winegeek

I was under the impression that a 100% markup was pretty standard for a fine dining restaurant. Was I wrong? Interesting - this wine had a ton of very forward fruit, and I don't usually think of SB or semillion as being very strong. Ya learn something new everyday. ← A 100% mark-up is fine, very good actually. Last time I was in there( about 2 years ago) they had a bottle of Burrowing Owl 98 merlot ($25 retail) on their list for $125. Unfortunately, there are numerous exapmples of this. By no way am I trying to take awy your enjoyment of your dining experience; I'm thrilled that you had such a great dinner. I just don't agree with their mark-ups

Great to see that you had such an enjoyable dinner at Bearfoot. I've heard nothing but good things regarding their food and service. They also have an unbelievable wine cellar, especially hard to get California wines. What infuriates me about BB is their wine prices are so grossly marked up. I work in the fine dining industry and accept the fact that the wine needs to be at marked up accordingly but a bottle of wine that sells at most places for about $50-70 is going to be $125+ there!!! There is no arguing about the food though. By the way, a white meritage is usually Sauvignon blanc blended with semillion.

plus you can now have the WHOLE restaurant to yourself . They are doing very little business according to a local source. Too bad

If your utensils do not come into contact with the tabletop, do you hold onto them through your entire meal ??

I'm a server and I absolutely agree. I hate to hear that line so much that I never pay with cash, so I avoid hearing it. It's something that I think you rarely hear in a fine dining restaurant (I would hope).

Wow, I like a host that serves Grange to their guests!!! How about if I cook for you and you bring the wine

Definately my Mushroom Risotto. I use dried porcini and shiitakes. Add some fresh morels, shiitakes and finish off with shaved reggianno and of coarse, when I have company, shaved truffles. Add a nice bottle of Quails Gate family Reserve Pinot Noir. Edited because I forgot to add my darn chanterrelles

I'm lucky in that I do work in one of the busiest fine dining restaurants in the city but right now we are running at about 40% of the FOH staff that we would normally operate with in peak summer, but hey, it's the first week of January. I do know that some of my best months as a server have been in February. The clientel are better, alot more "diners" as opposed to people going out to eat. I find that the average cheque is far higher in the winter. I usually take the first 2 weeks of January off to help with the "after-the-holiday-blues" (my way of saying less money coming in).

I may be able to help you out. I have reservations for 4 on Friday Jan 21 and again for 4 on Friday Jan 28. I am only going for 1 of those;I just don't know which one yet. If you, are anyoneone else wants one of those nights, let me know. The reservations are for 9:30pm.

While I do agree with Cin Cin's (I worked there for 5 years), I do have to correct you on Joe Fortes. The main floor ( referred to as "The Bistro")has no stairs whatsoever. You do have 3-4stairs to access the next level and considerably more to access the rooftop garden. Also,the entrance is on street level, so even if there were some stairs once inside, it would still be a ground level entry. The spaces that gets my vote are; - The spot just down the street from O'Douls on the South side of Robson. It has been at least 6 retaurants in the past 5 years - Bute street between Robson & Alberni. It now houses the presentation center for the Sangri-La but before that, a fruit store and before that at least 4 restauarants in the past 5 years.

All I can say is that here in Vancouver NOBODY, Jewish or not, has managed to make a bagel like they do in Montreal, especailly those that are made at St. Viateur(sp?)

That's funny . Sorry. It's at least a 2 hour drive from Whistler to Granville Island. It's not quite across town. I imagine that they are leaving Friday evening. I know I wouldn't drive back into the city for a 2 hour shopping spree. The idea is very thoughtful though.

I'm a server who is hard of hearing (I now wear hearing aids, and no, I'm not old ) and I have NEVER knelt beside a table, unless I've been asked to by my guests.

...and a bit of a carnivore I might add. ← I can be a carnivore, but I'm actually a true dessertarian at heart. ← Yes, I should have realized that by your list of "Current Obsessions"

And One more..... Restuarants or chefs that are reviewed and said to "use nothing but the freshest fish and ingrediants". I see this with almost every single restaurant. I'd like to think that there are no places sourcing out day old food.

I'm a server in a fine dining restaurant and I cringe when I dine out and I'm asked "Are you still working on that?". No one ever taught me how to "work on" my food so I don't quite understand. I was taught years ago that the best way to find out if the timing is appropriate to clear is to ask, "Would you like me to clear your plates?" You can not rely on a gueat setting down their cutlery properly to signal that their meal is finished. Too many people do it too many ways.

Two words; NO KNEELING!!!

I think it has more to do with the lay-out than the coffee itself. While I know that being busy is a good thing for you, my wife will no longer go there because it is so cramped. There is absolutely NO personal space. While all the other locations are also busy, this one seems to push the envelpoe for seating. By the way, she still loves the coffee, just not that location, which is very dissapointing because she works in West Van.

I believe that a few of the fish stores at Granville Island also have sashimi grade tuna.

...and a bit of a carnivore I might add.

Ling, I'd suggest Citta for a light lunch and either the Brewhouse, which is lots of fun or Umbertos restuarant Trattoria Di Umberto (he also has Il Caminetto) for something not too high end but fine dining none the less.

I have reservations at West and Bis Moreno. Deciding on Circolo of Il Giardino for a third dinner.

They now allow this in BC, Canada. When a guest wants to take an opened bottle home, we put a cork in it, put it in a wine box and put our restaurant label along the enclosure. I have done this a grand total of 1 time in the past 8 months. I still thinks it's a good option, even if it's one that is not used an awful lot.

"Are you chewing gum??????" I thought that was a classic line. While I did enoy the movie, I thought both Jack and Myles had very few likeable qualities about them.

I don't think there are very many places that serve an esspresso as well as Cafe Artigiano. I have not been to EVERY place so I'm not saying that they're the best, just the best to me.. They are getting quite big, with their fifth location opening up in Kerrisdale soon. They do a great job of training their staff, although I agree that the one in West Van needs some work. They definately have the best mochas around. Yes, I've tried them all.