Irishgirl

Yup. No doubt about that. But like I said - that's life. How does one preserve self-worth, confidence, motivation and pride in the job if this is the case? If you grow a 'thick skin' and turn a 'deaf ear' in order to appease the customer, where is the connection between the one who is served and the one who is providing the service? It is the 'i am the sorry. i am sorry. i am sorry.' equivalent of sticking your fingers into your ears going 'nyah..nyah..nyah..nyah', no? If 'I am sorry' will make everything fine and sunny, then why make any attempt to change from better to best? ← You preserve self worth, confidence, motivation and pride, by doing the best work that you can do every day!!!! Some people will appreciate your efforts and send compliments to the kitchen. THAT is your reward for perservering in the face of adversity. This, more than anything is YOUR issue not the public's You cannot depend on other people to make you happy. You have to be happy with yourself. If you are not happy with yourself, then change is necessary. You do not sound like you enjoy your job very much. (That is assuming that you are a cook/chef?)

Magee and Wolke are both excellent books. Now I know that these are not necessarily food science books...but if you add: Larousse Gastronomique The Visual Food Encyclopedia and The Food Lover's Companion You will have virtually every question you have ever had about food answered. Love my Visual Food Encyclopedia! Great when people ask what things look like. It also has lots of pictures of FISH! Something that I think was requested.

Arne, Atualfo Mangoes are in town right now. I bought some yesterday at Kin's Farm Market in City Square. $4.40 for 5. These are the real deal....they are like the ones that come from the phillipines, (I think that these are from Mexico) are very sweet and have a floral note to them. I wait all year for these to be in season! To answer a question above: Blackberries don't start until August. (My favourite month of the year! Blackberries, tomatoes, corn and peaches all in season at the same time!)

Les Amis also used to sell creme fraiche from France in a green container. It was very good and very thick. I haven't noticed if they still sell it since they moved.

The thing with reflecting where we live..... ...it all depends on how you look at it.... For instance...Go Fish was a brilliant idea...for the location...and reflects vancouver in the style of food. It is not high end...but from what I gather, is doing very well. I think that concept is very important. Steakhouse has been done. West and Westcoast European, Westcoast-Asian, Westcoast french, and Tapas are all areas that have been covered well in this city. We need to stand out. We also need to decide what demographic we are after...(read your post deborah)...and decide whether we are casual or high end or fast-food. Do we really want another expensive restaurant in Vancouver? Will an "expensive" restaurant fly at jericho? Will the smell of wet dog outside the restaurant draw people in? Ok......I'll think some more.....

Perhaps we should be designing two restaurants?....I still think that the English Bay location is great.... The problem with this thread is that some people are taking it seriously and others are not....nothing wrong with that....but it seems to have stalled the thread. If we have one restaurant for sillyness and one for serious consideration....maybe that would be better? Also...much as i like the mexican idea, does it really reflect where we live? (as one of Jamie's criteria) It certainly reflects what Vancouver lacks! Mr Maw? Would you care to give your thoughts?....are you willing to give a push to refocus us?

You know....I've had that (the cheesecake) and wasn't impressed. I was expecting STILTON! The flavour was far too mild for me. Otherwise it was good, but not as different from regular cheesecake as I had hoped...and I had heard many great things. One of these days....I will make you my Roquefort Ice Cream with Thyme Poached Pear and Port Reduction....I'll throw in some toasted pecans for crunch! [/tooting my own horn] ...back to our regular scheduled program of Ling's favourite desserts....with help from many other loyal egulleters....

Neil has been pretty quiet on this one. How does he feel about "his" place turning Mexican?

Funnily, I have been thinking the same thing for a long time. My newest obsession is with Authentic Mexican food. LOVE LOVE LOVE the stuff! One of my employees introduced me to mole, and I have never looked back. Having a Mexican Party soon!!!! But as much as I love the idea...would it be enough to get people out to Jericho? There has to be something else....Maybe a specialty store that sells premium Tequilas? A small club? Mexican cooking lessons? A small cheap hotel where people could spend the night after they drink too many margaritas and tequila? Think people! Arne....LOVE the truck(s). When you get it going on...I want the cell phone # so that they could do delivery to my work!

Consistency is what keeps restaurants open. The more inconsistent, the faster the place dies! That is why McDonalds has been as successful as it is, people KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT! So saying that expecting consistency is unreasonable, is ridiculous. I work in a restaurant with 21 cooks under my supervison....it is my job to make sure that they maintain consistency....no matter how mediocre the order. Like I said before, legitimate complaints in restaurants should be accepted in the kitchen with thanks and grace. Ridiculous ignorant complaints like the one I mentioned above....well, like I said, I've been there!

As a chef...I understand how the guy in the Kitchen felt....but at the same time....what you said to the waitress and what was said to the chef, may not have been the same thing. Perhaps the owner told the chef that he had to go out and see you? The thing to remember here is that what you stated about the crab cakes was your opinion. You are allowed your opinion. If something differs in quality and consistency, then the kitchen should be glad to know that. I have confronted a diner once (in a twelve year career).....because he pissed me off, and because he was mouthing off to try and impress his friends dining with him. I was working in an Italian restaurant, which sold pasta. We made everything from scratch....down to the bread, ice cream, aioli...etc. We took great pride in our work there, and used the best quality ingredients. The gentleman in question ordered a seafood pasta. In Italy, it is very rare that cheese is served with seafood...it is considered a no-no. When he got his pasta, he asked for a side of parmesan...and asked why his pasta wasn't garnished with it? The waitress explained to him our policy of not serving cheese with seafood, as it was not authentic nor pleasing to the palate...but brought him his side of parmesan cheese anyway. He looked at his cheese and didn't taste it and told the waitress that he didn't want it because it wasn't "real parmesan" anyway. This is when our waitress assured him that it was and came to me. She says: "The guy at table 12 doesn't think that we have real parmesan." I assured her that we had authentic Parmegianno Reggianno and that the guy should rest assurred that it was "REAL" parmesan. She came back with: "He says that real parmesan doesn't look like that." I told her: "Does he want to see the stamp on the side of the wheel? I can bring it to him." She comes back with: "He still doesn't believe us. He's making a scene." I said: "Fine... I'll go get the cheese" So I go downstairs to the walk-in fridge, heft this 7# 1/4 wheel of reggianno upstairs and bring it to his table. I said: "Sir, I believe you are questioning the validity of the authenticity of our cheese. Here is the stamp that says it is reggiano. It is one of the most expensive parmesans in the world, and that is what you have here in your side dish." After all of this...he says: "But the colour is different! The colour of that cheese and the colour of what is in this side dish is different. There is no way that that is the same cheese!" I say to him: (Thoroughly annoyed at this point.) "We have a special grater downstairs which cost over $1000 to buy to have it grated this way. Would you like a demonstration of the machine grating the cheese? I can still assure you that it is the same cheese." At this point his friends are mortified on his behalf and said: "NO! He believes you!" I hate it when ignorant people insist they are right. My feeling of the situation was, if he was going to make a scene, I might as well make it a GRAND scene and embarrass him for being a putz. Now...in your case...I don't think that it was necessary that the chef come to your table. But I do have to say...I've been there on the other side. Diners make comments about the food all the time. Some of them are very helpful and we should be glad as chefs to get the criticism first hand rather than have the word spread publicly on a food blog such as this.

Your mean comments had you as a shoo in for the exec. sous chef position - now that you have shown your kinder, softer gentler side, - Head Hostess ← PLEASE NO!!!!!! I could never be a FOH person. I am far too blunt with people. If they pissed me off I would tell them to their face. But the other job? Hmmm.....Let's talk money. But seriously, (Back to practicality) If you want this concept to work, you would have to have more than just a restaurant going on here to make it a destination area. The thing about Lumiere is that it is entrenched in a nice little area of restaurants and shops that people walk to or drive by and are interested. I like Arne's ideas but they are still focused on Summer activity. We need something that will draw people in during the Winter. It has to be substantial, or you will never get the regular diners, and the place would just become an oddity in winter. Believe me, I've worked in seasonal places during the winter....and they are like graveyards. And you don't want it to become a tourist trap either. You want the locals there. You want people from the west side and the east side to come down....perhaps a marketing campaign based on the fact that they don't have to drive over a bridge to get home? Or are you just counting on your witty personality and excellent food to draw them in? There has to be an original catch...either foodwise...(Lumiere didn't really start taking off until they started the tasting menu thing)....or marketingwise....or education wise....something! Keep going!

After I posted above, i thought that i was being mean, and thought that valet run golf carts to the restaurant would be feasable....but then I like your covered walkway idea better. Lots and lots of fresh herbs and edible flowers.

Although i must admit that I have thought that the Jericho location would be perfect for a restaurant in the past.....(and have wondered if anything else was there before).....My only problem with this location is that in the winter the place would be DEAD. No walk by traffic. So is this a seasonal place only? Hard to pay the rent if the place is closed for a couple of months....and I highly doubt that the COV would let you buy the location. Parking would also be an issue....especially for those Vancouverites who can't stand having to get wet (rain) between their car and the restaurant. Sorry to rain on the parade....but that's my two cents.

I have found Mulato chiles down at Granville Island at South China Seas and at Il Sureno on Commercial between 1st and 2nd. Il Sureno is cheaper and sells in bulk. They are also known as Guajillo chiles. (I think)

Haven't tried bayless's version....but this one is excellent (according to my Mexican Dishwashers) and turns out red...and has chocolate....but check out the whole page. http://www.ramekins.com/mole/molepaste1.html the only things that I add to it are cumin seeds and tomatillos. I like the fact that it is less fatty.

Wasn't there a cookbook store on Broadway near MacDonald previously - maybe 1980's. Called the Pink Peppercorn, unless I am totally delusional. Nothing compared to Barbara-Jo's but then there's a lot more cookbooks being published these days. ← The Pink Peppercorn was around until at least the early nineties. I remember seeing it as I passed by, and always wanted to go in.

I'm pretty sure it was the fridge. It looked like the panna cotta didn't set at first either. It looked like they had plans of unmolding it onto the jelly, and then they transferred it into a serving bowl instead. It looked like soup. IMHO. [Moderator note: This topic continues here, Iron Chef America (Part 2)]

Finally saw the "Battle Crab" with Feenie vs Morimoto. Having never seen the show before, i have decided that Alton and Kevin are about as good at commentating as Ryan Walter is at commentating hockey games. "Well, that's definitely below freezing then!" --- nothing like overstating the obvious. That being said...I was glad that Rob was able to keep his cool...he looked relaxed in front of the cameras....whereas his sous'....looked like they were trying so hard just to focus on the task at hand. Anyway....Congrats!

The trick is to pick your own beverages. Never let someone else pick for you unless they are paying, or unless you are willing to part with huge $$$

Oh come on Neil...I've eaten there for $450 and had a great time! (2 people)

I still say that the best food in town with money no object is at Cioppino's The Octopus Carpaccio is amazing. Excellent service, and a HUGE wine list. Not French, but defintely worth going to.

Mine was "Seasons In The Park". I started just after Bill Clinton and Boris Yeltsin had their summit dinner there, and every American tourist in town had to eat "The Presidential Menu". I can't remember the main course (Probably because I never prepared it), but the appetizer was a Hearts of Romaine salad with Beetroot Vinaigrette and the dessert was a fresh blueberry tart...which if I remember correctly....Bill had to bring his own blueberries because it wasn't blueberry season (April) and we couldn't get any imported. I remember having to fight for my job though. The Chef (Pierre Delacote) had hired three of us fresh out of cooking school, and only intended on keeping one of us....I won the fight! Beat out two guys...no small feat with an Alsatian chef at the helm who always reminded me that he preferred women to stay at home and have children. He called me his Ivory Girl and thought that I should be in the Ivory Soap Commercials....he drove me nuts....but also taught me a lot about cooking. I was glad to leave there after 2 years.

Which was defintely original....Crab...Dessert?....Come on! It was a great effort though!

If you mean Michael Kanter...he was last at Elixir in Opus last I heard, and before that at Sauci's