canucklehead
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Posts posted by canucklehead
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imo stong's is a very tired looking, over-rated and expensive grocery store located in dunbar
Sorry - I should have posted that I called and they said that they no longer carry the beef. I thought upthread that you did that already.
I don't actually shop there (I live on North Shore) - but the crappy service seems out of character (I have friends in the area) - still, no excuse for being short with you.
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I think Stong's stocks beef from South America (Uruguay grass fed if I remember correctly). Not really Agentinian - I know.
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I wonder if there will be new restaurants jumping into the DOV waters? Now, more that ever - getting bums into seats is paramount for any restaurant.
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...
I'm worried that Kei's Bakery on Burrard may not be returning.
The sign posted on the door on October 11th said they'll be back in two weeks, but two months later the sign's still there and it looks like no one's been back since...
Oh no! I hope they're ok... Maybe they went back to Japan for an extended visit?
My understanding is that the husband has got some real health issues. I really hope that a speedy recovery is made - and that they open shop again real soon.
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Peter - absolutely awesome write ups!
I understand that you are going to have some seriously spicy food this evening. Seriously Spicy.
Looking forward to your report.
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Peter - absolutely awesome write ups!
I understand that you are going to have some seriously spicy food this evening. Seriously Spicy.
Looking forward to your report.
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VIP serves very good Swatow Chinese - the restaurant itself is really diving - so it's better for take out, and luckily that particular type of chinese cuisine travels very well - in HK you see swatow places with cooked food on display that is served just a little above room temp. Braised duck served with garlicky vinegar, oyster omlete/pancake, deep fried pomfret, and chicke with deep fried pepper leaves - all nice.
Thanks for the review of Fraiche - I've been curious about it - especially after it's high placing in Enroute's list of top 10 new places in Canada.
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That really needs some reno's - plus a heavy duty power wash from top to bottom.
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The new Skytrain will be the A-train to Eat Street (with stations at Aberdeen and at Richmond Center).
Fmed - I am so with you on that. When the Skytrain is done - there will be so much great Chinese food that will be so much more accessible. I live on the North Shore - and I hate the fact that I end up driving over three bridges to eat in Richmond.
I could list off the places that dot along three road - but I would it would be a ridiculously long long list.
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Jade in Richmond... everything seems to be in Richmond these days. Bah!
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One nice thing about the change in weather - claypot rice time! Jade does a nice cured meats / rice.
The rice is all glossy with duck fat - delicous! I always ask for the crispy rice bits to be soaked with broth and served separately with green onions and cilantro.
I hear that SSW does a very nice version also - which is a good thing - because Jade's seasonal menu is completely in Chinese. Frustrating to order.
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Gill gives a pretty big thumbs up reveiw of the new Irish Heather.
I myself think the rooms are very nice and the food is a real step up - pretty darned tasty. And filling. That comforting pot pie is really nicely portioned.
Excellent. Congrats to Sean and Colleen and the Heather crew. I'm glad to see they're now pouring some fine local R+B product.
Link to the review here:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/sto...=alexandra+gill
New digs for a local fave - and much better fareFiercely loyal regulars of the original Heather will find the new chef takes pub grub to a whole other level
ALEXANDRA GILL
The Irish Heather is Vancouver's only authentic Irish pub. So says the Honorary Irishman, who lived for six months in Waterford City (and spent much of that time drinking Smithwick's). He, like the legions of other Irish Heather fans out there, has always enjoyed its low ceilings, narrow corridors, warm ambience, rustic charm and fabulous selection of beer.
But now the venerable Gastown gastropub has moved into new digs across the street. The Honorary Irishman is not optimistic. "It won't be the same," he laments.
Proprietor Sean Heather says he didn't have much choice. The old building, which hugs the cobblestone alleys of the city's historic Gaoler's Mews, has been shut down for seismic upgrades. Mr. Heather could have weathered a three-month closing. But after the renovations, it still would have felt dramatically different. Mr. Heather admits change is hard, but he thinks regulars will be pleased. (His female focus group apparently cheered and clapped when they saw the sparkling clean, tiled bathrooms.)
"It's like the Heather, but better," he says.
The main room is wrapped in brick and dominated by a long stand-up bar. Dark wood floors made from Guinness barrels, copper-sheeted accent walls and crystal chandeliers exude a warm, cozy glow. The original Heather is commemorated with caricature oil paintings drawn from photographs of patrons clustered around the beer taps. Much like the old Heather, the new Heather is a den-like warren of nooks and separate rooms. Out back, connected by a brick alleyway, we find the new Shebeen whisky bar. It's much brighter than the main room, louder, full of dancing dervishes and encased in concrete (for easy hosing down the next morning, I would guess).
Next door, connected via the bathroom causeway, we spy the Salty Tongue deli, which shares the Irish Heather menu at night and is also open for lunch. It's a long, narrow room with a 52-seat communal table that looks full. "Must be a private party," I think, steering the Honorary Irishman in another direction. "Oh no!" says a kindly waitress who overhears me. "Go on back. If there's a chair, just grab it." We score a high-top table for two in a snug alcove. Perched on our stools, the first thing we notice is that almost everyone around us is eating. At 10:30 p.m.! The Irish Heather may call itself a gastropub, but the food was never much to write home about. That's all changed now that Colleen McClean (former chef de cuisine at Feenie's and Rare) has been brought in as executive chef. Her menu raises pub grub to a whole new level for Vancouver.
Trout ($10) is hot-smoked in-house, with a firm, flakey texture. It comes with a lip-smacking side of mashed minted peas, drizzled with crème fraîche and topped with a smattering of golden-battered, deep-fried shallot rings. Cassoulet terrine ($12) is a hearty slice of Toulouse sausage, duck confit and pork belly, each savoury element wrapped in tiny parcels of Savoy cabbage with a few white beans thrown into the mix. It comes with a small mixed green salad tossed with a perfectly blended honey vinaigrette. I don't get excited about salad dressings very often, but this is very good. Pot pie ($14) changes weekly. We get a rich, gooey, Guinness-braised steak version with nice cubes of lean meat, finely cut carrots and fresh peas baked in a thick, chewy crust. The massive portion comes with buttery double-mashed potatoes and excellent gravy that is creamy and golden.
Beyond the predictable burgers and bangers, Ms. McClean offers a few global twists: Asian-inspired fish and chips (made with sake kasu marinated snapper), Moroccan-style braised lamb and Thai green curry chicken (entrées range from $14 to $19). With cheese and charcuterie plates sourced from sister restaurant Salt Tasting Room, there are plenty of options for grazing. And quite a few nods to vegetarians. We particularly like the gnudi ($14), a pasta-less ravioli made from ricotta, basil and lemon, served with a fresh, chunky tomato sauce. My only complaint is the dessert selection. The Irish Heather offers two: chocolate pot de crème and lemon pannacotta. They're both custards. What's wrong with cake or pie?
Oh, wait. I am so impressed with the food I have failed to mention the drinks. The Irish Heather is the only pub in Vancouver where you'll find a cask-conditioned ale (from R&B Brewing) every day of the week. The bottled beer list has been expanded, and now offers more than 20 varieties. The craft beers from Oregon's Rogue Ales are noteworthy, as is Pyramid Breweries' tasty apricot weizen. The B.C.-heavy wine list has been stepped up a notch. And the whisky list: I don't even know where to begin. There are more than 50 single malts, including one from Japan.
With its gourmet pub fare, interesting drinks, unpretentious atmosphere and charming new digs, the new Irish Heather is like a playground for grown-ups.
No, it's not the same as the old Heather. But sometimes change is good. The Honorary Irishman gives it two thumbs up.
And I like it, too.
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For the most part - egg tarts are made from scratch. Certainly the better bakeries would make them from scratch (Michelle's, Anna's, Maxim's, etc...) The amount of stuff made from mixes would be the same as what you find in any normal bakery.
But you raise a good question about specifically Asian ingredients such as red bean pastes.
I think the key is always to seek out quality bakeries and ask questions.
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The newly redocorated Alvin's Garden
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Gill gives a pretty big thumbs up reveiw of the new Irish Heather.
I myself think the rooms are very nice and the food is a real step up - pretty darned tasty. And filling. That comforting pot pie is really nicely portioned.
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Congratulations to Parallel 49 for being in Saveur's list 9 Great Coffees in the latest issue (breakfast issue). Always nice to see a local product recognized.
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I'm not Lee, but I've heard that yes, they've got a number of restaurants. I've been to the Kerrisdale location a couple of times. We had the cumin lamb (yum!), dan dan noodles (yum yum!!), little steamer buns, onion pancake, and a couple other items that I can't remember since this was a while ago. We'll probably go back sometime in the next week or two.
Would love to hear more! Look for real Hunan dishes (which, unfortunately, would not include dan dan noodles). Beef with pickled peppers, and smoked pork belly with garlic bolts are stuff that I order all the time at Alvin's Garden. The heat should be intense and sharp flavored - but short lived.
Looking forward to your next visit.
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I'm not sure - but it would explain alot.
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Alvin's Garden - if anything - is better than the old Xiang. The food is more focused, and the room and menu layout is miles ahead of what it used to be.
A friend of mine says that the S&W Restaurant in Kerrisdale (right below Golden Ocean) now serves Hunan food. Her parents (who are Cantonese) went - but were warned away from anything too spice, and so ended ordering very blandly - but they saw plates piled high with chili's served to other tables. And they knew that they had been steered wrong. Has anyone been?
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The other route would be head over to Kirin at the Starlight Casino for dim sum. It's a nice room and the food is good and consistent.
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Just adding, there is no Chinese food in North Vancouver. Lot's of crap lemon chicken and sweet and sour pork. But, no Chinese food. At least not that I've found.
Agreed - Chinese food is very difficult to find on the North Shore. Westview Chinese has a large menu, but generally the food is average. VIP on Marine Drive has Swatow style cooking - but the room itself is a bit of a mess, so take out works out best. Also - you need to know what to order, as most of the menu is given over to lemon chicken and spring rolls.
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Not too far off your route are:
Alving's Garden (Nelson and Imperial, Burnaby) - searing crazy hot hunan food. Try the beef with pickled peppers and the lamb with cumin.
Kirin Seafood Restaurant at the Starlight Casino. Their newest endevour - very nice room and great dim sum.
There are a lot of good Korean places in Burnaby also.
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Metro is great.
Lift - great views and ambience, middling food.
Parkside - great food, and a super nice patio and room. V. Romantic. But it means heading into the West End - not far at all really.
Openings and closings (2009– )
in Western Canada: Dining
Posted
I don't think this is a bad thing - Fresco's was good - but it was getting a little stale - I don't think it's how many people want to eat anymore. Waterfront is my preferred dining spot in Kelowna, while the terrace at Mission Hill offers outstanding food for lunch (though at dinner style prices).
Regardless - Rod Butters is a very very talented chef - I am sure this new venture will be intresting. It's good to hear that he has re-invigorated his business.