canucklehead

I don't think Restoration Hardware is owned by Williams Sonoma. RH always seems to be tottering on the edge of bankruptcy. I agree that Crate & Barrel is much much better - better priced and better selection. I lived in California for a number of years - and I never never bought anything at WS. Except for some of the food items - you can the stuff elsewhere for cheaper. I`d pine for Ming Wo, Gourmet Warehouse, Cookworks, and Cookshop (City Square). Vancouver actually has a remarkable range of local choices for kitchenware. Still - it is a beautiful store to visit and get ideas.

Thanks for the heads up - looks like a very busy and handsome room. My understanding is that the floor manager is ex-Sea Harbour - so the place looks like it is in good hands. Looking forward to trying the dim sum.

James Barber was kinda like a adventurous grandfather who would take you out and introduce you to food that you would otherwise not try. And like a grandfather - it is almost shocking the void that is left behind when they move on. You think that it can't be possible that he is no longer with us. I'll echo the sentiments of eatrustic and say that he was the first local food writer to really revel in the wealth of ethnic cuisine that we have in Vancouver. His enthusiasism and sheer joy of food was infectious. When I think of Mr Barber, I think of a pot gently bubbling away, friends and family coming over for dinner, and the warm glow of a good meal shared. His life was indeed lived well.

Pan fry with butter, garlic, shallots, white wine on toast. It put a smile on my wifes face which put a smile on my face. ← Slice them thick (1/4 inch or so). Flash-grill them 30 secs per side. They should still be crunchy, when they start sweating they are ready to flip. Dip in soy sauce. I picked a lot up near Pemberton this year. Jonathan Colvin ← Whole Foods has beautiful ones for $25 a pound. Thanks for the suggestions.

I think the Beard Papa is a fun little phenomena - people like them and they are pretty tasty. Are they worth a 2 hour wait? Well, very few things are worth a two hour wait - but you know - they are a fun little treat. People wait in line for hot dogs at Pink's in LA, so why not fresh cream puffs in Richmond? Sometimes embracing the silly is part of enjoying food.

Wife cakes?

I would love to hear about from someone who has tried Dale Mackay's cooking. He has a great pedigree and seems like a really nice guy. I've been meaning to drop by myself.

Thanks for the great pictures - and what a sweet sentiment of about family. Dude - you are going to make me cry.

Beautiful - I am glad you are getting some of that homestyle cooking that you like so! Please, where it makes sense, could you include the names of places you are hitting so that I can visit them too?

Dude! I am so happy for you to get to go HK and eat and eat and eat! I am going in late December myself. I agree that this is the best time to go - the slight chill in the air whet's the appetitie. I always go to Farmhouse in Causeway bay - Lo Mai stuffed chicken wings, steamed eggs (see dan), steamed pork cheeks, tremendous home style cooking. The also have excellent clay pot rice (though the portions are huge) - ask for the crusty bits to stirred with broth. Finish with a steamed papaya with coconut milk. I agree that a trip out for 'pick and cook' seafood is a must. My parents live on Clearwater Bay road - so Sai Kung is the most convienent for us. Ming Yuen in Sai Kung has the added benefit of amazingly crackling roast duck and goose. I also like Tung Boa (Eastern Treasure) in the Java Street Market for real dai pai dong eating - crispy skinned chicken, prawns in golden sauce (salted duck egg sauce), rice in lotus leaves or pregnant women's fried rice (studded with ginger). Plus there is a dish made with preserved beans and lettuce (I don't the name of it) - it oddly tastes like a delicous hot ceasar salad. For a real dim sum treat - try Victoria Harbour at SHK Center in Wanchai - the roasted pork belly is great, I think that they have hairy crab xiao long bao (one of the few places where I think it is worth the extravagant price) this time of year, and flower crab steamed with fai dew wine is really fantastic. As for the juices on plate to be tossed with yee mein to soak up all the juices. Were are you staying?

They are all good. I would give the nod to Northern Dynasty in terms of easy to get to (in Aberdeen Mall) and easy to navigate menu. The xiao long bao and smoked duck are quite good. Nothern Dynasty and Delicacy are the same company (I think all part of the Banana Leaf group). Shanghai River is more Shanghainese focused (and perhaps more authentic), again the xiao long bao are top notch, along with cold poached drunken chicken, and braised pork meat balls (lion's head). If you want something very warming - whole poached chicken with wontons is everything that chicken soup should be.

I think that Tio Pepe's strengths are the ceviche's and mole's - but I agree that it can be a little inconsistent. Currently in Mexico - and everything has been so effortlessly delicous.

The quarterly - Art of Eating is fantastic! Deeply researched and very well written. No advertising.

Cantonese dim sum no - but Shanghainese dim sum - yes. I think Chen's Shanghai Kitchen does a great job with their steamed soup buns (xiao long boa), flakey dakion pastries, and sweet black sesame pastries. Finish off with some spicy peanutty tan tan noodles. Shanghai River - I think still serves northern dim sum at night.

Shell on prawns stirred fried with garlic and ketchup. You want the sauce to carmelize and the shells and legs would to slightly char. As you peeled and ate it - the shrimp would be juicy and brightly flavored. One of my favorite home cooked meals as a kid - real comfort food.

Let me tell you - scallion and ginger sauce should be the new pesto. It is good with EVERYTHING - fish, chicken, seafood, etc... I used to just mix into my hot white rice and then wolf it down. Heaven!!!!

Dale Mackay was on Citycooks tonight - and seemed like a genuinely nice guy with a passion for cooking. In all likelihood - it was taped about a week ago, so it was before things got ugly officially. But he had nothing but high praise for Rob Feenie and said that he was hired by him directly. However - the conversation around RF was limited - and was more focused on his work with Gordon Ramsay. I agree that the review was tough - especially qouting the nasty bits that Ramsay says about Mackay. No mention of the food at the NYC restaurant which Bill Burford seemed to love.

I walked by it - and its a really handsome space that accomodates kids in an intelligent, design friendly way. Unfortunately - I don't like kid noise. Ha!

Here is their website. Looks like appetizers are in the low teens and entree's are low 20's. I wonder at times if the items are meant to be eaten family style - the portions are pretty substantial and the food is quite rich. I like the roasted duck with fruit - the duck is served cooked through (ie - not rare) - which keeps the richness in check.

Went to Carthage today for lunch and really liked it. Specializes in French and Tunisian. $9 gets you a great steak sandwich and frites, and $11 got me a big plate of Tunisian Chicken Ragout - it was perfrect for a chilly day. The stew had chicken breast and thigh along with kindey beans - warm spices of cinnamon and cumin. Bright fresh flavors. Only thing is the service was a little formal and stiff - if they relax a little - I think it would get a lot more business. Regardless - I am looking forward to checking out their other offerings.

I got wind of this a little while ago - but check things out here for addtional details.

Has anyone tried the Thomas Haas bars? I got a couple today - the 67% cocoa and the Chai Milk Chocolate bar. The dark was outstanding - lots of winey cassis notes. The Chai bar had lots of assam tea and cardomon flavors. However - at $4.50 a bar (for 54g) it felt a little pricey (perhaps I'm cheap). I got the bars directly from the Thomas Haas store - but I've seen them at Whole Foods and I would think that Urban Fare would carry them.

I was just reading the mushroom guide from the Vandusen Garden mushroom chat. Pine mushrooms apparently can fetch up to $200 a pound in Japan. Ha! What did you do with them T?

Cincin is starting up their annual mushroom and truffle festival - and it brings to mind all of the mushrooms that I have seen at market lately. Whole foods has a bumber crop of chanterelles this week - but last week they had Pine Mushrooms for $25 a pound. Has anyone every cooked with these at home? I think that Okada treats them the best - in a hot seafood broth with a squeeze of citrus - simple and delicous.

Shit.