tarteausucre

I was referring to baked sponge cakes that I buy in Vancouver that are usually decorated with fresh fruit and whipped cream. I phoned one of Vancouver's local Chinese bakeries (Michele's) and they assured me that they baked their cakes. The cake is extremely fine and light and seems particular to these type of Hong Kong style bakeries that meld East/West "baking" techniques. I don't know whether they use the steamed cake recipes and tweak them a bit in order to make them oven friendly. I hope this post clarifies my initial question.

I just wanted to write a quick note in defense of Cobs. I volunteer once a week for an organization that makes sandwiches for the homeless (about 800-900 each time) and 99% of our bread is made from donated Cobs Bread. I know that Cobs donates to many other such organizations as well. I suppose I could be cynical (the bread would be thrown out anyway or that large chains create the market conditions that create such social/economic problems) but we do appreciate the donations. The bread is usually only a day old and makes good, hearty, sandwiches. Yes, Cobs has become quite a pervasive presence in Vancouver and specializes in a fairly "mass market" product but their success has given them the type of volume that allows them to donate the number of loaves needed to make the many sandwiches needed for Vancouver's needy. And for that reason, I feel like I need to make a public service announcement in defense of Cobs. My message is not intended to inflict guilt on all those who have made disparaging Cobs Bread comments, nor to claim that the chain rivals other more "artisan" bakeries. However, just to keep in mind that ubiquity can sometimes have its benefits.

I just had a slice of one those lovely Chinese layered sponge cakes with fresh cream and fruit. Does anyone have a decent recipe for this particular kind of sponge cake? The texture is so incredibly fine and light that I'm really curious to know how Chinese bakeries/pastry shops make them. Do tell.

I seem to be full of questions this week. My question today is as follows: where do you usually go for "special occasion" cakes? In general, my family loves decadent, "I'm going to close my eyes in ecstasy" mousse cakes. Our usual standbys are Senses (Crispy Rasberry Mousse - although they're all pretty good), Ganache Patisserie (Caramel-Chocolat), Sweet Obsessions, and occasionally Bon Ton for their Diplomat. We have also sampled from La Petite France and just recently went to Mondo Gelato for a lovely made-to-order gelato cake. So ... are there any places that I'm missing? Any to die for cakes/places that I should sample instead? We are not mousse exclusive - open to other richly satisfying tasting adventures ...

I've become a bit of a butter fiend lately and am currently on a quest to find the best butter in Vancouver. The pseudo-butter they sell at the regular supermarkets just isn't cutting it. I've tried the Urban Fare Jerseyland Organic butter and one of the organic butters at Whole Foods. Anyone else have any suggestions? Any good imported European butter anywhere? Do any of the Farmer's Markets sell butter? ps maybe I should start a competing thread - best margarine in Vancouver!

Is Nu open? If so, has anyone checked it out? I'd be interested in getting menu details since I don't think the menus are posted on their website yet.

I picked up the Halso Cardamom braid at Meinhardt's and ate it toasted with lovely Jerseyland organic butter. I finished the meal with a Thomas Haas Cardamom and Almond chocolate ganache. I swear I would wed those chocolates if I could. Life can't get much better! My cardmom spiced day has made up for the grey Vancouver skyline out my window.

Last week, I went to Shanghai River in Richmond. I thought the room was decorated quite well although I found that the tables clashed with the modern wall mouldings and light fixtures. I suppose round tables were a requirement. We had a dizzying array of dishes – a cold plate, dumplings with shark’s fin broth (quite divine!), pan fried pork pot stickers, pork broth, deep fried pork cutlets, sautéed jumbo prawns, deep fried rice with broth ladled over top it, long green beans with spicy black bean sauce, and battered white fish with seaweed. For dessert, there were deep fried dumplings with red bean paste. The next Friday, I went to Adesso Bistro for lunch. I’d previously been there for brunch and dinner and returned for their great pasta. Once again, I think that it’s the ideal neighbourhood restaurant – elegant with cozy charm. I had the braised beef short rib with pappardelle noodles – richly flavourful. My dining companions were all pleased with their respective pastas, paninis, and pizza. And today, I finally checked out Red Door Pan Asian Grill for lunch. The meal pleased me greatly. Most “pan Asian” restaurants disappoint but I thought the food was quite solid with flavours as clean and sharp as the decor. Our server was incredibly attentive and helpful; she made numerous suggestions and checked in on us many times throughout the meal. We shared the calamari with a lime, cilantro, and chilli dip, a Cantonese chicken salad, the Singapore street noodles, and the seven flavour beef. I think the latter was my least favourite but it still lived up to its “flavourful” expectations. The Singapore street noodles’ soy/curry combination was subtly pleasing and the salad a refreshing contrast to our other heavier menu choices. Also, in the last few weeks, I also dined out at Yuji’s Japanese Tapas (enjoyable meal – inventive - but portions were embarrassingly small for my appetite, the Ordinary Café (food service was quite ordinary – we had to wait an hour for our straight forward lunch items), and Wild Ginger. None were absolute standouts and hence I’m not giving them extensive e-gullet coverage!

The stand in front of the Sutton Place Hotel has a Japanese-version hot dog. I think there's seaweed, some Japanese mayo, and various other condiments on it. Has anyone tried this version? It seems intriguing...

I am curious as to whether anyone has tried the "Chocolate-themed" dinner at the Radisson in Richmond. My friends and I were going to try it a few weeks ago but due to scheduling conflict had to land up going elsewhere. Supposedly the chef incorporates chocolate into all the courses. The idea seems enticing, and now that it's mid-day and I'm crashing from my latest chocolate intake, my thoughts are returning to chocolate once again. Anyone?

Always good to consume superior writing ... although not quite as good as food consumption Recently, I went to Cardero's Restaurant. The view from the patio was unbeatable as always. I had my usual wok squid, panfried oysters, and Coal Harbour Burger with fries. The food and overall experience were exactly what I felt like on a sunny Saturday night. Cardero’s may not be highly innovative but it is a dependable choice for me. Later on in the week, I went to Ocean 6 Seventeen. I had extremely high expectations so I suppose that it was to be expected that I would meet some disappointment. I would definitely go back but the meal definitely was lacking in some respects. I thought the decor inside was modern in a pleasing way and our server was attentive and friendly in all the right ways. However, I found the patio to be lacking. It was a lot smaller and less grand than I imagined it to be. I think they could have invested in better patio furniture. As well, their "just-in-time" inventory system was a bit off putting. We arrived at 8pm and were informed that they only had one of each of their daily specials (sea bass and trout) and only one of their vegetarian lasagnes left. Since their menu isn't that extensive, this shortage was a bit of a problem especially since they didn’t seem to have the volume that night to justify it. My friends and I had to negotiate with each other in order to divide up those three remaining dishes amongst ourselves. Later on, when we asked for blankets when it started to get chilly we were informed that they were out of them (it seemed they only had a few). We were starting to see a trend ... When our meals eventually arrived, we were satisfied with our choices although I have to say that my trout was overcooked. We ended the night with a warm chocolate cake that was decent but definitely not stellar. Overall, I would recommend the restaurant for its superior location and reasonable menu selections. I’m sure that as time progresses they’ll be able to make the dining experience more seamless. And finally, I had lunch at Shota Sushi on Yew in Kerrisdale. The decor was sharp, the service pleasant. My friends and I had the lunch special that included miso soup, salad, a spicy tuna taster, and one of their "famous rolls." Two of us had the Philadelphia Roll (salmon, cream cheese and avocado, smoked salmon, tobiko & green onion - somehow the chef forgot to include the avocado and the green onion) and the other had their chopped scallop roll. Lovely plating and a nice melding of flavours! Am I allowed to include one more? Just got back from brunch at Aurora Bistro. The food service was a bit slow but my friends and I were in no particular hurry. I was thoroughly impressed by the food and the décor which was quite the achievement on their part considering I was grumpy from the weather. My friends and I shared the five spice doughnuts which were lovely – they tasted very much like the mini doughnuts I made last weekend (she adds smugly). My one friend had scrambled eggs with steamed asparagus and hollandaise sauce atop a sablefish potato hash. She seemed very pleased with her choice. My other friend and I had the black truffle scrambled eggs on puff pastry with roasted tomatoes and a drizzling of maple syrup. Delectable! A nice spot of food sunshine on an otherwise gloomy Vancouver day.

Mooshmouse, where pray tell are these cookies and muffins?

Has anyone been to Fiddlehead Joe's since they've reopened? I've never been there and have a burning desire to find out whether it is worth checking out

On Thursday, I finally had lunch at Henry's Kitchen. The food was satisfying and very reasonably priced (our meals were all under $10). I had the barbecue pork, cellophane noodle, seaweed wrap and my friends ordered the carbonara pasta and a burger respectively. The fries that accompanied the burger and wrap were most enjoyable. However, I am not entirely sure whether I would return to Henry's Kitchen since I found the decor to be "interesting" to say the least and the service ludicrously abrupt. I was expecting basic and kitsch but the overall effect detracted from the meal for me. I was also shivering because it was so cold in there. It was very busy which bodes well for them! However, all that being said, it's a good place for a cheap bite to eat and I always like to support solid neighbourhood establishments. I might resort to picking up the wrap instead next time. Last night I went to Hapa Izakaya and was once again more than happy with the decor, the overall vibe, and the food. The two of us ordered the fried gyoza with lotus root and pork filling, tuna sashimi with avocado and seaweed for wrapping, the ebi mayo, fried chicken pieces with mayo dip, and thin rice noodles with ground beef and mixed veg. Suffice to say, we were pleasantly stuffed by the end of the night. The night confirmed that I am always happiest when I am eating!

Will scones fall within your baking tier? I would suggest making mini-scones with whipped cream and raspberry jam. I always dollop the cream around the edge of the scone, leaving the centre empty. I then put a generous amount of jam in the centre. Plates really nicely. You could make mini-cupcakes to add to the high tea experience. Or how about eccles, butter tarts, or Maid of Honour Tarts? Maybe another type of shortbread cookie? Also mini lemon meringue tarts look really nice too. A type of loaf (fruitcake?) could also work - little loaf pans are great for an afternoon tea. I would second the cream puffs/profiteroles/eclairs suggestion. Little cheesecakes could be a nice touch too. Or mini pain au chocolat. Okay, I think my tea imagination is starting to go out of control! I better stop now ... and have some dessert! ps - I held a tea for a slightly smaller group this Christmas and it was lovely, lovely! Enjoy

Thanks for the Pasteis de Nata suggestions. I've had the Michele's ones - good but not like the ones in Lisbon at the Pasteis de Belem. Wish I could have them flown over here! I think the bakery on Robson went out of business. However, I will definitely be visiting the Hastings Street bakery that was recommended. Ling, a few months ago, I tried the recipe from the David Leite website and was very pleased with the results. Maybe I'll make another batch if I can't find exactly what I'm craving. As for tarte au sucre, I've had some at Zizanie and also Rooster's Quarters. Neither were stellar examples but did the trick. Hmm... another worthwhile baking project for this weekend.

I was wondering whether anyone knows of a bakery that makes good Pasteis de Nata (Portuguese custard tarts). I have a craving for one that I partly satisfied when I was in Toronto but it's returned since I've been back in Vancouver.

Speaking of the emperor's new clothes ... I went to Tojo's last week and I was sad to say that the restaurat did not live up to its critical acclaim. First of all, the decor was quite lacklustre and I think was run-down enough to warrant considerable renovation work. Secondly, the service bordered on rude. One of the servers was extremely abrupt with us and on several occasions said things like "What do you want?" when we required assistance. My friends and I had the $50 Chef's Arrangement - tuna sashimi, smoked salmon with greens, halibut cheeks, a sushi platter, and mango iceceram. The dishes were satisfactory but not particularly innovative or mind blowing. Also, I had to land up eating a second dinner when I returned home because I was still extremely hungry by the end of the meal. Frankly, I wouldn't have been half so critical if the establishment hadn't been Tojo's. It just seemed to me that he was resting a little bit on his laurels.

It's reassuring to know that I'm not the only one who was disappointed by my Go Fish! experience. To be fair, I thought the location was great, the menu appealing, and the use of the bamboo steamers inspired. In other words, I thought they packaged their product well. However, I found the fish and chips to be adequate. Decent but certainly not stellar enough to warrant so much praise. I think the fact that I had to wait well over 25 minutes for fish and chips was a little bit much. I went a while back so I was hoping that the kitchen had found its rhythm.

I would also agree that Zin and the Alibi Room would be suitable. If you're looking for Earl's type pricing, you could try out Relish or One Lounge. Neither showcases Vancouver's natural beauty but they are in the right price range and would be suitable for a large group. I've only been to the latter and it was decent. Cardero's and Steamworks are also not bad for large groups. Food quality will not necessarily be stellar but may suffice for a large group...

Forget to add my two fabulous dining experiences at Adesso Bistro!

Unfortunately, I just have to look at my latest VISA statement to realize that I've been studiously devoting myself to shortening my list! Restaurants high on my "must dine here within the next six months" list: Pair Bistro Lift Il Giardino Raincity Grill C Lumiere West Bis Moreno Le Crocodile L'Emotion Hermitage Elixir Villa del Lupo Bishop's Aurora Bistro Blue Water Cafe Ch'i Umami Velvet Cafe Yuji's Henry's Kitchen Zanzibar Restaurants on my "need to visit these restaurants..." list: Picnic En The Quay Baru Brix Elysian Room Epic Gramercy Grill Horizon's House of Selassie Il Nido Japone Long's Noodle House Modern Club Montri's Nickie's & Lola's Ocean 6 Seventeen Phnom Phen Random Rangoli Relish Saveur The Ordinary Cafe The Pear Tree Lilykate So far this year I've knocked off the following restaurants. Lest I scare myself with my over indulgence, I won't add the ones that I've knocked off my "I've been meaning to return to" list or my "I've been here far too many times" list: Cassis Parkside Tojo's Gotham Steakhouse Hamilton Street Grill Amarcord Savoury Coast Pastis Hapa Izakaya Shiru-Bay Chopstick Cafe La Regalade Banana Leaf Coco Pazzo One Lounge Stone Grill Phat's Kaplan's Kolachy Shop This weekend, off to Fiction and Henry's Kitchen! The length of my list is making me think that I haven't been quite as devoted as I should have been!!

I just wanted to address a steak issue of mine. I always order my steaks blue rare and am invariably disappointed when my steak arrives and I make the first cut. I suppose my love of high tea and my preference for blue rare steak is a bit of a paradox but nonetheless... Invariably, the steak is overcooked. For example, a couple of nights ago, my requested blue rare steak was medium rare. I'm too polite to send my steak back but I do find it a little tiresome that I never get the steak cooked (or not cooked in my case!) the way I want it done. This tendency to overcook the meat even seems to happen at Vancouver's best steakhouses. Anyway, I just wondered whether other people encounter similar difficulties (they ask for rare and get medium rare, etc.). Is there a tendency in Vancouver establishments to cook the steaks at least one grade up from what was requested? I realize that restaurants get tired of people sending their steaks back because they claim that they are undercooked. However, I think most cooks can safely assume that if I asked for blue rare, they don't need to worry about such a complaint coming from me.

I can't resist joining in on the High Tea discussion. I have to admit that I am also an high tea enthusiast. I once took a male friend to the Secret Garden and he couldn't stop exclaiming over the tea cozies. I've been to the Secret Garden, the Bacchus, and the old Tea House, and out of the three, enjoyed the Secret Garden the best. Has anyone tried high tea at the Fish House, Murchie's, Fleuri, or Sweet Revenge? Have I missed any? I've also always wanted to go to the Empress... Also thought that the chocolate fiends in here might be interested in a book, Chocolate: A Bitter-Sweet Saga of Dark and Light, that was reviewed in the "informative" Metro today. Here's the link: http://www.metronews.ca/books_review.asp?id=7656

I thought I'd start a topic that I've been musing about ever since my last few dining experiences. My intent is not to be provocative but to get us to consider the complexities of Vancouver's overall dining scene. It seems that every time I go out to eat, my dining companions and I are usually the youngest people in the room (I'm in my late twenties by the way). Moreover, I've noticed that the "ethnic," cultural, and language diversity of the clientele of most higher-end restaurants does not necessarily reflect Vancouver's overall population demographics. I am not implying that mixing does not occur at all, but that this mixing appears to be fairly limited. First of all, am I imagining this issue and if not, is it a problem? Second of all, why is this happening? Is this problem just a matter of lack of disposable income? I appreciate the fact that not everyone can afford to eat at Lumiere and West on a regular basis but many of my friends have much higher incomes than I do but for whatever reason, choose only to eat at the most basic of establishments. Is it a difference in priorities (some groups prefer to spend their money on other things)? Are there many "solitudes" within the Vancouver dining scene? Or are the restaurants at fault in any way? Is there something about the decor, the service, issues of language, unfamiliarity with ingredients, cuisine, and/or dining style, or the overall dining experience that makes some people averse to going? Thirdly, what do you think restaurants can do to encourage a broader cross-section of the population to attend their establishments? Should they be? I recognize that Dining Out Vancouver is one current strategy of getting more people into restaurants that they wouldn't ordinarily frequent. I am not proposing affirmative action dining; nor am I implying that restaurants are exclusionary. Restaurants do have their target markets - it's good business practice, and certain restaurants do appeal to certain diners. However, I always believe that the more sharing and mixing, the more vibrant the Vancouver dining scene will be. Getting out of one's dining comfort zone is invariably a good thing (and a satisfied belly is usually the end result as well)! I have my own thoughts on these questions but I thought I'd pose them to my fellow egulletters before voicing my opinions. Looking forward to your thoughtful and insightful responses!