canucklehead
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Posts posted by canucklehead
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Peorogies!!! I am going to eat those until I pass out.
The fresh potato chips - so goooood. I was there the first year the potato chip place set up shop and the operators were so overwhelmed but happy - it was like they had won some sort of carnie lottery.
I have said it before - but fair food (PNE and Night Market especially) renders me into an unthinking walking gluttony machine. My ability to discern good from bad evaporates and my inner cookie monster is unleashed.
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It is my understanding that the event has sold out already. Well - please let those of us who were not able to get tickets how the event went. Sounds like its going to be a good one.
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Pez - anyone and everyone is welcome. But of course - you realize that these are clothing optional events. Welcome to back to the West Coast.
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Actually - mentioning Nu above of course begs the question of 'C'. Their food - though well constructed is not heavily sauced or overly handled. Good clean seafood-y flavor and a nice wine list to boot.
Sitting outside would be nice.... I love summers here.
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Sorry it has taken me so long to report back in.
Your suggestions were spot on and my friend's father chose Waterfront and his dinner/presentation was a real success. Excellent food and the restaurant had a room that was specifically designed for presentations with water on three sides of the room.
The attendance was very strong - thanks in no small part to venue. And as noted above- Doctors are notorious for being no shows.
Many thanks to you all for the great guidance.
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Don't know if this place has been discussed yet but I went to BC Gelato on Broadway and Spruce and had a really fresh and delicous blackberry sorbetto. Full of fruit flavour and an amazing creamy texture (not sure how you get that texture without dairy - sugar?).
It was quiet in the store - as it is in a kind of no man's land stretch of Broadway just west of Oak. Cafe de Medici gets their gelato and sorbetto from this shop.
If you are in the hood - it is worth checking out.
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Kids - I hear you. I lived away from Vancouver for 11 years and finally returned this year and I really love it here.
Some of my food memories have been reconfirmed (especially the local Asian food scene) and some are not as good as I remember. But all in all - it is so f-king fantastic to be here. Especially when the local produce starts kicking in.
The best thing about Vancouver - there will always be a place at the table for you. The people here, for all of their quirks and food prejudices, are really fantastic.
i am guessing that everything tastes good when you are topless and boozey in the mid day sun
You are my new best friend....
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The article credits Camas Davis who is the Travel and Research Editor of Saveur (based out of NYC). So not sure if she came out to BC - but -she's got Barbara-Jo's new address correct.
As noted upthread - these places are all 'pillars' of the food community so for us on this forum - it feels at little dated. How much of these articles are PR driven or is do they rely on older research.
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Saveur Magazine has a 2 page spread on 14 things to eat in BC. Mostly usual suspects - but some things I have not heard of (or thought would be mention worthy) Reminds us that there are some many things still waiting for us to try in our backyard.
General
Rocky Mountaineer Vacations
Okanagan Valley
Fresco Restaurant in Kelowna
Joie Farm Cooking School
Okanagan Grocery Artisan Breads
Vanilla Pod Restaurant in Summerland
Vancouver
Barbara Jo's Books to Cooks
Bishop's
Lumiere
Tojo's
West
The Islands
Madrona Valley Farm
Pointe Restaurant at the Wickaninish Inn
SOBO
Sooke Harbour House
Surprises for me - was including Bishop's and exclusions of Vij's, Chambar, and the general lack of Asian restaurants. But the list seems very 'west coast' focused in that local bounty sense.
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I think that it is easy to underestimate Vij's impact on the Vancouver food scene. He and Rob Feenie are very active in promoting Vancouver as a food centre. I was just thinking that while we poke and jab - Vancouver would very much be the poorer if they were not in town.
As for the food - I have always found the food to be very good. I don't not think that Vij's is trying to be purely 'authentic' - but take the Indian food to a different place - using local ingredients and applying different techniques. It is not dumbed down food. I find the flavors sparkle and the courses keep the pallate interested. If you go in thinking 'well - this isn't real indian food' then you are cheating yourselves of the real experience. It is the attitude that I had the first time I went - congratulating myself on being able to discern that this was not Indian home cooking - but I did not simply sit back and experience the food. I have many Indian friends who go and enjoy the food and experience - they don't sit there and pick apart the dishes.
I know that restaurant food is different from home cooking - and guess what? That's why we go to restaurants. I don't put down the food from Sun Sui Wah for not being like my mother's cooking - but enjoy it for what it is. And it is the same for Vij's - good food, well thought out, executed excellently, all served in the spirit of hospitality and generousity (and democratically - I mean EVERBODY waits in line). What more can one ask for?
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Lee, what if she can't play mah-jongg?
Older Asian women are wily wily wily - if you don't play Mah-Johg, then its off to a major shoe sale (ie Nordstrom's). Everything in that greed-spendiness-sneakiness continum will be be revealed.
"HA! You will never make a good wife for my son! Too many open toe shoes means you are immodest. Bad Girl!"
Sorry - this is so off topic. Just go to the Olive Garden and end it quickly.
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Oh you Americans.... be happy that you are not Asian - when everything is up for judgement.
My godmother told me when I meet the right person she will do three things with them
1) Sit in their car while they drive.
2) Have a meal with them.
3) Play Mah Jong with them
Then - alll character strengths and flaws will be revealed. I know it sounds like the f'king Joy Luck Club - but this is how things work in old school Chinese people's minds.
Olive Garden? They are dead to me!!
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I have a 9 inch Wusthof grand prix cooks knife and I love it - great balance and feel. My brother uses his Wusthof santoku and really likes it - I hate it though. It feels flimsy and the length too short and gimmicky. I find myself trying it out - but switching back to the cook's knife.
I think people with smaller hands and women like the santoku becuase of the lightness - but being the clumsy handed clod that I am - I need something with a heavier feel.
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It has suprised me how quickly questions of sustainability have already informed my purchasing decsions. I am more willing to ask questions, reject menu choices, and bring up the discussion with my friends when I am eating out with them. It has not become an idealogue - but a matter making more informed choices.
For example - things nearly came to blows with cousin's wedding - with the younger generation refusing to serve shark's fin soup and the older generation being deeply concerned over traditions being lost. Real changes start with debates (painful at times) like these.
So - things like the C Luncheon do not happen in a vacuum and it is not simply preaching to the choir.
As for the Shark Fin debate - my cousin eventually acquiesced to his parents. Much like Disney has bowed to local HK pressures to serve shark's fin soup at the new HK Disneyland.
Thanks Andy for providing all of the speeches and discussions.
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In the penalities section of the Act - there is further clarification:
"Liquor Service
28 A breach of section 42 (2) of this regulation by permitting liquor not
purchased from the licensee to be consumed in the licensed establishment 4-7 10-14 18-20 $5 000 - $7 000 "
The numbers '4-7' etc represent the number of days that your liquor licence will be suspended for your first, second, etc... offences and the fines that are levied.
Note - there are no subtleties whether the wine being brought in is being served by the staff at the restuarant. It is simple whether or not the liquor was purchased in the licensed establishment.
Having your liquor licence supsended is brutal for a restaurant. Clearly allowing a outside wine into a restaurant does pose a risk for the owner. Nwyles - please take it easy on how you approach your contact. The 'Penalties' section of the act is pretty long.
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Had fish tacos with Mooshmouse and Daddy-A today at GoFish. Delicous! They also had a gazpacho with stripped shrimp - absolutely fantastic. Summer in a bowl.
A PBS show was being shot highlighting GoFish and Daddy-A gave an impromtu lesson in eating fish tacos... nimble, gentle, yet purposeful.
Mooshmouse said it best - "shock and awe"
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Yet more proof that we need a revolution. I'll be atop the ramparts brandishing a sword should anyone care to join me.
Seriously dude - are you going to take on Iona Campagnolo? She scares the bejesus of me. I am surprised that 'Type O' did not make her list of reds. Watch what you are messing with.
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I think Prado says on their menu that they sell only fair trade / shade grown coffee.
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Lunch on Monday - Golden Sichuan for lunch with some egulleteers. I think that lunch is better then dinner - more generous with sichuan peppercorns, a lighter hand with the dan dan noodles. We shared the chili boiled beef, poached pork belly with spicy dipping sauce, and pea shoots with garlic. Such oriental delights - and the food was very good too.
Lunch Today - Snuck out to Mak's again on Broadway and had the wonton noodles and shared a plate of stir fried beef noodles. The beef noodes were excellent - hot from the wok and tightly cooked (not over sauced).
Dinner Tonight - Chambar
Have not been in ages and it was nice to be able to drop in a get a table. Things are not crazy busy for then early in the evening as the good weather keeps people outside and the fireworks are scaring diners away. Had the Mussel Congalese (sp?) - spicy broth and really really plump mussels. They come in from Lund (Northern Vancouver Island) and were fresh and tasty. A couple of days ago - I had gone to another restaurant and the mussels there were much smaller and stronger tasting. We were told then that it is simply a function of the summer weather - but now I am not so sure about the explanation. The Chambar mussels were as nice as I have had all year - even in the colder months. Also had an excellent roasted elk loin - served nicely rare with grilled polenta and assorted vegetables - not sure how they are keeping things to $20 - but this dish was a winner. Perfect portion size that seemed civilized but generous at the same time. Dessert was chcolate mousse and Kriek - what a fun combo (thanks to Vancouver Lee for introducing this to me). A bit of tasting alchemy that turns the Kriek into a fruity fizzy dessert beer.
Chambar's menu is evovling nicely and takes advantage of new ingredients. The place continues to fire on all pistons and it is nice to see everybody working there having fun and revelling in a restaurant finding its sweet spot.
edited to add - thanks to kurtist for returning to a much more pleasant avatar.
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I would recommend Kirin downton as a better dim sum option over Imperial. The food is better and the service is less intrusive. Imperial is much more non-Chinese friendly - but it just kills me the way that they keeping interupting you even when your table is overladen with food. Ack!
I've been hitting Golden Sichuan pretty regularly and I think that they do a nice Sunday lunch.
I've noticed that you there does'nt seem to be a lot of mention of Japanese (or Izakaya) food - there are some very good places in town.
I hope that you are now more confused then ever.
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Chance that this remains civil is about the same as Moxies tying Wilsons for the Vanmag Restaurant of the Year.... Anyway, there is a place you can go if the foibles of others interfer with your personal definition of pleasure. It's called home. It's somewhere that you can avoid any and all unpleasant contact with your fellow man.
I had lunch with someone I had not seen for a long time - and he was complaining about people nattering in languages other than english in restaurants and how he found that really irritating (he says this while staring right at a Chinese man - namely me). Huh!?
Anyways.... to keep on topic - another friend of mine said how she felt lucky not to be seated near smokers while on the Bridges patio, so she has taken the 'that's the price you pay for sitting outside' attitude. I generally fall into that category also - that's life in the big city (or smallish medium in Vancouver's case). I've noticed that Lift's roof deck is enclosed by glass walls (with an open ceiling) and I was there with a cigar smoker. No one seemed to care.
Finally - Moxie's - what's with their crotch shots billboards? Frankly - staring at splayed open legs is not going to get me into a CFD estabishment. Perhaps I am in the prudish minority.
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I was in Victoria for the first time in 15 years this weekend. I was helping with a 4 and 5 year old - so did not get to eat out at some of the more interesting places. Still it was a fun visit - the local food scene seems very robust.
Got to finally go to a Thrifty's and they reminded me of Stong's. Good quality of stuff, great mixture of organics and conventional products. Giving shoppers a wide range of choices without grandstanding. They have a store in Tsawassen and will be opening a location in PoCo - hopefully expanding towards my hood.
Victoria seems like this crazy mix of Berkely-esque lefty politics and redneck sensibilities. Went to the Luminara and saw what hippies do best - appropriate another culture's ritual (in this case - the Chinese Latern Festival) and make it more shiny, fun, and family oriented. It was great. I got to sample some Shady Creek Ice Cream (a mellow, not too sweet, softly creamy Ginger Ice Cream) and marching behind middle-aged hippies dressed like faeries and medieval fair rejects - it was like a perfect little BC summer moment.
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First off - congrats to Andrew
Second off - intervention for Ling
Sunday Lunch - returned from a weekend in Victoria - but I did not have a chance sample alot of local fare. So - hit Go Fish to try the new kool aide and had two fish tacos. They are a good as noted above - don't try to judge them against any 'authentic' standard - but enjoy them for what they are - beautiful local salmon balanced against warm chipotle heat and fresh fresh herbiness.
Monday Lunch - Cin Cin. Very quiet room - but the food was very good. Had a pasta special of beef tenderloin w/ mushrooms and pasta. Substantial and filling - but somehow did not feel out of line with summer eating - don't know why.
Monday Dinner - Bluewater Cafe. Sat at the sushi bar and had delicously fresh sweet sushi (though it was disconcerting seeing the fish coming out of vacuum packs - even I know that this is probably the best way to keep the freshness of sushi grade fish). Ridiculously generous Uni Cones and Negi Toro Rolls that actually and good quality Toro in them (not the crazy fatty O-Toro - but good quality Chi-Toro).
I expected it to feel strange to be eating top notch sushi surrounded in a western restaurant. But it did not. It reminded me of one meal I had where Japanese and French courses were alternated by the Chef who was demonstrating his skill in both cuisines. I was sitting in a virtually empty restaurant while a typhoon roared outside... yet all this perfectly prepared food just kept on coming. In this same way - Toshi Yabo's little plates of jewel-like freshness made the rest of the room fall away.
(Sorry about the size of the pictures - I am grateful to you all for indulging me).
Favorite PNE food (Merged)
in Western Canada: Dining
Posted
Next you'll be posting that Santa Claus is dead.