Andrew Morrison

Ha! That's too bad, Neil. As I posted on my site today, I walked in to work this morning to find the phone ringing, ringing, ringing. The place was closed for lunch, so there'll be a full inbox for the hostesses to wade through when they walk in to set for dinner. Let the games begin... Peppyre, are you making the reso for 40 again at West? Such a good time (and weird to think that was just a year ago!).

Pimping is good coin, and Open Table is the mack.

It wasn't a "leak". Someone just figured out the working URL. When it's done, it will be available through waiterblog.

Sneaky fellow. You've just looked up my dress.

Waiterblog will be hosting an "opening soon" blog for the new owners of the old Bis Moreno space. The blog will be made public very soon.

Looks like Michelle and I are going to go to Nu and then Chambar. Puerto Vallarta, Derek? Egads, a waiter's work is never done. Enjoy yourself (you, too, everybody )

On the contrary, I think it's perfectly reasonable for the simple reason that people have a tendency not to show up. You might be true to your word and bond, but others? Not so much. Why do you think places like the Bins, Vij's, and Wild Rice don't take reservations in the first place? It sucks for the owners, sure, to see potential revenue get tossed down the toilet because someone decided to stay home to watch Auld get peppered. A change of heart is costly, and just imagine the waiters chagrin when he/she watches the other sections fill up while their phantom party of 12 is 15/25/45 minutes late without so much as a phone call. I know that when I walk in to work to find my section will see no other tables during the course of the evening beyond a party of 12 coming in at 7pm (my shift starts at 5pm), I get nervous, cross my fingers, and hope to hell they show up. I'd venture 40% of the time they get their numbers wrong and only 8 to 10 people actually make it; 55% of the time they all do; while 5% of the time they are a no show. Is $200 too much to protect their business? No. Is $400 unbelievable? No again (especailly for a table of 12). Sometimes no shows swerve me to consider suggesting to ownership/managment that customers be subjected to a retinal scan that provides their home address so that I can egg their house when I finally get sent home after making zero ducats. I'm not defending Wild Rice so much as giving you a bit of smelling salts. They don't take reservations because Vancouver is awash with people who make reso's and either don't show on time, without the stated number of people, or simply don't show up at all. We've talked about this phenomenon in a few other threads before, but seeing Wild Rice get sullied for being sensible (remember the waiterblog dinner when so many eGulleters failed to show?), it gets my back up just a little. Remember that deposits are the only weapon in a restaurants arsenal, and they are only used under special circumstances, like when people try to make reservations at restaurants that don't take reservations. Brenda, so do I, and I hope you're able to look beyond this silly business to enjoy it again and again.

One of my favourite staff meals at work is the ravioli stuffed with lobster, shrimp, dungeness crab, and marscapone finished with a sundried tomato cream and basil oil. Have a look at Adesso Bistro's gorgeous (and brand-spankin' new) website for more pasta porn. Travis knows his noodles. I'm also a big fan of the "express" lunch gnocchi with smoked chicken, basil, sweet peas, parm, and garlic cream at Glowbal. A steal at $12.

Yes, and the interior changes are gorgeous. It is called Sansafir, after the ancient island that lay in the Red Sea. Sansafir Island was a trading nexus between Asia, the Middle East and the cultures of the Mediterranean, and we can expect (from what I hear at least) the flavours to reflect such diversity. Opening in late winter/early spring. Incidentally, and if you haven't heard already, Food TV is doing an Opening Soon show on both Century and Sansafir. Sean and Emad will undoubtedly make for excellent TV.

I had completely forgotten that I was sitting on the menu for Nu's "Maiden Voyage" new years dinner, and I've just posted it up on waiterblog. It reads like a dream.

The West Vancouver location is an aria to all things mangiacake, but I'm a stickler for Italian. They made a chain out of this? Oh my...

A moratorium it is. I've been busy setting up a new venture and I've been doing all my meetings in restaurants. Brown's in Yaletown saw many pints, excellent orange peel chicken (little boneless poppers with a concentrated citrus glaze and sticky sambal plate smear), and some passable wok-fried calamari. It's one of the more imaginative rooms in Yaletown as far as decor is concerned. The service is almost too casual, but then again I'm not really a glutton for the Earl's/Cactus stylings of teenage lovelies. The same night, we went to Nu, where I once again indulged in Clark's French Onion soup and liquid cheddar crackers. Leonard was absent (kids Christmas party, I believe - us pops have our responsibilities ), but Keith and Jay were there handling a room chock-a-block with Christmas parties (those tables and chairs are tough to seat 10 and 12 tops!). To round out the evening we went to Chambar, but I've already written about that elsewhere. Last week, yup, it was Aurora Bistro for a review. Turns out, they are professional! Since then, Elixir, Diva, and Bacchus for short visits, but all were lively and decked out with Xmas cheer. Restaurants on my radar right now are Saltlik, Lolita's, Baru Latino (never heard a peep about them since the 16th annual VMRA) and Cru. I'll be on the island staying at the Point No Point Resort for the four days between Boxing Day and New Years Eve, but I hope to dip down to Victoria for the Rosemeade/Brasserie/Mo:Le trifecta. Opening sooners I'm following: Rare One, Century, Sansafir.

I'm writing a story about New Years Eve dining. I'm always too busy working my ass off on the floor to take notice of what other restaurants are doing on New Years, but this year (by some fortuitous scheduling) I have it off. I know about Nu's "Maiden Voyage" shindig, and I'll likely make an appearance there, but are there any other notables that you guys can toss out? Oh, and a Happy Holidays to you all. 2005 was crazy for me, and I was glad to share it with so many eGulleters. I hope you and yours have a wonderful Christmas/Hannukah/Kwanza!

Must have just missed you, McTee. I was at the bar with a friend having a great dinner. Mushroom soup, poutine, and the beef tenderloin appetiser washed down with Stella and Leffe. All excellent. As for En Route Mag naming Chambar's poutine the "worst dish from a best new restaurant": they are just dead wrong. Service, as always, was perfect (with Brand behind the bar, when is it not?). Too bad we didn't meet.

I was there last week to check out developments, and it looks killer.

You will often find Erik Methany, the owner, cruising these board under the moniker "easy". This year marks their 10th.

Aurora Bistro Grilled Beef Flat Iron Steak - dungeness crab pomme dauphin with earl grey demi glace $25 and Very Good.

Saw that, too. Same old bummer. E&C? God only knows what FoxNews might have come up with... There is a short read in the new Van Mag about the changing face of dining in Victoria...should any of you come across it and/or care for that sort of thing. Featured restaurants were the Rosemeade, Temple, and my breakfast fave, Mo:Le (which I'm very happy to see found its way into the Eating and Drinking Guide this year).

bloody good question, kontemporary!

Amarcord is one of my Yaletown faves. Little mention is ever made of the Heather or Burgoo these days, nor of Fiction Five on lower Lonsdale, the Quattros, Glowbal (great express lunches), the Guu's, or Brix. 'Tis the season to blow our cash and eat like swine. Let's get to it.

Of course, there's always Mr. Bean with the turkey on his head, and Basil Fawlty serving raw take-out duck because his chef is loaded and in love with Manuel. Ah, the holidays...

Works very well at my undisclosed location.

I'm not sure about breakfast, but I hope it's soon. Jamie has written a thoughtful review of Diner in the December issue of Vancouver Magazine (plus write-ups of Senova and the HSG).

One need only travel not too far upthread to read the early opining as to how the cool weather and 5pm sunsets would treat them. A lot of people were suggesting mediocre food would play well because of the great location. With the intertwining of two cliches, perhaps not. Looks aren't everything. Size doesn't matter. The dog days of the daffodils are still a galaxy far, far away. Spring can't come soon enough.

Priceless indeed. Thanks for the breakdown. If the guy was just an MOD, he could have served the party himself, causing the labour to lose the extra $16. Nothing wrong with a manager earning his salary (plus the $250 tip on $750 - Jamie's generous). No doubt the MOD was talking to the bartender (another $8-$10) as he wolfed down the last of the kitchen kibble. There are too many managers who have the mentality of a busboy. "Gotta get home...gotta get home...hurry up and leave I gotta get home."