lauraf

Because of my dang neck problem I haven't travelled by plane anywhere for over a year, but if I recall correctly, En Route was and is a very reputable magazine in terms of its editorial coverage. I mean specifically that it was not dedicating editorial space to advertising partners, but was rather quite an independent travel/lifestyle mag clearly targeting the more affluent frequent fliers, esp. business people. On that basis alone, plus they were transparent about how and by whom the list was generated - 'cause I hate pay-for-play - I would A) trust the integrity of their restaurant recommendations, and B) enjoy the editorial as an information/entertainment piece. And congrats to the winners.

I can confirm this -- went and ate there on Saturday night. It is no longer called Habibi's, but the decor is the same and the menu is very similar to what I remember. I hadn't been there in awhile, so I'm not sure if they changed things while the original owner was gone or since his return, but I think some of the dishes have been tweaked a bit, and they now have 3 meat dishes. Overall the food was great, we pretty much stuck to the old favourites (shinkleesh, hommous, tabouleh, eggplant (baba ganoush?), balila) and it was pretty much all better than I remember it being. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that my wife and I hadn't eaten lunch and were starving Oh, if you decide to go soon you may want to be sure you bring cash, because they're still setting things up and their credit card/interac machines weren't running. What's the new name?

Kinda on thread . . . I seem to recall a previous year's discussion about turkey that had posters advising against stuffing the turkey. I've always stuffed the turkey. 'Cause the stuffing inside the bird is the stuffing, and the extra cooked in the casserole is just . . . stuff. What's the local consensus?

Hi Dave: Good of you to post, and welcome. And good on you for being welcome to feedback. I think that your first comment about trying to appeal to a younger and more amateur reader is valid. Although some of us (like me? - is over thirty over the hill these days?) are young, most people on this site probably consider themselves on the more sophisticated tail of the bell curve of 'foodies'. So we probably aren't your target market. It would be interesting to hear feedback from readers in your target market. Regarding what Style Commentator wrote, and my mention of 'anorexic' content, I did find it thin reading. But then again, we are probably not your target market. Maybe a twenty-three year old looking for interesting and affordable places for a first date, and scared of a wine list let alone the first date, would be more appreciative. Regarding my perception of editorial consideration for advertising, I asked OpenMouth to prove me wrong. I'll take you at your word that there isn't a direct relationship. I know from experience how hard it can be to prove - and if you keep trying you get the "lady doth protest too much". I sell advertising for VanMag, and I like it. I don't get to give editorial for money. I don't want to. It does diminish the editorial credibilty overall, I find personally as a reader. My error for accusing you of that, but it seemed upon my first reading that every advertiser was mentioned in an article, sidebar, full review or as a listing. If you really want advice to prevent such an assumption rising from future issues, here it is: it's cool to add 'extras' to an ad buy, like a complimentary 'listing', but all you have to do is rename it 'Advertisers' Index' or 'Our Supporters', or even have a footnote stating that it is not an impartial recommendation of dining establishments from the editorial team. Regarding your success: as I said before, good luck. Publishing is a brutal business, and I commend anyone who tries it, though think to myself, why? Working for a magazine that has been around for forty years is hard enough . . . . However, people also shake their heads at otherwise sane people who want to start a boutique winery, new restaurant, or alternative political party. And some survive and achieve great success. Wishing you the same.

If you want something simple - we wanted carrot cake (mmm, cream cheese icing) - try Moore's Bakery in Kerrisdale. They made a simple but beautiful two-tiered carrot cake (for 100 people), even providing us with a complimentary small 'sampler' cake a month before the wedding to ensure we approved. They decorated it with the orchids that were part of our decor theme. Not sure that this would be the place for something more complex though . . ..

Cool.

Agreed, there a lot of - usually local - publications that are guilty of this practice. There are a number of publications that do not engage in pay-for-play. Whatever the perception might be out there of MacLean's, the Vancouver Sun, or even, yes (here's the shill - I am outed so I don't feel bad about defending the defensible parts of my business), Vancouver Magazine that will not guarantee any editorial consideration for advertising dollars. I understand the practice as a means to secure advertising dollars, and many fine companies are comfortable with - even demand - editorial space for dollars, but as a reader I find it just diminishes the credibility of all the editorial content. And I think that the fact that OpenMouth seems - go ahead, please prove me wrong - to be engaging in this practice is a valid and objective 'angle' of this new Vancouver multimedia. Any effort to enter the difficult world of publishing is to be commended, and premiere issues are notoriously challenging not only in terms ofsecuring the advertising dollars to actually pay the staff, but also the logistics for the initiated and uninitiated alike to get all that dang text and art print-ready - edited, proofread, designed and touched up - by deadline. I will wait to see a future issue to comment further on the actual content and design, but when I see a publication that is too obviously pimping editorial coverage, my first impression tends to the negative. To Openmouth - good luck, and prove me wrong!

Picked up a copy a couple of days ago. Aside from any comment on the anorexic content, what bugs me about it is that the advertisers are getting editorial (they're not the only pub out there that does this - it's just so icky). I think I saw a listing, food review, or multiple name mentions for every restaurant advertiser. Coincidence? Advertising is my gig, so maybe I'm hyper-sensitive.

With City Dine in September, Taste of Yaletown feels lost to me. Perhaps the fact that City Dine is a fundraiser (sponsored by San Pellegrino) for the Canadian Association of Food Banks, and Taste of Yaletown is a fundraiser (sponsored by Am/Ex) for the Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society, confuddles me (yes, I made that word up). Then people talk about City Dine as a precursor to Dine Out Vancouver (which starts in January, yes?) and I am reeling. Whose prix-fixe dinner should I patronize, on what day of the week, for which charity? I consider myself somewhat media-savvy yet find myself confused about whom is doing which for what . . . .

We have been dragged there probably four times over the last three years, mainly because friends of ours are friends of 'theirs'. Each time the service - despite the seeming VIP status of our hosts, one would think - has been somewhere between negligent and scandalous. Once we waited two hours for our meal to arrive - after having waited forty-five minutes between the delivery of lukewarm beer to actually ordering the food. If it wasn't a group party (that had been reserved two weeks' previously, and also there was a birthday cake coming) we would have just left the ten bucks for the beer and gone anywhere else. Now, the pizza is very good, when it does come out a) on time and b) the way one ordered it. But would I willingly choose this place over - well, pretty much any other Italian job in the hood or beyond? Ummm, no. It just pisses me off too much. edited for typo - bad me!

Whaaa? Jeez, I REALLY need to get out more often. So what's the scoop with them?

Noticed today that Dan Japanese Restaurant on Broadway in Kits (the one that burnt down over a year ago I believe) is now open again and looking good from what we could see. Open for dinner only. Will try to check it out sometime in the next couple of weeks - last time we were there we really enjoyed it, but can't recall specifics now except that the daily specials were excellent and well beyond the pedestrian offerings at most Westside Japanese restaurants.

I had the four done at once too, AND they became impacted. Horrid time. This might sound a bit boring, but gawd it was tasty - I lived on vanilla ice cream blended with canned peaches. A little chopped mint if you're up to it . . .. Then, to alternate the sweet with some savoury, I'd sip on chicken consomme with lots of sauteed garlic and a splash of wine or brandy. Feel better soon! edited: sorry - you said you didn't want any more fruit smoothies or soup. Bad suggestions then . . ..

A shiller right here, I own it. I understand people's skepticism about the VanMag Awards, though I don't share it, but I object to the implication that if you advertise, you will win an award. Believe me, my job would be way easier if we were that kind of a publication. Yes, there is some correlation between restaurants that advertise and restaurants that win awards. A lot of it is about money - they have the money to afford to advertise in VanMag, and that means they have the money to afford publicists, sexy designs, special events, and all the things that attract attention. The attention of food critics along with the general public. The judging process for the VanMag Awards is not perfect, but please, if we're doing it so wrong, tell us how to do it better. And, to point out a sampling from this year's awards of winners who have never or rarely advertised in VanMag: Aurora Le Crocodile Senova Mistral Ch'i Diner Habit Lolita's Stella's Watermark The Pear Tree The Bins Bishop's Sook Harbour House La Regalade Tojo's Go Fish Yuji's Shanghai River Vij's Phnom Penh Memphis Blues

Call first, but I'm sure I've purchased them there. Sorry to hear you are still not healed. ←

Capers has them, I think. Granville Island. ← Capers had everything but. Where on Granville Island? ← The bulk foods place: The Grainery #129 - 1689 Johnston St. Vancouver, BC V6H 3R9 604-681-6426 Tel 604-943-6401 Fax ← Thanks Anne!

Capers has them, I think. Granville Island. ← Capers had everything but. Where on Granville Island?

Ummm, where do I find puy lentils? Preferably someplace westside - still can't drive . . .

Just walked by 1st and Yew. Adesso is being turned into Karv, a 'southern Californian casual' joint according to the new operators. Should be open in a couple of weeks after some minor renos. Didn't get a chance to find out where these guys have come from. Apparently even though Adesso had okay traffic, they were still losing money. I guess maybe that corner needs something more casual.

← Why? I don't mean that Kerrisdale couldn't - badly - use a little Adesso Bistro action - but were they doing so poorly in their Kits location? We happily frequent/ed Adesso for both weekend brunch and weekday dinner and there was usually fairly brisk business going on. It is/was a great place - what gives? Just making a great deal on selling a previously loser corner locale to reopen with more capital? Props to them if that's the situation . . .

I received a promo in the mail announcing that Dennis Huang, chef/owner of the former Ordinary Cafe is now the chef at Gramercy Grill on Arbutus. Haven't been yet to see if he's reworked the menu . . . Didn't realize that he/they were also running the Sushi Hut. What! How many is that now- I lost count. Ten in 20 years steve sidebar- somebody needs to exercise that place ← Agreed. The location is less than ideal in many ways. Perhaps it should just be converted to some other type of store?!?!?!? Cheers! ← As mentioned about a page back (Post 867?). That section of the block is being developed and the owners of the Ordinary are running a cash only sushi joint until the demo work starts. So I guess you could call this the exorcism. ←

Not at all - the VanMag Restaurant Awards usually preceded the Van Sun awards by at least a couple weeks - The Sun has had their own annual awards for the last few years IIRC, but they always followed the VanMag awards. This year the VanMag awards are happening on May 2nd - approximately a month later than in previous years because of a managerial decision to switch the release date of the awards and the issue profiling the winners. . . nothing secretive, just a matter of securing the appropriate venue space at the best time for the Awards function. Which I can't attend this year because of my neck. Totally devastated 'cause I put a lot of work into its success. It's kinda my baby, on the event side at least. But don't blame me about who wins Chef of the Year. Or who doesn't. Dang herniated disks!

Oy - thanks for rubbing it in. Not allowed to drive, travel, or do anything at all because of my neck issues. Fill me in on the details - I am jealous! But I am really most curious about how Vancouver diners are supposed to request their burgers done to their liking - if it is legal to serve a burger rarer than medium than why won't restaurants do it upon request - unless it's a health threat? And if it is dangerous to serve hamburger beef at anything rarer than medium at a restaurant, than is it problematic to cook it only to medium-rare on our home grill?

Indeed! Or better, medium-rare. Or is that dangerous? When my dad used to barbeque burgers for us they were medium rare - was that playing with fire? (sorry )

Regarding requesting burgers prepared at less-than-medium, at every local place I have been I ask for it to be cooked 'as rare as possible' given their understood limitations. Noone has ever actually brought me a blue-rare burger. Noone has ever brought me anything other than a medium or well-done burger, at least here in Canada. Usually they give the explanation that the degree 'doneness' they are licensed to serve, i.e medium/medium-well, is the best they can offer, because of the internal temperature that the meat must, ummm, meet . (In the States, I am able to be totally indulgent and ask for medium rare and actually get it. Yum. Juices all over the plate. Sidebar.) So my question is that if there is no actual law about doneness, AND I trust the chosen dining joint in terms of product quality, can I/should I badger an ignorant server to give'r as I want? Do any restaurants in town offer burgers cooked at a rarer temp than the standard medium/well?