James Kendal

For my Wife and I it's the http://www.aubergedusoleil.com/ . Nothing beats the view from the dining room terrace and Napa Valley is awesome.

Victoria could use some new places but I would see Vic West as having great potential. I live in the Railyards and there are a lot of high end condos in the area and many new units under construction. Most of us in Vic West have to cross the bridge to eat and would be nice to have something within walking distance.

Spinakers Wine Merchants in Victoria has a lot of the smaller and better B.C. wineries. THey are the listing the montage for $20 and I believe they will ship. http://www.spiritmerchants.ca/store/store....egory=2&start=3

I would contact Silk Road Tea in Victoria http://www.silkroadtea.com/ They have infused water which I buy from there spa collection. Worth contacting them.

Wow, My first job in the industry was at 2 small rooms. We had a juiced (polite for stuff he put up his nose) up manager named Frederique Domoloff. This restaurant was designed by Gene Dubb. Very cool place except the door frame to the kitchen was just shy of 6 feet so I used to bang my forehead on it all the time. I remember sabering champagne there on the patio. There also used to be a very good (for the time) Italian Restaurant on the corner of 82 Ave and 109 street. It was in the basement. I remember always being so stuffed after eating there.

If you are really in to tea check out this link for an awesome tea supplier in Vancouver www.tealeaves.com

Hmmm... the Malahat. On my way to work this past Saturday I pulled over on the Malahat and witnessed 2 car accidents and lots of idiots trying to get around a semi just before the South Shawnigan Lake turn off. After an hour on the highway we made it up to the Aerie and I thanked the stars that we did not get hit. Life is interesting this time of the year. As for DOV I have not heard that much compared to the Vancouver thread. Brio, L'ecole etc are usually pretty busy regardless.

I would feel pretty bad about losing the wine more than being robbed as it is very difficult to put together such a collection. If insurance covers it great but the effort to replace it is such a pain. On the bright side, if the BFB collects the full amount Andre will be able to put together a stunning collection. You could easily add 1000 labels to the wine list with an average purchase price of $200. Hmmm... I smell a Wine Spectator Grand award.

Hmmm... $200,000 is a bit high for what was taken. It must be the post purchase price but insurance only covers the cost. Too bad for Andre, I am sure some of his savy guests will come to his rescue. D. Sokolin & Co., Inc. USA (NY): Bridgehampton. Fine and Rare Wine Merchant Since 1934. Lafite Rothschild, 1945 £933.51 Bottle 28-Jan-2005

a few bottles of that sparking wine and you are likely to encounter the ghost of Frantisczek [sp?] who sadly died in the wee hours of the morning...in the restaurant I believe...a few years ago...he certainly could put away the sparkling wine...what was it? Kufenberg or something like that? ← When I worked at Cafe Select (1988-92) we would go almost everynight to Praha and sit with Fratasheck (SP), Milan, Vaclav and Malcom until 3 or 4 AM. At that time it was Lila Deinhard...

Having lived in Edmonton for most of my life I would have to agree. I still go to Bistro Praha when I am in the City. Nothing like fried cheese and cheap german sparkling wine at 1 AM...

Nice job Jamie, I appreciate the cross selection of wines and, that, consumers will be able to find most of these wines on the shelves. I like the fact that Cedar Creek and Quail's Gate are getting a leg up in the big red category over Vincor and MHFE. Cheers, James

Just my opinion... when it's busy everyone wants time off... when it's quiet everyone gripes... make hay while the sun shines and Vancouver must be a lot better than the Island in the winter.

Hi Natalie, Blue Mountain will ship there wines to you in Ontario. When I was living there I had it shipped on release. You can sign up for email alerts with Blue Mountain. http://www.bluemountainwinery.com/obtain.htm#3

This is the entire list of Ontario wines currently available in the BCLDB as of January 4........ all ice wine???? 413724 Chateau des Charmes - Riesling Icewine Paul Bosc Est 99/00 CA 375 59.99 565861 Chateau des Charmes - Vidal Icewine 00/01 CA 200 25.99 551085 Inniskillin Niagara - Vidal Icewine 99 & 01 CA 375 46.99 476192 Konzelmann - Vidal Icewine 98 & 00 CA 375 49.99 724559 Magnotta - Cabernet Franc Icewine 2000 CA 375 60.30 486779 Magnotta - Vidal Icewine 01/02 CA 375 40.27 606558 Magnotta - Vidal Icewine 01/02 CA 50 8.95 995761 Magnotta - Vidal Icewine 2000 Vqa Gift Pack CA 375 50.26 435727 Pillitteri Estate - Riesling Icewine 98 & 99 CA 200 25.10 561753 Pillitteri Estate - Vidal Icewine 1999 CA 50 7.49 453753 Willow Heights - Vidal Icewine 1999 CA 375 34.99 616391 Willow Heights - Vidal Icewine 2000 CA 50 8.20

Natalie, Having lived in Ontario for 2 years I can attest that vintages brings in decent B.C. wines. B.C., however, brings in little to no interesting Ontario wines. Such a shame. Of note, LCBO carries Blue Mountain Wines in classics.

Check out Salt Works for a huge selection of salt from around the world and info on salt http://www.saltworks.us/

Ah taxes... they are more of an issue than you think these days as I have come to learn through a family member (works in investigations at the CCRA) that they are going to heat up audits once again. I leave it open to my staff but give them the option to have it go to T4. On Vancouver Island when the lay offs come in the winter it helps them out. This a hot topic, but I feel strongly that when everyone (mainly higher end hotels with longer term staff) starts playing on a level playing field there is a stonger sense of professionalism (i.e. I make minumum wage and grats or I make 45 k a year plus benefits etc.) Back to service now: if an establishment is a going concern and it goes a long way to create a system that has mature (not under 25 lets say) servers who have life experiences (that they can relate with a maturing clientel) that can act as a mentoring system to commis or juniors then you start creating a good succession program, just like in a kitchen. There a tons of young people going through the college hospitaltiy programs that would jump at the seasonal postions. But is depends on the type of eatery. I could go on and on but it would open up a very heated debate. Although I do have a good story: A number of years ago I ate at the Moustache cafe (no longer open). I had the worst service: it started out like this... 1. I ordered a bottle of Pinot Gris. The server brings it to me. I ask for white wine glasses. The server tells me that the glasses on the table are the best glasses they have (they were giant 26 oz fish bowls). Server then brings me miniscule glasses... 2. I order Red wine (around $100) The server replaces tiny glasses with same tiny glasses. I ask for red wine glasses, The server mentions that he did not think that I would enjoy the glasses... ego is going off. 3. Food is excellent... until dessert 4. Staff are sitting at a table near by while we wait for dessert menus.... 5 minutes, 10 minutes... 15 minutes.. I ask for the check 5. I pay the bill.... 6. no grat. (I was nervous, bad karma, improper etiquete etc) But the waiter was a boob and he did not even have a clue that we (our table) were all industry folk over for the Playhouse festival even though our chef went to compliment the kitchen and chat with them throughout service. 7. Maitre'D runs down the street and confronts us... it gets worse from there. Unfortunately it is easier to remember a bad experience than a good one. I have, over time, become adverse and phobic about retail stores, car lots, restaurants etc. I find that I am more comfortable walking in to Wendy's than the average restaurant as I know exactly what kind of service I will get and what it will cost me. There has to be an extension of training and a professionalization of the service industry. Chefs go to school, train, spend a fortune on travel, equipment, and work for peanuts until they get up the chain. Managers, some of them, give up serving for lower salaries to take assistant positions, pay for a BCOM or whatever, take all the heat (which we love) to make a difference. Sommeliers now spend a lot of money on tuition and they get the accrediation to be a pro, although they should focus a bit more on customer service in the program. So I ask the question, why can we not have similiar guidelines for front of the house? Once servers or establishments get the technical side of service down, the reporting relationships established, the support structure, the heirarchy in place and the respect (which works boths ways) then the servers become better,stronger, faster and now have more time to work their magic at the tables. As for service in Vancouver... the best I have ever had wasat West.

As a F&B Director and GM I have a few comments to make about service. (Some off topic but slightly related) Rule #1: ownership must establish one clear vision of service; which in my case is "service before self = integrity." Too many servers, managers, sommeliers etc. have inflated egos and heightened sense of importance. The bottom line is that the guests, whether rich, making ends meet, or comfortable, come to an establishment to have their needs anticipated, be given personal recognition, and made to sincerely feel welcome. Going out to dinner is a big deal. People plan ahead for special occasions which only raises their expectations further. Guests are also spending after tax dollars. Rule #2: Managers during service need to lead service and be cogniscent of every section, table and guest in a room. Standing at the door all night doesn't help. Guests like to see ownership and presence regardless of the establishment. Rule #3: A manager must be in touch with the inherent strengths and weaknesses of his or her team. Some waiters can handle big sections and some can not but compensate by being better and more mature at focusing on VIP tables or special needs clients. (VIP for high maintenance). I see service like a basketball game with every player working together, helping each other and backing up when need be. A manager must also spend a lot of time before service setting up the sections and tables properly to ensure proper flow and, also, be willing to become incorporated during service to help pick up the slack or relieve a server who is being tied down at a table for extended periods of time. In essence, the manager is the point guard; strong servers are the power forwards and support staff are the bench who see regular playing time. At the end of the day if you can foresee the flow of service before it starts you usually have a great night. Rule #4: Standards of service and protocols. By supplying a team with a Job task checklist during training and steps of service program you can ensure a professional level of service from the get go. It sounds corporate in thinking but it works and ensures that the technical side of service is organized and competent. It is also beneficial to create a mentoring or apprentice program for servers (pairing juniors with Captains over a season then moving the junior up to a server level). Rule #5: When guests are upset you must acknowledge them and correct the problem before they leave. Far too many situations can become confrontational as egos pop up and are not willing to admit fault. I work in a hotel environment where unhappy guests can lead to a serious loss of revenue when they decide to check out early and not be willing to pay for the room night. The best thing that could happen to the watering game is to make it legit. Provide full salaries by incorporating grats in to T4 income. A number of high end restaurants in the states are doing this now as the pressure is placed on the owner to provide tip info to the feds. It is going to happen in Canada as the CCRA looks to go after lost tax revenue from the hotel and restaurant sector. I have seen enough audits (and subsequent bankruptcies of servers) to know that it is better to be honest then to get nailed. (Speaking from experience). A great waiter can make 50k a year and I see no reason why an establishment could not track earnings for a year then determine the set salaries in the following years.) This last statement is off topic but I have seen several properties that are doing this and it works well. Servers now have more legitimacy from banks, access to more credit, better RRSP contributions and, ultimately, the security in knowing that they don't owe to the Gov't when they come knocking on the doors. (just talk to the servers at the Sooke Harbour house about the high 5 digit tax bills they got in 2001.

WMF is one of the best suppliers of hotel and restaurant equipement. http://www.wmf.com/

I have been very lucky on occasion to find WMF cookware at winners. I pop in to the local winners every few weeks to see what they have. Last week they had the japanese cast iron tea pots for $25.

I am Curious to see what everyone is going to be serving for New Years Eve. Up here at the Aerie Chef Letard has given me a "Jazz" inspired menu to work with: New Years Eve 2004 “JAZZ” “Confetti” Carpaccio of Wild Salmon, Albacore Tuna & Weathervane Scallop N/V Blue Mountain, Brut, Okanagan, B.C. Poultry & Pomegranate Consommé Duck Foie Gras, East Coast Lobster & Quail Egg 2003 La Frenz, Viognier, Okanagan, B.C. (not sure about this pairing) Potato Crusted Partridge in a Pear Quince Macedoine, White Truffle Oil 2002 Cedar Creek, Platinum, Chardonnay, Okanagan, B.C. Manhattan Shooter Bourbon Marinated Buffalo Tenderloin Roasted on Cedar & Pine, Jerusalem Artichoke Tarte Fine, Pine Mushroom Essence 1999 Leasingham, Classic Clare, Shiraz, McLaren Vale, Australia “Marcella” Goat Cheese Blood Orange, Peppercorn & Cilantro Salad, Balsamic Syrup 2002 Venturi-Schulze, #3, Cowichan Valley, B.C. “Nuit Blanche”Black & White Cheesecake 2000 Paradise Ranch, Chardonnay Ice Wine, Okanagan, B.C.

Last night at Brasserie LÉcole: awesome Tuna main course for $18, glass of Fevre Chablis, Kettle Valley Pinot Noir for $8. Great D'ambert cheese after. Hate to say it but I went to Wendy's twice this week for a Mountain Burger... it was damn good but I cant go back for at least a month or my wife will kill me after we watched "super size it last week".

This past September I went like a faithful dog to the Fort St. Store in Victoria to get my Bordeaux. This always turns out to be a gong show and if you don't line up at 2 AM your not getting much. Even worse some of the LRS scooped everything??? I spent 2 years working in Ontario and every month the Vintages arm of the LCBO would invite you monthly in advance of the release to taste every single product then give you the option to pre-order. By doing this it allowed restaurants to have access to product and guarantee that you are going to get it. Ontario is not too bad and Ontario allows for a consignment system so you can work with agents that have specialized portfolios. They will also deliver the product to you. A good example is Rogers & Co. http://www.rogcowines.com/ Most agents prefer liquor boards as it guarantees listings and they don't have to go from store to store to sell their product. The larger VQA wineries like this system as well as it gets their product on shelves. However, unique products, small producers, obsucure wines, up and coming regions are almost non-existant. Also the selection of wine between $25 and $35 dollars is brutal. 2 nights ago I scanned the shelves at the Fort St specialty store and there was great selection but almost everything in the specialty section was $75 plus... We now have some interesting LRS in Victoria but they are even more expensive as they, also, buy from the board and their discount is minimal. What the BCLDB could do to create more support and appreciation. 1. Create more knowledge amongst staff and teach better customer service. Place a least 1 consultant in every store and have a "vintages corner" in rural stores. 2. Offer delivery for licencees. (I buy 1/2 million dollars worth of product and "they don't deliver") 3. Offer on-line ordering and create an e-newsletter for new releases. 4. Create a more up to date data base to track down inventory. 5. Allow better allocation systems for agents so they can reward their long-term customers. 6. Create a fixed per bottle tax structure in stead of a % base. It is absolutely ludicrous that they take a 100% mark up straight across the board on product. (talk to small wineries in the US and you will find out why they are not interested in shipping product to the BCLDB). 7. Offer wholesale pricing for the trade. This will energize the restaurants and put more dollars back in the economy. 8. Determine purchasing based on world wide trends and not on the vagaries of a portfolio managers whims. (I know that the buyer for NZ wines does not like NZ wines nor feels the need to add new ones). 9. Create a level playing field for specialty stores that know their market and can provide superior selection and service (my first stop on the mainland is always at Marquis). Just my thoughts.

Fact: The Alberta Government makes twice as much in tax revenue than either B.C. or Ontario on the sale of Alcohol. Alberta maintains the wholesale division where product in centrally located and, believe it or not, is delivered to LRS and licencees! I'll take Alberta Hospitals over B.C. any day of the week. Fact: B.C., does not deliver, has a select group of Mandarins (buyers) that determine which product we can buy, severely restricts small producers, makes you line up at all hours of the morning to wait for a Bordeaux release. Overpays line staff who know squat about product. I would much rather see private enterprise be successful with wine stores. In B.C. Marquis is a great example. But next time you are in Calgary have a look at the selection and availability of world wide product.