canucklehead

If you are having a late dinner - maybe check out Salt. You can keep the food choices fairly light and have some beer and wine. I know my praise of the place borders on psychotic fanboy - but I think you would enjoy it. Getting there earlish - ensures that you will get good seating (reservations are a possibility I think) and since you are leaving for dinner @ ~ 8:45 - you are out of there before the noise level reaches a cresendo. Enjoy the burgers @ Feenies - I personally think that they are the best (certainly top 5). Ask for med-rare - otherwise they arrive pretty well cooked through.

If you are okay with very basic surroundings - I think Phnom Pehn would be a really new and tasty experience. For dimsum - I think that Kirin quality is much better - but Sun Sui Wah does the dim sum trolley thing which really helps with ordering and helps add to the surprise of what you are eating. In terms of drinks - I may not be much help - but you may want to also consider Nu or the Bacchus Lounge at the Wedgewood Hotel.

I was driving home today when I heard a beautiful voice come out of my radio. Rich barritone gravelly with manliness - why it was Neil Wyles talking about a Taste of Yaletown on News1130. I almost pulled over as the deep gentle voice was so soothing - I felt myself being lulled to sleep. 2006 Taste of Yaletown Running Oct 13-29 - some of the menus look very good. I guess Pino is not taking part this year. Too bad.

Where are you guys staying? Driving?

Where's the crying with joy emoticon?

I'm an olive oil sort of guy - at first it tasted really out of place - now I like it. High temp cooking - I've recently switched to Grapeseed oil which has a high smoking point and tastes very neutral. I agree with Tejon- canola has an off fishy taste that permeates everything cooked in it. Even though its super healthy - I've stopped using it.

I haven't seen this particular program, but I couldn't agree more that An Leung's simple recipes, beautifully photographed and described, make up some of the best instruction in Chinese cuisine that I've seen or received ... and that brings up an interesting idea ... The Italian section of eGullet has a "The Cuisine of ..." series that covers a different region of Italy each month. This month (just beginning) it is Umbria. Last month it was Campania, and the month before Sicily. Each month begins with a list of recognized classical cookbooks for the region (or websites), followed by descriptions and photos of food cooked from the region. There is active participation from eGulleteers who live in the region, so you may get local variations, a sense of the markets, the geography ... a wonderful, intense exposure to the country and the cuisine. Italy has been doing this for almost 2 years. ... would anyone be interested in doing this for Chinese cuisine? I'm sure we could learn and teach each other a great deal ... and, as with Italy, as we progress, more people will join and more knowledge will flow ... What are your thoughts? ← JasonZ That is a brilliant idea - the regional variations in Chinese food are amazing - but like Italian food - the cuisine on the whole is grounded in a supreme respect for the ingredient and freshness. Wuhan cuisine as the first stop!? Excellent. I can't wait. And Hzrt8's pictorials highlight the Chinese cuisine that I grew up with - homestyle Cantonese using westcoast ingredients. Certainly a viable variation in its own right.

Chambar and HSG are both very good. Make a late-ish reso at Chambar - say around 9pm and head on in. If its only two - then a seat at the bar may be in order. Personally - I think the bar is the best place to sit at Chambar. HSG is also great spot - a restorative Hanger Steak and GingerBreadPudding after a long drive would just hit the spot. Have yourself some tall long beers and a wander around Yaletown - perhaps a second round of desserts at Diner. Sounds like a good evening.

I think its pretty darn good - better then the West version (I had a year ago though) And there are two venues for you to try it - Parkside and Salt. Salt handled it very well - cleanly and lovingly sliced - brought nicely up to temp so that the butter and the pate were perfectly soft and flavourful. I doubled my heart medicine on my own that evening. (Just kidding) Have a try at Salt - early in the evening so that you get to linger over it with some quietness that it deserves. Or have it at the bar @ Parkside. Its a Win Win Baby!

Nyet on both. My choice would be Chambar or Salt. Both are loud, boisturous and fun. How many of you?

I've noticed a couple of Starbucks actually closing down - for example the one on Denman being converted to a Yaletown Sofa (which seems to be the go-to tenant for empty storefronts). I did not see another Starbucks being open nearby - and the note on the door at the time said - "We're closing - thanks for letting us have your money" - or something like that. Has Vancouver (finally!) hit a *$ saturation point? That being said - I think *$ does go into locations that other coffee places don't go and creates a neighbourhood hanging out point that in turn brings in other businesses. The location on 14th and Main (which now has a JJ Bean accross the street) and out on the fringes of the Downtown Eastside along Cordova (around Roger's Sugar).

I think I recognize half of them from the WWF's Endangered Species list. Us Chinese - if it tastes good - watch out!

Well if its true - good on Vince. I am surprised that he sold though - the business that the Pender Street branch alone generates is astouding - and its all cash inflow. He would gotten some serious dosh for selling the business.

Dude that would be a Mancation. Great picture - you and Neil look different out of your Chef's jackets.

I've seen a number of episodes - and unfortunately alot of repetition sets in. And her 'reinterpretations' can stray very far away from the orignal inspiration. She gets stuck in this scallions (or 'chinese shall-ots' as she calls them), red chili peppers, vinegar, fish sauce rut in everything she cooks. I agree with Joesan that there is too much emphasis on lifestyle and making Chinese food more exotic and mysterious then it needs to be. Someone needs to turn hzrt8w's home cooking pictorials into quick TV segments - simple, accessible, and delicous - way more than Kylie achieves in her half hour.

Chufi - thanks for that great report. I am in shock and awe at all the places and food that you tried while you where travelling through here. Impressive!

I was at Salt - again - and they have added some menu items. They now have a foie gras parfait courtesy of the team from Parkside. Let me tell you - it is the best foie terrine in the city. Really - its insanity. Salt serves it with a little Similkameen honey as a condiment - insane I tell you!

Pao Pao - you and I probably had the same sampler: Al Pastor, Longaniza, Bisteka, Carnita, and Chuleta. I could have more - but maintaining a little decorum seemed important on the first visit.

I have also seen Staubs consistently stocked at Costco at great prices.

And it was in the Western Living magazine that was waiting on my doorstep last night. Doesn't fall into kosher or vegetarian, but I'll definitely take a look at the book if I can get to Chapters this weekend. ← I was wondering about whether or not it was kosher - because I know dairy+meat is a no no - but what if the dairy and meat were from different animals? In this case lamb + cow's milk. Or is that being too "fine print"?

What!? A trip to NV too far for brioche and chocolate? This is not Ling that I know - where is she and what have you done with her you imposter?

Flowbee - you have removed a veil from my eyes - and now I can see delicious tacos.... Good good good - went with a bunch of people today and really enjoyed the food. The place is clean, service prompt and friendly, and they are open when they say the will be open (Chilo's - are you paying attention?) Tacos were the stand out - tremendous salsas - favorites being the avocado and spicy macha. 5 tacos and a Diet Coke for about $8 - great deal for great food. I'll post a picture later...

He's been pretty free with Lamb Lollipop recipe - it shows up in Mark Bittman's new cookbook as well as being available from Don Genova's website. I made them a few weeks back (I had 4 racks of lamb to use up) - and let me tell you - they were really good and damned easy to make. Big payoff for a little effort. Served with roasted potatoes (a la Nigella Lawson), and garlic sauteed green beans. Looked like a superhero. However - once you see the recipe - there is no denying how decadent it is... it starts with a litre of whipping cream!

I've been to the Tawain DTF also - I wanted to hate it, but fell in love instead - excellent dumplings. Such is life. My brother swears by Joe's Shanghai in Manhattan - but says the Richmond ones are very close. In HK - Victoria Harbour in Wan Chai has pork and hairy crab roe XLB's that are very very good. I can wait for the weather to get really cool in Vancouver and go on a XLB gorge.

I could not find any HK Maxim Mooncakes at either Osaka or TNT in Richmond. I guess its not meant to be.... I got a box of assorted mooncakes from Seaharbour - they are down to their last few boxes and expect to sell out in the next couple of days. No more double yolks - mixed nuts, lotus pastes, assorted are the ones they have left.