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Matt R.

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Everything posted by Matt R.

  1. Hey, you can't blame Kelowna. Last time I checked, the city was owned by the Hell's Angels. What can you do? -- Matt.
  2. Spinnaker's lost their chef a while back, when he left to open Smoken Bones Cookshack. I have been to Spinnaker's a couple of times since then, and recommend you stay away from the pub food (nachos, burgers, pot pies, etc) and stick to the more interesting entrees. While things in the kitchen may have gone downhill a little since Ken left, the food on the last few occasions has been terrific. Maybe not quite as good as the IPA, but close ... Also, make a point of sitting downstairs, in the restaurant. I find the service is on a different level than the upstairs pub. As for hotel lounging, I can personally vouch for the lounge at the Marriott Inner Harbour. Big, comfy leather chairs, those famous $1000 bar chairs, big, handsome plasma screen, big, handsome bartender, and big hotel prices. Last time I was there it was still construction central in the Humboldt Valley, but things should be pretty much done by now. Also, there is 1/2 price prime rib for dinner (uhh, I assume it's still good even though I no longer make it with some restrictions regarding time. Phone ahead. -- Matt.
  3. For my money, or Jimmy Pattison's, as it were... we won 'groceries for a year' this year ... Sun Brand Japanese mandarins are the cat's ass. When my wife was preggers with our first, she lived off these and ginger tea for about three months. It was, of course, all my fault ... -- Matt.
  4. When it comes to any of your baking or dough making, gelatinizing, or autolyzing, your dough can yield an improvement. What this means is that the flour in your recipe will benefit from just sitting with some of the liquid in the recipe for a little while. Gives it a bit of a head start. -- Matt.
  5. I think the people you refer to are exactly the people community gardening is all about. You have a 100 X 300 lot? You can probably grow whatever you like. You rent a duplex on a busy corner and don't have access to decent soil? Use your community resources to find someone who has what you want, as is willing to share. Around where I live, in Vic West, property development is huge. We have the Railyards Project and the Dockside Green Project, both of which are massive, and are really building neighbourhoods. There is also completed development of two, five story office/retail blocks, which house the HQ of Coast Capital Savings, as well as a 10 story condo block, and much more on the way in the Songhees, just a few blocks away. The few blocks around my house have the last un/derdeveloped waterfront in Victoria. Will food from my little plot ever be certified organic? Of course not, but that doesn't matter. Working as a cook, I suppose I have some insight into buying food. If you were a carpenter, would you know about wood? There are things you can do, even if you don't want to grow any plants. You can visit area farmers markets. This gets you better food, and directly supports the small or hobby farmer, as well as the guy with the eggs, who has chickens in his back yard. You can order from any of the organic home delivery services. Here in Victoria, we have a few, and most of them buy local, as much as possible. Don't worry, you can still get avacados and bananas. You can also, hint hint, support local farmers and promote food security by choosing to dine in higher-end restaurants, whose chefs make a point of serving local as much as possible. Our plates are about 75% local (but not always 'organic') and I'm sure you can find a place you like, that feels the same. -- Matt.
  6. You know what the solution is? Dig up all the grass around your house, and plant something you can eat. Even flowers! Minimal work equals freezer full of the best tomatoes you will ever eat. I am a member of the Rayn or Shine community garden, and a member of the Vic West Food Securtiy Collective, which I believe is the only group in Greater Victoria whose focus is local food sustainablilty. They turned a gravel parking lot behind an apartment block with ground floor commercial space into 10 garden beds. The only rule is organic and edible, and year rround. The garden obviously not only looks better and provides lots of real food, but has helped the retailers on the block grow. The landowner gives us the space and the water, and we pay for insurance through membership fees. Recently, we planted 15 fruit bearing trees in part of Bamfield Park, across the street in a green space between the tennis court and a parking lot. Funding for this came from the city. There is also a community market run all year round associated with the Collective. Only one of two that will run through the winter in Greater Victoria. This is the answer. At work, we buy "locally" from Barnston quite a bit (but usually buy more locally), and their products are superior. This is great for the restaurant, but for you and the people you love? Get organized, find a leader if you are not one, and do it yourself! -- Matt.
  7. I have heard from a reliable source that Pablo's has been taken over by none other than Jason Leizert. He has spent most of the last year working in Vancouver - maybe some of you have come across him. He has been sous-chef and chef at some high-profile restaurants, including Shelter in Tofino, Marriott Victoria Inner Harbour, as well as the Rosemeade. Maria Hernandez of the Rosemeade, also Pablo's daughter, is reported to be putting $350k into the aging Victoria landmark. Given Jason's talent, drive and determination, I'm sure he will do well. Now if only he can find cooks to help run the place ... -- Matt.
  8. I work in a "real" restaurant, and it's common practice for managers to skim off the tip pool. They, however, are not in charge of divvying it up. There is a 'cash person' in the executive office who handles the day-to-day cash flow, and she is the one who breaks down the tip pool. In an effort by cheap-skate owners to keep their labour low, we rely on tips to shore up our meagre wages. I am certainly no manager (ask anyone), but many of them are over worked and underpaid, too. Why shouldn't they get their cut? I can't imagine why it would be illegal, but as for immoral? I don't think so. Unless they're lazy! When I worked at Milestone's, tip outs were based directly on hours worked. It made for simple math, and was easy to keep honest. Here, as well, the managers got a cut based on how many shifts they worked. -- Matt.
  9. I suggest you phone up pretty much any higher-end restaurant with an actual pastry chef/department and ask. I bet they'd be happy to do it, for the right price of course. Also, large, name-brand hotels might be willing to bend over for you. -- Matt.
  10. Laugh out loud! I think that summarizes my last 5 trips to the one on Douglas St. Try as I might, I never seemed to catch them open in a whole year. I hear they are good, if you can get in. -- Matt.
  11. Why is it that every cook I have worked with from Calgary has this attitude? The point is that you can learn from everybody. True, you may have 100 things to show them, but I bet they have one thing to show you. The need for technical training and textbook knowledge is huge. Also, the need for real-world, hand on experience is also huge. There are things you might never learn, like why a slow rise is sometimes better for bread, and why spinach and oranges (it's the iron and vitmamin C your body is craving) go together so well, just working away in a restaurant kitchen. There are also things you cannot feel in a classroom, like when the hostess tells you that there are 50 menus open and you're gonna get screwed. Having spent a while in the classroom at Camosun, preparing to challenge my Red Seal, I learned many, many things (as a seasoned, professional cook) that I have been able to share with my co-workers. Granted, the whole process did not cost much over a grand, I felt it was invaluable training and mostly education towards me being a better cook. Would I feel the same if I had to get a zero-interest student loan and pay three times the price? Yep. $20,000? No way. I worked with a AI 'cordon bleu' guy who could not even kill and clean me a crab. *sigh* I should also say, that after/because of going through all this, I landed a job with an excellent young chef, who was willing to share with me, with anyone who wanted to learn, what he knew. I remember the first time we cleaned a rockfish, he told us to be wary of the "a-hole", like we would be offended by the word "ass". That's a good teacher! -- Matt.
  12. This is nothing new for the Noodle Box. Back in the day when they were just a cart on the street, they could pull whatever hours they wanted. They were guaranteed a line up. When they took over the space on Douglas, things seemed to go well at first, but then they were back to old habits. I worked a couple blocks away for a couple of years and basically walked past everyday, often twice a day. Seemed they were usually able to keep their daytime hours, but nighttime was a total crapshoot. I eventually stopped even trying to go, because of how many times they were closed when they were supposed to be open. -- Matt.
  13. Strange, I wonder what happened to the domain? Yes, the market is getting bigger as the months go by. All summer there has been at least three vendors. It's a production of the Vic West Food Security Collective, and the organizer, Lee, runs the main stand. Over the summer there has been a good selection of local produce, but I wish there had been more of an emphasis on local goods. Hours are Wednesdays, 2-6 pm. Last year the hours were adjusted as it got darker, earlier. While there, check out the community garden in the parking lot behind Spiral Cafe. The only rules to growing are it must be edible and organic and always in use. Pretty neat! -- Matt.
  14. So what are the locally available fin fish you would like to see on menus? Let's see, I'll start. We have any or all of these on the regular menu or daily feature sheets at work. Halibut (and cheeks, of course) Salmon (spring, white spring, sockeye) Albacore Tuna (smoked and not) Ling Cod Petrale Sole Rockfish (many varieties) Skate (uhh.. eww) Sablefish (smoked and not) Much of this fish comes in whole/cleaned and is processed in house. We offer four or five different fresh fish everyday, simply prepared (usually pan roasted or grilled with some salt and herbs) and served with local vegetables and some steamed rice. Is this not easy to find in Vancover? I find that really difficult to believe. What other local varities of fin fish is available, and what would you like to see? -- Matt.
  15. Matt, you have to steal them little pieces of food grade tubing on the end of teapots in Chinatown. They are awesome. Just don't steal anything from Don Mee, everyone else is open game. ←
  16. I took the bait. Holy shit, confusion menu's can be difficult to read. "Seared Alaskan black cod with a Canadian maple, miso, and sake sauce, wok fired bok choy. Finished with enoki mushrooms and a kumquat salsa and crispy egg noodle cake." WTF is this? All over the map. Looks like a CFD menu to me. -- Matt.
  17. Not an English high tea, but a superior 'diner tea' experience is the Dutch Bakery. Great coffee, slices, petit-four and light meals. Also great greasy spoon stuff!! If it's busy during lunch, which is always is, they will ask you to share your table. Great for meeting people and socializing. Also, James Bay Tea Room (on Menzies I think) is fun for a cheesy English Tea experience. The big earthenware tea pots come with a tea cozy in cheap wool like Grandma might have made for you when you first moved out .... And tea in Victoria can't be said without Murchie's. (est. 1894) How about tea houses that use teapots that don't drip. Can you find me one of those? -- Matt.
  18. Matt R.

    Salt

    Holy shit! Who's going to help you rediscover *your* cool? Looks like you lost it sometime in the early 90's on a BBS. -- Matt. ETA: Sorry, could not resist. Bit of a Dennis Miller Moment.
  19. ^ You would be very lucky to have a FAS retail store nearby. We use FAS products at work where available (and when they can meet our demand!) and Chef has a long history with the company. Did you know that their invoices show when/where your fish was caught, using GPS coordinates as well as plain english? How fresh *is* your whole halibut? Oh, it was caught yesterday? Ok. All of their product is top drawer, but I especially like their smoked Albacore. Can't be beat! Good company, great product, and in expansion mode. Glad to see this! Bob deserves all his success. Uh, I'm a bit of a cheerleader for the hometown boys ... -- Matt.
  20. Does this mean he is now working for Gary Collins, former Liberal house leader and Finance Minister? I once worked for David Collins, Gary's brother. Maybe he can get me a job doing airline food w/ Feenie... cha-ching! Two degrees of seperation isn't bad. -- Matt.
  21. It's not over yet. The shellfish ban is slowly being lifted in a few locations around the coast, usually beginning with oysters and ending with clams. Looking briefly at this makes me think that maybe 90% of the coast is still closed to oyster harvesting. Good luck! -- Matt.
  22. I can't imagine paying $7 for a baked potato, or $7 for red peppers. They must be very good! There is a destination/captive market going on there, and they did just give all their cooks a big pay bump. Somebody's gotta pay for it. -- Matt.
  23. I'd try Barnston Island Herbs. They have a good selection of micro greens by the tray. I think they run between $20-30/tray. They deliver to the island once a week. Wednesday I think. There is also Gavin the herb and flower guy ... he can be a little mysterious and hard to find, but he comes twice a week with the *best* flowers, herbs and greens I've seen. -- Matt.
  24. Their menu is all over the map, featuring seared ahi "black pepper dusted, seared rare and served with wasabi mashed potatoes and ponzo sauce." -- Matt.
  25. For years I worked at a seafood restaurant called Chandler's (the one with the whale mural), in Victoria. The 5 story brick building is circa 1886, and it shows. There are places in the outside wall where you can actually remove a couple bricks, and put them back in. Old. Two of the floors are underground, one of them below the seawall. You can see large archways, and old outlines of doors, where old gates were bricked over. You don't have to look too far on that block for evidence of old, large doorways leading under the water. This old chinese dishwasher, who left just as I started, complained of noises, and odd feelings whenever he was down in that storage area, and painted large, chinese symbols over all of these old doorways. There was, of course, the usual stories of lights being turned on, messes being made etc. that you get in old buildings, especially places where a good story might entertain a guest. I also worked for years in Market Square (Hi Andrew!), where ghost stories abound. I just remember being able to get on the roof to "watch the fireworks" because I was in with the security guy. One spring when I was there, the city ripped up lower Johnson for some major work, and discovered tunnels heading across the street, heading towards the Empress and Legislature, 10+ feet below the street, that weren't on any engineering map they had. This is no BS, these guys came in to the restaurant three times a day for 5 weeks. I saw this with my own eyes .... -- Matt.
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