BCinBC

Hey what I said was a compliment! (And one that FTV is obviously cashing in on.) Anyway, I say feel free to express yourself when it comes to the Chairman's flexibility or Flay's tailor's (alleged) inseam miracle-working, or the Thirsty Traveler's zesty understache, or whatever. Equal rights, babe. Now, where should I hide?

Don't give in, stick to your guns! Actually you could seat them together with the disclaimer that they might not be able to order / get their courses all at the same time. BTW, if they do get 4 tables of 4 together, do you go the autograt route with their bill? Hrm, decisions decisions. Ah hell I say stick to your guns!

Perhaps they couldn't find her one that fit?Although she could probably wear one of Mario's .... upside-down! SB (likes RR's "size") ← I would think Giada would be more "challenging" to outfit in this regard. Lordy.

I wonder about that. The sure signs of too much water are soft, soggy rice that lacks bite. I don't get that from the photos. It looks like the opposite to me (not enough water). ← I see the rice glistening, which to me suggests it has released all of its starch (IMO overcooked). At about 6 and 8 o'clock it looks like it has almost developed that sheet of starch that you sometimes get. However Sanrensho I agree that the photo could also suggest that the rice just needs more time to rest and absorb that water. So the question (for Marlene) is, was the rice too soggy or too "toothy"?

Hrm, I'm a bit surprised "butter many privates" is on the menu at a restaurant. Possibly one of those dishes better that might be better at home? Or in a doggy bag?? Still for the price it seems reasonable, and a little public buttering never hurt anyone.

Very cool, I would love to try this sometime. I agree tho, too much water in the photos above. The finger method aka the knuckle method - even my siblings can't figure out how the hell I do it, but it is the only way I know how to make rice. And it is impossible to explain to another person. Like you said, Ben, I don't think there is a set ratio because so much depends on the actual rice you are cooking. Trial and error each time you start a new bag. I went through two 8 kg bags recently that just would not turn out well, despite a very low water addition. It was the good stuff, too. But it was too mushy for my taste, so I switched back to a slightly cheaper brand.

Woops I just noticed that I got the teams wrong, it's not a Flay-Ray pairing. Hmm, guess that evens things out a bit.

I thought Jewel was a vegetarian.

Bing bing bing! Johnny, tell Mizducky what she has won! As this event is the epitome of what FTV has become, I will be sure to tune in. And should Team Ray-Flay win, I will weep for a nation.

Yeah I saw the DOV "media" folks getting the lamb cheeks when I was there last week, and like I said before, I hope they make it onto the regular menu. I had lamb cheeks at Rosemeade and they were friggin awesome. They will be this year's short ribs, mark my words. The beet salad, also a stand-out, is on the regular menu though.

^ Sharpening with a wetstone actually an easy skill to learn, not to mention useful. Mostly a matter of being able to approximate a 20 degree angle (or whatever your knife bevel is). The smaller the knife, though, the harder it gets. IMO.

HERE is a link to the HSG DOV menus. And you know, looking at it again I would just stick with the NY Strip instead of eating the salmon and side hanger. NY Strip is a pretty damn good steak.

Honestly I don't see how HSG's menu could not appease everyone. Yes it is slightly more adventurous, if mussels or fish and chorizo can be called that, but given the other choices (including the other menu at $35) I would think everyone would see something appetizing. The irony is that in a regular non-DOV setting, I think of HSG as more comfort food and Pastis as more adventurous French (rabbit, frogs legs, organs). ETA: You could always get a different group of friends together to do Pastis the night before.

Oh you are forgetting the secret to having your cake and eating it too...pants with elastics (I dub them 'fat' pants). Medical scrubs are excellent substitutes. Then you can have it all! ← Whereas most people dress up somewhat for Xmas and Thanksgiving dinner, my family always wore sweatpants to the table. For the purpose of eating comfort. N was a bit disbelieving until she saw it for the first time. The idea of scrubs though is a great one. Fud, if you or anyone else (Peppyre?) can scrounge up a freshly cleaned pair, I would be more than willing to put them on, walk into HSG and order the $35 DOV menu with a side order of hanger. If Neil lets me stay, then all the better.

The biggest tip, Lee - if you can call it that - is to enjoy yourself! You are given pretty much free reign in a commercial-quality kitchen, so use the opportunity to have fun and satisfy your curiosities. When Chef is doing the demo, it is important to watch and listen (again, not much of a tip), so you know what to look for when things are "done" or ready for the next step. The sights, sounds and smells you get will act as good reminders when you're doing your own cooking (at school and at home). And ask him questions! Chef Tony is a great resource, and very funny to boot. If you have time in the next week, read Making of a Chef by Michael Ruhlman, even if you have already read it. I think it makes it a bit more enjoyable. And not that I need to tell you, but take photos to share!

No cocktail buns, but I did really enjoy some stuff I picked up at Michelle's on W Boulevard the other day - BBQ pork bun was a little too salty, but otherwise very good; chicken bun was this kind of weird paste inside, but tasted great; and the egg custard tart, I confirm is one of the best I've had in recent memory. The shell is awesome! (And for some reason, football-shaped - American football, not soccer football I mean.)

I don't think this is what Ducky is looking for, but in a similar vein to Stephen's post, I noticed a new place in Kerrisdale right beside the Fish Cafe called "Cco Cco Chicken". Don't ask me what the name means, or even how to pronounce it. But stencilled right on the window they advertise "ginseng chicken soup". Ducky I assume you're looking for the stuff that kind of looks like an 8-treasure soup, but with even more herbs and fungal-looking things.

First generation Canadian born to Chinese (mainland) parents. Comfort foods not readily associated with being Chinese but from my childhood: Shepherd's Pie, Chicken a la King (using some sort of Campbell's cream soup). ETA: Oh yeah and spaghetti carbonara! Comfort foods I started to make after leaving home: Meatloaf, Mushroom Risotto (though this really is just another form of rice, so in that sense it's understandable). Lately, Chicken Corn Chowder from scratch. Comfort food readily associated with being Chinese but I disavowed early in my childhood: Jook/Congee. It tastes like nothing, people!

The top way is definitely the heavyweight way of doing it (or the Ling way, if you prefer). That is a lot of food, probably enough to feed 2 (normal) people. The hanger comes with a lot of mashed potatoes, or at least it does in its regular non-DOV form, and remember that the GBP is the size of a small child (again in non-DOV form). I can hear the "pings" of the pant buttons flying across the room already. Personally I would go the 2nd route, order the $25 plus an order of GBP to share with your dining partner as a final, more civilized, belt buster.

In Jack's defence, he says anything made with poor quality mince. But that is the problem with these articles right there. Let's say you publish this thread's list as "things that are bad for you", and number 7 is "Meatloaf (or almost anything made with poor quality mince)" - the average reader will then just avoid anything called "Meatloaf", even if it is made with hand-minced Kobe sirloin. Also, shout out to Rich and Petite Tete for the best lines in an entertaining thread: Normally I would agree with that, but I served some to my brother-in-law last month and it seemed to work very well. It wasn't bad at all. ←

From the thread title, it looks like you've got your heart set on high-end Japanese. The only place I've seen the really good stuff (Shun in particular) is the previously maligned House of Knives. Despite others' opinions, I don't think it's such a bad place - especially if you actually set foot inside and inspect the knife/knives you're going to buy. That way you can see if you like the feel of the knife in your hand first (and most importantly) of all, and secondly you can see if it's a reconstituted piece of shite or not. Before Xmas I stopped in the Oakridge branch with my wife, and she got the hint and bought me the Victorinox boning knife and a sharpening stone I was looking at. What a sweetheart. Good deal too. I almost bought a 10" Shun there last summer - $200 listed, but if you have a chef's card (or can get someone with one to buy the knife for you), it is 20% off. $160 for a 10" Shun IMO is a good price. However in the end, I got a Henckels 5-Star from the Bay for less than $100, and that's the knife I use 95% of the time. One thing about buying knives on-line is that you don't actually get to hold them before purchasing - which is fine if you've gone out and test-driven them beforehand yourself, but a $200 knife is not something I would buy blindly. Another option kind of in between the above is the guy from Knifex - I doubt he carries Hattoris or Shuns in his regular stock, but someone said that he will order a specific knife for you if you want. Just search this forum for "Knifex" and the thread should pop up. There are a bunch of local knife threads in here, search them out if you want more ideas. Good luck and keep us updated.

Quattro and everyone, HERE is the Whole Foods / Save On Cambie St discussion we had previously.

Finally, we made it to Aurora. N took me out for a belated bday dinner, the big 3-2! Peppyre, you are merely a pup! (Or should I say kitten - why do I always associate dogs with males and cats with females?) Anywho... This has turned into a long-winded spew for which I apologize, but if you want the Coles notes: excellent appetizers, good mains (super rich), great dessert, will definitely return. Okay, first impressions are good; we both liked the kind of minimalist decoration yet warm colours of the room, and I personally love the curved effects all over - most notably on the ceiling above the bar. But the underlit thing above the baquette with the curved ends was cool too. The infamous Kurtisk seated us, and we were very quickly offered a choice of ice water or sparkling by our waitress Meghan (?I think? Sorry!). I had kind of staked out the menu beforehand, but then all plans were shattered when I was told they were out of the potato-wrapped sablefish! No worries; relax, regroup. I tossed my original planned starter (bison carpaccio), and instead went with the House Made BC Venison and Fennel Sausage - braised with sunchokes and cabbage in Merridale cider. Good choice! I was really impressed with the flavours that Jeff crammed into it: subtle, sometimes not, gamey notes offset by the occasional flash of fennel. And the cabbage and pickled veg salad was excellent, not to mention the cider sauce which I mopped up with bread. N had the Hazelmere Farm Beet Salad with Okanagan Goats Cheese - orange chive blossom vinaigrette, which she loved. Three types or colours of beets, I tried a yellow with some cheese. So creamy! It really inspired me to start roasting beets at home; despite the mess, I think it will be worth it, especially for special occasions. For my main, I was so tempted to go with the root beer short ribs, but in the end I had the Pork Tenderloin - maple and mustard seed glaze, Okanagan goats cheese and apple crumble. HUGE piece of tenderloin, beautifully roasted with a pink center. God, I thought the cheese was creamy with the beets - well with the apple crumble, it was richness heaven to the point of being hell. I mean, like smoking, something so good can't possibly be good for you, right? It was actually a bit too rich for me, I couldn't even bring myself to finish the last 2 teaspoons worth. It was almost like a Mr Creosote moment, where the only way I could have eaten the last bits was if someone stuffed it into my mouth. Part of the reason I chose the pork over the short ribs was because I thought it would go better with the wine - Nichol Valley Capriccio 2004 (74% Pinot, 24% Gamay). Such an interesting wine, we don't get much here in the way of Pinot/Gamay blends but this one was bold with its nose and equally so in taste with its fruits and oak. I really enjoyed it, and what a bargain at $32. The first thing that occurred to me when tasting was that it would make a great summer patio red (which is seconded on the website - ah, sweet affirmation). N's main was the Roasted Half Cornish Game Hen - sherry and wild mushroom sauce, crushed fingerling potatoes with sage. Also well executed, I got to garborate the plate after she was done including some nicely roasted skin. Mmm. The sauce (gravy) was so rich as well, it had started to separate a bit by the time I got it and I'm pretty sure half of it was butter. Yes I was still suffering from creamy overdose from my own plate, but hey you gotta taste everything or else They take away the eG trucker hat. For dessert, it was the Vanilla Bean Pannacotta - caramelized roasted pineapple and chocolate salad. I love congealed things for dessert - creme brulee, creme caramel. Why? Who knows. This one, covered in vanilla bean seeds and combined with the pineapple, was pretty close to perfect. Light and refreshing without skimping on flavour. And the chocolate salad! As Zuke said way upthread, what a great idea. This one had thyme of all things, and it worked! The lemon thyme is still going in our garden, maybe "thyme" to do some home experiments. (Haha, pun intended to draw KT out of posting retirement.) So the pannacotta and the sausage were the highlights for me, but I am still curious about the bison carpaccio and the short ribs - and the sablefish of course. We'll be back. Some other notes: 1. As I have said, the meal was great though one thought did occur to me. The pork tenderloin was roasted perfectly to retain a spot of pink in the middle, but even with this it seemed slightly on the dry side (still very tender mind you). So I wonder if it would work as a chop or double chop? Probably I could handle a bit of a cut back of the rich cheesy apple crumble to compensate? Dunno, just wondering out loud. As I said, though, the dish was good - and since it is a favourite off the menu, this comment is probably just one of personal taste. 2. Dollar-wise it was a good deal, $60 pp including taxes excluding tip for two courses plus a shared dessert plus a shared bottle of wine. Definitely ranking up there with Cru and Lumiere TB for bang for the buck. 3. Timing was almost scary (in a good way); the appetizers came out fairly quickly, and the mains followed right on the heels as our first plates were being taken away. I checked my watch, it was 45 minutes after arriving. Yet there was no rushed feeling, and in fact, we ended up spending 2 hours there. But if we wanted to, we could have been in and out in 1:20. I imagine it will be just as smooth for DOV. 4. Speaking of, there was a group of DOV "media" present - I overheard them getting the lamb cheeks and I was quite jealous. Aurora is not on our DOV list because we already had them scheduled for last night, but if the cheeks are a hit I hope they make it onto Jeff's regular menu. 5. Had a quick chat with Kurtis, he seems like a nice guy . It was Jeff's night off though, so perhaps next time I'll get to say hi.

Bump. It's 2006, time for another installment of culinary trainspotting. I can cross off Cru, Chambar, Aurora (as of tomorrow), and Parkside (okay as of the 31st) off the above list. Oh Bis Moreno too I guess. I am unsure what to do with Villa del Luop after the ownership change, so it's in limbo. However, happily / sadly there are a couple more to add. My new list goes something like this: Le Croc, C, any Guu, Kolachy Shop (although I've had kolachies from there), Kaplan's, Phnom Phen, La Relagade, Pear Tree, Diva, En, Shanghai River & Wind, Mistral, Senhor Rooster's. I would add Nu, but C somehow supercedes it. Also Go Fish is on the list, but only after the hype has died. Or perhaps I'll just never go there. And in Victoria: Paprika, Brasserie, and Arbutus Grille.

Went for dim sum at the Kirin Richmond branch on Saturday, and I was quite impressed. Of the dishes we ordered, the standouts were: * nor mai fan (glutenous rice) with dried scallops - super generous serving and beautifully presented, the one dish I really wish I had the camera for. There were 3 of us but it was enough for 6 - or 2 if Ling is 1. * scallop and asparagus rice roll (cheung fun) - they had a bunch of unusual rice rolls to go along with the standard beef, shrimp and BBQ pork. Keeps it interesting. * deep fried lotus root cake - forget tofurkey or whatever the frack, this is as close to meat as I've ever tasted for a vegetarian dish. I was really impressed, delicious with cilantro and minced garlic mixed in. * pan fried rice rolls - stood out just because 1. they were served full-length (usually they are cut smaller, I guess to help them survive the stir-fry process) and 2. half the plate was dressed with XO sauce, giving them an interestingly spicy twist. Other dishes we got included standards such as har gow, beef balls, pork and shrimp paste wrapped in bean curd, egg custard tarts, and gluten balls with black sesame paste. One of the things I really like about the menu is that it is called something like the "chef's monthly specials", so in other words they change it regularly. Also of note, they have a Chinese New Year menu out - $498 for the "cheap" table of 10 or $788 for the supersized (not really; you get the extra special good stuff). I'd post it but that would require more typing. If you are interested, you can go to their contact info page HERE.