canucklehead
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Posts posted by canucklehead
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Mooshmouse, I am so glad to hear that about Ocean Six Seventeen!
I haven't been yet, but really want to go. I live very close.
It has been a bit of a cursed location so far, and I would love to see it succeed. I understand that the Chef used to work under Gord Martin.
Can't wait to see your tasting notes!
Ann
For what it is worth - the Westender gave it a very good review.
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There are some top flight Asian Restaurants in Vancouver
Keeping things to the Downtown Core:
Okada - unpretentious basic sushi and sashimi
Hapa Izakaya - Japanese bar food / Tapas
Guu w/ Garlic - Same as above
Kirin Downtown
Billed as Northern Chinese - but emphasis is on Cantonese Food.
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I knew my reign as the King of Hangar steak could only last so long. What should I do now ? Invade Robson Street and beat down the upstarts ? Who's with me ?
Anyone ?..........................
Where was everybody? I was standing in front of Joe Fortes with my sharpened pitchfork and my torch all ready to burn down the Pretenders to the Throne.
Fortunately - it being Robson street - I did not stand out too much. I think that most people thought I was part of the Provincial political campaign.
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Returning to the original question ....
- Do you foresee this type of cuisine coming to Vancouver?
- Are we "ready" for it?
- Is there anyone currently on the radar who would undertake such a venture, or would it have to be someone new?
- What kind of molecular dishes would a Vancouver "el Bulli" offer, considerng our local ingredients?
A.
I could see this type of cuisine making guest appearances at Lumiere or West - but as a whole evening thing - I am not too sure. I went to a restaurant in Hong Kong where there were a series of tastings - with the opening savlos being the new 'molecular' style of cuisine and then the menu moved back into more grounded territory.
I don't think that we need to deem ourselves ready or not. It takes tremendous skill to pull this type of cuisine off. Both technical skill (that is rooted in classic training) and intellectual skill. I saw the program on Achatz on Food TV and also found him irritating. The program showed no intellectual underpinnings - he just seemed interested in what weird technical thing he could do the the food. At some point - the food being served was basically is processed food and people were paying $200 a head to lick garlic powder and chew flavored paper. That is why the intellectual underpinning is important - it is all about re-examing food and explore flavours in a new way. But for many, the ghee-whiz esthetic aspect takes over and it becomes illiterate cooking (remember how quickly nouvelle cuisine deteriorated?).
I think that it is a good thing that neither Feenie or Hawksworth has jumped on the bandwagon and tried to pull something like this off. I think that it actually speaks to their integrity and understanding of theirs skills that they don't go down that path. I agree with so many of the posters here that there is so much undiscovered bounty still in BC that there is still much to explore. Let's get the real food down before we jump into astronaut food.
Finally - here is my recipe for molecular pesto
1 Tb Dried Basil
1 Tsp Garlic Powder
1 Tb Grated Cheese (dried Denman Island Chevre is ideal)
1 Tsp ground pine nuts.
Mix with fingers and sprinkle on clove flavoured cigarette paper. Let dissolve on tongue. Charge $25.00
- Do you foresee this type of cuisine coming to Vancouver?
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. ...I cannot even explain how rude and with such a lack of common courtesy and respect to a Chef that feels it's got to such a point that he needs to do this. I applaud Sean and Rob Feenie for doing so in a sane and diplomatic manner. If it were me, heads would have rolled...
Hey Paul
Thanks for your comments - when I first started posting (not that long ago really) I was nervous about posting any sort of criticism. But without some sort of back of forth - the forum would be lop-sided and frankly uninformative.
People are called out pretty quickly if they are unfair, mean spirited, or simply uninformed. You can tell fairly easily if someone does'nt know what they are talking about. If anything - postings tend to be a little on the positive side. I know that I can be particularly gushy about things. Overall though - there is always a good exchange of information.
Everybody here knows how grueling and difficult it is to run a restaurant in this city - and generally people here are all about supporting the little guys and independents. There is alot of support here for Rob Feenie (i.e. when he was on Iron Chef - this forum was nutsy for him) but he does get a lot of ribbing. I think that much of the teasing is because he is well liked and respected and he is one of the 'big boys' of Canadian cuisine - so he can take it. The food at Feenies gets very good word of mouth - and I am looking forward to a quiet weekend when I can go and experience it for myself.
The Irish Heather continues to get alot of visits from egulleteers - I know I still go alot, I just take off egullet decoder ring
And though Sean no longer participates - he set off alot of discussions and re-examinations of the nature of what is posted. The forum is the better for it.In general - I think that the Vancouver Forum is extremely supportive of the little guy or people who otherwise don't get alot of press. Chambar, GoFish, Ganache, Da Francesco, Adesso, Aurora Bistro, Cru, Fiction, Sun Sui Wah et al are just a few of the places that get very positive and sustained support. HSG is somewhere that egullet introduced me to - and I am thankful for the Hanger Steak and the GBP.
Overall - the I think that the Vancouver forum is well informed - but not smugly so. They are a respectful bunch - but they don't practice the solemn reverential brand of respect. People take food seriously - but it is in the spirit of fun and sharing (and sarcasm).
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Hey folks, here is more info from my cousin!
"I tried some kind of congee and it had that awfull preserved (rotten) duck's egg in it. Revolting. They do BBQ as well. Their BBQ pork (char-sieu) is really good but I haven't tried the duck. Its alwayse full of Chinese which is probably a good sign."
Ahhhh preserved egg - that is the acid taste of how 'for real' you can be with Chinese food - I only really started liking it myself in the last few years (and I am Chinese!). In the summer - cold preserved egg, chopped - tossed with a a gingery soy vinegrette and served over cold soft tofu (raw). I tell you - sounds like crap - but so good and refreshing.
My brother was visiting Saskatoon - on a nearby farm with some friends. His friend's uncle - who was the farmer - said his bull was Chinese and his name was "Hung Lo".
He went during the later summer and said that Saskatoon Berry Pie was soo good and cheap - with a $5 dollar pie being "fancy". Makes you realize how expensive Vancouver is... (whole sour cherry pie at Savary Island - delicous but $20 a pie)
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Had lunch with the egullet mafia at LilyKate. After my ranting - I decided to follow through and actually eat there. I was afraid that it would be a disaster and I would be eating crow. However, my beef with the Straight's review was the fact that Angela did not eat the food before critisizing - so whether the food ended being good or bad was moot.,
So, observations:
- The space is very nice - big and soaring. But it is oddly at odds with the food. Instead of feeling like comfort food in a clean funky space - it was more like a cafeteria in a warehouse.
- The prices are fairly steep. I had a very large bowl of pork goulash, a side of buttermilk mash and an organgina - which set me back about $17.00 The food was very good though. Mooshmouse and her husband each had a very nice bowl spicy chicken stew (though her cobb salad was composed of iceberg lettuce - good crunch, no flavor). Daddy-A had a slice of quiche (8.50!). Ling's meal was obviously dessertcentric - a small bowl of goulash and a large slice of cake. More about dessert later. Lunch specials seem like a decent deal though, 10$ gets you a very civilized sandwich with good ingredients and side salad (beet salad today).
- Silly mistakes. Seems like their microwaves where not running well today. It took two trips back to the counter to get the food sufficiently hot. This was the case for everybody who had stews. Not a good thing. However, the server was quick on her feet and offered the table comped desserts.
- Service was very very good. Like I said above - the server quickly made appologies and the table ended up getting a slice of coconut cake and two crushed ice coffee shakey things. I could also see (in the mirrors) that the staff really tried to keep an eye on us. I went to speak with our main server and thanked for the coconut cake and mentioned the Straight review - and she was also very gracious about it - basically something like -"everybody has different tastes - so it's okay". Smart girl.
- The coconut cake was the star of lunch - really excellent dense cake with deep coconut flavor and lots of shredded coconut and frosted with italian merengue (please I know I am a terrible terrible speller - when is egullet going to have spell check?). If coconut cake is your thing - this is the best version of it that I've had in Vancouver.
So, I did not have to eat crow - but not sure if LilyKate will be a regular thing for me. That being said - it is not some sort of food pariah. If I lived in the area - I would pick up take out - and get it really hot at home. I will definitely come back for the coconut cake (a good deal @ $5 per serving).
I want to thank the egullet mafia for indulging my rant - we ended up having more desserts at Ganache (which was excellent). I think that Mooshmouse will have some pictures as proof.
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I met the owners of Wingnuts on Main St. the other night. I had not even heard of it. HAs anyone been ? I drove by and it looked like they did takeout ad dine in.
Yeah - the wings are good. They have a wall of fame with people who can down large quantities of ther uber-spicy wings. I went and had, I think 18 wings, not the super spicy, so I did not make the wall of fame.
The night that I was there were a couple of teenagers who were so baked - they smelled like reefer madness. They had a tonne of wings - then they wobbled across the street to McD's. Oh... those days are behind me.
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I love Budapest. Their Translyvanian Wooden Plate is delicious and a great value, and the restaurant itself is cosy and comfy.
Just wanted to say that I checked out Budapest last night and it was goooooood.
Shared cucumber salad and tomato salad. They were dressed with sharp vinegar that was refreshing and opened the appetite. Then shared a Translyvanian Wooden Plate for three that had:
Veal Schitzel
Pork Schitzel
Chicken Schitzel
Cabbage Rolls
Spaetzle
Pan Fried Potatoes
Purple Suarkraut
Suasages
A tonne of food for $45.
Everything was delicous - with the schitzels being particularly excellent.
Thin with a really crisp coating, not greasy at all - better I am afraid than Katzenjammer. Dessert was a Sour Cherry Strudel and Vanilla Kreme. The Sour Cherry Strudel was actually a poppy seed strudel studded with sour cherries (the waitress gave us fair warning) The Vanilla Kreme was like a vanilla pudding cake sandwiched between flakey pastry - not too sweet and good.The decor is like being in an East European profressor's office. Kind of cozy - kinda of suffocating.
Will definitely be back.
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I'll offer up a real darkhorse. If you want to stay REALLY close to the airport - there is always the Flying Beaver Pub. It is a Mark James restaurant - which is squarely in the Earl's zone of pricing.
Right on the river, with float planes coming and going, drunk stewardesses and airport workers.
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And you are one up on me...I have no idea who 50 foot Fred is!!!!
That's Flinstone, Fred Flinstone... am I that old that I am the only one old enough to remember the Flinstone's theme park?
Also - if you want to play spot the egullteer - just head to Hamilton Street Grill. It's like shooting fish in a barrel.
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Living out here in the culinary armpit of BC, I am amazed at how many of the restaurants on peoples list I have actually eaten at! Of course I did live in the civilized world once....
Badiane
Brava Bistro got reviewed in the Sun today (good review at that) - from the guys at Deliliah's in Vancouver now have a new place in Chilliwack. Now this is not super haute cuisine - but I've always like the sense of fun and decent food at Deliliah's.
Any word from the armpit? My only experience of Chilliwack is 50 foot Fred. This is not being snide - but highlighting my own ignorance of the lower mainland where I grew up.
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Iv'e never been to West (what a loser eh?) and - for all of my ranting to their defence - I have never even been inside of Lilykate.
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Erik
Just a heads up - they moved the cake discussion to another thread - it got very lively.
Thanks for your input though. I must say that I said alot (though it got zapped
) but I really learned alot and the discussion gave me alot to think about on something that I had taken for granted. -
Would Budapest Cafe on Main be a good approximation? Have heard good things about the goulash and schnitzel.
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There's also Arian in West Van that just made the news because of the new "anti-restaurant smell" bylaw: CBC on West Van Bylaw
Went to Arian for a late night snack. My brother had beef stew with tomatoes and eggplant and I had a stewed lamb shank. Both orders came with really fragrant Basmati rice (mine green) and the portions for the stews were huge (portions for kebobs seemed more reasonable). All this for about $17, tax and two pops included.
T'was very good and it was a really inexpensive way to introduce myself to Iranian food. An Iranian woman customer seemed surprised to see two nice Chinese fellows in the place and asked if we like the Iranian food - and well - we did.
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Due to our gardening prowness - we have a bumper crope of wild organic dandelion greens growing in the front lawn.
Unless you're lawn is truly organic, I would seriously consider not eating them especially if your lawn has been treated for insects. Find a nice field somewhere(there are many in my area) and snag them when they're nice and young.
The lawn is TRULY organic - by neglect in my case. Nothing is done to it and living in Vancouver guarantees alot of rain - and dandelions. We live at the end of a cul-de-sac, so very little traffic.
Luckily - the lawn is not visible from the street, and the landscaping looks good otherwise. I am the kind of neighbour that when people look at the grass - heads are shaking in disdain.
Scott123 - JUICE them? That is soo healthy - just thinking about it has lowered my blood pressure.
Daniel - looks excellent! Does stewing the leaves take out some of the bitterness? Break out the weed wacker.
Thanks for all of the great suggestions.
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2roost - totally reasonable and common sense.
I would never do anything otherwise.
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Sorry, but I can't understand bringing your own cake into any restaurant.
This was covered in another thread last year (what topic wasn't?), but...
Did you call and find out if Chambar would make (sell) you a cake?
Why didn't you have your entire meal at Sutton Place, if you love the food from there?
Can someone point out the previous thread? I would like to read what other's have said.
I don't mean to speaking for waylman - but I don't understand what the big deal is if bringing a cake in is, as long as you call ahead to check that it is okay. Growing up - when there was a large group of us - we did this all time. Especially at family gatherings when someone had a real favorite cake from somewhere. I still see it being done all the time.
So if you don't have all three courses from the restaurant then you should not eat there at all? Is it better to get up, interrupt the gathering and have cake at home? It is because the restaurant has stopped making money from you?
Not trying to be a smartass - but if I am breaking some sort of basic ettiquite - then I want to make sure that I get with the program.
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Due to our gardening prowness
- we have a bumper crope of wild organic dandelion greens growing in the front lawn. The latest Saveur reminded me that dandelion greens are actually edible. But they did not have a tonne of recipes.If this topic has been discussed before - please point out the thread to me.
But - what does one do with dandelion greens. My brother has been nibbling the odd raw leaf - but I find it a little bitter to have a platefull of raw greens. I figure the acid test of whether I can eat large volumes of it - is to saute with garlic and evoo or butter. (if garlic and butter can't make something taste good - nothing can).
Are there other recipes that I should be thinking of? I figure that eating the suckers would be at least some form of victory (instead of digging them out all the time).
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Arne, make sure you do not mention any "High Tea" things when you want to hang with the boys. Your tough guy image will be shattered. Into a million pieces !
Doood
I so agree - all these 'Garden' tiered tea time little cakes are sending me into estrogen shock... must... have... the manliest of desserts.... HSG GPB!
ahhh - now I am a MAN.
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I can understand bringing your own cake. Restaurants don't usually sell whole cakes - and there is always something very nice about the whole ceremony of have a whole cake to cut an share with your loved ones.
Especially true if you have a cake that has become a traditional b-day cake. When I lived in HK - I would always want the Penninsula's chestnut cake. In Vancouver - I am still searching for the ideal black forest cake... that will be my new cake.
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I've been Salade Des Fruit twice now in the past two weeks and I will say that the service really makes the place. The host (don't know his name) - friendly, funny, and does a good job at having a good time with the customers. The food is good - but previous to coming this week - I had'nt been in years. It seems like the price points have crept up and it is no longer the value for money as it was before. It seemed like it was more catered to the French students that hung around there - rather than the Westside crowd that now frequents it.
The meal also drove home how good the food at La Regalade is and what a value the food is there.
Don't get me wrong - I will still make SDF a habit. The overall experience is so enjoyable.
Has anyone been to the Smoking Dog? I've heard Rob Feenie make reference to it on his show - but I don't know anyone who has actually eaten there. Is there another thread that I should be searching?
How to throw a dinner party w/chinese food
in China: Cooking & Baking
Posted
I agree with Jaymes.
When I first got to California - after working in HK for a number of years, my co-workers took me out to the fanciest Chinese restaurant they could thing of. It was terrible.
See what your Tai Chi instructor would prefer. If home cooking is okay - keep the flavors simple and light and don't do anything that would require a lot of last minute fussing. Grilled meats or vegetables would be good. Singaporeans call handle heat in their food - so something spicy to wake up the taste buds would be good. I find that for Southern Chinese people - Italian/Tuscan style food (in the Marcella Hazan vein) is something that is quite enjoyable.
If it must be Chinese - then go to a place that will cater, but pick food that travels well and does not need to be super piping hot (this may be a difficult thing as most Chinese food is best "right out of the wok"). Fried rice and a noodle dish as starches is good.
Either way - finish the meal with fruit. Most Chinese are not huge fans of sweet sweet desserts and really enjoy seasonal fresh fruit.