to begin, Jadot, Bouchard Pere, Faively and Jayer are among my faves plus Brocard and Fevre for Chablis. Go to as many tastings as you can, talk to your retailer as much as you can. Try to enlist 9 friends in a tasting circle, meet once a month tossing in $20 each to taste example of specific AC's or vintages thus lowering the chances of spending $50 on something you hate. Vintages are often more important in Burgundy than in other areas so keep that in mind (99's are superb right now in Red, 2000 in white and '02 is great for both). As to books try Anthony Hanson's Burgundy (out of print so try second hand stores), Matt Kramer's Making Sense of Burgundy or Cotes D'or by Clive Coates. Before going forward please realize that once begun in earnest the journey through Burgundy is a long, painful and expensive one - but I have enjoyed it for over 25 years. Good Luck

Good, Good Whole Wheat Shreddies - with milk, and sometimes banana. At least twice a week. Corn Flakes and Cheerios are still occasional buys as well.