Andrew Morrison

On Davie? Tell that to the Pumpjack.

In my correspondence with Mr. Battersby from just a couple of months ago (while the space was still very much a shell) there was no mention of a name. I suppose I'm just surprised that such a renowned architect/designer couldn't come up with something a little more original for what is likely an original space. High capital aside, the name eludes me. Perhaps we're all wrong. Maybe it alludes to something other than the address. 1181 was the year the University of Paris was founded. It was also the year St. Francis of Assisi was born, and the first known instance of glass being used in English homes. But then again, perhaps not.

1181. Just a block from 1218. Opening within two months of eachother. Isn't this in the Book of Revelations? God save Vancouver.

Yup. Sorry.

A breathtaking room. Fun party.

Hemingway and Dr. Seuss with sprinkles of Evelyn Waugh and Hunter S.

FannyBay, Might I say that I shared many of your suspicions. This was my first year as a judge, and I have nothing but good things to say about the process. There are urban myths aplenty about the VMRA, but I found them all without foundation. I got a ballot. filled it out, and sent it in for crack and a balthasar of gin.

As Shelora wrote above... There is nothing sinister in the voting process. As far as I know, the individual ballots were handled by an outside accountant for tabulation. It all seemed like a fair enough process to me.

Yes, I am shocked. I'd like to see this note, and know who sent it.

Don't be a ninny, Arne. I'm not that naive. I received many, many invites to dine in the run up to the awards, and many more subtle queries from PR types checking to see if I had visited their charges over the last year. I may be new at this, but there's nothing new about the process. It's pretty easy to figure how restaurants want it to work, but desire and reality are two different things. In my experience, however, no one was has been so stupid and brazen as to say straight out (as Gill alludes) that they were looking to buy votes with a $100 gift certificate. I want to know if this actually happened. Don't you? As an unrelated aside, the notion that she "chooses" not to be a judge is priceless.

This is being discussed over at Waiterforum, too. I'm shocked that any restaurant would be so stupid as to send out a gift certificate to a food writer with a note attached saying please think of us when you judge. I certainly didn't receive a note like that or a gift certificate. If I had, I would have called the restaurant and bitched to kingdom come. Gillster, did that really happen or are you using some license? If it is indeed true, can you please share with us (or me privately by PM) which restaurant this was so that I might call to complain. Regrettably, food writers are often invited to dine, what you describe in your article is going too far. Thank you for your candid take on the awards and for your amusing behaviour at the after party (for someone who thought they were garbage, you sure seemed to be having a swell time\!). Also, I'm so sorry to hear your column in Van Mag was dumped shortly before you wrote your article. That kinda sucks.

Yes. An adequate job.

Last night I tucked into an ostrich carpaccio marinated in 20-year old Sherry at Chambar. Though delicious, the flavour of the meat was restrained by the marinade. I felt teased. I...must...have...more...ostrich. 10 years ago this month I had the weird fortune of going ostrich hunting in Africa's Karoo desert. It was a very bloody afternoon. The ostrich we zeroed in on and took down was felled by a metal stirrup wielded by my host on horseback (going full tilt). The flightless lump, now thoroughly dead, was tossed on an impromptu bonfire to burn its feathers off, and then savagely butchered. We drank Castle Lager and roasted the birds bits and pieces well into the night, using only salt and peri peri sauce for seasoning. It remains one of the most memorable meals I've ever had. It's astounding we don't see more ostrich dishes on our menus, especially considering its low fat content and excellent flavour. I have two questions: do any restaurants in Vancouver serve ostrich so simply that its natural flavours shine through? I've heard the food costs were high, but are they prohibitively so? Pray tell who serves it, and why you don't...

Is this an annual thing? I never knew she did a "best" list. Good picks.

Oooh, a tip cap. Never thought of that. That would surely shake things up. Say, if the server makes more than a $100 on a shift after tip-out, the difference is split with the kitchen staff (after a tip out increase to 5%). I'm awaiting the death threats...

Changes to immigration policy aside, the wage gap is unfair and nonsensical, especially when there's a deficit of cooks and a surplus of waitstaff. Waiters might get pissed at me for saying that, but I think most would agree with me when I say they've got a swell set up. I don't think the bottom line for restaurateurs allows them to pay a living wage at all. Gratuities make excellence in the restaurant business viable. The only solution, in my opinion, is a more equitable divvying of the spoils.

You're welcome. Keep in mind that the breakdown above isn't universally representative. Still, the numbers Neil came up with don't lie. It's not uncommon to work a 4 hour shift and walk with $150 plus wages. In many high end restaurants, this is post tip-out. If that number was to drop to $100, I don't think we'd see an exodus of service staff from the industry. When a line cook makes less than a busser, something is definitely out of whack. Of course, we're not dealing with eurekas here by any stretch. We've known this weird gap has existed for a long time. The real question is how one can go about lobbying for such significant changes?

Proposing that the gap be shortened, however, is a step forward. Waiters are a dime a dozen in this town, while cooks, clearly, are not. Why not start making the job more attractive now before the shortage is really felt (in 2010). Anyone object to the suggestion of doubling or tripling the tip out to the kitchen?

Not at all, Neil. I'd be happy to buck up. It's an absurdly unfair set up. If the tip out was even as high as 6%, I wouldn't do anything but applaud, just as long as I knew the money was being steered to the kitchen rather than management (paying management should be the cost of doing business, no?).

Give or take, this is how it works in places I've worked over the years. Let's say my net sales are $1000 and I make $200 in tips. 1.5% of my net sales goes to my busser. This amount is taken from my tips. .75% of my net sales goes to the bartender. This amount is taken from my tips. 3.25% of my net sales goes to the house. This amount is also taken from my tips. The 3.25% to the house gets divvied among hostesses, management, and the kitchen staff. This is the number that should be increased to even the playing field and up the money that goes to the kitchen. As to why management gets a cut has always been beyond me...

I understand the sentiment, but I disagree. Forget artisanal creativity for a second and consider your diners. They are out to have a nice meal, the complete package: food, service, atmosphere, and value. I'd argue (and I'm sure I'm not alone on this here) that the majority of them can recognise good food, but they don't fetishize it to the point of pausing, mid-meal, to whip out a camera. Food porn money-shots are an enthusiasm lost on them. They confine themselves instead to the peripheral pleasures of not cooking at home. You're the art and we're the dealers.

^ Understatement of the century.

Asked or Told? If asked, balls. If told, how about... Censorship Liquor Bored No Fun City Boss Hogg 1984 If they've asked or told because the name is associated with booze, I trust Vintropolis, Cru, and Chianti's got a call, too, for when fear reigns stupidity abounds.

Looks nice. It could use some more photos, perhaps a few that include actual people, including staff/ownership/kitchen. Perhaps add some bios for Sean, yourself, and Chef. A shot of the private room? I see it there in the "contact" section, but there's no info on it. You should consider some food shots as well. I thought you guys used open table? If so, you should consider throwing in a reserve link, too. It's "info-light" and almost photo-less, but I can imagine it's difficult to do a room like yours justice on a webpage. Traffic was appreciated, though hardly by design. Thanks go to google.

We all have our moments...